High-Dimensional Metrics in R

The package High-dimensional Metrics (\Rpackage{hdm}) is an evolving collection of statistical methods for estimation and quantification of uncertainty in high-dimensional approximately sparse models. It focuses on providing confidence intervals and significance testing for (possibly many) low-dimensional subcomponents of the high-dimensional parameter vector. Efficient estimators and uniformly valid confidence intervals for regression coefficients on target variables (e.g., treatment or policy variable) in a high-dimensional approximately sparse regression model, for average treatment effect (ATE) and average treatment effect for the treated (ATET), as well for extensions of these parameters to the endogenous setting are provided. Theory grounded, data-driven methods for selecting the penalization parameter in Lasso regressions under heteroscedastic and non-Gaussian errors are implemented. Moreover, joint/ simultaneous confidence intervals for regression coefficients of a high-dimensional sparse regression are implemented, including a joint significance test for Lasso regression. Data sets which have been used in the literature and might be useful for classroom demonstration and for testing new estimators are included. \R and the package \Rpackage{hdm} are open-source software projects and can be freely downloaded from CRAN: \texttt{http://cran.r-project.org}.Comment: 34 pages; vignette for the R package hdm, available at http://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/hdm/ and http://r-forge.r-project.org/R/?group_id=2084 (development version

Vision and Objectives

The purpose of Industry Day is to exchange information with industry to increase understanding of the Government's current vision and objectives for the xEVA Production and Services Contract. The presentation provides industry with the opportunity to provide input into the xEVAPS procurement strategy and encourage offerors to submit questions and comments. A technical overview of the xEVA System serves as the foundation for the content related to draft requirements in the SOW

Exploring Actual Social Support Using the Social Convoy Model to Assess the Impact on Depression in Adolescents

The current study set out to better understand the differences between availability of support and received support and explore the relation between social support and depression in late adolescents. One hundred and forty participants were recruited from a northwest suburb high school and a college from the eastern central part of Illinois. A social network was formed for each participant using a mapping technique from the Social Convoy Model. The received support measure, the UCLA Social Support Inventory, was used to assess the amount of received support participants identified from their social network. Participants completed the Late Adolescent Social Support Inventory to measure availability of support and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Revised to measure depression. The correlation between the CESD-R and the LASSI in both student samples were statistically significant; however other subscales for social network sizes and received subscales were inconsistently related to depression. A two (type of received support) by three (intimacy level) by two (sample; high school or college) repeated measure ANOVA was conducted on total received support and indicated significant main effects for level of intimacy and type of received support; as well as a significant 3-way interaction. Results from multiple stepwise regression analysis indicate that the LASSI was the best predictor of depression accounting for 29% of the high school variance and 21% of the college variance

The Indisputable Fact of the Baptism: The Problematic Consensus on John’s Baptism of Jesus

As there is now an emerging “Quest” for the historical John the Baptist, it is important to look at how previous quests have treated his baptism of Jesus. Often regarded as a virtually indisputable fact of history, the baptism is asserted almost blindly without any argumentation or with only a few minimal points in its favor. In this essay, the case for the baptism is briefly evaluated and found to be entirely lacking, hinged instead on problematic assumptions and errant uses of the criteria of authenticity. Disavowing these uses, there instead emerges a rather simple set of arguments in favor of the baptism being ahistorical. It is argued that we do not have enough evidence to find the baptism historical, which has drastic ramifications on those attempting to produce biographies of both Jesus and John

Direction of the Play: Another One

Another One Written and Directed by Chris Hansen, Spokane Falls Community College Theatre Department Produced November 2020 This project encompasses the selection, research, casting, production, and post-production process of the play, Another One, for Spokane Falls Community College Theatre Arts Department. Documentation includes: analysis of the play for our program, research, script analysis, scenic and technical challenges of our time, a record of the production period and a post-production evaluation

Multi-scale coarse-graining of diblock copolymer self-assembly: from monomers to ordered micelles

Starting from a microscopic lattice model, we investigate clustering, micellization and micelle ordering in semi-dilute solutions of AB diblock copolymers in a selective solvent. To bridge the gap in length scales, from monomers to ordered micellar structures, we implement a two-step coarse graining strategy, whereby the AB copolymers are mapped onto ``ultrasoft'' dumbells with monomer-averaged effective interactions between the centres of mass of the blocks. Monte Carlo simulations of this coarse-grained model yield clear-cut evidence for self-assembly into micelles with a mean aggregation number n of roughly 100 beyond a critical concentration. At a slightly higher concentration the micelles spontaneously undergo a disorder-order transition to a cubic phase. We determine the effective potential between these micelles from first principles.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Lett

Parents' beliefs and knowledge about the management of acute otitis media: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Acute otitis media is a common reason for antibiotic prescribing, despite strong evidence that antibiotics provide minimal benefit. Studies have demonstrated that patients’ (or parents’) expectations of antibiotics often influence general practitioners’ (GPs) decision to prescribe antibiotics, but few have explored parents’ expectations of the management of infections in children, or which factors influence the development of these expectations. This study aimed to explore parents’ knowledge and beliefs about the management of acute otitis media in children. METHODS: Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 parents of children who had recently presented to their GP with acute otitis media. Parents were recruited at childcare centres or playgroups in Brisbane, Australia. RESULTS: Many parents did not have an accurate understanding of what causes acute otitis media. GPs were primarily consulted for the management of symptoms such as pain and fever. Others specifically wanted reassurance or were concerned about hearing loss. Most parents assumed that antibiotics were the best treatment option. Parents’ perceptions about the best treatment were mainly based on their previous experience and the advice of the GP. Pain relief medications, such as paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, were not considered by parents to be sufficient treatment on their own. CONCLUSION: There is discrepancy between parents’ beliefs and expectations of management of acute otitis media and the evidence-based recommendations. This study provides insights into parents’ expectations of management of acute otitis media, which may help inform clinicians about perceptions and misperceptions that may be valuable to elicit and discuss

Preliminary results in working with molecular modeling software

In order to help facilitate the growing need for an understanding of periodic trends in molecules, an attempt was made to use a molecular modeling software package (ChemCad) to make a series of ab initio calculations of various properties of diaton1ic molecules. limitations of the package precluded calculations for strictly diatomic molecules, as well as precluding consecutive substitution of a large series of atoms into a larger molecule. This attempt does have significance in that it has allowed the physics department at Southern College to more effectively communicate with molecular modeling software developers and users

Pengaruh Keragaman Produk, Kualitas Produk, dan Promosi terhadap Keputusan Pembelian Mobil Hyundai pada PT Pionir Auto Mobil

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis pengaruh keragaman produk, kualitas produk, dan promosi terhadap keputusan pembelian mobil Hyundai pada PT Pionir Auto Mobil. Penelitian ini merupakan jenis deskriptif dengan pendekatan kuantitatif. Populasi yang akan digunakan adalah konsumen PT Pionir Auto Mobil yang jumlahnya sebanyak 355 orang, hal ini berdasarkan data penjualan pada tahun 2022. Teknik penentuan besar sampel dalam penelitian ini menggunakan rumus slovin dengan hasil perhitungan sebanyak 188 responden yang berdasarkan dengan pendekatan simple random sampling. Data dianalisis menggunakan model regresi linier berganda, dan SPSS digunakan sebagai pengolahan data untuk menguji uji kualitas data, uji asumsi klasik, uji pengaruh dan uji hipotesis. Analisis regresi linier berganda dapat menjelaskan bahwa keragaman produk dapat memberikan peningkatan kepada keputusan pembelian sebesar 21,6%. Kualitas produk produk dapat memberikan peningkatan kepada keputusan pembelian sebesar 30,8%. Promosi dapat memberikan peningkatan kepada keputusan pembelian sebesar 29,1%. Analisis koefisien determinasi (R2) mengatakan bahwa keragaman produk, kualitas produk dan promosi dapat menjelaskan keputusan pembelian sebesar 73,5% Temuan penelitian ini pada uji hipotesis menyiratkan bahwa keragaman produk, kualitas produk dan promosi secara parsial maupun secara simultan dapat berpengaruh positif dan signifikan terhadap keputusan pembelian mobil Hyundai pada PT Pionir Auto Mobil

News - North Georgia Technical College Blairsville Halloween Story Telling

The North Georgia Technical College Library is Blairsville hosted a Halloween-themed storytelling event for students, faculty, and staff