Publication Bias and Evidential Value in Speech, Language, and Hearing Research

Purpose: This research examined the evidential value of research in Speech, Language, and Hearing (SLH), and the extent to which there is publication bias in reported findings. We also looked at the prevalence of good research practices, including those that work to minimize publication bias.Method: We extracted statistical results from 51 articles reported in four meta-analyses. These were there analyzed with two recent tests for evidential value and publication bias —the p-curve and the Z-curve. These articles were also coded for pre-registration, data access statements, and whether they were replication studies. Results: P-curves were right-skewed indicating evidential value, ruling out selective reporting as the sole reason for the significant findings. The Z-curve similarly found evidential value but detected a relative absence of null results, suggesting there is some publication bias. No studies were pre-registered, no studies had a data access statement, and no studies were full replication studies (3 studies were partial replications).Conclusions: Findings indicate SLH research has evidential value. This means that decision-makers and clinicians can continue to rely on the SLH research evidence base to influence service and clinical decisions. However, the presence of publication bias means that meta-analytic estimates of effectiveness may be exaggerated. Thus, we encourage SLH researchers to engage in study pre-registration, make result data accessible, conduct replication studies, and document null findings.

Highly Accurate Gene Essentiality Prediction with w-nucleotide Z Curve Features and Feature Selection Technique in Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

Background: Many studies have been conducted on essentiality prediction in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome, but the accuracy is not as high as those in bacterial or human genomes. The most frequently used features are protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks combined with some other features, such as evolutionary conservation, expression level, and protein domain information. Sequence composition features are used least often. Objective: To improve the accuracy of essentiality prediction in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome, we proposed a highly accurate gene essentiality prediction algorithm. Methods: In this paper, we propose an algorithm based on a linear support vector machine (SVM) using sequence features only. The variables in this paper are derived from sequence data based on the w-nucleotide Z curve format without any other information. Results: After feature selection, the best area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.944 for 5-fold cross-validation. From 1- to 6-nucleotide Z curve variables, feature extraction can increase the AUC in all cases. Conclusion: Prediction only on sequence composition is promising, particularly when a feature filtering method is used, and maybe a good complement for algorithms based on other features.

Responsible product design to mitigate excessive gambling: A scoping review and z-curve analysis of replicability

Objectives Systematic mapping of evaluations of tools and interventions that are intended to mitigate risks for gambling harm. Design Scoping Review and z-curve analysis (which estimates the average replicability of a body of literature). Search strategy We searched 7 databases. We also examined reference lists of included studies, as well as papers that cited included studies. Included studies described a quantitative empirical assessment of a game-based (i.e., intrinsic to a specific gambling product) structural feature, user-directed tool, or regulatory initiative to promote responsible gambling. At least two research assistants independently performed screening and extracted study characteristics (e.g., study design and sample size). One author extracted statistics for the z-curve analysis. Results 86 studies met inclusion criteria. No tools or interventions had unambiguous evidence of efficacy, but some show promise, such as within-session breaks in play. Pre-registration of research hypotheses, methods, and analytic plans was absent until 2019, reflecting a recent embracement of open science practices. Published studies also inconsistently reported effect sizes and power analyses. The results of z-curve provide some evidence of publication bias, and suggest that the replicability of the responsible product design literature is uncertain but could be low. Conclusion Greater transparency and precision are paramount to improving the evidence base for responsible product design to mitigate gambling-related harm.

Development Study of T-Z Curve Generated from Kentledge System and Bidirectional Test

Pile loading tests to check the bearing capacity to support large loads. We can also use it to measure its deflection under lateral load. There are two tests: the axial static pile load test (Kentledge) and the two-directional static pile load test (Bidirectional). T-Z curve as the result analysis based on the instrumented pile test data describes the load distribution and mobilized skin friction along with the pile. Numbers of Vibrating Wire Strain Gauge (VWSG) mounted in several depths of the bored pile and two tell-tale on top and toe of the pile used as primary data in this research. This research to determine the different distribution of mobilized skin friction. The pile from two different pile load test methods from the calculated t-z curve as the study developed from both methods of pile test. The research results that the kentledge system has bigger mobilized skin friction than in bidirectional test.

A Review of the Effects of Valenced Odors on Face Perception and Evaluation

How do valenced odors affect the perception and evaluation of facial expressions? We reviewed 25 studies published from 1989 to 2020 on cross-modal behavioral effects of odors on the perception of faces. The results indicate that odors may influence facial evaluations and classifications in several ways. Faces are rated as more arousing during simultaneous odor exposure, and the rated valence of faces is affected in the direction of the odor valence. For facial classification tasks, in general, valenced odors, whether pleasant or unpleasant, decrease facial emotion classification speed. The evidence for valence congruency effects was inconsistent. Some studies found that exposure to a valenced odor facilitates the processing of a similarly valenced facial expression. The results for facial evaluation were mirrored in classical conditioning studies, as faces conditioned with valenced odors were rated in the direction of the odor valence. However, the evidence of odor effects was inconsistent when the task was to classify faces. Furthermore, using a z-curve analysis, we found clear evidence for publication bias. Our recommendations for future research include greater consideration of individual differences in sensation and cognition, individual differences (e.g., differences in odor sensitivity related to age, gender, or culture), establishing standardized experimental assessments and stimuli, larger study samples, and embracing open research practices.

Responsible Product Design to Mitigate Excessive Gambling: A Scoping Review

Researchers and gambling operators have developed game-based responsible gambling tools and interventions that are intended to mitigate risks for gambling-related harm. We conducted a scoping review of this literature, with a focus on replicability and transparency. We charted 86 studies on characteristics such as study design and sample size. No tools or interventions had unambiguous evidence of efficacy, but some show promise. Pre-registration of research hypotheses, methods, and analytic plans was absent until 2019, reflecting a more recent awareness of open science practices. Published studies also inconsistently reported effect sizes and power analyses. Finally, we observed that the replicability of the responsible product design literature is uncertain but could be low. Specifically, entering each study’s primary result into a z-curve analysis—a tool for quantifying the replicability of a body of literature—revealed some evidence of publication bias based on statistical significance. Greater transparency and precision are paramount to improving the evidence base for responsible product design to mitigate gambling-related harm.

Ori-Finder 3: a web server for genome-wide prediction of replication origins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

DNA replication is a fundamental process in all organisms; this event initiates at sites termed origins of replication. The characteristics of eukaryotic replication origins are best understood in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. For this species, origin prediction algorithms or web servers have been developed based on the sequence features of autonomously replicating sequences (ARSs). However, their performances are far from satisfactory. By utilizing the Z-curve methodology, we present a novel pipeline, Ori-Finder 3, for the computational prediction of replication origins in S. cerevisiae at the genome-wide level based solely on DNA sequences. The ARS exhibiting both an AT-rich stretch and ARS consensus sequence element can be predicted at the single-nucleotide level. For the identified ARSs in the S. cerevisiae reference genome, 83 and 60% of the top 100 and top 300 predictions matched the known ARS records, respectively. Based on Ori-Finder 3, we subsequently built a database of the predicted ARSs identified in more than a hundred S. cerevisiae genomes. Consequently, we developed a user-friendly web server including the ARS prediction pipeline and the predicted ARSs database, which can be freely accessed at http://tubic.tju.edu.cn/Ori-Finder3.

Cumulative evidence of helmet effects on bicycle injuries

Background: With the wide use of bicycles, studies of helmet effects on bicycle injuries were intensively conducted after the problem of bicycle injuries emerged. This study aims to justify whether current evidence is sufficient to support the effects of helmets.Methods：We exhaustively searched the articles in the databases of Medline, Scopus, and Embase by the term of (helmet* AND (cycl* OR bicycle* OR bike*)) AND injur* by the time of April 10, 2019. The meta-analysis and SSA (study sequential analysis) were conducted. The protocol was registered in Prospero (www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, ID: CRD42019131751). Results: A total of 55 studies were eligible for meta-analysis. The OR (odds ratio) of helmet effect on head injuries compared with other injuries was 0·50 (0·43, 0·59) and effects of helmets on serious head injuries compared with other injuries were protective with an OR of 0·34 (0·28, 0·43). Compared with control injuries, the OR of helmets’ effects on facial injuries is 0·63 (0·45, 0·88). Helmets were not associated with protective effects with regards to neck injuries and the OR was 0·98 (0·82, 1·17). SSA results of head injuries, serious head injuries, and face injuries showed the cumulative Z-curve crossed both the conventional and the trial sequential monitoring boundary. SSA results of neck injuries showed the cumulative Z-curve does not cross both the conventional and the trial sequential monitoring boundary.Conclusions: The helmet has protection effects on head injuries, serious head injuries, and face injuries. The SSA showed the current evidence was sufficient to support the results. More studies of helmet promotion are warranted in the future.

Estimating Population Mean Power Under Conditions of Heterogeneity and Selection for Significance

In scientific fields that use significance tests, statistical power is important for successful replications of significant results because it is the long-run success rate in a series of exact replication studies. For any population of significant results, there is a population of power values of the statistical tests on which conclusions are based. We give exact theoretical results showing how selection for significance affects the distribution of statistical power in a heterogeneous population of significance tests. In a set of large-scale simulation studies, we compare four methods for estimating population mean power of a set of studies selected for significance (a maximum likelihood model, extensions of p-curve and p-uniform, & z-curve). The p-uniform and p-curve methods performed well with a fixed effects size and varying sample sizes. However, when there was substantial variability in effect sizes as well as sample sizes, both methods systematically overestimate mean power. With heterogeneity in effect sizes, the maximum likelihood model produced the most accurate estimates when the distribution of effect sizes matched the assumptions of the model, but z-curve produced more accurate estimates when the assumptions of the maximum likelihood model were not met. We recommend the use of z-curve to estimate the typical power of significant results, which has implications for the replicability of significant results in psychology journals.

Cumulative evidence of helmet effects on bicycle injuries

Background: With widely-used use of bicycles, studies of helmet effects on bicycle injuries were intensively conducted after the problem of bicycle injuries emerged. This study aims to justify whether current evidence is sufficient to manifest the effects of helmets. Methods：We exhaustively searched the articles in the databases of Medline, Scopus, and Embase by the term of (helmet* AND (cycl* OR bicycle* OR bike*)) AND injur* by the time of April 10, 2019. The meta-analysis and SSA (study sequential analysis) were conducted. Results：A total of 55 studies are eligible for meta-analysis. The OR (odds ratio) of helmet effect on head injuries compared with other injuries is 0·50 (0·43, 0·59) and effect of helmets on serious head injuries compared with other injuries are protective with OR of 0·34 (0·28, 0·43). Compared with control injuries, the OR of helmet effect on facial injuries is 0·63 (0·45, 0·88). Helmets is not associated with protective effects of neck injuries and OR is 0·98 (0·82, 1·17). SSA results of head injuries, serious head injuries, and face injuries showed, the cumulative Z-curve crossed both the conventional and the trial sequential monitoring boundary. SSA results of neck injuries showed the cumulative Z-curve does not cross both the conventional and the trial sequential monitoring boundary. Conclusions：The helmet has protection effects on head injuries, serious head injuries, and face injuries. The SSA showed the current evidence was sufficient to support the results. More studies of helmet promotion are warranted in the future. Key words: helmet; bicycle injuries; head injuries; face injuriesKey words: helmet; bicycle injuries; head injuries; face injuries