The Tohono O'odham Nation of southern Arizona and northern Sonora Mexico has two distinct and distinctive cultural, social, political and federal histories. The American government politically acknowledges one group while the other is entrenched in Mexican social policy that regards Indigenous peoples as equals to the Mestizo population known as campesinos or peasants. The Sonoran Tohono O'odham community of Al Pi'ichkin or Pitiquito, Sonora, Mexico, has managed to persist and survive into the twenty first century despite the presence of an international boundary and the assimilative efforts of Mexican socio-federal Indian policy.This is an exploration of the issue of cultural continuity within the community of Pitiquito, Sonora Mexico via the following eight themes which emerged from my field work: the oral tradition; kinship; tradition and modernity in 2007; the Feast of St. Francis at Magdalena de Kino; nationalism; importance of photography; identity; and cultural persistence. The final ceramic mural along with the accompanying essay will constitute my Ph.D. dissertation project.

自從Sloan (1996)以後，後續研究關於應計有較低盈餘持續性現象之解釋可分為成長因素和會計扭曲。本研究運用Fairfield et al. (2003)與Richardson et al. (2006)之模型擬針對此兩種解釋提出直接的證據，以探討該現象可否完全由成長因素解釋，且在不同成長機會本質下其解釋能力是否仍相同。實證結果發現在Fairfield et al. (2003)之模型下，若控制當期獲利水準，淨營業資產成長和次期資產報酬率會呈負相關，若進一步將淨營業資產區分為應計和長期淨營業資產成長後，發現兩者皆與次期資產報酬率呈相同的負相關，表示成長因素確實是造成應計有較低盈餘持續性的原因。而在Richardson et al. (2006)之模型下，實證結果發現若控制當期獲利水準，並將總營業應計拆解為代表經濟成長特性的「成長要素」和代表暫時性會計扭曲的「要率要素」後，發現兩者皆和次期淨營業資產報酬率呈負相關，且效率要素之負相關程度顯著的大於成長要素。表示成長因素雖可部分解釋應計之較低盈餘持續性現象，但顯然暫時性會計扭曲才是主要原因。另外，本研究為驗證成長機會對盈餘持續性之影響，再進一步將樣本依成長機會之高低分為三群，測試後發現無論在何種成長機會本質下，效率要素的負相關程度還是大於成長要素。表示即使考量不同成長機會因素後，成長因素解釋應計有較低盈餘持續性的能力還是不足暫時性會計扭曲。

This dissertation presents a new measure of U.S. inflation persistence from the point of view of a professional forecaster. In chapter 2 I explore two different measures that give insight into the views of professional forecasters and link their views with U.S. inflation data. One of these measures, given by the persistence implied by forecast revisions, appears to have similarities with actual inflation persistence over the 1981–2008 sample period. Chapter 3 explores forecast revisions in a more general setting allowing forecasters to have their own views on inflation persistence as well as a unique information set. This chapter builds a measure of perceived inflation persistence via the implied autocorrelation function that follows from the estimates obtained using a forecaster-specific state-space model. When compared to the autocorrelation function for actual inflation, forecasters tend to react less to shocks that hit inflation than the actual inflation data would suggest. This could be due to increased credibility of the Federal Reserve, but it could also be a result of a bias in the underlying inflation forecasts. Chapter 4 focuses on this issue and finds that the reluctance of forecasters to make revisions to their previously announced forecasts causes their estimates of perceived inflation persistence to be understated as their announced inflation forecasts differ from their true inflation expectations. This chapter also presents a method to undo this bias by retrieving their true inflation expectations series. / Thesis (Ph.D, Economics) -- Queen's University, 2012-12-21 15:39:23.616

The purpose of this thesis is to provide an analysis of the principal factors that affect first-generation students while traversing through the higher education pipeline. Specifically, this thesis will discuss the factors that affect the chances of first-generation students gaining admission to postsecondary institutions and later persisting to graduation in those institutions. In addition, this thesis will discuss the possibility of prescriptive policies in ameliorating the very real deficits that these students face in succeeding in college.

Mathematical modeling of population dynamics can provide novel insight to the growth and dispersal patterns for a variety of species populations, and has become vital to the preservation of biodiversity on a global-scale. These growth and dispersal stages can be modeled using integrodifference equations that are discrete in time and continuous in space. Previous studies have identified metrics that can determine whether a given species will persist or go extinct under certain model parameters. However, a need for computational tools to compute these metrics has limited the scope and analysis within many of these studies. We aim to create computational tools that facilitate numerical explorations for a number of associated integrodifference equations, allowing modelers to explore results using a selection of models under a robust parameter set.

School districts constantly struggle to find solutions to address the high school dropout problem. Literature supports the need to identify and intervene with these students earlier and in more systemic ways. The purpose of this study was to conduct a longitudinal examination of the relationship between sustained afterschool participation and the host district’s early warning index (EWI) associated with school dropout. Data included 65,341 students participating in an urban school district’s after school program from school years 2000-2001 through 2011-2012. The district serves more than 80,000 students annually. Data represented students in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12, and length of participation ranged from 1 through 12 years. Results indicated that student risk increased over time and that persistent participation in afterschool programming had a significant relationship with student individual growth trajectories. Slower growth rates, as evidenced through successive models, supported students being positively impacted by program participation. Additionally, participation was more meaningful if students persisted, as noted in the lower EWI rates, as compared to students who attended less consistently.

Students transitioning into college from public school require more than just academic readiness; they also need the personal attributes that allow them to successfully transition into a new community (Braxton, Doyle, Hartley III, Hirschy, Jones, & McLendon, 2014; Nora, 2002; Nora, 2004; Tinto, 1975). Rural students have a different educational experience than their peers at schools in suburban and urban locations (DeYoung & Howley, 1990; Gjelten, 1982). Additionally, the resources, culture, and educational opportunities at rural schools also vary among different types of rural communities. Although some studies have examined the influence of rural students' academic achievement on college access and success, little research has analyzed the relationship between students of different types of rural communities and their persistence in post-secondary education. This study examined the likelihood for college-going students from three different types of rural communities to successfully transition into and persist at a four-year residential college. Multilevel logistic modeling was used to analyze the likelihood for students to persist in college for up to two academic years based on whether they were from rural tourist communities, college communities, and other rural communities. The analysis controlled for a variety of student and high school factors. Findings revealed that student factors related to poverty and academic readiness have the greatest effects, while the type of rural community has no significant influence on college persistence.

Just as scientists develop general conceptual explanations of the phenomena they investigate, individuals also develop intuitive theories about such human characteristics as intelligence, personality, and athletic ability. These theories, unlike scientist's theories, are not explicitly articulated or documented, and so they are termed implicit theories. Implicit theories, in achievement motivation, distinguish between the belief that human attributes are fixed (entity theory) or malleable (incremental theory) and have been shown to have far-reaching consequences for motivation, goal-orientations, and regulatory strategies in an array of domains. This dissertation extended implicit theories research to the domain of body-weight management. Drawing from an elaborate theoretical framework on implicit theories and health behavior research, the present work predicted that (a) individuals differ systematically in their beliefs about the malleability of body weight and (b) these implicit beliefs are related to coping and self-regulation strategies following dieting setbacks. To test these hypotheses, I first developed the Implicit Theories of Weight Management Scale and examined its psychometric properties. Results revealed internal reliability and convergent and discriminant validity. Implicit theories of weight management were moderately related to health and dieting locus of control but were distinct from personality dimensions such as the Big Five and trait optimism. Psychometric properties of the scale are presented and discussed. Next, I tested the hypothesis that implicit theories of weight management would be related to adaptive regulatory strategies (e.g., increased motivation) and to maladaptive coping (e.g., avoidance) following dieting setbacks and that this relation would be mediated by feelings of helplessness and optimism, and by attributions. Results largely supported these conjectures, revealing that even after controlling for constructs related to successful dieting (e.g., dieting self-confidence, trait self-control), believing more strongly that weight is changeable was related to lower reported use of avoidance when coping with setbacks and more effort. Additionally, feelings of helplessness and optimism mediated the implicit theories-self-regulatory relations. Results are discussed in terms of how implicit theories create the structure in which meaning is assigned to events and are therefore important for achievement and motivation. Implications and avenues for future research are presented.

En pharmaco-épidémiologie, les études visant à évaluer l’impact des médicaments sur la santé de la population en situation réelle d’utilisation à la demande des Autorités de Santé en France, sont conduites dans un contexte contraint, en l’absence de bases de données médicalisées populationnelle. Le choix des critères d’évaluation des études de terrain à mener est donc crucial. Les critères directs de mesure d’impact (mortalité, morbidité, qualité de vie) sont parfois complexes à obtenir à large échelle, aussi, l’utilisation de critères indirects est souvent nécessaire. La persistance des traitements est un critère combinant de nombreux avantages : reflet de la pratique médicale courante et simplicité de recueil. Dans le cadre de cette thèse, nous avons proposé d’étudier l’intérêt de la persistance des traitements comme critère de mesure d’impact, angle peu exploré jusque là, la persistance étant usuellement considérée comme paramètre d’exposition. Aussi, dans le Chapitre 1, nous avons précisé à quels niveaux la persistance des traitements entre dans le champ de l’évaluation de l’impact. Puis, à partir de trois études de terrain, nous avons évalué l’intérêt de la mesure de la persistance au sein de deux niveaux d’impact. La persistance comme mesure directe de l’utilisation et du respect des recommandations est illustrée dans le Chapitre 2 (prévention secondaire du post-infarctus du myocarde). La persistance comme mesure indirecte de l’efficacité en vie réelle est illustrée : dans le Chapitre 3 où la persistance signe l’échec thérapeutique (traitement curatif de la sinusite aigue) puis dans le Chapitre 4 où la persistance est considérée comme un succès thérapeutique (traitement suspensif de l’épilepsie). Pour finir, nous avons discuté l’intérêt des résultats issus de ces travaux au regard du contexte actuel des demandes d’étude requises par les Autorités de Santé avec la perspective de la mise en place de la nouvelle législation européenne d’évaluation du médicament. / Pharmacoepidemiological studies requested by French Health Authorities to assess impact of treatment in real-life medical practice are performed in a restricted context, in the absence of a national health care databases. The choice of evaluation criteria for field studies is thus crucial. Direct impact measure criteria (mortality, morbidity, quality of life) are sometimes difficult to obtain on a large scale, therefore, the use of indirect criteria is often required. Treatment persistence is a criterion that combines several advantages: reflection of real-life medical practice and ease of collection. In this thesis, we studied persistence of treatment as a measure of impact, an original point of view as persistence is usually considered as a parameter of exposure. In Chapter 1, we have detailed at which level persistence of treatment is part of the field of impact evaluation. Thereafter, using three field studies, we assessed measure of persistence within two aspects of impact. Persistence as a direct measure of use and respect of recommendations is illustrated in Chapter 2 (secondary prevention in post-myocardial infarction). Persistence as an indirect measure of effectiveness is illustrated: in Chapter 3 where persistence is a sign of treatment failure (curative treatment of acute sinusitis) then in Chapter 4 where persistence is considered as treatment success (long-term treatment in epilepsy). In conclusion, we have discussed the results of this work with regards to the current context of studies requested by Health Authorities and with the forthcoming implementation of new European pharmacovigilance legislation.

1 ABSTRACT PATIENTS' ATTITUDES TO PHARMACOTHERAPY OF OSTEOPOROSIS Author: Hana Theimerová Supervisor: Magda Vytřísalová Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Department of Social and Clinical Pharmacy INTRODUCTION: Patients' attitudes to treatment might be affected by various factors. These may vary in different generations as well as in different populations. The patients' attitudes to the treatment along with the illness may affect decision concerning the beginning, interruption or end of the treatment. That implies that the interaction between these factors and attitudes to the treatment is comprehensive. AIMS: The study aim was to evaluate the patients' attitudes to the treatment of osteoporosis based on the perception of necessity and concerns of treatment with oral bisphosphonates (BIS). METHODS: Data for the analysis were obtained using an anonymous questionnaire in five outpatient centres in the Czech Republic from November 2012 to March 2013. The patients' opinions concerning the BIS treatment were identified (necessity vs. concerns) using the Czech version of the "Beliefs about Medicines Questionnaire Specific" (BMQ-CZ). RESULTS: A total of 363 patients were involved in the analysis (mean age 68.9 years). Patients were treated with once a week dosing forms of BIS -...