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EVALUATING FUTURES-BASED HEDGING STRATEGIES: ASSESSING EFFECTIVENESS AND COST EFFICIENCY DURING CRUDE OIL PRICE SHOCKS
No full textThis study evaluates the performance and cost efficiency of short futures-based hedging strategies for crude oil producers during major price shocks, using a comparative back testing framework across varying contract maturities (3-month, 6-month, and 12-month) and hedge ratio methodologies (static vs. dynamic). By analyzing both supply and demand driven shocks including the 1990 Gulf War, 2008 Financial Crisis, 2014 OPEC Price War, 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic, and the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, this study identifies strategy effectiveness based on shock direction, duration, and cause. The findings show that the 6-month static hedge delivers the most consistently balanced performance across scenarios, offering both strong downside protection and manageable rollover and margin costs. These insights offer a practical framework for producers seeking adaptable yet cost-conscious hedging strategies amidst uncertain oil market conditions
Navigating Distress: Liability Management Exercises as Tools for Corporate Resilience, Stakeholder Recovery, and Long-Term Outcomes
No full textThis thesis investigates the evolving role of Liability Management Exercises (LMEs) as tools for corporate restructuring among financially distressed U.S. firms. Through a comparative case study analysis of Caesars Palace, Serta Simmons, and Incora, the research evaluates the effectiveness of LMEs in achieving financial stability, sustaining operations, and optimizing stakeholder recovery outside of formal bankruptcy proceedings. While LMEs offer short-term liquidity relief and can avert reputational damage, their use often provokes legal disputes, particularly when creditor rights are restructured asymmetrically through uptiering or drop-down strategies. This study highlights the tension between innovation in financial engineering and equitable treatment of stakeholders, emphasizing the growing influence?and potential conflicts of interest?of investment banks and private equity sponsors in restructuring decisions. The findings underscore that the long-term success of LMEs depends not only on deal structure but also on legal defensibility, creditor cooperation, and operational improvements. As LMEs become increasingly complex and contested, this thesis calls for enhanced transparency, regulatory scrutiny, and governance reform to ensure fair and sustainable outcomes in distressed corporate finance
Determining the best mathematical model for implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions
No full textAt the onset of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in early 2020, only non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) were available to stem the spread of the infection. Much of the early interventions in the US were applied at a state level, with varying levels of strictness and compliance. While NPIs clearly slowed the rate of transmission, it is not clear how these changes are best incorporated into epidemiological models. In order to characterize the effects of early preventative measures, we use a Susceptible-Exposed-Infected-Recovered (SEIR) model and cumulative case counts from US states to analyze the effect of lockdown measures. We test four transition models to simulate the change in transmission rate: instantaneous, linear, exponential, and logarithmic. We find that of the four models examined here, the exponential transition best represents the change in the transmission rate due to implementation of NPIs in the most states, followed by the logistic transition model. The instantaneous and linear models generally lead to poor fits and are the best transition models for the fewest states
Aesthetic Identity: Madame Du Barry's pedestal table and the performance of elite identity
No full textMadame du Barry’s pedestal table marries elements of the neoclassical style with rococo scenes after Watteau and a reproduction of Carle Van Loo’s The Grand Turk Giving a Concert for His Mistress. Although French art historians have commented on the eclectic combination of styles, the prevailing attitude is that the incongruence stems from the decorative nature of the images rather than any intentional purpose. This thesis instead considers the table as an intentionally designed art object at the confluence of concerns unique to eighteenth-century France regarding image-making and social identity. The table exemplifies the meaningful function of decorative objects in the hands of those seeking to lay claim to an elite identity.
Madame du Barry asserted her place in the social order by engaging in the work of sociability— the deft manipulation of images and objects calculated to please fellow elites
Analyzing the levels of scientific proficiency in the 8th grade science STAAR exam
No full textWe need decision-makers who can couple science content with diverse cognitive levels. Large-scale assessments (LSA) like the science Programme for International Student Assessments (PISA) are global education program markers. The PISA boasts a comprehensive range of cognitive levels, and the United States (U.S.) consistently participates in it. Comparable to other countries, the U.S. exceeds spending on education while never reaching top ranks for science programs. Moreover, the U.S. neglects applying PISA models towards state-mandated LSA. Thus, this quantitative research study uses descriptive statistics enlightening Texas education officials on the span of cognitive levels exhibited within their science assessments from a global perspective. The PISA 2015 LSP framework is optimized into a codebook and trialed for interrater reliability (IRR). Subsequently, 10 8th grade science STAAR exams were coded. Results indicate high cognitive level deficiencies and overall trends and implications of these findings are addresse
Dancing with Albéniz: Exploring flamenco dance forms in Iberia
No full textIsaac Albéniz’s masterpiece, Iberia, is a collection of twelve piano pieces that evoke
images of Andalusia in southern Spain. Throughout the work, Albéniz incorporates flamenco
dance forms into each piece. The purpose of this document is to present an in-depth analysis of
the flamenco dance forms used in Books 1 and 2 of Iberia. The six pieces analyzed in this
document are Evocación, El Puerto, Fête-Dieu á Sèville, Rondeña, Almería, and Triana. To
provide context for this analysis, the document examines the current literature related to the
topic, gives a brief overview of the life of Isaac Albéniz, the history of the work, and the origins
and evolution of flamenco. Furthermore, the main elements of flamenco are defined, different
types of cante (the subtypes of flamenco) are examined, and an in-depth analysis of the cante in
six pieces from Iberia are provided. The analysis of pieces from Book 1 and Book 2 is intended
to provide pianists with information that will lead to a more informed performance of this work
From Castration to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Literature Review Considering Whether Current Laws Enforcing Various Treatments and Sanctions on Sex Offenders are Effective in Lowering their Risk Factor
No full textHot and cool effortful control in rreschool-aged children: The role of parent-child attachment configurations
No full textEffortful control refers to the ability to inhibit a dominant response to perform a subdominant response. There are two functions of effortful control: hot (emotionally salient) and cool (lacks emotional intensity). The current study examined parent-infant attachment configurations, an aspect of parenting that includes both parents, as a longitudinal predictor of preschoolers’ hot and cool effortful control. The families visited the lab when the child was 12 months, 13 months, and 3 years old. This study was part of a larger study of 104 families. At the 3-year-old visit, the sample consisted of 67 preschoolers. This study used multivariate analysis of variance to examine whether child effortful control (hot vs. cool) differed as a function of attachment configuration. Results revealed that children’s effortful control (hot vs. cool) was not significantly related to the configuration of mother-father attachment quality. The current study provides important methodological considerations for future research
Aesthetic cartography in early modern England
No full textThis project is a study of early modern English aesthetic travel writing. While travel narratives generally served as political tools of empire building, this dissertation evaluates how consciously fictional and aesthetic travel narratives offered imaginative exercises in world making. The core argument is therefore that the aesthetic travel narrative should be treated as a serious philosophical exercise (available to early modern authors and readers alike) regarding how the globe could or could not be mastered. The genre undoubtedly belongs within its colonial contexts as a tool of empire, but its ability to imaginatively speculate upon how to alternatively handle English invasion and expansion also appears to delight in the concept of non-mastery. The authors featured in this project include William Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, John Milton, and Margaret Cavendish. By selecting these authors, the project traces the development of the aesthetic travel genre from its origins within the exploration of the New World into early instances of speculative fiction
Medtner’s Piano Sonata in F Minor, Op. 5, and Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1: A comparative study of shared motives
No full textThis document undertakes a comparative analysis of Nikolai Medtner’s Piano Sonata in F Minor, Op. 5 (1903) and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 2 No. 1 (1795), centered on their shared motivic foundations: the descending sixth and the sigh motives. Despite differences in period and style, both composers demonstrate a masterful use of sonata form and motivic development to achieve structural unity and expressive depth. Drawing on Hepokoski and Darcy’s Sonata Theory, the study traces how these motives evolve across movements, shaping thematic continuity and formal design. While both sonatas feature similar structural elements—four-movement layouts, F minor tonality, and motivic integration—their treatment of material reveals distinct compositional voices. The analysis highlights Medtner’s often-overlooked innovations, challenging his reputation as a conservative and reframing his work within the Austro-German lineage. Ultimately, this study offers new perspectives on motivic function, form, and modernism, encouraging deeper interpretive engagement for performers and scholars alike