http://hdl.handle.net/10453/37691 2026-05-20T11:56:39Z http://hdl.handle.net/10453/195024 Title: Clostridioides difficile in feral horse populations in Australia Authors: Hain-Saunders, NMR; Knight, DR; Harvey, A; Bruce, M; Hampson, BA; Riley, TV Editors: Vives, M Abstract: i Clostridioides difficile /i is a known cause of diarrhea and colitis in human and non-human animals. While i C. difficile /i is regularly isolated from domesticated horses, little is known about its prevalence in wild or feral populations. In Australia, the horse population encompasses a mix of both domesticated and feral animals, with the feral population of 400,000 estimated to be the largest in the world. This study investigated the presence and characteristics of i C. difficile /i in Australian feral horses and evaluated their potential as a source or reservoir of i C. difficile /i in the wider community. Fecal samples ( i n /i 380) were collected from free-roaming feral horses from five Australian jurisdictions and cultured for i C. difficile /i . Isolates were characterized by PCR ribotyping and toxin profiling. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed for fidaxomicin, vancomycin, metronidazole, rifaximin, clindamycin, erythromycin, amoxicillin-clavulanate, moxifloxacin, meropenem, and tetracycline. i C. difficile /i was isolated from 45 of the 380 samples (11.8 )-one-third of that seen in recent studies on Australian domesticated horses but consistent with wild animal species worldwide. Forty ribotypes (RTs) were identified, 28 of which (70 ) were novel other RTs had been previously reported in humans, livestock, and soils. Eighteen toxigenic i C. difficile /i strains were isolated, of which eight contain binary toxin genes. Strains were largely susceptible to the antimicrobial agents tested. This investigation provides preliminary information on i C. difficile /i in feral horses in Australia and allows a comparison with their domestic counterparts. The findings support the hypothesis that all horse feces represent a potential source of i C. difficile /i in the community. IMPORTANCE i Clostridioides difficile /i poses an ongoing threat to healthcare in the community, with increasing evidence of transmission outside the hospital setting. In keepin 2025-05-21T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10453/194965 Title: The heterogeneous effects of emissions trading systems on energy consumption Authors: Shum, WY; Tan, X; Nghiem, X-H; Cheong, TS; Ma, N Abstract: Various measures have been proposed to reduce energy consumption (and ultimately emission) among which emission trading scheme (ETS) has been on top of the agenda. However, the majority of the existing literature focuses on the general impact of ETS while ignoring its potential heterogeneous effects. This paper investigates the influence of ETS on energy consumption with respect to different groups of stakeholders in China s Hubei province. To overcome the shortcomings of traditional econometric methods, the distribution dynamics method (which can capture transition probabilities and future evolutions) is employed. Empirical results confirm the significant and inhibiting impact of ETS on energy consumption in Hubei province, China. The superior role of benchmark and historical allocation methods in mitigating energy consumption is also confirmed. As the ETS can lower energy consumption in different areas (urban and rural), different types of firms (State-owned and private) and different industries (high- and low-polluting ones), Hubei provincial leaders are recommended to utilize this kind of scheme to decouple economic growth and energy consumption, thus protecting the environment in this area. Furthermore, other provinces in China may take the Hubei ETS as a shining example and implement appropriate steps similar to those of the Hubei ETS to yield similar benefits. 2025-11-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10453/194960 Title: Revealing nexus between crime and inequality: Application of artificial neural network with bootstrapping approach Authors: Zeng, T; Cheong, TS; Shum, WY; Wan, G; Wu, H; Ma, N Abstract: The social structure theory posits that crime is a consequence of inequality. However, an expanding body of research indicates that crime can also emerge from affluence and equality. This study used an artificial neural network approach (ANN) and a bootstrapping approach (RAB) to study the relationship between crime and inequality, incorporating various influencing factors into the model. Results reveal an asymmetric inverted U-shaped pattern, with crime at its minimum when the Gini coefficient is 0.35. This observation implies that crime is promoted at elevated levels of inequality or excessive equality. Furthermore, the study acknowledges the influence of diverse factors, including human capital, population density, inflation, unemployment, urbanization, and civil liberties, on the dynamics of the relationship between inequality and crime rates. These findings provide pragmatic policy implications for countries at different stages of economic development, aiming to achieve economic growth with social equity and crime reduction. 2025-12-01T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/10453/194891 Title: Impact of unconditional cash transfers on household livelihood outcomes in Nigeria Authors: Eluwa, TF; Eluwa, GIE; Iorwa, A; Daini, BO; Abdullahi, K; Balogun, M; Yaya, S; Ahinkorah, BO; Lawal, A Abstract: In 2018, Nigeria began the implementation of a cash transfer programme (CCT) for poor and vulnerable people. We evaluated the impact of cash transfer on household livelihood outcomes in Nigeria. Using multistage cluster sampling methodology, beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries within the same locality were randomly selected to participate in a survey to assess the impact of cash transfer on food security and food diversity. When gender, marital status, educational status, and age were controlled, beneficiaries were about three times more likely than non-beneficiaries to report experiencing little or no hunger. Children 0-59 months of beneficiaries were twice likely to have at least three meals a day compared to children of non-beneficiaries. Difference in differences regression analysis showed that on the average, beneficiaries of the cash transfer significantly consumed more diverse food than non-beneficiaries. Beneficiaries of the CCT experienced fewer episodes of severe hunger, have more meal frequency, and higher household dietary diversity than non-beneficiaries. This shows that the CCT programme is effective and can directly mitigate adverse effects of malnutrition with its long-term negative impact on children and thus must be expanded to more vulnerable people across all states in Nigeria. 2025-04-01T00:00:00Z