When chatbots fail: exploring user coping following a chatbots-induced service failure

PurposeWhile the proliferation of chatbots allows companies to connect with their customers in a cost- and time-efficient manner, it is not deniable that they quite often fail expectations and may even pose negative impacts on user experience. The purpose of the study is to empirically explore the negative user experience with chatbots and understand how users respond to service failure caused by chatbots.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts a qualitative research method and conducts thematic analysis of 23 interview transcripts.FindingsIt identifies common areas where chatbots fail user expectations and cause service failure. These include their inability to comprehend and provide information, over-enquiry of personal or sensitive information, fake humanity, poor integration with human agents, and their inability to solve complicated user queries. Negative emotions such as anger, frustration, betrayal and passive defeat were experienced by participants when they interacted with chatbots. We also reveal four coping strategies users employ following a chatbots-induced failure: expressive support seeking, active coping, acceptance and withdrawal.Originality/valueOur study extends our current understanding of human-chatbot interactions and provides significant managerial implications. It highlights the importance for organizations to re-consider the role of their chatbots in user interactions and balance the use of human and chatbots in the service context, particularly in customer service interactions that involve resolving complex issues or handling non-routinized tasks

Convolutional Neural Networks for Classification of T2DM Cognitive Impairment Based on Whole Brain Structural Features

PurposeCognitive impairment is generally found in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Although they may not have visible symptoms of cognitive impairment in the early stages of the disorder, they are considered to be at high risk. Therefore, the classification of these patients is important for preventing the progression of cognitive impairment.MethodsIn this study, a convolutional neural network was used to construct a model for classifying 107 T2DM patients with and without cognitive impairment based on T1-weighted structural MRI. The Montreal cognitive assessment score served as an index of the cognitive status of the patients.ResultsThe classifier could identify T2DM-related cognitive decline with a classification accuracy of 84.85% and achieved an area under the curve of 92.65%.ConclusionsThe model can help clinicians analyze and predict cognitive impairment in patients and enable early treatment

Staphylococcal Panton-Valentine Leukocidin Induces Pro-Inflammatory Cytokine Production and Nuclear Factor-Kappa B Activation in Neutrophils

Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) is a cytotoxin secreted by Staphylococcus aureus and associated with severe necrotizing infections. PVL targets polymorphonuclear leukocytes, especially neutrophils, which are the first line of defense against infections. Although PVL can induce neutrophil death by necrosis or apoptosis, the specific inflammatory responses of neutrophils to this toxin are unclear. In this study, both in vivo and in vitro studies demonstrated that recombinant PVL has an important cytotoxic role in human neutrophils, leading to apoptosis at low concentrations and necrosis at high concentrations. Recombinant PVL also increased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion from neutrophils. The up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines was due to nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation induced by PVL. Moreover, blocking NF-κB inhibited the production of inflammatory cytokines. To test the role of neutrophil immune responses during the pathogenesis of PVL-induced acute lung injury, we used immunocompetent or neutropenic rabbits to develop a model of necrotizing pneumonia. Immunocompetent rabbits challenged with PVL demonstrated increased inflammation containing neutrophilic infiltrates. In addition, there were elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α and IL-10) and NF-κB in the lung homogenate. In contrast, the lung tissues from neutropenic rabbits contained mild or moderate inflammation, and the levels of inflammatory cytokines and NF-κB increased only slightly. Data from the current study support growing evidence that neutrophils play an important role in the pathogenesis of PVL-induced tissue injury and inflammation. PVL can stimulate neutrophils to release pro-inflammatory mediators, thereby causing an acute inflammatory response. The ability of PVL to induce inflammatory cytokine release may be associated with the activation of NF-κB or its pore-forming properties

Some estimates for commutators of the fractional maximal function on stratified Lie groups

Abstract In this paper, the main aim is to consider the boundedness of the nonlinear commutator [ b , M α ] $[b, M_{\alpha}]$ and the maximal commutator M α , b $M_{\alpha ,b}$ on the Lebesgue spaces over some stratified Lie group G $\mathbb{G}$ when the symbol b belongs to the Lipschitz space. As a result, some new characterizations of the Lipschitz spaces on Lie group via [ b , M α ] $[b, M_{\alpha}]$ and M α , b $M_{\alpha ,b}$ are given

Estimations of forest water retention across China from an observation site-scale to a national-scale

202

Design and Kinematic Performance Analysis of the (2-PUR/UPS) &R Hybrid Cervical Exoskeleton

In this study, a hybrid type (2-PUR/UPS) &R cervical vertebra rehabilitation machine is proposed for the cervical traction rehabilitation training of patients with cervical spondylosis. The machine has 3R1T four degrees of freedom and meets the requirement of the range of motion of human cervical vertebra. The kinematic performance of the machine is analyzed to verify whether it can be applied in the field of human cervical vertebra rehabilitation. Firstly, the degrees of freedom of the mechanism are solved and verified by using the spiral theory and the modified Kutzbach-Grvble formula. Secondly, by solving the inverse solution of the position of the mechanism, the rod length of the mechanism is deduced, the program of solving the workspace is written, and the workspace of the mechanism is obtained by the numerical search method. Finally, the mechanism is simulated and analyzed by Adams software. The results show that the mechanism could reach the range required for cervical spine movement, including -55° to 35° for forward and backward leaning. Left-handed and right-handed is -52° to 52°; the left and right lateral flexion is -45° to 45°, which can provide traction treatment for patients with cervical spondylosis

Spatiotemporal Patterns Formed by a Discrete Nutrient-Phytoplankton Model with Time Delay

In this research, a continuous nutrient-phytoplankton model with time delay and Michaelis–Menten functional response is discretized to a spatiotemporal discrete model. Around the homogeneous steady state of the discrete model, Neimark–Sacker bifurcation and Turing bifurcation analysis are investigated. Based on the bifurcation analysis, numerical simulations are carried out on the formation of spatiotemporal patterns. Simulation results show that the diffusion of phytoplankton and nutrients can induce the formation of Turing-like patterns, while time delay can also induce the formation of cloud-like pattern by Neimark–Sacker bifurcation. Compared with the results generated by the continuous model, more types of patterns are obtained and are compared with real observed patterns

Experimental study on the influence of embankment slope direction on near-surface thermal conditions in permafrost region, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Heterogeneous ground thermal conditions caused by slope orientation are significant in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau because of the high altitude and strong solar radiation. Variation in solar radiation may result in contrasting thermal and upper boundary conditions, causing engineering problems at infrastructure with sloped embankments. Quantitative research on conditions on different man-made slopes is insufficient in permafrost regions, and consequently, planning for long-term effects on linear infrastructure is challenging. Net radiation, heat flux, near-surface temperature, soil moisture content, were recorded for one whole year (2021) at a field platform with eight slopes. Slope orientation affected net radiation (Rn) and ground heat flux (G), resulting in different energy balances between slopes. The north facing slope had a lowest Rn (174 W m-2), while the south slope had a maximum (239.8 W m-2). The north slope had a negative annual heat flux (-0.7 W m-2), while a maximum positive flux (1.5 W m-2) was recorded on the southeast slope. The annual mean surface temperature (Ts) was highest on the south slope and lowest on the north slope. The maximum difference of ground temperatures (within 30 cm depth) (Tg), was close to differences in Ts of over 4 °C. The maximum difference in soil moisture content during the thawing season (May–October) was 11% between the W and E slopes. Due to the different ground temperatures and soil moisture conditions, the annual number of freeze-thaw cycles was variable, and the maximum freeze-thaw cycles were 106 times in south slope and the minimum were 18 times in west slope. Those different thermal conditions between different slope orientations were significant, and pertinent to planning and maintenance of infrastructure. The results provide accurate boundary conditions for modeling to support development of new infrastructure that have embankment slopes in any direction, and for ensuring the stability of existing structures on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau