Common Practice Research Articles

Machine Learning Approach for Rock Mass Classification with Imbalanced Database of TBM Tunnelling in Himalayan Geology

AbstractThe geological condition of the Himalayan region is very complex and challenging. So far, empirical and analytical approaches for rock mass characterization have been a common practice in the Himalayas. Due to the limitations of input parameters and governing equations in design practices, rock mass characterization in tunnel boring machine (TBM) excavated tunnels is crucial. This research introduces robust machine learning (ML) approaches to predict rock mass quality conditions in complex geological environments, leveraging a large database of TBM parameters and rock mass rating (RMR) values. To do so, a total of 6879 stable phase TBM cycle data were collected from 12 km long tunnel in Nepal. The pre-processed parameters were randomly split into a training set (80%) and a testing set (20%). Seven individual classifiers consisting of logistic regression (LR), support vector machine (SVM), decision tree (DT), random forest (RF), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and bagging, and stacking ensemble classifier were exploited with optimal hyperparameters. The comprehensive assessment carried out has shown that the ensemble classifier gave highest overall accuracy as compared to other individual classifiers. More importantly, the synthetic minority over-sampling technique (SMOTE) performs better to handle the imbalanced database, while the RF and stacking classifier demonstrated the best prediction performance with accuracy of 92%. Moreover, for the minority rock mass class, the RF shows better performance compared to stacking classifier. The authors emphasize that the effective application of ML-based data-driven approach shows substantial potential for rock mass characterization in TBM tunnelling.

Evaluating Layout Dimensionalities in PC+VR Asymmetric Collaborative Decision Making

With the commercialization of virtual/augmented reality (VR/AR) devices, there is an increasing interest in combining immersive and non-immersive devices (e.g., desktop computers) for asymmetric collaborations. While such asymmetric settings have been examined in social platforms, significant questions around layout dimensionality in data-driven decision-making remain underexplored. A crucial inquiry arises: although presenting a consistent 3D virtual world on both immersive and non-immersive platforms has been a common practice in social applications, does the same guideline apply to lay out data? Or should data placement be optimized locally according to each device's display capacity? This study aims to provide empirical insights into the user experience of asymmetric collaboration in data-driven decision-making. We tested practical dimensionality combinations between PC and VR, resulting in three conditions: PC2D+VR2D, PC2D+VR3D, and PC3D+VR3D. The results revealed a preference for PC2D+VR3D, and PC2D+VR2D led to the quickest task completion. Our investigation facilitates an in-depth discussion of the trade-offs associated with different layout dimensionalities in asymmetric collaborations.

Surgical conditions in experimental laparoscopy: effects of pressure, neuromuscular blockade, and pre-stretching on workspace volume.

Establishing a pneumoperitoneum for laparoscopy is common surgical practice, with the goal to create an optimal surgical workspace within the abdominal cavity while minimizing insufflation pressure. Individualized strategies, based on neuromuscular blockade (NMB), pre-stretching routines, and personalized intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) to enhance surgical conditions are strategies to improve surgical workspace. However, the specific impact of each factor remains uncertain. This study explores the effects and side-effects of modifying intra-abdominal volume (IAV) through moderate and complete NMB in a porcine laparoscopy model. Thirty female Landrace pigs were randomly assigned to groups with complete NMB, regular NMB and a control group. Varying IAP levels were applied, and IAV was measured using CT scans. The study evaluated the maximum attainable IAV (Vmax), the pressure at which the cavity opens (p0), and the ease of expansion (λexp). Cardiorespiratory parameters, including peak inspiratory pressure (PIP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and cardiac output (CO), were continuously recorded to evaluate side-effects. There were no significant weight differences between NMB groups (median 21.1kg). Observed volumes ranged from 0 to 4.7 L, with a mean Vmax of 3.82 L, mean p0 of 1.23mmHg, and mean λexp of 0.13hPa-1. NMB depth did not significantly affect these parameters. HR was significantly increased in the complete NMB group, while PIP, MAP, and CO remained unaffected. Repeated insufflation positively impacted Vmax; ease of opening; and expanding the cavity. In this porcine model, the depth of NMB does not alter abdominal mechanics or increase the surgical workspace. Cardiorespiratory changes are more related to insufflation pressure and frequency rather than NMB depth. Future studies should compensate for the positive effect of repeated insufflation on abdominal mechanics and surgical conditions.

Prehospital seizure management protocols need standardized guidelines. A descriptive study from Norway

BackgroundPatients with convulsive seizures constitute a significant group in acute neurology. No common European clinical practice guidelines on prehospital seizure management exist, and today most patients are brought to hospital for seizure treatment, with great variation in which prehospital treatment is provided. Only 33 % of status epilepticus patients receive a benzodiazepine as first anti-seizure medication (ASM). The aim of this study is to assess the prehospital seizure control protocols in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Norway, and compare these with current evidence for acute management. MethodWe performed a descriptive analysis of the 18 regional EMS protocols in Norway and compared the findings with recent evidence on prehospital treatment. We analysed recommended drug and dosage, route of medication administration, number of additional rescue doses permitted, requirements for registration of type of seizures and seizure duration. ResultsThe protocols vary in terms of preferred medication, administration method, dosage and recommendations regarding first- and second-line therapies. 33 % of protocols explicitly define status epilepticus according to contemporary guidelines, and 16.7 % have an operational definition of when to administer benzodiazepines. All protocols showed variations in dosing and administration instructions and only 28 % had a clearly stated first line treatment. ConclusionThere are disparities in the prehospital seizure management protocols within the Norwegian healthcare system, a system comparable to other European countries. To improve seizure management there is a need for standardised guidelines for prehospital treatment.

An exploratory study of perceptions and utilization of genetic information in the intended parent experience of oocyte donor selection.

Utilization of oocyte donation has become an increasingly common practice in assisted reproductive technology (ART). Since the introduction of larger carrier screening (CS) panels and extended family medical histories (EFMH), studies have not examined how this information factors into the oocyte donor selection process. This exploratory, qualitative study provides further insight into what role, if any, donors' available genetic information (e.g., larger CS panels and EFMH) plays in selecting an oocyte donor. An online screening survey was distributed to individuals who have undergone or are currently in the process of selecting an oocyte donor through the RESOLVE network and Mayo Clinic's Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility clinic. From 13 survey respondents, six oocyte recipients subsequently participated in semi-structured telephone interviews and discussed their experiences as oocyte recipients including their perceptions of donors' available genetic information and process in choosing an oocyte donor. Genetic information was seen as valuable and reassuring for participants, particularly EFMH, but did not play a significant role in the selection process for these participants. Supplemental emergent themes provide context on the psychosocial complexities of the oocyte recipient experience and possible explanations for why genetic information is not a decisional priority. Participants indicated genetic information was not extensively discussed or fully explained by providers. Results demonstrate how genetic counselors can be more involved in the pre-selection process to discuss the utility and limitations of genetic information, as well as address psychosocial issues common to the oocyte recipient experience.

A Comprehensive Review on Oleic Acid Vesicles: A Novel Approach to Drug Delivery.

The implementation of several innovative drug delivery technologies has made medication distribution more focused and managed in recent years. These days, a vesicular drug delivery system defines the rate of distribution and the site of action in order to improve the action and increase patient compliance; there are various kinds of newly developed vesicular drug delivery systems, including transferosomes, niosomes, aquasomes, ufasomes, pharmacosomes, and phytosomes. Ufasomes are unsaturated fatty acid vesicles with a limited pH range of 7 to 9. They are a suspension of closed lipid bilayers made of fatty acids and their ionized species. The hydrocarbon tails of fatty acid molecules are oriented toward the membrane's inner core, and their carboxyl groups are in contact with water. The two fatty acids that are most frequently employed in the ufasomes' manufacturing process are oleic and linoleic acids. It is a common practice to produce fatty acid vesicles via the thin film hydration process. The manufacture of stable ufasomes is mostly dependent on the choice of fatty acids, amount of cholesterol, pH range, buffer, etc. This article goes into additional detail regarding unsaturated fatty acids' characteristics, benefits, and drawbacks.

Analysis of The Flow-Field Distorsions Induced by Pneumatic Pressure Probes In Test Bench Experiments On Centrifugal Compressors: Are We Testing Right?

Abstract Experimental testing at the test rig still plays a key role in the development of new centrifugal compressor designs for industrial applications. Although a wide set of different probes is used as per common practice, the overall impact of the probes? dimensions on the stage performance and rangeability is often assumed to be negligible. In this study, we aimed at quantifying the intrusiveness effects of pneumatic pressure probes on the flow-field inside a vaned diffuser using a model stage of an industrial centrifugal compressor, for which different experimental setups were tested at the University of Florence test rig. Performance and rangeability were initially assessed using a conventional set of pneumatic probes inserted in the flow path. Then, comparative analyses were realized through dedicated tests by either removing all probes at the diffuser inlet or introducing only a single pressure probe in the upstream section and varying its angular position in the measuring section. Experiments revealed an impact of upstream probes much higher than expected, with a decrease in efficiency and a substantial reduction of stall margin. Moving from this experimental evidence, accurate 3D CFD simulations of the entire stage were carried out including the actual geometry of the probes for two probes configurations and three operating points. Simulations highlighted the effect probes? wakes on downstream vanes and the induced blockage effect, which both appear in line with experimental evidence. As a handout, a recommendation on the optimal probe positioning is suggested.

Risk of Postoperative Hypermagnesemia in Cardiopulmonary Bypass Assisted Cardiovascular Surgery.

Magnesium administration is a common practice in cardiovascular surgeries utilizing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). However, concerns persist regarding the risk of hypermagnesemia, particularly in patients with kidney dysfunction. This study aims to determine the incidence of postoperative hypermagnesemia in CPB-assisted cardiovascular surgeries and identify the associated risk factors. This was a retrospective cohort study conducted at a tertiary medical center. Data from adult patients undergoing open-heart surgery utilizing CPB between 2018 and 2020 were analyzed. Sociodemographic, perioperative, and clinical variables were collected from electronic medical records. Logistic regression was utilized to identify independent risk factors for hypermagnesemia. Of 278 patients analyzed, 53.2% developed postoperative hypermagnesemia (Mg ≥2.5 mg/dL). Mild hypermagnesemia (Mg 2.5-3.9 mg/dL) was most common, with no significant impact on clinical outcomes observed. Patients with hypermagnesemia were older, with higher comorbidity burdens and lower baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Cardioplegic solutions with higher magnesium content and lower baseline eGFR were independently associated with hypermagnesemia (OR 64.3; 95% CI 12.9-501.1 and OR 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1-1.5 respectively). Notably, ultrafiltration on CPB was associated with low risk of hypermagnesemia (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.1-1.0, P value 0.048). This study highlights the importance of mindful magnesium supplementation strategies in those with advanced kidney disease. Future large-scale prospective multicenter studies should validate these findings and explore the extended effects of hypermagnesemia on clinical outcomes in patients with advanced CKD undergoing CPB surgeries.

The use of surrogate matrices in bioanalytical preclinical safety testing using chromatographic methods: a recommendation from the European Bioanalysis forum.

Within the bioanalytical community, the use of blank matrix from preclinical animals for bioanalytical method validation and sample analysis is common practice and required in the context of guidelines for bioanalytical method validation. At the same time, its use has been challenged by the scientific community for decades, since there is ample scientific evidence to allow the use surrogate matrices for this purpose. Nevertheless, legacy and current regulatory thinking continues to be reluctant to allow the use of surrogate matrices in bioanalytical testing except for so-called rare matrices. As part of ongoing discussions in relation to the ICH M10 Guideline, the European Bioanalysis Forum re-challenges the unnecessary use of blank matrices from preclinical animals and believes that, as part of community responsibility and ethical standards and when supported by data, the use of surrogate matrices should become widely accepted. It is in this context that targeted experiments were conducted within the European Bioanalysis Forum to gather additional data and re-open the discussions with all involved and that it should become acceptable to use surrogate matrices wherever possible.

Unusual Composition of the Sarezzano Reliquary Busts

The interdisciplinary study of two reliquary busts from Sarezzano (Piedmont, Italy) is a perfect example of the necessity to provide for material characterisation as a recurring common practice in historical studies and a mandatory step in conservation assessment. Furthermore, the diagnostics of cultural heritage play a crucial role in art historical research, providing relevant information on artefacts’ genesis, production technology, and conservation history. The study of the materials of the reliquary busts was performed by non-invasive (portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry) and micro-invasive (stereomicroscope, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction analysis) methods. According to the results, the busts were found to be made of a tin–lead alloy, a rather unusual material for mediaeval reliquary busts. Moreover, the outcome suggests that the busts were originally silvered, except for the hair and beard which are still gilded. The analysis reveals the use of colophony as an adhesive buffer layer on the busts’ alloy, as well as inside them, to favour the metal working process, since it is found as degraded residue. Finally, even the typology of alloy decay is defined. All this information has enabled us to determine the artistic technique and estimate the value and quality of the material employed. In addition, it has led to the correct choice of materials and methods to be adopted during the restoration, and therefore the usage of more suitable solvents and tools.

Reaction-time task reliability is more accurately computed with permutation-based split-half correlations than with Cronbach's alpha.

While it has become standard practice to report the reliability of self-report scales, it remains uncommon to do the same for experimental paradigms. To facilitate this practice, we review old and new ways to compute reliability in reaction-time tasks, and we compare their accuracy using a simulation study. Highly inaccurate and negatively biased reliability estimates are obtained through the common practice of averaging sets of trials and submitting them to Cronbach's alpha. Much more accurate reliability estimates are obtained using split-half reliability methods, especially by computing many random split-half correlations and aggregating them in a metric known as permutation-based split-half reliability. Through reanalysis of existing data and comparison of reliability values reported in the literature, we confirm that Cronbach's alpha also tends to be lower than split-half reliability in real data. We further establish a set of practices to maximize the accuracy of the permutation-based split-half reliability coefficient through simulations. We find that its accuracy is improved by ensuring each split-half dataset contains an approximately equal number of trials for each stimulus, by correcting the averaged correlation for test length using a modified variant of the Spearman-Brown formula, and by computing a sufficient number of split-half correlations: around 5,400 are needed to obtain a stable estimate for median-based double-difference scores computed from 30 participants and 256 trials. To conclude, we review the available software for computing this coefficient.

How Do Alternative Gendered Linguistic Forms Affect Response Behavior in Surveys?

Using masculine forms in surveys is still common practice, with researchers presumably assuming they operate in a generic way. However, the generic masculine has been found to lead to male-biased representations in various contexts. This article studies the effects of alternative gendered linguistic forms in surveys. The language forms are evaluated on three dimensions: comparability, response behavior, and response effort. The results suggest that, compared to masculine-only forms, the use of gender-fair forms does not impair comparability and does not result in detrimental response behavior for most items.

Ethical aspects of staff responses when older people with dementia express false beliefs.

Challenging false beliefs are common situations among people living with dementia. They frequently imply time-shifts, that is, situations in which the person re-lives past experiences. Since they have emotional implications and important ethical implications, they are difficult to manage by caregivers, who are faced with the decision of telling or not telling the truth. The study aimed to explore professional staff's perceptions of common and best practices to manage a situation in which a person living with dementia is having a false belief, specifically a time-shift. The study compares technical staff's and assistant carers' responses. Forty-two staff members working in four Spanish long-term care facilities were interviewed. 21 were assistant carers and 21 were technical staff. This study involved a qualitative design, content-analyzing participant's responses to semi-structured interviews. Participants read a vignette about a person living with dementia having a time-shift and were asked (1) how a situation like that is commonly managed and (2) how it should be managed. The principles of informed consent, confidentiality, and assessment of consequences for participants were observed throughout the entire study, which was approved by the University of Barcelona Ethics Committee (IRB 00003099). Written participant's consent was obtained prior to interviews. All the participants mentioned having experienced a situation similar to that described in the vignette. In the case of common practices, lying was the most frequently mentioned strategy. As for best practices, lying and telling the truth were mentioned as well as responses that lie in-between, such as distracting or relaxing. However, most assistant carers reported that they do not know how a challenging false belief should be managed. Our findings stress the importance of organizational guidelines and staff development in the management of challenging false beliefs (and specifically time-shifts) in PLWD.

“Vacunas”: Permanence of Crime in The New Dynamics of Violence and Post-Agreement in Colombia

Objective: This study aims to explore the criminal dynamics and socioeconomic implications of extortion, specifically the "vacuna" (protection payment) phenomenon, in Colombia. It seeks to understand how this practice contributes to the persistence of crime and violence, and how victims manage and cope with this form of violence. Theoretical Frmework: The literature review is based on the theory of psychological coercion, where the threat and intimidation through force are used as a means of social control, as well as the economics of crime, which proposes that criminality is a rational act aimed at maximizing benefits for offenders. Finally, the theory of the state and security explains how the absence of the state in Colombia allows criminal groups to assume roles of "protection." Method: A qualitative approach was adopted, using semi-structured and unstructured interviews with merchants and business owners in the Department of Santander, Colombia. The study focuses on a narrative approach, allowing victims to express their experiences with extortion. This method aims to capture the diversity of perspectives and coping practices in response to the crime. Results and Discussion: The results reveal that extortion persists as a common practice due to weak state presence and the transformation of criminal actors. It was observed that victims, both individually and collectively, develop diverse strategies to confront extortion. The study also identifies the perpetrators, although in many cases, victims are unable or unwilling to directly point out their aggressors due to fear of reprisals. Research Implications: The findings suggest the need to rethink public policies focused on security and wealth distribution in Colombia. Strengthening state presence in regions most affected by violence and improving protection mechanisms for extortion victims is crucial. Originality/Value: This study provides a detailed and contextualized analysis of a criminal practice that has been underrepresented in academic literature. By focusing on the voices and experiences of the victims, it offers new insights into the dynamics of power and violence in Colombia, highlighting the importance of addressing structural inequalities to mitigate crime and violence.

Enhancing legal writing skills: The impact of formative feedback in a hybrid intelligence learning environment

AbstractRecent developments in artificial intelligence (AI) have significantly influenced educational technologies, reshaping the teaching and learning landscape. However, the notion of fully automating the teaching process remains contentious. This paper explores the concept of hybrid intelligence (HI), which emphasizes the synergistic collaboration between AI and humans to optimize learning outcomes. Despite the potential of AI‐enhanced learning systems, their application in a human‐AI collaboration system often fails to meet anticipated standards, and there needs to be more empirical evidence showcasing their effectiveness. To address this gap, this study investigates whether formative feedback in an HI learning environment helps law students learn from their errors and write more structured and persuasive legal texts. We conducted a field experiment in a law course to analyse the impact of formative feedback on the exam results of 43 law students, as well as on the writer (students), the writing product and the writing process. In the control group, students received feedback conforming to the legal common practice, where they solved legal problems and subsequently received general feedback from a lecturer based on a sample solution. Students in the treatment group were provided with formative feedback that specifically targeted their individual errors, thereby stimulating internal cognitive processes within the students. Our investigation revealed that participants who were provided with formative feedback rooted in their errors within structured and persuasive legal writing outperformed the control group in producing qualitative, better legal text during an exam. Furthermore, the analysed qualitative student statements also suggest that formative feedback promotes students' self‐efficacy and self‐regulated learning. Our findings indicate that integrating formative feedback rooted in individual errors enhances students' legal writing skills. This underscores the hybrid nature of AI, empowering students to identify their errors and improve in a more self‐regulated manner. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Collaboration between humans and AI in educational settings advances learning mutually, fostering a unified developmental process. Collaborative education models advocate leveraging human and AI strengths for adaptive learning. Despite abundant theoretical research, empirical studies in HI remain limited. This gap underscores the need for more evidence‐based approaches in integrating AI into educational settings. What this paper adds Field experiment investigating the impact of formative feedback in a hybrid intelligence learning environment based on the theory of learning from errors. Comparison of a traditional legal learning environment (lecturer teaching using sample solutions) versus formative feedback in a hybrid intelligence learning environment. Implementing formative machine learning‐based feedback supports law students in producing more structured and persuasive legal texts, leading to enhanced exam performance and higher grades. Implications for practice and/or policy Our research contributes significantly to computer‐based education by presenting empirical evidence of how formative writing feedback impacts students' legal knowledge and skills in educational settings. This underscores the importance of incorporating empirical data into the development of AI‐based educational tools to ensure their effectiveness. By focusing on individual errors corrected by formative feedback, we contribute to the learning from errors literature stream. This perspective offers valuable insights into how such feedback can support students' writing and learning processes, filling a gap in empirical evidence. Our findings demonstrate the potential impact of ML‐based learning systems, particularly in large‐scale learning environments like legal mass lectures. Formative writing feedback emerges as a scalable and beneficial addition to traditional learning environments, triggering internal learning processes, fostering self‐regulated learning and increasing self‐efficacy among students. By demonstrating the effectiveness of formative feedback within the framework of HI, particularly in legal education, our research underscores the potential of combining human understanding with AI‐supported feedback to enhance learning outcomes.

Pattern of Non-prescription Drug Use in Febrile children Prior to Outpatient Visit in a Semi Urban Tertiary Hospital

Background: Use of drugs without any prior medical consultation is a common practice in lower and middle income countries which causes health hazards and misuse or overuse of drugs. Fever is a common symptom for which parents seek medical care according to their knowledge and ability. Objective: To observe the patterns of drug use, source of drugs, and identify the factors associated with the use of non-prescription drugs in febrile children. Methods: This is a hospital based observational cross sectional study conducted over a period of four months in the Ashulia Women and Children Hospital (AWCH). Study population was the febrile children attending paediatric out patient department. Data was collected from parents/caregiver through a pretested questionnaire. Result: Among 614 study children 77.2% had fever for less than 5 days and out of them 544(90.7%) children were treated with different types of drugs. Out of them 90.1% children had drugs without any prescription mostly from drug retailers (54.8%). Commonly used drug was antipyretic (99.3%) followed by antibiotic (49.1%) and antihistamine (31.9%) and 73.16% children were treated with multiple drugs. Cefixime (40.8%) was found to be a widely used antibiotic. Perception of mild illness (53.3%) was reported predominantly as a cause of using drugs without medical advice. Conclusion: This study reveals use of multiple drugs including antibiotics for treating febrile illness of children prior to medical consultation and treatment was most commonly taken from drug retailers. BANGLADESH J CHILD HEALTH 2023; VOL 47 (1) : 39-42

Beyond labels: rethinking generation-based research and practice in the workplace

Purpose This paper aims to critically examine the application of generational labels in workplace research and practice with the purpose to provide human resources (HR) scholar-practitioners with insights into limitations and potential biases of this approach. Design/methodology/approach Building on Mannheim’s framework, this paper critiques commonly-held assumptions that have perpetuated misconceptions about generational differences. It highlights challenges with generational classifications, methodologies and stereotypes, while offering recommendations to improve future research and application in HR. Findings Often, HR practices accept generational differences without questioning how employees are grouped into generations. Although not a new phenomenon, these generalizations can create bias when comparing generations. Instead, HR scholar-practitioners can create thoughtful approaches and examine data based on other effects, such as period and life stage. Practical implications This paper provides support for HR leaders to question assumptions to study generations in organizations. Suggestions are provided to improve research, expand training and advance dialogue in the workplace and shift away from the traditional thinking about generations. Originality/value Grouping employees into generations is a common practice, which is not often challenged. This paper provides research-based insights for HR leaders who are managing data, programs and practices based on arbitrary generational groupings. Organizations need to be mindful of the pitfalls, take a nuanced approach and ensure practices are evidence-based.

Long-Term Stable and Multifeature Microfluidic Impedance Flow Cytometry Based on a Constricted Channel for Single-Cell Mechanical Phenotyping.

The microfluidic impedance flow cytometer (m-IFC) using constricted microchannels is an appealing choice for the high-throughput measurement of single-cell mechanical properties. However, channels smaller than the cells are susceptible to irreversible blockage, extremely affecting the stability of the system and the throughput. Meanwhile, the common practice of extracting a single quantitative index, i.e., total cell passage time, through the constricted part is inadequate to decipher the complex mechanical properties of individual cells. Herein, this study presents a long-term stable and multifeature m-IFC based on a constricted channel for single-cell mechanical phenotyping. The blockage problem is effectively overcome by adding tiny xanthan gum (XG) polymers. The cells can pass through the constricted channel at a flow rate of 500 μL/h without clogging, exhibiting high throughput (∼240 samples per second) and long-term stability (∼2 h). Moreover, six detection regions were implemented to capture the multiple features related to the whole process of a single cell passing through the long-constricted channel, e.g., creep, friction, and relaxation stages. To verify the performance of the multifeature m-IFC, cells treated with perturbations of microtubules and microfilaments within the cytoskeleton were detected, respectively. It suggests that the extracted features provide more comprehensive clues for single-cell analysis in structural and mechanical transformation. Overall, our proposed multifeature m-IFC exhibits the advantages of nonclogging and high throughput, which can be extended to other cell types for nondestructive and real-time mechanical phenotyping in cost-effective applications.

A methodological guide for implementing and interpreting results of probabilistic analysis.

Probabilistic analysis, also referred to as probabilistic sensitivity analysis (PSA), is used extensively in cost-effectiveness evaluations of health technologies. We present methodological guidance for implementing probabilistic analysis and interpreting its results for policy and decision-making. We review the methodological issues related to common practices in probabilistic analysis, explore aspects that are currently not widely addressed in the health economics literature, and provide an overview of recent methodological developments. We use examples to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of common tools used for presenting probabilistic analysis results, including the cost-effectiveness acceptability curve (CEAC), cost-effectiveness acceptability frontier (CEAF), and value of information (VOI) analysis. We raise and address issues related to using Monte Carlo standard error to determine the number of iterations required, the implications of large uncertainty, and the credibility and meaningfulness of small differences in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). We then discuss evolving methods in probabilistic analysis, cautious uses of probabilistic analysis, and factors impacting parameter uncertainty. A deeper understanding of probabilistic analysis methods enables health economists and decision-makers to more effectively address and interpret parameter uncertainty in health economic evaluations, which is essential for making informed policy decisions.

Applying conversation analysis to classroom interactions: students’ ‘oh’-prefaced utterances and the interactional management of explanations

ABSTRACT This study serves as an example of Conversation Analytic (CA) research with a focus on the interactional management of learning in classroom interactions, while simultaneously illustrating the several steps and procedures used for conducting these analyses. In this case, the method of CA is used to study students’ ‘oh’-prefaced utterances in one-to-one classroom interactions centred around explanations. The interactions are studied from the participants’ perspective by means of a turn-by-turn analysis of the selected fragments on the basis of video recordings and detailed transcripts, as is common practice in CA. This study aligns with previous CA research focusing on the details of classroom interaction relating to students’ learning processes. The results of the close analysis of the data provide insight into the orientation teachers and students show to interactionally exhibited knowledge displays in relation to the entire explanation activity they are involved in. This detailed analysis of one-to-one explanation interactions in secondary school classrooms provides insight into students’ learning processes as well as into the accompanying teacher practices.