In this thesis, we study the estimation of the nonlinear conditionalrisk-neutral density function (RND) in discrete time. Specifically, weevaluate the extent to which the estimated nonlinear conditional RNDvaluable insights to answer relevant economic questions regarding to optionpricing, the measurement of invertors' preferences and portfolio choice.We make use of large dataset of options contracts written on the S&P 500index from 1996 to 2011, to estimate the parameters of the conditional RNDfunctions by minimizing the squared option pricing errors delivered by thenonlinear models studied in the thesis.In the first essay, we show that a semi-nonparametric option pricing modelwith GARCH variance outperforms several benchmarks models in-sample andout-of-sample. In the second essay, we show that a simple two-state regimeswitching model in volatility is not able to fully account for the pricingkernel and the risk aversion puzzle; however, it provides a reasonablecharacterisation of the time-series properties of the estimated riskaversion.In the third essay, we evaluate linear stochastic discount factormodels using an out-of-sample financial metric. We find that multifactormodels outperform the CAPM when this metric is used, and that modelsproducing the best fit in-sample are also those exhibiting the bestperformance out-of-sample.

The United States is a nation of peoples with highly stratified degrees of healthcare access and coverage, including many individuals with none at all. Exacerbating the problem of widespread health disparities is a persistent shortage of physicians over recent decades. Of most urgency is the need for doctors within already underserved minority communities. Extant research demonstrates that a more racially diverse student body can effectively address the nation's physician shortage and gross health disparities. Yet, the pool of future physicians of color relative to the increasingly racially diverse U.S. population remains incongruent. For medical school admissions committees, this is a formidable challenge, made ever more difficult by legal affronts to affirmative action in postsecondary admissions. Accordingly, the "disadvantaged status" prompt was inserted into the U.S. medical school application as a race-neutral mechanism with potential to help cull a more racially diverse medical student body. This project addresses the interface of minorities with the "disadvantaged status" essay, as there is a relative paucity of literature on the point of entry to medical school, particularly exploring the voices of applicants of color. Utilizing a Critical Race Theory (CRT) framework, this study expands the existing literature involving: (a) the history of minorities in U.S. medical school and the medical community's response to the stark and persistent absence of diversity among medical students and practitioners; (b) affirmative action in higher education and the race-neutral admissions trend; and (c) the enduring construct of "disadvantage" in regard to minorities within the U.S. education system.

Sendo as interrupções, os afundamentos de tensão e as sobretensões distúrbios de Qualidade de Energia Elétrica (QEE) com potencial de grande impacto econômico, estudos que procuram alternativas de mitigação de seus efeitos ou prevenção de sua ocorrência têm sido amplamente realizados nas últimas décadas. Uma das metodologias de avaliação de sua ocorrência é realizada pela predição, que geralmente se concentra em simulações de faltas em parcelas de sistemas elétricos de potência. Nos Procedimentos de Distribuição de Energia Elétrica no Sistema Elétrico Nacional (PRODIST), encontra-se a denominação geral de Variações de Tensão de Curta Duração (VTCD) para estes três tipos de distúrbios, os quais podem ser classificados tanto por sua magnitude quanto por sua duração. Nesse contexto, este trabalho avalia pela predição a influência exercida pela conexão e o aterramento do neutro de transformadores trifásicos nas quantidades de VTCD, especialmente de afundamentos de tensão, e no valor do índice Fator de Impacto (FI) do PRODIST, que são observados em um nó com conexão a um consumidor industrial Realizam-se estudos de caso sobre um sistema de potência simulado no software Alternative Transients Program (ATP), o qual possui dois transformadores em sua rede: um transformador da subestação e outro na entrada do nó do consumidor industrial. Consideram-se duas conexões possíveis para o transformador de entrada, e aplica-se uma resistência de aterramento para o neutro de ambos os transformadores em cada caso, alteram-se o seu valor. Verificam-se as tensões no nó do consumidor industrial de duas formas diferentes: tensões fase-terra e tensões fase-fase. Observa-se, assim, que há diferenças para estas quantidades e para o valor do FI devidas à forma de conexão do transformador de entrada, valor da resistência de aterramento de neutro de ambos os transformadores e formas de verificação das tensões. / Since interruptions, voltage sags and overvoltages are Power Quality (PQ) disturbances with great economic impact potential, studies that seek alternatives to mitigate its effects or to prevent its occurrence have been done widely in the last decades. One of the methodologies to assess its occurrence is performed by prediction, which usually focuses on power systems fault simulations. In the Brazilian norm of PQ, there is the general designation short duration voltage variation (VTCD) for these three types of disturbances, which are classified both in terms of magnitude and duration. In this context, this work assess by the prediction the influence of three-phase transformers winding connection and neutral grounding in the quantities of VTCD, especially voltage sags, and in the index value Impact Factor (FI) of the Brazilian regulation standard, which are observed in a node with connection to an industrial consumer. The case studies are performed on a simulated power system in the Alternative Transients Program (ATP), which has two transformers in its network: one substation transformer and another at entrance of the industrial consumer node. Two possible winding connections are considered for the entrance transformer, and a ground resistance is applied to the neutral of both transformers in each case, being changed their value. Voltages in the industrial consumer node are verified by two different ways: phase-to-ground voltages and phase-to-phase voltages. It is observed that there are differences for these quantities and for the value of the FI due to the winding connection of the entrance transformer, the value of the neutral ground resistance of both transformers and the ways of voltage verification.

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(理学) / 甲第22986号 / 理博第4663号 / 新制||理||1669(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院理学研究科物理学・宇宙物理学専攻 / (主査)教授 松田 祐司, 教授 石田 憲二, 准教授 笠原 裕一 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(理学) / 甲第23403号 / 理博第4738号 / 新制||理||1679(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院理学研究科物理学・宇宙物理学専攻 / (主査)教授 中家 剛, 准教授 田島 治, 准教授 成木 恵 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医学) / 甲第23470号 / 医博第4777号 / 新制||医||1053(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻 / (主査)教授 大森 孝一, 教授 平井 豊博, 教授 安達 泰治 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain affects millions of Americans every day. Research shows that using different coping strategies (e.g. catastrophizing, coping self-statement and prayer) has differential impacts on pain outcomes. One of these coping mechanisms, prayer, has been examined less frequently than others perhaps because there is currently only one measure of prayer as a coping mechanism for pain, the Prayer/ Hope subscale of the Coping Strategies Questionnaire-Revised (CSQ-R). The latter, however, is an incomplete representation of prayer practices and hence the CSQ-R only offers a narrow measure of prayer. Recent research has characterized the CSQ-R as measuring prayer in a passive nature, which may be associated with poor pain outcomes. This measure does not include an active style of prayer. Furthermore, the evolution of research characterizing the petitionary content of prayer has resulted in substantive data revealing the contrasting dimensions of the prayer content with opposite reported outcomes. Thus, there is the need for a more comprehensive measure of prayer related to pain which clearly delineates the petitionary content of prayer. The current gap in the literature highlighted the beneficial nature of certain types of prayer for pain management and also the importance of the target to which the prayer is directed but noted that there exist no validated measures of pain-related prayer types. The aim of this study is to develop and validate a new measure of the use of prayer amongst people who experience pain, the Pain related PRAYERS (PPRAYERS) questionnaire. METHODS: An interim data analysis was performed of 42 adult participants with chronic pain who use prayer as a means to cope with their pain who completed a battery of questionnaires including the Brief Pain Inventory, PPRAYERS, Duke University Religion Index (DUREL), Coping Strategies Questionnaire-Revised (CSQ-R) and Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS).The population analyzed represented a fraction of an estimated target sample of 100 participants for this phase of the research. In order to assess the factor structure of PPRAYERS, two principal component analysis factor analyses were conducted on the Pain Related Prayer Questionnaire (PPRAYERS). In addition, bivariate correlations between the identified factors of PPRAYERS and other known pain-related psychosocial measures were examined to assess convergent and discriminant validity of the questionnaire. RESULTS: An interim, exploratory principal component analysis yielded six factors, active prayer, passive prayer, neutral prayer, along with three other factors that were atheoretical and accounted for 77% variance. However, based on our a priori theory (i.e. three types of prayer: active, passive and neutral) as well as minimal variance accounted for by the other three atheoretical factors, a follow up analysis of a three-factor model was performed and accounted for 58% variance. There was good convergent validity between the DUREL and the active prayer subscale of the PPRAYERS questionnaire. There was also good discriminant validity between the PCS and all subscales on the PPRAYERS questionnaire. CONCLUSION: According to these preliminary data, the PPRAYERS measure is comprised of three distinct factors: active, passive, and neutral prayer and is associated with pain and other pain-related factors. This study and the creation of PPRAYERS lays the foundation for additional studies evaluating the benefit of active, passive and neutral prayer in the treatment of chronic pain especially in patients open to religious, spiritual or meditative-based coping strategies. / 2023-12-02T00:00:00Z

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Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / Rehabilitation of edentulous jaws without the option of osseointegrating implants will remain the only treatment option within reach of many older patients for the foreseeable future. Many routine prosthodontic procedures are based on dogmas, because no high-level scientific evidence exists to either accept or reject them, among these is the “neutral zone” (NZ) concept. In spite of paucity of evidence using approved patient-based outcome instruments, it is generally agreed that the NZ should be respected when constructing complete dentures. The purpose of this research project was to determine how shapes of conventional and NZ mandibular dentures differ, and if the two different types of dentures impact differently on oral health–related quality of life by using an accepted oral health-related quality of life instrument as a patient-based outcome. Thirty nine edentulous patients were selected for his prospective, randomised, cross-over, single-blinded clinical trial. Two sets of complete dentures were made for each patient. One denture set was made following conventional biometric guidelines for determining the position of the mandibular posterior denture teeth in relation to the ridge; another set was made following a functional impression of the potential denture space. Each set of dentures was worn for at least two months. A similar number of types of dentures were delivered first. Widths of residual ridges and mandibular denture arches were measured using digital measuring software. Position of denture teeth was related to the ridge. Denture dimensions were compared by means of analysis of variance using the mixed procedure. Using formula of parabola, arch-widths were compared using paired t-tests. Pre- and post-treatment patient feedback was obtained by means of the 20-item Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-20) and a preference score. Treatment effect size (ES) was established based on the OHIP-20 scores. Relevant associations among denture dimensions, OHIP-20 scores, preference, age, gender, marital status, education, income, period of edentulousness, and quality of denture-bearing tissue were done using the generalised linear model and correlation analysis. For all statistical analysis, level of significance was determined at p<0.05. The mean age of the sample was 62.3 years. Twenty four patients were female. Mean period of edentulousness was 31 years and mean number of denture sets worn prior to the trial was 2.5. Except for the canine region, NZ dentures were statistically wider than anatomic dentures. The difference in mean widths between the two types of dentures was larger for female patients. Older patients had smaller differences in denture dimensions. More unfavourable denture-bearing tissue was associated with a larger difference in the two types of dentures. Both types of mandibular dentures significantly improved the OHRQoL of patients. Both types of dentures had a high treatment ES. The OHIP-20 instrument could not distinguish a statistical difference in impact on OHRQoL between the two treatment options. There was a minute difference in treatment ES between the two types of treatment. The only domain representing a small clinical benefit between NZ and anatomic dentures was “physical pain”, with the NZ dentures scoring better. There was no correlation between pre- and post-treatment scores for both types of dentures. No significant associations were found between post-treatment OHIP- 20 scores on the one hand and tissue scores, gender, age, education, marital status, period of edentulousness and denture dimension differences on the other hand. Based on OHIP-20 scores, there was a significant association between denture preference and NZ dentures, but not for the other preferences. No significant associations were found between denture preferences on the one hand and tissue scores, gender, age, period of edentulousness and denture dimension differences on the other hand. Even though no significant relationship was found between preference and gender, the majority of female patients preferred the NZ denture and the majority of male patients did not express a preference.Providing new complete dentures improved OHRQoL of edentulous patients. The majority of female patients preferred the NZ compared over the ANA denture. The NZ technique appeared to have a higher positive impact on OHRQoL of female patients compared to male patients.

I denna studie har samhällskunskapslärares förhållningsätt till Sverigedemokraterna undersökts. Syftet med studien har varit att undersöka hur gymnasielärare i samhällskunskap förhåller sig till Sverigedemokraterna och säger sig undervisa om partiet. Studien är en kvalitativ intervjustudie, i vilken fyra lärare har intervjuats. Det teoretiska ramverk som applicerats har baserats på två ideal­typer av lärares förhållningssätt till politiska frågor, vilka Ásgeir Tryggvason har definierat. Ideal­typerna som Tryggvason definierat är neutral och objektiv, men i studiens ramverk har även be­greppet ställningstagande adderats. Neutral åsyftar lärare som inte tar ställning i undervisningen, ob­jektiv avser lärare som tar ställning men som nyanserar sin hållning, medan ställningstagande lärare tar ställning utan att söka nyansera sin hållning djupgående. Studiens resultat visar att de intervjuade lärarna anammat olika förhållningssätt till Sverige­demokraterna, och de har sagt sig undervisa om partiet på olika vis. Ramarna för under­visningen är emellertid likartade, men lärarnas beskrivna roll i undervisningen skiljer sig åt. Re­sultatet tyder vidare på att lärarnas förhållningssätt till partiet är personligt kopplat och influeras av deras åsikter. Samtliga lärare har emellertid uttryckt ambitioner om att låta eleverna skapa sin egen upp­fattning om partiet och önskade därvidlag inte att påverka eleverna i någon riktning. Utifrån studiens resultat förefaller lärarnas åsikter ha en inverkan på förhållningssätt och undervisning. Lärarna i studien framhöll att partiet kan ses som kontroversiellt i en skolkontext, även om de likaledes upplevde att partiet har normaliserats i skolan under de senaste åren. Resultatet tyder på att Sverigedemokraterna kan inneha en viss särställning i lärarnas undervisning och det framkommer olika strategier för att nyansera undervisningen om partiet.