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Quantitative Empirical Legal Studies
No full textQuantitative empirical legal research typically uses numbers or numerical analysis to cast light on law and its operation. Quantitative data analysis generally involves the aggregation of individual responses to facilitate broader comparison and generalization.1 It is most useful, then, for considering how trends apply to a broader population.
My starting point, in framing this chapter, is to attempt to present quantitative empirical legal studies separately to qualitative methods; and separately to law and economics, both of which have been addressed in other chapters in this volume. That said, law and economics represents a major field of application of quantitative empirical research methods; and there can be significant overlap – including intentional overlap – between qualitative and quantitative methods.2 So this separation is, perhaps, artificial. My focus, too, is primarily on Australian law and legal research; though, where necessary, I flag research and scholarship in other jurisdictions
Two Essays on ESG
No full text© 2025 Yanhua DongEnvironmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) has attracted growing attention from institutional investors, regulators, and corporations in recent years. Prior research has explored the determinants of firm ESG performance (e.g., stakeholder preferences and institutional investor influence) and financial returns of ESG investing, though findings are mixed. Much of this research examines ESG either at the firm level or at the aggregate level. This thesis consists of two studies that aim to complement and extend this body of research by (1) bridging how corporate ESG practices influence superannuation structures and related investment decisions of employees, and (2) broadening ESG frameworks to consider how systemic issues in law enforcement accountability that heighten public scrutiny affect the public financing costs of local governments.
The first study examines whether firm Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) values influence the inclusion of ESG funds in 401(k) plans and employee investment choices. I hand-collect mutual fund options in 401(k)s between 2016 and 2020. Based on a final sample of 2,774 plans, I test the association between firm ESG values and ESG choices of firms and employees. I find that pro-ESG firms are more likely to offer ESG funds. However, employees at these firms are not more likely to invest in ESG funds in their 401(k)s. Additional analyses suggest that pro-ESG firms prefer positive screening strategies (i.e., selecting funds that invest in high ESG score securities) to negative screening strategies (i.e., excluding funds that invest in low ESG score securities). Furthermore, collective bargaining by labour unions positively affects pro-ESG firms’ ESG choices. There is no evidence that activist shareholders or litigation risk impacts these firms’ ESG choices. Finally, I do not find that the inclusion of ESG funds negatively affects plan financial performance. These findings provide valuable insights for regulators and firms regarding ESG fund inclusion in 401(k)s.
The second study examines the impact of fatal police violence with media coverage (FPVM), a significant social risk, on municipal borrowing costs in the bond market. It employs stacked Difference-in-differences (DiD) regressions to test the effects of FPVM on municipal borrowing costs. The stacked dataset includes 1,959,357 city-bond-year-month observations for 76,094 unique bonds traded between 2013 and 2022. The study finds that FPVM incidents increase trading yield spreads, a proxy for borrowing costs, by approximately 4.2 basis points. The effect is stronger when the victim is Black and when municipalities are more liberal leaning, but not weaker when municipalities have high violent crime rates. Additionally, municipal bond credit ratings are more likely to be downgraded following such incidents. However, there is no significant evidence that FPVM increases local government expenditure or borrowing costs in the primary market. These findings highlight the financial consequences of FPVM for local governments and provide insights for policymakers on ongoing police reform efforts in the United States
A national evaluation of a multi-modal, blended, digital intervention integrated within Australian youth mental health services
No full textBACKGROUND: Youth mental health (YMH) services have been established internationally to provide timely, age-appropriate, mental health treatment and improve long-term outcomes. However, YMH services face challenges including long waiting times, limited continuity of care, and time-bound support. To bridge this gap, MOST was developed as a scalable, blended, multi-modal digital platform integrating real-time and asynchronous clinician-delivered counselling; interactive psychotherapeutic content; vocational support; peer support, and a youth-focused online community. The implementation of MOST within Australian YMH services has been publicly funded. OBJECTIVE: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the real-world engagement, outcomes, and experience of MOST during the first 32 months of implementation. METHOD: Young people from participating YMH services were referred into MOST. Engagement metrics were derived from platform usage. Symptom and satisfaction measures were collected at baseline, 6, and 12 (primary endpoint) weeks. Effect sizes were calculated for the primary outcomes of depression and anxiety and secondary outcomes of psychological distress and wellbeing. RESULTS: Five thousand seven hundred and two young people from 262 clinics signed up and used MOST at least once. Young people had an average of 19 login sessions totalling 129 min over the first 12 weeks of use, with 71.7% using MOST for at least 14 days, 40.1% for 12 weeks, and 18.8% for 24 weeks. There was a statistically significant, moderate improvement in depression and anxiety at 12 weeks as measured by the PHQ4 across all users irrespective of treatment stage (d = 0.41, 95% CI 0.35-0.46). Satisfaction levels were high, with 93% recommending MOST to a friend. One thousand one hundred and eighteen young people provided written feedback, of which 68% was positive and 31% suggested improvement. CONCLUSIONS: MOST is a highly promising blended digital intervention with potential to address the limitations and enhance the impact of YMH services
Fc mutagenesis enhances the functionality of anti-RhD monoclonal antibodies
No full textHemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN) due to Rhesus D (RhD) antigen mismatch between the mother and fetus has been a significant cause of neonatal jaundice, recurrent miscarriage, and stillbirth throughout history. Polyclonal anti-RhD immunoglobulin G (RhD-pIgG), derived from the plasma of RhD-negative donors immunized with RhD-positive red blood cells (RBCs), has reduced the incidence of HDFN, but this approach is currently restricted to developed countries. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) offer a promising alternative to address this pressing need, but prior attempts to develop effective anti-RhD mAbs have failed, in some cases, due to differences in fucosylation patterns between mAbs produced in cell lines and RhD-pIgG. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cell lines, commonly used for pharmaceutical protein production, induce high levels of fucosylation, reducing the antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity crucial for clearing RhD-positive RBCs. In contrast, RhD-pIgG has lower fucosylation levels, which enhances ADCC activity. Regulating the glycan levels of mAbs during production requires specialized cell lines and culture conditions. In this study, we took an alternative approach through antibody engineering. The Fragment crystallizable (Fc) regions of 2 existing anti-RhD mAbs (Brad3 and Fog1) were subjected to mutagenesis to introduce ADCC-enhancing mutations and then expressed in CHO cells under standard conditions. We demonstrate that targeted Fc mutagenesis significantly enhanced ADCC compared with the wild-type mAbs, while preserving RhD binding and efficient production in CHO cells. Furthermore, these Fc variants achieved comparable efficacy with RhD-pIgG, suggesting a new strategy for producing anti-RhD mAbs with improved functionality, without the need for glycoengineering
Multi-scale rainfall extremes in Northeast Australia
No full text© 2025 Thi Lan DaoNortheast (NE) Australia, characterized by complex topography, frequently experiences catastrophic flooding, causing significant social and economic damage. Each catastrophic rainfall event has a unique footprint, in terms of the spatial and temporal spread of the inundation. This footprint reflects both large-scale influences such as the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) and highly localised influences such as topography and land-sea breeze circulation. Although numerous studies have investigated the independent impacts of these processes on rainfall, how these processes and their interactions affect precipitation extremes in NE Australia remains an open question due to the lack of high-resolution and long-term datasets. This PhD project aims to quantify the finely resolved rainfall patterns during catastrophic events in NE Australia under typical combinations of weather and climate variability. High-resolution datasets including observations, reanalysis and numerical simulations are utilized during different stages of the research.
Daily rainfall in NE Australia is strongly modulated by the MJO, ENSO and their interactions. Rainfall generally decreases during El Nino and increases during La Nina years, however, there is a notable spatial nuance to ENSO-associated extreme rainfall, with some coastal locations showing the opposite precipitation response to the typical ENSO-rainfall relationship. Despite more precipitation overall in La Nina years, the mean and extreme precipitation responses to the MJO appear to be stronger and more often statistically significant during El Nino compared to La Nina periods. The impact of ENSO on the MJO–rainfall relationship is stronger than the variation of the MJO itself with ENSO, and likely reflects a change in the MJO modulation of rain-bearing atmospheric processes.
The response of mean and extreme rainfall to the MJO also exhibits a marked geographical variation. Over coastal regions of NE Australia, the variation of rainfall and its diurnal cycle with the MJO exhibits both large-scale and local-scale influences. During the enhanced convection phases of the MJO, widespread increased rainfall signals are generated by large-scale forcings associated with the MJO, but the environmental factors controlling the type and amount of precipitation during each phase are different. By contrast, the locally enhanced rainfall probability during suppressed convection phases of the MJO likely results from the interaction of mesoscale land sea breezes, strong large-scale background winds and topography.
With a horizontal grid-spacing of 2.2 km, the convection-permitting United Kingdom Met-Office Unified Model (AUS2200) reasonably simulate the spatially inhomogeneous rainfall pattern over the coastal areas of NE Australia. Rainfall propagations modulate the average rainfall distribution, resulting in distinct precipitation patterns along the coast. Modelling results suggest that the large-scale background wind and local-scale land-sea breeze circulations are two important factor driving rainfall propagation. For offshore rainfall propagation, rainfall is triggered during the afternoon by sea breezes, and then propagates offshore during the nighttime with land breeze density current and large-scale background westerlies. In contrast, onshore rainfall propagation occurs during days with strong background easterlies from the surface to the upper levels. Rainfall tends to occur and stay over the land during days with strong sea breezes and weak background upper-level westerlies.
This research is the first, to our knowledge, to unpack the multi-scale interactions between weather and climate variabilities and their impacts on regional rainfall in NE Australia using high-resolution observational and modelling datasets. Our novel findings on fine-scale rainfall variation are critical when expressing climate change impact on rainfall at local scale, city scale and property scale and indicates the importance of process-based downscaling at these scales. The findings are also crucial for quantifying numerical model biases on different spatial and temporal scales. Importantly, the results allow us to understand how changes in the combinations of weather and climate variability will influence catastrophic flooding in future, thus directly improving NE Australia’s capacity for adaptation and future planning
The impact of the pandemic on non-COVID-19 causes of death in the United States: a multiple cause of death analysis
No full textMultiple cause of death data allow for a more granular analysis of the pandemic's impact on mortality from non-COVID-19 causes of death compared with analysis of a single underlying cause of each death because they are often a co-morbidity of COVID-19. This study estimates excess mortality in the US of non-COVID-19 causes measured as a multiple cause (reported anywhere on the death certificate). Death registration data were used to conduct Poisson regressions of 24 non-COVID-19 causes to estimate expected age-standardized death rates and excess mortality in 2020-21, including by place of death. The ratio of COVID-19 mortality (as underlying or contributing cause) to excess mortality of each non-COVID-19 cause was calculated. During 2020-21, 21 of 24 non-COVID-19 causes exhibited excess mortality, highest for pneumonia (males 126.5%; 95% confidence interval 116.6-136.9%), other respiratory diseases (males 45.2%; 42.2-48.2%), other kidney diseases (males 45.0%, 37.8-52.0%), diabetes (females 38.3%, 32.8-43.4%) and hypertensive heart disease (females 28.9%, 22.8-33.9%). Suicide and influenza mortality was lower than expected. The ratio of COVID-19 (underlying cause) to excess mortality was 74.2% (69.2-79.7%) for men and 68.7% (63.5-75.0%) for women, was significantly higher for hospital (over 90%) than home (less than 16%) deaths and varied greatly between causes. The pandemic led to excess mortality for almost all non-COVID-19 causes in the US when measured as a multiple cause, being particularly high in several non-communicable diseases that increase the risk of dying from COVID-19. COVID-19 appears underreported for home deaths due to its low ratio to excess mortality in this setting
The tip of the iceberg: Public good and the curation of humanities research records
No full textWe stand at a point in history in which we can expect to see more humanities research data lost than is preserved. Research data is the primary material created in the course of research: transcribed manuscripts, photographic images, media recordings and so on (hereafter referred to as primary records). This is typically publicly funded material, and, in the humanities it is of interest to the general public – if they could access it. Why can’t they? Because the effort that goes into funding research is not matched by an effort to ensure that primary records created in that research are curated for future access and use. This is for two basic reasons: first, in most countries there is no national service that guarantees long-term curation and access to primary humanities records, and, second, most humanities researchers do not prepare primary records for reuse, even if they would subscribe to Jerome McGann’s suggestion (below) that we all want our cultural records to be accessible. Humanities researchers are not trained in managing the primary records they produce and, as a result, this material is at risk of loss. In part both the lack of training and the risk of loss result from our disciplines needing to build methods for valuing the curation of primary data as a research output
Measuring variations in healthcare data using run charts and statistical process control charts: a survey of general physicians attending the quality improvement workshop
No full textGeneral physicians as system leaders play a significant role in quality improvement (QI) initiatives within respective health services. However, there are very few formal QI training programmes available for general physicians in Australia. This survey described the experiences of attendees at the 2024 Internal Medicine Society of Australia and New Zealand QI workshop, which delivered topics on understanding variations in healthcare data using QI tools such as run charts and statistical process control (Shewhart) charts
Towards development of guidelines for harnessing implementation science for suicide prevention: an international Delphi expert consensus study
No full textOBJECTIVES: Suicide research and prevention are complex. Many practical, methodological and ethical challenges must be overcome to implement effective suicide prevention interventions. Implementation science can offer insights into what works, why and in what context. Yet, there are limited real-world examples of the application of implementation science in suicide prevention. This study aimed to identify approaches to employ principles of implementation science to tackle important challenges in suicide prevention. METHODS: A questionnaire about promoting implementation science for suicide prevention was developed through thematic analysis of stakeholder narratives. Statements were categorised into six domains: research priorities, practical considerations, approach to intervention design and delivery, lived experience engagement, dissemination and the way forward. The questionnaire (n=52 statements-round 1; n=44 statements-round 2; n=9 statements-round 3) was administered electronically to a panel (n=62-round 1, n=48-round 2; n=45-round 3) of international experts (suicide researchers, leaders, project team members, lived experience advocates). Statements were rated on a Likert scale based on an understanding of importance and priority of each item. Statements endorsed by at least 85% of the panel would be included in the final guidelines. RESULTS: Eighty-two of the 90 statements were endorsed. Recommendations included broadening research inquiries to understand overall programme impact; accounting for resources in the translation of evidence into practice; embedding implementation science in intervention delivery and design; meaningfully engaging lived experience; considering channels for dissemination of implementation-related findings and focusing on next steps needed to routinely harness the strengths of implementation science in suicide prevention research, practice and training. CONCLUSION: An interdisciplinary panel of suicide prevention experts reached a consensus on optimal strategies for using implementation science to enhance the effectiveness of policies and programmes aimed at reducing suicide
Synergy of Pyridinic-N and Co Single Atom Sites for Enhanced Oxygen Redox Reactions in High-Performance Zinc-Air Batteries
No full textCobalt single-atom catalysts (SACs) have the potential to act as bi-functional electrocatalysts for the oxygen-redox reactions in metal-air batteries. However, achieving both high performance and stability in these SACs has been challenging. Here, a novel and facile synthesis method is used to create cobalt-doped-nitrogen-carbon structures (Co-N-C) containing cobalt-SACs by carbonizing a modified ZIF-11. HAADF-STEM images and EXAFS spectra confirmed that the structure with the lowest cobalt concentration contains single cobalt atoms coordinated with four nitrogen atoms (Co-N₄). Electrochemical tests showed that this electrocatalyst performed exceptionally well in both oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) (E1/2 ≈ 0.859 V) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) (Ej = 10: 1.544 V), with excellent stability. When used as a bi-functional electrocatalyst in the air cathode of a rechargeable zinc-air battery (ZAB), a peak power density of 178.6.1 mW cm−2, a specific capacity of 799 mA h gZn−1 and a cycle-life of 1580 is achieved. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations revealed that the concentration and the position of the pyridinic nitrogen with Co play a critical role in determining the overpotential of this electrocatalyst for oxygen-redox reactions. The unprecedented performance of this electrocatalyst can bring paradigm changes in the practical realization and application of metal-air batteries