Learning analytics in virtual laboratories: a systematic literature review of empirical research

Remote learning has advanced from the theoretical to the practical sciences with the advent of virtual labs. Although virtual labs allow students to conduct their experiments remotely, it is a challenge to evaluate student progress and collaboration using learning analytics. So far, a study that systematically synthesizes the status of research on virtual laboratories and learning analytics does not exist, which is a gap our study aimed to fill. This study aimed to synthesize the empirical research on learning analytics in virtual labs by conducting a systematic review. We reviewed 21 articles that were published between 2015 and 2021. The results of the study showed that 48% of studies were conducted in higher education, with the main focus on the medical field. There is a wide range of virtual lab platforms, and most of the learning analytics used in the reviewed articles were derived from student log files for students’ actions. Learning analytics was utilized to measure the performance, activities, perception, and behavior of students in virtual labs. The studies cover a wide variety of research domains, platforms, and analytical approaches. Therefore, the landscape of platforms and applications is fragmented, small-scale, and exploratory, and has thus far not tapped into the potential of learning analytics to support learning and teaching. Therefore, educators may need to find common standards, protocols, or platforms to build on each others’ findings and advance our knowledge.publishedVersio

Assessment of cervical and ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials in migraine patients

Abstract Background Patients suffering from vestibular migraine (VM) are known to have various vestibular test abnormalities interictally and ictally. Recently, vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) have become accepted as a valid method for otolith function assessment. Many studies have identified various vestibular symptoms and laboratory abnormalities in migraineurs. Since migraineurs with no accompanying vestibular symptoms might exhibit subclinical vestibular dysfunction, we investigated vestibular function using ocular and cervical VEMPs in migraine patients. The aim was to study cervical VEMP and occular VEMP in migraineurs with and without vestibular symptoms interictally. Results Migraine and VM patients showed significantly longer P13 latency of cVEMP compared to controls. A statistically significant cVEMP interaural P13 latency difference was found in VM compared to healthy controls. Cervical VEMP N23 latency, peak-to-peak amplitude, interaural N23 latency, and amplitude asymmetric ratio did not show any significant difference in migraine and VM patients compared to healthy controls as well as no significant difference across the three groups regarding oVEMP parameters. Conclusions Abnormal interictal cVEMP results in migraineurs might indicate subclinical vestibulo-collic pathway dysfunction

Vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials and video head impulse test in cochlear otosclerosis

Abstract Background Otosclerosis is one of the most common causes of hearing loss in adults with clinical onset between 20 and 40 years of age. Vestibular symptoms may be the most agonizing and primary symptom in cases with otosclerosis, so the assessment of patients is important. The vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials test (VEMP) is used to assess the saccular and the utricular functions using cervical and ocular vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMP and oVEMP), respectively. The video head impulse test (vHIT) which measure vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) to rapid impulsive head acceleration in the plane of each semicircular canal (SCC) has allowed quantitative monitoring of each canal function. Methods Twenty subjects with bilateral otosclerosis were studied, ranging in age from 30 to 55 years, divided into two groups. One group consisted of 10 adult patients with bilateral conductive otosclerosis. The second group consisted of 10 adult patients with bilateral mixed otosclerosis. All the patients underwent cVEMP and oVEMP, using a BC 500Hz tone burst stimulus and vHIT in three planes, left anterior right posterior (LARP), right anterior left posterior (RALP), and lateral SCCs. Results The findings indicate statistically significant differences in the peak-to-peak amplitudes of cVEMP and oVEMP in the two studied groups, and the mixed cases had lower amplitudes than conductive cases and a significant increase in p13 latencies. Also, there is a statistically significant difference in the lateral SCC gain between the two groups, as mixed cases had lower gain than conductive cases, but not for anterior or posterior SCCs, with no gain less than 0.8 in all three canals. Conclusion The findings suggested that the saccule is more liable to be affected by cochlear otosclerosis followed by the utricle. The three SCCs are mostly spared

Effect of protocol of care for mothers on selected postoperative outcomes among their children undergoing abdominal surgeries

Background: Pediatric abdominal surgery embraces many types of congenital and acquired surgical disorders. Aim: to evaluate the effect of the protocol of care for mothers on selected postoperative outcomes among their children undergoing abdominal surgeries. A quasi-experimental research design was utilized. Sample: A purposive sample of 70 mothers with children undergoing abdominal surgeries participated in the study. Setting: The study was conducted in the pediatric surgery unit and outpatient clinic at Cairo University Specialized Pediatric Hospital. Tools: Four tools were utilized, a structured interview questionnaire, mothers' knowledge and reported-practices assessment sheet, observational checklists, and postoperative outcomes recording sheet. Results: After implementation of the protocol of care, there was a significant improvement in the level of mothers’ knowledge, reported-practices, and skills regarding the care of their children after abdominal surgery. Children of the mothers who received protocol of care were exposed to less early postoperative complications and had improved postoperative outcomes than those in the control group. Conclusion: The protocol of care for mothers minimizes early postoperative complications and improves postoperative outcomes among their children after abdominal surgery. Recommendations: It is essential to integrate the care protocol for mothers in the pediatric surgery ward and incorporate it into the discharge plan

Obstetrical and neonatal factors associated with optimal public banking of umbilical cord blood in the context of delayed cord clamping

Purpose: To assess the association of specific newborn and maternal factors with indicators of increased blood-forming capacity in umbilical cord blood to inform strategic collection strategies that could augment the quality of units in public cord blood banks. Methods: Data regarding 268 consecutive cord blood units (CBUs) banked by Canadian Blood Services were analyzed. Multivariate analysis was performed to identify factors associated with markers of hematopoietic potency and likelihood of utilization. Results: Delayed clamping of the cord beyond 60 s was associated with reduced volume collected. Any delay in clamping of the cord was associated with reduced total nucleated cell counts. Newborn weight >4,000 g was also associated with greater blood volume in the collection but not with other measures of hematopoietic potency. Cord blood acidosis at birth (p