Cardinal invariants above the continuum

We prove some consistency results about b(lambda) and d(lambda), which are natural generalisations of the cardinal invariants of the continuum b and d. We also define invariants b_cl(lambda) and d_cl(lambda), and prove that almost always b(lambda) = b_cl(lambda) and d(lambda)=d_cl(lambda

Singular cardinals and strong extenders

We investigate the circumstances under which there exist a singular cardinal $\mu$ and a short $(\kappa, \mu)$-extender $E$ witnessing "$\kappa$ is $\mu$-strong", such that $\mu$ is singular in \Ult(V, E).Comment: 8 page

A framework for forcing constructions at successors of singular cardinals

We describe a framework for proving consistency results about singular cardinals of arbitrary cofinality and their successors. This framework allows the construction of models in which the Singular Cardinals Hypothesis fails at a singular cardinal κ of uncountable cofinality, while κ^+ enjoys various combinatorial properties. As a sample application, we prove the consistency (relative to that of ZFC plus a supercompact cardinal) of there being a strong limit singular cardinal κ of uncountable cofinality where SCH fails and such that there is a collection of size less than 2^{κ^+} of graphs on κ^+ such that any graph on κ^+ embeds into one of the graphs in the collection

A scattering of orders

A linear ordering is scattered if it does not contain a copy of the rationals. Hausdorff characterised the class of scattered linear orderings as the least family of linear orderings that includes the class $\mathcal B$ of well-orderings and reversed well-orderings, and is closed under lexicographic sums with index set in $\mathcal B$. More generally, we say that a partial ordering is $\kappa$-scattered if it does not contain a copy of any $\kappa$-dense linear ordering. We prove analogues of Hausdorff's result for $\kappa$-scattered linear orderings, and for $\kappa$-scattered partial orderings satisfying the finite antichain condition. We also study the $\mathbb{Q}_\kappa$-scattered partial orderings, where $\mathbb{Q}_\kappa$ is the saturated linear ordering of cardinality $\kappa$, and a partial ordering is $\mathbb{Q}_\kappa$-scattered when it embeds no copy of $\mathbb{Q}_\kappa$. We classify the $\mathbb{Q}_\kappa$-scattered partial orderings with the finite antichain condition relative to the $\mathbb{Q}_\kappa$-scattered linear orderings. We show that in general the property of being a $\mathbb{Q}_\kappa$-scattered linear ordering is not absolute, and argue that this makes a classification theorem for such orderings hard to achieve without extra set-theoretic assumptions

The Lifetime Economic Burden of Monogenic Diseases And The Social Motivations For Their Treatment With Genetic Therapy

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the social cost motivations associated with paying for genetic therapies at the beginning of life for monogenic diseases from various perspectives including the social perspective and the perspective of an average member of the US population. The findings were generated by collecting direct medical cost data (in current USD) relevant to nine common monogenic diseases (Cystic Fibrosis, Sickle Cell Disease, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Hemophilia A, Huntington’s Disease, Polycystic Kidney Disease, Gaucher Disease, Hereditary Angioedema, and Pompe Disease) to conduct a Monte Carlo and Net Present Value analysis to generate robust lifetime cost distributions for each disease. One major finding of this research is that if an individual is known to have one of theses monogenic diseases then the direct social costs - the total cost of treatment when discounted down to a single value at year zero of life - based on direct medical costs using a 5% discount rate for a gene therapy which would bring about the removal of lifetime direct medical costs could be as high as $3,568,077 (SD$599,461) for Hemophilia A or as low as $30,467 (SD$21,164) for Huntington\u27s syndrome. Other discount rates are also included in the models. Another major finding is that the direct social cost at year zero of life from the social perspective using a 5% discount rate for a gene therapy which would remove any risk of developing symptoms of, and therefore remove the direct medical costs for, all the diseases analyzed should be $496. Direct social cost should only increase as an individual\u27s life continues, as explained within the thesis, so these cost figures represent very conservative estimates. It is shown that the direct social cost at the beginning of life for gene therapy, for individuals who are known to have monogenic disease, can be in the millions of dollars. It is also shown that direct social cost at the beginning of life for the removal of risk of monogenic disease in a member of the general US population should only be a few hundred dollars. These conclusions can be interpreted to show that there should be a high direct social benefit for such therapies when applied to the population of individuals who are at high risk of manifesting one of these monogenic diseases, but there should be relatively low direct social benefit for the removal of the risks of manifesting one of these diseases among the general US population

Habitat dimensions of calanoid copepods in the western Gulf of Mexico

The vertical distributions of 49 species (53 taxa) of calanoid copepods were determined in cyclonic and anticyclonic hydrographic features in the western Gulf of Mexico for three seasons of the year. The relative intensities of the features varied among seasons, while within seasons the physical structure between features was different. Since the same copepod species were present in both features for all seasons sampled, the contrasting hydrography provided a natural experiment in which to study the mechanisms, biological or physical, acting to influence species vertical distribution patterns. Hierarchial classification analysis revealed that groups of samples characterized by relatively homogeneous biotic characteristics were related more to depth of the sample than to the season or location (hydrographic feature) in which the sample was taken. Species groups defined by the classification analysis also tended to occupy different depth zones, but the species groups overlapped strongly in the vertical dimension. Significant species structure was found as well, with stability of the rank order of species abundances. Both species and vertical structure persisted over time and were resistant to nonseasonal hydrographic variability. A weighted version of multiple discriminant analysis was used to relate the species patterns to the environmental patterns. The most important extrinsic variable correlated with where species were likely to occur was depth, although the depth distributions of chlorophyll and nitrate cannot be ignored. In the absence of corresponding abiotic patterns, biotic factors are suggested as the dominant causative agents of copepod vertical distribution patterns. It is proposed that on a broad scale the observed constancy of copepod species and vertical spatial structure is related to the “nutrient-limited” and “light-limited” physiological regimens documented for oceanic phytoplankton species

Three essays on price formation and liquidity in financial futures markets

This dissertation presents the results of three empirical studies on price formation and liquidity in financial futures markets. The research entails three related areas: the effect of taxes on the prices of Australian stock index futures; the efficiency of the information transmission mechanism between the cash and futures markets; and the price and liquidity impact of large trades in interest rate and equity index futures markets. An overview of previous research identifies some important gaps in the existing literature that this dissertation aims to resolve for the benefit of arbitrageurs, investment managers, brokers and regulators

The self-understandings and everyday lives of gay men in Hainan

PhD ThesisDrawing on 18 months of ethnographic fieldwork in Hainan, People’s Republic of China (PRC), especially 30 semi-structured interviews, this thesis explores the self-understandings and everyday lives of men who recognised themselves as gay, homosexual, tongzhi (comrade), and/or ‘in the scene’ (quanneiren). Given the choice of field site, this thesis is one of a handful of sociological studies to explore the lives of non-heterosexual people in the PRC outside of major urban centres, and potentially the first to do so in a region that has historically been considered ‘marginal’. As such, an exploratory approach is taken in engaging with a range of concepts and contexts that participants saw as central to their self-understandings and everyday lives. Specifically, this thesis explores the ways in which participants constructed and experienced ‘the scene’ (quan) as a framework of social-sexual belonging, perceived internet technologies as having deeply impacted their everyday lives, and narrated their lives as dis/oriented towards certain futures. These issues can be seen as complexly intertwined; they are drawn together in this thesis under an overarching concern for the ways in which participants negotiated understandings of themselves, in relation to others, within socio-cultural and material contexts of emergent social-sexual possibilities and pervasive pressures to marry and have children. In exploring these issues, this thesis draws upon a range of sociological and anthropological perspectives.Economic and Social Research Counci

Letter from James Cummings to James B. Finley

Cummings writes to Finley concerning Dr. Prescott (John S. Prescott?), a lawyer in Xenia who is seeking a new position. Dr. Prescott would like Finley\u27s help in finding a position. He would prefer not to continue the practice of law, but he will if he must to support his family. He appears to desire admission on trial by an M.E. Conference. Cummings mentions a slander case discussed at the 1840 Ohio Annual Conference. He asks Finley to suspend any judgment in that case until you come to Xenia. Abstract Number - 197https://digitalcommons.owu.edu/finley-letters/1195/thumbnail.jp