Thesis advisor: Robert Murphy / This study proposes several causes that may explain why NCAA Division I athletes graduate at a lower rate than regular students. The main tradeoff that I examine in this paper is how the academic quality of a school affects student-athletes’ chances of succeeding relative to the rest of the student body. We pinpoint the underlying causes of this graduation gap between regular students and student-athletes, leading us to suggest policies to improve the future academic success of NCAA athletes. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2015. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Departmental Honors. / Discipline: Economics.

Thesis advisor: Fabio Ghironi / This paper examines the likelihood that the United States would engage in a policy of exchange rate stabilization with the EMU. First, it examines the history of the exchange rate regimes in the United States and a review of literature on exchange rate theories. From a historical perspective, most literature and prominent economic theories focus on the Milton Friedman proposal of floating exchange rate regimes. Just as floating exchange rates were gaining prominence in the United States during the 1970s, European countries were attempting to compose a currency union which took the form of the European Monetary System in the late 1970s and eventually evolved into Europe’s Economic and Monetary Union which completed its last stage of development January 1, 1999. The importance of fixed exchange rate regimes and theories, most notably, Robert Mundell’s Theory of Optimal Currency Area is highlighted. In addition, the paradigm arguments on the relation between trade integration and synchronization of business cycles are discussed utilizing Paul Krugman and Tony Venables’ specialization hypothesis (1996) and comparing it to Jeffrey Frankel and Andrew Rose’ endogeneity hypothesis (1998). Second, this analysis shows that the United States’ economy is at a critical point in time in which it must reevaluate its stance on floating exchange rates. Particular attention is paid to current economic conditions in the United States and the EMU such as: the purchasing power of the euro with respect to the U.S. dollar, the recent decline of the dollar, the lackluster performance of the EMU with regard to some macroeconomic variables, and the profligate spending by the U.S. government which has contributed to the tremendous budget deficit. Third, this paper analyzes six properties of optimal currency area criteria: degree of economic openness, trade integration and similarity of economic structure, financial market integration, synchronization of business cycles, price flexibility, and mobility of labor as a factor of production. The countries of France and Germany are utilized as benchmarks (if they satisfy the criterion) against which the United States and EMU are compared. The time periods of (1946-1972) and (1973-2003) are utilized to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of various exchange rate regimes and to try and shed light on the endogeneity hypothesis and specialization hypothesis. This thesis concludes that France and Germany failed to satisfy certain OCA criteria such as business cycle synchronization, price flexibility, and mobility of labor as a factor of production. Although France and Germany did not fulfill all of the OCA properties, the United States and the EMU appear to be farther from optimality, only satisfying mobility of labor as a factor of production. Finally, according to this paper neither the endogeneity hypothesis nor the specialization hypothesis dominates. Therefore, the United States should not stabilize rates with the EMU because it will most likely incur greater costs than benefits since it does not form an optimal currency area with the EMU. Intermediate exchange rate policies should be evaluated and further research conducted to enhance OCA criteria and make it a more scientific and effective tool for policymakers. The findings of this paper shed light on the history of exchange rate regimes, exchange rate theories, and current economic conditions that warrant a reevaluation of the United States’ foreign exchange rate position while at the same time indicating which characteristics of the U.S. economy satisfy optimality and emphasizing the importance of further research in this field. / Thesis (BS) — Boston College, 2005. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Economics. / Discipline: College Honors Program.

Thesis advisor: Georg Strasser / Exchange Rate Pass Through (ERPT) is the percentage change in a destination country’s import price given a percentage change in the exchange rate. A complete ERPT occurs when import price decreases by the same percentage as the depreciation of the exporting country’s currency and vice versa. In this paper I analyze ERPT in large and small open economies, and hypothesize that as destination economy size gets larger, ERPT will decrease. Reasons I provide to support this hypothesis are: the import share of exporters in destination economies, the demand elasticity that foreign exporters face, and the proportion of consumer demand to world demand that the foreign exporter faces. I find, with statistical significance, that ERPT decreases as the destination economy size increases. The main reason attributed to this inverse relationship is the import share of foreign exporters in destination economies. As import share of the foreign exporter increases, ERPT increases within those destination economies. Since foreign exporters have a higher chance of establishing a large import share in small economies than in large economies, they have a better chance of passing through exchange rate changes into destination country prices. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2011. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Economics Honors Program. / Discipline: Economics.

Thesis advisor: Robert Murphy / In order for the Euro to be successful over time, certain conditions must be satisfied. First, the economies of the countries need to be similar so that a policy change does not cripple certain economies when it attempts to help others. Therefore, convergence among the interest rates of the different countries will be tested. Also, since the Euro has removed the individual monetary policies, the countries only have fiscal policy to use for stabilization of their economies. Provisions have been in place to prevent countries from overspending, which creates pressure for devaluation of the Euro. This paper will provide evidence that these countries have shown convergence in their economies since the inception of the Euro. It will also explore the literature surrounding the opinions about the role of fiscal policy. Together, these two topics will be used to support the belief that the Euro will be sustained in the future. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2007. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Economics Honors Program.

A saúde das crianças menores de 5 anos é um dos problemas mais críticos que se enfrenta na Região das Américas. A mortalidade na infância é ainda um grande desafio para a maioria das regiões do nosso País. Este estudo tem como objetivo analisar a mortalidade na infância no município de Franca no ano de 2002,comparando-a com os dados obtidos no município na Investigação de 1968/70. Foram estudados 76 óbitos de crianças menores de 5 anos, ocorridos no município de Franca no período de 1 de janeiro a 31 de dezembro de 2002, residentes na zona urbana, excluindo os óbitos ocorridos fora do município ou do Estado, utilizando as informações das declarações de óbito, do Sistema de Informação de Mortalidade, do Sistema de Informação de Nascimentos da Vigilância Epidemiológica, e do Comitê de Mortalidade Infantil, da Secretaria Municipal de Saúde de Franca e dos inquéritos domiciliares. As variáveis estudadas foram idade, sexo, causas básicas e associadas de óbito, peso ao nascer, tipo de parto, fatores biológicos associados como (idade materna, duração da gestação e tipo de gestação), assistência médica, necropsias, local de ocorrência da morte e alguns fatores sócio-econômicos como, grau de instrução e ocupação da mãe. O processamento dos dados foi efetuado pelo programa Epi-info 6 e planilha Excel 2000. As análises foram feitas através da distribuição dos óbitos segundo as diferentes variáveis e dos coeficientes dos óbitos por idade, causas básicas e associadas, sexo, tipo de parto e peso ao nascer. O coeficiente de mortalidade na infância decresceu de 19,40/mil Hab. em 1968/70 para 2,83/mil Hab.em 2002, assim como o CMI de 71,5/mil NV para 12,71/mil NV.Ambos os componentes da mortalidade infantil: o neonatal (36,9/mil NV para 10,69/mil NV) e o pós-neonatal (34,6/mil NV para 2,02/mil NV), foram reduzidos, embora o componente de maior redução tenha sido o pós-neonatal. A maioria dos óbitos infantis ocorreu no período neonatal, principalmente no neonatal precoce, nas crianças com menos de 37 semanas (73,02%), em crianças com baixo peso ao nascer (77,7%), do sexo masculino (57,14%) e que nasceram através de parto normal (61,90%). A mortalidade no período de 1 à 4 anos esteve relacionada com escolaridade inferior a 7 anos de estudo (69,23%) e renda inferior a 2 salários mínimos (76,93%). Em 2002 os 2 principais grupos de causas básicas foram as afecções perinatais e as más formações congênitas. Já em 1968/70 os 2 principais grupos foram as doenças infecciosas e as afecções perinatais. As afecções perinatais que ocupavam o 2o. lugar como causa básica 24,0/mil NV) e associada (40,3/mil NV) de morte de menores de 1 ano em 1968/70, passa a ocupar o 1o. lugar como causa básica (8,8/mil NV) e associadas (16,34/mil NV), mostrando coeficientes bem menores em 2002. Apesar do decréscimo no coeficiente por doenças respiratórias de 7,9/mil NV para 1,01/mil NV estas continuam a ocupar o 3o. lugar como causa básica, tanto dos óbitos infantis (1,01/mil NV), quanto nos óbitos de 1 a 4 anos (0,046/mil NV). As causas principais no período de 1 a 4 anos, foram as doenças do sistema nervoso e causas externas, bem diferente de 1968/70, onde eram as doenças infecciosas e parasitárias e as deficiências nutricionais. Constatou-se também que a prematuridade e os transtornos respiratórios e cardiovasculares específicos do período perinatal foram as causas associadas mais freqüentes dos óbitos infantis (82,92%). As doenças infecciosas e parasitárias que em 1968/70 ocupavam o 1o.lugar em causa de morte infantil (28,3/mil NV), passam a não ocorrer como causa básica e, como associada é mínima (0,61/mil NV), vale ainda ressaltar que não ocorreu nenhum caso de diarréia, sarampo ou deficiências nutricionais como causa básica. Esta análise indica que a redução do CMI se deve principalmente às custas da queda da mortalidade pós-neonatal, com resultados apontando a importância do baixo peso ao nascer e da prematuridade, como os maiores determinantes da mortalidade infantil. / The health of children younger than 5 years old is one of the most critical problems faced in the American region. Child mortality is still a challenge for the majority of the Brazilian regions. This study aimed to analyze child mortality in the City of Franca-Brazil in the year of 2002, comparing it with the data obtained in the city’s inquiry of 1968/70. 76 cases of deaths in children younger than 5 years of age were studied. They happened in Franca, from January 1st to December 31st of the year 2002, with residents of the urban zone, excluding deaths occurred outside the city or the state, using the informations on the declarations of death, the System of Information of Mortality, the System of Information of Births of the Monitoring Epidemiologist, the Committee of Infant Mortality, the Municipal Department of health of Franca, complementary examinations and inquiries domiciliary were also used. The variables studied were age, sex, basic and associated causes of death, weight at birth, type of childbirth, associate biological factors (such as mother age, duration of the gestation and kind of gestation), medical assistance, autopsies, the place the death occurred and some partner-economic factors such as degree of mother instruction and occupation. Data processing was done with the programs Epiinfo 6 and Excel 2000. The analysis was made by the distribution of deaths according to the different variables and coefficients of death by age, basic and associated causes of death, sex, type of childbirth and weight at birth. The rates of child mortality decreased from 19,40‰ hab. in 1968/70 to 2,83‰ hab. in 2002, as well as the CMI from 71,5‰ NV to 12,71‰ NV. Both components of infant mortality – neonatal (36,9‰ NV to 10,69‰ NV) and post neonatal (34,6‰ NV to 2,02‰ NV) –were reduced, although the component of highestreduction was the post neonatal.Most infant deaths happened during the neonatal period, mainly in the precocious neonatal, in children with less than 37 weeks (73,02%), with low weight at rising (77,7%), of masculine sex (57,14%) and who had been born through normal childbirth (61,90%). Mortality in the period between 1 and 4 years of age was related to mother schooling inferior to 7 years of study (69,23%) and income smaller than 2 minimum wages (76,93%). The 2 main groups of basic causes were the perinatal causes and congenital malformations. However, in 1968/70, the two main groups had been the infectious diseases and the perinatal causes. The perinatal causes, which stood in second place (24,0‰ NV) as a basic and associated cause (40,3‰ NV) of death in infants younger than 1 year old in 1968/70, now reached first place (8,8‰ NV), although it´s coefficient is much smaller in 2002. Despite the decrease in the rates for respiratory causes from 7,9‰ NV to 1,01‰ NV, they still occupy third place in basic cause, in both infant deaths (1,01‰ NV) and deaths of children aging between 1 and 4 years (0,046‰ NV). The main causes in the period of 1 to 4 years are the nervous system causes and external causes, well different of 1968/70, where they were the infectious and parasitic illnesses and the nutritious deficiencies. It was also evidenced that the prematurity and specific respiratory and cardiovascular upheavals of the perinatal period had been the most frequent associated causes of infant deaths (82,92%). The infectious and parasitic causes, which, in 1968/70, occupied the first place in infant mortality cause (28,3/mil NV), no longer occur as basic causes and, are minimum as associated causes (0,61/mil NV). It is important to stand out that there were no cases of diarrhea, measles or nutritious deficiencies as basic causes. This analysis indicates that the reduction of the CMI is mainly due to the decrease of post neonatal mortality, with results point the importance of low weight at birth and the prematurity, as the biggest causes of infant mortality.

利率模型廣泛應用於利率衍生品的定價。為了吻合實證利率的分佈和隱含波動率，一種可能的辦法是用Lévy過程替換Hull- White模型中的布朗隨機變量的利率模型，但是這種方法很難實施。本文建立了一種有效的網絡數值方法對利率進行估測。利用Lévy過程的馬爾可夫性質， FFT網絡實質上是多項樹模型的擴展。這種數值方法的優勢在於一直固定不變的狀態點，對現時利率期限結構的超級校準以及基於對Lévy過程的特徵方程的快速傅裡葉變換(FFT) 去恢復概率密度函數以實現轉移概率的計算過程。這種網絡數值方法對利率衍生品的定價與利率樹類似。對利率上限期權和交換期權的解析解和數值解的比較表明網絡數值方法是準確和有效的。FFT網絡還可以對百慕達式利率交換期權以及美式期權進行定價。最後， FFT網絡被擴展去適應路徑依賴變量，因此，能對利率依賴的結構性票據進行定價，比如目標贖回票據和範團積息結構票據。 / Short rate models are widely used in valuing interest rate derivatives. To fit empirical distribution of interest rates and implied volatility, a possible way is to replace Brownian motion by a Lévy process in short rate models. However, this approach is difficult to implement. This thesis establishes an efficient network approach for interest rate valuation. The FFT-network is essentially an extension of multinomial tree model, taking advantage of the Markov property of Lévy processes. Its fixed and unchanged states at all time, super-calibration ability to the current term structure, and elegant computation procedure for transition probabilities using the fast Fourier transform (FFT) from the characteristic function of Lévy processes make it attractive and distinct from other numerical methods. The interest rate derivatives value is determined in a way similar to that of the tree approach. The comparison between the closed-form solution of interest rate caplets and swaptions and the numerical results under the network demonstrates that the proposed network is accurate and efficient. In addition, the FFT-network can also be used to pricing the Bermudan swaption and American-style option. Finally, the FFT-network is expanded to accommodate path-dependent variables, and hence can be used for pricing some path-dependent structured notes, such as the target redemption notes and range of accrual notes. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Xu, Zhuolu. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 91-93). / Abstracts also in Chinese. / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 2 --- Preliminaries --- p.4 / Chapter 2.1 --- Elementary techniques --- p.4 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Characteristic function --- p.4 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Cumulant generating function --- p.5 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Fourier Transform --- p.6 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) --- p.8 / Chapter 2.2 --- Lévy Processes --- p.10 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Definition --- p.10 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Lévy-Khintchine --- p.11 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Lévy Processes in Interest Rate --- p.13 / Chapter 2.3 --- Hull-White Model --- p.13 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Model setup --- p.14 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Interest rate caps --- p.15 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- European Swaptions --- p.16 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- A Tree-building procedure --- p.19 / Chapter 3 --- HW-Lévy Model --- p.20 / Chapter 3.1 --- Model Setup --- p.20 / Chapter 3.2 --- The Characteristic Function --- p.22 / Chapter 3.3 --- Analytic result on interest rate derivatives --- p.26 / Chapter 4 --- Valuation: FFT Network Model --- p.35 / Chapter 4.1 --- Drawbacks of Tree Approach --- p.35 / Chapter 4.2 --- FFT Network Setup --- p.37 / Chapter 4.3 --- Transition Probability Matrix --- p.38 / Chapter 4.4 --- Yield Curve Fitting --- p.42 / Chapter 4.5 --- Pricing Algorithm under FFT Network --- p.45 / Chapter 4.5.1 --- European Interest Rate Derivatives Pricing --- p.45 / Chapter 4.5.2 --- Bermudan Interest Rate Derivatives Pricing --- p.49 / Chapter 5 --- Extended FFT Network for Path-dependent Structured Notes --- p.55 / Chapter 5.1 --- Extended FFT-netwok --- p.55 / Chapter 5.2 --- Target Redemption Notes (TARN) --- p.61 / Chapter 6 --- Numerical Study --- p.69 / Chapter 6.1 --- Numerical Scheme --- p.69 / Chapter 6.2 --- Numerical Examples --- p.74 / Chapter 7 --- Conclusion --- p.89 / Bibliography --- p.91

Wong, Tsz-Lim. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 48-51). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 2 --- Reduced-Form Model --- p.5 / Chapter 2.1 --- Information and Probabilistic Framework --- p.6 / Chapter 2.2 --- Poisson and Cox Process --- p.6 / Chapter 2.3 --- The Building Blocks of Pricing --- p.8 / Chapter 2.4 --- Comparing the Recovery Models --- p.10 / Chapter 3 --- General Equilibrium Model --- p.12 / Chapter 3.1 --- State Variables --- p.12 / Chapter 3.2 --- Investment Opportunities --- p.14 / Chapter 3.3 --- Preferences --- p.15 / Chapter 3.4 --- The Term Structure of Defaultable Bonds --- p.17 / Chapter 4 --- Methodologies --- p.24 / Chapter 5 --- SNP and EMM --- p.27 / Chapter 5.1 --- SNP Density --- p.27 / Chapter 5.2 --- EMM Estimation --- p.29 / Chapter 6 --- Empirical Results --- p.31 / Chapter 6.1 --- Data Description --- p.31 / Chapter 6.2 --- Estimation Results --- p.33 / Chapter 7 --- Conclusion --- p.42 / Chapter A --- Extended Nelson and Siegel Model --- p.44 / Chapter B --- Moment-Matching of the CIR Model --- p.46 / Bibliography --- p.48

Lam, Yu Fung. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 40-43). / Abstract also in Chinese. / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 2 --- Methodology --- p.6 / Chapter 2.1 --- Brownian Motion --- p.6 / Chapter 2.2 --- Reflected Brownian Motion --- p.8 / Chapter 2.3 --- Partially Reflected Brownian Motion --- p.11 / Chapter 3 --- Numerical Analysis --- p.15 / Chapter 3.1 --- Comparison of RBM and PRBM --- p.15 / Chapter 3.2 --- Initial state far from the boundaries --- p.17 / Chapter 3.3 --- Initial state close to a boundary --- p.17 / Chapter 4 --- A Study of the USD/HKD Exchange Rate --- p.23 / Chapter 4.1 --- Data Description --- p.23 / Chapter 4.2 --- Testing for the Mean-reverting Property --- p.25 / Chapter 4.3 --- Testing for Decreasing Volatility near the Boundaries --- p.27 / Chapter 4.4 --- Estimation Results --- p.27 / Chapter 5 --- Conclusion --- p.31 / Chapter A --- Derivation of MLE estimator --- p.33 / Chapter B --- Numerical Laplace Inversion --- p.35 / Chapter C --- Augmented Dickey-Fuller Test --- p.39 / Bibliography --- p.40

This dissertation examines the relation between occupational exposure to the solvent methylene chloride and mortality in a cohort of cellulose fiber production workers. The first paper, entitled The Mortality of Cellulose Fiber Production Workers, presents the main results of the mortality follow-up of the cellulose fiber workers cohort through September 1, 1986. Mortality from neoplastic and non-neoplastic disease among cellulose fiber production workers is compared to that of the U.S. and local (county level) populations, while controlling for the effects of gender, race, calendar period, and age. Mortality from cancers of the lung, breast, and pancreas, and ischemic heart disease was less than expected. Excess mortality was observed for melanoma of the skin, cancer of the buccal cavity and pharynx, tumors of the liver and biliary tract, and accidental deaths. Three deaths from cancer of the bile ducts were observed (3 observed, 0.15 expected, SMR=20). This is the first known report of an association between exposure to methylene chloride and cancer of the bile ducts. [TRUNCATED]

This study is concerned with the pre-marital environmental factors that might influence the declining birth rate among college women. There have been some studies made on this subject, but none of them has taken into consideration so many variables, to the writer's knowledge, as are recognized in this survey.