Integrating Econometric Models of Australia's Livestock Industries: Implications for Forecasting and Other Economic Analyses

The perceived value of integrating small partial- equilibrium structural models of individual livestock industries into a comprehensive single-sector model is to take advantage of the interrelationships that are usually expressed by cross elasticities on both the supply and demand sides of these industries. Model integration should provide a more realistic representation of the livestock industries and an improved mechanism for industry analyses. However, model integration could also lead to increased error in model simulation that could reduce the value of the larger model for those purposes. Using forecasting as an example application, this paper investigates how the increased endogenisation of cross-commodity relationships in alternative structural econometric models of the Australian livestock industries affects the simulation performance of the larger model. Forecast accuracy and encompassing tests were used to investigate the value of model integration by comparing the accuracy of the models' forecasts and by testing for differences in the information contained in those forecasts. The general result was that combining the models did not adversely affect the forecasts from the integrated model and the encompassing tests indicated that the forecasts of the integrated and single models contained different information. Because the forecasts of the integrated model were not impaired relative to the single model forecasts, model integration was considered to be useful for forecasting and other types of economic analysis in the livestock industries.Structural econometric models, Model integration, Forecasting, Economic analysis, Livestock Production/Industries,

In vitro determination of hemoglobin A1c for diabetes diagnosis and management: technology update

It is fascinating to consider the analytical improvements that have occurred since glycated hemoglobin was first used in routine clinical laboratories for diabetes monitoring around 1977; at that time methods displayed poor precision, there were no calibrators or material with assayed values for quality control purposes. This review outlines the major improvements in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) measurement that have occurred since its introduction, and reflects on the increased importance of this hemoglobin fraction in the monitoring of glycemic control. The use of HbA1c as a diagnostic tool is discussed in addition to its use in monitoring the patient with diabetes; the biochemistry of HbA1c formation is described, and how these changes to the hemoglobin molecule have been used to develop methods to measure this fraction. Standardization of HbA1c is described in detail; the development of the IFCC Reference Measurement Procedure for HbA1c has enabled global standardization to be achieved which has allowed global targets to be set for glycemic control and diagnosis. The importance of factors that may interfere in the measurement of HbA1c are highlighted

Australian Sheep Industry CRC: Economic Evaluations of Scientific Research Programs

By the end of its seven-year term in 2007-08, the Australian Sheep Industry CRC (Sheep CRC) will have received total funds of about $90 million, that comprises Commonwealth and industry funding of$30 million, and in-kind contributions valued at $60 million. This level of public and private funding emphasises the need for the Sheep CRC to demonstrate that its research programs will generate sound economic returns to all stakeholders. This paper reports an evaluation of the potential economic value of the achievements of the Sheep CRC at the midpoint of its term of operations at which it has some completed research and a large volume of research in progress. The main question that has been addressed in this evaluation concerns the nature and likely magnitude of the potential benefits relative to the costs of their realisation. The economic methods and other procedures that were used to answer this question, the evaluation scenarios and the results obtained are described. Based on the defined with- and without-Sheep CRC evaluation scenarios, the ‘bottom-line’ result was that the Sheep CRC’s scientific research programs have the potential to deliver a total incremental benefit with a 20-year net present value (NPV) of$191.3 million, and a total benefit-cost ratio (BCR) of 8.1:1 (both at a 5% real rate of discount), indicating that the Sheep CRC’s total research investment over all programs has the potential to return about $8 for every$1 of research investment funds.sheep research, economic evaluations, economic-surplus- benefit-cost analysis., Agribusiness, Farm Management, Livestock Production/Industries, Production Economics, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, Q160,

Consumer Sophistication and the Role of Emotion on Satisfaction Judgments within Credence Services

Evidence which demonstrates a link between the affective dimension and satisfaction in a tangible product based context is well documented. However, when placed in a credence service context the role of Affect becomes more complex. Previous research in this field has assumed consumer homogeneity when there is increasing evidence of consumer heterogeneity. This research attempts to address this by examining affective reactions to service encounters between two groups of respondents, one with the ability to make performance assessments about the service and one without. Findings suggest consumers of differing sophistication will vary in the way they form expectation and performance assessments about the technical, functional and affective components of credence services and that consumer sophistication may have a moderating influence on affective reactions evoked. This in turn has implications for the design and delivery of service offerings within such contexts

PERAN APARATUR SIPIL NEGARA (ASN) DALAM PEMBERANTASAN TINDAK PIDANA KORUPSI MENURUT UU NO. 5 TAHUN 2014 TENTANG APARATUR SIPIL NEGARA

Tujuan dilakukannya penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui bagaimana tindakan aparatur sipil Negara terhadap tindak pidana korupsi menurut undang-undang no. 5 tahun 2014 dan bagaimana peran aparatur sipil negara (ASN) dalam pemberantasan tindak pidana korupsi. Dengan menggunakan metode penelitian yuridis normatif, disimpulkan: 1. Dengan adanya Undang-Undang No. 5 tahun 2014 tentang Aparatur Sipil Negara, dapat dilihat tentang sikap dan tindakan aparatur sipil Negara terhadap tindak pidana korupsi.  kepegawaian negara yang disebut dengan istilah “aparatur sipil Negara” (selanjutnya ASN),mencakup Pegawai Negeri Sipil (PNS) dan Pegawai Pemerintah dengan Perjanjian Kerja (PPPK). Aparatur Sipil Negara (ASN) adalah profesi bagi Pegawai Negeri Sipil dan pegawaipemerintah dengan perjanjian kerja yang bekerja pada instansi pemerintah. Pembahasan tentangASN merupakan bagian dari manajemen kepegawaian negara di bawah kewenangan Presiden sebagai kepala pemerintahan (Pasal 4 ayat (1) UUD NRI1945). ASN adalah penyelenggara negarayang terdapat dalam semua lini pemerintahan. Pelaksana kegiatan administrasi negaradilaksanakan oleh ASN sebagai sumber daya manusia penggerak birokrasi pemerintah. 2. Dalam mewujudkan sebuah strategi pemberantasan tindak pidana anti korupsi yang efektif dan terstruktur  oleh aparatur sipil negara dibutuhkan pemenuhan “peran” serta prasyarat sebagai berikut : Didorong oleh keinginan politik serta komitmen yang kuat dan muncul dari kesadaran sendiri, Menyeluruh dan seimbang. Transparan dan bebas dari konflik kepentingan. Menumbuhkan kesadaran masyarakat mengenai dampak destruktif dari korupsi, khususnya bagi PNS. Mengsosialisasikan dampak dari perilaku tindak pidana korupsi, dan Serta mempunyai niat, semangat dan komitmen melakukan pencegahan tindak pidana korupsi. Selain dari pada itu, aparatur sipil Negara tentunya mempunyai peranan penting dalam pemberantasan tindak pidana korupsi. Karena (ASN) yang memegang kekuasaan dan kewenangan atas keuangan. maka perlu menegaskan kembali  diantaranya melalui : Penyempurnaan undang-undang Anti Korupsi yang lebih komprehensif, mencakup kolaborasi kelembagaan yang harmonis dalam mengatasi masalah korupsi. Kontrak politik yang dibuat pejabat public, Pembuatan aturan dan kode etik khusnya bagi PNS, dan Penyederhanaan birokrasi (baik struktur maupun jumlah pegawai).Kata kunci: Peran aparatur sipil negara, pemberantasan tindak pidana korups

Sheep CRC Renewal Proposal: Economic Evaluation of the Proposed Scientific Themes

The Australian sheep industry and its associated research and development agencies have developed a proposal for the CRC for Sheep Industry Innovation. “Top-down” and “bottomup” procedures were used to assess the expected economic benefits from this proposal. Formal “with-CRC” and “without-CRC” scenarios were defined for each product and each research theme. Relevant costs were similarly defined. The requested investment by the Commonwealth and the Australian sheep industry in the CRC is assessed relative to a scenario where an alternative, lower cost research program into this industry is implemented. These extra resources have a discounted value of about $34 million over the 25-year period of this evaluation. These resources are sufficient to allow some new research components to be added to the portfolio, some existing components to produce better outcomes, and a more targeted approach to development and extension that speeds up and increases the adoption of the new technologies that are generated by the research program. The benefit from this extra investment and consequent research effort is estimated to be worth about$518 million in present value terms, which is far in excess of the marginal investment. Thus every $1 of these extra resources brought into the Australian sheep industry through funding the proposed CRC is expected to return around$15.30 to the industry in present value terms.wool, sheep meat, research and development, economic, evaluation, Australia, Agribusiness, Livestock Production/Industries, Production Economics, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, Q160,

Economic benefits of public investment in weed management: the case of vulpia in south-eastern Australia’s temperate pasture areas

The present paper reports an economic evaluation of the long-term benefits to Australia of research by the Cooperative Research Centre for Weed Management Systems (CRC) into the improved management of vulpia , the major annual grass weed of temperate pastures in New South Wales and Victoria. Vulpia reduces livestock production by competition with more desirable pasture species, by the production of low quality feed at critical times of the grazing cycle, and by injury to animals. A 20-year stochastic benefit-cost analysis indicated that reducing the impacts of vulpia in these pastures produced a mean net present value of # A58.3 million and a mean benefit-cost ratio of 33:1. Temperate pasture zone wool producers would capture the largest shares of these benefits, Australian consumers would gain, but wool producers in the rest of Australia would suffer welfare losses from vulpia reductions in the temperate pasture zones.Agricultural and Food Policy, Farm Management,

Membrane-Mediated Alterations of Intracellular Na+ and K+ in Lytic-Virus-Infected and Retrovirus-Transformed Cells

Infection of chick-embryo fibroblasts and other ceils by certain animal viruses results in alterations in the intracellular concentrations of Na + and K +. Dramatic alterations in monovalent-cation concentrations of lytic-virus-infected ceils may favor the synthesis of viral proteins over cellular proteins. More subtle alterations in retrovirus-transformed cells may result in the expression of many morphological and biochemical changes associated with the transformed phenotype.Public Health Service Grant CA 26169, CA 27003National Cancer Institute CA 06593Integrative Biolog

What constitutes authorship?

For most authors of scientific papers, writing is a struggle. Crisp Introductions, clear Methods, and informative Results and Discussion sections are usually produced only after discarded drafts and with help from colleagues. But sometimes the greatest anxiety is associated with writing the cover page, because it is there that the authors are named