software testing

Automated Testing of LLM-Based Post Hoc Explainers Using Model Checking as an Oracle

Large language models (LLMs) are used as post hoc explainers of sequential decision-making policies, producing natural-language explanations of why an action was chosen. However, LLMs often generate plausible but incorrect statements, and no existing approach systematically tests whether such explanations are faithful to the underlying environment. Two classic software testing challenges stand in the way: there is no oracle for the correctness of an explanation, and the test inputs, natural language queries about a policy's behavior, lack the structure needed for systematic test case generation. We address both. Probabilistic model checking provides the test oracle, computing exact reference results against which LLM answers are graded automatically. A taxonomy of post hoc query categories structures the input space around the environment-level facts from which policy explanations are composed; test cases generated from it are prioritized by question-specific diagnostic difficulty scores. Across seven MDP environments, the testing separates three open-weight LLMs: a reasoning model passes 85% of test cases, a mid-size model 70%, and a 1B model falls below the random baseline, while prioritization surfaces significantly harder cases than random selection. Our results indicate how trustworthy LLM-generated explanations are in model-free settings, where the same LLMs are used but no oracle exists to verify them.

Which LLM for Which Work? Budgeted Model Allocation under Uncertain Evaluation

A company with a fixed artificial intelligence (AI) budget must decide which large language model (LLM) handles each recurring workload. What it lacks is the quality table, how well each model performs on each workload. Given that table, the decision is a multiple-choice knapsack problem and is routine to solve, so estimating it is the difficulty, and that estimation fails in two ways. Models are rarely compared on the same work, and the recorded score is usually a proxy rather than the outcome the company values. Causal and off-policy methods repair the first but condition on the second, while evaluator-validation methods estimate the second but stop short of the decision. Worse, buying more re-evaluation cannot settle the second: randomization governs which requests are scored, not how a score is produced, so the table stays uncertain however much evaluation is purchased. Yet the deployment decision may still be determined even when the table is not. We therefore ask whether one assignment stays optimal across every quality table consistent with the evidence. For the fixed-budget problem, this admits an exact two-solve certificate: solve once at the estimated table and once at a least-favourable table. Agreement certifies the assignment; disagreement identifies the model-workload pairs where further evidence can matter. We propose CASE (causal active sequential experimentation), which targets evaluation to those pairs and repeats the test as evidence accumulates. On a production log, the measurement failure is the larger of the two: correcting assignment exactly still leaves most of the loss, and randomized re-evaluation does not remove it. In our experiments, the available evidence often does not determine the assignment. On paid software tasks, better information about model quality yields more savings than further optimization of the assignment on the same estimates.

THE IMPACT OF PREOPERATIVE ESOPHAGEAL MANOMETRIC STUDY ON ANTI-REFLUX SURGICAL DECISION: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY FROM JORDAN

Introduction: Esophageal manometry is an endoscopic study of the esophagus motility and can diagnose dysmotility disorders and the tone of the gastro-esophageal sphincter. The main aim of the study is to identify the role of esophageal manometry in surgery decision-making and to determine which type of fundoplication is required for gastric reflux disease. Methodology: it’s a retrospective of 210 patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease, who underwent endoscopic esophageal manometry in order to undergo anti-reflux surgery. The study was conducted at King Hussein Medical Hospital. We collected data retrospectively from the electronic medical recording system regarding all patients who performed the test from August 2022 to July 2025. All patients who were planned to undergo antireflux surgery and underwent esophageal manometry as a preoperative preparation were included in this study, whereas the patients who underwent the test because of dysphagia or esophageal dysmotility were excluded from the study. Then, we followed the surgical decision of antireflux surgery to do Nissen or partial Fundoplication accordingly. Medical biostatistical tests and software like SPSS are used to collect data and to measure the results. Results: A total of 210 cases, that underwent preoperative preparations and planned for anti-reflux surgery. The mean age was 49+-0.3 years. A 46 % (n=99) where female patients with slightly higher percentage in male patient (54%, n=111). Manometric study performed for all patient (100%), abnormal study observed in 15 patients (7.2%) that showed significant difference and P-value was than 0.03, most of these dysmotility were a chalasia 10 patients, while the other 5 patients suffered from non-specific abnormal esophageal contractility. Conclusions: esophageal manometry is pivotal preparation test must be performed to delineate the esophageal motility before undergoing anti-reflux procedure, it may change the type of surgical procedure and the degree of fundoplication

EVALUATION OF ANESTHETIC DRUG USE IN OPHTHALMIC PROCEDURES AT PRINCE ZAID BIN AL HUSSEIN HOSPITAL

Introduction: While topical, local, and regional anesthesia are commonly used in ophthalmic surgery, general anesthesia may be necessary for children, uncooperative patients, or complex situations, selecting the incorrect anesthetic can result in systemic or ocular side effects, particularly in older patients with concurrent conditions. Drug utilization research is essential for rational medicine use in anesthetic departments, this study sought to evaluate the use of anesthetic drugs in ocular procedures at Prince Zaid Bin Al Hussein Hospital in order to maximize practice, minimize unnecessary consumption and improve patient safety. Methodology: All patients undergoing eye surgery who got any kind of anesthesia WERE included in this retrospective observational study, which was carried out, Data will be gathered from pharmacy databases and operating room records, Variables include procedure type, and specifics about anesthetic medications, including class and delivery method. The data will be analyzed using statistical software, the results will be summarized using descriptive statistics, and inferential tests, the outcomes will be compared with accepted clinical criteria. Result: the total annual consumption of topical ophthalmic anesthetic preparations was 820 minims. Lignocaine with fluorescein represented the largest share with 440 minims (53.7%), followed by Benoxinate with 380 minims (46.3%). During the same period, 190 ophthalmic procedures were recorded, mainly Phaco procedures, which accounted for 145 cases (76.3%). The calculated local consumption rate was approximately 4.32 anesthetic minims per ophthalmic procedure. Conclusion: Lignocaine with fluorescein and benoxinate was the most commonly used ocular anesthetic, this pattern is generally in line with international practice. This study offers a drug-utilization perspective, in contrast to the majority of international studies that concentrate on pain management and therapeutic efficacy. It connects the quantity and kind of ophthalmic procedures with the yearly administration of anesthetics.

EVALUATION OF ANESTHETIC DRUG USE IN OPHTHALMIC PROCEDURES AT PRINCE ZAID BIN AL HUSSEIN HOSPITAL

Introduction: While topical, local, and regional anesthesia are commonly used in ophthalmic surgery, general anesthesia may be necessary for children, uncooperative patients, or complex situations, selecting the incorrect anesthetic can result in systemic or ocular side effects, particularly in older patients with concurrent conditions. Drug utilization research is essential for rational medicine use in anesthetic departments, this study sought to evaluate the use of anesthetic drugs in ocular procedures at Prince Zaid Bin Al Hussein Hospital in order to maximize practice, minimize unnecessary consumption and improve patient safety. Methodology: All patients undergoing eye surgery who got any kind of anesthesia WERE included in this retrospective observational study, which was carried out, Data will be gathered from pharmacy databases and operating room records, Variables include procedure type, and specifics about anesthetic medications, including class and delivery method. The data will be analyzed using statistical software, the results will be summarized using descriptive statistics, and inferential tests, the outcomes will be compared with accepted clinical criteria. Result: the total annual consumption of topical ophthalmic anesthetic preparations was 820 minims. Lignocaine with fluorescein represented the largest share with 440 minims (53.7%), followed by Benoxinate with 380 minims (46.3%). During the same period, 190 ophthalmic procedures were recorded, mainly Phaco procedures, which accounted for 145 cases (76.3%). The calculated local consumption rate was approximately 4.32 anesthetic minims per ophthalmic procedure. Conclusion: Lignocaine with fluorescein and benoxinate was the most commonly used ocular anesthetic, this pattern is generally in line with international practice. This study offers a drug-utilization perspective, in contrast to the majority of international studies that concentrate on pain management and therapeutic efficacy. It connects the quantity and kind of ophthalmic procedures with the yearly administration of anesthetics.

THE IMPACT OF PREOPERATIVE ESOPHAGEAL MANOMETRIC STUDY ON ANTI-REFLUX SURGICAL DECISION: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY FROM JORDAN

Introduction: Esophageal manometry is an endoscopic study of the esophagus motility and can diagnose dysmotility disorders and the tone of the gastro-esophageal sphincter. The main aim of the study is to identify the role of esophageal manometry in surgery decision-making and to determine which type of fundoplication is required for gastric reflux disease. Methodology: it’s a retrospective of 210 patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease, who underwent endoscopic esophageal manometry in order to undergo anti-reflux surgery. The study was conducted at King Hussein Medical Hospital. We collected data retrospectively from the electronic medical recording system regarding all patients who performed the test from August 2022 to July 2025. All patients who were planned to undergo antireflux surgery and underwent esophageal manometry as a preoperative preparation were included in this study, whereas the patients who underwent the test because of dysphagia or esophageal dysmotility were excluded from the study. Then, we followed the surgical decision of antireflux surgery to do Nissen or partial Fundoplication accordingly. Medical biostatistical tests and software like SPSS are used to collect data and to measure the results. Results: A total of 210 cases, that underwent preoperative preparations and planned for anti-reflux surgery. The mean age was 49+-0.3 years. A 46 % (n=99) where female patients with slightly higher percentage in male patient (54%, n=111). Manometric study performed for all patient (100%), abnormal study observed in 15 patients (7.2%) that showed significant difference and P-value was than 0.03, most of these dysmotility were a chalasia 10 patients, while the other 5 patients suffered from non-specific abnormal esophageal contractility. Conclusions: esophageal manometry is pivotal preparation test must be performed to delineate the esophageal motility before undergoing anti-reflux procedure, it may change the type of surgical procedure and the degree of fundoplication

Effect of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) on some morpho-physiological traits of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) under salt stress

IntroductionSalinity stress is a major limiting factor for plant growth. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is known as an important signaling molecule in response to environmental stresses. This study investigated the effect of exogenous GABA application on the morphophysiological and biochemical characteristics of rosemary plants under saline conditions. Materials and methodsA factorial experiment was conducted using a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. The study investigated the effects of NaCl salinity (0, 50, 100, and 150 mM) and foliar-applied GABA (0, 20, 40, and 60 mM) on the morphophysiological traits of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) during the summer of 2014 at the research greenhouse of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zanjan. Fifteen-to-twenty cm tall rosemary seedlings, sourced from Zarrin Gyaa Urmia Company, were cultivated in size 3 pots containing equal proportions of perlite, cocopeat, and washed soil. Prior to treatment application, plants were acclimatized for two weeks with Hoagland nutrient solution. Greenhouse environmental conditions were set to a 16 h light/8 h dark cycle, with day/night temperatures of 25/20 °C. Salinity was applied gradually over several stages. Salinity stress was imposed by adding NaCl to the irrigation water, and the pots were irrigated every three days. Foliar spray solutions were prepared by dissolving the required amount of GABA in distilled water. The first foliar spray was applied immediately after the initiation of salinity stress, the second two weeks later, and a third application was performed thereafter, for a total of three applications. Twenty ml of solution was applied to each pot (Vojodi Mehrabani et al., 2016). The entire experiment lasted for 14 weeks. The dry weight of the aerial parts was measured after determining the fresh weight using a digital scale and the stem length with a ruler. Leaf proline content, leaf area, and leaf relative water content were measured. Data were analyzed using SAS software, and graphs were generated using Microsoft Excel. Duncan’s multiple range test was used to compare means at the 5% probability level. Results and discussionMean comparison results for shoot fresh weight (Table 2) indicated that the interaction between salinity and GABA was significant at the 1% level. The highest shoot fresh weight (25.130 g) was recorded under non‑saline conditions with the application of 40 mM GABA. The lowest shoot dry weight (4.941 g) was related to the independent effect of 150 mM salinity treatment, whereas the highest shoot dry weight (7.745 g) was observed in the salinity control treatment with 20 mM GABA. The interaction effect of salinity stress and GABA treatment on stem length was significant at the 1% level. The highest stem length (25.934 cm) was recorded under non‑saline (control) with 60 mM GABA. The interaction effect of salinity and GABA on rosemary leaf area was significant at the 1% level. The highest leaf area (4.5657 cm²) was observed under non‑saline (control) conditions with 60 mM GABA. In contrast, the lowest leaf area (2.1772 cm²) was recorded in the absence of GABA under 150 mM salinity. The interaction effect of salinity stress and GABA on electrolyte leakage percentage was statistically significant at the 1% level. The highest electrolyte leakage (98.031%) was observed at 150 mM salinity with 60 mM GABA, whereas the lowest value (67.231%) was recorded under non‑saline (control) conditions with 60 mM GABA. The main effect of salinity and GABA on leaf proline content was significant at the 1% level. Under salinity treatments, the highest proline content (0.0352 μmol g⁻¹ leaf fresh weight) was observed at 100 mM salinity, whereas the lowest value (0.0142 μmol g⁻¹ leaf fresh weight) was recorded in the control treatment. Similarly, among the GABA treatments, the highest proline content (0.0218 μmol g⁻¹ leaf fresh weight) was recorded at 60 mM GABA ConclusionThe present study demonstrated that salinity stress significantly affects the growth and physiological characteristics of the medicinal plant rosemary, resulting in reduced growth‑related traits and increased stress‑related indicators, such as electrolyte leakage and proline content. The application of GABA as a regulatory compound partially mitigated the detrimental effects of salinity. These results suggest that foliar application of GABA may represent an effective strategy to enhance rosemary tolerance to saline conditions and improve the performance of medicinal plants under environmental stresses.

Transition mechanism of student nurses from legitimate peripheral participation to full participation: a grounded theory study

ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism underlying the transition of nursing undergraduate interns from "peripheral participation" to "full participation" and to construct a theoretical model.MethodsUsing procedural grounded theory, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 student nurses. Nvivo 15.0 software was used for three⁃level coding of data from the first 13 participants,followed by a theoretical saturation test performed by two researchers.ResultsOpen coding yielded 101 initial concepts and 21 categories.Axial coding synthesized 7 main categories,covering initial peripheral participation status,multidimensional characteristics of full participation,transitional value,spatiotemporal context,driving factors,inhibiting factors,and individual coping strategies.Selective coding identified the core category as "self⁃construction of professional identity".ConclusionsThe proposed transition mechanism model indicates that student nurses' participation transition occurs within a community of practice and represents a dynamic,non⁃linear,and multi⁃factor interactive socialization process.Clinical educators should build supportive environments,create success experiences through structural empowerment and graded task design,and systematically guide structured reflection,so as to facilitate interns' subjective construction and professional socialization.

A high-performance 2D unstructured hydrodynamic model for domestic multi-node GPU clusters

To meet the computational demands of numerical flood simulation under China’s information technology innovation initiative，this study proposes a high-performance two-dimensional unstructured hydrodynamic model designed for domestic multi-node GPU clusters. The model is based on a Godunov-type finite volume scheme and is implemented in C++ using the Heterogeneous-Compute Interface for Portability （HIP） framework，enabling efficient acceleration on domestic GPUs. METIS-based domain decomposition and the message passing interface （MPI） are adopted to support collaborative computation across multiple GPUs and computing nodes，thereby improving parallel computing efficiency. Numerical tests using the classical rectangular dam-break benchmark and the Toce River case demonstrate that the model achieves satisfactory accuracy，stable computation，and reliable inter-domain communication. Field application to Hengshan Reservoir in Jiangsu Province further shows that，for a meter-scale simulation containing 15 million mesh cells，the use of 64 GPUs across 16 nodes reduced the total runtime from 3.76 h to 15 min. This result indicates a substantial improvement in computational efficiency for large-scale，high-resolution flood simulation，reducing runtime from the hourly scale on a single GPU to the minute scale on a multi-node GPU cluster. With compatibility across domestic hardware and software environments，the proposed model has strong potential for engineering applications in high-resolution flood modeling.

The next software revolution in vehicles is imminent.

Is management commitment a necessity after all in software process improvement?

Literature and practice has established that the lack of management commitment has been one of the top reasons for a failed SPI (software process improvement) initiative. The paper reports results from an ongoing study aimed at clarifying the role and the meaning of management commitment in SPI initiatives. Results from five focused interviews with SPI professionals are reported together with results from 12 SPI initiatives where the level of management commitment (in terms of concrete signs) was measured in order to test whether it would correlate with the level of success of an SPI initiative. In contrast with the evidence from the literature, the results show that none of the signs of management commitment correlated significantly with the success of the SPI initiatives. It is suggested that the concept of champion may have explained the SPI project success better than management commitment. The paper concludes that many of the SPI initiatives do not require management commitment beyond obtaining the resources needed.

Rethinking the Concept of Commitment in Software Process Improvement