While the joint modeling of item responses and response times (RTs) has received considerable attention, most existing approaches remain limited to dichotomous items and are not applicable to assessments involving polytomous or mixed-format items. To address this limitation, this article proposes a novel joint modeling framework for graded item responses and RTs. Specifically, we develop a conditional RT model given item responses and integrate it with a marginal response model based on Samejima’s graded response model, yielding a conditional joint model for graded item responses and RTs. The model is then embedded within a two-level hierarchical framework to account for the relationship between ability and speed at the population level. A key methodological contribution is the development of a stochastic approximation EM (SAEM) algorithm for estimating the proposed model, which efficiently computes its marginal maximum likelihood estimates. Simulation studies demonstrate the accurate parameter recovery of the SAEM algorithm and indicate that the proposed model outperforms the hierarchical model assuming conditional independence across various testing conditions. Finally, an empirical analysis using data from the 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment illustrates the effectiveness of the graded response–response time model in large-scale assessments.

Transient thermocapillary convection flows near a suddenly heated vertical wire are widely present in nature and industrial systems. The current study investigates the dynamical evolution and heat transfer for these transient flows near a suddenly heated vertical wire, employing scaling analysis and axisymmetric numerical simulation methodologies. Scaling analysis indicates that there exist four possible scenarios of the dynamical evolution and heat transfer for these transient flows, dependent on the wire curvature, Marangoni number and Prandtl number. In a typical scenario of the dynamical evolution and heat transfer, heat is first conducted into the fluid after sudden heating, resulting in an annular vertical thermal boundary layer around the wire. The radial temperature gradient may generate a thermocapillary force on the liquid surface, dragging the liquid away from the wire. The pressure gradient also drives a vertical flow along the wire. Further, the current study analyses and derives the scaling laws of the velocity, thickness and Nusselt number for the surface and vertical flows in different scenarios. Additionally, a number of two-dimensional axisymmetric numerical simulations are performed. The flow structure around the suddenly heated vertical wire is characterised under different regimes and the validation for the proposed scaling laws in comparison with numerical results is presented.

We evaluated the impact of a web-based quiz on prescribing guideline-concordant antibiotic duration for pediatric acute otitis media. Adjusted for baseline prescribing, participants increased mean guideline-concordant prescribing by 9.6% compared to nonparticipants; those who took an enhanced quiz increased 17.1%. QuizTime may be a low-effort intervention to increase stewardship education.

Excellent products often contain profound cultural connotations. To improve the quality of cultural products, it is important to study how typical cultural carriers can be more promptly and efficiently identified and incorporated into products through a detailed and easy-to-use design process. In this article, we propose an approach from three different levels to assist designers in incorporating cultural features into products, including: (1) the integrated framework of the composition and division of cultural carriers, (2) the extraction and translation model from cultural carriers, cultural elements to cultural features and (3) the cultural product design process. The proposed approach was applied in a large and complex cultural product case, that is, inter-city train design. The evaluation of the recognition of culture features indicated that the approach contributed to conferring culture on products through thoughtful design and could ensure that the product schemes reflect cultural features as well as interesting cultural connotations.