iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by John Pickering

Robin Blythe @rbly.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Maybe a hot take, but IMO the best thing about propensity scoring is that it makes clear how absurdly difficult it is to reduce complex patients/clinician+patient interactions down to a handful of variables. It virtually always obviates some missing and/or irreducible context. #statsky #episky

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

The third high-sensitivity troponin point-of-care assay we have conducted an analytical verification on. The Abbott i-STAT hs-TnI. - Good precision - As well correlated with laboratory "big box" I assays as they are with each other academic.oup.com/jalm/advance... #Troponin #CardioSky #EDSky

academic.oup.com

Analytical Verification of a Point-of-Care High-Sensitivity Troponin I Assay

AbstractBackground. To provide independent evidence of the analytical performance of the i-STAT high-sensitivity troponin I assay using the i-STAT Alinity

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Mōrena. May your day be as beautiful as the one that greeted me this morning. #Christchurch #NZ

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

#Academic colleagues. I've noticed more PhD supervision requests recently. I believe AI is being used to help write them. But, I want to be fair in a response. Do you? 1. Treat as spam 2. Reply - if so how? 3. Other - what?

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Reposted by John Pickering

Richard Easther @rjme.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

This needs a serious look -- NZ First copied their health policy almost word-for-word from the website of an advocacy group stuffed with fringe practitioners and for-profit "supplement" pedlars... www.stuff.co.nz/politics/361...

stuff.co.nz

NZ First’s health policy copy-pasted from advocacy group’s website

New Zealand First released a health policy on Sunday that is largely copy-and-pasted from a charitable trust called Make New Zealand Healthy.

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

BREAKING NEWS: #NZ #Politics Current polling has National at ~30% entitling them to ~36 seats. Currently they hold 44 electoral seats. It's unlikely they will lose 8 seats. So, I predict an overhang due to National. This increases the chances of a right wing govt & means Nat list MPs will be dumped.

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Contemplating not accepting journal titles for clinical studies that include "Machine Learning" or "AI." It is like including "A regression model" in the title which we wouldn't normally do. Convince me if you think I'm wrong. #Medsky

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Back to work in 30mins after a break. Expect it to be as busy as this star field toward the galactic centre. The reward will be finding the little gem (nebula) in the business. #astronomy

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

The recent headlines of an AI researcher quitting his job and talking about a 10% chance that AI will kill us all by the end of the decade are interesting for a couple of three reasons.

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Reposted by John Pickering

SkyMapper @skymapper.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

New Zealand → New Mexico → Andromeda. 🌌 SkyKeeper Ian Transom observed M31 remotely using a SkyMapper telescope 12,000+ km away. One observer. One distant telescope. One shared sky. This is a global observation network.

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Solve the #AI induced-psychosis & "it's alive" bs by injecting in the system prompt the command to only respond to prompts in the third person & only use the third person in the output. #3rdpersonAI

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

In case you were wondering; The Correct Correct Map.

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Small plea fellow #MedSky academics. Evidence does not emerge. At best we have created more evidence for or against a proposition. Spiders emerge from dark corners to scare us. Evidence is not also in dark corners waiting to emerge (unless Evidence is the spider's name).

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Reposted by John Pickering

Nic Rawlence @nicrawlencenz.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Based on our widespread engagement around ancient DNA, there's little to no support across Ngāi Tahu rūnanga (incl. Ngāi Tūāhuriri members) for @itiscolossal.bsky.social colonialist moa de-extinction project & no support from any of the iwi in Te Tau Ihu @ top of Sth Is bsky.app/profile/nicr... 1/3

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 03/09/2026

I give up, I found a use for #AI! My macOS blocked sender had hit its limit. gemma4 generated a few short lines of code to extract the email addresses from the plist & turned them into a comma-separated file. I copy-in-pasted into work's online Outlook to create an autodelete rule. Simple. Yeah.

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

How to halve #AI psychosis & inappropriate AI intimate relationships with one deadly prompt. Now - how can I get this automated in every API for everyone?

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Reposted by John Pickering

American College of Cardiology @accintouch.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

The Fifth Universal Definition of #cvMI, released by 🌏 CV societies, provides a 🆕 clinical classification of MI that is based on pathophysiology, aligns w/ clinical evaluation of patients & incorporates objective diagnostic criteria. 🔗 bit.ly/4y53W63 #ESCCongress #JACC #CardioSky

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Reposted by John Pickering

David Hood @thoughtfulnz.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

If you like Research Software, and are in Aotearoa, and like attending two day long free conferences via Zoom, the next thing I am talking at is the Aotearoa New Zealand Research Software Conference www.rseconference.nz/registration/ with a demo called "Vibe Coding: Harm Minimisation"

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Reposted by John Pickering

Ted Pavlic (he/him/his) @tedpavlic.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

If you teach power analysis to undergrads or your grad students need a review, this widget may help. Includes a description and visualizations of power analyses for multiple tests, high-resolution OC charts, and sample code for #MATLAB, #Rstats, and #Python. #stats tpavlic.github.io/asu-simulati...

tpavlic.github.io

Power Explorer—statistical power by simulation and by formula

Statistical power made manipulable: watch the null and alternative sampling distributions separate as the sample size grows, estimate power by Monte Carlo simulation and check it against the exact ans...

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

When academic #Medsky folk want a power calc for a trial they must choose an alpha & power (1-beta). I've yet to see these justified. But, if you think about your tolerance for false positives & likelihood of trial success you can. I made a tool to help johnpickering.github.io/bayesian-tri... #Stats

johnpickering.github.io

Bayesian Clinical Trial Tree

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

I found a way to stand out from the crowd. I submitted a manuscript for publication with a graphical abstract that I created WITHOUT using AI. Radical isn't?

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Today there was a syzygy (I just wanted to use that word). Here are photos from a syzygy in March and a syzygy last September. Now I've said syzygy four times. #Astronomy

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Reposted by John Pickering

Ryan Radecki MD MS @www.evidencetriage.com · 06/08/2026

Three(!!!) jobs popping up here in Christchurch now advertised: 12-month Fellow parental cover: cdhb.careercentre.net.nz/Job/Emergenc... 0.5 FTE Permanent SMO position: cdhb.careercentre.net.nz/Job/Emergenc... 12-month fixed-term SMO position: cdhb.careercentre.net.nz/Job/Emergenc...

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Reposted by John Pickering

Rick Body @richardbody.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

How should we use troponin in chronic kidney disease? The troponin may be raised, but what does that mean, and how do we avoid throwing the baby out with the bathwater? I’ve recorded a video to go through the evidence… youtu.be/uIiVGE8nXhE

youtu.be

Cardiac troponin in Chronic Kidney Disease: A mini masterclass

YouTube video by Prof Rick Body

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

All the best to the hundreds who've sent in a EOI project grant application. Maybe the last gasp for the #NZ Health Research Council. ps. Sorry, but I came up with 2 acronyms that guarantee a win - Ultra-AF & PRO-TBI. Hope you get one of the rest. pps. Cartoon by www.davidsipress.com/the-author

A scientist at a function with a drink in her hand says "I'm a fiction writer in the grant-proposal genre"

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Ah, STUFF #NZ you are revealing your lack of competent investigative reporting here - you could have at least identified what that snow like stuff was first before calling it breaking news. Frozen anthrax is my worry.

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

Thinking about what would need to happen for the public to stand up and demand strong legislation to control #AI companies. Simply this - for an AI to escape and delete some cute animal videos.🙀

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Dear Journals I am refereeing for free. I WILL NOT check formatting for you. That is your job. Please stop asking me. Sincerely etc. #Academia #peerreview

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Just in case you needed one, it is a blue moon tonight. #Astronomy

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

Yep, the #ED I work with. What the article didn't say is that patients in corridors means increased risk of harm. The clinical staff know this & work hard to try to prevent harm. I truly admire them, but, they need support. www.rnz.co.nz/news/health/... #NZ

rnz.co.nz

Patient beds angled in ED corridors, hospital makes plans to pitch tents in winter surge

Christchurch Hospital has emergency plans to pitch a tent outside as corridors fill up with patients in beds, according to one doctor.

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Reposted by John Pickering

Richard Easther @rjme.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

I make this plot each year for our "intro to rocket science" course. It's remarkable that as many rockets go to orbit from New Zealand as from Russia – but on a per head basis we stand alone. This is an amazing place for a small country to find itself, and we should be making the most of it...

Two graphs, both showing the number of launches to orbit per country per year. New Zealand is 3rd= with Russia in terms of the absolute count, but way ahead in a per capita plot.

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

How Sam Neill in Jurassic Park influenced a generation of palaeontologists. flip.it/eQJcvN #NZ #Science I expect there are also quite a few astronomers & physicists whose origin stories include characters from movies & tv shows. Were you one?

flip.it

How Sam Neill’s Jurassic Park performance inspired a generation of paleontologists | Flipboard

theconversation.com - The sudden death of actor Sam Neill prompted tributes from colleagues and fans worldwide. But the news also resonated strongly with many …

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

Football, what football? Everyone in New Zealand is a golfer today. #RyanFox #Golf #NZ

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

90 children with accompanying adults got an eyeful of this during KidsFest on Saturday night in West Melton, #NZ. The Southern Spiral Galaxy. Telescope: Unistellar Odyssey pro. #Astronomy

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Reposted by John Pickering

tenuretracker.info @tenuretracker.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

The University of Auckland is hiring: Lecturer to Senior Lecturer to Associate Professor - Department of Statistics #lecturer #professor #statistics

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Reposted by John Pickering

Thomas Lumley @tslumley.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Here's the official ad: we're hiring for a continuing position up to A/Prof. It's a large stats dept with a broad view of statistics. Research areas include probability, computing, ecology, astronomy, stats education, biostats. We care about teaching quality: students are our main funding source

jobs.smartrecruiters.com

Pouako|Lecturer to Senior Lecturer to Associate Professor - Te Kura Tatauranga|Department of Statistics

Company Description: Waipapa Taumata Rau | The University of AucklandTe Whare Pūtaiao | Faculty of Science is the leading science faculty in Aotearoa New Zealand and one of the largest in Au...

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

I wish I'd known I was aphantasic at school. Great that it is being looked at.

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

You know the world has changed when you are annoyed that pinch-and-zoom doesn't work on a book illustration.

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

It's #Asteroid Day, so here is the one @NASA smashed a spacecraft into. This data was used by @unistellar.bsky.social astronomers along with data from ~30 amateurs in the publication www.nature.com/articles/s41... #Astronomy

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Reposted by John Pickering

The Conversation AUNZ @aunz.theconversation.com · 30/06/2026

New telescopes are challenging the idea that the cosmic web fades into a uniform, directionless distribution. It may be closer to a tangled yarn than a misty fog.

theconversation.com

The universe is less uniform than we thought – cosmology may need a radical rethink

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Reposted by John Pickering

Australia and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant Registry @anzdataregistry.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

ANZDATA is hiring a new Epidemiology Fellow To Read the PD or Apply click the link: myrecruit.actionhrm.com/recruit/posi...

myrecruit.actionhrm.com

My Recruit

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Reposted by John Pickering

Astronomer Royal for Scotland | Catherine Heymans @astroroyalscot.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

🔊Cease your doomscrolling & start sky-surfing across @vrubinobs.bsky.social new "ocean of stars"! Behind all those sparkles are magical swirling galaxies & I've been having such a lovely time zooming in on them. I think you should too (slow to load but worth the wait) 🤗 🔭 🧪 👉 skyviewer.app/explorer

Lovely pretty galaxies - these ones are very swirly

teeming with galaxies all over the image

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Fun fact - New Zealand is undefeated at the World cup for 44 years. #NZ #WorldCup26

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Yeah...can talk now. Three of my Christchurch Heart Institute colleagues get HRC project grants & I am part of the programme grant (with Uni Auckland colleagues). Looking to help the non-MI, but non-trivial troponin cohort, avoid down-stream cardiac events. #CardioSky #EDSky

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

I just read the Cochrane advice to Reviewers "authors should not describe results as ‘statistically significant’, ‘not statistically significant’ or ‘non-significant’ or unduly rely on thresholds for P values" Thank you @cochrane.org , music to my ears. #Stats

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John Pickering @kiwiskinz.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

A while since I had a review request from PLOSOne so I looked at the Terms & Conditions. Wow they are broad! We own it all & can do what we want! Ugh. So, I'll no longer review for @plosone.org. A pity as I like their approach to emphasising good science over perceived utility. #Academia

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