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Purpose: Because the number of return visits in a pro-bono setting is low and distributed over a longer timeframe, home exercise programs (HEP) adherence is crucial for patient success. The purpose of this study is to describe a process for HEP delivery and to collect measures of HEP adherence on patients at a pro- bono physical therapy clinic. Methods: Thirteen participants were instructed to perform at least four exercises at home. Exercises were chosen based on best available practice. Exercise images, instructions, and daily logs were populated using PHYSIOTEC® software. A follow up phone call was conducted approximately 4 days after the initial visit to answer questions regarding the exercises. Adherence outcomes were collected on the patient’s first follow-up visit and when possible adherence data was repeatedly collected until discharge. The first performance outcome, scored by the treating therapist, was an observational evaluation of the patient performing the exercises exactly as instructed on the first visit. Second, the patient was asked to complete the Medical Outcomes Study General Adherence Items (MOSGAI) while the therapist reviewed and calculated a score for the exercise log. Measures of central tendency and variability of the demographic data and measures of exercise adherence were calculated using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 23.0 (Chicago, Illinois). Results: Participants included 7 females and 6 males with an average age of 56.73 (SD ± 12.78) years and body mass index of 27.3kg/m2. Self-reported HEP adherence was general good. The MOSGAI average was 85.3% (SD ± 24.3%), the HEP log average was 84% (SD ± 20.2%), and the therapist rated HEP accuracy scores was 79.16% (SD ± 29.84%). Trends in the data shown an improvement in self-reported HEP adherence overtime up to the third follow up visit. Conclusion: Initially our approach to HEP delivery in this pro-bono setting appears successful as reported measures of adherence and accuracy of performance were generally good compared to the existing literature. Clinicians could consider using a similar HEP delivery model to a population of patients with limited access to health care.

Here we present a method to combine half-hourly publicly available electrical generation and interconnector operational data for Great Britain to create a timeseries that approximates its electrical demand. We term the calculated electrical demand ‘ESPENI’ that is an acronym for E lexon S um P lus E mbedded N et I mports. The method adds value to the original data by combining both transmission and distribution generation data into a single dataset and adding ISO 8601 compatible datetimes to increase interoperability with other timeseries. Data cleansing is undertaken by visually flagging errors and then using simple linear interpolation to impute values to replace the flagged data points. Publishing the method allows it to be further enhanced or adapted and to be considered and critiqued by a wider community. In addition, the published raw and cleaned data is a valuable resource that saves researchers considerable time in repeating the steps presented in the method to prepare the data for further analysis. The data provide a public record of the decarbonisation of Great Britain's electrical system since late 2008, widely seen as an example of rapid decarbonisation of an electrical system away from fossil fuel generation to lower carbon sources.

A major challenge facing silicon solar cells used in building-integrated concentrator photovoltaics (BICPV) is their reduced electrical response when exposed to light of short or long wavelengths. In an attempt to tackle this problem, single cell static CPV modules were fabricated with some of the devices containing rare earth doped compounds which were dispersed into the system in varying concentrations and geometries. Under a solar simulator at 1000 W/m2, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of devices improved up to 11.1% relative through the addition of these materials. At lower irradiances and compared to cells without concentrators, the relative efficiency gains were more pronounced and external quantum efficiency (EQE) measurements suggested spectral conversion was responsible for these enhancements. For a large scale BICPV system, a simple analysis showed cost per watt could fall by up to 8.1% and power output increased from 25.7 to 28.4 W/m2 through this approach.

Nonlinear acoustic damping has been observed in many high-amplitude acoustic systems as a result of flow separation and shear layer vortical motion, eventually transforming some of the acoustical energy into heat. The amount of nonlinear acoustic damping helps to determine the nonlinear limit cycle amplitude, e.g., damping caused by baffle blades in a liquid rocket engine to reduce combustion instabilities. The damping mechanism is dependent on both the location and phase of flow separation. Identifying the flow separation is a function of both the boundary layer growth and the acoustically imposed pressure gradient. When the acoustic pressure gradient is adverse, the boundary layer is more prone to separation. Using this as a basis, a model can be created that is applicable to general geometry, which will then be used to approximate the nonlinear acoustic damping in various situations. The constructed model will be compared to established cases, such as an orifice in a duct, to validate the model.

This article uses census data for England and Wales covering the period 1851–1911 to provide new insights into patterns of migration to London. It examines several related themes including the role...

Funder: University of Cambridge, We use individual-level census data for England and Wales for the period 1851–1911 to investigate the interplay between social class and geographical context determining patterns of childbearing during the fertility transition. We also consider the effect of spatial mobility or lifetime migration on individual fertility behavior in the early phases of demographic modernization. Prior research on the fertility transition in England and Wales has demonstrated substantial variation in fertility levels and declines by different social groups; however, these findings were generally reported at a broad geographical level, disguising local variation and complicated by residential segregation along social class and occupational lines. Our findings confirm a clear pattern of widening social class differences in recent net fertility, providing strong support for the argument that belonging to a certain social group was an important determinant of early adoption of new reproductive behavior in marriage in England and Wales. However, a relatively constant effect of lower net fertility among long-distance migrants both before the transition and in the early phases of declining fertility indicates that life course migration patterns were most likely factor in explaining the differences in fertility operating through postponement of marriage and childbearing.

The present study examines exposure to adversity as a predictor of psychological distress and risk behavior among 266 elementary students in 14 low income neighborhood schools in Chicago. Two indices of adversity exposure were created, reflecting neighborhood, school, and peer group risk (NSP) and the lack of protective resources within the family and neighborhood (LPR). Regression analyses investigated these indices as independent and potentially interacting predictors of self-reported symptoms of depression and anxiety, frequency of substance use, and involvement in violence-related behavior. The LPR index was found to be a linear predictor of greater reported anxiety and exhibited a significant curvilinear association with reports of depression, substance use, and violence-related behavior. Similarly, the NSP index was a linear predictor of greater reported levels of substance use and violence-related behavior. Significant interaction between the two indices was found. Implications for research and school clinicians (social workers and psychologists) are offered.

This study evaluated effects of Positive Action, a school-based social-emotional and character development (SECD) intervention, on indicators of positive youth development (PYD) among a sample of low-income, ethnic minority youth attending 14 urban schools. The study used a matched-pair, cluster-randomized controlled design at the school level. A multiple-measure self-report protocol assessed four key strengths and resources for PYD: self-concept, peer affiliations, ethics, and social skills. Students (n=1170) were assessed from grades 3 to 8, the duration of the intervention, with drop-outs and late entrants included in analyses. Growth curve analyses revealed evidence of favorable program effects on each of the four types of resources. The study contributes to PYD research by providing evidence for school-based interventions in low-income, urban contexts for ethnic minority youth.

This study evaluated effects of Positive Action (PA), a school-based social-emotional and character development program, on self-esteem levels and processes among minority, low-income, urban youth. A matched-pair, cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted in 14 Chicago Public Schools with outcomes assessed longitudinally for a cohort of youth followed from Grades 3 to 8. A total of 1,170 students participated in the study (53% female, 48% African American, and 27% Hispanic). Students in PA schools had more favorable change and endpoint scores on indices of self-esteem in the domains of peer and school and use of both adaptive and (to a lesser extent) maladaptive processes for developing and maintaining self-esteem. These results align with areas of emphasis within the PA program and illustrate how important areas of impact on self-esteem-related outcomes may be overlooked without differentiated assessments of both self-esteem levels and processes.

Innovative, culturally tailored strategies are needed to extend diabetes education and support efforts in lower-resourced primary care practices serving racial/ethnic minority groups. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) examined the effect of a diabetes self-care coaching intervention delivered by medical assistants and the joint effect of intervention and ethnicity over time. The randomized repeated-measures design included 270 low-income African American and Hispanic/Latino patients with type 2 diabetes. The 1-year clinic- and telephone-based medical assistant coaching intervention was culturally tailored and guided by theoretical frameworks. A1C was obtained, and a self-care measure was completed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Data were analyzed using mixed-effects models with and without adjustment for covariates. There was a significant overall improvement in mean self-care scores across time, but no intervention effect. Results revealed differences in self-care patterns across racial/ethnic subgroups. No differences were found for A1C levels across time or group.

Background Youth problem behaviors remain a public health issue. Youth in low-income, urban areas are particularly at risk for engaging in aggressive, violent, and disruptive behaviors. Purpose To evaluate the effects of a school-based social–emotional learning and health promotion program on problem behaviors and related attitudes among low-income, urban youth. Design A matched-pair, cluster RCT. Setting/participants Participants were drawn from 14 Chicago Public Schools over a 6-year period of program delivery with outcomes assessed for a cohort of youth followed from Grades 3 to 8. Data were collected from Fall 2004 to Spring 2010, and analyzed in Spring 2012. Intervention The Positive Action program includes a scoped and sequenced K–12 classroom curriculum with six components: self-concept, social and emotional positive actions for managing oneself responsibly, and positive actions directed toward physical and mental health, honesty, getting along with others, and continually improving oneself. The program also includes teacher, counselor, family, and community training as well as activities directed toward schoolwide climate development. Main outcome measures Youth reported on their normative beliefs in support of aggression and on their bullying, disruptive, and violent behaviors; parents rated youths' bullying behaviors and conduct problems; schoolwide data on disciplinary referrals and suspensions were obtained from school records. Results Multilevel growth-curve modeling analyses conducted on completion of the trial indicated that Positive Action mitigated increases over time in (1) youth reports of normative beliefs supporting aggressive behaviors and of engaging in disruptive behavior and bullying (girls only) and (2) parent reports of youth bullying behaviors (boys only). At study end-point, students in Positive Action schools also reported a lower rate of violence-related behavior than students in control schools. Schoolwide findings indicated positive program effects on both disciplinary referrals and suspensions. Program effect sizes ranged from −0.26 to −0.68. Conclusions These results extend evidence of the effectiveness of the Positive Action program to low-income, minority, urban school settings, and to middle school–aged youth. Trial registration This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01025674.

This article presents an adapted version of an established model for assessing community readiness along with an illustrative case example from the evaluation of Positive Action, a school-based social and character development intervention, implemented as part of a randomized controlled trial in Chicago Public Schools from 2004 through 2010. Community readiness is an emerging assessment approach that can be used to gauge the level of understanding, desire, and ownership that community members have regarding a community problem and/or intervention. This approach is useful in engaging the community and leveraging particular aspects of readiness that the community may exhibit in order to maximize an intervention’s successful implementation. The article concludes with a discussion of ways in which a community readiness model may be useful in health promotion practice, both in schools and in other community settings.

We describe challenges in the 6-year longitudinal cluster randomized controlled trial (CRCT) of Positive Action (PA), a social–emotional and character development (SECD) program, conducted in 14 low-income, urban Chicago Public Schools. Challenges pertained to logistics of study planning (school recruitment, retention of schools during the trial, consent rates, assessment of student outcomes, and confidentiality), study design (randomization of a small number of schools), fidelity (implementation of PA and control condition activities), and evaluation (restricted range of outcomes, measurement invariance, statistical power, student mobility, and moderators of program effects). Strategies used to address the challenges within each of these areas are discussed. Incorporation of lessons learned from this study may help to improve future evaluations of longitudinal CRCTs, especially those that involve evaluation of school-based interventions for minority populations and urban areas.

ADP-ribosylation by ADP-ribosyltransferases (ARTs) has a well-established role in DNA strand break repair by promoting enrichment of repair factors at damage sites through ADP-ribose interaction domains. Here, we exploit the simple eukaryote Dictyostelium to uncover a role for ADP-ribosylation in regulating DNA interstrand crosslink repair and redundancy of this pathway with non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ). In silico searches were used to identify a protein that contains a permutated macrodomain (which we call aprataxin/APLF-and-PNKP-like protein; APL). Structural analysis reveals that this permutated macrodomain retains features associated with ADP-ribose interactions and that APL is capable of binding poly(ADP-ribose) through this macrodomain. APL is enriched in chromatin in response to cisplatin treatment, an agent that induces DNA interstrand crosslinks (ICLs). This is dependent on the macrodomain of APL and the ART Adprt2, indicating a role for ADP-ribosylation in the cellular response to cisplatin. Although adprt2− cells are sensitive to cisplatin, ADP-ribosylation is evident in these cells owing to redundant signalling by the double-strand break (DSB)-responsive ART Adprt1a, promoting NHEJ-mediated repair. These data implicate ADP-ribosylation in DNA ICL repair and identify that NHEJ can function to resolve this form of DNA damage in the absence of Adprt2., Summary: Here, we identify a role for post-translational modification ADP-ribosylation in the response to DNA interstrand crosslinks in the model Dictyostelium.

This study evaluated effects of Positive Action, a school-based social-emotional and character development (SECD) intervention, on indicators of positive youth development (PYD) among a sample of low-income, ethnic minority youth attending 14 urban schools. The study used a matched-pair, cluster-randomized controlled design at the school level. A multiple-measure self-report protocol assessed four key strengths and resources for PYD: self-concept, peer affiliations, ethics, and social skills. Students (n=1170) were assessed from grades 3 to 8, the duration of the intervention, with drop-outs and late entrants included in analyses. Growth curve analyses revealed evidence of favorable program effects on each of the four types of resources. The study contributes to PYD research by providing evidence for school-based interventions in low-income, urban contexts for ethnic minority youth.

The effects of a school-based social-emotional and character development program, Positive Action, on the developmental trajectory of social-emotional and character-related behaviors was evaluated using data from three school-based randomized trials in elementary schools. Results come from 1) 4 years of data from students in 20 Hawai'i schools, 2) 3 years of data from students in 14 schools in Chicago and 3) 3 years of data from students in 8 schools in a southeastern state. Random intercept, multilevel, growth-curve analyses showed that students in both control and Positive Action schools exhibited a general decline in the number of positive behaviors associated with social-emotional and character development that were endorsed. However, the Positive Action intervention significantly reduced these declines in all three trials. Taken together, these analyses 1) give insight into the normative trajectory of behaviors associated with social-emotional and character development and 2) provide evidence for the effectiveness of Positive Action in helping children maintain a relatively beneficial developmental trajectory.

This study examined the effects of the Positive Action (PA) programme in Chicago Public Schools on problem behaviours among a cohort of elementary school students from grade three through grade five. Using a matched-pair, randomised control design with 14 elementary schools, approximately 510 fifth-graders self-reported lifetime substance use, serious violence-related behaviour, and current bullying and disruptive behaviours. Three-level (i.e. students nested within schools within school pairs) overdispersed Poisson models were used to examine programme effects on the number of items endorsed for each of the four outcomes. Findings indicated that students in the intervention endorsed 31% fewer substance use behaviours (incidence rate ratio [IRR] = 0.69), 37% fewer violence-related behaviours (IRR = 0.63) and 41% fewer bullying behaviours (IRR = 0.59), respectively, compared to students in the control schools. Reduction in reported disruptive behaviours was of a similar magnitude (27%, IRR = 0.73), but was not statistically significant. These results replicate findings of an earlier randomised trial of the PA programme and extend evidence of its effectiveness to youth attending large urban school systems.

A formalism is presented that allows an asymptotically exact solution of non-relativistic and semi-relativistic two-body problems with infinitely rising confining potentials. We consider both linear and quadratic confinement. The additional short-range terms are expanded in a Coulomb-Sturmian basis. Such kinds of Hamiltonians are frequently used in atomic, nuclear, and particle physics., Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures

There is considerable research that suggests that school-based social-emotional programs can foster improved mental health and reduce problem behaviors for participating youth; in contrast, much less is known about the impact of these programs on physical health, even though some of these programs also include at least limited direct attention to promoting physical health behaviors. We examined the effects of one such program, Positive Action (PA), on physical health behaviors and body mass index (BMI), and tested for mediation of program effects through a measure of social-emotional and character development (SECD). Participating schools in the matched-pair, cluster-randomized trial were 14 low-performing K-8 Chicago Public Schools. We followed a cohort of students in each school from grades 3 to 8 (eight waves of data collection; 1,170 total students). Student self-reports of health behaviors served as the basis for measures of healthy eating and exercise, unhealthy eating, personal hygiene, consistent bedtime, and SECD. We collected height and weight measurements at endpoint to calculate age- and gender-adjusted BMI z-scores. Longitudinal multilevel modeling analyses revealed evidence of favorable program effects on personal hygiene (effect size [ES] = 0.48), healthy eating and exercise (ES = 0.21), and unhealthy eating (ES = −0.19); in addition, BMI z-scores were lower among students in PA schools at endpoint (ES = −0.21). Program effects were not moderated by either gender or student mobility. Longitudinal structural equation modeling demonstrated mediation through SECD for healthy eating and exercise, unhealthy eating, and personal hygiene. Findings suggest that a social-emotional and character development program without a primary focus on health behavior promotion can have a modest impact on outcomes in this domain during the childhood to adolescence transition.

To maximize active parent consent form return rates for third-grade minority, urban students enrolled in predominantly low-income elementary schools in Chicago, Ill.Research staff used a class incentive and class visits to retrieve consent forms from students.Of the 811 third-grade students, 98% returned a form and 79% (n = 627) of those students' parents provided an affirmative response. Return rates did not vary by students' ethnicity or by the schools' demographic variables.Incentives and class visits can yield a high return rate of active parent consent forms for third-grade minority, urban, low-income students.

Mitigating and preventing substance use among adolescents requires approaches that address the multitude of factors that influence this behavior. Such approaches must be tested, not only for evidence of empirical effectiveness, but also to determine the mechanisms by which they are successful. The aims of the present study were twofold: 1) To determine the effectiveness of a school-based social-emotional and character development (SECD) program, Positive Action (PA), in reducing substance use (SU) among a sample of U.S. youth living in a low-income, urban environment, and 2) to test one mechanism by which the program achieves its success. We used longitudinal mediation analysis to test the hypotheses that: 1) students attending PA intervention schools engage in significantly less SU than students attending control schools, 2) students attending PA intervention schools show significantly better change in SECD than students attending control schools, and 3) the effect of the PA intervention on SU is mediated by the change in SECD. Analyses revealed program effects on both SECD and SU, a relationship between SECD and SU, and the effects of PA on SU were completely mediated by changes in SECD. Future research directions and implications for school-based social-emotional and character development efforts and substance use prevention are addressed.

Purpose We examined the effects of Positive Action (PA), a school-based social-emotional learning and health promotion program, on the emotional health of predominately low-income and ethnic minority urban youth. Methods The study was a matched-pair, cluster-randomized controlled trial involving 14 Chicago public schools. Outcomes were assessed over a 6-year period of program implementation for a cohort of youth in each school, followed from grades 3 to 8. Youth reported on their emotional health (positive affect, life satisfaction, depression, anxiety) and social-emotional and character development. Growth-curve and structural-equation modeling analyses assessed overall program effects on the emotional health outcomes as well as mediation of these effects via the program's impact on youths' social-emotional and character development. Results Students in PA schools, compared with those in control schools, had more favorable change over the course of the study in positive affect (standardized mean difference effect size [ES] = .17) and life satisfaction (ES = .13) as well as significantly lower depression (ES = −.14) and anxiety (ES = −.26) at study end point. Program effects for positive affect, depression, and anxiety were mediated by more favorable change over time in social-emotional and character development for students in PA schools. Conclusions Results suggest that universal, school-based programs can benefit the emotional health of youth in low-income, urban settings. The modest magnitude of effects over an extended period of program implementation, however, reflects the challenges of both mounting interventions and offsetting formidable risks for mental health problems in such environments.

A growing body of research indicates that school-based social-emotional and character development (SECD) and SECD-like programs (eg, social-emotional learning, positive youth development) can influence health behaviors and academic achievement among low-income minority youth, a population disproportionately affected by disparities in health1 and education. 2 In their meta-analysis examining the impact of school-based mental health and behavioral programs set in low-income, urban schools, Farahmand et al3 reported a mean effect size (generally Hedges g) on academic outcomes of 0.24. Durlak et al4 reported a mean effect size (generally Hedges g) on academic outcomes of 0.27 in their meta-analysis on school-based social-emotional learning (SEL) programs. With respect to health-related outcomes, the Durlak meta-analysis4 also showed SEL programs decreased conduct problems (effect size = 0.22) and emotional distress (effect size = 0.24), and improved positive social behaviors (effect size = 0.24). Whereas these findings are encouraging, there is a need to accumulate further evidence regarding the capacity of SECD programs to promote academic outcomes, especially when implemented in low-income, urban schools. Accordingly, the primary purpose of this study was to examine the impact of one comprehensive, school-wide SECD program, Positive Action, on academic outcomes using a longitudinal cluster-randomized controlled design in low-income, urban schools. Positive Action5 is grounded in theories of self-concept, 6–8 is consistent with social-ecological theories of health behaviors such as the Theory of Triadic Influence (TTI), 9, 10 and proposes positive feelings, thoughts, and actions result in fewer negative behaviors and enhanced motivation to learn. The core curriculum is taught through 6 units: self-concept, positive actions for mind and body, positive social-emotional actions focusing on getting along with others, and managing, being honest with, and continually improving oneself. The sequenced classroom curriculum consists of over 140 15–20 minute, age-appropriate lessons per grade taught 4 days per week for grades K-6, and 70 20 minute lessons taught 2 days per week for grades 7 and 8. The PA program also includes teacher, counselor, family, and community training, and school-wide climate development; the school-climate kit, which was used by every school in the trial of PA under study, focuses on using curriculum lessons and school activities to promote further positive actions amongst students, the school, families, and the community. More information about PA is available at http://www.positiveaction.net. Prior research has demonstrated that the PA program impacts a range of risk and resilience factors linked to academic outcomes, as well as academic outcomes themselves. 6 In an analysis of 3 longitudinal randomized controlled trials (RCT) of PA involving students aged 6 to 11 years, PA partially mitigated the decrease in number of positive behaviors endorsed by youth across time. 11 In a matched-pair RCT of PA involving 20 schools in Hawai’i, PA was shown to create whole-school contextual change and improve school quality. 12 Students in schools receiving PA were also less likely to engage in substance use, violent behaviors, or sexual activity,13 and PA schools had significantly higher school-level academic achievement and less absenteeism.14 Limitations in prior PA research should be addressed. For example, the academic impact of PA during the middle-school years has not yet been examined. Doing so is critical, as the adolescent years represent a key developmental period with new academic and social demands. Also, the need exists to collect academic-related data from students and teachers so that precursors of academic achievement (eg, engagement with learning) that cannot be measured by school-level archival records alone can be assessed. Lastly, the need exists for experimental designs of PA in low-income, urban settings. The present study addresses these limitations by: (1) following a cohort of students during the elementary- and middle-school years; (2) including student self-reports and teacher ratings of students; and (3) being set in a low-income, urban setting. The purpose was to test the hypothesis that academic performance across time would be better among schools and students receiving PA, than those not receiving PA.

This paper presents a combined theoretical/experimental study of internal liquid circulation induced by droplet surface rotation. A numerical model is presented first, examining the fluid transport within a spherical liquid volume whose surface is subjected to rotation about a central axis. The model predicts that the steady-state motion established from spatially nonuniform surface rotation has a helical character and bears little resemblance to the toroidal internal flows developed within droplets under axisymmetric conditions. Similar internal flow patterns are predicted for temporally varying surface rotation occuring during droplet spin-up or spin-down. Planar laser-induced fluorescence is employed to provide high-resolution images of fluid flow developed within millimeter-sized suspended droplets that are exposed to steady laminar air streams to induce repeatable surface rotation. The predicted spiral flow patterns are corroborated by the pendant droplet visualization experiments, and suggest that nonuniform rotation or transient spinning may significantly alter interenal droplet dynamics.

The fishbone potential of composite particles simulates the Pauli effect by nonlocal terms. We determine the $\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\alpha}$ fishbone potential by simultaneously fitting to two-$\ensuremath{\alpha}$ resonance energies, experimental phase shifts, and three-$\ensuremath{\alpha}$ binding energies. We found that, essentially, a simple Gaussian can provide a good description of two-$\ensuremath{\alpha}$ and three-$\ensuremath{\alpha}$ experimental data without invoking three-body potentials.

A method is presented that allows to solve the Faddeev integral equations of the semirelativistic constituent quark model. In such a model the quark-quark interaction is modeled by a infinitely rising confining potential and the kinetic energy is taken in a relativistic form. We solve the integral equations in Coulomb-Sturmian basis. This basis facilitate an exact treatment of the confining potentials., Comment: 14 pages

In this paper I discuss Thomas Aquinas' views about infinite regresses, primarily why he allows some and rejects others. I will first discuss two of the Five Ways from ST I, 2, 3 in order to illustrate the way Aquinas uses infinite regress arguments. Then, I will look at an example of a regress argument that Aquinas rejects. In order to get clear about why Aquinas rejects some regresses I will characterize a distinction to separate acceptable from unacceptable regresses as St. Thomas does. Finally, I will suggest some reasons to explain why Aquinas rejects those regresses that he does reject.

Laurence BonJour defends the coherence theory against the charge of circularity.1 Part of his defense seems to rely on a non-linear theory of inferential justification. In this paper I will examine this response to the charge of circularity. I hope to show that BonJour (and other amenable coherentists) can and do respond to the circularity problem but that the response does not rely on any non-linear theory of inferential justification. The response instead relies on some more fundamental features of the coherentist view.