pre_text: NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (in thousands, except for share and per share data) NOTE 18 — Income Taxes Significant components of our deferred tax assets and liabilities are as follows:
table: As of December 31,
table: 2019 2018
table: Post-retirement benefits $1,100 $1,061
table: Inventory reserves 708 1,236
table: Loss carry-forwards 4,724 4,647
table: Credit carry-forwards 15,964 16,909
table: Accrued expenses 4,932 5,685
table: Research expenditures 17,953 16,847
table: Operating lease liabilities 6,211 —
table: Stock compensation 2,232 2,142
table: Foreign exchange loss 1,986 2,245
table: Other 230 207
table: Gross deferred tax assets 56,040 50,979
table: Depreciation and amortization 12,453 11,500
table: Pensions 13,552 11,736
table: Operating lease assets 5,963 —
table: Subsidiaries' unremitted earnings 1,903 1,258
table: Gross deferred tax liabilities 33,871 24,494
table: Net deferred tax assets 22,169 26,485
table: Deferred tax asset valuation allowance (8,011) (8,274)
table: Total net deferred tax assets $14,158 $18,211
question: Analyse this data from a financial earnings document. What was the change in Research expenditures between 2018 and 2019?