Mega-Sporting Events in Developing Nations : Playing the Way to Prosperity?

Supporters of mega-sporting events such as the World Cup and Olympics claim that these events attract hoards of wealthy visitors and lead to lasting economic benefits for the host regions. For this reason, cities and countries compete vigorously for the right to stage these spectacles. Recently, developing countries have become increasingly vocal in demanding that they get the right to share in the economic benefits of these international games. China, for example, has been awarded the 2008 Summer Olympics, and an African nation seems destined to host the 2010 World Cup. The specialized infrastructure and operating expenses required to host these events, however, can be extremely costly, and it is not at all clear that either the long or short-term benefits of the games are anywhere nearly large enough to cover these costs. This paper reviews other researchersÂ’ as well as our own previous work on mega-sporting events such as the Super Bowl and World Series as well as international events like the World Cup and Olympics. Independent researchers nearly unanimously find that boostersÂ’ projections of the economic impact of sporting events exaggerate the true economic impact of these competitions by a wide margin. In particular, in this paper we focus on the particular circumstances that face developing countries hosting these games. Our research suggests that in most cases mega-sporting events are an even worse investment for developing countries than for industrialized countries.Development Planning and Policy; Sports, Gambling, Recreation, Tourism

Development of the Saturn Space Vehicle

Space science - launch vehicle - saturn rocke

Longitudinal cohort study of horse owners

This report summarises the findings of a three-year mixed methods research study designed to capture factors that influence horse owner Hendra virus (HeV) risk mitigation practices. The research project focuses on horse owners; their knowledge, attitudes, and risk mitigation practices, i.e. uptake of vaccination, property management, and biosecurity practices. A flexible research methodology enabled the tracking of core subject areas over time whilst also responding to new or evolving shifts in the HeV landscape, e.g. new HeV cases, event management, and issues arising in the vaccine roll-out. By tracking relationships within the data and engaging with stakeholders and the horse owner population, it is hoped that findings from the study will help to identify important linkages and effective strategies for communication/information and policy implementation

Field emission study of carbon nanostructures

Recently, carbon nanosheets (CNS), a novel nanostructure, were developed in our laboratory as a field emission source for high emission current. to characterize, understand and improve the field emission properties of CNS, a ultra-high vacuum surface analysis system was customized to conduct relevant experimental research in four distinct areas. The system includes Auger electron spectroscopy (AES), field emission energy spectroscopy (FEES), field emission I-V testing, and thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS). Firstly, commercial Mo single tips were studied to calibrate the customized system. AES and FEES experiments indicate that a pyramidal nanotip of Ca and O elements formed on the Mo tip surface by field induced surface diffusion. Secondly, field emission I-V testing on CNS indicates that the field emission properties of pristine nanosheets are impacted by adsorbates. For instance, in pristine samples, field emission sources can be built up instantaneously and be characterized by prominent noise levels and significant current variations. However, when CNS are processed via conditioning (run at high current), their emission properties are greatly improved and stabilized. Furthermore, only H2 desorbed from the conditioned CNS, which indicates that only H adsorbates affect emission. Thirdly, the TDS study on nanosheets revealed that the predominant locations of H residing in CNS are sp2 hybridized C on surface and bulk. Fourthly, a fabricating process was developed to coat low work function ZrC on nanosheets for field emission enhancement. The carbide triple-peak in the AES spectra indicated that Zr carbide formed, but oxygen was not completely removed. The Zr(CxOy) coating was dispersed as nanobeads on the CNS surface. Although the work function was reduced, the coated CNS emission properties were not improved due to an increased beta factor. Further analysis suggest that for low emission current (10 uA), thermal, ionic or electronic transition effects may occur, which differently affect the field emission process

Qualification of a Hybrid Propulsion System for the Mars Ascent Vehicle

Technology for a hybrid based propulsion system is being developed to support a potential Mars Sample Return campaign. A Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) concept for launching samples off of Mars, and delivering them to orbit for further transport to Earth may utilize hybrid propulsion due to the predicted favorable low temperature characteristics and high performance of this option. However, the hybrid option is still undergoing technology development to demonstrate these capabilities. Once development of a capable hybrid propulsion system is proven, further work will be required. This will include environmental testing relative to the mission, and integration with the vehicle reaction control systems and payload. Qualification of such a system will be a significant effort. It will require specialized procurements for the propellants and environments involved, and further testing of the more specialized designs. This paper details an estimate of the tasks required to complete development efforts from Technical Readiness Level 5 (TRL5) through qualification. A success based program was formulated to reach the required performance metrics sufficient for a standard Preliminary Design Review (PDR). Using task level inputs from team members cost and schedule were conceived for continued progress to Critical Design Review (CDR), then through Qualification

Longitudinal cohort study of horse owners

This report summarises the findings of a three-year mixed methods research study designed to capture factors that influence horse owner Hendra virus (HeV) risk mitigation practices. The research project focuses on horse owners; their knowledge, attitudes, and risk mitigation practices, i.e. uptake of vaccination, property management, and biosecurity practices. A flexible research methodology enabled the tracking of core subject areas over time whilst also responding to new or evolving shifts in the HeV landscape, e.g. new HeV cases, event management, and issues arising in the vaccine roll-out. By tracking relationships within the data and engaging with stakeholders and the horse owner population, it is hoped that findings from the study will help to identify important linkages and effective strategies for communication/information and policy implementation

Future Smart Grid Systems

This book focuses on the analysis, design and implementation of future smart grid systems. This book contains eleven chapters, which were originally published after rigorous peer-review as a Special Issue in the International Journal of Energies (Basel). The chapters cover a range of work from authors across the globe and present both the state-of-the-art and emerging paradigms across a range of topics including sustainability planning, regulations and policy, estimation and situational awareness, energy forecasting, control and optimization and decentralisation. This book will be of interest to researchers, practitioners and scholars working in areas related to future smart grid systems

Analysis Criteria and Indicator Estimation Smart City in South Tangerang City, Banten Province (An Analysis through Smart Economy)

This research describes indicator smart economy in South Tangerang City. This research purpose to give information for Mayor South Tangerang City how competitive her economic city is. The method is used by fishbone. In addition, because of qualitative research, during period research it will be possibly developing the problem of analysis. For Collecting Data, We take from literature study, publication from Central Bureau of Statistic South Tangerang City, Communication and Informatics Office, Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprise Office, Industry and Trade Office, Regional Revenue Agency, Food Security Agriculture and Fishery Office, and Regional Asset and Financial Allocation Agency. The indicators for smart economy are innovation spirit, entrepreneurship, Image and trademarks, productivity, international embedded and flexibility of labour market. The results are that Indicators smart economy South Tangerang city describes that the residences in South Tangerang city are low innovation, high entrepreneur, growth productivity, low flexibility, local product which only krupuk jengkol is favourite food, and economic image and trademarks which have not large market, and companies that have issued stock are available. In South Tangerang City, it does not put productivity (Manpower Agency) and international embedded (Tourism Agency) as smart economy, but manpower agency is smart social and tourism agency is smart brand.     Keywords: Smart Economy, fishbone, innovation, Entrepreneurship, Internasional Embedded, Flexibility of Labour, and productivity

Responses to Catastrophic AGI Risk: A Survey

Many researchers have argued that humanity will create artificial general intelligence (AGI) within the next twenty to one hundred years. It has been suggested that AGI may inflict serious damage to human well-being on a global scale ('catastrophic risk'). After summarizing the arguments for why AGI may pose such a risk, we review the fieldʼs proposed responses to AGI risk. We consider societal proposals, proposals for external constraints on AGI behaviors and proposals for creating AGIs that are safe due to their internal design