On the Use of the Wilcoxon Criterion in the Practice of Pedagogical Research

The article discusses the use of nonparametric measures of influence in pedagogical research. The Wilcoxon criterion for comparing indicators obtained as a result of measurements in a connected sample is highlighted. The necessary conditions for the application of the criterion, as well as the advantages of its use are indicated. The possibility of using the Wilcoxon criterion is illustrated by the example of determining the effectiveness of the proposed teaching methodology using the Uchi.ru online platform in educational activities. Most modern studies in the field of pedagogy and psychology, along with qualitative descriptions of the results of the research, actively use quantitative analysis. Last analysis includes processing of the data using methods of mathematical statistics. In order to show the effectiveness of the developed methodology for the learning process, it should be considered as a factor influencing changes in the studied trait. Further study of these changes allows the researcher to determine the statistical reliability (significance) of the influence of the factor under consideration. The subsequent analysis of the reliability of the influence of a particular factor, the comparison of the measure of influence of various factors is carried out using parametric (variance analysis) and nonparametric measures of influence (the sign criterion, the Wilcoxon criterion). This article discusses the use of nonparametric measures of influence in pedagogical research. The Wilcoxon criterion is selected for comparing the indicators obtained as a result of measurement in a connected sample and allowing to diagnose not only the direction of changes, but also their severity. The necessary conditions for the application of the criterion, as well as the advantages of its use, are indicated. The possibility of using the Wilcoxon criterion is illustrated by the example of determining the effectiveness of the proposed teaching methodology using the Uchi.ru online platform in educational activities. Conclusions are made about its inefficiency for mastering the material in mathematics for younger schoolchildren.

Statistical Reliability Analysis of Interplanetary Spacecraft Operating at Different Interplanetary Extremity

Reliability of the spacecraft determines the extent of success probability and mission accomplishment. Despite effective testing and integration, the complexity of the space environment affects reliability. In this paper, we investigate the reliability behaviour of interplanetary spacecraft operating at different interplanetary extremities. So, our investigation assesses spacecraft inhered in interplanetary space with the context of the interplanetary boundary (between distinct planetary orbit or within the bounds of heliopause). From the perspective of spacecraft reliability in interplanetary space, we have excluded planetary landers, atmospheric probes, and satellites maneuvering earth orbit. Thus, we have identified 131 spacecraft (includes 82 probes within the bounds of Sun and the Earth, and 49 within the bounds of Earth and Heliopause) along with their gross mass at launch and lifespan. Based on acquired data, we first conduct a non-parametric analysis of spacecraft reliability to obtain two reliability curves for distinct interplanetary extremity. We then perform a parametric fit (Weibull Distribution) over the data to show the analogy of reliability behaviour. Results showed that the spacecraft operating beyond the extremity of the Earth and the Mars exhibits increased reliability than any other interplanetary extremity. In addition to this, we execute reliability analysis over spacecraft of various mass categories (Small-Medium-Large) to testify the reliability effect interpreted by Dubos in 2010. Finally, we discuss the possible factors and causes accountable for the difference in reliability behaviour concerning the spacecraft design and integration, testing, and constraints in considering spacecraft mass.

A method for independent estimation of false localisation rate for phosphoproteomics

Phosphoproteomics methods are commonly employed in labs to identify and quantify the sites of phosphorylation on proteins. In recent years, various software tools have been developed, incorporating scores or statistics related to whether a given phosphosite has been correctly identified, or to estimate the global false localisation rate (FLR) within a given data set for all sites reported. These scores have generally been calibrated using synthetic data sets, and their statistical reliability on real datasets is largely unknown. As a result, there is considerable problem in the field of reporting incorrectly localised phosphosites, due to inadequate statistical control. In this work, we develop the concept of using scoring and ranking modifications on a decoy amino acid, i.e. one that cannot be modified, to allow for independent estimation of global FLR. We test a variety of different amino acids to act as the decoy, on both synthetic and real data sets, demonstrating that the amino acid selection can make a substantial difference to the estimated global FLR. We conclude that while several different amino acids might be appropriate, the most reliable FLR results were achieved using alanine and leucine as decoys, although we have a preference for alanine due to the risk of potential confusion between leucine and isoleucine amino acids. We propose that the phosphoproteomics field should adopt the use of a decoy amino acid, so that there is better control of false reporting in the literature, and in public databases that re-distribute the data.

Automatic detection of adult cardiomyocyte for high throughput measurements of calcium and contractility

Simultaneous calcium and contractility measurements on isolated adult cardiomyocytes have been the gold standard for the last decades to study cardiac (patho)physiology. However, the throughput of this system is low which limits the number of compounds that can be tested per animal. We developed instrumentation and software that can automatically find adult cardiomyocytes. Cells are detected based on the cell boundary using a Sobel-filter to find the edge information in the field of view. Separately, we detected motion by calculating the variance of intensity for each pixel in the frame through time. Additionally, it detects the best region for calcium and contractility measurements. A sensitivity of 0.66 ± 0.08 and a precision of 0.82 ± 0.03 was reached using our cell finding algorithm. The percentage of cells that were found and had good contractility measurements was 90 ± 10%. In addition, the average time between 2 cardiomyocyte calcium and contractility measurements decreased from 93.5 ± 80.2 to 15.6 ± 8.0 seconds using our software and microscope. This drastically increases throughput and provides a higher statistical reliability when performing adult cardiomyocyte functional experiments.

Leymann Inventory of Psychological Terror Scale: Development and Validation for Portuguese Accounting Professionals

This research aims to adapt the Leymann Inventory of Psychological Terror and its use on Portuguese Accounting Professionals. Leymann scale was applied in a final sample of 478 accountants aged between 28 and 68, of which 47.5% were men and 52.5% women. We used a quantitative methodology by applying a questionnaire survey whose results were, in the following research phase, analyzed using the statistical packages SPSS 26 and AMOS 27. We used SPSS 26 for the Descriptive Statistical Analysis and AMOS 27 to estimate the structural equation model that validated the scale. After the scale had been adapted and changed, it was validated in psychometric terms to be applied to and used in studies involving this type of professionals. The Accountants Leymann Inventory of Psychological Terror that resulted from adapting the original model was tested using structural equation modelling. Thus, the new scale produced significant results similar to those of the original scale, which means that it is valid and can be applied to other contexts. The validity and statistical reliability of the new scale made it possible to measure mobbing problems among accounting professionals reliably and robustly. The present research is an important contribution to the literature. Although it has been applied in several contexts, it is the first time it is being developed, adapted, and validated for accounting professionals who work in this area of management.

Investigating the reliability and validity of the Toddler Home Learning Environment (THLE) scale

Home learning environments prior to school are well-known predictors of educational trajectories but research has neglected children aged under three. The new Toddler Home Learning Environment (THLE) scale is one response and this paper investigates its reliability and validity. The THLE is an adaptation of the Preschool HLE (PHLE) measure developed by the Effective Pre-School Primary and Secondary Education (EPPSE) investigation in the 1990s. The THLE was developed as part of the Evaluation of Children’s Centers in England (ECCE) investigation that followed a sample of 2,608 of families from 14 to 38 months. The THLE was administered at 14 months, the PHLE at 38. The 8-item THLE evidences internal consistency via statistical reliability coefficients and Confirmatory Factor Analysis plus measurement validity via statistically significant and research-appropriate associations with the PHLE, three measures of child development, and child and parent demographics. This paper moves the HLE literature forward with a new parental self-report scale of the HLE that is for use with toddlers.

Combined 3D-QSAR and Molecular Docking Analysis of Thienopyrimidine Derivatives as Staphylococcus aureus Inhibitors

The discovery of antibacterials is considered one of the greatest medical achievements of all time. In this work, a combination of three computational analyzes: 3D-QSAR, molecular docking and ADME evaluation were applied in thienopyrimidine derivatives intended toward gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus. The validity of 3D-QSAR model was tested with a set of data which is divided into a training and a test set. The two models constructed (CoMFA and CoMSIA) show good statistical reliability (q2 = 0.758; r2 = 0.96; r2pred = 0.783) and (q2 = 0.744; r2 = 0.97; r2pred = 0.625) respectively. In addition, docking methods were applied to understand the structural features responsible for the affinity of the ligands in the binding of S. aureus DNA gyrase. Drug likeness and ADME analysis applied in this series of new proposed compounds, have shown that the five lead molecules would have the potential to be effective drugs and could be used as a starting point for designing compounds against Staphylococcus aureus.