On Higher Derivatives of Expectations

It is understood that derivatives of an expectation $E [\phi(S(T)) | S(0) = x]$ with respect to $x$ can be expressed as $E [\phi(S(T)) \pi | S(0) = x]$, where $S(T)$ is a stochastic variable at time $T$ and $\pi$ is a stochastic weighting function (weight) independent of the form of $\phi$. Derivatives of expectations of this form are encountered in various fields of knowledge. We establish two results for weights of higher order derivatives under the dynamics given by (\ref{dynamics}). Specifically, we derive and solve a recursive relationship for generating weights. This results in a tractable formula for weights of any order.price sensitivities, greeks, malliavin calculus

The Distribution of the Irreducibles in an Algebraic Number Field

The objective of this thesis is to study the distribution of the number of principal ideals generated by an irreducible element in an algebraic number field, namely in the non-unique factorization ring of integers of such a field. In particular we are investigating the size of M(x), defined as M ( x ) =∑ (α) α irred.|N (α)|≤≠ 1, where x is any positive real number and N (α) is the norm of α. We finally obtain asymptotic results for hl(x)

THE EFFECT OF ANNEALING ON AMORPHOUS SILICON BASED SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC THERMAL SYSTEM (PV/T) AND APPROPRIATE GLOBAL DISPATCH STRATEGIES

Previous work has shown that high-temperature short-term spike thermal annealing of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) photovoltaic thermal (PVT) systems results in higher electrical energy output. The relationship between temperature and performance of a-Si:H PVT is not simple as high temperatures during thermal annealing improves the immediate electrical performance following an anneal, but during the anneal it creates a marked drop in electrical performance. In addition, the power generation of a-Si:H PVT depends on both the environmental conditions and the Staebler-Wronski Effect kinetics. In order to improve the performance of a-Si:H PVT systems further, this paper reports on the effect of various dispatch strategies on system electrical performance. Utilizing experimental results from thermal annealing, an annealing model simulation for a-Si:Hbased PVT was developed and applied to different cities in the U.S. to investigate potential geographic effects on the dispatch optimization of the overall electrical PVT systems performance and annual electrical yield. The results showed that spike thermal annealing once per day maximized the improved electrical energy generation. In the outdoor operating condition this ideal behavior deteriorates and optimization rules are required to be implemented

Reproductive Journeys: Indo-Caribbean Women Challenging Gendered Norms

Little is known about the factors that influence people from the Caribbean to seek reproductive health services in the United States. In this paper, I focus on Indo-Caribbean women from Guyana and Trinidad who undertake reproductive journeys to New York. I ask: (1) What influences Indo-Caribbean women to begin their reproductive journeys to Richmond Hill, New York? (2) How do Indo-Caribbean women challenge gender norms during their reproductive journeys? (3) How does women’s class inform their decision making in challenging gendered norms? After conducting 30 in-depth interviews with Indo-Caribbean women from Guyana and Trinidad who seek reproductive health services in New York, I find that Indo-Caribbean women’s reproductive journeys are influenced by sexism experienced within households, communities, and doctors’ offices, lack of proper care, legal restrictions, and unaffordable treatment. Another driver is support from women networks. Social networks helped women challenge gendered norms around motherhood that are present within communities in home countries. As women receive support from their networks, they challenge gender norms varied by their class. Women from middle-income households are more likely to challenge gender norms outwardly. Obtaining reproductive health care abroad becomes a journey with multidimensional experiences of gendered negotiations and constraints

The Role of Caste in Prostitution: Culture and Violence in the Life Histories of Prostitutes in India

The caste system prevalent in Indian society has never been studied with respect to its role in prostitution. This critical and analytical study of the role of caste in prostitution in India is the result of over thirty years of observation both within the institution of prostitution, that is, in its ‘internal’ relationships; and outside the institution in the ‘external’ relationships which create violence in the lives of prostitutes in India. The caste system which plays a major role in the life of Indians has a role in prostitution yet this issue remains unexplored by scholars. Even when focusing on Scheduled Caste women, amongst whom most prostitutes number, the issue treated has been mainly that of economics, rather than those of culture and violence in their lives. The scope of study is restricted to women and girls alone, in keeping with the focus of the services of the Good Shepherd sisters (of whom the author is one) throughout the world. Under the prevailing caste system people are stratified into groups and the relationships among them is specified. The Scheduled Caste is one of the groups that exist outside the caste system in India and it numbers 138.2 million (Census India 1991). This study is based on three pairs of dichotomous concepts: the ‘Upper Castes’(the ‘pure’) and the Scheduled Castes (the ‘impure’); the males (the ‘supreme’ gender) and the females (the ‘inferior’ gender); male sexuality contextualized as the ‘human sexuality’ and female sexuality conceptualized as ‘good’ and ‘evil’ with dual perception. It indicates how persons are casteized, genderized and sexualized in the Indian society. It highlights parallels between the Upper Castes’ domination (concentration and exercise of power) over the Scheduled Castes (or the ‘Untouchables’) and between the lower position held by the Scheduled Castes and their experience of violence in Indian society. The data of my study consists of that gathered by interviewing prostitutes in specific surveys (three studies from 1983-90) and also from my practical experience of working with women and girls in prostitution for two decades (1962-82). The analysis of prostitution is set against the accepted wisdom which perceive the entry of all women and girls into prostitution for economic reasons, and against the Indian situation in which the country still faces the problems of dehumanized Scheduled Castes and grinding poverty. To see prostitution as a consequence of economic necessity, though accepted in many societies, remains controversial in the context of Indian society. In some societies prostitution is a form of labour and the economic cause is argued on the basis of financial autonomy, self-determination and occupation of choice for women. This study takes the stance that economic arguments alone are not universally acceptable and are generally not appropriate to the whole range of the entry of Scheduled Caste women and girls in prostitution in India. My study attempts to fill the gap left by previous studies by using my experience and an evaluation of a sample of women and girls in prostitution from various cultural backgrounds to illustrate the effectiveness of culture and violence in the lives of Indian prostitutes. The caste structure not only stratifies the Indian society, but also defines status, relationships and sexuality. This has major implications for the issues of power and violence between groups as they relate to one another. There exists a web of relationships between culture-violence-power that uses culture to mask violence; the 'internal'-'external' relationships which involve controlling and rejecting assimilation of prostitutes in the mainstream of life in society creating violence; the bond of friendship between the Upper Caste/Class men and women in the prostitute world which leads to exploitation of the Scheduled Caste women and girls; the exploitation of women by women for their survival; the role of caste and the dynamics of culture that contribute to the perpetuation of prostitution in India. The upper caste/class clients forming the first clients and patrons to exploit the girls, the caste/class nexus characterized by accumulation of power, and domination and subordination, and the strategy adopted for the diffusion of the Scheduled Caste violence (i.e. retaliation of the Scheduled Castes for exploiting their women and girls by the Upper Castes) which makes the Scheduled Caste girl into a ‘sacrificial victim’ in Indian society. These form the major findings of this study