187 research outputs found
The Foundation Payout Puzzle
This paper examines public policy toward American philanthropic foundations. We find that the major regulation bearing on foundations -- a mandated minimum endowment payout rate -- has had the effect of repressing foundation giving. Interviews with foundation trustees and presidents point to a number of significant obstacles to proper conceptualization of the payout decision in foundations. In the face of these obstacles, our survey of foundation payout behavior over 25 years reveals that most foundations simply pay out the mandated minimum amount each year, regardless of other relevant considerations. We argue that the minimum rate has gone from being a floor when it was enacted decades ago to a ceiling today. The paper concludes with an exploration of how the payout policy could usefully be reformed.This publication is Hauser Center Working Paper No. 9. The Hauser Center Working Paper Series was launched during the summer of 2000. The Series enables the Hauser Center to share with a broad audience important works-in-progress written by Hauser Center scholars and researchers
Filling the infrastructure investment gap: an overview of MDBs and the Inter-American Development Bank approach
This paper provides reflections and considerations as to how MDBs including the IDB can use the Project Preparation Facilities (PPFs) to help countries fill the infrastructure gap by improving the quality of projects, reducing and mitigating risks, and leveraging private financing. Similar Studies have been conducted for PPFs in Asia , Africa and Europe. However, there is no similar assessment for LAC . This paper is the first step towards utilising the resources offered by PPFs for infrastructure development projects in LAC, and applying these useful tools to another critical region
Study on the Crystal Structure and Microstructure Evolution of Shock-processed Titanium Powder
Titanium powder was rapidly solidified by using shock-wave consolidation technique. The critical parameters were controlled by intrumented detonics and pin-oscillography. The compacted specimens were investigated for crystal structure and microstructural strengthening by using standard diagnostic techniques. The density of the final product was found to be greater than 96% of the theoretical value. X-ray diffraction pattern reveals intact crystalline structure without the presence of any undesired phases. The particle size reduction indicated by XRD was supported by laser diffraction based particle size analyzer. Results from energy dispersive spectroscopy ruled out the possibility of any segregation within the compacts. Scanning electron microscopy showed crack-free, voids-free, melt-free, fracture-less compacts of titanium with a unidirectional dendrite orientation without any grain-growth
Numerical analysis of film boiling around horizontal cylindrical surfaces
Papers presented to the 11th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, South Africa, 20-23 July 2015.Stability of vapor film over a horizontal heater drags attention
due to its wide spread applications in nuclear reactors, metal
processing, manufacturing and chemical refineries. Existence
of vapor film around the heater can cause advantages as well as
disadvantages for various applications in industry and daily life.
Hence understanding the film formation and its subsequent
release in the form of bubble are dealt carefully by researchers
in heat transfer community. Critical vapor thickness and
average heat flux are the essential parameters which govern the
release of vapor mass in the form of isolated bubbles from the
surface. Experimental evidences have been reported in order to
find out film dynamics for some specific fluids. However
understanding it from the fundamental physics is still due and
becomes a major challenge for heat transfer community. In this
paper, numerical analysis of the film boiling heat transfer on a
horizontal cylinder is presented to determine the effect of
superheating on the heat transfer coefficient and film thickness
in a pool. Findings from the present study will develop
knowhow about the film formation and its role in enhancing the
boiling heat transfer coefficient.am201
Understanding factors behind IoT privacy -- A user's perspective on RF sensors
While IoT sensors in physical spaces have provided utility and comfort in our
lives, their instrumentation in private and personal spaces has led to growing
concerns regarding privacy. The existing notion behind IoT privacy is that the
sensors whose data can easily be understood and interpreted by humans (such as
cameras) are more privacy-invasive than sensors that are not
human-understandable, such as RF (radio-frequency) sensors. However, given
recent advancements in machine learning, we can not only make sensitive
inferences on RF data but also translate between modalities. Thus, the existing
notions of privacy for IoT sensors need to be revisited. In this paper, our
goal is to understand what factors affect the privacy notions of a non-expert
user (someone who is not well-versed in privacy concepts). To this regard, we
conduct an online study of 162 participants from the USA to find out what
factors affect the privacy perception of a user regarding an RF-based device or
a sensor. Our findings show that a user's perception of privacy not only
depends upon the data collected by the sensor but also on the inferences that
can be made on that data, familiarity with the device and its form factor as
well as the control a user has over the device design and its data policies.
When the data collected by the sensor is not human-interpretable, it is the
inferences that can be made on the data and not the data itself that users care
about when making informed decisions regarding device privacy
Challenges of Second-hand Smoke: Are We Asking the Right Questions?
Second-hand tobacco smoke as defined by WHO is the smoke emitted by a smoker or released from a burnt cigarette or any tobacco product. It is highly prevalent all over the globe but its serious health implications are often neglected by the public and the scientific community alike. Second-hand smoke has everlasting impact on all the body’s major organs, especially among the vulnerable population of children, pregnant ladies, people with chronic diseases and senior citizens. Although India started its war against this menace earlier than other counties, all its efforts remain bootless as its approach and implementation have a wide range of lacunae. This review aims to give a big picture of second-hand smoke, highlighting its pathophysiological changes in the body, socioeconomic impact, various strategies, and the gap that prevents these strategies from finding a favorable result in India. It becomes all the more important to reduce its impact owing to the increase in prevalence among youth reducing their vitality, derailing the society and the nation. It is recommended that the health authorities approach this health problem with utmost seriousness as a laid-back approach could welcome this silent killer’s known and unknown repercussions
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