Concentrations of inorganic arsenic (iAs) metabolites in urine present intra- and interindividual variations, which are determined not only by the magnitude of exposure to iAs, but also by differences in genetic, environmental and dietary factors.

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abstract: This study analyzes the Spanish of native speakers from Northern Mexico in order to ascertain the presence of the voiced labiodental fricative segment [v] when the sound is orthographically represented with the letter `v'. The study examines some of the internal and external factors that predict the labiodental fricative pronunciation of the letter `v'. This study is based on the theoretical framework of phonology as described by Piñeros (2009) and Hualde (2005). The study examined all instances in the data when a sound is written with the letter `v' to investigate if the sound is pronounced as the faithful voiced plosive bilabial allophone [b] of the phoneme /b/, the spirantized allophone [β], or the voiced labiodental fricative allophone [v]. Four speakers, a male and a female with an incomplete secondary education, and a male and a female with a graduate level education participated in the study. All participants were interviewed for one hour, read a word list, and read a paragraph provided by the researcher. The researcher coded the data using the phonetic analysis software Praat and all data were statistically analyzed using the multivariate software analysis program Goldvarb X in order to investigate the presence of the voiced labiodental fricative allophone [v] and predict what internal and external factors most influence its production. From this study it is obvious that the most influential factor favoring the realization of the labiodental fricative allophone [v] is orthography. When the phonetic segment was represented with the grapheme , the phonetic realization was more likely to be the labiodental fricative [v]. The level of education of the speaker and the formality of the stylistic setting were also determined to be influential factors. Speakers with a higher degree of education and stylistic settings with a higher degree of formality favored the realization of the labiodental fricative [v]. With regards to the internal factors, rather than external factors, a preceding phonological segment of a vowel or fricative dental [s] also favored the realization of the labiodental fricative [v]. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.A. Spanish 2012

The goal of the thesis is to analyze war customs of Tarahumara people of northern Mexico during colonial era. The work focuses on technological aspects of warfare like weaponry, strategy and tactics, as well as social phenomenas like taking captives, using of witchcraft and role of violence in Tarahumara culture. 17th century conflicts are seen as part of the process, which has caused significant changes in tarahumaran perception of war an it's role in society. Analysis of this process is the another goal of this work. Further subject of interest are conflicts with the other native groups in the region and influence of tarahumara armed resistance to changes in attitude of colonial institutions. The work is based on sources of the ecclesiastical origin - reports, letters and chronicles of missionaries, as well as correspondence of viceroyal officials and records of military commanders operating in tarahumara region. Keywords: Tarahumaras, Northern Mexico, Warfare, 17th century, Viceroyalty of New Spain, Presidio Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

The Casas Grandes region of northern Mexico is an understudied, though important, part of the culture area that has come to be known as the Northwest/Southwest (NW/SW). What studies have been conducted in the Casas Grandes region have focused on the Medio Period (approximately 1200-1450 AD) and the large site of Paquimé. Only a small amount of research has been conducted on the preceding Viejo Period (approximately 700-1200 AD). In this thesis, I create a clearing house of published Viejo Period architectural features excavated in the Casas Grandes region. I also analyze those features to develop our understanding of the materials and technological choices used to construct these features, and to evaluate the validity of sub-regional zones which have begun to develop within the archaeological literature from this area. These analyses include a qualitative analysis of the excavated architectural features as well as statistical clustering methods, a Principal Components Analysis, and a Correspondence Analysis of available architectural data. I ultimately propose revisions to the existing architectural typology for the Viejo Period and the abandonment of the concept of sub-regional zones within the Casas Grandes region. I also observe some emerging patterns within the architectural data and suggest that further research is needed to fully understand the distribution of architectural features throughout the region.

This thesis offers a micro-level analysis of labour and women’s organizing in the context of globalization through the case study of the Comité Fronterizo de Obrer@s (CFO) from 1978 to 2009. We will see how one organization’s journey can give us insights into the complexities of local organizing and transnational networking in the context of globalization. This case study can be seen as a lens through which we can examine the changing context of labour and women’s organizing in the distinct maquiladora environment. My work positions itself in the “globalization from above” and “globalization from below” debate, specifically around the question of transnational social movements that form the “globalization from below” category in the context of a political economy analysis. However, where my thesis differs from a more traditional analysis of the resistance to globalization, such as that found in the global justice movements or alter-globalization movements, is in its focus on the complexities of organizing at the local level and the pressures that these local organizations feel from “above” from their transnational partners. What this thesis adds to the literature are the stories from the actual members of the organization, about the structure, the decision-making process of their organization, the role of the leadership and the connections between the local organizing and the transnational civil society partners. The complex history of an organization that has been there since the beginning of the maquiladora industry allows us a better understanding of the changing conditions and struggles these workers have faced. This journey through the history of the CFO, the richness of this empirical data encompassing more than 30 years of organizing in the maquiladora zone of Northern Mexico also allows us to explore “globalization from below” through different lens. This thesis brings in a micro-detail analysis of a specific organization in a specific context where we can see clearly transnational civil society linkages and the impact of globalizing capitalist neoliberal economy. As such, this research can offer us new insights into the intricacies of local-global linkages and thus contribute to an area often neglected or underdeveloped in international relations (IR).

This thesis offers a micro-level analysis of labour and women’s organizing in the context of globalization through the case study of the Comité Fronterizo de Obrer@s (CFO) from 1978 to 2009. We will see how one organization’s journey can give us insights into the complexities of local organizing and transnational networking in the context of globalization. This case study can be seen as a lens through which we can examine the changing context of labour and women’s organizing in the distinct maquiladora environment. My work positions itself in the “globalization from above” and “globalization from below” debate, specifically around the question of transnational social movements that form the “globalization from below” category in the context of a political economy analysis. However, where my thesis differs from a more traditional analysis of the resistance to globalization, such as that found in the global justice movements or alter-globalization movements, is in its focus on the complexities of organizing at the local level and the pressures that these local organizations feel from “above” from their transnational partners. What this thesis adds to the literature are the stories from the actual members of the organization, about the structure, the decision-making process of their organization, the role of the leadership and the connections between the local organizing and the transnational civil society partners. The complex history of an organization that has been there since the beginning of the maquiladora industry allows us a better understanding of the changing conditions and struggles these workers have faced. This journey through the history of the CFO, the richness of this empirical data encompassing more than 30 years of organizing in the maquiladora zone of Northern Mexico also allows us to explore “globalization from below” through different lens. This thesis brings in a micro-detail analysis of a specific organization in a specific context where we can see clearly transnational civil society linkages and the impact of globalizing capitalist neoliberal economy. As such, this research can offer us new insights into the intricacies of local-global linkages and thus contribute to an area often neglected or underdeveloped in international relations (IR).