bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of networks for migration flows: an update
Authors: Beine Michel
Published: September 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to cover the literature on the role migrants networks in explaining aggregate migration flows between countries. The author emphasizes the specific role of family immigration policies. To that purpose, the author covers briefly the recent experience of seven receiving countries to highlight the importance of these policies in explaining part of the observed network elasticities.

Design/methodology/approach

The author first provides a small review of the literature and the issues at stake. The author then provides an update of the estimates of the network elasticities using the data set on migration stocks and flows from Ozdenet al.(2011). Using micro-founded gravity models, the author estimates the network elasticities and discusses the key driving mechanisms explaining their size as well the variation in the amplitude across categories of destination and over time. The author accounts for the issue of multilateral resistance to migration.

Findings

The author obtains estimates that are in line with the ones documented previously in the literature. The author finds that the role of networks in attracting migrants has increased after the 1970s. The author emphasizes the specific role of family immigration policies. To that purpose, the author covers briefly the recent experience of a set of receiving countries to highlight the importance of these policies in explaining part of the observed network elasticities.

Originality/value

This paper covers the literature on the role migrants networks in explaining aggregate migration flows between countries and obtain new estimates of network elasticities that vary over time and across types of destination countries.
Losing our minds? New research directions on skilled emigration and development
Authors: A. Clemens Michael
Published: September 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to critique the last decade of research on the effects of high-skill emigration from developing countries, and proposes six new directions for fruitful research.

Design/methodology/approach

The study singles out a core assumption underlying much of the recent literature, calling it the “Lump of Learning model” of human capital and development, and describes five ways that research has come to challenge that assumption. It assesses the usefulness of that model in the face of accumulating evidence.

Findings

The axioms of the Lump of Learning model have shaped research priorities in this literature, but many of those axioms do not have a clear empirical basis. Future research proceeding from established facts would set different priorities, and would devote more attention to measuring the effects of migration on skilled migrant households, rigorously estimating human capital externalities, gathering microdata beyond censuses, and carefully considering optimal policy – among others.

Originality/value

The recent literature has pursued a series of extensions to the Lump of Learning model. This study urges instead discarding that model, pointing toward a new paradigm for research on skilled migration and development.
Inequities in immigrants’ access to health care services: disentangling potential barriers
Authors: Devillanova Carlo , Frattini Tommaso
Published: September 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically assess whether immigrants suffer from unequal access to health care services, that add to prevailing socioeconomic barriers to care.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a uniquely rich Italian health survey, the authors estimate the correlation between immigrant status and the probability of accessing health services, conditional on a rich set of individual and territorial characteristics.

Findings

Results show that foreigners are more likely to contact emergency services and less likely to visit specialist doctors and use preventive care. Similar results hold for second-generation immigrants.

Originality/value

The authors discuss the sources of observed inequities and suggest tentative policy implications to promote equal access.
Remittances and informal work
Authors: Ivlevs Artjoms
Published: September 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of remittances on informal employment in the migrants’ countries of origin, looking both at the remittance-receiving and non-migrant households.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data from a large survey conducted in six transition economies of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, the determinants of three labour market outcomes – not working, working formally and working informally – are estimated in a multinomial probit model. The endogeneity of remittances is dealt with instrumental variables following the two-stage residual inclusion technique. To assess possible impact of remittances on non-migrant households, conditional correlations between the labour market outcomes of non-migrant households and the region-level share of remittance receivers are obtained.

Findings

Both correlational and instrumental variable analyses suggest that that receiving remittances increases the likelihood of working informally. At the regional level, high prevalence of remittances is associated with a higher likelihood of informal work among the non-migrant households. Migration and remittances may thus be contributing to informal employment in migration-sending countries.

Research limitations/implications

The empirical analysis is based on cross-sectional data, which do not allow isolating the effects of unobserved respondent heterogeneity. To deal with this issue, future research could use panel data.

Originality/value

The study explicitly considers the effects of remittances on formal and informal employment of remittances receivers as well as people who do not receive remittances. It advances the understanding of what drives informality in developing and transition economies.
Outcome of quality management practices
Authors: Eriksson Henrik
Published: September 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe differences among public and private, manufacturing and service and SMEs and large organisations regarding the outcome of quality management (QM) practices.

Design/methodology/approach

This study looks at the scores for different criteria (or practices) from quality award applicants in Sweden between 1992 and 2010.

Findings

The service industry outperforms the manufacturing industry. Furthermore, and perhaps unsurprisingly, large organisations are ahead of small and medium enterprises in the race for quality progress. In general, when comparing public with private organisations, private organisations do better, and the practice of process management seems to be easier for private firms.

Research limitations/implications

This study suggests that process management, as it is currently described and evaluated, needs to be revised and improved to better fit organisations.

Practical implications

Organisations, in general, score worse on business results than in all other criteria. This study proposes that quality managers must focus even more on how to achieve results and improve results in order to justify QM.

Originality/value

This study proposes that researchers and managers need to change their mind-set regarding service organisations in relation to manufacturing organisations, and that manufacturing organisations in particular need to see how successful service organisations work with leadership aspects, information and analysis, and business planning; how they obtain committed co-workers, and how they work with their customers.
Quality moderates market competition: evidence of Taiwanese service industry
Authors: Yang Yi-Fang , Chen Yahn-Shir
Published: September 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the direct and interactive effects of audit service quality and audit market concentration on performance of public accounting firms in Taiwan.

Design/methodology/approach

Empirical data of this study come from registered public accounting firms in Taiwan, an industrial data. From the perspective of industrial economics and based on the structure-conduct-performance paradigm (Cowling and Waterson, 1976), this study use OLS to test the linear regression equation.

Findings

Empirical results indicate that both audit service quality and audit market concentration have positive effects on performance. The interaction terms between audit service quality and audit market concentration are positively related to performance.

Practical implications

This documents that human capital is the core resource in public accounting firms which could enhance performance through higher audit service quality under intense market competition. Specifically, facing increasingly competitive audit market, public accounting firms response to the hostile situation by employing auditors with higher educational level, more work experience, with professional licenses, and taking more continuing professional education.

Originality/value

Few previous researches consider the effects of either market concentration or audit service quality on firm performance. This study simultaneously examines the relation among audit service quality, audit market concentration, and performance of public accounting firms. With the results, this study contributes knowledge to human resource and quality management-related literatures.
Decomposition of stock market trade-offs using Shewhart methodology
Authors: Premarathna Nadeeka , Godfrey A. Jonathan R. , Govindaraju K.
Published: September 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the applicability of Shewhart methodology and other quality management principles to gain a deeper understanding of the observed volatility in stock returns and its impact on market performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The validity of quality management philosophy in the context of financial market behaviour is discussed. The technique of rational subgrouping is used to identify the observable variations in stock returns as either common or special cause variation. The usefulness of the proposed methodology is investigated through empirical data. The risk/return and skewness/kurtosis trade-offs of S&P 500 stocks are examined. The consistency of this approach is reviewed by relating the separated variability to “efficient market” and “behavioural finance” theories.

Findings

Significant positive and negative risk/return trade-offs were found after partitioning the returns series into common and special cause periods, respectively, while total data did not exhibit a significant risk/return trade-off at all. A highly negative skewness/kurtosis trade-off was found in total and special cause periods as compared to the common cause periods. These results are broadly consistent with the theoretical concepts of finance and other empirical findings.

Practical implications

The quality management principles-based approach to analysing financial data avoids the complexities commonly found in stochastic-volatility forecasting models.

Social implications

The results provide new insights into the impact of volatility in stock returns. They should have direct implications for financial market participants.

Originality/value

The authors explore the relevance of Shewhart methodology in analysing variability in stock returns through reviewing financial market behaviour.
Is quality still free?
Authors: Plewa Markus , Kaiser Gernot , Hartmann Evi
Published: September 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide empirical evidence for competing representations of the prevention-appraisal-failure model of quality cost.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conduct regression analysis on a secondary data set to reveal relationships among total cost of quality, its components and overall quality performance.

Findings

Total cost of quality and its failure cost component are significantly lower at higher levels of quality, while the prevention and appraisal cost components are not observed to be significantly higher at higher levels of quality. The authors propose a modification to the modern representation of the prevention-appraisal-failure model.

Practical implications

In manufacturing, ever higher levels of quality are associated with significantly lower quality cost.

Originality/value

Using a large, unique data set for secondary analysis, combined with employing a high-level measure for overall quality performance, the authors provide evidence for the aggregate explanatory power of prevalent representations of the prevention-appraisal-failure cost of quality model.
Quality of higher education
Authors: Lapina Inga , Roga Renāte , Müürsepp Peeter
Published: September 2016

Purpose

Higher education institutions (HEIs) are becoming more aware of the effects of globalization and of the fact that the need for international work experience, as well as partially or fully acquired education abroad, is increasing. The aim of the research is to analyze factors influencing international students’ decision regarding the country and HEIs and to evaluate students’ learning experience and satisfaction with their choice to develop suggestions for the improvement of different dimensions related to the quality and export of higher education.

Design/methodology/approach

Several research methods, such as literature review, logical and comparative analysis, as well as the empirical method to obtain information by conducting a survey, and the induction method to interpret and generalize the survey results are applied in this research. To discover learning experiences and determinants of students’ choice of the host country and HEI, research was carried out, under which two questionnaires were developed. The survey involved foreign students from seven HEIs in Latvia and one Estonian university.

Findings

The environment in which HEIs operate is becoming more open to the increasing international influence and competition and leads to increasing opportunities for international studies and choice available to students. The quality of the academic staff and study programmes are the most important factors in creating value for the student. As a result of the research, suggestions for higher education quality improvement and export development have been structured within economics, culture and quality dimensions into three levels – individual, institutional and state.

Research limitations/implications

The study does not analyze the foreign students’ countries of origin in terms of political, economic situations or other factors. Upon researching the proportion of foreign students in Latvian HEIs, it was found that most students acquire education in Riga; therefore, regional HEIs have not been included in the survey.

Originality/value

The results obtained can be used to improve the quality of higher education and encourage the export of higher education by introducing the necessary changes in the areas identified during the research at the state as well as HEI level. The authors also provide an insight into the areas where implementation of changes is necessary to improve the international students’ level of satisfaction and their learning experience.
The effect of word-of-mouth on consumer emotions and choice: findings from a service industry
Authors: Martensen Anne , Grønholdt Lars
Published: September 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how received word-of-mouth (WOM) influences consumer emotions and, in turn, behavioral attitude and intention.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual model is developed by extending the theory of reasoned action framework to include WOM and emotions. The conceptual model is operationalized through a structural equation model, and the model is estimated and tested by using the partial least squares method. A survey among 509 consumers in Denmark forms the empirical basis for the study.

Findings

The paper finds that positive and negative WOM has an asymmetric influence on emotions, behavioral attitude and intention, i.e. that consumers respond differently to positive and negative WOM. The paper also finds that positive WOM has a larger impact than the social norm on behavioral attitude and intention and that negative WOM has an impact equal to that of the social norm. Furthermore, the study finds that emotions are an important mediator for both WOM and social norm.

Research limitations/implications

The paper is limited to a large travel agency in Denmark.

Practical implications

This paper has clear implications in terms of measuring the importance of WOM and emotions in consumer decision-making. It may serve as a useful basis for a practical WOM marketing strategy, which is a critical and increasingly applied element of customer-focused companies’ marketing strategies.

Originality/value

This paper provides new insights into how WOM works and the interplay between WOM, emotions and social norm in consumer decision-making.
New national re-encounters since 1948
Authors: Haj-Yehia Kussai , Arar Khalid
Published: September 2016

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the factors that attract (pull) or discourage (push) Palestinian students from Israel (PSI) to study at a Palestinian university, the Arab American University in Jenin (AAUJ), for the first time since the establishment of Israel in 1948.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative research method using in-depth interviews with 15 PSI who study at AAUJ attempts to define the motivations behind PSI preferring AAUJ, on one hand, and constraints, on the other hand.

Findings

The findings of the study show factors that attract PSI to study at the AAUJ and what subjects they choose to study there, the encounter with a similar culture and nationalism in a Palestinian campus in the occupied West Bank; the most significant difficulties and impediments they face there, whether economic or political, are discussed. This paper contributes to an understanding of the new national re-encounter between two Palestinian groups in a university campus, one under Israel’s occupation and the other that has Israeli citizenship.

Originality/value

It is a unique phenomenon in the trends of international students’ mobility in the world.
Invasion success in polyploids: the role of inbreeding in the contrasting colonization abilities of diploid versus tetraploid populations of Centaurea stoebe s.l.
Authors: Rosche Christoph , Hensen Isabell , Mráz Patrik , Durka Walter , Hartmann Matthias , Lachmuth Susanne
Published: September 2016

As a consequence of founder effects, inbreeding can hamper colonization success: First, in species with self‐incompatibility controlled by an S‐locus, inbreeding may decrease cross‐compatibility, mainly due to the sharing of identical S‐alleles between closely related mating partners. Secondly, inbreeding can reduce fitness of inbred relative to outbred offspring (i.e. inbreeding depression). Polyploids often show reduced inbreeding depression compared to diploids, which may contribute to the overrepresentation of polyploids among invasive species. This is the first study that tests how the effects of inbreeding differ between geocytotypes (i.e. ploidy levels within a given range).

Our model organism, Centaurea stoebe, is strictly self‐incompatible and comprises three geocytotypes: diploids are more frequent than tetraploids in the native range, while only tetraploids occur in the invasive range. We conducted a breeding experiment (sib‐mating vs. outcrossing) with 14 native diploid, 13 native tetraploid and 15 invasive tetraploid populations. We recorded cross‐compatibility and estimated a cumulative index for offspring fitness. Since frequent inbreeding can result in purging of genetic load responsible for inbreeding depression, our analyses included a metric for within‐population relatedness, based on eight microsatellite markers, to assess the effect of purging.

Inbreeding was found to reduce cross‐compatibility, which was similarly pronounced in diploids and tetraploids. It also caused inbreeding depression in cumulative fitness, which was significant in diploids but not in tetraploids. No evidence of purging was observed as inbred fitness was not affected by within‐population relatedness.

Synthesis. Our results provide new insights into the contrasting invasion success of the cytotypes of C. stoebe. As the effects of cross‐compatibility and purging were comparable between cytotypes, both processes can be ruled out to affect the colonization success of diploids versus tetraploids. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that polyploidy increases the masking of recessive mutations, which maintains high fitness in inbred tetraploids and may thus facilitate colonization of new ranges. We highlight that reduced inbreeding depression may add to previously acknowledged advantages of polyploids in range expansions, a mechanism that may hitherto have been underestimated due to a lack of data on variation in inbreeding depression across geocytotypes.
Entrepreneurial Religion in the Age of Neoliberal Urbanism
Authors: Lanz Stephan , Oosterbaan Martijn
Published: September 2016

The introduction to this symposium on entrepreneurial religion and neoliberal urbanism discusses leading scholarly approaches to religion and urban theory, arguing that, despite their merits, these approaches are in need of refinement. Theories on religion and urban theory too often describe religion as a reactionary phenomenon. Religious movements and spaces are generally defined as pockets of resistance and shelter against retreating or failing states under neoliberal restructuring programmes in the shadow of consumption dreams. Although religious actors and ideologies unquestionably form part of urban groups that are denied access to public and private means to wealth and security, the contributors to this symposium argue that within a global, comparative perspective, the entwinement of religion, state and market reveal more complicated configurations. Through a comparison of Islamic gated communities in Istanbul, Pentecostal prayer camps in Lagos and Pentecostal grassroots movements in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro, this symposium demonstrates that urban religion should also be regarded as a constitutive force of contemporary capitalism and should therefore be placed at the heart of the neoliberal construction of urban space instead of at its margins.
Kinetic description of heat‐induced cross‐linking reactions of whey protein‐free casein solutions
Authors: Bulca Selda , Dumpler Joseph , Kulozik Ulrich
Published: September 2016

Heat treatment of milk products induces several physico‐chemical changes that can compromise rennetability and milk protein functionality. The aim of this study was to investigate the kinetic parameters of heat‐induced polymerisation of whey protein‐free casein micelles in the native environment of skim milk, which were produced by microfiltration and ultrafiltration in a diafiltration mode. The intra‐ or intermolecular polymerisation of casein monomers by covalent cross‐linking of amino acids was analysed by gel‐permeation chromatography. The degree of polymerisation and the amounts of polymerisation products such as lysinoalanine and histidinoalanine leading to cross‐linking of proteins could be described as zero‐order reaction.
Anti‐inflammatory Potential of Quercetin‐3‐O‐β‐D‐(“2”‐galloyl)‐glucopyranoside and Quercetin Isolated from Diospyros kaki calyx via Suppression of MAP Signaling Molecules in LPS‐induced RAW 264.7 Macrophages
Authors: Cho Yong‐Hun , Kim Na‐Hyung , Khan Imran , Yu Jae Myo , Jung Hyun Gug , Kim Han Hyuk , Jang Jae Yoon , Kim Hyeon Jeong , Kim Dong‐in , Kwak Jae‐Hoon , Kang Sun Chul , An Bong Jeun
Published: September 2016

Diospyros kaki (DK) contains an abundance of flavonoids and has been used in folk medicine in Korea for centuries. Here, we report for the first time the anti‐inflammatory activities of Quercetin (QCT) and Quercetin 3‐O‐β‐(“2”‐galloyl)‐glucopyranoside (Q32G) isolated from DK. We have determine the no cytotoxicity of Q32G and QCT against RAW 264.7 cells up to concentration of 50 μM. QCT and Q32G demonstrated potent anti‐inflammatory activities by reducing expression of nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐6 inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX)‐2, and mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPKs) in mouse RAW 264.7 macrophages activated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Both QCT or Q32G could decrease cellular protein levels of COX‐2 and iNOS as well as secreted protein levels of NO, PGE2, and cytokines (TNF‐α, IL‐1β, and IL‐6) in culture medium of LPS‐stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Immunoblot analysis showed that QCT and Q32G suppressed LPS‐induced MAP kinase pathway proteins p‐p38, ERK, and JNK. This study revealed that QCT and Q32G have anti‐inflammatory potential, however Q32G possess comparable activity as that of QCT and could be use as adjuvant to treat inflammatory diseases.
Comparison of Microwave and Conventional Frying on Quality Attributes and Fat Content of Potatoes
Authors: Parikh Archana , Takhar Pawan S.
Published: September 2016

A comparative analysis of quality attributes (moisture, fat, color, and relaxation modulus) of French fries was performed between conventional and microwave frying. Experiments were performed in triplicate for both frying operations at temperatures of 177, 185, and 193 °C for frying times of 60, 90, and 120 s. The real‐time pressure and temperature profiles at above conditions indicated that during microwave frying, gage pressure had greater magnitudes that lasted longer, and the temperature increased to boiling point of water faster in comparison to conventional frying. Lower magnitude of negative pressure during microwave frying is expected to have caused lower fat content in fries obtained using this method (0.08 g/g solids less at 185 °C and 0.07 g/g solids less at 193 °C) than conventional frying. The lightness parameter (L*) decreased to a lesser extent in microwave frying than in conventional frying. The stress relaxation function of the French fries were significantly different between the 2 frying operations. Consumer test confirmed that reduced fat uptake during microwave frying did not compromise with desirable quality attributes of French fries. X‐ray micro‐computed tomography scanning provided complementary understanding about differences in microstructural properties of fries made using microwave and conventional frying.
Satiety Effects of Lentils in a Calorie Matched Fruit Smoothie
Authors: Erickson Jennifer , Slavin Joanne
Published: September 2016

The food environment is changing, with consumers being more health conscious and concerned about the wholesomeness of their food than ever before. Consumers are looking for nutritious whole food alternatives to fill their plates and stomachs. Pulse grains, rich in both protein and fiber, may be the ideal candidate to promote satiety at meals. In a crossover feeding study, participants consumed calorie‐matched fruit smoothies prepared with either an ice cream base or pureed red lentils. Self‐reported satiety, blood glucose response, and ad libitum food intake at a secondary meal were all measured along with breath hydrogen and methane and gastrointestinal tolerance. While there was no significant difference in satiety response or energy intake at the secondary meal, the nutrient profile of the lentil smoothie was improved with increased protein and fiber and dramatically lower fat content. Blood glucose response was not statistically different between the 2 treatments. Both smoothies were generally well tolerated; however, there was a slightly elevated AUC for perceived gastrointestinal tolerance over 24 h in the lentil smoothie. No difference in breath hydrogen or methane response was seen between treatments. The substitution of lentils into a meal is not likely to improve satiety; however lentils are a good source of fiber and protein and can greatly improve nutritional content of the meal.
Retirement Adequacy of Indigenous Australians: A Baseline Study
Authors: Bianchi Robert J. , Drew Michael E. , Walk Adam N. , Wiafe Osei K.
Published: September 2016

This baseline study examines the retirement adequacy of indigenous Australians. Using indigenous Australian demographic and employment data, we construct a forty years retirement savings profile. We employ simulation techniques to estimate the superannuation balance of a “typical” indigenous worker. The findings reveal that the retirement outcomes of indigenous workers are approximately 27 per cent lower than the average non‐indigenous worker. We also provide baseline estimates of the gender gap in retirement outcomes for indigenous workers. We concede that improving indigenous lifetime outcomes is a significant public policy issue; one that requires many more policy levers than those available to financial economists.
Too Big to Fail: Explaining the Timing and Nature of Intervention in the Australian Wool Market, 1916–1991
Authors: Ville Simon , Merrett David
Published: September 2016

From the early twentieth century, many Australian farm products have had their prices set by some form of intervention, often administered by a statutory marketing board. Wool was different: intervention, other than war‐related exigencies, came much later and in a different mechanism, a reserve price scheme (hereafter RPS). The RPS that operated from 1970 until its collapse in 1991 has been roundly criticised. Four key elements explain the belated emergence and particular form of price controls: the specific characteristics of wool — its importance to the economy, its export orientation, and its non‐perishability; the shifting locus of economic and political power in favour of small farmers; the declining influence of the wool‐selling brokers and their associations; and the rise of statutory bodies and their capture by key figures supporting increased government participation.
Australian POWs and the Sinking of the Rakuyo Maru: The Politics of Repatriation
Authors: Sturma Michael
Published: September 2016

On 12 September 1944, a U.S. submarine sank the Japanese transport ship Rakuyo Maru in the South China Sea which was carrying over a thousand Australian and British prisoners. Several days later, nearly a hundred Australian survivors from the ship were rescued by American submariners, and they later returned to Australia in October 1944. Analysis of this unanticipated repatriation provides some insight into attitudes toward prisoners of war as well as Australia's relationship with its allies at the time. Other historians have highlighted the ambiguous status of POWs relative to the Anzac legend. In the case of the Rakuyo Maru survivors, it is argued that ambivalence about their return had less to do with the Anzac legend than control of the information they brought back about the treatment and fate of other Australian prisoners in Japanese hands. Under pressure from both the United States and British governments, Australia wrestled with the issue of whether to publicise reports by the returned prisoners of Japanese atrocities. At the same time, the government came under pressure from relatives of prisoners still in captivity to disclose knowledge about their fate obtained from the Rakuyo Maru survivors.
“Developing a community soul”: A Comparative Assessment of the Australian Assistance Plan in Three Regions, 1973–1977
Authors: Eklund Erik , Oppenheimer Melanie , Scott Joanne
Published: September 2016

The Australian Assistance Plan (AAP) was an innovative yet largely forgotten social welfare program from the 1970s. A key platform of the Whitlam Labor government, which established a series of Regional Councils for Social Development across Australia, the AAP reframed citizens’ participation in their communities, stimulated voluntary organisations and volunteering and attempted to transform engagement among all levels of governments and the voluntary sector. Through an analysis of three Regional Council case studies in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia, this article focuses on the themes of regionalism and regional distinctiveness in order to assess how questions of regional difference can impact on the development of policy practices.
For Whom the Bellwether Polls: The Electorate of Eden‐Monaro as an Indicator of Australian Electoral Trends
Authors: McCaffrie Brendan , Aulich Chris
Published: September 2016

This article examines the concept of bellwether electorates through a case study of the federal electorate of Eden‐Monaro. Eden‐Monaro is known in Australia for its unparalleled bellwether record, that is, as an electorate whose results consistently approximate national results. The article finds that bellwether seats must have an enduring demographic partisan balance between major parties, organisational competitiveness between the parties in that electorate, and national factors must outweigh local factors in determining election results. A study of Eden‐Monaro particularly focusing on data from the 2013 elections, demonstrates that the seat meets these criteria, and that Eden‐Monaro's bellwether status is not merely coincidence. We argue that if used cautiously, the bellwether concept can be valuable as an indicator of national trends, rather than for any supposed predictive capacity.
The War with the Ottoman Empire: The Centenary History of Australia and the Great War Volume 2
Authors: Ariotti Kate
Published: September 2016

The War with the Ottoman Empire: The Centenary History of Australia and the Great War Volume 2. By Jeffrey Grey (Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 2015), pp. x + 238. 16 Maps. AU$59.95 (cloth).
The War at Home
Authors: Cryle Mark
Published: September 2016

The War at Home. By John Connor, Peter Stanley and Peter Yule (Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 2015), pp. xii+284, AU$59.95 (cloth).
Memory and Migration in the Shadow of War: Australia's Greek Immigrants after World War II and the Greek Civil War
Authors: Brown Martyn
Published: September 2016

Memory and Migration in the Shadow of War: Australia's Greek Immigrants after World War II and the Greek Civil War. By Joy Damousi (Melbourne: Cambridge University Press, 2015), pp.274. AU$145.00 (cloth).
Arthur Fadden: A Political Silhouette
Authors: Moore Clive
Published: September 2016

Arthur Fadden: A Political Silhouette. By Tracey M. Arklay (North Melbourne: Australian Scholarly Publishing, 2014), pp. xiii + 240, AU$39.95 (pb).
Defending Country: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Military Service since 1945
Authors: Oliver Bobbie
Published: September 2016

Defending Country: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Military Service since 1945. By Noah Riseman and Richard Trembath (St. Lucia: University of Queensland Press, 2016), pp. xi + 243, photographs, bibliography, AU$34.95 (pb).
Native Title from Mabo to Akiba: A Vehicle for Change and Empowerment?
Authors: Burnside Sarah
Published: September 2016

Native Title from Mabo to Akiba: A Vehicle for Change and Empowerment? Edited by Sean Brennan, Megan Davis, Brendan Edgeworth and Leon Terrill (Sydney: The Federation Press, 2015), pp. v + 273. Seven maps. AU$75.00 (pb).
Whispers from the Bush: The Workplace Sexual Harassment of Australian Rural Women
Authors: Dewar Mickey
Published: September 2016

Whispers from the Bush: The Workplace Sexual Harassment of Australian Rural Women. By Skye Saunders (Sydney: The Federation Press, 2015), pp. xviii +220. Foreword by David Morrison. Bibliography, Appendices, Index. ISBN 9781760020385. AU$59.95 (pb).
Battleground: Why the Liberal Party Shirtfronted Tony Abbott
Authors: Miller Harrison
Published: September 2016

Battleground: Why the Liberal Party Shirtfronted Tony Abbott. By Wayne Errington and Peter van Onselen (Carlton: Melbourne University Press, 2015), pp.277. AU$29.99 (pb).
Australia and Israel: a Diasporic, Cultural and Political Relationship
Authors: Billingsley Anthony
Published: September 2016

Australia and Israel: a Diasporic, Cultural and Political Relationship. Edited by Shahar Burla and Dashiel Lawrence (Brighton, Chicago and Toronto: Sussex Academic Press, 2015), pp. vi + 246. US$34.95 (cloth).
Standing My Ground: A Voice for Nature Conservation
Authors: Clarkson Bruce
Published: September 2016

Standing My Ground: A Voice for Nature Conservation. By Alan F. Mark (Dunedin: Otago University Press, 2015), pp.312. ISBN978‐1‐927322‐04‐8. NZ$45.00 (pb).
How Empire Shaped Us
Authors: Crook Paul
Published: September 2016

How Empire Shaped Us. Edited by Antoinette Burton and Dane Kennedy (London: Bloomsbury, 2016), pp. xi+216. £65.00 (cloth).
Eco‐Cultural Networks and the British Empire: New Views on Environmental History
Authors: Morgan Ruth
Published: September 2016

Eco‐Cultural Networks and the British Empire: New Views on Environmental History. Edited by James Beattie, Edward Melillo and Emily O'Gorman (London, New Delhi, New York and Sydney: Bloomsbury Academic, 2015), pp. xvi + 323. 20 Illustrations. £65.00 (cloth).
Independence or Union: Scotland's Past and Scotland's Present
Authors: Clarke Amy
Published: September 2016

Independence or Union: Scotland's Past and Scotland's Present. By T.M. Devine (London: Allen Lane, 2016), pp. xiii + 306. £20.00 (cloth).
The German War: A Nation under Arms, 1939–45
Authors: Moses John
Published: September 2016

The German War: A Nation under Arms, 1939–45. By Nicholas Stargardt (London: Bodley Head, 2015), 704 pp. £30.00 (cloth).
The Secular State Under Siege: Religion and Politics in Europe and America
Authors: Hartney Christopher
Published: September 2016

The Secular State Under Siege: Religion and Politics in Europe and America. By Christian Joppke (Cambridge and Malden: Polity 2015).
Novel rapid molecular diagnosis of fetal chromosomal abnormalities associated with recurrent pregnancy loss
Authors: Yang Lan , Tang Ye , Lu Mudan , Yang Yuefen , Xiao Jianping , Wang Qiaoxia , Yang Canfeng , Tao Hehua , Xiang Jingying
Published: September 2016

Introduction

Labor‐intensive karyotyping is used as the reference standard diagnostic test to identify copy number variants (CNVs) in the fetal genome after recurrent pregnancy loss. Our aim was to present and evaluate a novel molecular assay called CNVplex that could potentially be used as an alternative method to conventional karyotyping for diagnosing fetal chromosomal abnormalities associated with recurrent pregnancy loss.

Material and methods

Using karyotyping as the reference standard, CNVplex was performed to identify fetal chromosomal abnormalities in the chorionic villus samples from 76 women experiencing at least two pregnancy losses. Its diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were evaluated to detect aneuploidies associated with recurrent pregnancy loss. Turnaround time and costs of CNVplex were also measured.

Results

Diagnostic accuracy of CNVplex in aneuploidies that are associated with recurrent pregnancy loss was 1.0 (95% CI 0.94–1.0), sensitivity was 100% (95% CI 0.89–1.0), and specificity was 100% (95% CI 0.875–1.0). Diagnostic accuracy of CNVplex was similar to that of karyotyping. Both karyotyping and CNVplex assay detected 27 autosomal trisomies, three 45,X monosomies, and three polyploidies. CNVplex also detected additional novel structural abnormalities of the fetal genome. Compared with karyotyping, CNVplex significantly (p = 0.001) reduced the waiting time by 13.98 days (95% CI 13.88–14.08) and the cost by US $241 (95% CI 234.53–247.47).

Conclusions

CNVplex is a novel effective assay for diagnosing fetal chromosomal abnormalities associated with recurrent pregnancy loss. In the routine clinical work‐up of recurrent pregnancy loss, diagnostic accuracy of CNVplex is comparable to that of conventional karyotyping but it requires less waiting time and has lower cost.
Development of an Optical Detector of Thrombus Formation on the Pivot Bearing of a Rotary Blood Pump
Authors: Sakota Daisuke , Fujiwara Tatsuki , Ouchi Katsuhiro , Kuwana Katsuyuki , Yamazaki Hiroyuki , Maruyama Osamu
Published: September 2016

Continuous optical monitoring of thrombus formation in extracorporeal mechanical circulatory support (EMCS) devices will contribute to safe, long‐term EMCS. A clinically applicable optical detector must be able to distinguish among the optical characteristics of oxygen saturation (SaO2), hematocrit (Hct), and thrombus formation. In vitro studies of spectral changes at wavelengths from 400 to 900 nm associated with SaO2, Hct, and thrombus formed around the top pivot bearing of a Gyro C1E3 pump were conducted. Fresh porcine blood anticoagulated with sodium citrate was circulated in a mock circuit using the pump. The SaO2, Hct, and anticoagulation activity were altered using an oxygenator, autologous plasma, and calcium chlorite injection, respectively. Light from a xenon lamp was guided by an incident fiber perpendicularly fixed on the top bearing. This light was scattered by blood pooled between the male and female pivots. The detection fiber was perpendicularly fixed against the incident fiber, and the side‐scattered light was detected and guided to a spectrophotometer. As a result, light at two different wavelengths, 420 and 810 nm, was identified as suitable for thrombus detection because it was negligibly influenced by SaO2 and was able to detect the optical characteristics of fibrin. The light at these two wavelengths responded more quickly to thrombus formation than the inlet or outlet pressure, and flow rate change. The optical changes showed the changes in Hct around the top pivot bearing, which is caused by the reduction in density of fibrin‐trapped red blood cells (RBCs) due to the RBCs being swept away by the surrounding blood flow. The proposed method was also able to detect fibrin production by extracting subtle differences in the optical characteristics between the Hct and thrombus formation.
A Physiological Controller for Turbodynamic Ventricular Assist Devices Based on Left Ventricular Systolic Pressure
Authors: Petrou Anastasios , Ochsner Gregor , Amacher Raffael , Pergantis Panagiotis , Rebholz Mathias , Meboldt Mirko , Schmid Daners Marianne
Published: September 2016

The current article presents a novel physiological feedback controller for turbodynamic ventricular assist devices (tVADs). This controller is based on the recording of the left ventricular (LV) pressure measured at the inlet cannula of a tVAD thus requiring only one pressure sensor. The LV systolic pressure (SP) is proposed as an indicator to determine the varying perfusion requirements. The algorithm to extract the SP from the pump inlet pressure signal used for the controller to adjust the speed of the tVAD shows robust behavior. Its performance was evaluated on a hybrid mock circulation. The experiments with changing perfusion requirements were compared with a physiological circulation and a pathological one assisted with a tVAD operated at constant speed. A sensitivity analysis of the controller parameters was conducted to identify their limits and their influence on a circulation. The performance of the proposed SP controller was evaluated for various values of LV contractility, as well as for a simulated pressure sensor drift. The response of a pathological circulation assisted by a tVAD controlled by the introduced SP controller matched the physiological circulation well, while over‐ and underpumping events were eliminated. The controller presented a robust performance during experiments with simulated pressure sensor drift.
Leveraging the Vertical: The Contested Dynamics of Sustainability Standards and Labour in Global Production Networks
Authors: Tampe Maja
Published: September 2016

Sustainability standards for tropical agriculture promise better trade and fairer labour conditions for smallholders. Recent research on labour suggests that, besides such standards, configurations of buyer–supplier relationships crucially shape economic and labour conditions. However, a static configurational approach overlooks the role of supplier and labour agency over time. Using a matched case comparison of two certified rural enterprises in Ecuador, this article shows that suppliers can leverage standards to create value from vertical relationships with buyers. However, standards do not, by themselves, directly contribute to better conditions. They do so indirectly only if suppliers manage to become competitive in an elite market, augmenting rather than dampening unequal trade conditions. This study contributes to recent theory seeking to explain uneven labour outcomes with sustainability standards in global production networks.
An enzymatic approach to configurationally rare trans‐androsteronyl‐α‐glucoside and Its potential anticancer application
Authors: Chou Feng‐Pai , Tsai Chia‐Tse , Chiou Ya‐Sheng , Chen Yi‐Ju , Li Meng‐Erh , Guo Ting‐Wei , Lyu Jason WenJay , Chou Sheng‐Hao , Wu Tung‐Kung
Published: September 2016

Enzymatic glycosylation of sterols/steroids with glycosyltransferase HP0421 shows protein plasticity on generation of configurationally rare steryl‐α‐glucosides. Investigation of trans‐androsteronyl‐α‐glucoside on tamoxifen‐treated MCF‐7 breast cancer cells shows dose‐dependent depression of cell viability and enhanced drug effectiveness, illustrating a new avenue for the production of novel steryl‐α‐glucosides with useful biological activities.
Discrepancies between self‐ and adult‐perceptions of social competence in children with neuropsychiatric disorders
Authors: Vuori M. , Autti‐Rämö I. , Junttila N. , Vauras M. , Tuulio‐Henriksson A.
Published: September 2016

Background

The present study examines discrepancies between self‐ and adult‐perceptions of social competence in children with attention deficit‐hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and possible co‐morbid disruptive behaviour disorders (DBD).

Method

Self‐reported questionnaires were collected from multiple informants at the baseline of a multi‐systemic family intervention programme for children (aged 5–12) with ADHD, ASD and possible co‐morbid DBD. In total, out of the 154 families eligible for the study, information was received concerning children from 124 families (children n = 121; mothers n = 117; fathers n = 86; teachers n = 97). In addition to this, a comparison community sample of 318 school‐aged children (approximately 10 years old) was utilized to examine the perceptions of children's social competence across intervention and population groups in more detail.

Results

Children's self‐perceptions in the prosocial dimension of social competence (i.e. cooperating skills, empathy) did not differ between the intervention and comparison groups. Interestingly, the children in the intervention sample expressed more impulsivity and disruptiveness – the antisocial dimension of social competence – when compared with the children in the comparison sample. Adult ratings demonstrated that mothers, fathers and teachers reported decreased prosocial behaviour and increased antisocial behaviour across overall dimensions and sub‐dimensions when compared with adults' ratings of elementary school children. Informant discrepancies between self‐ratings and adult ratings across intervention groups yielded significant effect sizes (eta‐squared) across all domains of social competence ranging from .09 to .25.

Conclusion

Children's positive self‐ratings of social competence relative to adult ratings increased within intervention sample when compared with population sample. The intervention sample children appeared to acknowledge their social competence deficits, yet self‐perceptions were inflated relative to adult ratings when focusing on peer relationship difficulties, particularly, aggression to peers.