Corey Scholes
@lastbarbender.bsky.social
Chief Science Officer EBM Analytics. Biomechanics, Patient Outcomes, Statistics, Digital Health. Not necessarily in that order. Trying to do better science with causal inference in observational data.
In honor of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand
I'll go first: Six page commercial lease.
I'll go first: Six page commercial lease.
October 13, 2025 at 3:57 AM
Reposted by Corey Scholes
Can we actually train ourselves to be more open-minded and harder to fool?
New research says yes. A short message warning us about closed-mindedness made people better at spotting misinformation, less likely to believe conspiracy theories, and more thoughtful about what they shared #MisinfoResearch
New research says yes. A short message warning us about closed-mindedness made people better at spotting misinformation, less likely to believe conspiracy theories, and more thoughtful about what they shared #MisinfoResearch
How to Train Yourself to Be More Open-Minded and Less Easily Misled
New research shows that cultivating open-minded thinking can be taught, and that this simple shift improves our ability to tell facts from falsehoods.
matthewfacciani.substack.com
October 10, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Can we actually train ourselves to be more open-minded and harder to fool?
New research says yes. A short message warning us about closed-mindedness made people better at spotting misinformation, less likely to believe conspiracy theories, and more thoughtful about what they shared #MisinfoResearch
New research says yes. A short message warning us about closed-mindedness made people better at spotting misinformation, less likely to believe conspiracy theories, and more thoughtful about what they shared #MisinfoResearch
Reposted by Corey Scholes
🌧️ Forest loss and flooding
A new study shows that deforestation and forest fires in Australia reduce rainfall interception, increasing river flooding across vast regions.
🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s43...
#SciComm #ClimateCrisis #Floods 🧪
A new study shows that deforestation and forest fires in Australia reduce rainfall interception, increasing river flooding across vast regions.
🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s43...
#SciComm #ClimateCrisis #Floods 🧪
Interception reduction from deforestation and forest fire increases large-scale fluvial flooding risk - Communications Earth & Environment
Forest coverage loss from wildfires and deforestation increases flood risk for large-scale river catchments by reducing interception, according to analysis of data from twenty-one watersheds in Australia.
www.nature.com
October 8, 2025 at 1:49 PM
🌧️ Forest loss and flooding
A new study shows that deforestation and forest fires in Australia reduce rainfall interception, increasing river flooding across vast regions.
🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s43...
#SciComm #ClimateCrisis #Floods 🧪
A new study shows that deforestation and forest fires in Australia reduce rainfall interception, increasing river flooding across vast regions.
🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s43...
#SciComm #ClimateCrisis #Floods 🧪
Thanks to everyone that weighed in on this - there are some strong arguments for imputing first and then subsetting, especially when the subsetting variable set contains missingness.
But I am wrestling with how to implement this across the entire analysis pipeline in practice.
But I am wrestling with how to implement this across the entire analysis pipeline in practice.
Ok #skyhivemind and #statsky #rstats - I am analysing a subset from a clinical quality registry. Both the total registry dataset and the subset have missing data that needs to be imputed. Should I i) impute the full registry set and then subset or ii) subset from the get-go and discard the rest?
October 1, 2025 at 5:10 AM
Thanks to everyone that weighed in on this - there are some strong arguments for imputing first and then subsetting, especially when the subsetting variable set contains missingness.
But I am wrestling with how to implement this across the entire analysis pipeline in practice.
But I am wrestling with how to implement this across the entire analysis pipeline in practice.
Ok #skyhivemind and #statsky #rstats - I am analysing a subset from a clinical quality registry. Both the total registry dataset and the subset have missing data that needs to be imputed. Should I i) impute the full registry set and then subset or ii) subset from the get-go and discard the rest?
September 22, 2025 at 5:34 AM
Ok #skyhivemind and #statsky #rstats - I am analysing a subset from a clinical quality registry. Both the total registry dataset and the subset have missing data that needs to be imputed. Should I i) impute the full registry set and then subset or ii) subset from the get-go and discard the rest?
Having reviewed for @bonejointjournal.bsky.social and others and generally having a low rate of "recommend accept" to the editor, I think its time to talk about "why my paper got rejected from journal x". Join me on this journey (rant) of what can go wrong with clinical science.
#clinicalresearch
#clinicalresearch
September 12, 2025 at 6:53 AM
Having reviewed for @bonejointjournal.bsky.social and others and generally having a low rate of "recommend accept" to the editor, I think its time to talk about "why my paper got rejected from journal x". Join me on this journey (rant) of what can go wrong with clinical science.
#clinicalresearch
#clinicalresearch
At the risk of revealing my silly-goose status in all things #rstats a word to the wise for anyone using mice for multiply imputation - you really need to convert your character columns to factors otherwise mice doesn't recognise them and sets them to constant.
a woman with dreadlocks says they gonna roast me on a red table talk show
ALT: a woman with dreadlocks says they gonna roast me on a red table talk show
media.tenor.com
September 4, 2025 at 1:56 AM
At the risk of revealing my silly-goose status in all things #rstats a word to the wise for anyone using mice for multiply imputation - you really need to convert your character columns to factors otherwise mice doesn't recognise them and sets them to constant.
I hear your valid commentary on clustering @cameronpat.bsky.social and raise you - it remains alive and well! Don't worry, l've got my own publications in case anyone thought i had the moral high ground here!
Data from the MOST study were evaluated for pain sensitization trajectories in people with or at risk of knee osteoarthritis. 3 distinct pain pressure thresholds trajectories were identified that remained stable over 9 years, despite likely progression of OA
AC&R
doi.org/10.1002/acr....
#Medsky
AC&R
doi.org/10.1002/acr....
#Medsky
August 14, 2025 at 9:51 PM
I hear your valid commentary on clustering @cameronpat.bsky.social and raise you - it remains alive and well! Don't worry, l've got my own publications in case anyone thought i had the moral high ground here!
Reposted by Corey Scholes
Heard from #AHRQ that the entire grants staff has been let go! They are unable to issue funds for grants already funded, let alone fund new grants. This is outrageous and will make Americans poorer and sicker. Why? A brief thread about just some recent AHRQ-funded research: #MedSky #HealthPolicy
July 23, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Heard from #AHRQ that the entire grants staff has been let go! They are unable to issue funds for grants already funded, let alone fund new grants. This is outrageous and will make Americans poorer and sicker. Why? A brief thread about just some recent AHRQ-funded research: #MedSky #HealthPolicy
Is there somewhere in the scientific record between "this paper should never have seen the light of day" and "we shall cherish this forever, regardless of its flaws"?
Methods evolve constantly, maybe we should consider the retirement of papers that were good in their time.
#medsky #orthosky
Methods evolve constantly, maybe we should consider the retirement of papers that were good in their time.
#medsky #orthosky
When should good papers be retired from the scientific record?
This clinical study from the 90s continues to influence knee surgery today: Why we should retire it gracefully.
coreyscholes.substack.com
July 17, 2025 at 7:39 AM
I think I've been doing this long enough that someone somewhere might benefit from my thoughts on certain topics. If you've been looking for someone talking about things you might relate to - I've made a start.
#medsky #orthosky #rstats
#medsky #orthosky #rstats
Introducing...a life lived...so far
Best job I ever had
open.substack.com
July 15, 2025 at 4:33 AM
Hello brains trust - can anyone point me to resources on power analysis of case-mix adjustment models, preferably with mixed effects?
I'm using simr in R - but I'm having trouble relating the examples to my application
#rstats #clinicaloutcomes #stats
I'm using simr in R - but I'm having trouble relating the examples to my application
#rstats #clinicaloutcomes #stats
June 24, 2025 at 12:01 AM
Hello brains trust - can anyone point me to resources on power analysis of case-mix adjustment models, preferably with mixed effects?
I'm using simr in R - but I'm having trouble relating the examples to my application
#rstats #clinicaloutcomes #stats
I'm using simr in R - but I'm having trouble relating the examples to my application
#rstats #clinicaloutcomes #stats
To my American friends - the phrase is "I couldn't care less" implying that you have maxed your laissez-faire credit card and you have no more cares to give about an issue. Butchering the phrase by saying "I could care less" leaves many English speakers thoroughly confused.
June 14, 2025 at 9:00 AM
To my American friends - the phrase is "I couldn't care less" implying that you have maxed your laissez-faire credit card and you have no more cares to give about an issue. Butchering the phrase by saying "I could care less" leaves many English speakers thoroughly confused.
Reposted by Corey Scholes
Did you see the Choice sunscreen testing results? Here's an SPF deep dive! Key points:
Sunscreens are very effective, these results do not indicate you should lose faith in them
SPF testing is imprecise - this is an inherent limitation of the test, lots of variation even if nothing's gone "wrong"
Sunscreens are very effective, these results do not indicate you should lose faith in them
SPF testing is imprecise - this is an inherent limitation of the test, lots of variation even if nothing's gone "wrong"
June 13, 2025 at 2:49 AM
Did you see the Choice sunscreen testing results? Here's an SPF deep dive! Key points:
Sunscreens are very effective, these results do not indicate you should lose faith in them
SPF testing is imprecise - this is an inherent limitation of the test, lots of variation even if nothing's gone "wrong"
Sunscreens are very effective, these results do not indicate you should lose faith in them
SPF testing is imprecise - this is an inherent limitation of the test, lots of variation even if nothing's gone "wrong"
I wake up more often in a cold sweat with feelings of dread the more I think I'm implementing better analysis practices and continue to review journal submissions...thanks @statsepi.bsky.social now you've ruined it for everyone...I wish I had the same universal confidence in the literature
June 11, 2025 at 11:22 AM
I wake up more often in a cold sweat with feelings of dread the more I think I'm implementing better analysis practices and continue to review journal submissions...thanks @statsepi.bsky.social now you've ruined it for everyone...I wish I had the same universal confidence in the literature
Reposted by Corey Scholes
If you work in the area of research integrity, you should submit an abstract to and attend the Internationa Research Integrity Conference being held at NeuRA this year:
neura.edu.au/news-media/e...
neura.edu.au/news-media/e...
International Research Integrity Conference | Neuroscience Research…
An independent, not-for-profit, medical research institute dedicated to improving the lives of people living with brain and nervous system disorders.
neura.edu.au
May 20, 2025 at 12:35 AM
If you work in the area of research integrity, you should submit an abstract to and attend the Internationa Research Integrity Conference being held at NeuRA this year:
neura.edu.au/news-media/e...
neura.edu.au/news-media/e...
Reposted by Corey Scholes
U.S. attorney demands scientific journal explain how it ensures 'viewpoint diversity'
Letter raised concerns it was designed to suppress academic and scientific freedom.
@evanbush.bsky.social reports @nbcnews.com
www.nbcnews.com/science/scie...
Letter raised concerns it was designed to suppress academic and scientific freedom.
@evanbush.bsky.social reports @nbcnews.com
www.nbcnews.com/science/scie...
April 19, 2025 at 3:04 PM
U.S. attorney demands scientific journal explain how it ensures 'viewpoint diversity'
Letter raised concerns it was designed to suppress academic and scientific freedom.
@evanbush.bsky.social reports @nbcnews.com
www.nbcnews.com/science/scie...
Letter raised concerns it was designed to suppress academic and scientific freedom.
@evanbush.bsky.social reports @nbcnews.com
www.nbcnews.com/science/scie...
Reposted by Corey Scholes
Many data sets held by NOAA are being "retired" in may, including datasets relevant to ocean sciences and climate. If you have need for these data, or are an archivist, it would be good to download this now. PLEASE SHARE WIDELY. www.nesdis.noaa.gov/about/docume...
Notice of Changes
Notices of changes are formal public announcements of planned services changes to applications and other products.
www.nesdis.noaa.gov
April 18, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Many data sets held by NOAA are being "retired" in may, including datasets relevant to ocean sciences and climate. If you have need for these data, or are an archivist, it would be good to download this now. PLEASE SHARE WIDELY. www.nesdis.noaa.gov/about/docume...
On behalf of all Australians, I want to apologise to the world for giving the neo-nazis ideas on offshore detentions...
If that seems like a wild claim, please look up the Aus government relationship with Nauru and Christmas island
If that seems like a wild claim, please look up the Aus government relationship with Nauru and Christmas island
Bukele said he wouldn’t be returning Abrego Garcia in today’s appearance with President Trump.
It’s clear that anyone sent there cannot be given due process as guaranteed by the Bill of Rights.
Trump, meanwhile, again floated the idea of sending American citizens to the CECOT prison.
It’s clear that anyone sent there cannot be given due process as guaranteed by the Bill of Rights.
Trump, meanwhile, again floated the idea of sending American citizens to the CECOT prison.
April 14, 2025 at 9:11 PM
On behalf of all Australians, I want to apologise to the world for giving the neo-nazis ideas on offshore detentions...
If that seems like a wild claim, please look up the Aus government relationship with Nauru and Christmas island
If that seems like a wild claim, please look up the Aus government relationship with Nauru and Christmas island
This should be a wakeup call for anyone who has Sex or Gender as a line item in Table 1. This attitude doesn't effect just those based in the US, it's the international collaborations, the 2nd-order effects that will be the most impactful for all of us, whether you work in "science" or not.
The current administration is straight up censoring the scientific record by requiring authors to alter an already-accepted research paper because it uses banned words such as "gender" and "equitable" and presents data broken down by sexual orientation.
We were asked to change language and delete data from a paper that already been through peer review successfully - "in order to comply with the Executive Order."
This is from the official journal of the US Surgeon General and the US Public Health Service.
criticalpublichealth.org/blog/2025/03...
This is from the official journal of the US Surgeon General and the US Public Health Service.
criticalpublichealth.org/blog/2025/03...
March 21, 2025 at 9:12 PM
This should be a wakeup call for anyone who has Sex or Gender as a line item in Table 1. This attitude doesn't effect just those based in the US, it's the international collaborations, the 2nd-order effects that will be the most impactful for all of us, whether you work in "science" or not.
Reposted by Corey Scholes
Hi everyone. If you see news articles about the science crisis that we should repost, please share with us.
And pl share gift links if the source is paywalled like WSJ or STAT, or if you can share text we can excerpt/screenshot. Thanks!
🧪
And pl share gift links if the source is paywalled like WSJ or STAT, or if you can share text we can excerpt/screenshot. Thanks!
🧪
March 15, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Hi everyone. If you see news articles about the science crisis that we should repost, please share with us.
And pl share gift links if the source is paywalled like WSJ or STAT, or if you can share text we can excerpt/screenshot. Thanks!
🧪
And pl share gift links if the source is paywalled like WSJ or STAT, or if you can share text we can excerpt/screenshot. Thanks!
🧪
Reposted by Corey Scholes
Pubmed is currently still working for me but not sure how long this will hold. Here is @hildabast.bsky.social ‘s blog post on what to do if Pubmed becomes unreliable absolutelymaybe.plos.org/2025/02/14/w...
March 2, 2025 at 10:38 AM
Pubmed is currently still working for me but not sure how long this will hold. Here is @hildabast.bsky.social ‘s blog post on what to do if Pubmed becomes unreliable absolutelymaybe.plos.org/2025/02/14/w...
Reposted by Corey Scholes
Thank you for this! I would urge all authors to submit their author's final version of all articles to their institutional repository, a subject repository, and or zenodo.org I've been an academic librarian in this space for a longtime, and am happy to help anyone--DM me!
March 2, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Thank you for this! I would urge all authors to submit their author's final version of all articles to their institutional repository, a subject repository, and or zenodo.org I've been an academic librarian in this space for a longtime, and am happy to help anyone--DM me!
Time to start making this an issue in the upcoming Aus election...what are the candidates offering in terms of protecting access to material?
Some helpful Pubmed alternatives & workarounds - just in case the idiocracy causes problems. Many thanks to Hilda Bastian a former leader at NLM.
Hate that it has come to this, but it's time to consider PubMed vulnerable to enshittification. My latest post @plos.org discusses the lines we need to fight to hold – and alternatives we can rely on internationally:
absolutelymaybe.plos.org/2025/02/14/w...
#medlibs
absolutelymaybe.plos.org/2025/02/14/w...
#medlibs
March 2, 2025 at 3:49 AM
Time to start making this an issue in the upcoming Aus election...what are the candidates offering in terms of protecting access to material?
Right, so I'm now a member of Statistical Society of Australia. Should I book with a talent agency now or should I handle all the media attention by myself?
How does one connect further @visnut.bsky.social now that I'm in the club with the cool kids? No bsky for ssa?
#rstats #noflashphotography
How does one connect further @visnut.bsky.social now that I'm in the club with the cool kids? No bsky for ssa?
#rstats #noflashphotography
February 14, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Right, so I'm now a member of Statistical Society of Australia. Should I book with a talent agency now or should I handle all the media attention by myself?
How does one connect further @visnut.bsky.social now that I'm in the club with the cool kids? No bsky for ssa?
#rstats #noflashphotography
How does one connect further @visnut.bsky.social now that I'm in the club with the cool kids? No bsky for ssa?
#rstats #noflashphotography