Defence expenditures and economic growth: The externality effect

In a series of articles published in the Fall 1990 issue of Defence Economics Alexander (1990), Atesoglu and Mueller (1990) and Huang and Mintz (1990) have all specified and empirically estimated defence‐growth models based on a neoclassical production function. We now isolate the externality component in our model, re‐estimate its coefficients using data on the U.S. economy 1952–88 and compare specifications and results with Atesoglu and Mueller (1990) and Alexander (1990).     

Country Survey I–Military Spending in India 1

After a brief survey of the Indian economy, we survey the supply and demand of military expenditures in India over the last four decades. The causes of military expenditures appear to include regional rivalries and protracted conflicts, but it has proven difficult to delineate these with empirical models. The effects of military spending in India on economic growth appear to be benign, despite much speculation to the contrary. However, the opportunity costs of defence spending are shown to be considerable. We conclude with speculation about the role of debt and debt servicing in retarding future economic growth in India. We also speculate about the potential for the creation of a war economy in India.     

A case study of redundant defence workers

In this article, the influence of conflict on the economies of neighbouring countries is discussed. The results from previous papers show a strong negative effect for an entire area around a country suffering from conflict, but this paper reaches a different conclusion, by using more recent data and adjusting the methodology previously employed. Additionally, a new type of contiguity matrix is constructed and used in the actual analysis. The final analysis consists of a large number of regressions and concludes that conflict actually has two opposing effects. First, like conflict countries themselves, directly contiguous countries actually suffer from the negative effects of proximate conflict. Secondly, however, there is also a positive spillover of conflict, which affects non‐contiguous countries and this effect is larger for countries that are closer to the conflict country. The results from the paper predominantly hold for the most violent kind of conflict.     

Growth and Fiscal Consequences of Terrorism in Nigeria

Abstract

In spite of government counter-terrorism expenditure and efforts, the incidence of terrorism in Nigeria appears to be rising. This paper examines the growth and fiscal consequences of terrorism in Nigeria by estimating the terrorism–macroeconomy relation using different measures of terror incidence. The results show that terrorism has an economically and statistically significant negative impact on growth; although this impact is considerably small and short-lived, manifesting only after a lag of about three years. Specifically, the cost of terrorism to Nigeria, in terms of lost GDP per annum, is estimated at 0.82%. Moreover, there is evidence that terrorism leads to the reallocation of economic activity away from private investment spending to government spending; that is, terrorism crowds out investment at a higher rate than its potential to crowd in government spending. Lastly, terrorism alters the composition of government expenditure – with the defence component of government expenditure rising vis-a-vis other expenditure items. The results are robust to allowing for dynamic interactions between terrorism and macroeconomic aggregates.     

Military Expenditure,Endogeneity and Economic Growth

Abstract

While not always a concern for the general economic growth literature, the debate over the effects of military spending on growth continues to develop, with no consensus, but a deepening understanding of the limitations of previous work. One important issue that has not been adequately dealt with is the endogeneity of military spending in the growth equation, mainly because of the difficulty of finding any variables that would make adequate instruments. This paper considers this issue, using an endogenous growth model estimated on a large sample of 109 non-high-income countries for the period 1998–2012. The empirical analysis is framed within an instrumental variable setting that exploits the increase in military spending that occurs when unrest in a country escalates to turmoil. The estimation results show that endogeneity arising from reverse causality is a crucial issue, with the instrumental variable estimates providing a larger significant negative effect of military spending on growth than OLS would. This result is found to be robust to different sources of heterogeneity and different time periods.     

变距离静电电位检测研究

针对现有非接触式静电检测装置存在检测距离近且距离固定等问题,提出了对电位测量进行距离补偿的变距离静电电位检测方案。首先,从电位测量的基本原理出发,分析了距离测量误差与电位测量误差的关系,验证了精确测距的重要性,即要满足电位测量相对误差σV≤±10%,所选测距方式的距离测量相对误差-4.65%≤σd0≤5.41%的技术指标。然后,通过实验研究了检测距离与感应电位的关系,验证了0.5 m内对静电电位变距离测量的可行性,得到了对电位测量进行距离补偿的公式雏形Vs(V a,d)=Va(a+bd)c。依据此公式雏形以及大量的重复实验,可以得到公式中的各项参数值,编入单片机可实现对静电电位的变距离检测。     

碳纤维混凝土单轴受压应力-应变本构关系

碳纤维混凝土受压应力-应变全曲线研究是对其基本力学性能进行全面认识的基础,也是表现碳纤维混凝土基本受压特性的综合宏观反映。对9组（碳纤维体积分数分别为0,0.2%,0.4%,0.6%,0.8%,1.0%,1.2%,1.4%,1.6%）碳纤维混凝土试件进行了立方体和棱柱体抗压强度试验,结果表明碳纤维混凝土立方体和棱柱体抗压强度随碳纤维体积分数的增加呈下降趋势,峰值应变随碳纤维体积分数的增加呈增大趋势。基于各体积分数碳纤维混凝土的棱柱体抗压强度和峰值应变的试验数据,拟合得到了棱柱体抗压强度和峰值应变与体积分数之间的函数表达式。利用微机控制电液伺服压力试验机测定了9组碳纤维混凝土应力-应变全曲线,参照非线弹性理论的混凝土单轴受压应力-应变本构模型,根据测得的全曲线应力-应变数据,拟合得到了应力-应变全曲线上升段表达式参数和下降段表达式参数,最后给出了基于碳纤维体积分数变化的碳纤维混凝土单轴受压应力-应变本构方程。     

储存喷气燃料中特征真菌的鉴定与生长特性

使用沙保氏平板培养基对储存喷气燃料进行真菌培养,并在沙保氏液体培养基中纯化特征真菌,观察特征真菌菌落及孢子形态,进行形态学初步鉴定。对特征真菌进行18S rDNA测序,将得到的DNA序列在美国国立生物技术信息中心网站上进行比对,最终鉴定储存喷气燃料中的特征真菌为芽枝霉属Amorphotheca resinae真菌。建立起燃料-水-菌落体系,在不同水质量分数、氧气体积分数和温度条件,研究Amorphotheca resinae真菌在燃料中的生长特性,并用颗粒计数器检测不同代谢速度下燃料颗粒污染度的变化。结果表明,较低的水质量分数、氧气体积分数和温度均能抑制Amorphotheca resinae真菌生长,从而抑制由真菌代谢引起的喷气燃料颗粒污染度变化,提高燃料洁净度。     

针对固定窗口算法的椭圆曲线密码故障分析

针对固定窗口算法实现点乘运算的椭圆曲线密码,基于符号变换故障攻击原理,通过分析不同故障模型下的密钥恢复过程,给出一种能够解决“零块失效”问题的改进故障分析方法,并进行仿真实验。实验结果表明：采用固定窗口算法的椭圆曲线密码易遭受故障攻击,10min内即可恢复NIST-192完整密钥。该故障分析方法也适用于其他采用点乘运算的密码算法。     

The ligaments of counter-terrorism regime: sexual violence and the vicarious traumatisation of female non-governmental organisation workers: evidence from Nigeria

ABSTRACT

There is a dearth of studies on indirect victims of sexual violence in counter-terrorism efforts. Using Nigeria as a case study, this paper argues that global and state-level counter-terrorism policies have generally failed to account for the psychological effects of the engagement of female NGO workers in counter-terrorism operations or mitigating the effects of terrorism in conflict zones. Specifically, there has been an increase in sexual violence perpetrated by some members of the security agencies involved in counter-terrorism operations in North-eastern Nigeria. As a result, female NGO workers carry out Medicare, psychosocial counselling and advocacy for these victims. Female NGO workers become exposed to the trauma of victims of sexual violence, which affects their mental health and thus performances in counter-terrorism activities in the country. This altered their worldview on issues of safety even among secured locations or among the presence of security agents and reinforced feelings of powerlessness.