Representations of African American Political Women in Scandal

Since its debut on April 5, 2012, ABC’s Scandal has become one of the most popular, mainstream dramas on television. Scandal features on of the only, African American female lead characters on network television, Olivia Pope. This paper utilizes scholarship regarding intersectionality and stereotypical representations of African American women to analyze the character of Olivia Pope. I argue that Pope’s education, confidence, and boldness help to confront the lack of complex African American female characters, but her affair with the president simultaneously reinforces negative stereotypes regarding African American women’s sexuality

Firm productivity, profit and business goal satisfaction: an assessment of maintenance decision effects on small and medium scale enterprises (SME’s)

[EN] This study was carried out to identify which factors are most relevant to managers of SMEs in maintenance decision making, and to investigate how these factors influence the realization of business goals satisfactorily, using structural equation modelling, partial least square design (PLS-SEM) to establish significant relationships between manifest and latent variables. A study of maintenance cost vis a vis the number of maintenance works carried out and profits realized was conducted to ascertain correlations and identify which factors played key roles in profit maximization. Results showed that with increasing level of maintenance for SMEs, profit margins reduced significantly. Also, an R2 value of 0.83 showed that the latent variable, business goal satisfaction was explained to a high degree (83%) by the manifest variables. Rentals of equipment from third parties (0.27), halting production (0.11) and outsourcing (0.39) were less considered for business sustainability per correlation coefficients than funds (0.79), and the possibilities to carry out both corrective (0.64) and preventive (0.58) maintenance works.  F-square value greater than zero was realized (0.387) and this showed reliability of the both inner and outer models. These findings can be used in building a decision tool or framework that will best suit SMEs with high financial budget constraints.Owusu-Mensah, D.; Quaye, EK.; Brako, L. (2021). Firm productivity, profit and business goal satisfaction: an assessment of maintenance decision effects on small and medium scale enterprises (SME’s). Journal of Applied Research in Technology & Engineering. 2(1):23-31. https://doi.org/10.4995/jarte.2021.14615OJS233121Al-Tabbaa, O., Ankrah, S. (2016). Social capital to facilitate 'engineered'university-industry collaboration for technology transfer: A dynamic perspective. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 104, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2015.11.027Alarcón, D., Sánchez, J.A., Pablo de Olavide, U. (2015). Assessing convergent and discriminant validity in the ADHD-R IV rating scale: User-written commands for Average Variance Extracted (AVE), Composite Reliability (CR), and HeterotraitMonotrait ratio of correlations (HTMT). In Spanish STATA Meeting (pp. 1-39). Universidad Pablo de Olavide.Barone, G., Frangopol, D.M. (2014). Life-cycle maintenance of deteriorating structures by multi-objective optimization involving reliability, risk, availability, hazard and cost. Structural Safety, 48, 40-50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.strusafe.2014.02.002Bertolini, M., Bevilacqua, M. (2006). A combined goal programming-AHP approach to maintenance selection problem. Reliability Engineering & System Safety, 91(7), 839-848. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ress.2005.08.006Hair, Jr, Joseph, F., Tomas, G., Hult, M., Ringle, C., Sarstedt, M. (2016). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Sage publications.Jiang, R., Murthy, D.N.P. (2008). Maintenance: Decision Models for Management. Science press, Beijing, China.Joo, S-J. (2009). Scheduling preventive maintenance for modular designed components: A dynamic approach. European Journal of Operational Research, 192(2), 512-520. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2007.09.033Lee, H. (2005). A cost/benefit model for investments in inventory and preventive maintenance in an imperfect production system. Computers and Industrial Engineering, 48(1), 55-68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cie.2004.07.008Liu, X., Wang, W., Peng, R. (2015). An integrated production: inventory and preventive maintenance model for a multiproduct production system. Reliab Eng Syst Safety, 137(2), 76-86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ress.2015.01.002Liu, X., Zheng, J., Fu, J., Ji, J., Chen, G. (2017). Multi-level optimization of maintenance plan for natural gas pipeline systems subject to external corrosion. Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering, 50, 64-73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jngse.2017.11.021Ma, J., Cheng, L., Li, D. (2018). Road Maintenance Optimization Model Based on Dynamic Programming in Urban Traffic Network. Journal of Advanced Transportation. Article ID 4539324, 11 pages. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/4539324Marquez, A.C., Gupta, J.N.D. (2006). Contemporary maintenance management: process, framework and supporting pillars. Omega, 34(3), 313-326. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.omega.2004.11.003Nourelfath, M., Nahas, N. & Ben-Daya, M. (2015). Integrated preventive maintenance and production decisions for imperfect processes. Reliab Eng Syst Safety, 148, 21-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ress.2015.11.015Olivotti D., Passlick J., Dreyer S., Lebek B., Breitner M.H. (2018) Maintenance Planning Using Condition Monitoring Data. In: Kliewer N., Ehmke J., Borndörfer R.(eds) Operations Research Proceedings 2017. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-89920-6_72Pallant, J. (2007). SPSS survival manual, 3rd. Edition. McGrath Hill.Parida, A., Kumar, U. (2016). Applications and Case Studies. Maintenance performance measurement (MPM): issues and challenges. Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering, 12(3), 239-251. https://doi.org/10.1108/13552510610685084Qiu, Q., Cui, L., Shen, J., Yang, L. (2017). Optimal maintenance policy considering maintenance errors for systems operating under performance-based contracts. Comput Industr Eng., 112, 147-155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cie.2017.08.025Ruschel, E., Santos, E.A.P. & Loures, E.D.F.R. (2017). Industrial maintenance decision-making: a systematic literature review. J Manuf Syst., 45, 180-194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmsy.2017.09.003Shayesteh, E., Yu, J., Hilber, P. (2018). Maintenance optimization of power systems with renewable energy sources integrated. Energy, 149, 577-586. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2018.02.066Shen, J., Zhu, K. (2017). An uncertain single machine scheduling problem with periodic maintenance. Knowledge-Based Systems, 144, 32-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.knosys.2017.12.021Stebbins, R. A. (2001). Exploratory research in the social sciences (Vol. 48). Sage.Van, P.D., Bérenguer, C. (2012). Condition-based maintenance with imperfect preventive repairs for a deteriorating production system. Qual Reliab Eng., 28(6), 624-633. https://doi.org/10.1002/qre.1431Verbert, K., Schutter, B.D., Babuska, R. (2017). Timely condition-based maintenance planning for multi-component systems. Reliab Eng Syst Safety, 159, 310-321. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ress.2016.10.032Yang, L., Ma, X., Zhao, Y. (2017). A condition-based maintenance model for a three-state system subject to degradation and environmental shocks. Comput Industr Eng., 105, 210-222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cie.2017.01.01

End State Copying by Humans (Homo sapiens): Implications for a Comparative Perspective on Cumulative Culture

It has been proposed that the uniqueness of human cumulative culture may be attributable to humans' greater orientation towards copying the process of behavior (imitation), compared with the products (emulation), resulting in particularly high fidelity transmission. Following on from previous work indicating that adult human participants can exhibit cumulative learning on the basis of product copying alone, we now investigate whether such learning involves high fidelity transmission. Eighty adult human participants were presented with a task previously shown to elicit cumulative learning under experimental conditions, which involved building a tower from spaghetti and modeling clay. Each participant was shown two completed towers, ostensibly built by previous participants, but actually built to pre-specified designs by the experimenter. This end state information was provided either in the form of photographs, or the presence of actual towers. High fidelity matching to these end states was apparent in both demonstration conditions, even for a design that was demonstrably suboptimal with regard to the goal of the task (maximizing tower height). We conclude that, although high fidelity transmission is likely to be implicated in cumulative culture, action copying is not always necessary for this to occur. Furthermore, since chimpanzees apparently copy behavioral processes and well as products, and also transmit behavior with high fidelity, the stark absence of unequivocal examples of cumulative culture in nonhumans may be attributable to factors other than imitative ability.Research funded by ESR

Re-Examining the Impact of Credit Risk on Profitability of Banks:Panel Evidence from Ghana

Credit risk management has become an instrument for the survival and growth of financial institutions.  The major cause of banking problems has been identified as ineffective credit risk management. The Ghanaian banking sector is currently undergoing significant reforms which have led to some banks being collapse whiles others consolidated. This study seeks to re-examine the impact of credit risk on the profitability of Banks in Ghana. Panel data covering the period of 2010-2015 was gathered from 20 banks. Three determinants of credit risk were selected. These are asset quality, non-performing loan, and liquidity. Return on Asset (ROA) was employed as a measure of profitability.  We found that that while the relationship between asset quality, non-performing loan and profitability were statistically significant, the relationship between liquidity ratio and banks’ profitability was found to be insignificant. This shows that banks with huge non- performing loans are less profitable and prone to a high rate solvency rate. Based on the result of the study, it is recommended that banks should adopt and implement effective credit risk management strategies as it will enhance their profitability. Keywords: Asset Quality Credit risk, Ghana, Non- performing loans. Liquidity Risk. DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/11-5-0

The Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM): alternative to the PCL-R?

Psychopathic personality disorder is the subject of many research papers and in particular in the context of forensic settings, where its link to risk of future violence has been established. This topic is well examined but there is still considerable debate about the nature of the construct and how psychopathy is measured. Contemporary models such as the triarchic theory (Patrick, Fowles & Krueger, 2009) have been put forward yet the research into psychopathy tends to rely on one assessment tool, the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R; Hare, 2003) that is argued not to capture elements of psychopathy such as boldness. The Triarchic Psychopathy Measure (TriPM; Patrick, 2010) is a measure that is based on the triarchic theory, and it places an equal focus on boldness when measuring psychopathy. It is however a self-report instrument, and this approach has many limitations. This paper aims to review the scientific support for the TriPM and to discuss its potential application to clinical practice. It concludes that the TriPM may not yet be a contender for the PCL-R throne as the sole tool of choice for psychopathy measurement, but the research into the application of the TriPM is expanding our understanding of psychopathy as a construct

Graphic Warning Labels Elicit Affective and Thoughtful Responses from Smokers: Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial

Objective Observational research suggests that placing graphic images on cigarette warning labels can reduce smoking rates, but field studies lack experimental control. Our primary objective was to determine the psychological processes set in motion by naturalistic exposure to graphic vs. text-only warnings in a randomized clinical trial involving exposure to modified cigarette packs over a 4-week period. Theories of graphic-warning impact were tested by examining affect toward smoking, credibility of warning information, risk perceptions, quit intentions, warning label memory, and smoking risk knowledge. Methods Adults who smoked between 5 and 40 cigarettes daily (N = 293; mean age = 33.7), did not have a contra-indicated medical condition, and did not intend to quit were recruited from Philadelphia, PA and Columbus, OH. Smokers were randomly assigned to receive their own brand of cigarettes for four weeks in one of three warning conditions: text only, graphic images plus text, or graphic images with elaborated text. Results Data from 244 participants who completed the trial were analyzed in structural-equation models. The presence of graphic images (compared to text-only) caused more negative affect toward smoking, a process that indirectly influenced risk perceptions and quit intentions (e.g., image-\u3enegative affect-\u3erisk perception-\u3equit intention). Negative affect from graphic images also enhanced warning credibility including through increased scrutiny of the warnings, a process that also indirectly affected risk perceptions and quit intentions (e.g., image-\u3enegative affect-\u3erisk scrutiny-\u3ewarning credibility-\u3erisk perception-\u3equit intention). Unexpectedly, elaborated text reduced warning credibility. Finally, graphic warnings increased warning-information recall and indirectly increased smoking-risk knowledge at the end of the trial and one month later. Conclusions In the first naturalistic clinical trial conducted, graphic warning labels are more effective than text-only warnings in encouraging smokers to consider quitting and in educating them about smoking’s risks. Negative affective reactions to smoking, thinking about risks, and perceptions of credibility are mediators of their impact

A longitudinal study of the human oropharynx microbiota over time reveals a common core and significant variations with self-reported disease

Our understanding of human microbial communities, in particular in regard to diseases is advancing, yet the basic understanding of the microbiome in healthy subjects over time remains limited. The oropharynx is a key target for colonization by several important human pathogens. To understand how the oropharyngeal microbiome might limit infections, and how intercurrent infections might be associated with its composition, we characterized the oropharyngeal microbiome of 18 healthy adults, sampled weekly over a 40-weeks using culture-independent molecular techniques. We detected nine phyla, 202 genera and 1438 assignments on OTU level, dominated by Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria on phylum level. Individual microbiomes of participants were characterized by levels of high alpha diversity (mean=204.55 OTUs, sd=35.64), evenness (19.83, sd=9.74) and high temporal stability (mean Pearson’s correlation between samples of 0.52, sd=0.060), with greater differences in microbiome community composition between than within individuals. Significant changes in community composition were associated with disease states, suggesting that it is possible to detect specific changes in OTU abundance and community composition during illness. We defined the common core microbiota by varying occurrence and abundance thresholds showing that individual core microbiomes share a substantial number of OTUs across participants, chiefly Streptococci and Veillonella. Our results provide insights into the microbial communities that characterize the healthy human oropharynx, community structure and variability, and provide new approaches to define individual and shared cores. The wider implications of this result include the potential for modelling the general dynamics of oropharynx microbiota both in health and in response to antimicrobial treatments or probiotics

Evaluating the association of physical activity and weight gain in pregnancy

Previous research has shown that physical activity in pregnancy decreases the risk of poor pregnancy outcomes including development of gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, and the need for unplanned cesarean section. Research has also shown that excessive weight gain in pregnancy increases the risk of poor pregnancy outcomes. Tracking accurate physical activity in pregnancy is difficult using patient-reported data, however with commercially available and accurate physical activity monitors, objective data is more readily available. Our study is a feasibility study using objective data to track physical activity and weight gain in pregnancy

Environmental and biological controls on Na∕Ca ratios in scleractinian cold-water corals

Here we present a comprehensive attempt to correlate aragonitic Na∕Ca ratios from Desmophyllum pertusum (formerly known as Lophelia pertusa), Madrepora oculata and a caryophylliid cold-water coral (CWC) species with different seawater parameters such as temperature, salinity and pH. Living CWC specimens were collected from 16 different locations and analyzed for their Na∕Ca ratios using solution- based inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) measurements.The results reveal no apparent correlation with salinity (30.1–40.57 g  kg−1) but a significant inverse correlation with temperature (−0.31±0.04  mmolmol−1∘C−1). Other marine aragonitic organisms such as Mytilus edulis (inner aragonitic shell portion) and Porites sp. exhibit similar results highlighting the consistency of the calculated CWC regressions. Corresponding Na∕Mg ratios show a similar temperature sensitivity to Na∕Ca ratios, but the combination of two ratios appears to reduce the impact of vital effects and domain-dependent geochemical variation. The high degree of scatter and elemental heterogeneities between the different skeletal features in both Na∕Ca and Na∕Mg, however, limit the use of these ratios as a proxy and/or make a high number of samples necessary. Additionally, we explore two models to explain the observed temperature sensitivity of Na∕Ca ratios for an open and semi-enclosed calcifying space based on temperature-sensitive Na- and Ca-pumping enzymes and transport proteins that change the composition of the calcifying fluid and consequently the skeletal Na∕Ca ratio