Nonparametric Statistical Methods Research Articles

Analisis Penerimaan Aplikasi Naskah Dinas Elektronik (Nadine) Di Biro Umum Sekretariat Jenderal Kementerian Keuangan Menggunakan Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)

One of the impacts of the rapid development of information and technology (IT) in the archives sector is the presence of an electronic records management system (ERMS). Many ERMS has been developed, but not all of them have been successfully implemented. One important factor in its implementation is user acceptance. User acceptance influences user intentions when using an ERMS application. One of the ERMS is the Naskah Dinas Elektronik (Nadine) application atthe Ministry of Finance, which was implemented five years ago but has not yet been tested for user acceptance. This research was conducted to analyze the factors involved in accepting Nadine's application at the General Bureau as Centre Archives of the Ministry of Finance through the technology acceptance model (TAM). The research method used was quantitativedescriptive, with questionnaires distributed to 72 respondents using the Nadine application at the General Bureau. The data obtained was processed using a non-parametric statistical method, namelypartial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The research results show that system quality factors, user training factors, and facility conditions significantly influence user intentions when using the Nadine application. Perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness show a positive correlation with intention to use. Perceived usefulness has a significant direct influence on intention to use, while perceived ease of use has an indirect influence on intention to use through perceived usefulness. The implications of this research provide suggestions for policymakers to improve the quality of implementation of the Nadine application by improving system quality, providing training programs, and providing adequate facilities. This research can also be used to explore factors that influence users' intentions to accept ERMS, especially perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use.

"Effects of Floating Aquatic Vegetation and Canal Sediment on Phosphorus in Drainage Discharges in Agricultural Canals: A Case Study in the Everglades Agricultural Area, Florida"

Phosphorus (P) discharge from agricultural and urban drainage is known for causing downstream eutrophication worldwide. Agricultural best management practices that are designed to reduce P load out of farms target different P species from various sources such as fertilizers leaching and farm soil and canal sediment erosion, however, few studies have assessed the impact of floating aquatic vegetation (FAV) on canal sediment and farm drainage water quality. This study evaluated the impact of FAVs on canal sediment properties and P water quality in drainage canals in the Everglades Agricultural Area in south Florida, USA. Non-parametric statistical methods, correlation analysis, trend analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were used to determine the relationship between FAV coverage with sediment properties and P water quality parameters. Results showed that FAV coverage was correlated with the highly recalcitrant and most stable form of P in the sediment layer (Residual P Pool). FAV coverage also correlated with the dissolved organic P (DOP) which was the smallest P pool (7%) of total P concentration in drainage water, therefore FAV coverage had no correlation with farm P load. The trend analysis showed no trend in farm P loads, despite a decline in FAV coverage at farm canals over an 8-year period. Phosphorus content in the sediment surface layer was strongly associated with farm P load and had a significant correlation with particulate P (PP) and soluble reactive P (SRP) which constituted 47% and 46% of the total P concentration in the drainage water, respectively. Equilibrium P concentration assays also showed the potential to release SRP from the sediment layer. The P budget established for this study reveals that sediment stores the largest P mass (333 kg P), while FAVs store the smallest P mass (8 kg P) in a farm canal, highlighting the significant contribution of canal sediment to farm P discharges. Further research is required to evaluate the impact of sediment removal and canal maintenance practices that help reduce farm P discharges.

Studying the characteristics of mentoring university students with the main focus on supporting their professional development

Introduction. The problem of training and development of demanded, highly qualified professionals is explored. The purpose of this article is to identify the characteristic features of mentoring university students aimed at enhancing their professional development. Materials and Methods. The study was conducted using theoretical, empirical and auxiliary methods of psychological and educational research. General logical methods of scientific knowledge included analysis, synthesis and generalization of information. The analysis was based on questionnaires, as well as the method of collecting social information. Mathematical and statistical methods for interpreting the results were used as auxiliary methods. When assessing the reliability of differences between the data obtained from students of different years of study, a nonparametric statistical method was used (the Pearson chi-square test). Results. The authors identified features of mentoring university students. Four types of mentors have been identified: 1) mentors for learning; 2) mentors as psychologists; 3) research mentors; 4) field-based mentors. The functions of each type of mentors have been described and clarified. Furthermore, the authors proposed a system of interaction between mentors. Conclusions. The article concludes about the characteristic features of mentoring university students in order to facilitate their professional development as future professionals. The authors proposed a system of mentoring focusing on training, support and guidance of students which includes four types of mentors. A system of interaction between mentor and student is described.

Early Detection of Allergy Symptoms in Children and Adolescents, Characteristics of Possible Pathogens, Pre-Treatment Prevention Measures (in Poland)

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the main allergens and signs of the onset of allergic diseases and explore methods of prevention that do not include medicines. Methods: Non-parametric statistical methods were used. A retrospective study was conducted, which included 270 case histories. The average age of the patients was 19 (12.5; 40.1) years, 127 (47%) were men and 143 (53%) were women. Clinical diagnoses, early symptoms, allergen spectrum, and treatment recommendations provided by doctors were analyzed. It was established that the early signs of allergic rhinitis and rhinoconjunctivitis are nasal congestion, runny nose, and lacrimation, and the onset of atopic dermatitis is -characterized by dry and itchy skin. Results: Allergy to triggers from one group was present in 136 (50.4%) patients, irritants from two groups – in 95 (35.2%) patients, and irritants from three groups – in 39 (14.4%) patients. Polish doctors advised patients to limit their exposure to allergens but did not give recommendations for concrete actions. Conclusion: The results of the study can be used to help in the identification of the most common symptoms of allergic diseases and allergens, which is vital for the early diagnosis of this pathology by clinicians.

Improved stochastic fractal search algorithm involving design operators for solving parameter extraction problems in real-world engineering optimization problems

The characteristic parameters of renewable energy sources (RESs) are changes over time under changing operating conditions. Therefore, the accuracy of the model is important in order to establish appropriate control and operating plans for the stable operation of such systems. Determining the parameters of RESs and creating an accurate model of them is an inevitable reality and plays an important role in the success of system modeling. Many methods have been used to determine these parameters in the literature. Furthermore, optimization algorithms are now considered to be among the most significant approaches for resolving problems pertaining to system parameter extraction in many scientific areas. In the study, this parameter extraction is done by a new optimization method called stochastic fractal search algorithm (FDB-NSM-SFS-OBLs), which includes natural survivor updating (NSM) and fitness distance balance (FDB) guiding mechanisms, and opposite based learning (OBL) methods. The performance of the proposed FDB-NSM-SFS-OBL algorithm has been tested in two different experimental studies. In the first experimental study, the proposed approach is tested on CEC2020 benchmark test functions and the algorithm structure containing the best OBL approach is determined using nonparametric Wilcoxon and Friedman statistical analysis methods. The second experimental study is carried out with the proposed optimization algorithm to estimate the parameters of the photovoltaic cell used in the modeling, which is the building block of photovoltaic panels used in renewable energy systems, proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) that is another renewable energy source, and Li-Ion battery used as a backup power unit. The FDB-NSM-SFS-OBL algorithm, which is used both in the CEC2020 benchmark test functions and in determining the parameters of photovoltaic (PV) cells, PEMFC and Li-Ion batteries, performed better in searching and finding the global solution point during the optimization process.

Exploring coagulation parameters as predictive biomarkers of Plasmodium infection: A comprehensive analysis of coagulation parameters.

Malaria affects the intravascular environment, leading to abnormal coagulation activation, prolonged prothrombin time, and activated partial thromboplastin time. Despite the high prevalence of malaria in the study area, there has been little published research on the effects of Plasmodium infection on coagulation parameters. The aim was to assess the effect of malaria on basic coagulation parameters among patients attending Dembia Primary Hospital and Makisegnit Health Center. A cross-sectional study was carried out from January to March 2020. The study involved 120 participants. Blood specimens were collected, which were analyzed using a Huma Clot Due Plus analyzer. The collected data were entered into EpiData and exported to SPSS version 21 for analysis. Non-parametric statistical methods were employed to analyze the data. The results were considered statistically significant if the p-value was less than 0.05. Individuals infected with Plasmodium exhibit coagulation disorders with elevated levels of PT (Prothrombin Time), APTT (Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time), and INR (International Normalization Ratio) in comparison to healthy controls. The median PT, APTT, and INR values for infected cases were measured at 20.5 [8.6], 39.5 [17.9], and 1.8 [0.9], respectively, while healthy controls had measurements of 15.1 [2.5], 28.8 [8.3], and 1.3 [0.2] (p ≤ 0.001). The severity of coagulation disorders increased with an increase in parasitemia levels. The type of Plasmodium species present had a significant impact on PT and INR values (p ≤ 0.001), whereas APTT did not show any significant impact across the Plasmodium species (p > 0.05). The results of this study found that malaria has a substantial impact on various blood clotting parameters, including PT, APTT, and INR. Parasitemia severity is significantly associated with extended PT and INR, implying that the higher the parasitemia, the longer it takes for blood to clot. Furthermore, the study discovered that the PT and INR levels differed based on the type of Plasmodium species responsible for the infection.

지역사회 연계 환경 프로그램 효과성 연구

Objectives The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of community-based environmental programs for alternative school children, focusing on environmental behavior, pro-environmental behavior, environmental sensitivity and awareness.
 Methods The subjects of the study are 19 students from Alternative School A in Seoul. The trends (M, SD) and normality (Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Shapiro-Wilk) of the pre-post mean scores for the research variables, namely environmental behavior, pro-environmental behavior, environmental sensitivity and awareness, were verified using SPSS 23.0. Since normality was not met, the Wilcoxon test, a non-parametric statistical method that analyzes differences between paired pre- and post-samples, was used to verify effectiveness.
 Results The main results are as follows: First, the trend of research variables was analyzed by differentiating between pre-mean scores (a) and post-mean scores (b), and examining the difference (b-a). The results showed improvement in post-mean scores compared to pre-mean scores for all research variables. Second, the normality of the pre- and post-test mean scores of the study variables was not satisfied, so nonparametric statistical methods were used to test for differences. Third, all study variables showed higher post-test mean scores than pre-test mean scores, and the results were statistically significant.
 Conclusions The findings of this study suggest that community engagement programs operated by alternative schools should be expanded to support optimized programs by identifying and implementing improvements through continuous monitoring. The proposal focuses on measures for experiential project activities through strengthened collaboration with the local community.

Powerful and accurate detection of temporal gene expression patterns from multi-sample multi-stage single-cell transcriptomics data with TDEseq

We present a non-parametric statistical method called TDEseq that takes full advantage of smoothing splines basis functions to account for the dependence of multiple time points in scRNA-seq studies, and uses hierarchical structure linear additive mixed models to model the correlated cells within an individual. As a result, TDEseq demonstrates powerful performance in identifying four potential temporal expression patterns within a specific cell type. Extensive simulation studies and the analysis of four published scRNA-seq datasets show that TDEseq can produce well-calibrated p-values and up to 20% power gain over the existing methods for detecting temporal gene expression patterns.

Selective load control of lumbar muscles in robot-assisted isometric lumbar stabilization exercise

AbstractLumbar stabilization exercises are commonly employed in the rehabilitation of patients with low back pain. However, many patients discontinue these exercises, generally calisthenics using various postures or tools, due to the difficulty of providing an appropriate exercise load intensity. This challenge results in an inability to apply the desired strength to the target lumbar muscles and sometimes leads to an excessive load on unintended areas during calisthenics. Consequently, a method that enables patients to exercise continuously and progressively recover is required, specifically one that can target the lumbar muscles with a desired load. To address this issue, we propose a rehabilitation assistive device that quantitatively controls the lumbar spine load. In isometric lumbar stabilization exercises, our method involves precise compensation for gravity. The device, equipped with a series elastic actuator, is positioned beneath the patient in a lying posture. It applies an assistive force in the direction opposite to gravity, enabling precise control of the load on the lumbar region and reducing the vertical load on the spine. To validate the effectiveness of our proposed method, we conducted experiments with 20 healthy subjects across three exercises and analyzed the electromyography signal using nonparametric statistical methods. Our objective was to determine whether the load on the target lumbar muscles could be precisely and gradually controlled. The statistical results indicate that exercises performed using the proposed device produce statistically significant load changes in the target lumbar muscles.

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in children with some neurological and mental disorders accompanied by mental and speech development delay: a prospective study

INTRODUCTION: Despite the development and introduction of new neuroimaging methods into clinical practice, the proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy method has still not found wide application. This is hampered by various technical, methodological and organizational problems. On the other hand, there is no information about the clinical possibilities of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the diagnosis of children with mental and speech retardation, assessment of their dynamics, and features of metabolic changes in the central nervous system. Due to the advent of new proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic techniques that allow the use of multivoxel volumes of the studied tissues, it has become possible to assess the role and place of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in children with similar manifestations.OBJECTIVE: The study was to study the relationship between the complex of acetylaspartate and choline metabolism in the brain in children with neurological and mental disorders accompanied by a delay in mental and speech development.MATERIALS AND METHODS: 102 patients were examined, of which: 30 children (29.4%) were with atypical autism and mental retardation; 22 patients (21.5%) with focal temporal epilepsy and delayed speech development; 18 children (17.8%) with focal temporal epilepsy and without delayed speech development; 13 patients (12.7%) with cognitive epileptiform disintegration; 19 children (18.6%) without CNS pathology were included in the comparison group. The age of the examined varied from 2 to 10 years, the average age was 4.9±2.0 years.Statistics: The analysis included determining the numerical characteristics of the variables and checking the normality of the distribution of values. Methods of parametric and nonparametric statistics were used. For parametric statistics, a standard analysis using the Student’s t-test was used. From the methods of nonparametric statistics, methods of correlation analysis with calculation of the Mann-Whitney U-test coefficient were used. The results were considered reliable at p<0.05.RESULTS: In the brain of children with atypical autism and mental retardation, the following changes were revealed: in the prefrontal cortex, on both sides, a decrease in the ratio of NAA/Cr concentrations, an increase in Cho/Cr and Cho/NAA (p<0.05); in the postcentral gyrus area, on both sides, a decrease in the ratio of NAA/Cr concentrations (p<0.05); in the area of the inner capsule, a decrease in the ratio of NAA/Cr concentrations and an increase in Cho/Cr (p<0.05); in the area of the temporal lobes, on both sides, a decrease in the ratio of NAA/Cr concentrations and an increase in Cho/Cr (p<0.05); in the area of the hippocampus, on both sides, a decrease in the ratio of NAA/Cr concentrations and an increase in Cho/Cr (p<0.05). In patients with temporal epilepsy and delayed speech development, the following changes were revealed: in the prefrontal cortex on both sides, an increase in the ratio of Cho/Cr concentrations (p<0.05); in the area of the postcentral gyrus, a decrease in the ratio of NAA/Cr concentrations on the right and an increase in Cho/Cr on both sides (p<0.05); in the area of the inner capsule on both sides, a decrease in the ratio of NAA/Cr concentrations and an increase in Cho/Cr (p<0.05); in the area of the temporal lobes, a decrease in the ratio of NAA/Cr concentrations is observed on the right and an increase in Cho/Cr (p<0.05); in the hippocampal region on both sides there is a decrease in the ratio of NAA/Cr concentrations, an increase in Cho/Cr and Cho/NAA (p<0.05). In children with focal temporal epilepsy without delayed speech development, the following changes were revealed: in the temporal lobe area on the right, a decrease in the ratio of NAA/Cr concentrations (p<0.05); in the hippocampus area on the right, a decrease in the ratio of NAA/Cr concentrations and an increase in Cho/Cr (p<0.05). In children with cognitive epileptiform disintegration, the following changes were revealed: in the prefrontal cortex, on both sides, an increase in the Cho/Cr concentration ratio (p<0.05); in the postcentral gyrus area, on both sides, an increase in the Cho/Cr concentration ratio (p<0.05); in the area of the inner capsule, on both sides, an increase in the ratio of Cho/Cr concentrations (p<0.05); in the area of the temporal lobes, on both sides, a decrease in the ratio of NAA/Cr concentrations, an increase in Cho/Cr and Cho/NAA (p<0.05); in the hippocampal region, on both sides, a decrease in the ratio of NAA/Cr concentrations (p<0.05).DUSCUSSION: In the examined children with some neurological and mental disorders accompanied by a delay in mental and speech development, we revealed a significant change in the ratio of NAA/Cr concentrations in areas of the brain associated with the limbic system and subcortical nuclei. It is believed that when the functional integrity of neurons is impaired, the concentration of N-acetylaspartate may change, which is reflected in a change in the ratio of NAA/Cr concentrations. These changes may be responsible for verbal and non-verbal disruptions in social communication and interactions. Also, in these areas of the brain, a significant change in the ratio of Cho/Cr concentrations was recorded, due to an increase in the concentration of choline. This may be due to disorders of higher mental functions, in particular in the construction of complex cognitive circuits responsible for regulating social behavior and interaction with the outside world.CONCLUSIONS: the proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy is a promising additional diagnostic method that allows obtaining (in vivo) information about the state of neurometabolism in brain tissues in children with certain neurological and mental disorders accompanied by a delay in mental and speech development, which can be useful in neurological practice.

Tissue-specific enhancer-gene maps from multimodal single-cell data identify causal disease alleles.

Translating genome-wide association study (GWAS) loci into causal variants and genes requires accurate cell-type-specific enhancer-gene maps from disease-relevant tissues. Building enhancer-gene maps is essential but challenging with current experimental methods in primary human tissues. Here we developed a nonparametric statistical method, SCENT (single-cell enhancer target gene mapping), that models association between enhancer chromatin accessibility and gene expression in single-cell or nucleus multimodal RNA sequencing and ATAC sequencing data. We applied SCENT to 9 multimodal datasets including >120,000 single cells or nuclei and created 23 cell-type-specific enhancer-gene maps. These maps were highly enriched for causal variants in expression quantitative loci and GWAS for 1,143 diseases and traits. We identified likely causal genes for both common and rare diseases and linked somatic mutation hotspots to target genes. We demonstrate that application of SCENT to multimodal data from disease-relevant human tissue enables the scalable construction of accurate cell-type-specific enhancer-gene maps, essential for defining noncoding variant function.

Nonparametric procedure for comparing the performance of divisions of a network organization

To solve the problem of comparative efficiency analysis of branch operations for a small volume of randomly observed data, a non-parametric approach is relevant, since it does not require a probabilistic model of observations. Comparing the results of the non-parametric approach with the results obtained within the traditionally used Gaussian model is also relevant. Additionally, obtaining a consistent comparison of a group (of no less than three) branches is important. Currently, the non-parametric approach and the corresponding comparison with the known results of solving the problem considered in this work obtained within the framework of the normal model are absent. In addition, insufficient attention is paid to the search for methods of obtaining consistent solutions. This work to some extent fills these gaps. This work uses non-parametric statistical methods and theory of simultaneous hypothesis testing to address these problems. This paper proposes a procedure for comparative analysis of the efficiency of several units within a network organization with a small volume of observations based on the Mann–Whitney tests. We carry out a comparison of the results obtained from the proposed non-parametric procedure with results based on extensions of Student’s t-tests. We propose a method for reducing the number of compatibility problems based on the search for an appropriate significance level. We provide an example of a fully consistent comparison of the efficiency of branch operations.

СРАВНИТЕЛЬНАЯ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКА АНТРОПОМЕТРИЧЕСКИХ И БИОИМПЕДАНСОМЕТРИЧЕСКИХ ПОКАЗАТЕЛЕЙ РОССИЙСКИХ И ИНОСТРАННЫХ СТУДЕНТОВ СЕВЕРО-ВОСТОЧНОГО ФЕДЕРАЛЬНОГО УНИВЕРСИТЕТА

To study the adaptation processes of foreign students, the most accessible and informative is to determine their morphofunctional status. The purpose of the study was to conduct a comparative characterization of anthropometric and bioimpedance indicators of yakut and arab students. Materials and methods: 166 young men of yakut nationality and 43 arab boys, natives of Egypt, whose average age was 19,9±0,25 years, were examined. All the examined were 1st year students of the Medical Institute of the North-Eastern Federal University. Anthropometric and bioimpedance measurements were carried out, and an index assessment of physical development was given. The methods of parametric and nonparametric statistics are used. Results and conclusion: Significantly high indices of body weight, chest circumference, buttock girth and antero-posterior chest diameter were established in arab boys. Yakuts have significantly higher shoulder diameter values. Arab boys are more likely to register persons with increased body density according to the Yarho-Kaupe index, high physical development according to the Rohrer index, persons with increased body weight and obesity according to the body mass index. The indices of active and reactive tissue resistance were significantly higher in yakut boys. Significantly high values of total hydration, musculoskeletal mass and lean mass were recorded in arab boys. Among the yakut boys, a significantly large proportion of persons with a high value and the absence of persons with a low value of the phase angle were identified. The obtained results of bioimpedance analysis indicate the best condition of the body's cells, the level of overall performance and metabolic intensity in yakut boys.

Working from home during and beyond the coronavirus pandemic: Employee reflections from the Czech Republic

Research background: Working from home (WFH) has become the norm for many people around the world due to the coronavirus pandemic. It has accelerated the implementation of WFH and has raised questions about its further use. Purpose of the article: The article analyzes the experience of employees in the Czech Republic with WFH during the coronavirus pandemic to identify perceived benefits, difficulties, skills, and conditions related to WFH, assess the employee desire to work from home depending on their industry, age, and gender, and propose actions for further use of WFH beyond the coronavirus pandemic. The statistical verification of the dependence of the desire of employees to work from home beyond the coronavirus pandemic on their industry, age, and gender is integral to the analysis. Methods: The analysis is founded on data from the authors' online questionnaire survey conducted from December 2021 to September 2022. Responses from 480 employees who experienced WFH during the coronavirus pandemic in the Czech Republic are analyzed. Statistical non-parametric methods for the analysis of nominal data are used to verify defined hypotheses. Findings & value added: A research gap concerning the further use of WFH in the Czech Republic and elsewhere by considering the employee experience is met. The findings have revealed the desire of more than half of surveyed employees to continue working from home part-time to achieve reasonable work-personal-family well-being. The desire turned out to be dependent on the employees' industry. Within further use, WFH should be taken as a specific work pattern for suitable professions and individuals with adequate organizational and technical support. Three matters concerning performance agreement, work environment, and self-management are proposed to enhance work-personal-family well-being and thus job satisfaction and productivity of homeworkers. The findings and proposals can help any theorist and practitioner interested in WFH.

Анализ факторов, определяющих величину экологического воздействия сельскохозяйственного производства на земельные ресурсы

Abstract. The purpose is to assess the impact of factors determining the magnitude of the environmental impact of agricultural production on land resources. Methodology and methods. In the course of the study, nonparametric statistical methods were used to identify dependencies in the data set. When constructing predictive models, ROC-analysis was used to find the values of the cut-off point. Results. The study made it possible to localize three groups of regions of the Russian Federation that differ quite significantly in terms of the environmental impact of agricultural production on land resources and are characterized by a high level of dispersion within the groups. The analysis of the interrelations between the parameters characterizing the level of environmental impact made it possible to identify factors that have a decisive influence on the indicators of reproduction of land fertility. In regions with a high negative environmental impact, only the yield value is crucial, the growth of which leads to an increase in the uncompensated removal of soil fertility elements, and, accordingly, to the progression of land degradation. In regions with an average level of negative environmental impact, its magnitude also depends on the amount of organic fertilizers applied, which forms a less high level of uncompensated removal of soil fertility elements and, accordingly, environmental damage in the regions included in this group. In the group with a positive environmental impact, it is the level of application of organic fertilizers that has a decisive influence on the reproduction of land fertility. The regression analysis showed that when approximating the values of the positive environmental impact on land resources, the amount of organic fertilizers can be the most reasonable variable. ROC-analysis regarding the application of organic fertilizers for grain crops as a potential predictive parameter of positive environmental impact showed that its threshold value at the cut-off point is 2.56 tons per 1 ha. The scientific novelty lies in the formation of the evidence base of the dependence of land fertility on the parameters of agroecological impact necessary to understand the mechanisms of building a system of rational land use in agriculture.

Comparison of Crown Volume Increment in Street Trees among Six Cities in Western Countries and China

The tree crown volume (CV), as a major indicator in the evaluation of ecological environment quality, can assess the health and carbon sequestration of urban trees. In this study, a new low-cost method, the plane calculation of angle disparity (PCAD), was employed to obtain the CV in China using satellite images from Google Earth. Meanwhile, primary data on street trees from four Western cities were acquired from online datasets. Nonparametric statistical methods showed no significant difference in CV per street tree between Beijing and Shanghai in China, ranging from 10 to 150 m3, almost one-seventh of that in the four cities (Paris and London in Europe and Los Angeles and Seattle in America). The CV of Platanus acerifolia in Paris and London exhibited values five times higher than those in Beijing and Shanghai. The annual crown volume increment (CVI) was less than 5 m3 in Beijing and Shanghai, significantly lower than in Seattle (66.55 m3). The purpose of the research was to verify the operability of the PCAD and compare the CVI in different cities all over the world, providing new ideas for urban tree management and carbon sequestration evaluation and a basis for government decision making in areas with a low CVI.

Painful differences between different pain scale assessments: The outcome of assessed pain is a matter of the choices of scale and statistics.

Perceived pain is a multi-factorial subjective variable, commonly measured by numeric rating scales, verbal descriptive scales (VDS), or by a position on an analogue line (VAS). A major question is whether an individual's VAS and VDS pain assessments, on the same occasion, could be comparable. The aim was to compare continuous and discretized VAS pain data with verbal descriptive pain datasets from the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and the European Quality of Life Scale (EQ-5D) in paired pain datasets. The measurement level of data from any type of scale assessments is ordinal, having rank-invariant properties only. Non-parametric statistical methods were used. Two ways of discretizing the VAS-line to VAS-intervals to fit the number of the comparing VDS-categories were used: the commonly used (equidistant VAS,VDS)-pairs and the (unbiased VAS,VDS)-pairs of pain data. The comparability of the (VAS,VDS)-pairs of data of perceived pain was studied by the bivariate ranking approach. Hence, each pair will be regarded as ordered, disordered, or tied with respect to the other pairs of data. The percentage agreement, PA, the measures of disorder, D, and of order consistency, MA, were calculated. Total interchangeability requires PA = 1 and MA = 1. The wide range of overlapping of (VAS,VDS)-pairs indicated that the continuous VAS data were not comparable to any of the VDS pain datasets. The percentage of agreement, PA; in the (equidistant VAS,ODI) and (equidistant VAS, EQ-5D) pairs were 38 and 49%, and the order consistency, MA, was 0.70 and 0.80, respectively. Corresponding results for the (unbiased VAS,VDS)-pairs of pain data were PA: 54 and 100%, and MA: 0.77 and 1.0. Our results confirmed that perceived pain is the individual's subjective experience, and possible scale-interchangeability is only study-specific. The pain experience is not possible to be measured univocally, but is possible for the individual to rate on a scale.

Greenery in times of crisis: Accessibility, residents' travel preferences and the impact of travel time

Urban green spaces (UGSs) played a pivotal role in easing the effects of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. It is, therefore, relevant to identify factors influencing why people choose specific UGSs. This paper aims to investigate the preferences of residents of Kraków (Poland) regarding the selection of UGSs in times of crisis. Distance or travel time from home are among the key factors affecting the choice of UGSs. The paper verifies whether such other factor considerations as age, type of housing, and physical activity influence travel preferences to UGSs. We analyse residents' preferences regarding travelling to UGSs by integrating survey research with statistical and geostatistical methods, which is the innovative value of the research. The Computer Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) survey yielded 1353 returned questionnaires, which provided input data when combined with geostatistical analyses of network distance (routing). With nonparametric statistical methods, we could identify preferences of Kraków residents regarding travelling to UGSs during times of crisis. The primary results show that travel time was not always a factor when selecting UGSs. In times of crisis, the respondents were willing to cover larger distances to UGSs, namely up to 51 minutes on foot and 16 minutes by bicycle. We also demonstrated that there is a relationship between age and UGS travel time and a link between type of housing and UGS travel time. The results are inconclusive regarding the importance of distance to UGSs for people who are physically active. Note that accessibility recommendations for travel time often presented in the literature did not apply to Kraków in times of crisis.

KARAYOLU ÜSTYAPI DEĞERLENDİRMESİNDE KULLANILAN TİTREŞİMLERİN ÖLÇÜMÜNDE VÜCUT AĞIRLIĞI VE TAŞIT HIZI ETKİSİNİN İNCELENMESİ

The study delved into investigating the impact of body weight on the determination of vibration parameters, as outlined in the ISO 2631 standard, which elucidates the evaluation concept of Whole Body Vibration. First of all, the ride speed component, which significantly affects the amplitude of the vibration experienced in the vehicle, was determined. In this context, vibration data were recorded at three different points in the vehicle at 20, 30, 40, and 50 km/h ride speeds on a road section whose roughness can be considered homogeneous. Measurements were repeated with drivers weighing 58, 80, and 113 kg to determine the effect of driver weight on vibration parameters. The vibration parameters produced due to the analyses were evaluated with both parametric and non-parametric statistical methods. In the urban road network with bituminous hot mixture pavement, it has been determined that the most appropriate ride speed for passenger car-type vehicles to evaluate the service level of the pavement is 40 km/h. In the last stage, the differences between the averages of the measurements made with three different weight drivers at the determined ride speed were evaluated statistically. Through analysis of three distinct data recording points within the vehicle, it has been established that the driver's weight exerts no discernible influence on any of the vibration parameters.

STATE REGULATION OF INVESTMENTS IN INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY TO STRENGTHEN FINANCIAL SECURITY IN THE CONTEXT OF INDUSTRY 4.0

The main purpose of the article is the theoretical and methodological substantiation of the modern approach to the formation of a model of state regulation of investment support for innovative industrial development in the context of helping to increase the level of financial security. The object of the study is the innovative development of the industrial sector of the Ukrainian economy. At the same time, the scientific task will be to present a methodological approach to assessing the current state of trends in investment support for innovative industrial development in all regions of Ukraine as a tool for state regulation. The research methodology involves the use of modern methods of analysis and synthesis of available information on the research topic. A nonparametric statistical method was used to analyze the trends and dynamics of industrial development in Ukraine. The integral assessment method was used to form a methodological approach to assessing the level of investment support for innovative development as an effective instrument of state regulation. As a result of the study, a model of state regulation of investment support for innovative industrial development is presented. An assessment was made of the level of investment support for innovative industrial development concerning the proposed model. Based on the results obtained, measures to ensure financial security in the conditions of Industry 4.0 are proposed. The key financial obstacles to investment support for innovative industrial development are presented, ordered by the priority of the state's response to them. The study has limitations in that it does not take into account all aspects of state regulation. In this case, only the specifics of the industrial sector of the economy were taken into account.