Higher education services exports : sources of growth of Asian students in US and UK

The paper reviews the recent trends and current developments in the global higher education market with a particular focus on growth of Asian students studying in US and UK. Using pool cross section-time series data over the 1985–2003 period, it is found that different factors affect students from different countries differently. This suggests that the marketing strategies of offshore higher education providers need to be tailored to the specific needs of different markets in order to be successful. The emergence of a number of new players in the higher education export market is also rapidly becoming a major threat to the traditional higher education service exporters.

Sources of liquidity commonality, asymmetric information and ownership structure in emerging markets : evidence from the Chinese stock market

Xinwei Zheng examines if common factors of liquidity can be determined by ownership structure measured by asymmetric information in an emerging market that has adopted an order-driven trading system. Using China as a case for the study, I select a broad sample of stocks from two separate Chinese stock exchanges to measure and
analyse the relationship. My empirical evidence seems significant and pervasive. These findings about the Chinese stock market provide useful pointers for understanding commonality in emerging economies and shed critical light
on a new dimension of the working of emerging markets.

Sources of variation in fibre diameter attributes of Australian alpacas and implications for fleece evaluation and animal selection

Sources of variation in fibre diameter attributes of Australian alpacas and implications for fleece evaluation and animal selection were investigated using data collected in the years 1994–97, from 6 properties in southern Australia. Data were analysed using REML (multiple regression analysis) to determine the effect on mean fibre diameter (MFD) and coefficient of variation of MFD (CV(FD)) of age, origin (property), sex (entire male, female), breed (Huacaya, Suri), liveweight, fibre colour, individual, and interactions of these effects. The mean (n = 100) age (range) was 4.2 years (0.1–11.9), liveweight 72.0 kg (12.0–134 kg), MFD 29.1 μm (17.7–46.6 μm), CV(FD) 24.33% (15.0–36.7%).

A number of variables affected MFD and CV(FD). MFD increased to 7.5 years of age, and correlations between MFD at 1.5 and 2 years of age with the MFD at older ages were much higher than correlations at younger ages. Fibre diameter 'blowout' (increase with age) was positively correlated with the actual MFD at ages 2 years and older. There were important effects of farm, and these effects differed with year and shearing age. Suris were coarser than Huacayas with the effect reducing with increased liveweight; there was no effect of sex. Fleeces of light shade were 1 μm finer than dark fleeces. CV(FD) declined rapidly between birth and 2 years of age, reaching a minimum at about 4 years of age and then increasing; however, CV(FD) measurements on young animals were very poor predictors of CV(FD) at older ages, and the response of CV(FD) to age differed with farm and year. Suris had a higher CV(FD) than Huacayas on most properties, and MFD, liveweight, and sex did not affect CV(FD). Fleeces of dark shade had higher CV(FD) than fleeces of light shade in 2 of the years. It is concluded that there are large opportunities to improve the MFD and CV(FD) of alpaca fibre through selection and breeding. The potential benefit is greatest from reducing the MFD and CV(FD) of fibre from older alpacas, through reducing the between-animal variation in MFD and CV(FD). Sampling alpacas at ages <2 years is likely to substantially decrease selection efficiency for lifetime fibre diameter attributes.

Sources of variation contributing to production and quality attributes of Kyrgyz cashmere in Osh and Naryn provinces : implications for industry development

We aimed to quantify the sources of variation contributing to the production and quality of cashmere produced in five districts in Osh and Naryn provinces of Kyrgyzstan. In early spring 2008 mid-side cashmere samples were taken from 719 cashmere adult females, and 41 cashmere adult males and castrates. Samples came from 53 villages and a total of 156 farmers’ flocks. For 91 goats from 33 farmers in 13 villages of two districts that had been sampled earlier, cashmere was combed from the goat at the time of a second visit (end of April 2008) when the cashmere would normally be harvested. Following standard cashmere objective measurement, data were examined using general linear modelling to quantify the effects of potential determinants. The mean fibre diameter (MFD) of cashmere differed between provinces (Osh 15.7 μm, Naryn 16.7 μm; P = 4.4 × 10−20). About 42% of the cashmere was <16 μm, 48% was 16.0–18.0 μm and 9.5% was >18.0 μm. Most of the cashmere samples were coloured (81%), with 63% black and 19% white. The percentage of cashmere samples that were white declined as MFD increased (26% < 14 μm to 11% of >18 μm). The primary determinants of cashmere MFD of individual goats were age of goat (range 1.46 μm, P = 1.8 × 10−12) and farm (range 6.5 μm, P = 1.7 × 10−14). The lesser effects detected for sex (range 0.9 μm, P = 0.026) and colour of cashmere (range 1.8 μm, P = 0.023) were based on small sample sizes and are unreliable. Age of goat had important affects on fibre diameter variation (up to 1.7% in coefficient of variation, P = 5.8 × 10−6) and fibre curvature (2.5–5°/mm, P = 2.1 × 10−4). By far the greatest effect on fibre curvature was cashmere MFD (P = 3.0 × 10−104) with a smaller effect of sex (about 5°/mm, P = 3.0 × 10−6). Village effects were detected on fibre diameter variability (range 4.5% in coefficient of variation, P = 0.027) and fibre curvature (range 15°/mm, P = 1.6 × 10−7). There was a strong negative association between increasing MFD and declining fibre curvature (−5.11 ± 0.181°/mm per 1 μm; P = 7.1 × 10−121; r2 = 0.51). Average combed cashmere weight was 164 g, the clean cashmere content was 0.661 and median clean cashmere production was 110 g per goat (range 60–351 g). Combed cashmere production increased with altitude of the village, probably related to different moulting times as spring temperatures warmed up later in higher altitude villages up to 3200 masl. Measurements of combed cashmere MFD were coarser than the mid-side samples taken earlier in the year. There are farmers and cashmere goats in the sampled districts of Kyrgyzstan which produce the finest qualities of commercial cashmere as the vast majority of cashmere is fine, has low variation in fibre diameter and has fibre crimping (curvature) typical of Chinese and Mongolian cashmere. There is substantial scope to increase the production and commercial value of cashmere produced by Kyrgyz goats. In particular, some villages and farmers need to change their buck selection practices if they wish to produce acceptable cashmere. Farmers should separate their finer and white cashmere prior to sale.

Compression and extrusion of metals using rotating dies

Experimental and theoretical investigations of compression and extrusion of metals with steadily or cyclically rotating dies were carried out. Reasonably simple models were produced by classical plasticity theory and analytical equations were developed to establish a theoretical basis for the associated phenomena. Analytical solutions agreed well with the experimental results.

Sources of economic growth in Bangladesh : 1972/73 - 1995/1996

Attempts to estimate the total factor productivity (TFP) of the economy of Bangladesh during the period 1972/73 - 1995/96 and finds that it has been declining. This indicates a failure to increase efficiency in the use of the factors of production, such as total cropped land, total employed labour and gross capital stock. This failure has been causing slower and more volatile economic growth in Bangladesh with respect to many South, East and South-East Asian countries.

Aid, debt relief and new sources of finance for meeting the millennium development goals

This article focuses on aid, debt relief and new sources of finance for meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It was said that MDGs provide a clear set of objectives for mobilizing the international development community, especially in the area of development finance. The call for increased aid as well as for more debt relief in the creation of new sources of development finance has increased since the United Nations Financing for Development Summit and the subsequent report of the panel chaired by then President Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico on development finance. The goal of reducing the proportion of people living in extreme poverty by 2015 cannot be achieved in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Such optimistic forecast suggests that MDG income poverty target will not be achieved in SSA until 2147.

Sources of Sodium in Australian children's diets and the effect of the application of sodium targets to food products to reduce sodium intake

The average reported dietary Na intake of children in Australia is high: 2694 mg/d (9–13 years). No data exist describing food sources of Na in Australian children's diets and potential impact of Na reduction targets for processed foods. The aim of the present study was to determine sources of dietary Na in a nationally representative sample of Australian children aged 2–16 years and to assess the impact of application of the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) Na reduction targets on Na intake. Na intake and use of discretionary salt (note: conversion of salt to Na, 1 g of NaCl (salt) = 390 mg Na) were assessed from 24-h dietary recall in 4487 children participating in the Australian 2007 Children's Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey. Greatest contributors to Na intake across all ages were cereals and cereal-based products/dishes (43 %), including bread (13 %) and breakfast cereals (4 %). Other moderate sources were meat, poultry products (16 %), including processed meats (8 %) and sausages (3 %); milk products/dishes (11 %) and savoury sauces and condiments (7 %). Between 37 and 42 % reported that the person who prepares their meal adds salt when cooking and between 11 and 39 % added salt at the table. Those over the age of 9 years were more likely to report adding salt at the table (χ2 199·5, df 6, P < 0·001). Attainment of the UK FSA Na reduction targets, within the present food supply, would result in a 20 % reduction in daily Na intake in children aged 2–16 years. Incremental reductions of this magnitude over a period of years could significantly reduce the Na intake of this group and further reductions could be achieved by reducing discretionary salt use.

Surface alloying of metals using fluid bed reactor

The use of fluidised bed reactors for surface alloying is reviewed. Research at Deakin has includes the use of chemical vapour deposition to form chromium rich layers on ferrous substrates, including stainless and tool steel grades. These layers can be modified to carbide or nitride if required by the end application. The deposition of aluminium and silicon has also been successfully achieved.

Effects of replication on measured S-N curves of metals

Replication, or repeated tests at the same stress amplitude, is used to provide statistical confidence in life data during the development of S-N curves. This paper discusses the effects of replication on the measurement of S-N curves and presents an alternative to traditional replication methods for the determination of S-N curves, particularly for the development of preliminary S-N curves. Using specimens made out of the extruded bars of a magnesium alloy, it is demonstrated that the S-N curve estimated using the data from non-replication tests is almost same as that from replication tests. The advantage of using non-replication fatigue tests is that it uses fewer specimens, in this instance, only half of that required for 50% replication fatigue test, to achieve the same estimation as that of the replication fatigue tests. Another advantage of using non-replication fatigue tests is that it can detect the non-linearity using limited specimens.