Large-scale Funding Research Articles

Research on Forecasting Method of Distribution Network Investment Scale of Municipal Power Supply Enterprise Considering Power Supply Division and Cost Difference Level

In recent years, in order to adapt to the situation of rapid economic and social development, my country’s power supply companies have invested large-scale funds to build distribution networks, and upgraded urban and rural power grids, effectively supporting the rapid growth of power demand and the reliability of power supply. Continuous improvement of power quality. While the scale of investment in the distribution network continues to remain high, problems such as focusing on investment and neglecting revenue, focusing on project establishment and neglecting management also exist to varying degrees. Therefore, reasonably predicting the scale of investment in the distribution network and improving the lean management level of the investment and construction of the distribution network have become key issues that power supply companies need to solve. This paper takes my country’s municipal power supply companies as the research object, combines the actual business development of the company’s distribution network investment planning, and fully considers the impact of the company’s power supply district management and the level of cost differences on the investment scale of the distribution network, and builds a fit on this basis. The distribution network investment planning forecast model of the actual business work of the enterprise guides the municipal power supply enterprises to improve the lean management level of the distribution network investment and construction.

Perspectives on literacy coaching: defining roles and expectations

ABSTRACT This qualitative study examines the roles and expectations of teacher leaders who support teachers in their literacy instruction, termed literacy coaches. It explores literacy coaches', teachers', and administrators’ perceptions about literacy coaching efforts established in a state in the US that recently implemented a large-scale funding initiative, the Teacher Leadership Compensation System. Survey data and interviews were analyzed to inform an understanding of the practices that each participant group expected literacy coaches to engage in and how those expectations differed. Additionally, this study explored how literacy coaches reported being prepared for their role and how that differed from how administrators and teachers believed literacy coaches were prepared. It discusses the connections to the importance of establishing a well-articulated literacy coaching program and how clarifying the role of the literacy coach can contribute to the effectiveness of literacy coaching.

Let Scheduling for Funding Scenario Analysis of Highway Construction Projects With a Case of NCDOT

This paper considers a let scheduling problem for highway construction projects under an anticipated funding scenario. Highway construction projects typically require large-scale funds, and rely on the revenue from state and federal funding sources. The revenues mainly come from transportation-related taxes and fees. Such revenues can radically change over time due to the uncertainty of economy, and the Department of Transportations (DOTs) need to cope with such funding changes to avoid any overdraft or unhealthily excessive cash balances. A mathematical optimization model is proposed as a means of decision support to determine how to revise the let schedule when the future revenue is expected to change. A case study of the North Carolina DOT (NCDOT) is presented to demonstrate the application of the proposed model, where major types of projects having construction costs more than $10 million are analyzed. A formula to evaluate the impact of changing let dates is presented and a constrained logistic model that estimates the construction costs of individual projects is proposed. As a recommendation for utilizing the proposed model, three practical ways are summarized including the rolling-horizon-based let scheduling, funding change analysis, and the assessment of funding project risks.

The Evaluation of the Lucky Component of Open-End Fund Performance Based on Bootstrap Method

Since the establishment of the first open-end fund in 2001, the development of China’s fund industry has never stopped. In the development process of nearly 20 years, people pay attention to the problems related to the fund, which are always the same in many fund products, how to identify the value of investment, which can make investors’ investment income optimal, and how to evaluate the fund’s performance. It is very important to evaluate the return of the fund. But in fact, the performance of the open-end fund is mainly affected by the fund manager and the fund’s own luck. The evaluation of the fund needs a more complete and comprehensive consideration. Based on some fund performance evaluation literature at home and abroad, this paper studies the large-scale stock fund in China, divides the sample database into index fund and active fund, and observes the influence of fund’s luck component on their performance respectively, and uses three models to fit, in order to consider the different ways of market interpretation of different models Different explanations of fund performance luck. The bootstrap method is used to simulate the effect of luck component of fund performance. Based on the four-factor model of Carhart, the sustainability of fund performance is considered by alpha ranking method. According to the empirical situation of the two kinds of funds, this paper analyzes the technical situation of the fund managers and the actual impact of fortuitous factors on the fund performance level, and then puts forward relevant suggestions for the participants of the fund market.

The Impact of Brexit on EU Development Policy

Brexit is likely to herald fundamental changes in the operation, scope and practice of EU development policy, due to the UK’s key role in leading and defining the geographical and sectoral remit of policy, and through its provision of large-scale funding. Through a focus on the EU’s relations with the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States, this article explores these potential impacts. It highlights the importance of the timing of Brexit in relation to the contemporaneous renegotiation of EU–ACP relations and the EU’s Multiannual Financial Framework and argues that the focus on static impacts of Brexit, in terms of removing the UK from the ‘EU equation’, overlooks the broader dynamics of political economy in which it is situated. Through the analysis of the anticipatory adjustments and discursive dynamics in EU development policy that articulate the pursuit of material interests, the article helps understand both the dynamics of Brexit and the broader transformations in which it is located.

Carnivore conservation needs evidence-based livestock protection.

Carnivore predation on livestock often leads people to retaliate. Persecution by humans has contributed strongly to global endangerment of carnivores. Preventing livestock losses would help to achieve three goals common to many human societies: preserve nature, protect animal welfare, and safeguard human livelihoods. Between 2016 and 2018, four independent reviews evaluated >40 years of research on lethal and nonlethal interventions for reducing predation on livestock. From 114 studies, we find a striking conclusion: scarce quantitative comparisons of interventions and scarce comparisons against experimental controls preclude strong inference about the effectiveness of methods. For wise investment of public resources in protecting livestock and carnivores, evidence of effectiveness should be a prerequisite to policy making or large-scale funding of any method or, at a minimum, should be measured during implementation. An appropriate evidence base is needed, and we recommend a coalition of scientists and managers be formed to establish and encourage use of consistent standards in future experimental evaluations.

MarkusHaackerThe Economics of the Global Response to HIV/AIDSOxford University Press, 2016. 304 p. $55.00.

MarkusHaackerThe Economics of the Global Response to HIV/AIDSOxford University Press, 2016. 304 p. $55.00.

Telemedical Practice in Germany Today

The health care system of Germany approved a marginal number of telemedicine applications for reimbursement. However Teleradiology and Telestroke networks are well adopted in Germanys hospitals. Heart failure is the main indication for remote patient management and therefore a field of intense research in Germany. In almost every medical field telemedicine undergoes research and development. The lack of evidence in the field of telemedicine is due to the complexity of these interventions. Evaluation needs more resources and different trial designs compared to RCTs in pharmaceutical trials. A large scale funding program (Innovationsfonds) in Germany encompasses telemedicine and outcomes research. Mobile health apps are a new and expanding field in healthcare. Health apps are potentially beneficial in many health care areas, although there is little scientific evidence available. From a legal perspective data protection and privacy and the classification of health apps as medical devices are important topics.

United Kingdom health research analyses and the benefits of shared data.

BackgroundTo allow research organisations to co-ordinate activity to the benefit of national and international funding strategies requires assessment of the funding landscape; this, in turn, relies on a consistent approach for comparing expenditure on research. Here, we discuss the impact and benefits of the United Kingdom’s Health Research Classification System (HRCS) in national landscaping analysis of health research and the pros and cons of performing large-scale funding analyses.MethodsThe first United Kingdom health research analysis (2004/2005) brought together the 11 largest public and charity funders of health research to develop the HRCS and use this categorisation to examine United Kingdom health research. The analysis was revisited in 2009/2010 and again in 2014. The most recent quinquennial analysis in 2014 compiled data from 64 United Kingdom research organisations, accounting for 91% of all public/charitable health research funding in the United Kingdom. The three analyses summarise the United Kingdom’s health research expenditure in 2004/2005, 2009/2010 and 2014, and can be used to identify changes in research activity and disease focus over this 10 year period.ResultsThe 2004/2005 analysis provided a baseline for future reporting and evidence for a United Kingdom Government review that recommended the co-ordination of United Kingdom health research should be strengthened to accelerate the translation of basic research into clinical and economic benefits. Through the second and third analyses, we observed strategic prioritisation of certain health research activities and disease areas, with a strong trend toward increased funding for more translational research, and increases in specific areas such as research on prevention.ConclusionsThe use of HRCS in the United Kingdom to analyse the research landscape has provided benefit both to individual participatory funders and in coordinating initiatives at a national level. A modest amount of data for each project is sufficient for a nationwide assessment of health research funding, but achieving coverage of the United Kingdom portfolio relies on sourcing these details from a large number of individual funding agencies. The effort needed to compile this data could be minimised if funders routinely shared or published this information in a standard and accessible way. The United Kingdom approach to landscaping analyses could be readily adapted to suit other groups or nations, and global availability of research funding data would support better national and international coordination of health research.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12961-016-0116-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Story of fission

The discovery of nuclear fission is the culmination of sustained efforts involving many scientists led by Hahn and Meitner to understand the production of artificial radioactivity induced by neutrons bombarding uranium. The large energy release in this process was almost immediately used for both military and civilian purposes. It also started the largescale funding of scientific research by governments across the world. Nuclear energy is one of the clean sources of energy and contributes very little to global warming.

A Community-Engaged Approach to Translating Research into Practice: A Physical Education Story.

The National Institutes of Health's Clinical and Translational Sciences Award program emphasizes the need to speed up the process of putting evidence-based practices into place. One strategy they promote is community engagement; however, few studies describe a process for meaningfully engaging communities in the translation process. This article describes steps taken by a university- community partnership to create a plan for implementing evidence-based physical education (PE) practices in rural schools. This partnership's efforts resulted in the acquisition of a $1.86 million grant to implement the plan. Qualitative data collected during the planning process were analyzed using content analysis. Key steps included undertaking a baseline assessment of community needs, reviewing and selecting evidence-based practices, developing a multilevel, community-driven action plan and establishing its feasibility with community stakeholders. These steps could be applied to other health topics across a variety of settings. Several strategies that made the process successful are described. Recommendations are made for expanding the roles of Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSAs) and local health foundations in supporting community-engaged translational research. University-community partnerships have the potential to create plans and obtain large-scale funding for translating evidence-based research into practice.

Is there a Pareto solution to the misaligned incentives and competing objectives of water grabbing in the Lao PDR?

‘Water grabbing’ in the Mekong River has been accelerating at a feverish pace. The stakes have never been greater. Talks between international socio-environment groups, public–private dam partners, and Mekong countries are increasingly fractious and dysfunctional. The departure of the multilateral agencies, such as the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, from large-scale infrastructure funding has allowed the private sector access to investment opportunities in hydropower, and as a result facilitated the promise of rapid hydropower growth in the Lao PDR. The antagonism of international social and environmental groups towards these dams is due primarily to the transboundary impacts of multiple constructions and modifications to the Mekong. We posit that the dilemma in the negotiations over the Mekong dams in Lao can be best understood from the perspective of misaligned incentives-objectives. We examine the major stakeholders involved in contractual negotiations and group parties according to their aligned incentives-objectives. We employ a criteria trade-off framework to show that if talks take place over two rounds under particular rules, compromises of objectives and trading of incentives are possible. We stipulate that a Pareto-optimal solution is indeed possible—if a non-partisan, authoritative agent with retributory powers to design and enforce corrective incentives for all stakeholders takes part in both negotiation rounds.

The leadership challenges of Paul's collection for the saints in Jerusalem: Part I: Overcoming the obstacles on the side of the Gentile Christian donors

In addition to many other activities, the Apostle Paul was involved in a large-scale fund raising project. Following a charge he once had received in Jerusalem to remember the poor (Gl 2:10), Paul tried to convince the predominantly Gentile Christian churches which he had founded to contribute to a collection for the impoverished Jewish Christians of Jerusalem. For the potential donors it was far from obvious that they should be involved in benefaction for people far away and unable to reciprocate to their would-be �patrons�, to name but one obstacle. Whilst Paul is best known as theologian, missionary and pastor, his collection project also indicates his determination and skills as an early Christian leader. In this quest, Paul combined a broad salvation historical perspective, skilful persuasion and rhetoric, the notions of honour and shame, exemplary transparency and other aspects. This article describes what obstacles Paul had to overcome on the side of the Gentile Christian donors, how he did so and how he proceeded in preparing and organising the actual collection, the transport of the funds to Jerusalem and its presentation in Jerusalem. In closing, the article suggests applications for today�s Christian leaders.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The article indicates that already in early Christianity Christian leadership involved the use of several skills and was controversial. Far from being able to simply demand a certain course of action, early Christian leaders such as Paul had to convince others to lead by their own example and had to be involved themselves in what they demanded of others. This challenges some contemporary notions of Christian leadership. Following the portrayal of Paul�s leadership as it emerges from his collection project will lead to more effective Christian leadership.

Mutual Fund Size and Investible Decisions of Variable Life Insurance

We tested the relationship between flow-return and flow-fund characteristics relationship under different fund sizes by using quantile regression. We found that insured investors’ purchase-performance is better than non-insured investors. We found that the relationship between fund inflows and fund performance was stronger among the insured investors of both large-scale and small-scale funds than it was among the noninsured investors. In addition, deferred compensation rates also influenced the purchases and redemptions of the insured investors of large-scale funds. The relationship with performance was enhanced as purchase amounts increased.

From Transitional to Transformative Justice: A New Agenda for Practice

Transitional justice has become a globally dominant lens through which to approach states addressing legacies of a violent past. An industry of praxis has emerged, supported by dedicated nongovernmental organizations and large-scale funding from western donors. Yet, the performance and impact of transitional justice mechanisms have been at best ambiguous and at times disappointing. This article proposes a new agenda for practice, one that offers a concept of justice that is more ‘transformative’ than ‘transitional.’ The article starts by setting out the limitations of transitional justice, and recent responses to these limitations in transitional justice practice. A definition of transformative justice draws on this discussion as well as insights from related fields such as peace building and conflict transformation. A final section of the article, on tools for transformative justice, provides practical guidance on how to implement a more transformative transitional justice.

Determinants of Public Support for International Climate Finance in Donor Countries

The adoption of the Warsaw mechanism on loss and damage has again highlighted the North-South divide in the part of the UNFCCC negotiations dealing with international climate finance. Current estimates put required funding from rich countries at 50 to 100 billion Euros per year to induce non-Annex I countries to take on greenhouse gas limitation commitments and to assist highly vulnerable countries. Results from survey-embedded conjoint experiments can help policy-makers anticipate opportunities and pitfalls in designing large-scale climate funding schemes. We implemented such experiments in the United States and Germany to better understand what institutional design characteristics are likely to garner more public support for climate funding among citizens in key developed countries. We find that climate funding receives more public support if it flows to efficient governments, funding decisions are made jointly by donor and recipient countries, funding is used both for mitigation and adaptation, and other donor countries contribute a large share. Contrary to what one might expect, climate change damage levels, income, and emissions in/of potential recipient countries have no significant effect on public support. These findings suggest that finance mechanisms that focus purely on compensating developing countries, without contributing to the global public good of mitigation, will find it hard to garner public support.

Diaspora bonds for funding education

Diaspora bonds represent a debt instrument issued by a country – or potentially a private corporation – to raise financing from its overseas diaspora. They offer governments a flexible mechanism for raising large scale funding to support national budgets and fill financing gaps in development programs, including provision of quality education. However, there is limited awareness about this financing vehicle. While India and Israel have been at the forefront in issuing diaspora bonds, many other nations also have large diaspora communities in the world and could benefit by issuing such bonds. Given the interest of the global education community in innovative approaches to financing, diaspora bonds could be an important source of funding. The paper proposes a pilot program for funding via diaspora bonds a medical school in a developing country with a large and skilled diaspora abroad.

Financing Model Optimization of Lanzhou Yatai Group Real Estate Project

Lanzhou Yatai Group, as the first listed real estate companies, occupies absolute advantage in the competition of the industry. Especially because of Lanzhou National Economic Development District, Yaitai Group focuses Lanzhou new area asthe target of the advantages and great location. With the business development and planning, the company will also create Lanzhou Yaitai Group Technology Headquarters before 2016, and also will be followed by the huge business opportunities in the real estate industry driven by the financial industry, service industry, catering industry, and the education industry as well. At the same time, the asset number of investment companies in the new district has reached about 0.45 billion, so the vast number of these channels also makes traditional financing be in danger. Banking loans, equity financing, debt financing gradually are difficult to enable the company’s rapid development growing so fast. Large-scale funding and financing inefficiencies of some large-scale projects also make the company’s financial operations meeting some obstacles. In this paper, the author will analyze Yatai Group real estate financing process and the traditional financing channels to predict its financing risk prevention and the Group’s real estate funds operating characteristics of the project. At the same time, we put forward the concept and characteristics of the real estate project financing. After financing inefficiencies of Lanzhou Yatai Group from 2011 to 2014, we make the analysis for real estate projects for the company and make a selection and optimization models. But also for the smooth development of real estate projects in Yatai Group, we provided a positive recommendation, which will become healthy and stable developments of the real estate industry in Gansu Province, and the development and construction of new district will be made as a good expectation.

New dawn or chimera? Can institutional financing transform rental housing?

Mainly stimulated by concerns over inadequate housing supply, both the UK and Australia have recently seen renewed policy-maker interest in channelling ‘institutional investment’ into rental housebuilding. This has coincided with the recognition that – as seen in both countries – ongoing changes in the demographics of expanding private rental sectors reinforce the need for new forms of provision.Drawing on recent ‘informed stakeholder’ perspectives in both countries, we build on existing accounts through our analysis of barriers to institutional financing of rental housing and our investigation of what, if any, fundamental changes in market conditions and investor sentiment have recently occurred, so that such obstacles might potentially be overcome. Further developing this story, we compare and contrast recent ‘policy reform’ recommendations proposed in both countries with the aim of stimulating institutional investment in housebuilding.Although impediments to large-scale institutional funding for rental housing remain substantial, we conclude that, should it take off, such financing could significantly affect the structure and quality of provision – especially via the involvement of not-for-profit landlords.

The impact of state-level nutrition-education program funding on BMI: Evidence from the behavioral risk factor surveillance system

Currently, there is insufficient evidence regarding which policies will improve nutrition, reduce BMI levels and the prevalence of obesity and overweight nationwide. This preliminary study investigates the impact of a nutrition-education policy relative to price policy as a means to reduce BMI in the United States (US). Model estimations use pooled cross-sectional data at the individual-level from the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC), Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), state-level food prices from the American Chamber of Commerce Research Association (ACCRA) and funding for state-specific nutrition-education programs from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) from 1992 to 2006. The total number of observations for the study is 2,249,713 over 15 years. During this period, federal funding for state-specific nutrition-education programs rose from approximately $660 thousand for seven states to nearly $248 million for all fifty-two states. In 2011, federal funding for nutrition-education programs reached $375 million. After controlling for state-fixed effects, year effects and state specific linear and quadratic time trends, we find that nutrition education spending has the intended effect on BMI, obese and overweight in aggregate. However, we find heterogeneity as individuals from certain, but not all, income and education levels respond to nutrition-education funding. The results regarding nutrition-education programs suggest that large scale funding of nutrition-education programs may improve BMI levels and reduce obesity and overweight. However, more study is required to determine if these funds are able make the requisite dietary improvements that may ultimately improve BMI for individuals from low income and education-levels.