Typescript (photocopy) / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 223-249) / 249 leaves, [10] leaves of ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Investigates the relationship between feed conversion efficiency and physiological variables among several lines, generations and breeds of hen fed ad libitum or on restricted amounts of feed; and, of the consequences to egg shell quality of restriction of food supplied to laying hens. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Animal Physiology, 1982

Typescript (photocopy) / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 223-249) / 249 leaves, [10] leaves of ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Investigates the relationship between feed conversion efficiency and physiological variables among several lines, generations and breeds of hen fed ad libitum or on restricted amounts of feed; and, of the consequences to egg shell quality of restriction of food supplied to laying hens. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Animal Physiology, 1982

This dissertation is motivated by two major factors. First, there have been no direct studies conducted for the relationship between market integrity and market efficiency and the driving forces behind the cross-sectional variations in market quality. Second, a better understanding the relationships among market integrity, market efficiency and other mechanism design factors for securities exchanges will facilitate securities exchanges achieve a satisfactory level of market quality. This dissertation consists of three chapters. In Chapter 1, a review of literature on market manipulation will be given. A series of common securities market manipulation strategies and corresponding market surveillance alerts will be explained and defined. In Chapter 2, we develop a testable hypothesis that market manipulation as proxied by the incidence of ramping alerts would raise transaction cost for completing larger trades. We find ramping alert incidence positively related to effective spreads in 8 of 10 turnover deciles from most liquid to thinnest-trading securities. The magnitude of the increase in effective spreads when ramping manipulation incidence doubles is economically significant, 30 to 40 basis points in many moderate liquidity deciles. This compares with an average effective spread of 72 basis points for index-listed securities in the most efficient electronic markets worldwide. In Chapter 3, In Chapter 3 of this thesis, we test the correlation between the levels of market integrity as proxied by the incidence of ramping alerts and a combination of proxies for factors from the following four potential drivers deciding the market quality across securities exchanges: ??? Securities Markets Trading Regulations ??? Securities Markets Technologies ??? Securities Market Infrastructure ??? Securities Market Participants The model we developed to test the correlation between the proxies for level of market integrity and seven proxies for the four potential drivers were estimated with Ordinary Least Square (OLS) and Two-stage Least Square (2SLS) error structures assumed, respectively to learn the most about the possible endogeneity of spreads and volatility. By performing Hausman-Wu specification tests, we concluded that simultaneity bias in the thickly-traded deciles is not material for the AI-Volatility and AI-Spread equation pairs. Subsequently, we used the PROBIT model to analyse the probability of adopting RTS across the 240 securities exchange deciles and the likelihood proves to be systematically related to four determinants in our sample. Finally we estimate the structural equations to investigate possible cross-equation correlation of the disturbances with either seemingly unrelated regression (SURL) estimation. Our findings are three-fold. Firstly, in the moderately-traded deciles, we find that the presence of a closing auction (CloseAucDum) reduces the incidence of ramping alerts. Trade-based manipulation proves more difficult when a manipulator???s counterparties can use closing auctions to unwind their intraday exposures. The RTS dummy variable is significantly positively related to alert incidence. In the absence of any panel data on the dynamic effects of adopting RTS, what we are observing in cross section is the perceived vulnerability of certain exchanges to manipulation and their consequent adoption of RTS plus the regulatory regimes required to have a salutary effect on market integrity. Second, in the moderately-traded deciles, we find that the closing auctions and more regulations in pursuit of market integrity lower quoted spreads. RTS and a regulation specifically prohibiting ramping indicate in cross-section the perceived likelihood of more ramping. Thirdly, in terms of the probability of the deployment of a real-time surveillance system, the estimations again differ by liquidity decile grouping. In the moderately-traded deciles, higher alert incidence, the presence of DMA, and higher FDI again increase the likelihood of adopting a real-time surveillance system. Our findings have a couple of policy implications for many securities exchanges in terms of market design and market surveillance. First, the exhibited relationship between alert incidence and effective spreads indicates trade-based manipulation has a significant impact on execution costs. Therefore, the prevention of securities market manipulation not only serves the indirect purpose of improving an exchange???s reputation for market integrity but also contributes directly to achieving a more efficient marketplace. Second, our results indicate that some market design changes can enhance the regulatory efforts to prevent securities market manipulations. For example, to prevent manipulators from marking the closing price, some exchanges could choose to adopt a closing auction or a random closing time, which would make manipulation more costly. Nevertheless, no securities exchange can be designed perfectly. Consequently, exchange and broker-level surveillance backed by effective regulatory enforcement is a necessary and pivotal complement to good design choices.

Title page, table of contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University of Adelaide Library. / Net feed intake or residual feed intake is the feed intake of an animal after adjustment for its average weight and weight gain while on the feed test. High net feed efficiency (NFE) animals have a low net feed intake, so the aim is to select animals that have high net feed efficiency in order to reduce the 70% expenditure for feed costs. Thus far, very few studies have been undertaken on beef cattle to identify genetic markers for NFE and to understand the molecular genetics of feed intake regulation and energy balance. Therefore, in an attempt to identify genes and metabolic pathways controlling feed efficiency in beef cattle, three different experimental approaches were taken herein: a) linkage and linkage disequilibrium quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping for net feed intake in Lirnousin x Jersey animals, b) mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation enzyme assays in high and low NFE cattle, and c) 2-dimensional fluorescent gel electrophoresis (DIGE) proteomics analysis of mitochondrial proteins. For the cattle QTL mapping, the results from a previous trial were utilized. In the trial, a double back-cross design was employed using two extremely divergent Bos taurus breeds [Jersey (J) dairy breed and Limousin (L) beef breed]. These breeds known to differ in many traits including carcass composition, fat colour, body size, and meat tenderness. Three first cross (F1=X) sires were mated to pure Jersey or pure Limousin cows, creating in total 366 XJ and XL backcross progeny (range 120-156 progeny per sire). The amount of feed consumed each day during the 70-100 day test was recorded electronically for each animal. Feed intake data were processed by calculating the least-square means for each animal over the test period. The data for net feed intake were analysed using a QTL half-sib interval-mapping model. The interval linkage analysis of whole genome detected six suggestive QTL (BTA 1, 6, 8, 9, 16, and 20) segregating for NFE. Of these 6 QTL, 4 NFE QTL (BTA 1, 6,16, and 20) were homeologous to QTL for NFE observed in fullsib F2 families of mouse selection lines (Fenton 2004). After the NFE data were reanalysed for outliers, a QTL on BTA 11 was re-ranked and placed in the top 4 NFE QTL in terms of size of effect and statistical support, whereas the OTL on BTA 6 and BTA 16 had less support. Since the QTL on BTA 9 was not independent of growth, only 4 QTL (BTA 1, 8, 11 and 20) were targeted for further study herein. These NFE QTL were cross-validated in Angus NFE selection line animals in collaboration with Department of Primary Industries (DPI), Victoria by microsatellite linkage mapping. Two of the QTL on BTA 8 and 20 were confirmed and three other minor QTL on BTA 1, 11, and 20 were detected in the Angus animals. Based on this background information, a comparative genome mapping study was undertaken to identify candidate genes. Using the human and bovine genome Ensembl databases, 205 NFE candidate genes underlying the 4 major QTL regions (BTA 1, 8, 11, and 20) were identified and 61 were sequenced in the mapping F1 Limousin x Jersey mapping sires. In these 61 genes, 308 SNPs were discovered, of which 27 were potentially functional SNPs changing the amino acids. 84 SNPs were selected for genotyping and used for fine mapping the 4 QTL and for SNP association studies with NFE. From the positions of the analyses, the 4 NFE QTL were refined and 27 candidate SNPs in 20 genes showed strong association with NFE in the Limousin x Jersey animals. A ParAllele whole genome scan with a bovine 10K SNP chip was also performed on a subset of the Angus NFE selection line animals by DPI Victoria. 100 ParAllele SNPs had significant association with NFE in the Angus selection line animals. These ParAllele SNPs were tested in the Limousin x Jersey animals and 16 ParAllele SNPs were significantly associated with NFE. Four of these SNPs were located in the NFE QTL on BTA 1, 11 and 20. Based on the candidate genes underlying the 4 NFE QTL, 8 potential metabolic pathways contributing to NFE were identified. These metabolic pathways included mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and glucose turnover. Therefore, to determine if these specific pathways are indeed involved in net feed efficiency, oxidative phosphorylation enzyme assays and mitochondrial protein profiling were conducted on progeny from the Angus Trangie NFE selection line animals. Liver and skeletal muscle samples were obtained from extreme high and low NFE animals with an average phenotypic difference of 3 kg net feed intake per day. Using these liver and muscle samples, mitochondria were prepared and assessed. The mitochondrial preparations were assayed for enzyme activity of 3 complexes (Complex I, II and IV) involved in oxidative phosphorylation. The enzyme activities were measured spectrophotometrically and analysed by regression analysis. The activity of the liver mitochondrial Complex I was found to be significantly decreased in the high NFE animals compared to the low NFE animals (p<O.0001). The Complex II and IV activities were increased in the high NFE cattle, but the differences were not statistically significant. Using the mitochondrial preparations, 2-D polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis differential gel electrophoresis (2-D PAGE DIGE) was used to generate a mitochondrial protein profile for the high and low NFE Angus cattle. An ontological analysis based on the differentially expressed proteins (>1.5 fold difference) in the high vs. low NFE cattle unambiguously identified a total of 27 proteins in 6 physiologically different groups. The mitochondria proteomics results also confirmed the involvement of oxidative phosphorylation in net feed intake regulation. Eleven oxidative phosphorylation complex subunit proteins were found to be differentially expressed between the high and low NFE animals. Other differentially expressed proteins included six stress-related proteins, seven energy production and glucose turnover proteins, two protein turnover and nitrogen balance enzymes, and two proteins involved in mitochondrial DNA and protein biosynthesis. Four of the differentially expressed proteins were found in the NFE QTL regions. The results of these experiments provide a better understanding of the relationship between variation in feed efficiency and cellular energy production mechanisms in beef cattle. The proteomics and mitochondrial enzyme assay results suggest that energy metabolism and homeostasis may not be an efficient process in low NFE cattle. Lastly, a set of candidate SNPs are now available for the further validation as markers for selection of NFE in cattle breeding programs. / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1349183 / Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, 2008

This study of local public sector efficiency, the first attempted in an Australian context using frontier measurement techniques, seeks to survey and estimate the level and determinants of productive, allocative, technical and scale efficiency in Australian local government. It finds that a major influence on efficiency in local government is the imposed contextual environment, that efficiency varies markedly across particular local governments, and that productive efficiency in the provision of local public services has improved during the recent program of microeconomic reform. The first theoretical section of the study examines the econometric and mathematical methods that have been employed in the recent history of efficiency measurement. Starting with an assessment of the significance of Farrell's (1957) pioneering work on the analysis of productive efficiency, it extends this approach to the orthodox analysis of deterministic frontiers, and discusses the ongoing analysis of stochastic frontiers. The theoretical section also examines the alternative mathematical programming approach to the analysis of productive efficiency, as well as examining some extensions to this approach. The section concludes with a discussion of various theoretical issues involved in selecting an appropriate analytical technique and interpreting the resultant findings. The second section of the study contains a comprehensive survey of empirical work on frontier efficiency measurement techniques. It examines various applications using microeconomic efficiency methods in the fields of financial services, healthcare, education, local public services, and other selected applications. Attention is paid to the preferred analytical techniques used in each field, especially those concerning input/output specification. The main finding of this section is that the nature of the sample itself often requires careful analysis, especially as institutional and environmental factors can exert a strong influence on efficiency measures. The third section of the study provides a brief overview of local government in Australia, with particular emphasis on internationally distinguishable characteristics. The function and financing of Australian local government is discussed, with special attention paid to the state of New South Wales. The institutional section also examines the progress of microeconomic reform in Australian local government, and discusses the extant approaches to comparative performance measurement and process benchmarking. The final section of the study is concerned with a contemporary empirical evaluation of local public sector efficiency in Australia. The analysis is not only the first undertaken in Australia using frontier measurement techniques, but this is also the only study to simultaneously evaluate efficiency in a number of different local government functions, across both jurisdictions and time. The results indicate that allocative inefficiency, rather than technical inefficiency, represents the main source of productive inefficiency in local government, and that technical inefficiency is largely the result of scale inefficiencies.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, November, 2001. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 125-126).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2008. / Title from title screen (site viewed Oct. 21, 2008). PDF text: viii, 129 p. : ill. ; 696 K. UMI publication number: AAT 3308320. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.

Thesis (M. Eng. (Water Resources Engineering)) -- University of Pretoria, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 70-75)

Thesis (M.Sc.(Agric)(Animal Nutrition)) -- University of Pretoria, 2008. / Summary in English. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.H.A.)--University of Michigan, 1979.