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2. Long-Term Effects of the Dana Center Math Pathways Model: Evidence from a Randomized Trial. A CAPR Working Paper
- Author
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Columbia University, Center for the Analysis of Postsecondary Readiness (CAPR), Columbia University, Community College Research Center (CCRC), MDRC, Sepanik, Susan, and Barman, Sukanya
- Abstract
Following up on an individual-level randomized controlled trial of a Dana Center Math Pathways (DCMP) model, this study assessed longer-term impacts on students' math completion, academic progress, and academic attainment. The version of the DCMP that was assessed in this study diversified the developmental and college-level math course content that students take, separating it into distinct pathways that better aligned with their career interests. It also streamlined developmental math sequences into a one-semester developmental course for all students, regardless of placement level, and implemented evidence-based curricula and pedagogy to engage students in active problem solving that was pertinent to real-life situations. The study, which followed 1,411 students from four Texas community colleges and ten campuses, found that, in the five years after random assignment, program group students were consistently more likely to successfully complete their first college-level math courses than control group students. The study did not find impacts after five years on the number of overall college credits that students accrued or on the likelihood that students attained a credential or transferred to a four-year college.
- Published
- 2023
3. Dually Noted: Understanding the Link between Dual Enrollment Course Characteristics and Students' Course and College Enrollment Outcomes. CCRC Working Paper No. 134
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Columbia University, Community College Research Center (CCRC), Ryu, Wonsun, Schudde, Lauren, and Pack-Cosme, Kim
- Abstract
Although dual enrollment programming and interest in how that programming shapes students' college outcomes have expanded considerably in the past 20 years, policymakers, educational administrators, and practitioners do not have adequate information about which dual enrollment structural options are most effective. Using statewide administrative data in Texas on students who entered 9th grade in 2015 or 2016 and took at least one dual enrollment course through a community college, this paper examines dual enrollment course enrollments and outcomes among recent high school entrants. We describe dual enrollment coursetaking and dual enrollment course characteristics (including instructor affiliation, course location, and instructional modality) for traditional Texas public high school students (as opposed to those attending an Early College High School or charter school), illustrating how students participate in dual enrollment (e.g., the types of courses taken and when in their high school career students take these courses) and highlighting typical course characteristics. We then examine how dual enrollment course and instructor characteristics predict student course completion, course grades, and subsequent college enrollment. Our descriptive analyses illuminate striking differences between the demographic and academic backgrounds of students who take academic dual enrollment courses versus career and technical education dual enrollment courses, as well as variation in course characteristics across these two dual enrollment course types. Our regression analyses illustrate how several malleable dual enrollment course characteristics are associated with students' course outcomes and subsequent college enrollment. The relationships we identify offer insights for the design of dual enrollment courses and programs.
- Published
- 2023
4. Does Regulating Entry Requirements Lead to More Effective Principals? Working Paper No. 213-0323-2
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National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research (CALDER) at American Institutes for Research (AIR), Austin, Wes, Chen, Bingjie, Goldhaber, Dan, Hanushek, Eric, Holden, Kris, Koedel, Cory, Ladd, Helen, Luo, Jin, Parsons, Eric, Phelan, Gregory, Rivkin, Steven, Sass, Tim, and Turaeva, Mavzuna
- Abstract
Anecdotal evidence points to the importance of school principals, but the limited existing research has neither provided consistent results nor indicated any set of essential characteristics of effective principals. This paper exploits extensive student-level panel data across six states to investigate both variations in principal performance and the relationship between effectiveness and key certification factors. While principal effectiveness varies widely across states, there is little indication that regulation of the background and training of principals yields consistently effective performance. Having prior teaching or management experience is not related to our estimates of principal value-added.
- Published
- 2023
5. How Can Community Colleges Afford to Offer Dual Enrollment College Courses to High School Students at a Discount? CCRC Working Paper No. 130
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Columbia University, Community College Research Center (CCRC), Belfield, Clive, Jenkins, Davis, and Fink, John
- Abstract
Dual enrollment--in which students take college credit-bearing courses when still in high school--is becoming increasingly popular. Community college programs account for about 70% of the dual enrollment that more than one million high school students participate in each year nationwide. Yet dual enrollment can be a big financial burden for community colleges. In most parts of the country, community colleges receive less funding per dual enrollment student than they receive for their regular, non-dual-enrollment students. If community colleges are to continue to provide broad access to high-quality programs, they need to be able to sustain these programs. In this paper, we consider the economics of dual enrollment from the perspective of the community college. We illustrate how dual enrollment may not be financially sustainable in colleges and states where it is offered at a discount, but we also show how community colleges can structure their programs to be more efficient. To support our analysis, we describe case studies to show the conditions under which dual enrollment is affordable and efficient.
- Published
- 2023
6. Academic Mobility in U.S. Public Schools: Evidence from Nearly 3 Million Students. Working Paper No. 227-0323-3
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National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research (CALDER) at American Institutes for Research, Austin, Wes, Figlio, David, Goldhaber, Dan, Hanushek, Eric, Kilbride, Tara, Koedel, Cory, Lee, Jaeseok Sean, Luo, Jin, Ozek, Umut, Parsons, Eric, Rivkin, Steven, Sass, Tim, and Strunk, Katharine
- Abstract
We use administrative panel data from seven states covering nearly 3 million students to document and explore variation in "academic mobility," a term we use to describe the extent to which students' ranks in the distribution of academic performance change during their public schooling careers. On average, we show that student ranks are highly persistent during elementary and secondary education--that is, academic mobility is limited in U.S. schools as a whole. Still, there is non-negligible variation in the degree of upward mobility across some student subgroups as well as individual school districts. On average, districts that exhibit the greatest upward academic mobility serve more socioeconomically advantaged populations and have higher value-added to student achievement.
- Published
- 2023
7. The Effects of Comprehensive Educator Evaluation and Pay Reform on Achievement. Working Paper No. 281-0323
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National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research (CALDER) at American Institutes for Research, Hanushek, Eric, Luo, Jin, Morgan, Andrew, Nguyen, Minh, Ost, Ben, Rivkin, Steven, and Shakeel, Ayman
- Abstract
A fundamental question for education policy is whether outcomes-based accountability including comprehensive educator evaluations and a closer relationship between effectiveness and compensation improves the quality of instruction and raises achievement. We use synthetic control methods to study the comprehensive teacher and principal evaluation and compensation systems introduced in the Dallas Independent School District (Dallas ISD) in 2013 for principals and 2015 for teachers. Under this far-reaching reform, educator evaluations that are used to support teacher growth and determine salary depend on a combination of supervisor evaluations, student achievement, and student or family survey responses. The reform replaced salary scales based on experience and educational attainment with those based on evaluation scores, a radical departure from decades of rigid salary schedules. The synthetic control estimates reveal positive and significant effects of the reforms on math and reading achievement that increase over time. From 2015 through 2019, the average achievement for the synthetic control district fluctuates narrowly between -0.27 s.d. and -0.3 s.d., while the Dallas ISD average increases steadily from -0.28 s.d. in 2015 to -0.08 s.d. in 2019, the final year of the sample. Though the increase for reading is roughly half as large, it is also highly significant. [This research was supported by grants from the CALDER Research Network.]
- Published
- 2023
8. Using Cultural-Regional Arts Scenes to Frame and Understand Out-of-School Time Arts Programs. WCER Working Paper No. 2023-2
- Author
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University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER), Halverson, Erica, Martin, Caitlin, Bryant, Jalessa, Norman, Katherine, Probst, Caleb, Richards, Stephanie, Saplan, Kailea, Stoiber, Andy, and Tunstall, Jonathan
- Abstract
A wealth of literature shows positive outcomes and experiences from arts learning, yet youth access to arts education has become significantly more inequitable over the past 30 years. Alongside the growing discourse around arts learning and equity issues, there is a recognized and persistent need for more research. We conducted a critical, qualitative study of out-of-school time (OST) arts organizations across the United States. Our primary research questions were: (1) How do community youth arts organizational leaders, teaching artists, and participants describe the leading ideas and practices in OST youth arts programming? (2) How can OST youth arts work center the cultural, historical, and geographic resources that artists and arts organizations bring to arts programming? We first developed a theoretical framework for understanding arts practices in education and summarize key learning outcomes associated with youth participation in the arts. We then talked with OST arts education experts across the United States to understand how their programs support and center youth in arts learning, particularly Black youth, Indigenous youth, and youth of color (BIPOC youth), youth from low-income backgrounds, and LGBTQIA+ youth. This report offers the concept of "cultural-regional scenes" to describe the critical, qualitative case studies we developed of OST youth arts practice. We describe four unique cultural-regional scenes--the Urban Midwest, the Bay Area, Texas-Mexico Border Towns, and the Indigenous Southwest--and provide examples of youth arts practice in each scene. We conclude with ideas that stretch across scenes and suggest that researchers and practitioners can take up this approach in the study of OST youth arts programs. [Written in collaboration with community artists and artist-leaders across the United States and Indigenous Nations.]
- Published
- 2023
9. Simulating Classroom Interactions at Scale for the Improvement of Practice-Based Teacher Education. WCER Working Paper No. 2022-3
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University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER), Bell, Courtney, Phelps, Geoffrey, McCaffrey, Dan, Liu, Shuangshuang, Weren, Barbara, Glazer, Nancy, and Forzani, Francesca
- Abstract
The recent turn toward core practices and practice-based teacher education has been accompanied by a growing literature on the definitions, pedagogies to teach, and assessments of core practices. Despite these developments, the field lacks core practices performance assessments designed to be used across course sections, courses, and subjects. This paper provides an existence proof of this type of assessment and investigates the affordances and constraints of the approach. The study describes three types of mixed-reality simulation-based performance tasks of three core practices. More than 400 novices in 64 teacher preparation programs in the United States reported that they were able to use the simulation environment and believed the tasks measure important teaching skills. Scores on the tasks were positively related to novices' prior academic and teacher education experiences. Implications for the formative use of such simulations are discussed.
- Published
- 2022
10. Paper vs. Online Assessments: A Study of Test-Taking Strategies for STAAR Reading Tests
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Dasher, Holly and Pilgrim, Jodi
- Abstract
Schools around the nation are increasingly offering online testing options. House Bill (HB) 3906, passed by the 86th Texas Legislature in 2019, resulted in the STAAR redesign, which will be administered in the 2022--2023 school year. The STAAR redesign includes several components including an online test administration for the STAAR. With the change to an online platform comes many concerns related to student familiarity with an online testing platform. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify and compare the test taking strategies that teachers in grades three through eight teach in preparation for the paper/online versions of the reading STAAR test. A group of Texas teachers participated in focus group sessions. The three primary themes reported in the findings include resources, which teachers suggested were needed to help them prepare students for an online assessment, platforms, which detailed the pros and cons of an online testing environment, and strategies, which support students as they read passages and answer test questions. Overall, the teachers found ways to transfer previously used strategies, such as pen and paper annotations, to online test administration. However, older students have an easier time with this transfer of skills than the younger students.
- Published
- 2022
11. Marginal Returns to Public Universities. Working Paper 32296
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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) and Jack Mountjoy
- Abstract
This paper studies the causal impacts of public universities on the outcomes of their marginally admitted students. I use administrative admission records spanning all 35 public universities in Texas, which collectively enroll 10 percent of American public university students, to systematically identify and employ decentralized cutoffs in SAT/ACT scores that generate discontinuities in admission and enrollment. The typical marginally admitted student completes an additional year of education in the four-year sector, is 12 percentage points more likely to earn a bachelor's degree, and eventually earns 5-10 percent more than their marginally rejected but otherwise identical counterpart. Marginally admitted students pay no additional tuition costs thanks to offsetting grant aid; cost-benefit calculations show internal rates of return of 19-23 percent for the marginal students themselves, 10-12 percent for society (which must pay for the additional education), and 3-4 percent for the government budget. Finally, I develop a method to disentangle separate effects for students on the extensive margin of the four-year sector versus those who would fall back to another four-year school if rejected. Substantially larger extensive margin effects drive the results.
- Published
- 2024
12. One Says Goodbye, Another Says Hello: Turnover and Compensation in the Early Care and Education Sector. Working Paper 31869
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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), Flavio Cunha, and Marcos Lee
- Abstract
The quality of the early environment children experience influences their human capital development. We investigate retention and compensation in the Early Care and Education workforce by merging datasets from three different government agencies in Texas. We employ non-structural methods to compare turnover and pay in Early Care and Education with those in other sectors that employ similar workers. We estimate a dynamic discrete choice occupational model to quantify the labor supply and turnover elasticities in this industry. In addition, we simulate the impact of wage supplementation programs.
- Published
- 2023
13. Patterns, Determinants, and Consequences of Ability Tracking: Evidence from Texas Public Schools. Working Paper 30370
- Author
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National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), Antonovics, Kate, Black, Sandra E., Cullen, Julie Berry, and Meiselman, Akiva Yonah
- Abstract
Schools often track students to classes based on ability. Proponents of tracking argue it is a low-cost tool to improve learning since instruction is more effective when students are more homogeneous, while opponents argue it exacerbates initial differences in opportunities without strong evidence of efficacy. In fact, little is known about the pervasiveness or determinants of ability tracking in the US. To fill this gap, we use detailed administrative data from Texas to estimate the extent of tracking within schools for grades 4 through 8 over the years 2011-2019. We find substantial tracking; tracking within schools overwhelms any sorting by ability that takes place across schools. The most important determinant of tracking is heterogeneity in student ability, and schools operationalize tracking through the classification of students into categories such as gifted and disabled and curricular differentiation. When we examine how tracking changes in response to educational policies, we see that schools decrease tracking in response to accountability pressures. Finally, when we explore how exposure to tracking correlates with student mobility in the achievement distribution, we find positive effects on high-achieving students with no negative effects on low-achieving students, suggesting that tracking may increase inequality by raising the ceiling.
- Published
- 2022
14. Prevention of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). White Paper of the Texas Collaborative Center for Hepatocellular Cancer (TeCH) Multi-stakeholder Conference.
- Author
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El-Serag HB, Ward JW, Asrani SK, Singal AG, Rich N, Thrift AP, Deshpande S, Turner BJ, Kaseb AO, Harrison AC, Fortune BE, and Kanwal F
- Subjects
- Humans, United States, Texas epidemiology, Liver Cirrhosis, Carcinoma, Hepatocellular epidemiology, Carcinoma, Hepatocellular prevention & control, Liver Neoplasms epidemiology, Liver Neoplasms prevention & control, Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease epidemiology
- Abstract
Background & Aims: Texas has the highest age-adjusted incidence rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the United States. The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas has funded the Texas Collaborative Center for Hepatocellular Cancer (TeCH) to facilitate HCC research, education, and advocacy activities with the overall goal of reducing HCC mortality in Texas through coordination, collaboration, and advocacy., Methods: On September 17, 2022, TeCH co-sponsored a multi-stakeholder conference on HCC with the Baker Institute Center for Health and Biosciences. This conference was attended by HCC researchers, policy makers, payers, members from pharmaceutical industry and patient advocacy groups in and outside of Texas. This report summarizes the results of the conference., Results: The goal of this meeting was to identify different strategies for preventing HCC and evaluate their readiness for implementation., Conclusions: We call for a statewide (1) viral hepatitis elimination program; (2) program to increase nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and obesity awareness; (3) research program to develop health care models that integrate alcohol associated liver disease treatment and treatment for alcohol use disorder; and (4) demonstration projects to evaluate the effectiveness of identifying and linking patient with advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis to clinical care., (Copyright © 2023 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2023
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15. 2023 Challenges Make Pulp and Paper Industry More Resilient.
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PAPER industry , *CONSUMPTION (Economics) , *BIOMASS energy , *COVID-19 pandemic - Published
- 2024
16. A Multimethod Approach for Healthcare Information Sharing Systems: Text Analysis and Empirical Data.
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Malhan, Amit, Pavur, Robert, Pelton, Lou E., and Hajian, Ava
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INFORMATION sharing ,ELECTRONIC health records ,INFORMATION storage & retrieval systems ,DATA analysis ,SENTIMENT analysis - Abstract
This paper provides empirical evidence using two studies to explain the primary factors facilitating electronic health record (EHR) systems adoption through the lens of the resource advantage theory. We aim to address the following research questions: What are the main organizational antecedents of EHR implementation? What is the role of monitoring in EHR system implementation? What are the current themes and people's attitudes toward EHR systems? This paper includes two empirical studies. Study 1 presents a research model based on data collected from four different archival datasets. Drawing upon the resource advantage theory, this paper uses archival data from 200 Texas hospitals, thus mitigating potential response bias and enhancing the validity of the findings. Study 2 includes a text analysis of 5154 textual data, sentiment analysis, and topic modeling. Study 1's findings reveal that joint ventures and ownership are the two main enablers of adopting EHR systems in 200 Texas hospitals. Moreover, the results offer a moderating role of monitoring in strengthening the relationship between joint-venture capability and the implementation of EHR systems. Study 2's results indicate a positive attitude toward EHR systems. The U.S. was unique in the sample due to its slower adoption of EHR systems than other developed countries. Physician burnout also emerged as a significant concern in the context of EHR adoption. Topic modeling identified three themes: training, healthcare interoperability, and organizational barriers. In a multimethod design, this paper contributes to prior work by offering two new EHR antecedents: hospital ownership and joint-venture capability. Moreover, this paper suggests that the monitoring mechanism moderates the adoption of EHR systems in Texas hospitals. Moreover, this paper contributes to prior EHR works by performing text analysis of textual data to carry out sentiment analysis and topic modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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17. Report of the President of the Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Study.
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Nestingen, Andrew
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AWARD winners ,SCANDINAVIANS ,SUCCESS - Abstract
The article is a report from the President of the Society for the Advancement of Scandinavian Studies (SASS) about their 2-year term and the recent annual conference held at the University of Texas, Austin. The report highlights the success of the conference, including the keynote lecture and the presentation of papers by Society members. The report also announces the winners of various awards and discusses the challenges and opportunities facing the field of Scandinavian Studies, such as hiring and membership. The report concludes with an invitation to the next conference in Seattle and emphasizes the importance of financial support for the Society's mission. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
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18. Texas Fires Have Emitted a Near-Record Amount of Carbon.
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Hirji, Zahra
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CARBON paper ,WILDFIRE prevention ,CARBON emissions ,CARBON - Abstract
According to an analysis by the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, Texas fires in January and February of 2024 emitted approximately 3.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. In January alone, 440,400 tons of CO2 emissions were released, while February saw even more fire activity, including the state's largest fire on record, the Smokehouse Creek Fire, which emitted 2.9 million tons of CO2 emissions. These emissions rank behind only 2008 in terms of Texas fire-linked carbon emissions over the past two decades. The fires have also had devastating effects, including the death of over 7,000 livestock animals and the destruction of ranches and homes. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024
19. Leveraging Visualization and Machine Learning Techniques in Education: A Case Study of K-12 State Assessment Data.
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Taylor, Loni, Gupta, Vibhuti, and Jung, Kwanghee
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DATA-based decision making in education ,ARTIFICIAL intelligence ,DATA visualization ,MACHINE learning ,MICROSOFT Azure (Computing platform) ,INDIVIDUALIZED instruction - Abstract
As data-driven models gain importance in driving decisions and processes, recently, it has become increasingly important to visualize the data with both speed and accuracy. A massive volume of data is presently generated in the educational sphere from various learning platforms, tools, and institutions. The visual analytics of educational big data has the capability to improve student learning, develop strategies for personalized learning, and improve faculty productivity. However, there are limited advancements in the education domain for data-driven decision making leveraging the recent advancements in the field of machine learning. Some of the recent tools such as Tableau, Power BI, Microsoft Azure suite, Sisense, etc., leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to visualize data and generate insights from them; however, their applicability in educational advances is limited. This paper focuses on leveraging machine learning and visualization techniques to demonstrate their utility through a practical implementation using K-12 state assessment data compiled from the institutional websites of the States of Texas and Louisiana. Effective modeling and predictive analytics are the focus of the sample use case presented in this research. Our approach demonstrates the applicability of web technology in conjunction with machine learning to provide a cost-effective and timely solution to visualize and analyze big educational data. Additionally, ad hoc visualization provides contextual analysis in areas of concern for education agencies (EAs). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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20. Using Self-Evaluation Assignments to Teach 3D Coordinate Transformations in Robotics
- Author
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Mingli Han
- Abstract
Teaching robotics courses online is challenging due to the complexity of the interdisciplinary topics involved. One of the most challenging topics is 3D coordinate transformations. Students often struggle to grasp the concept of 3D coordinate transformations and their relevance to real-world robotic applications. This paper applies the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning methodology to address this challenge and shares the self-evaluation assignments given to students to gradually enhance their ability to solve a real-world robotic navigation problem -- a crucial skill required in almost all robotic applications. Each assignment includes an informative description that explains the purpose of the task and its connection to the next assignment. Manageable MATLAB resources are provided in each assignment, allowing students to study fundamental Matlab scripts and use MATLAB Grader for self-evaluation before submission. The instructor provides feedback on incorrect answers through MATLAB Grader. The assignments focus on problem-solving and can be automatically graded, building upon prior work done by the instructor. The paper will also detail strategies for motivating students to engage with these challenging assignments and how the instructor assists distracted students in catching up with any missing assignments. [For the full proceedings, see ED656038.]
- Published
- 2023
21. Two Steps Too Far: New Limitations on the Use of the Texas Two-Step to Resolve Mass Tort Liability in Bankruptcy.
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Bartz, Samuel E.
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BUSINESS enterprises ,CORPORATE reorganizations ,BANKRUPTCY ,MASS torts - Abstract
This paper explores the mechanisms by which companies have utilized corporate restructuring through divisive mergers in conjunction with the available protections and tools of the United States Bankruptcy Code to resolve mass tort liability without placing the entirety of the business under bankruptcy. Popularized in Texas, a divisive merger is a mechanism by which an existing business entity divides itself into two new entities, allocating all pre-existing assets and liabilities to each as they see fit. Although intended to be a means by which to easily sell assets of a business, it has been more popularly used to resolve mass tort liability burdening a business. Known as the Texas Two-Step, this procedure requires two simple steps. First, a business undergoes a divisive merger and allocates all liability associated with its mass tort claims to a newly created entity. Second, the liability-burdened entity places itself under Chapter 11 bankruptcy, in order to enjoin further prosecution of claims and to resolve all current and future liability through the creation of a settlement trust administered by the bankruptcy court. In addition to presenting the mechanisms of the Texas Two-Step and a case study of its use, this paper will present the series of decisions culminating in the Third Circuit's instruction to reject its use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
22. A MADDPG-based multi-agent antagonistic algorithm for sea battlefield confrontation.
- Author
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Chen, Wei and Nie, Jing
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DEEP reinforcement learning ,MACHINE learning ,REINFORCEMENT learning ,ALGORITHMS ,ARTIFICIAL intelligence ,INTELLIGENT buildings - Abstract
There is a concerted effort to build intelligent sea and numerous artificial intelligence technologies have been explored. At present, more and more people are engaged in the research of deep reinforcement learning algorithm, and its mainstream application is in the field of games. Reinforcement learning has conquered chess belonging to complete information game, and Texas poker belonging to incomplete information games. And it reached or even surpassed the highest player level of mankind in E-sports games with huge state space and complex action space. However, reinforcement learning algorithm still has great challenges in fields such as automatic driving. The main reason is that the training of reinforcement learning needs to build an environment for interacting with agents. However, it is very difficult to construct realistic simulation scenes, and there is no guarantee that we will not encounter the state that the agent has not seen. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the simulation scene first. Based on this, this paper mainly studies reinforcement learning in simulation scenario. There are huge challenges in migrating them to real scenario applications, especially in sea missions. Aiming at the heterogeneous multi-agent game confrontation scenario, this paper proposes a sea battlefield game confrontation decision algorithm based on multi-agent deep deterministic policy gradient. The algorithm combines long short-term memory and actor-critic, which not only realizes the convergence of the algorithm in huge state space and action space, but also solves the problem of sparse real rewards. At the same time, imitation learning is integrated into the decision algorithm, which not only improves the convergence speed of the algorithm, but also greatly improves the effectiveness of the algorithm. The results show that the algorithm can deal with a variety of different tactical sea battlefield scenarios, make flexible decisions according to the changes of the enemy, and the average winning rate is close to 90%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
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23. Indirect Cost Estimation of Winter Storm–Induced Power Outage in Texas.
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Bhattacharyya, Arkaprabha and Hastak, Makarand
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EXTREME weather ,GAS well drilling ,SEVERE storms ,ECONOMIC impact ,ELECTRIC power consumption ,WINTER storms - Abstract
In February 2021, Texas was hit by a severe winter storm. The extreme cold weather triggered an unprecedented increase of electricity demand and simultaneous failure of multiple electricity grid components. The dual effect caused a widespread power outage that left millions of Texans without power for days. This paper estimates the indirect economy-wide cascading impact of that power outage. It utilized historical make and use tables between 1997 and 2019 in an inoperability input-output analysis–based economic impact assessment model to quantify the expected indirect cost of the power outage in terms of the loss of gross domestic product of Texas. This research found that expected loss to be approximately $664 million in 2019 values. It also found that in Texas industries such as oil and gas extraction, petroleum, coal products, and so on are particularly vulnerable to such weather-related prolonged power outages. The outcomes of this paper can be used in planning for strategies to make the grid robust, reliable, and resilient to severe weather events. The identification of vulnerable industries can also help in planning for auxiliary capacities so the cascading economic impacts of the weather-related power outages can be reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
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24. Pratt opens fifth box factory in Texas.
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BUSINESS enterprises ,RECYCLED paper ,BOXWOOD - Published
- 2023
25. Immunotherapy for ocular melanoma: a bibliometric and visualization analysis from 1991 to 2022.
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Yao Tan, Yijie Lu, Sheng Chen, Chang Zou, and Bo Qin
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UVEA cancer ,BIBLIOMETRICS ,IMMUNE checkpoint inhibitors ,MELANOMA ,IMMUNOTHERAPY ,IMMUNOSUPPRESSION - Abstract
Background: In recent years, new therapeutic options to overcome the mechanisms of tumor immune suppression be effective in the treatment of cutaneous melanoma. These approaches have also been applied in ocular melanoma. The aim of this study is to present the current status and research hotspots of immunotherapy for ocular melanoma from a bibliometric perspective and to explore the field of immunotherapy for malignant ocular melanoma research. Methods: In this study, the Web of Science Core Collection database (WoSCC) and Pubmed were selected to search the literature related to immunotherapy of ocular melanoma. Using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, the R package "bibliometrix," and the bibliometric online platform through the construction and visualization of bibliometric networks, the country/region, institution, journal, author, and keywords were analyzed to predict the most recent trends in research pertaining to ocular melanoma and immunotherapy. Results: A total of 401 papers and 144 reviews related to immunotherapy of ocular melanoma were included. The United States is the main driver of research in the field, ranking first in terms of the number of publications, total citations, and H-index. The UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM is the most active institution, contributing the most papers. Jager, Martine is the most prolific author, and Carvajal, Richard is the most frequently cited author. CANCERS is the most published journal in the field and J CLIN ONCOL is the most cited journal. In addition to ocular melanoma and immunotherapy, the most popular keywords were "uveal melanoma" and "targeted therapy". According to keyword co-occurrence and burst analysis, uveal melanoma, immunotherapy, melanoma, metastases, bap1, tebentafusp, bioinformatics, conjunctival melanoma, immune checkpoint inhibitors, ipilimumab, pembrolizumab, and other research topics appear to be at the forefront of this field's research and have the potential to remain a hot research topic in the future. Conclusion: This is the first bibliometric study in the last 30 years to comprehensively map the knowledge structure and trends in the field of research related to ocular melanoma and immunotherapy. The results comprehensively summarize and identify research frontiers for scholars studying immunotherapy associated with ocular melanoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
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26. GETTING PAID IN TEXAS.
- Author
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Wolka, Wendell
- Subjects
PAPER money ,RATIFICATION of treaties ,PEACE treaties - Published
- 2022
27. Will DACA Recipients Return to Their Birth Countries If DACA Is Ended?
- Author
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Smith, Robert Courtney
- Subjects
INFERENCE (Logic) ,DEFERRED Action for Childhood Arrivals (U.S.) ,DISTRICT courts ,EXPERT evidence - Abstract
Executive Summary: Will recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) leave the United States if a legal challenge succeeds in ending this important program? The fate of over 600,000 current DACA recipients may depend on answers to this question in one expert report and one online survey question, which a Texas District Court found to show "a quantifiable percentage" would leave. Had the District Court in its DACA ruling not credited these sources, Texas' lawsuit could have collapsed, and DACA would persist. The issue of whether DACA recipients will leave if DACA is ended will matter as this case is litigated, most likely to be decided by the Supreme Court. Drawing on research on immigrant return, DACA recipients, survey questions, priming, and intention-behavior gap, this paper argues that this expert report and the single online survey question used by the District Court cannot support the inferences regarding the return of DACA recipients to their birth countries. Rather, relevant research points toward DACA recipients staying in the United States, even if DACA were terminated. The paper recommends offering DACA recipients and long term undocumented residents a short path to legal status and citizenship, reassessing whether these two sources can support the conclusions drawn by the District Court; and analyzing the benefits accruing from DACA to Texas and all Texans, including US citizen children of DACA recipients, in assessing the claimed injury to the state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
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28. Structural violence, social suffering, and the COVID-19 syndemic: discourses and narratives on the margins of the state in Texas.
- Author
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Dove, Sophia Annette, Khan, Shamshad, and Kline, Kimberly N.
- Subjects
MEDICAL communication ,COVID-19 pandemic ,MISINFORMATION ,RACISM ,SYNDEMICS - Abstract
While the repercussions of the novel Coronavirus or COVID-19 have been felt across the world over the past few years, the impact has not been consistent. Instead, it has been mediated by the systemic ways in which existing social and structural disparities have failed vulnerable populations globally. Drawing on document analysis and fifteen in-depth interviews (n=15) conducted among the key stakeholders in the city of San Antonio, South Central Texas, this paper reveals how structural violence worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in making it a syndemic pandemic of high rates of deaths and illnesses among the most vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. A grounded theory approach particularly revealed themes of social suffering such as low income and pre-existing medical conditions that contributed to higher mortality rates, the presence of racism and misinformation, the importance of trustworthy communication channels, and streamlined collaborative partnerships with clear and effective communication through all levels of the government, especially when communicating scientific information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
29. “Measuring bones”: A cross-disciplinary experiential learning event to increase awareness that math is everywhere.
- Author
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Phillips, Catherine I., Linsenbardt, Kim, and Zocchi, Mary Q.
- Subjects
EXPERIENTIAL learning ,KOLB'S Experiential Learning theory ,CRIME scene searches ,COMMUNITY college students ,COMMUNITY colleges ,COLLEGE graduates - Abstract
Community colleges serve a substantial percentage of college-age students in the United States, many of whom arrive with negative attitudes toward mathematics, despite there being many STEM-related fields available to community college graduates. The current paper summarizes the creation of a day-long activity that assists students in developing applied mathematical skills in a format that aligns with the experiential learning theory. Students at a community college in Texas are learning math by engaging with a popular topic, crime scene investigation, through an annual event, established in 2017, called NVCsi. Students interact with hands-on activities that combine forensics, mathematics, and other disciplines. The implementation of the event is described so that other colleges can develop their own experiential learning event. Planned data collection for future event cycles are described, as are limitations and constraints of the NVCsi event with a discussion of planned modifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
30. Nursing Staff in a Large Hospital System Underutilize Insurance-Based Mental Health Services.
- Author
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Bautista, Chandra L., Bourassa, Katelynn A., Vasquez, Namrata N., Desrochers, Madeleine, Bartek, Nicole, and Madan, Alok
- Subjects
HEALTH services accessibility ,CROSS-sectional method ,BIPOLAR disorder ,POST-traumatic stress disorder ,SUBSTANCE abuse ,PSYCHOTHERAPY ,MENTAL health services ,SECONDARY analysis ,DATA analysis ,T-test (Statistics) ,PSYCHOLOGICAL distress ,PSYCHOLOGICAL burnout ,RESEARCH funding ,HOSPITAL nursing staff ,HEALTH insurance ,SCIENTIFIC observation ,PEOPLE of color ,HISPANIC Americans ,COUPLES therapy ,DESCRIPTIVE statistics ,WHITE people ,PERSONALITY disorders ,GROUP psychotherapy ,NURSES as patients ,OBSESSIVE-compulsive disorder ,ADJUSTMENT disorders ,JOB stress ,ONE-way analysis of variance ,STATISTICS ,ANOREXIA nervosa ,CLINICS ,DATA analysis software ,ANXIETY disorders ,EMPLOYEES' workload ,MENTAL depression - Abstract
Nurses are at high risk of burnout and subsequent mental health concerns due to problems with overstaffing, immense workload volume, and personal health risks associated with the job. Effective mental health treatments are available but potential barriers to receiving care may prevent nurses from benefiting. The Emotional Health and Well-Being Clinic (EHWC) at Houston Methodist is an outpatient mental health clinic offering therapy and medication management services for employees and employee dependents of our institution. The EHWC is uniquely positioned to observe how nurses utilize mental health services and to address barriers to effective care for this vital group of healthcare professionals. This paper provides descriptive data on the utilization of mental health services by nurses in the EHWC and a discussion of possible challenges faced by this group when seeking care. Based on these data, we propose potential solutions to ensure that nurses can achieve maximum benefit from outpatient mental health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
31. A multilevel intervention to promote HPV vaccination among young adults in Texas: protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
- Author
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Lu, Qian, Dawkins-Moultin, Lenna, Cho, Dalnim, Tan, Naomi Q. P., Hopfer, Suellen, Li, Yisheng, Ramondetta, Lois, Xu, Yusi, Lun, Di, and Chen, Minxing
- Subjects
HUMAN papillomavirus vaccines ,YOUNG adults ,RANDOMIZED controlled trials ,HUMAN papillomavirus ,VACCINATION - Abstract
Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections can cause cancers of the cervix, vagina, vulva, penis, anus, and oropharynx. The most recently approved HPV vaccine, Gardasil-9, protects against HPV infection and can prevent HPV-associated invasive cancers. However, Gardasil-9 is one of the most underused vaccines in the US today. Young adults are at risk for HPV infection, but many are not vaccinated. This study uses a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test an innovative multilevel intervention to increase HPV vaccination rates among young adults. In this paper, we describe the research protocol. Methods: The study uses a two by three factorial design. A total of 1200 young adults in Texas, age 18–26 years, who have not been previously fully vaccinated against HPV will be randomly assigned to one of six conditions to receive: (1) standard CDC information about HPV vaccination (control); (2) video narratives about HPV vaccination; (3) written narratives about HPV vaccination; or (4–6) enhanced access to HPV vaccine combined with (4) standard CDC information, (5) video narratives, or (6) written narratives. The two primary outcomes are the rate of HPV vaccination initiation by 3-month follow-up and rate of HPV vaccination completion by 9-month follow-ups. We will determine the impact of the individual level intervention (i.e., persuasive narratives through video or written format), the systemic level intervention (i.e., enhanced access to HPV vaccines), and the combination of both levels, on HPV vaccination initiation and completion. We will also use purposive sampling to select participants to take part in semi-structured interviews/focus groups to better understand the mechanisms of the intervention. Discussion: Recruitment and data collection began in March 2022. We expect to complete data collection by March 2026. We expect that narratives, enhanced access, and the combination of both will improve HPV vaccination initiation and completion rates among young adults. If proven successful, these individual- and system-level interventions can be easily disseminated in regions with low HPV vaccination rates to improve HPV vaccination, and ultimately decrease HPV-related cancer burden. Trial Registration: NCT05057312. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
32. Field Study of Bonded Link Slabs Subjected to Ambient Live and Thermal Loads.
- Author
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Pearson, Andrew N., Birely, Anna C., Yarnold, Matthew, and Hurlebaus, Stefan
- Subjects
LIVE loads ,STRAIN gages ,STEEL fracture ,BRIDGE floors ,PRECAST concrete ,FIELD research - Abstract
Multispan bridges with simply supported girders are straightforward to construct and economical but have historically utilized expansion joints between spans. The negative long-term impacts of expansion joints are well-documented in the literature; eventual leaking causes damage to the girder ends and substructures. To avoid this deterioration associated with the use of expansion joints, link slabs may be used instead. However, the complex induced forces and deformations associated with link slabs are not fully understood and may damage the slab, reducing the life of the superstructure. This paper presents the results of a field study examining bonded link slab behavior under ambient (in-service) live and thermal loads on five Texas bridges. Typical Texas link slabs are not debonded at the girder ends, feature continuous longitudinal reinforcement, and incorporate partial-depth precast concrete panels. The five bridges were instrumented with displacement gauges at the girder ends, at both link slab and expansion joint locations, and strain gauges attached to the bottom of the bridge deck. Displacement, strain, and temperature data collected for a period of 1–2 weeks were used to estimate link slab mechanics. The results show differences in behavior between the differing link slab details, lateral deck stiffness characteristics, and continuous deck unit lengths. The increase in superstructure stiffness provided by the link slab is quantified. Longitudinal deck cracking and reinforcing steel yield behavior are predicted at each monitored link slab. The calculated displacement and strain data show that both live and thermal load effects should be considered in the design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
33. Reconceptualizing Virtual Operations Support Teams (VOSTs) as an experiential learning tool for emergency management education.
- Author
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Silver, Amber, Morgan, Carey, and Morrison, Derek
- Subjects
EMERGENCY management education ,EXPERIENTIAL learning ,PUBLIC opinion ,CASE method (Teaching) ,SITUATIONAL awareness - Abstract
Copyright of Risk, Hazards & Crisis in Public Policy is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
34. Assessing vulnerability and enhancing resilience of port systems in southeast Texas facing sea-level rise.
- Author
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Amer, Reda
- Subjects
ABSOLUTE sea level change ,SEA level ,INFRASTRUCTURE (Economics) ,GEOGRAPHIC information systems ,DIGITAL elevation models - Abstract
Climate change and the associated sea level rise (SLR) are presenting newfound challenges to the port systems and coastal transportation infrastructure of southeast Texas. This paper introduces a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) based model designed to simulate inundation scenarios under various sea-level projections, aiming to assess the vulnerabilities of both port facilities and road networks. The study area encompasses a specific region within Jefferson County, southeast Texas, encompassing three major ports: Port Arthur, Beaumont, and Orange. Utilizing a high-resolution (1-m) Digital Elevation Model (DEM) derived from the 2017 LiDAR dataset, this model is integrated with NASA's sea-level rise projections to compute the extent and volume of inundation across low, medium, and high SLR scenarios. Drawing from monthly mean sea level data spanning from 1958 to 2020, the lowest SLR projections, derived from the relative sea-level trend measured at the Sabine Pass, TX gauge station, indicate a yearly increase of 6.16 mm, with a 95% confidence interval of +/- 0.74 mm. Projections for 2050 and 2,100 show the lowest SLR at 0.17 m and 0.48 m, respectively. In contrast, the medium to high RSLR projections under the IPCC SSP3-7.0 scenario for 2050 and 2,100 stand at 0.54 m and 1.34 m, respectively. The findings reveal that, under medium to high SLR scenarios, the extent of inundated areas in the study region is expected to expand by 12.4% in 2050 and 19.9% in 2,100, compared to the lowest SLR projection. Additionally, the length of submerged roadways is predicted to increase by 6.9% in 2050 and 13.3% in 2,100, in comparison to the lowest SLR projection. It is worth noting that some margin of error may be introduced due to factors such as the width of the port area and access roads, the high-resolution DEM, and the alignment of computed inundated areas with the existing topography. Overall, the manuscript highlights the urgency of proactive planning and underscores the importance of safeguarding critical infrastructure in the context of climate change and SLR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. Investigating Sewer Parameters Leading to Manhole Corrosion: A Case Study from the City of Arlington, Texas.
- Author
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Acharath Mohanakrishnan, Aiswarya, Hada, Sunakshi, Sattler, Melanie, and Bhatt, Arpita
- Subjects
SEWERAGE ,HENRY'S law ,CITIES & towns ,CONCRETE corrosion ,HYDRAULIC jump ,LIQUEFIED gases ,HYDROGEN sulfide - Abstract
A sewer system is a principal element of infrastructure in modern cities, accounting for massive amounts of public investments. Corrosion of manholes in the sewer system is a global issue, and millions of dollars are being spent on the maintenance, restoration, and replacement of deteriorated sewer networks. Concrete manholes in the sewer system are deteriorating due to the attack of sulfuric acid produced by microorganisms in a process termed microbial induced concrete corrosion (MICC), which reduces the lifespan of concrete sewer elements. The objective of this paper is to investigate the correlation between the gas- and liquid-phase sewer environmental factors and hydrogen sulfide concentration in the gas phase. The production, emission, and build-up of hydrogen sulfide gas in manholes is identified as a major cause of MICC in manhole shafts. The field study was conducted in more than 200 manholes in the City of Arlington (Texas, US). The data was collected every minute for 48 h to understand the trends of liquid- and gas-phase parameters such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S concentration), liquid and gas temperature, pH, DO, and relative humidity. The study also examines how gas-phase H2S concentrations vary with season; manhole design, including manholes' depth, slope, and presence of drop; and sewer flow conditions such as velocity and turbulence. Although no strong linear correlation was found between liquid-/gas-phase parameters, the manhole categories were found to play a significant role in H2S generation. The manholes with hydraulic jump generated the highest average H2S concentrations, followed by manholes with drops. High turbulence zones were observed in manholes of both categories, leading to H2S stripping from liquid to gas phase. The highest H2S concentration was recorded in summer, suggesting that higher liquid temperature resulted in increased bacterial activity, which generated greater liquid-phase sulfide. Greater Henry's law constants in summer, due to high temperatures, would have favored transfer of liquid-phase sulfide to the gas phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
36. Paper 15: Return to Play after Biceps Tenodesis for Isolated SLAP Tears in Overhead Athletes.
- Author
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Lorentz, Nathan, Colasanti, Christopher, Markus, Danielle, Alaia, Michael, Campbell, Kirk, Strauss, Eric, Jazrawi, Laith, and Hurley, Eoghan
- Subjects
SPORTS injuries ,RE-entry students ,THROWING (Sports) ,CONFERENCES & conventions ,BICEPS brachii ,TENODESIS - Abstract
Objectives: The purpose of the current study was to investigate clinical outcomes in overhead athletes undergoing biceps tenodesis for the treatment of symptomatic, isolated SLAP tears involving the biceps-labral complex. Methods: A retrospective review of overhead athletes who underwent biceps tenodesis for a SLAP tear was performed. The American Shoulder & Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Subjective Shoulder Value (SSV), patient satisfaction, willingness to undergo surgery again, revisions, and return to play (RTP) were evaluated. Psychological readiness to return to sport was evaluated using the SLAP-Return to Sport after Injury (SLAP-RSI) score. A p value of <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: The current study included 44 overhead athletes. The mean age was 34.9 (16-46), 79.5% were males, and the mean follow-up was 49 months (18-107). Overall, we found that 81.8% of patients returned to play their overhead sport following biceps tenodesis, and 59.1% of patients returned to the same or higher level of play. It took patients on average 8.7 months to return to play following biceps tenodesis. The mean SLAP-RSI score was 69.3, and 70.5 % of patients passed the SLAP-RSI threshold of 56. The mean scores for ASES, VAS, SSV, and satisfaction were 92, 0.8, 80.5, and 87.9%, respectively. No patients in our cohort required a revision surgery. Conclusions: This study found that athletes undergoing biceps tenodesis as the treatment for a symptomatic, isolated SLAP tear had a high rate of return to play, good functional outcomes, and a low rate of revision surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
37. Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey: Survey Methodology, Performance and Forecast Accuracy.
- Author
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Cañas, Jesus, Jayashankar, Aparna, Kerr, Emily, and Morales-Burnett, Diego
- Subjects
ECONOMIC forecasting ,ECONOMIC indicators ,ECONOMIC activity - Abstract
The Texas Manufacturing Outlook Survey (TMOS) is a monthly survey of area manufacturers conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. TMOS indexes provide timely information on manufacturing activity in Texas, which is useful for understanding broader changes in regional economic conditions. This paper describes the survey methodology and analyzes the explanatory and predictive power of TMOS indexes with regard to other measures of state economic activity. Regression analysis shows that several TMOS indexes successfully track changes in Texas employment, gross domestic product and consumer price index. Forecasting exercises show that several TMOS indexes are also useful in predicting future changes in some of these regional economic indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
38. Image Quality Assessment of No Reference JPEG Compressed Images Using Various Spatial Domain Features.
- Author
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Anjankar, Shubham C., Pund, Ajinkya M., and Jawarkar, Parag
- Subjects
IMAGE databases ,JPEG (Image coding standard) ,ALGORITHMS ,DATA transmission systems ,PIXELS ,DATA quality - Abstract
In today's world of technological advancement higher data rate and data transmission with minimal memory requirement is gaining importance. At the same time it also important to preserve quality of data to be transferred from various types of distortions and to assess the quality at the receiving end. Hence perceptual image quality assessment is becoming more popular. This paper introduces a new approach in domain of no reference image quality assessment of jpeg compressed images using spatial features. Considering the fact that pixel distortion, blurring and edge information are important aspects as far as distortions are concern. A novel approach is presented in this paper to address the distortion categories. The results are obtained in conjunction with the subjective image quality assessment of train and test image categories. Also results are compared with full reference image quality assessment technique and parameters of full reference quality assessment. To achieve better accuracy algorithm is tested on LIVE Texas' image database and our own developed database. Results are found to be well correlating to the various parameters considered for the comparison purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
39. How Does the Time-Varying Network Structure Evolve between the EU Carbon Futures Prices and Industrial and Energy-Related Indices? A Study Based on a Time-Varying T-Copula.
- Author
-
Wang, Ziyang and Dong, Zhiliang
- Subjects
CARBON pricing ,TIME-varying networks ,FUTURES sales & prices ,CARBON emissions ,PETROLEUM sales & prices ,CARBON nanofibers - Abstract
Industrial and energy-related industries are major sources of carbon dioxide emissions, and their interdependence, as reflected in the financial field, has attracted the attention of scholars. For the purpose of exploring the evolutionary characteristics of the short-term dynamic correlation coefficient between the EU carbon futures price and the industrial and energy-related indices, this paper selected the settlement price of EU carbon emission quota futures, the MSCI energy I index on three dimensions, and the Dow Jones industrial index and West Texas crude oil futures price, as sample data. Using the time-varying t-copula model to measure the dynamic correlation coefficient between variables, the time-sliding window idea and coarse-grained method were combined to establish the correlation fluctuation mode, and a complex network theory and analysis methods were used to study the evolutionary traits of the time-varying network structure between the EU carbon price and the industrial and energy-related index. The results show that the transmission objects of the key correlation fluctuation modes in the network are stable and maintain their own state with a high probability. Second, the clustering effect exists in the transmission process. Some nodes with high mediating abilities are also the key correlation wave modes in the dynamic correlation evolution network. This study provides ideas for the study of the correlations between multiple variables and is also a useful reference for international investors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
40. MEASURING BANKING SYSTEM RESILIENCE BY USING THE TEXAS RATIO.
- Author
-
Mirković, Vladimir, Matić, Marina Iliev, and Dudić, Branislav
- Subjects
NONPERFORMING loans ,BANKING industry ,GLOBAL Financial Crisis, 2008-2009 ,BANK assets ,CENTRAL banking industry ,COMPETENT authority - Abstract
Copyright of European Journal of Applied Economics is the property of Singidunum University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
41. A Real-Time Prediction Approach to Deep Soil Moisture Combining GNSS-R Data and a Water Movement Model in Unsaturated Soil.
- Author
-
Luo, Xiaotian, Yin, Cong, Sun, Yueqiang, Bai, Weihua, Li, Wei, and Song, Hongqing
- Subjects
SOIL moisture ,SOIL depth ,SOILS ,EMERGENCY management ,HISTORIC sites - Abstract
Deep soil moisture data have wide applications in fields such as engineering construction and agricultural production. Therefore, achieving the real-time monitoring of deep soil moisture is of significant importance. Current soil monitoring methods face challenges in conducting the large-scale, real-time monitoring of deep soil moisture. This paper innovatively proposes a real-time prediction approach to deep soil moisture combining GNSS-R data and a water movement model in unsaturated soil. This approach, built upon surface soil moisture data retrieved from GNSS-R signal inversion, integrates soil–water characteristics and soil moisture values at a depth of 1 m. By employing a deep soil moisture content prediction model, it provides predictions of soil moisture at depths from 0 to 1 m, thus realizing the large-scale, real-time dynamic monitoring of deep soil moisture. The proposed approach was validated in a study area in Goodwell, Texas County, Oklahoma, USA. Predicted values of soil moisture at a randomly selected location in the study area at depths of 0.1 m, 0.2 m, 0.5 m, and 1 m were compared with ground truth values for the period from 25 October to 19 November 2023. The results indicated that the relative error (δ) was controlled within the range of ±14%. The mean square error (MSE) ranged from 2.90 × 10 − 5 to 1.88 × 10 − 4 , and the coefficient of determination ( R 2 ) ranged from 82.45% to 89.88%, indicating an overall high level of fitting between the predicted values and ground truth data. This validates the feasibility of the proposed approach, which has the potential to play a crucial role in agricultural production, geological disaster management, engineering construction, and heritage site preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
42. Get it together, together: Creating whole community continuity through cross-sector collaboration in Texas.
- Author
-
Hernandez, Heather, Hyman, Shelby, and Vollbrecht, Stephen
- Subjects
PREPAREDNESS - Abstract
Continuity of operations for government is an evolving philosophy, much like exercises and after-action reports. Continuity continues to identify areas for growth and improvement as more people become involved in the conversation. This paper briefly describes the evolution of continuity in the USA and its application in the State of Texas. Moving forward, it discusses the application of the concept of 'whole community continuity' as the driving force of the Continuity Council in Texas, which focuses on preparedness at all levels, from individuals to private industry, to all levels of government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
43. From Agricultural Waste to Energy: Assessing the Bioenergy Potential of South-Central Texas.
- Author
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Ertuğrul, Ömer, Daher, Bassel, Özgünaltay Ertuğrul, Gülden, and Mohtar, Rabi
- Subjects
AGRICULTURAL wastes ,CROPS ,FIELD crops ,BIOMASS production ,AGRICULTURAL productivity - Abstract
This paper addresses the challenge of meeting increasing energy needs by assessing the potential of bioenergy as a sustainable resource option in South Central Texas. Available agricultural crop residues suitable for bioenergy production are evaluated from the 21 counties in South Central Texas Regional Water Planning Area (Region L). The residues produced and available for bioenergy are quantified according to the production areas for each field crop and tree area. Residue-to-product ratios of field crops are determined according to crop type and production quantity. Biomass potential of trees is calculated based on tree density and biomass production per tree. The results demonstrate that the potential productions of utilizable agricultural wastes are in the range of 898.7 t kt–1421.39 kt for Region L. The average annual energy potential is estimated at 19.27 PJ, and ranges between 14.36 and 24.18 PJ. The average potential biomass-based electricity production could compensate significant amount of coal-based electricity generated in the Texas and when agricultural wastes are available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
44. An automatic mesh generator for coupled 1D–2D hydrodynamic models.
- Author
-
Kang, Younghun and Kubatko, Ethan J.
- Subjects
SHALLOW-water equations ,DIGITAL elevation models ,BARRIER islands ,COASTS ,LEVEES - Abstract
Two-dimensional (2D), depth-averaged shallow water equation (SWE) models are routinely used to simulate flooding in coastal areas – areas that often include vast networks of channels and flood-control topographic features and/or structures, such as barrier islands and levees. Adequately resolving these features within the confines of a 2D model can be computationally expensive, which has led to coupling 2D simulation tools to less expensive one-dimensional (1D) models. Under certain 1D–2D coupling approaches, this introduces internal constraints that must be considered in the generation of the 2D computational mesh used. In this paper, we further develop an existing automatic unstructured mesh generation tool for SWE models, ADMESH+, to sequentially (i) identify 1D constraints from the raw input data used in the mesh generation process, namely the digital elevation model (DEM) and land–water delineation data; (ii) distribute grid points along these internal constraints, according to feature curvature and user-prescribed minimum grid spacing; and (iii) integrate these internal constraints into the 2D mesh size function and mesh generation processes. The developed techniques, which include a novel approach for determining the so-called medial axis of a polygon, are described in detail and demonstrated on three test cases, including two inland watersheds with vast networks of channels and a complex estuarine system on the Texas, USA, coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
45. DSP in the Loop Implementation of an Enhanced Sliding Mode Control for Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor.
- Author
-
El Haissouf, Mohammed, Elharoussi, Mustapha, and Ba-razzouk, Abdellfattah
- Subjects
SLIDING mode control ,PERMANENT magnet motors ,SMOOTHNESS of functions ,SYNCHRONOUS electric motors - Abstract
This paper deals with the design and Processor In the Loop implementation of an enhanced sliding mode control of three-phase permanent magnet synchronous motor. Studied control strategy is based on a state model expressed in the rotor reference. This work proposes new smooth functions replacing sign functions to reduce chattering phenomenon and integrates a simplified references calculation to reduce current module. It focuses on the study of these proposed techniques and their effect on motor waveforms. For code generation of the control algorithm, implementation, and validation by Processor In the Loop technique, a co-simulation platform based on Matlab/Simulink integrating Code Composer Studio and the development board LAUNCHXL-F28069M from Texas instruments have been created. The obtained results show that the proposed strategy reduces chattering by using a simple algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
46. Predicting firm creation in rural Texas: A multi-model machine learning approach to a complex policy problem.
- Author
-
Hand, Mark C., Shastry, Vivek, and Rai, Varun
- Subjects
MACHINE learning ,CULTURAL pluralism ,BOOSTING algorithms ,RURAL Americans ,SUBSET selection ,COMMUNITIES - Abstract
Rural and urban America have becoming increasingly divided, both politically and economically. Entrepreneurship can help rural communities catch back up by jumpstarting economic growth, creating jobs, and building resilience to economic shocks. However, less is known about firm creation in rural areas compared to urban areas. To that end, in this paper we ask: What factors predict firm creation in rural America? Our analysis, based on a comparative framework involving multiple machine learning modeling techniques, helps addresses three gaps in academic literature on rural firm creation. First, entrepreneurship research stretches across disciplines, often using econometric methods to identify the effect of a specific variable, rather than comparing the predictive importance of multiple variables. Second, research on firm creation centers on high-tech, urban firms. Third, modern machine learning techniques have not yet been applied in an integrated way to address rural entrepreneurship, a complex economic and policy problem that defies simple, monocausal claims. In this paper, we apply four machine learning methods (subset selection, lasso, random forest, and extreme gradient boosting) to a novel dataset to examine what social and economic factors are predictive of firm growth in rural Texas counties from 2008–2018. Our results suggest that some factors commonly discussed as promoting entrepreneurship (e.g., access to broadband and patents) may not be as predictive as socioeconomic ones (age distribution, ethnic diversity, social capital, and immigration). We also find that the strength of specific industries (oil, wind, healthcare, and elder/childcare) predicts firm growth, as does the number of local banks. Most factors predictive of firm growth in rural counties are distinct from those in urban counties, supporting the argument that rural entrepreneurship is a distinct phenomenon worthy of distinct focus. More broadly, this multi-model approach can offer initial, focusing guidance to policymakers seeking to address similarly complex policy problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
47. Inflammation-related research within the field of bladder cancer: a bibliometric analysis.
- Author
-
Zhixuan Deng, Ning Tang, Wanyan Xiong, Xu Lei, Tengfei Zhang, and Ning Yang
- Subjects
BIBLIOMETRICS ,BLADDER cancer ,CYSTITIS ,TUMOR microenvironment ,DATA analysis - Abstract
Background: In recent years, the link between inflammation and bladder cancer (BC) has received much attention. However, there were no relevant bibliometric studies to analyze the inflammation-related research within this field of BC. Methods: We selected Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) as the data source to obtain articles and reviews on inflammation-related research within te field of BC from WOSCC's inception to October 10, 2022. The collected data were meticulously and manually screened, after which we used VOSviewer, CiteSpace, Biblioshiny and an online analysis platform (https://bibliometric.com/) to perform bibliometric analysis on the data and visualize the results. Results: A total of 4301 papers related to inflammation-related research within this field of BC were included in this study.The number of publications has steadily increased over the last decades (R²=0.9021). The top contributing country was the United States, O'Donnell, Michael A was the most published authors, the leading contributing institution was the University of Texas, and the leading contributing journal was JOURNAL OF UROLOGY. The keywords cooccurrence analysis indicated that "immunotherapy," "inflammation-related biomarkers," and "tumor microenvironment" were the hot spots and frontiers of research in this field. Conclusion: This study clarifies the contribution of countries, institutions, authors, and journals in inflammation-related research within this field of BC through a bibliometric approach and identifies research hotspots and frontiers in the field. Notably, these findings can help researchers to understand more clearly the relationship between inflammation and BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
48. "A Commission from Heaven": The Legacy of Lorenzo de Zavala's Enlightenment Discourse on Texas.
- Author
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Roel Reyes, Stefan
- Subjects
INTELLECTUAL history ,REVOLUTIONS ,ENLIGHTENMENT ,HEAVEN ,HAPPINESS ,TEXAS state history - Abstract
This article examines how Texan Revolutionaries portrayed the Texas Revolution as a struggle for modernity. In particular, numerous Anglo-Texans created a narrative in which they cast Santa Anna at the helm of a counter-enlightenment restoring Ancien Régime values. The Revolutionaries drew upon the discourse of the Mexican politician and Texas co-founder Lorenzo de Zavala. This article contests the portrayal of the Texas Revolution as a White and Anglo movement. This manuscript contributes to the historiography by examining Zavala's influence on the language of the Texas Revolution. Together, Zavala and the Texas Revolutionaries accused Santa Anna of fighting for monarchy and aristocracy. Furthermore, Texan revolutionaries argued the imminent restoration of Catholicism threatened their cherished liberties and freedoms. This was all the while Anglo-Texans portrayed their secession as a struggle for reason, virtue, and happiness. This analysis primarily utilizes the Mirabeau Lamar Papers to discern the sentiments and expressions of numerous individuals involved in the Texas Revolution. The following study contributes to the lacuna in the history of ideas in the Texas Republic. Furthermore, this article links Texas to the broader historiography of Atlantic Revolutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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- View/download PDF
49. "If It Didn't Get Reported, It Didn't Happen": Current Nonfatal Overdose Reporting Practices among Nontraditional Reporters in Texas.
- Author
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Claborn, Kasey, Cance, Jessica Duncan, Kane, Heather, Hairgrove, Sara, and Conway, Fiona N.
- Subjects
PUBLIC health laws ,DRUG overdose ,SOCIAL workers ,RESEARCH methodology ,INTERVIEWING ,HARM reduction ,QUALITATIVE research ,CONTENT mining ,DESCRIPTIVE statistics ,RESEARCH funding ,OPIOID analgesics ,THEMATIC analysis ,DATA analysis software - Abstract
Background: Drug overdose deaths in Texas have been accelerating in recent years with an increase of 33% in the 12 months leading up to December 2020. Accurate counts of nonfatal overdoses – including associated aspects of overdose, such as substances involved, demographic information, and reversal agents administered is critical to increase timely and adequate response to individuals and communities in need. Methods: Twenty semi-structured interviews were conducted with harm reduction workers across four Texas counties to understand existing methods of reporting overdoses, naloxone dissemination/administration, and recommendations for improving overdose surveillance. Interviews were transcribed and emergent themes were identified based on the a priori research goals. Results: Findings highlighted a variety of overdose data collection methods and tools among harm reduction organizations including Excel spreadsheet, web-based TONI application, notes on personal cell phones, and paper notes. Types of overdose data collected varied widely. Participants noted existing methods are suboptimal and that there is a need for a unified, statewide reporting system to improve overdose data capture. Participants also highlighted that overdose surveillance should include "hidden populations" of people who use drugs that are not currently counted in surveillance methods as a result of not interacting with the healthcare system. Conclusions: Texas lacks a unified overdose reporting system to capture critical data to inform overdose response and prevention efforts. Nontraditional reporters may be critical toward improving overdose syndromic efforts and capturing data among hard-to-reach populations. Harm reduction organizations are uniquely positioned to facilitate reporting among community gatekeepers and people who use drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2023
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50. Statistical Assessments of River Flow Alterations and Environmental Flow Standards.
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Wurbs, Ralph A. and Yang, Ming-Yue
- Subjects
STREAMFLOW ,WATER management ,WATER rights ,HYDRAULICS - Abstract
A water availability modeling (WAM) system consisting of the Water Rights Analysis Package (WRAP) and input datasets for all Texas river basins has been used for statewide, regional, and operational planning and water allocation regulatory purposes for many years. The modeling system was recently expanded to support integration of environmental flow requirements in comprehensive water management. A strategy is presented in this paper for combining the WRAP-WAM modeling system with data management and statistical analysis tools to expand capabilities for analyzing stream flow alterations and the effects on flows of environmental flow standards. A Trinity River Basin case study demonstrates the utility of the modeling and analysis strategy in addressing relevant issues in the river systems of Texas and elsewhere. Dams and reservoirs constructed on the Trinity River and tributaries supply water for the Dallas–Fort Worth and Houston metropolitan areas, which are among the most rapidly growing large metro areas in the United States. Ecologically relevant statistical analyses of observed flows presented in this paper are designed to quantify flow alterations. Analyses of simulated flows representing natural and specified conditions of development are performed to assess the impacts of both water resources development and the establishment of environmental flow standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
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