How do coalitions get built - Evidence from an extensive form coalition game with renegotiation & externalities

We investigate a three-person coalition game in which one bargainer, the builder, can propose and build a coalition over two stages. In equilibrium, coalition building ends with an efficient grand coalition, while the equilibrium path is contingent on the values of the two-person coalitions and associated externality payoffs. Considering relative payoffs need not change the equilibrium path. Nevertheless, outcomes in the experiment are often inefficient. One explanation is that bargainers have difficulties anticipating the future actions of other bargainers. This problem might be mitigated by allowing bargainers to communicate prior to each stage. A test finds that communication does in fact increase efficiency, although unevenly, and at the cost of the builder. The study implies that the nature and pattern of communication among bargainers is a critical factor in efficient coalition building.coalitional bargaining, communication, game theory, experiment

Flow visualization studies of blowing from the tip of a swept wing

Flow visualization studies of blowing from the tip of a swept wing were conducted in the Langley 16- by 24-inch water tunnel. Four wing tips, each with two independent blowing slots, were tested. The two slots were located one behind the other in the chordwise direction. The wing tips were designed to vary systematically the jet length, the jet in-plane exhaust direction (sweep), and the jet out-of-plane exhaust direction (anhedral). Each blowing slot was tested separately at two angles of attack and at four ratios of jet to free stream velocity ratios. Limited tests were conducted with blowing from both slots simultaneously. Blowing from the tip inhibited inboard spanwise flow on the upper wing surface near the tip. The jet path moved farther away from the tip with increasing jet to free stream velocity ratio and moved closer to the tip with increasing angle of attack

Non-U.S. Citizen, Community College Students: Their Federal Student Aid Status, Gender, Achievement, and Persistence at an Emerging HSI

This study presents a quantitative, exploratory analysis of 535 students attending Truckee Meadows Community College in Northern Nevada who were eligible or ineligible for federal student aid and were non-U.S. citizens. Within a snapshot of the Fall 2015 through Fall 2016 semesters, we examined the variables of gender, grade point average (GPA), credits earned, type of financial aid, amount of financial aid, persistence, and graduation status of these two groups via a collaboration between two institutions. Results revealed no statistically significant differences by gender. Non-U.S. citizens attained similar GPAs regardless of eligibility for aid, but there were differences in credit enrollment, attainment, and persistence between those eligible and ineligible for aid. Those with eligible federal student aid status were 6.4 times more likely to persist than those ineligible for this aid; students with increases in GPA were almost three times more likely to persist; and students with higher levels of increases in total financial aid were twice as likely to persist. We provide conclusions and implications based on these findings

Implementing Revenue Management in Your Restaurants: A Case Study with Fairmont Raffles Hotels International

In 2015, Fairmont Raffles Hotels International implemented a system-wide revenue management program in its restaurants. Starting with an analysis of baseline data, Fairmont applied a five-step revenue management process to highlight potential revenue-enhancement opportunities. Restaurant managers and employees were invited to suggest tactics and strategies drawn from three categories: (1) all-purpose strategies, (2) strategies to use when a restaurant is busy (hot), and (3) strategies to use when a restaurant is not busy (cold). Appropriately chosen strategies were simple to implement in most cases, and guests often were pleased with the operational and menu changes. Within a year of implementation, Fairmont restaurants that implemented revenue management had generated five times more revenue growth than those not applying the program

Erythrocytes in multiple sclerosis: forgotten contributors to the pathophysiology?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease characterised by lymphocytic infiltration of the central nervous system and subsequent destruction of myelin and axons. On the background of a genetic predisposition to autoimmunity, environmental triggers are assumed to initiate the disease. The majority of MS research has focused on the pathological involvement of lymphocytes and other immune cells, yet a paucity of attention has been given to erythrocytes, which may play an important role in MS pathology. The following review briefly summarises how erythrocytes may contribute to MS pathology through impaired antioxidant capacity and altered haemorheological features. The effect of disease-modifying therapies on erythrocytes is also reviewed. It may be important to further investigate erythrocytes in MS, as this could broaden the understanding of the pathological mechanisms of the disease, as well as potentially lead to the discovery of novel and innovative targets for future therapies

Using Web-Based Homework To Teach Principles Of Microeconomics: A Preliminary Investigation

This study evaluates an interactive web-based homework designed to increase student understanding in a principles of microeconomics course. Employing concepts from Action Research, the preliminary investigation was undertaken based on assumptions about the efficacy of online educational resources. Do students who do well on online homework improve performance on exams? Which characteristics of students explain achievement differences? The authors address these questions in relation to the use of a web-based, interactive online homework service which accompanied the text.  An econometric model using exam performance as the dependent variable and various course component and demographic characteristics as independent variables.  The study found no statistically significant impact of online homework on the mean exam score. This preliminary study indicated no gender, ethnicity, class standing, or declared major impact on exam performance though the limited degrees of freedom make generalization questionable.  The only statistically significant predictor was shown to be GPA

Associations between social integration, participation and productivity loss among persons with chronic pain: a registry based cross sectional study.

PURPOSE To examine associations between factors of social inclusion and participation and productivity loss in employed persons with chronic pain, assessed for an interprofessional pain rehabilitation programme. We hypothesized that factors of social inclusion and participation and work related social factors are significantly associated with productivity when experiencing chronic pain and we expected a moderate effect. METHODS Cross-sectional study using data collected prospectively in an interprofessional patient registry for chronic pain. The primary end point was productivity loss, measured with the iMTA Productivity Costs Questionnaire. We included data from 161 individuals. To be included, persons had to be 18 years old or older, in paid work, and had to have a medical diagnosis of chronic pain syndrome with actual or potential tissue damage. In addition, participants had to have indicators of significant impairments in psychosocial functions. RESULTS Linear regression analysis showed that a highly stressful professional situation, frequent problems regarding the compatibility of the family and job and not being Swiss were associated with a significantly higher total productivity loss. Similar results were found for productivity loss in paid work. However, problems concerning the compatibility of the family and job did not reach the significance level for productivity loss in paid work. CONCLUSION The results of this study underscore the importance of factors of social inclusion and participation for interprofessional rehabilitation programmes to manage chronic pain especially when focussing on productivity loss

Construction and evaluation of group tests in reading for grades one, two, and three.

Thesis (Ed.M.)--Boston Universit