Retirement saving behavior: Transtheoretical Model change processes and life cycle tenets

Doctor of PhilosophyDepartment Not ListedDerek LawsonThis dissertation sought to examine predictors of retirement savings behavior by analyzing data from the 2019 Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF 2019). The paper considered potential predictors through the lens of the Transtheoretical Model of Change (TTM) and tenets of the Behavioral Life Cycle Hypothesis (BLC). It is common for researchers to focus primarily on the stages of change in TTM without scrutinizing the underlying constructs within TTM that define change. This research delved more deeply into the underlying constructs than is typical of TTM research efforts. Guided by prior literature, survey items were chosen to model the various processes of change within the TTM model. Reasonable proxies were determined for all constructs except for the stimulus control process of change, which was a common missing variable within the literature. These survey items from the SCF 2019 were further divided into those that were considered to be cognitive factors and those considered to be behaviors. Cognitive factors were defined as any type of opinion, attitude, knowledge, or belief that was held by the participants. Behaviors were defined as actions either already taken or reported as what action the respondent would take. This process was not a scale, but a checklist for each construct modeled. For each process of change or underlying construct, the subject either demonstrated the response that would be expected of a person in the precontemplation, contemplation, or preparation stage of change or what would be expected of a person in the action or maintenance stage of change. Once this was accomplished, a logistic regression, both unweighted and weighted, was obtained to examine whether there were differences in the two groups regarding owning any type of retirement savings accounts, thus whether they were saving for retirement. Whether each household was saving or not saving specifically for retirement was the binary outcome variable. In addition to the role of TTM factors, this research further searched for evidence of the influence of BLC elements in the presence or absence of retirement savings behaviors. Survey items were chosen to model the specific tenets of the doer versus the planner, the implied recognition of assets belonging either in the current asset or future asset mental account, and the impact of retirement saliency on temptation. These items were included in the overall logistic regression model, both unweighted and weighted, to look for any differences in retirement savings behavior for each of these BLC elements. Ultimately this dissertation found evidence of statistical significance when considering the TTM constructs whether considering cognitive factors or behaviors. This was true in both the unweighted and weighted regressions. Except for retirement saliency in the unweighted logistic model the BLC tenets were not found to be statistically significant. This research is important because the responsibility for retirement savings shifted dramatically from the employer to the employee in recent decades and evidence suggests that the challenge of saving is not being met. Results of this study could help financial planners, counselors, and educators, as well as employers wishing to support their employees, with valuable information to influence the development of effective interventions designed to increase retirement saving behaviors within the general population

Does she think it matters who makes more? Perceived differences in types of relationship arguments among female breadwinners and non-breadwinners

This mixed methods study used a sequential exploratory design and Becker’s (1973) Theory of Marriage to explore how female breadwinners and non-breadwinners perceive types of relationship arguments. Respondents completed an online survey targeted to women about money and relationships. Qualitative analyses using a multiple case study approach explored the contents of arguments among three groups: women who earn more than their partner/spouse, women who earn less, and women who earn the same. Quantitative analyses employed independent t-tests to identify differences between female breadwinners and non-breadwinners for variables related to the identified themes from the qualitative analyses. Findings from this mixed methods study suggest that female breadwinners tend to perceive their partners as not meeting their expectations, are more likely to use blame language, and are less likely to use “togetherness” language when describing relationship arguments. Implications for future research and practice are provided

Diversification with volatility products

Recent changes to clearing-house regulations have promoted exchange-traded products offering risk premia previously accessible only over-the-counter. Thus, as correlations increase between equity, bonds and commodities, a new strand of research questions the benefits of home-grown diversification using volatility products. First we ask: “What expected returns will induce equity and bond investors to perceive ex-ante diversification benefits from adding volatility?” We call this the optimal diversification threshold. We derive the theoretical thresholds for minimum-variance, mean-variance and Black–Litterman optimization. Empirical analysis of US and European markets shows that volatility diversification is frequently perceived to be optimal, ex-ante, but these apparent benefits are almost never realized, being eroded by high roll and transaction costs. Exchange-traded volatility only proved an effective diversifier during the banking crisis. At other times long equity and bond portfolios diversified with volatility futures have not performed as well as those without diversification, or even those diversified with commodities

Emergent research and priorities for shark and ray conservation

Over the past 4 decades there has been a growing concern for the conservation status of elasmobranchs (sharks and rays). In 2002, the first elasmobranch species were added to Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Less than 20 yr later, there were 39 species on Appendix II and 5 on Appendix I. Despite growing concern, effective conservation and management remain challenged by a lack of data on population status for many species, human−wildlife interactions, threats to population viability, and the efficacy of conservation approaches. We surveyed 100 of the most frequently published and cited experts on elasmobranchs and, based on ranked responses, prioritized 20 research questions on elasmobranch conservation. To address these questions, we then convened a group of 47 experts from 35 institutions and 12 countries. The 20 questions were organized into the following broad categories: (1) status and threats, (2) population and ecology, and (3) conservation and management. For each section, we sought to synthesize existing knowledge, describe consensus or diverging views, identify gaps, and suggest promising future directions and research priorities. The resulting synthesis aggregates an array of perspectives on emergent research and priority directions for elasmobranch conservation

Hydrogen Peroxide Induces α-Tubulin Detyrosination and Acetylation and Impacts Breast Cancer Metastatic Phenotypes

Levels of hydrogen peroxide are highly elevated in the breast tumor microenvironment compared to normal tissue. Production of hydrogen peroxide is implicated in the mechanism of action of many anticancer therapies. Several lines of evidence suggest hydrogen peroxide mediates breast carcinogenesis and metastasis, though the molecular mechanism remains poorly understood. This study elucidates the effects of exposure to elevated hydrogen peroxide on non-tumorigenic MCF10A mammary epithelial cells, tumorigenic MCF7 cells, and metastatic MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Hydrogen peroxide treatment resulted in a dose- and time-dependent induction of two α-tubulin post-translational modifications—de-tyrosination and acetylation—both of which are markers of poor patient prognosis in breast cancer. Hydrogen peroxide induced the formation of tubulin-based microtentacles in MCF10A and MDA-MB-231 cells, which were enriched in detyrosinated and acetylated α-tubulin. However, the hydrogen peroxide-induced microtentacles did not functionally promote metastatic phenotypes of cellular reattachment and homotypic cell clustering. These data establish for the first time that microtentacle formation can be separated from the functions to promote reattachment and clustering, which indicates that there are functional steps that remain to be identified. Moreover, signals in the primary tumor microenvironment may modulate α-tubulin post-translational modifications and induce microtentacles; however, the functional consequences appear to be context-dependent

Elevation of Cytoplasmic Calcium Suppresses Microtentacle Formation and Function in Breast Tumor Cells

Cytoskeletal remodeling in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) facilitates metastatic spread. Previous oncology studies examine sustained aberrant calcium (Ca2+) signaling and cytoskeletal remodeling scrutinizing long-term phenotypes such as tumorigenesis and metastasis. The significance of acute Ca2+ signaling in tumor cells that occur within seconds to minutes is overlooked. This study investigates rapid cytoplasmic Ca2+ elevation in suspended cells on actin and tubulin cytoskeletal rearrangements and the metastatic microtentacle (McTN) phenotype. The compounds Ionomycin and Thapsigargin acutely increase cytoplasmic Ca2+, suppressing McTNs in the metastatic breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-436. Functional decreases in McTN-mediated reattachment and cell clustering during the first 24 h of treatment are not attributed to cytotoxicity. Rapid cytoplasmic Ca2+ elevation was correlated to Ca2+-induced actin cortex contraction and rearrangement via myosin light chain 2 and cofilin activity, while the inhibition of actin polymerization with Latrunculin A reversed Ca2+-mediated McTN suppression. Preclinical and phase 1 and 2 clinical trial data have established Thapsigargin derivatives as cytotoxic anticancer agents. The results from this study suggest an alternative molecular mechanism by which these compounds act, and proof-of-principle Ca2+-modulating compounds can rapidly induce morphological changes in free-floating tumor cells to reduce metastatic phenotypes

Elevation of Cytoplasmic Calcium Suppresses Microtentacle Formation and Function in Breast Tumor Cells

Cytoskeletal remodeling in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) facilitates metastatic spread. Previous oncology studies examine sustained aberrant calcium (Ca2+) signaling and cytoskeletal remodeling scrutinizing long-term phenotypes such as tumorigenesis and metastasis. The significance of acute Ca2+ signaling in tumor cells that occur within seconds to minutes is overlooked. This study investigates rapid cytoplasmic Ca2+ elevation in suspended cells on actin and tubulin cytoskeletal rearrangements and the metastatic microtentacle (McTN) phenotype. The compounds Ionomycin and Thapsigargin acutely increase cytoplasmic Ca2+, suppressing McTNs in the metastatic breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-436. Functional decreases in McTN-mediated reattachment and cell clustering during the first 24 h of treatment are not attributed to cytotoxicity. Rapid cytoplasmic Ca2+ elevation was correlated to Ca2+-induced actin cortex contraction and rearrangement via myosin light chain 2 and cofilin activity, while the inhibition of actin polymerization with Latrunculin A reversed Ca2+-mediated McTN suppression. Preclinical and phase 1 and 2 clinical trial data have established Thapsigargin derivatives as cytotoxic anticancer agents. The results from this study suggest an alternative molecular mechanism by which these compounds act, and proof-of-principle Ca2+-modulating compounds can rapidly induce morphological changes in free-floating tumor cells to reduce metastatic phenotypes