Measuring financial performance in infrastructure : an application to Europe and Central Asia

Unintentional implicit subsidies (hidden costs) to public utilities can be considered an illegitimate claim on public resources. This paper examines the role and sources of hidden costs in the energy and water sectors in the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region. It reviews available data and introduces a model-the Hidden Costs Calculator-that can be used to quantify the burden on governments of infrastructure policy and implementation decisions. This simple-to-apply model provides insight into three key components of hidden costs that affect infrastructure-poor bill collection rates, excessive losses due to inefficient operations or theft from the networks, and tariffs set below cost-recovery rates. The major advantage of this model is that, using existing data, it can provide a single measure for hidden costs that can be easily calculated, tracked, and reported. Therefore it can monitor and benchmark trends across sectors and countries without extensive or costly data collection. The model compares the difference between actual revenues and revenues that could be anticipated in a well-functioning system operating with cost-covering tariffs, bills paid, and losses normative for networks of a certain age and design. The underlying premise is that quantifying the order of magnitude of each component of hidden costs has potential for strengthening infrastructure policy dialogue and influencing decisionmakers who allocate scarce budgetary resources.Town Water Supply and Sanitation,Energy Production and Transportation,Water Use,Economic Theory&Research,Infrastructure Regulation

An Ecological Study of the Prairie and Sedge Meadow Communities of Richardson Wildlife Foundation

ID: 8259; Issue date not indicated on report.INHS Technical Report prepared for Terry Moyer, Richardson Wildlife Foundatio

Austria in the COVID-19 Pandemic - Citizens' Satisfaction with Crisis Measures and Communication

Background: We assess satisfaction about various aspects of the 2020 COVID-19 crisis for a representative sample of 1798 respondents living in Austria. Survey questions were added to a previously planned data collection, based on concrete questions discussed at a BKA Clearing Board meeting (Tuesday, 14.04.2020: Subarbeitsgruppe Psycho-Soziale-Effekte im Rahmen von "COVID-19 / Future Operations"). Findings: Overall, people living in Austria are satisfied with the various crisis management elements of the COVID-19 pandemic, as answers are mainly at the positive side of the response scale that ranges from -3 (Very unsatisfied) to +3 (Very satisfied). Citizens are most satisfied with how well they implement the measures of the federal government themselves (and/or their employer) to overcome the Corona crisis, and about how they are able to comply with these measures. In contrast, they are least satisfied with how national media report on the measures (Newspapers, TV, etc.). Splitting-up satisfaction evaluations for gender, age, region, level of education, occupation, or sector of employment does show no or some small (but no substantial) differences for particular subgroups. We can observe an age effect for satisfaction on how others deal with the government's COVID-19 measures. This means: the older people are, the more satisfied they are about how others comply with the COVID-19 measures. Self-employed respondents are least satisfied with how the government is dealing with the crisis and communicating the measures. Students are most satisfied about that. However, it has to be noted that this data is from 17 April to 29 April (2020), which is just before loosening, in a second round, many of the restrictions on small businesses

Particle filtering for EEG source localization and constrained state spaces

Particle Filters (PFs) have a unique ability to perform asymptotically optimal estimation for non-linear and non-Gaussian state-space models. However, the numerical nature of PFs cause them to have major weakness in two important areas: (1) handling constraints on the state, and (2) dealing with high-dimensional states. In the first area, handling constraints within the PF framework is crucial in dynamical systems, which are often required to satisfy constraints that arise from basic physical laws or other considerations. The current trend in constrained particle filtering is to enforce the constraints on all particles of the PF. We show that this approach leads to more stringent conditions on the posterior density that can cause incorrect state estimates. We subsequently describe a novel algorithm that restricts the mean estimate without restricting the posterior pdf, thus providing a more accurate state estimate. In the second area, we tackle the curse of dimensionality, which causes the PF to require an exponential increase in computational complexity as the dimension of the state increases. The application of interest is localization of the brain neural generators that create the Electroencephalogram (EEG) signal. Specifically, we describe a state-space model that tracks the position and moments of multiple dynamic dipoles and apply the marginalized PF, which alleviates the curse of dimensionality for tracking multiple dynamic dipoles. This modified framework allows us to consider dynamic dipoles, which were historically considered time-invariant

Comparing Different Levels of Interactivity in the Visualization of Spatio-Temporal Data

The Internet and other advances in technology have dramatically affected cartography in recent decades and yet these new capabilities have not been adequately evaluated for effectiveness. Are dynamic maps more effective than traditional static paper maps in allowing users to visualize spatio-temporal patterns? How important is a higher level of interactivity in visualizing data? Which format is preferred? To examine these questions, human subject tests were conducted to evaluate different levels of interactivity as represented by 1) a static paper map series; 2) an animated map with \u27VCR\u27-type controls; and 3) a toggle map featuring an interactive temporal legend. Results indicate that while the level of interactivity did not affect accuracy of answers to questions regarding spatio-temporal patterns, the total amount of time in which these questions were answered lessened as the level of interactivity increased. Overall, test subjects were more enthusiastic towards the tools featuring greater interactivity

Making Prevention Work: Case Study Austria. Materials about Prevention Vol. 16 June 2020.

As part of a larger project mapping preventive structures and policies for children, young people and families in 12 European countries, the Making Prevention Work study aims to provide a consistent base for developing preventive policies in Europe. It examines approaches across the EU that demonstrate success with local preventive work. The in-depth case study of Austria presented in this publication is one of three published in the context of the Making Prevention Work study. Making Prevention Work draws on a concept of prevention that is framed in universalist and integrative terms. The concept is universalist in that it addresses all children and young people, even those not seen as being “at-risk.” It is integrative because prevention should be organized from a child’s point of view, not in terms of administrative responsibilities. As such, this concept targets the establishment of prevention chains that link different institutions over the life-course. Making Prevention Work includes summary factsheets of the preventive concepts, structures and practices mapped in 12 EU member states (Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, England (UK), Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden) as well as three case studies (Austria, France and the Netherlands) featuring data from interviews with experts and implementing actors

ANWENDUNG DER AKTIVEN ISOLIERUNG ZUR KLIMATISIERUNG VON FAHRZEUGEN AM BEISPIEL VON KABINEN MOBILER LANDMASCHINEN

In small spaces loaded heavily thermally, e. g. in the cabins of the mobile agricultural machines, it is difficult to develop favourable climatic conditions (temperature, humidity degree, air velocity, etc.) required for accommodating the operating personnel with the help of natural ventilation, especially in the case of a heavy load of solar radiation. In case of the latter solution, the volume ftow-rate required for natural ventilation will be too strong and accordingly, air velocities harmful for health will develop in the cabin. In this case, the so called 'active heat insulation' (air flow between two walls) provides favourable solution. Under the condition of active heat insulation, the volumeflow rate of the required fresh air flowing into the cabin will be considerably reduced, and this, in turn, involves the reduction of the local air velocities in the cabin and the improvement in the personnel's general health condition staying in the cabin. In the paper, the calculation procedure of the active heat insulation is discussed, and a numerical example is also given. The traditional and active heat insulations are compared to each other, and the advantages of the active heat insulation are analyzed. With the application of active heat insulation, favourable results were achieved not only in the air conditioning of the cabins of agricultural machines but with railway wagons, too

Nuclear Renaissance, How Real Is It: What Are the Implications for Global Governance of the Non Proliferation Regime?

Where We Are: - 436 commercial nuclear power stations in 30 countries- 372,000 MWe of total capacity- 15% of world electricity- 8 countries known to have nuclear weapons capability- 56 countries operating civilian research reactors- 30 new reactors under construction- ~90 new reactors planned- France, Lithuania, Slovakia and Belgium get over 50% of their electricity from nuclear power- The United States gets about 20