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Reproducibility, the ability to reproduce the results of published papers or studies using their computer code and data, is a cornerstone of reliable scientific methodology. Studies where results cannot be reproduced by the scientific community should be treated with caution. Over the past decade, the importance of reproducible research has been frequently stressed in a wide range of scientific journals such as Nature and Science and international magazines such as The Economist. However, multiple studies have demonstrated that scientific results are often not reproducible across research areas such as psychology and medicine. Statistics, the science concerned with developing and studying methods for collecting, analyzing, interpreting and presenting empirical data, prides itself on its openness when it comes to sharing both computer code and data. In this article, we examine reproducibility in the field of statistics by attempting to reproduce the results in 93 published papers in prominent journals using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data during the 2010–2021 period. Overall, from both the computer code and the data perspective, among all the 93 examined papers, we could only reproduce the results in 14 (15.1%) papers, that is, the papers provide both executable computer code (or software) with the real fMRI data, and our results matched the results in the paper. Finally, we conclude with some author-specific and journal-specific recommendations to improve the research reproducibility in statistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The paper describes a system for executable papers for publishers enabling them to reuse content and to generate further advances of science and engineering. The executable algorithmic descriptions within a paper are presented in natural language sentences and basic code, thereby making long term compatibility absolute. Authors are required to use publicly numerical libraries on the Internet or references to publications with executable papers. As used by authors the system automatically creates a web of algorithmic knowledge on the Internet. Novelty of new algorithms in publications can be evaluated by automated tools available to authors, reviewers and readers of scientific papers published. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Adessowiki is a collaborative platform for scientific programming and document writing. It is a wiki environment that carries simultaneously documentation, programming code and results of its execution without any software con- figuration such as compilers, libraries and special tools at the client side. This combination of a collaborative wiki environment, central server and execution of code at rendering time enables the use of Adessowiki as an executable paper platform, since it fulfills the need to disseminate, validate, and archive research data. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article presents the results of a research in the classroom in the subject Programming I, initial course of computer programming in Systems Engineering and Computing. The research pretend to approach the impact of two methodologies of problem solving based on programming logic and the use of programming languages for its implementation. We use a qualitative perspective, as far as the students' performance as programmers, and quantitative, in what corresponds to the qualification of the written evaluations. It has been used to structure two parallel courses, using different methodologies for solving programming problems. With the first group, a methodology was implemented based on the conceptual resolution of these problems using solutions on paper and with the other one we use resolution of problems based on the intensive use of the computer. The results show a very interesting trend that allows us to make some important inferences regarding the promotion of logic and the approach of solutions in the paper against the use of the computer and the deepening in the purely technological knowledge. Conclusions leave open doors of the discussion about the different and possible ways that the students of programming to appropriate, assimilate and apply the own knowledge of this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contribution: This article features a systematic literature review with the objective of presenting a study that reflects the current scenario of research on the cognitive load theory (CLT) in the domain of teaching and learning computer programming. Background: Computer programming is a highly cognitive skill, requiring mastering multiple competencies, and recognized as being difficult to learn, for this reason, the cognitive load (CL) in the learner’s working memory emerged as an influential concept, making CLT one of the most common theories in computing education research. Research Questions: What are the approaches that relate CLT to teaching and learning computer programming? What CLT-related concepts are covered? What evidence is reported with respect to this context? Methodology: Following a formal protocol, a survey was performed for papers linking CLT to teaching and learning programming published between 2010 and 2020. The selection of papers was based on a set of criteria established to drive the selection process, including alignment with the research questions and paper quality assessment. Findings: The approaches applied in the papers are based on measuring the CL; through instructional design based on the development or use of resources or tools, a range of different pedagogy strategies and the CLT concepts. With respect to the concepts, the subjective measurement technique and worked example effect are the most commonly deployed. As far as the evidence reported, the better part is related to the worked example effect and measuring CLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two papers published by protein engineer Homme Hellinga's lab at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina, have been challenged. Last year, Hellinga retracted papers in Science (1) and [...]

This commentary on John Symons' and Jack Horner's paper, besides sharing its main argument, challenges the authors' statement that there is no effective method to evaluate software-intensive systems as a distinguishing feature of software intensive science. It is underlined here how analogous methodological limitations characterise the evaluations of empirical systems in non-software intensive sciences. The authors' claim that formal methods establish the correctness of computational models rather than of the represented programme is here compared with the empirical adequacy problem typifying the model-based reasoning approach in physics, and the remark that testing all the paths of a software-intensive system is unfeasible is related to the enumerative induction problem in the justification of empirical law-like hypotheses in non-software intensive sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about several papers discussed at the International Exascale Software Project (IESP) workshop on computer software and hardware related subject is presented. White papers addressing topics, that includes programming models, system software and parallel programming, were submitted by different groups. Information about development in exascale and high speed computing system as discussed in the workshop is also presented.

The recent adoption of deep learning-based models for the processing and coding of multimedia signals has brought noticeable gains in performance, which have established deep learning-based solutions as the uncontested state-of-the-art both for computer vision tasks, targeting machine consumption, as well as, more recently, coding applications, targeting human visualization. Traditionally, applications requiring both coding and computer vision processing require first decoding the bitstream and then applying the computer vision methods to the decompressed multimedia signals. However, the adoption of deep learning-based solutions enables the use of compressed domain computer vision processing, with gains in performance and computational complexity over the decompressed domain approach. For point clouds (PCs), these gains have been demonstrated in the single available compressed domain computer vision processing solution, named Compressed Domain PC Classifier, which processes JPEG Pleno PC coding (PCC) compressed streams using a PC classifier largely compatible with the state-of-the-art spatial domain PointGrid classifier. However, the available Compressed Domain PC Classifier presents strong limitations by imposing a single, specific input size which is associated to specific JPEG Pleno PCC configurations; this limits the compression performance as these configurations are not ideal for all PCs due to their different characteristics, notably density. To overcome these limitations, this paper proposes the first Adaptive Compressed Domain PC Classifier solution which includes a novel adaptive bridge model that allows to process the JPEG Pleno PCC encoded bit streams using different coding configurations, now maximizing the compression efficiency. Experimental results show that the novel Adaptive Compressed Domain PC Classifier allows JPEG PCC to achieve better compression performance by not imposing a single, specific coding configuration for all PCs, regardless of its different characteristics. Moreover, the added adaptability power can achieve slightly better PC classification performance than the previous Compressed Domain PC Classifier and largely better PC classification performance (and lower number of weights) than the PointGrid PC classifier working in the decompressed domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expansion of underwater scenarios and missions highlights the crucial need for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to make informed decisions. Therefore, developing an efficient decision-making framework is vital to enhance productivity in executing complex tasks within tight time constraints. This paper delves into task planning and reconstruction within the AUV control decision system to enable intelligent completion of intricate underwater tasks. Behavior trees (BTs) offer a structured approach to organizing the switching structure of a hybrid dynamical system (HDS), originally introduced in the computer game programming community. In this research, an intelligent search algorithm, MCTS-QPSO (Monte Carlo tree search and quantum particle swarm optimization), is proposed to bolster the AUV's capacity in planning complex task decision control systems. This algorithm tackles the issue of the time-consuming manual design of control systems by effectively integrating BTs. By assessing a predefined set of subtasks and actions in tandem with the complex task scenario, a reward function is formulated for MCTS to pinpoint the optimal subtree set. The QPSO algorithm is then leveraged for subtree integration, treating it as an optimal path search problem from the root node to the leaf node. This process optimizes the search subtree, thereby enhancing the robustness and security of the control architecture. To expedite search speed and algorithm convergence, this paper recommends reducing the search space by pre-grouping conditions and states within the behavior tree. The efficacy and superiority of the proposed algorithm are validated through security and timeliness evaluations of the BT, along with comparisons with other algorithms for automatic AUV decision control behavior tree design. Ultimately, the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed algorithm are corroborated through simulations on a multi-AUV complex task platform, showcasing its practical applicability and efficiency in real-world underwater scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although sorting techniques (e.g. card sorts) are widely used in knowledge acquisition and requirements acquisition, they have received little formal attention compared to related techniques such as repertory grids and laddering. This paper briefly describes the main sorting techniques, and then provides a detailed tutorial on one variety (repeated single-criterion sorts), using a worked example. Guidelines for choice and sequencing of techniques are given, both in relation to varieties of sorting technique and in relation to other techniques. It is concluded that the sorting techniques are a valuable part of the elicitor's methodological toolkit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agent-based modelling allows researchers to build artificial pastoral systems that are spatially explicit and allow for the examination of complex interactions between households, herds, and rangelands over long time periods. However, agent-based modelling also necessarily reduces the complexity of the pastoral systems. The question that we examine in this paper is how researchers model pastoral systems and what artificial pastoral systems they create. To answer that question, we systematically reviewed 35 agent-based modelling studies of pastoral systems. We examined how the studies describe the focal pastoral system, how the focal system is represented in a conceptual model, implemented in computer code, and how it emerges as an artificial pastoral system from the simulations. Our review indicates that most models are built by interdisciplinary teams, integrated into empirical studies of pastoral systems, and use a specific pastoral system as its focal system. The research problems explored in the models range from resource management, wealth dynamics, herd demography, sustainability, adaptation, mobility, and conflict. The artificial pastoral systems that emerge from these agent-based modelling studies mostly confirm current theoretical understandings that are based on empirical studies of pastoral systems. There are a few emergent patterns that have not been validated extensively in empirical studies. We conclude with a discussion of the theoretical, methodological, and practical implications of using agent-based models to create artificial pastoral systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and related technologies have a long history of being used in education for motivating learners and enhancing learning. However, there have also been critiques for a too uncritical and naïve implementation of AI in education (AIED) and the potential misuse of the technology. With the release of the virtual assistant ChatGPT from OpenAI, many educators and stakeholders were both amazed and horrified by the potential consequences for education. One field with a potential high impact of ChatGPT is programming education in Computer Science (CS), where creating assessments has long been a challenging task due to the vast amount of programming solutions and support on the Internet. This now appears to have been made even more challenging with ChatGPT's ability to produce both complex and seemingly novel solutions to programming questions. With the support of data collected from interactions with ChatGPT during the spring semester of 2023, this position paper investigates the potential opportunities and threats of ChatGPT for programming education, guided by the question: What could the potential consequences of ChatGPT be for programming education? This paper applies a methodological approach inspired by analytic autoethnography to investigate, experiment, and understand a novel technology through personal experiences. Through this approach, the authors have documented their interactions with ChatGPT in field diaries during the spring semester of 2023. Topics for the questions have related to content and assessment in higher education programming courses. A total of 6 field diaries, with 82 interactions (1 interaction = 1 question + 1 answer) and additional reflection notes, have been collected and analysed with thematic analysis. The study finds that there are several opportunities and threats of ChatGPT for programming education. Some are to be expected, such as that the quality of the question and the details provided highly impact the quality of the answer. However, other findings were unexpected, such as that ChatGPT appears to be "lying" in some answers and to an extent passes the Turing test, although the intelligence of ChatGPT should be questioned. The conclusion of the study is that ChatGPT have potential for a significant impact on higher education programming courses, and probably on education in general. The technology seems to facilitate both cheating and enhanced learning. What will it be? Cheating or AI-enhanced learning? This will be decided by our actions now since the technology is already here and expanding fast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alan Turing's "Computing Machinery and Intelligence," published in 1950, is one of the founding texts in the field of artificial intelligence (AI), although the term was not coined until 1958, 4 years after his death. From the treatment of human intelligence as computational and the brain as mechanical to the comparison of animals to machines to the disregard for the materiality of computers to programming as a stand-in for procreation to fiction-inspired science, many of the core tenets that have shaped the field of AI have their origins in Turing's paper. A close analysis of the paper exposes some of the problematic logic underlying these tenets that are now proving damaging for both society and the planet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the author's views on why he prefers paper to computers while programming. He views that paper is noiseless, does not consumer electricity, does not crash, and does not catch viruses. He views that the resolution with which he can draw on paper is lower than that of his computer's screen. He views that the same paper can be used for an arbitrary number of fonts and symbols.

We seek a unified and distinctive citation description of both journals and individuals. The journal impact factor has a restrictive definition that constrains its extension to individuals, whereas the h-index for individuals can easily be applied to journals. Going beyond any single parameter, the shape of each negative slope Hirsch curve of citations vs. rank index is distinctive. This shape can be described through five minimal parameters or 'flags': the h-index itself on the curve; the average citation of each segment on either side of h; and the two axis endpoints. We obtain the five flags from real data for two journals and 10 individual faculty, showing they provide unique citation fingerprints, enabling detailed comparative assessments. A computer code is provided to calculate five flags as the output, from citation data as the input. Since papers (citations) can form nodes (links) of a network, Hirsch curves and five flags could carry over to describe local degree sequences of general networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides guidelines in preparing a paper for the "Journal of Computer Science and Technology." It suggests that authors provide an abstract that summarizes the content of the paper in 200 words and the entry should be printed by photo-offset from the same-sized with the original copy. It recommends authors to provide important information about topic of the study, keywords, and manuscripts. Moreover, it advises to include the study's headings, formulae as well as footnotes.

This paper discusses the author's interest in proving that it matters whether someone builds a new application using HCI principles. This is an important issue to discuss because many HCI professionals and researchers think that the conclusion is obvious i.e. that of course it matters and that we should build an application with an end user in mind and then test it with a subset of said users. However, most application developers disagree and actually build their applications using a 'field of dreams approach' i.e. if I build it. they will come. This issue/disagreement has become especially important to discuss given the advent of mobile applications for the i.phone and other quickly programmed applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special section is devoted to a selection of papers that appeared originally in the Proceedings of TACAS 2001, the 7th International Conference on Tools and Algorithms for the Construction and Analysis of Systems [1] which took place in Genova, Italy in April 2001 as a constituent event of the European joint conferences on theory and Practice of Software. All papers present approaches, tools and algorithms that aim at extending the scope of formal techniques (coverage of systems specifications, data structures, size, and their trade-offs) for validation, verification, and testing of software systems. They are by no means a complete account of the numerous ways in which real software and software systems may become subject to rigorous investigation, but they provide an interesting sampling of novel approaches towards scalability of formal methods-based validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]