Modelling cost-effectiveness of different vasectomy methods in India, Kenya, and Mexico.

PubMed

Seamans, Yancy; Harner-Jay, Claudia M

2007-07-13

Vasectomy is generally considered a safe and effective method of permanent contraception. The historical effectiveness of vasectomy has been questioned by recent research results indicating that the most commonly used method of vasectomy--simple ligation and excision (L and E)--appears to have a relatively high failure rate, with reported pregnancy rates as high as 4%. Updated methods such as fascial interposition (FI) and thermal cautery can lower the rate of failure but may require additional financial investments and may not be appropriate for low-resource clinics. In order to better compare the cost-effectiveness of these different vasectomy methods, we modelled the costs of different vasectomy methods using cost data collected in India, Kenya, and Mexico and effectiveness data from the latest published research. The costs associated with providing vasectomies were determined in each country through interviews with clinic staff. Costs collected were economic, direct, programme costs of fixed vasectomy services but did not include large capital expenses or general recurrent costs for the health care facility. Estimates of the time required to provide service were gained through interviews and training costs were based on the total costs of vasectomy training programmes in each country. Effectiveness data were obtained from recent published studies and comparative cost-effectiveness was determined using cost per couple years of protection (CYP). In each country, the labour to provide the vasectomy and follow-up services accounts for the greatest portion of the overall cost. Because each country almost exclusively used one vasectomy method at all of the clinics included in the study, we modelled costs based on the additional material, labour, and training costs required in each country. Using a model of a robust vasectomy program, more effective methods such as FI and thermal cautery reduce the cost per CYP of a vasectomy by $0.08-$0.55. Based on the results presented, more effective methods of vasectomy--including FI, thermal cautery, and thermal cautery combined with FI--are more cost-effective than L and E alone. Analysis shows that for a programme in which a minimum of 20 clients undergo vasectomies per month, the cost per CYP is reduced in all three countries by updated vasectomy methods.

The PrePex device is unlikely to achieve cost-savings compared to the forceps-guided method in male circumcision programs in sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Obiero, Walter; Young, Marisa R; Bailey, Robert C

2013-01-01

Male circumcision (MC) reduces the risk of heterosexual HIV acquisition in men by approximately 60%. MC programs for HIV prevention are currently being scaled-up in fourteen countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The current standard surgical technique for MC in many sub-Saharan African countries is the forceps-guided male circumcision (FGMC) method. The PrePex male circumcision (PMC) method could replace FGMC and potentially reduce MC programming costs. We compared the potential costs of introducing the PrePex device into MC programming to the cost of the forceps-guided method. Data were obtained from the Nyanza Reproductive Health Society (NRHS), an MC service delivery organization in Kenya, and from the Kenya Ministry of Health. Analyses are based on 48,265 MC procedures performed in four Districts in western Kenya from 2009 through 2011. Data were entered into the WHO/UNAIDS Decision Makers Program Planning Tool. The tool assesses direct and indirect costs of MC programming. Various sensitivity analyses were performed. Costs were discounted at an annual rate of 6% and are presented in United States Dollars. Not including the costs of the PrePex device or referral costs for men with phimosis/tight foreskin, the costs of one MC surgery were $44.54-$49.02 and $54.52-$55.29 for PMC and FGMC, respectively. The PrePex device is unlikely to result in significant cost-savings in comparison to the forceps-guided method. MC programmers should target other aspects of the male circumcision minimum package for improved cost efficiency.

The effects of Medicaid reimbursement method and ownership on nursing home costs, case mix, and staffing.

PubMed

Cohen, J W; Dubay, L C

1990-01-01

In this study we analyze the effects of ownership and Medicaid cost containment initiatives on nursing home costs, payer mix, case mix, and staffing, using 1981 Medicare cost reports and Medicare/Medicaid Automated Certification files. As Medicaid cost containment incentives become stronger, nursing homes respond by decreasing case mix and commensurately decreasing staffing. When these incentives are especially strong, staffing is reduced beyond the apparently appropriate level, given the case mix. In addition, while chain facilities have lower costs than other types of facilities, these lower costs do not appear to come from either increased cream-skimming or reduced staffing levels.

Cost-Effectiveness and Cost-Benefit Analysis: Confronting the Problem of Choice.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clardy, Alan

Cost-effectiveness analysis and cost-benefit analysis are two related yet distinct methods to help decision makers choose the best course of action from among competing alternatives. For both types of analysis, costs are computed similarly. Costs may be reduced to present value amounts for multi-year programs, and parameters may be altered to show…

Utilization of brewery wastewater for culturing yeast cells for use in river water remediation.

PubMed

Chang, Su-Yun; Sun, Jing-Mei; Song, Shu-Qiang; Sun, Bao-Sheng

2012-01-01

Successful in situ bio-augmentation of contaminated river water involves reducing the cost of the bio-agent. In this study, brewery wastewater was used to culture yeast cells for degrading the COD(Cr) from a contaminated river. The results showed that 15 g/L of yeast cells could be achieved after being cultured in the autoclaved brewery wastewater with 5 mL/L of saccharified starch and 9 g/L of corn steep liquor. The COD(Cr) removal efficiency was increased from 22% to 33% when the cells were cultured using the mentioned method. Based on the market price of materials used in this method, the cost of the medium for remediating 1 m3 of river water was 0.0076 US dollars. If the additional cost of field implementation is included, the total cost is less than 0.016 US dollars for treating 1 m3 of river water. The final cost was dependent on the size of remediation: the larger the scale, the lower the cost. By this method, the nutrient in the brewery wastewater was reused, the cost of brewery wastewater treatment was saved and the cost of the remediation using bio-augmentation was reduced. Hence, it is suggested that using brewery wastewater to culture a bio-agent for bio-augmentation is a cost-effective method.

Comparison of manual and automated nucleic acid extraction methods from clinical specimens for microbial diagnosis purposes.

PubMed

Wozniak, Aniela; Geoffroy, Enrique; Miranda, Carolina; Castillo, Claudia; Sanhueza, Francia; García, Patricia

2016-11-01

The choice of nucleic acids (NAs) extraction method for molecular diagnosis in microbiology is of major importance because of the low microbial load, different nature of microorganisms, and clinical specimens. The NA yield of different extraction methods has been mostly studied using spiked samples. However, information from real human clinical specimens is scarce. The purpose of this study was to compare the performance of a manual low-cost extraction method (Qiagen kit or salting-out extraction method) with the automated high-cost MagNAPure Compact method. According to cycle threshold values for different pathogens, MagNAPure is as efficient as Qiagen for NA extraction from noncomplex clinical specimens (nasopharyngeal swab, skin swab, plasma, respiratory specimens). In contrast, according to cycle threshold values for RNAseP, MagNAPure method may not be an appropriate method for NA extraction from blood. We believe that MagNAPure versatility reduced risk of cross-contamination and reduced hands-on time compensates its high cost. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A pilot study to explore the feasibility of using theClinical Care Classification System for developing a reliable costing method for nursing services.

PubMed

Dykes, Patricia C; Wantland, Dean; Whittenburg, Luann; Lipsitz, Stuart; Saba, Virginia K

2013-01-01

While nursing activities represent a significant proportion of inpatient care, there are no reliable methods for determining nursing costs based on the actual services provided by the nursing staff. Capture of data to support accurate measurement and reporting on the cost of nursing services is fundamental to effective resource utilization. Adopting standard terminologies that support tracking both the quality and the cost of care could reduce the data entry burden on direct care providers. This pilot study evaluated the feasibility of using a standardized nursing terminology, the Clinical Care Classification System (CCC), for developing a reliable costing method for nursing services. Two different approaches are explored; the Relative Value Unit RVU and the simple cost-to-time methods. We found that the simple cost-to-time method was more accurate and more transparent in its derivation than the RVU method and may support a more consistent and reliable approach for costing nursing services.

Understanding the New A-21 Allocation and Documentation Standard.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sellers, William

1994-01-01

New federal regulations concerning direct cost accounting for college and university research projects are explained. It is concluded that the new standard allows institutions to reduce the signatures required on cost transfers and use reasonable cost allocation methods to simplify distribution of direct costs when research is supported by…

The costs of nurse turnover: part 1: an economic perspective.

PubMed

Jones, Cheryl Bland

2004-12-01

Nurse turnover is costly for healthcare organizations. Administrators and nurse executives need a reliable estimate of nurse turnover costs and the origins of those costs if they are to develop effective measures of reducing nurse turnover and its costs. However, determining how to best capture and quantify nurse turnover costs can be challenging. Part 1 of this series conceptualizes nurse turnover via human capital theory and presents an update of a previously developed method for determining the costs of nurse turnover, the Nursing Turnover Cost Calculation Method. Part 2 (January 2005) presents a recent application of the methodology in an acute care hospital.

Advanced Guidance and Control Project for Reusable Launch Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanson, John M.

2000-01-01

The goals of this project are to significantly reduce the time and cost associated with guidance and control design for reusable launch vehicles, and to increase their safety and reliability. Success will lead to reduced cycle times during vehicle design and to reduced costs associated with flying to new orbits, with new payloads, and with modified vehicles. Success will also lead to more robustness to unforeseen circumstances in flight thereby enhancing safety and reducing risk. There are many guidance and control methods available that hold some promise for improvement in the desired areas. Investigators are developing a representative set of independent guidance and control methods for this project. These methods are being incorporated into a high-fidelity off is being conducted across a broad range of flight requirements. The guidance and control methods that perform the best will have demonstrated the desired qualities.

Cost effectiveness of on- and off-field conservation practices designed to reduce nitrogen in downstream water

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The objective of this analysis is to estimate and compare the cost-effectiveness of on- and off-field approaches to reducing nitrogen loadings. On-field practices include improving the timing, rate, and method of nitrogen application. Off-field practices include restoring wetlands and establishing v...

Reverse time migration by Krylov subspace reduced order modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basir, Hadi Mahdavi; Javaherian, Abdolrahim; Shomali, Zaher Hossein; Firouz-Abadi, Roohollah Dehghani; Gholamy, Shaban Ali

2018-04-01

Imaging is a key step in seismic data processing. To date, a myriad of advanced pre-stack depth migration approaches have been developed; however, reverse time migration (RTM) is still considered as the high-end imaging algorithm. The main limitations associated with the performance cost of reverse time migration are the intensive computation of the forward and backward simulations, time consumption, and memory allocation related to imaging condition. Based on the reduced order modeling, we proposed an algorithm, which can be adapted to all the aforementioned factors. Our proposed method benefit from Krylov subspaces method to compute certain mode shapes of the velocity model computed by as an orthogonal base of reduced order modeling. Reverse time migration by reduced order modeling is helpful concerning the highly parallel computation and strongly reduces the memory requirement of reverse time migration. The synthetic model results showed that suggested method can decrease the computational costs of reverse time migration by several orders of magnitudes, compared with reverse time migration by finite element method.

Extension of the ADjoint Approach to a Laminar Navier-Stokes Solver

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paige, Cody

The use of adjoint methods is common in computational fluid dynamics to reduce the cost of the sensitivity analysis in an optimization cycle. The forward mode ADjoint is a combination of an adjoint sensitivity analysis method with a forward mode automatic differentiation (AD) and is a modification of the reverse mode ADjoint method proposed by Mader et al.[1]. A colouring acceleration technique is presented to reduce the computational cost increase associated with forward mode AD. The forward mode AD facilitates the implementation of the laminar Navier-Stokes (NS) equations. The forward mode ADjoint method is applied to a three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics solver. The resulting Euler and viscous ADjoint sensitivities are compared to the reverse mode Euler ADjoint derivatives and a complex-step method to demonstrate the reduced computational cost and accuracy. Both comparisons demonstrate the benefits of the colouring method and the practicality of using a forward mode AD. [1] Mader, C.A., Martins, J.R.R.A., Alonso, J.J., and van der Weide, E. (2008) ADjoint: An approach for the rapid development of discrete adjoint solvers. AIAA Journal, 46(4):863-873. doi:10.2514/1.29123.

Comparing surgical trays with redundant instruments with trays with reduced instruments: a cost analysis

PubMed Central

John-Baptiste, A.; Sowerby, L.J.; Chin, C.J.; Martin, J.; Rotenberg, B.W.

2016-01-01

Background: When prearranged standard surgical trays contain instruments that are repeatedly unused, the redundancy can result in unnecessary health care costs. Our objective was to estimate potential savings by performing an economic evaluation comparing the cost of surgical trays with redundant instruments with surgical trays with reduced instruments ("reduced trays"). Methods: We performed a cost-analysis from the hospital perspective over a 1-year period. Using a mathematical model, we compared the direct costs of trays containing redundant instruments to reduced trays for 5 otolaryngology procedures. We incorporated data from several sources including local hospital data on surgical volume, the number of instruments on redundant and reduced trays, wages of personnel and time required to pack instruments. From the literature, we incorporated instrument depreciation costs and the time required to decontaminate an instrument. We performed 1-way sensitivity analyses on all variables, including surgical volume. Costs were estimated in 2013 Canadian dollars. Results: The cost of redundant trays was $21 806 and the cost of reduced trays was $8803, for a 1-year cost saving of $13 003. In sensitivity analyses, cost savings ranged from $3262 to $21 395, based on the surgical volume at the institution. Variation in surgical volume resulted in a wider range of estimates, with a minimum of $3253 for low-volume to a maximum of $52 012 for high-volume institutions. Interpretation: Our study suggests moderate savings may be achieved by reducing surgical tray redundancy and, if applied to other surgical specialties, may result in savings to Canadian health care systems. PMID:27975045

Reducing the cost of headache medication.

PubMed

Solomon, Glen D

2009-06-01

Although medication costs make up one of the smallest portions of the overall expense of headache care, it is the segment of expense that often impacts the patient most directly. The advent of triptans marked a major advance in migraine therapy, but their high cost has limited their widespread use. Four options can be considered as potential means to reduce the cost of triptans. These include compulsory licensing, exclusive contracting, over-the-counter -availability, and the introduction of generic triptans. Each method impacts the consumer, third-party payer, or pharmaceutical company in a different manner.

A Low-Cost Method for Multiple Disease Prediction.

PubMed

Bayati, Mohsen; Bhaskar, Sonia; Montanari, Andrea

Recently, in response to the rising costs of healthcare services, employers that are financially responsible for the healthcare costs of their workforce have been investing in health improvement programs for their employees. A main objective of these so called "wellness programs" is to reduce the incidence of chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity, with the goal of reducing future medical costs. The majority of these wellness programs include an annual screening to detect individuals with the highest risk of developing chronic disease. Once these individuals are identified, the company can invest in interventions to reduce the risk of those individuals. However, capturing many biomarkers per employee creates a costly screening procedure. We propose a statistical data-driven method to address this challenge by minimizing the number of biomarkers in the screening procedure while maximizing the predictive power over a broad spectrum of diseases. Our solution uses multi-task learning and group dimensionality reduction from machine learning and statistics. We provide empirical validation of the proposed solution using data from two different electronic medical records systems, with comparisons to a statistical benchmark.

Pooled HIV-1 viral load testing using dried blood spots to reduce the cost of monitoring antiretroviral treatment in a resource-limited setting.

PubMed

Pannus, Pieter; Fajardo, Emmanuel; Metcalf, Carol; Coulborn, Rebecca M; Durán, Laura T; Bygrave, Helen; Ellman, Tom; Garone, Daniela; Murowa, Michael; Mwenda, Reuben; Reid, Tony; Preiser, Wolfgang

2013-10-01

Rollout of routine HIV-1 viral load monitoring is hampered by high costs and logistical difficulties associated with sample collection and transport. New strategies are needed to overcome these constraints. Dried blood spots from finger pricks have been shown to be more practical than the use of plasma specimens, and pooling strategies using plasma specimens have been demonstrated to be an efficient method to reduce costs. This study found that combination of finger-prick dried blood spots and a pooling strategy is a feasible and efficient option to reduce costs, while maintaining accuracy in the context of a district hospital in Malawi.

Reducing maintenance costs in agreement with CNC machine tools reliability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ungureanu, A. L.; Stan, G.; Butunoi, P. A.

2016-08-01

Aligning maintenance strategy with reliability is a challenge due to the need to find an optimal balance between them. Because the various methods described in the relevant literature involve laborious calculations or use of software that can be costly, this paper proposes a method that is easier to implement on CNC machine tools. The new method, called the Consequence of Failure Analysis (CFA) is based on technical and economic optimization, aimed at obtaining a level of required performance with minimum investment and maintenance costs.

Structural Methods to Reduce Navigation Channel Shoaling

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-09-01

to reduce shoaling in navigation channels,” Technical Note, Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center...deal of interest in reducing or minimizing the quantity of dredging. Considerable research and extensive field experience have offered several methods...project. • Less frequent dredging usually reduces overall dredging costs. • The trap can be intentionally located close to dredged material disposal

Combining PCR with Microscopy to Reduce Costs of Laboratory Diagnosis of Buruli Ulcer

PubMed Central

Yeboah-Manu, Dorothy; Asante-Poku, Adwoa; Asan-Ampah, Kobina; Ampadu, Emelia Danso Edwin; Pluschke, Gerd

2011-01-01

The introduction of antibiotic therapy as first-line treatment of Buruli ulcer underlines the importance of laboratory confirmation of clinical diagnosis. Because smear microscopy has very limited sensitivity, the technically demanding and more expensive IS2404 diagnostic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has become the main method for confirmation. By optimization of the release of mycobacteria from swab specimen and concentration of bacterial suspensions before smearing, we were able to improve the detection rate of acid-fast bacilli by microscopy after Ziehl–Neelsen staining. Compared with IS2404 PCR, which is the gold standard diagnostic method, the sensitivity and specificity of microscopy with 100 concentrated specimens were 58.4% and 95.7%, respectively. We subsequently evaluated a stepwise laboratory confirmation algorithm with detection of AFB as first-line method and IS2404 PCR performed only with those samples that were negative in microscopic analysis. This stepwise approach reduced unit cost by more than 50% to $5.41, and the total costs were reduced from $917 to $433. PMID:22049046

Development of Advanced Technologies to Reduce Design, Fabrication and Construction Costs for Future Nuclear Power Plants

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

DiNunzio, Camillo A.; Gupta, Abhinav; Golay, Michael

2002-11-30

This report presents a summation of the third and final year of a three-year investigation into methods and technologies for substantially reducing the capital costs and total schedule for future nuclear plants. In addition, this is the final technical report for the three-year period of studies.

Shuttle Ground Operations Efficiencies/Technologies (SGOE/T) study. Volume 1: Executive summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scholz, A. L.; Hart, M. T.; Lowry, D. J.

1987-01-01

Methods and technolgoy were defined to reduce the overall operations cost of a major space program. Space Shuttle processing at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) was designed as the working model that would be the source of the operational information. Methods of improving efficiency of ground operations were assessed and technology elements that could reduce cost identified. Emphasis is on: (1) specific technology items and (2) management approaches required to develop and support efficient ground operations. Prime study results are to be recommendations on how to achieve more efficient operations and identification of existing or new technology that would make vehicle processing in both the current program and future programs more efficient and, therefore, less costly.

Measuring Range Anxiety: the Substitution-Emergency-Detour (SED) Method

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lin, Zhenhong

Range anxiety has been widely recognized as a critical barrier for battery electric vehicles (BEV), but its measurement method is lacking. Such a knowledge gap makes it difficult to analyse the competiveness of and the demand for BEVs. This study develops the Substitution-Emergency-Detour (SED) method to measure the range anxiety cost, and conducts sensitivity analysis of range anxiety cost with respect to nine factors. It is found that the most effective ways to reduce range anxiety are reducing driving intensity, increasing the vehicle range, extending the vehicle range with better charging infrastructure. Better household vehicle flexibility and less range uncertaintymore » can also significantly reduce range anxiety. The SED method and the numerical results are expected to contribute to better understanding of the range anxiety barrier and the BEV demand.« less

Stochastic Industrial Source Detection Using Lower Cost Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thoma, E.; George, I. J.; Brantley, H.; Deshmukh, P.; Cansler, J.; Tang, W.

2017-12-01

Hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) can be emitted from a variety of sources in industrial facilities, energy production, and commercial operations. Stochastic industrial sources (SISs) represent a subcategory of emissions from fugitive leaks, variable area sources, malfunctioning processes, and improperly controlled operations. From the shared perspective of industries and communities, cost-effective detection of mitigable SIS emissions can yield benefits such as safer working environments, cost saving through reduced product loss, lower air shed pollutant impacts, and improved transparency and community relations. Methods for SIS detection can be categorized by their spatial regime of operation, ranging from component-level inspection to high-sensitivity kilometer scale surveys. Methods can be temporally intensive (providing snap-shot measures) or sustained in both time-integrated and continuous forms. Each method category has demonstrated utility, however, broad adoption (or routine use) has thus far been limited by cost and implementation viability. Described here are a subset of SIS methods explored by the U.S EPA's next generation emission measurement (NGEM) program that focus on lower cost methods and models. An emerging systems approach that combines multiple forms to help compensate for reduced performance factors of lower cost systems is discussed. A case study of a multi-day HAP emission event observed by a combination of low cost sensors, open-path spectroscopy, and passive samplers is detailed. Early field results of a novel field gas chromatograph coupled with a fast HAP concentration sensor is described. Progress toward near real-time inverse source triangulation assisted by pre-modeled facility profiles using the Los Alamos Quick Urban & Industrial Complex (QUIC) model is discussed.

Multisite Cost Analysis of a School-Based Voluntary Alcohol and Drug Prevention Program*

PubMed Central

Kilmer, Beau; Burgdorf, James R.; D'amico, Elizabeth J.; Miles, Jeremy; Tucker, Joan

2011-01-01

Objective: This article estimates the societal costs of Project CHOICE, a voluntary after-school alcohol and other drug prevention program for adolescents. To our knowledge, this is the first cost analysis of an after-school program specifically focused on reducing alcohol and other drug use. Method: The article uses microcosting methods based on the societal perspective and includes a number of sensitivity analyses to assess how the results change with alternative assumptions. Cost data were obtained from surveys of participants, facilitators, and school administrators; insights from program staff members; program expenditures; school budgets; the Bureau of Labor Statistics; and the National Center for Education Statistics. Results: From the societal perspective, the cost of implementing Project CHOICE in eight California schools ranged from $121 to $305 per participant (Mdn = $238). The major cost drivers included labor costs associated with facilitating Project CHOICE, opportunity costs of displaced class time (because of in-class promotions for Project CHOICE and consent obtainment), and other efforts to increase participation. Substituting nationally representative cost information for wages and space reduced the range to $100–$206 (Mdn = $182), which is lower than the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's estimate of $262 per pupil for the "average effective school-based program in 2002." Denominating national Project CHOICE costs by enrolled students instead of participants generates a median per-pupil cost of $21 (range: $14—$28). Conclusions: Estimating the societal costs of school-based prevention programs is crucial for efficiently allocating resources to reduce alcohol and other drug use. The large variation in Project CHOICE costs across schools highlights the importance of collecting program cost information from multiple sites. PMID:21906509

Applying Cost-Sensitive Extreme Learning Machine and Dissimilarity Integration to Gene Expression Data Classification.

PubMed

Liu, Yanqiu; Lu, Huijuan; Yan, Ke; Xia, Haixia; An, Chunlin

2016-01-01

Embedding cost-sensitive factors into the classifiers increases the classification stability and reduces the classification costs for classifying high-scale, redundant, and imbalanced datasets, such as the gene expression data. In this study, we extend our previous work, that is, Dissimilar ELM (D-ELM), by introducing misclassification costs into the classifier. We name the proposed algorithm as the cost-sensitive D-ELM (CS-D-ELM). Furthermore, we embed rejection cost into the CS-D-ELM to increase the classification stability of the proposed algorithm. Experimental results show that the rejection cost embedded CS-D-ELM algorithm effectively reduces the average and overall cost of the classification process, while the classification accuracy still remains competitive. The proposed method can be extended to classification problems of other redundant and imbalanced data.

Cost Efficiency of Sea Freight and Lowering Cost of Consumption Goods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rum, Muh

2018-05-01

The subject of this research are administrative processes related to loading and unloading costin term of a ship’s arrival and departure to seaports,typically attributed to elevated levels of cost of labor, handling cost, dwelling time, and port fee which required to complete the related administrative tasks. Research design by comparative method in administrative way, which compare with many way implemented of previous practitioner export and import. In the previous phases of the research, an average expected cost of the administrative labor cost in traditional seaport clusters in eastern Indonesia was identified and quantified on an hourly basis. This research continues in its aim by using the results of the previous research as a starting point, and Find that enterprise resource planning and improvement, transactional due diligence and merger integration, positively affect and not associated with cost reduction. Moreover variable of reducing inventory cost affect and associated with reducing cost. The main hypothesis is that the usage of such a new model will result in a measurable decrease of the required freight cost in sea port, which indirectly reduce the consumption goods.

The economic costs of alcohol consumption in Thailand, 2006

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background There is evidence that the adverse consequences of alcohol impose a substantial economic burden on societies worldwide. Given the lack of generalizability of study results across different settings, many attempts have been made to estimate the economic costs of alcohol for various settings; however, these have mostly been confined to industrialized countries. To our knowledge, there are a very limited number of well-designed studies which estimate the economic costs of alcohol consumption in developing countries, including Thailand. Therefore, this study aims to estimate these economic costs, in Thailand, 2006. Methods This is a prevalence-based, cost-of-illness study. The estimated costs in this study included both direct and indirect costs. Direct costs included health care costs, costs of law enforcement, and costs of property damage due to road-traffic accidents. Indirect costs included costs of productivity loss due to premature mortality, and costs of reduced productivity due to absenteeism and presenteeism (reduced on-the-job productivity). Results The total economic cost of alcohol consumption in Thailand in 2006 was estimated at 156,105.4 million baht (9,627 million US$ PPP) or about 1.99% of the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Indirect costs outweigh direct costs, representing 96% of the total cost. The largest cost attributable to alcohol consumption is that of productivity loss due to premature mortality (104,128 million baht/6,422 million US$ PPP), followed by cost of productivity loss due to reduced productivity (45,464.6 million baht/2,804 million US$ PPP), health care cost (5,491.2 million baht/339 million US$ PPP), cost of property damage as a result of road traffic accidents (779.4 million baht/48 million US$ PPP), and cost of law enforcement (242.4 million baht/15 million US$ PPP), respectively. The results from the sensitivity analysis revealed that the cost ranges from 115,160.4 million baht to 214,053.0 million baht (7,102.1 - 13,201 million US$ PPP) depending on the methods and assumptions employed. Conclusions Alcohol imposes a substantial economic burden on Thai society, and according to these findings, the Thai government needs to pay significantly more attention to implementing more effective alcohol policies/interventions in order to reduce the negative consequences associated with alcohol. PMID:20534112

Low-Cost High-Pressure Hydrogen Generator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cropley, Cecelia C.; Norman, Timothy J.

Electrolysis of water, particularly in conjunction with renewable energy sources, is potentially a cost-effective and environmentally friendly method of producing hydrogen at dispersed forecourt sites, such as automotive fueling stations. The primary feedstock for an electrolyzer is electricity, which could be produced by renewable sources such as wind or solar that do not produce carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gas emissions. However, state-of-the-art electrolyzer systems are not economically competitive for forecourt hydrogen production due to their high capital and operating costs, particularly the cost of the electricity used by the electrolyzer stack. In this project, Giner Electrochemical Systems, LLC (GES)more » developed a low cost, high efficiency proton-exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis system for hydrogen production at moderate pressure (300 to 400 psig). The electrolyzer stack operates at differential pressure, with hydrogen produced at moderate pressure while oxygen is evolved at near-atmospheric pressure, reducing the cost of the water feed and oxygen handling subsystems. The project included basic research on catalysts and membranes to improve the efficiency of the electrolysis reaction as well as development of advanced materials and component fabrication methods to reduce the capital cost of the electrolyzer stack and system. The project culminated in delivery of a prototype electrolyzer module to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory for testing at the National Wind Technology Center. Electrolysis cell efficiency of 72% (based on the lower heating value of hydrogen) was demonstrated using an advanced high-strength membrane developed in this project. This membrane would enable the electrolyzer system to exceed the DOE 2012 efficiency target of 69%. GES significantly reduced the capital cost of a PEM electrolyzer stack through development of low cost components and fabrication methods, including a 60% reduction in stack parts count. Economic analysis indicates that hydrogen could be produced for $3.79 per gge at an electricity cost of $0.05/kWh by the lower-cost PEM electrolyzer developed in this project, assuming high-volume production of large-scale electrolyzer systems.« less

A Cost Effectiveness Analysis of Salt Reduction Policies to Reduce Coronary Heart Disease in Four Eastern Mediterranean Countries

PubMed Central

Mason, Helen; Shoaibi, Azza; Ghandour, Rula; O'Flaherty, Martin; Capewell, Simon; Khatib, Rana; Jabr, Samer; Unal, Belgin; Sözmen, Kaan; Arfa, Chokri; Aissi, Wafa; Romdhane, Habiba Ben; Fouad, Fouad; Al-Ali, Radwan; Husseini, Abdullatif

2014-01-01

Background Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is rising in middle income countries. Population based strategies to reduce specific CHD risk factors have an important role to play in reducing overall CHD mortality. Reducing dietary salt consumption is a potentially cost-effective way to reduce CHD events. This paper presents an economic evaluation of population based salt reduction policies in Tunisia, Syria, Palestine and Turkey. Methods and Findings Three policies to reduce dietary salt intake were evaluated: a health promotion campaign, labelling of food packaging and mandatory reformulation of salt content in processed food. These were evaluated separately and in combination. Estimates of the effectiveness of salt reduction on blood pressure were based on a literature review. The reduction in mortality was estimated using the IMPACT CHD model specific to that country. Cumulative population health effects were quantified as life years gained (LYG) over a 10 year time frame. The costs of each policy were estimated using evidence from comparable policies and expert opinion including public sector costs and costs to the food industry. Health care costs associated with CHDs were estimated using standardized unit costs. The total cost of implementing each policy was compared against the current baseline (no policy). All costs were calculated using 2010 PPP exchange rates. In all four countries most policies were cost saving compared with the baseline. The combination of all three policies (reducing salt consumption by 30%) resulted in estimated cost savings of $235,000,000 and 6455 LYG in Tunisia; $39,000,000 and 31674 LYG in Syria; $6,000,000 and 2682 LYG in Palestine and $1,3000,000,000 and 378439 LYG in Turkey. Conclusion Decreasing dietary salt intake will reduce coronary heart disease deaths in the four countries. A comprehensive strategy of health education and food industry actions to label and reduce salt content would save both money and lives. PMID:24409297

Articulated Bus Report

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1982-07-01

Escalating transit deficits have led the transit industry to search for methods for improving productivity and reducing operating costs. In seeking these objectives, there has been renewed interest in the cost-saving potential of high-capacity articu...

Cost-Driven Design of a Large Scale X-Plane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Welstead, Jason R.; Frederic, Peter C.; Frederick, Michael A.; Jacobson, Steven R.; Berton, Jeffrey J.

2017-01-01

A conceptual design process focused on the development of a low-cost, large scale X-plane was developed as part of an internal research and development effort. One of the concepts considered for this process was the double-bubble configuration recently developed as an advanced single-aisle class commercial transport similar in size to a Boeing 737-800 or Airbus A320. The study objective was to reduce the contractor cost from contract award to first test flight to less than $100 million, and having the first flight within three years of contract award. Methods and strategies for reduced cost are discussed.

Economics of online structural health monitoring of wind turbines: Cost benefit analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Dam, Jeremy; Bond, Leonard J.

2015-03-01

Operations and maintenance (O&M) costs have an average share over the lifetime of the turbine of approximately 20%-25% of the total levelized cost per kWh of electricity produced. Online structural health monitoring (OSHM) and condition-based maintenance (CBM) of wind turbine blades has the potential to reduce O&M costs and hence reduce the overall cost of wind energy. OSHM and CBM offer the potential to improve turbine blade life cycle management, limit the number of physical inspections, and reduce the potential for missed significant defects. An OSHM system would reduce the need for physical inspections, and have inspections occur only after problem detection takes place. In the economics of wind energy, failures and unplanned outages can cause significant downtime, particularly while waiting for the manufacturing and shipping of major parts. This paper will report a review and assessment of SHM technologies and a cost benefit analysis, which will examine whether the added costs associated with an OSHM system will give an adequate return on the investment. One method in which OSHM reduces costs is, in part, by converting corrective maintenance to preventative maintenance. This paper shows that under both best and worse conditions implementing an OSHM system is cost effective in more than 50% of the trials, which have been performed. Opportunities appear to exist to improve the economic justification for implementing OSHM.

Reverse Auction: A Potential Strategy for Reduction of Pharmacological Therapy Cost

PubMed Central

Brandão, Sara Michelly Gonçalves; Issa, Victor Sarli; Ayub-Ferreira, Silvia Moreira; Storer, Samantha; Gonçalves, Bianca Gigliotti; Santos, Valter Garcia; Carvas Junior, Nelson; Guimarães, Guilherme Veiga; Bocchi, Edimar Alcides

2015-01-01

Background Polypharmacy is a significant economic burden. Objective We tested whether using reverse auction (RA) as compared with commercial pharmacy (CP) to purchase medicine results in lower pharmaceutical costs for heart failure (HF) and heart transplantation (HT) outpatients. Methods We compared the costs via RA versus CP in 808 HF and 147 HT patients followed from 2009 through 2011, and evaluated the influence of clinical and demographic variables on cost. Results The monthly cost per patient for HF drugs acquired via RA was $10.15 (IQ 3.51-40.22) versus $161.76 (IQ 86.05‑340.15) via CP; for HT, those costs were $393.08 (IQ 124.74-774.76) and $1,207.70 (IQ 604.48-2,499.97), respectively. Conclusion RA may reduce the cost of prescription drugs for HF and HT, potentially making HF treatment more accessible. Clinical characteristics can influence the cost and benefits of RA. RA may be a new health policy strategy to reduce costs of prescribed medications for HF and HT patients, reducing the economic burden of treatment. PMID:26200898

Reducing Design Cycle Time and Cost Through Process Resequencing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, James L.

2004-01-01

In today's competitive environment, companies are under enormous pressure to reduce the time and cost of their design cycle. One method for reducing both time and cost is to develop an understanding of the flow of the design processes and the effects of the iterative subcycles that are found in complex design projects. Once these aspects are understood, the design manager can make decisions that take advantage of decomposition, concurrent engineering, and parallel processing techniques to reduce the total time and the total cost of the design cycle. One software tool that can aid in this decision-making process is the Design Manager's Aid for Intelligent Decomposition (DeMAID). The DeMAID software minimizes the feedback couplings that create iterative subcycles, groups processes into iterative subcycles, and decomposes the subcycles into a hierarchical structure. The real benefits of producing the best design in the least time and at a minimum cost are obtained from sequencing the processes in the subcycles.

An evaluation of technologies for the heavy metal remediation of dredged sediments.

PubMed

Mulligan, C N; Yong, R N; Gibbs, B F

2001-07-30

Sediments dewatering is frequently necessary after dredging to remediate and treat contaminants. Methods include draining of the water in lagoons with or without coagulants and flocculants, or using presses or centrifuges. Treatment methods are similar to those used for soil and include pretreatment, physical separation, thermal processes, biological decontamination, stabilization/solidification and washing. However, compared to soil treatment, few remediation techniques have been commercially used for sediments. In this paper, a review of the methods that have been used and an evaluation of developed and developing technologies is made. Sequential extraction technique can be a useful tool for determining metal speciation before and after washing. Solidification/stabilization techniques are successful but significant monitoring is required, since the solidification process can be reversible. In addition, the presence of organics can reduce treatment efficiency. Vitrification is applicable for sediments but expensive. Only if a useful glass product can be sold will this process be economically viable. Thermal processes are only applicable for removal of volatile metals, such as mercury and costs are high. Biological processes are under development and have the potential to be low cost. Since few low cost metal treatment processes for sediments are available, there exists significant demand for further development. Pretreatment may be one of the methods that can reduce costs by reducing the volumes of sediments that need to be treated.

Clinical process cost analysis.

PubMed

Marrin, C A; Johnson, L C; Beggs, V L; Batalden, P B

1997-09-01

New systems of reimbursement are exerting enormous pressure on clinicians and hospitals to reduce costs. Using cheaper supplies or reducing the length of stay may be a satisfactory short-term solution, but the best strategy for long-term success is radical reduction of costs by reengineering the processes of care. However, few clinicians or institutions know the actual costs of medical care; nor do they understand, in detail, the activities involved in the delivery of care. Finally, there is no accepted method for linking the two. Clinical process cost analysis begins with the construction of a detailed flow diagram incorporating each activity in the process of care. The cost of each activity is then calculated, and the two are linked. This technique was applied to Diagnosis Related Group 75 to analyze the real costs of the operative treatment of lung cancer at one institution. Total costs varied between $6,400 and $7,700. The major driver of costs was personnel time, which accounted for 55% of the total. Forty percent of the total cost was incurred in the operating room. The cost of care decreased progressively during hospitalization. Clinical process cost analysis provides detailed information about the costs and processes of care. The insights thus obtained may be used to reduce costs by reengineering the process.

A decentralized approach to reducing the social costs of cascading failures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hines, Paul

Large cascading failures in electrical power networks come with enormous social costs. These can be direct financial costs, such as the loss of refrigerated foods in grocery stores, or more indirect social costs, such as the traffic congestion that results from the failure of traffic signals. While engineers and policy makers have made numerous technical and organizational changes to reduce the frequency and impact of large cascading failures, the existing data, as described in Chapter 2 of this work, indicate that the overall frequency and impact of large electrical blackouts in the United States are not decreasing. Motivated by the cascading failure problem, this thesis describes a new method for Distributed Model Predictive Control and a power systems application. The central goal of the method, when applied to power systems, is to reduce the social costs of cascading failures by making small, targeted reductions in load and generation and changes to generator voltage set points. Unlike some existing schemes that operate from centrally located control centers, the method is operated by software agents located at substations distributed throughout the power network. The resulting multi-agent control system is a new approach to decentralized control, combining Distributed Model Predictive Control and Reciprocal Altruism. Experimental results indicate that this scheme can in fact decrease the average size, and thus social costs, of cascading failures. Over 100 randomly generated disturbances to a model of the IEEE 300 bus test network, the method resulted in nearly an order of magnitude decrease in average event size (measured in cost) relative to cascading failure simulations without remedial control actions. Additionally, the communication requirements for the method are measured, and found to be within the bandwidth capabilities of current communications technology (on the order of 100kB/second). Experiments on several resistor networks with varying structures, including a random graph, a scale-free network and a power grid indicate that the effectiveness of decentralized control schemes, like the method proposed here, is a function of the structure of the network that is to be controlled.

Fertility Regulation in an Economic Crisis

PubMed Central

McKelvey, Christopher; Thomas, Duncan; Frankenberg, Elizabeth

2015-01-01

Substantial international aid is spent reducing the cost of contraception in developing countries, as part of a larger effort to reduce global fertility and increase investment per child worldwide. The importance for fertility behaviors of keeping contraceptive prices low, however, remains unclear. Targeting of subsidies and insufficient price variation have hindered prior attempts to estimate the effect of monetary and non-monetary contraceptive costs on fertility behavior. Using longitudinal survey data from the Indonesia Family Life Survey, we exploit dramatic variation in prices and incomes that was induced by the economic crisis in the late 1990s to pin down the effect of contraceptive availability and costs as well as household resources on contraceptive use and method choice. The results are unambiguous: monetary costs of contraceptives and levels of family economic resources have a very small (and well-determined) impact on contraceptive use and choice of method. PMID:25843969

Income analysis of goat farmers on the farmers group in district of Serdang Bedagai

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manurung, J. N.; Hasnudi; Supriana, T.

2018-02-01

The farmers group are expected to reduce the production cost of goat breeding and improve the income of farmers which impact on the welfare of goat farmers. This research aim to analyze the factors that influence the income of farmers group, in sub-district Dolok Masihul Pegajahan, and Dolok Merawan, Serdang Bedagai. The method used is survey method with 90 respondents. Data was analysed by multiple linear regression. The result showed, simultaneously goat cost, sale price of goat, fixed cost and variable cost had significant effect on income of goat farmers. Partially, goat cost, variable cost and sale price of goat had significant effect on income of goat farmers, while fixed cost had no significant effect.

Cost and price estimate of Brayton and Stirling engines in selected production volumes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fortgang, H. R.; Mayers, H. F.

1980-01-01

The methods used to determine the production costs and required selling price of Brayton and Stirling engines modified for use in solar power conversion units are presented. Each engine part, component and assembly was examined and evaluated to determine the costs of its material and the method of manufacture based on specific annual production volumes. Cost estimates are presented for both the Stirling and Brayton engines in annual production volumes of 1,000, 25,000, 100,000 and 400,000. At annual production volumes above 50,000 units, the costs of both engines are similar, although the Stirling engine costs are somewhat lower. It is concluded that modifications to both the Brayton and Stirling engine designs could reduce the estimated costs.

Inventory control of raw material using silver meal heuristic method in PR. Trubus Alami Malang

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikasari, D. M.; Lestari, E. R.; Prastya, E.

2018-03-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the total inventory cost calculated using the method applied by PR. Trubus Alami and Silver Meal Heuristic (SMH) method. The study was started by forecasting the cigarette demand from July 2016 to June 2017 (48 weeks) using additive decomposition forecasting method. The additive decomposition was used because it has the lowest value of Mean Abosolute Deviation (MAD) and Mean Squared Deviation (MSD) compared to other methods such as multiplicative decomposition, moving average, single exponential smoothing, and double exponential smoothing. The forcasting results was then converted as a raw material needs and further calculated using SMH method to obtain inventory cost. As expected, the result shows that the order frequency of using SMH methods was smaller than that of using the method applied by Trubus Alami. This affected the total inventory cost. The result suggests that using SMH method gave a 29.41% lower inventory cost, giving the cost different of IDR 21,290,622. The findings, is therefore, indicated that the PR. Trubus Alami should apply the SMH method if the company wants to reduce the total inventory cost.

A new method for examining the cost savings of reducing COPD exacerbations.

PubMed

Mapel, Douglas W; Schum, Michael; Lydick, Eva; Marton, Jeno P

2010-01-01

Some treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can reduce exacerbations, and thus could have a favourable impact on overall healthcare costs. To evaluate a new method for assessing the potential cost savings of COPD controller medications based on the incidence of exacerbations and their related resource utilization in the general population. Patients with COPD (n = 1074) enrolled in a regional managed care system in the US were identified using administrative data and divided by their medication use into three groups (salbutamol, ipratropium and salmeterol). Exacerbations were captured using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Edition (ICD-9) and current procedural terminology (CPT) codes, then logistic regression models were created that described the risk of exacerbations for each comparator group and exacerbation type over a 6-month period. A Monte Carlo simulation was then applied 1000 times to provide the range of potential exacerbation reductions and cost consequences in response to a range of hypothetical examples of COPD controller medications. Exacerbation events for each group could be modelled such that the events predicted by the Monte Carlo estimates were very close to the actual prevalences. The estimated cost per exacerbation avoided depended on the incidence of exacerbation in the various subpopulations, the assumed relative risk reduction, the projected daily cost for new therapy, and the costs of exacerbation treatment. COPD exacerbation events can be accurately modelled from the healthcare utilization data of a defined cohort with sufficient accuracy for cost-effectiveness analysis. Treatments that reduce the risk or severity of exacerbations are likely to be cost effective among those patients who have frequent exacerbations and hospitalizations.

Evaluation of a cost-effective loads approach. [shock spectra/impedance method for Viking Orbiter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garba, J. A.; Wada, B. K.; Bamford, R.; Trubert, M. R.

1976-01-01

A shock spectra/impedance method for loads predictions is used to estimate member loads for the Viking Orbiter, a 7800-lb interplanetary spacecraft that has been designed using transient loads analysis techniques. The transient loads analysis approach leads to a lightweight structure but requires complex and costly analyses. To reduce complexity and cost, a shock spectra/impedance method is currently being used to design the Mariner Jupiter Saturn spacecraft. This method has the advantage of using low-cost in-house loads analysis techniques and typically results in more conservative structural loads. The method is evaluated by comparing the increase in Viking member loads to the loads obtained by the transient loads analysis approach. An estimate of the weight penalty incurred by using this method is presented. The paper also compares the calculated flight loads from the transient loads analyses and the shock spectra/impedance method to measured flight data.

Cost effective nuclear commercial grade dedication

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maletz, J.J.; Marston, M.J.

1991-01-01

This paper describes a new computerized database method to create/edit/view specification technical data sheets (mini-specifications) for procurement of spare parts for nuclear facility maintenance and to develop information that could support possible future facility life extension efforts. This method may reduce cost when compared with current manual methods. The use of standardized technical data sheets (mini-specifications) for items of the same category improves efficiency. This method can be used for a variety of tasks, including: Nuclear safety-related procurement; Non-safety related procurement; Commercial grade item procurement/dedication; Evaluation of replacement items. This program will assist the nuclear facility in upgrading its procurementmore » activities consistent with the recent NUMARC Procurement Initiative. Proper utilization of the program will assist the user in assuring that the procured items are correct for the applications, provide data to assist in detecting fraudulent materials, minimize human error in withdrawing database information, improve data retrievability, improve traceability, and reduce long-term procurement costs.« less

Assessment of alternative disposal methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from municipal solid waste in India.

PubMed

Yedla, Sudhakar; Sindhu, N T

2016-06-01

Open dumping, the most commonly practiced method of solid waste disposal in Indian cities, creates serious environment and economic challenges, and also contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. The present article attempts to analyse and identify economically effective ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from municipal solid waste. The article looks at the selection of appropriate methods for the control of methane emissions. Multivariate functional models are presented, based on theoretical considerations as well as the field measurements to forecast the greenhouse gas mitigation potential for all the methodologies under consideration. Economic feasibility is tested by calculating the unit cost of waste disposal for the respective disposal process. The purpose-built landfill system proposed by Yedla and Parikh has shown promise in controlling greenhouse gas and saving land. However, these studies show that aerobic composting offers the optimal method, both in terms of controlling greenhouse gas emissions and reducing costs, mainly by requiring less land than other methods. © The Author(s) 2016.

Reduced basis ANOVA methods for partial differential equations with high-dimensional random inputs

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liao, Qifeng, E-mail: liaoqf@shanghaitech.edu.cn; Lin, Guang, E-mail: guanglin@purdue.edu

2016-07-15

In this paper we present a reduced basis ANOVA approach for partial deferential equations (PDEs) with random inputs. The ANOVA method combined with stochastic collocation methods provides model reduction in high-dimensional parameter space through decomposing high-dimensional inputs into unions of low-dimensional inputs. In this work, to further reduce the computational cost, we investigate spatial low-rank structures in the ANOVA-collocation method, and develop efficient spatial model reduction techniques using hierarchically generated reduced bases. We present a general mathematical framework of the methodology, validate its accuracy and demonstrate its efficiency with numerical experiments.

Least-cost transportation planning in ODOT : feasibility report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-03-01

Least-Cost Planning or Integrated Resource Planning is used in the electric utility industry to broaden the scope of choices to meet service requirements. This typically includes methods to reduce to demands for electricity as well the more tradition...

Creative ways to manage paratransit costs : final report, July 2008 [summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-07-01

The increasing expense of providing paratransit service for special needs riders has created a challenge for Floridas public transportation agencies. These agencies are continually in search of methods to control or reduce paratransit costs so the...

Economic Model Predictive Control of Bihormonal Artificial Pancreas System Based on Switching Control and Dynamic R-parameter.

PubMed

Tang, Fengna; Wang, Youqing

2017-11-01

Blood glucose (BG) regulation is a long-term task for people with diabetes. In recent years, more and more researchers have attempted to achieve automated regulation of BG using automatic control algorithms, called the artificial pancreas (AP) system. In clinical practice, it is equally important to guarantee the treatment effect and reduce the treatment costs. The main motivation of this study is to reduce the cure burden. The dynamic R-parameter economic model predictive control (R-EMPC) is chosen to regulate the delivery rates of exogenous hormones (insulin and glucagon). It uses particle swarm optimization (PSO) to optimize the economic cost function and the switching logic between insulin delivery and glucagon delivery is designed based on switching control theory. The proposed method is first tested on the standard subject; the result is compared with the switching PID and the switching MPC. The effect of the dynamic R-parameter on improving the control performance is illustrated by comparing the results of the EMPC and the R-EMPC. Finally, the robustness tests on meal change (size and timing), hormone sensitivity (insulin and glucagon), and subject variability are performed. All results show that the proposed method can improve the control performance and reduce the economic costs. The simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm on improving the tracking performance, enhancing robustness, and reducing economic costs. The method proposed in this study owns great worth in practical application.

Reconciling quality and cost: A case study in interventional radiology.

PubMed

Zhang, Li; Domröse, Sascha; Mahnken, Andreas

2015-10-01

To provide a method to calculate delay cost and examine the relationship between quality and total cost. The total cost including capacity, supply and delay cost for running an interventional radiology suite was calculated. The capacity cost, consisting of labour, lease and overhead costs, was derived based on expenses per unit time. The supply cost was calculated according to actual procedural material use. The delay cost and marginal delay cost derived from queueing models was calculated based on waiting times of inpatients for their procedures. Quality improvement increased patient safety and maintained the outcome. The average daily delay costs were reduced from 1275 € to 294 €, and marginal delay costs from approximately 2000 € to 500 €, respectively. The one-time annual cost saved from the transfer of surgical to radiological procedures was approximately 130,500 €. The yearly delay cost saved was approximately 150,000 €. With increased revenue of 10,000 € in project phase 2, the yearly total cost saved was approximately 290,000 €. Optimal daily capacity of 4.2 procedures was determined. An approach for calculating delay cost toward optimal capacity allocation was presented. An overall quality improvement was achieved at reduced costs. • Improving quality in terms of safety, outcome, efficiency and timeliness reduces cost. • Mismatch of demand and capacity is detrimental to quality and cost. • Full system utilization with random demand results in long waiting periods and increased cost.

Mobilizing Rural Community Resources for Support and Development of Local Learning Systems in Developing Countries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Grady, Barbara, Ed.; Levenson, Ruth, Ed.

Focusing on how local village communities in developing countries might support part or all of their educational costs, this study describes methods used by developing countries to reduce education costs and offers a model incorporating several of the most successful components of such projects. First is a discussion of methods used by governments…

Method of Evaluating the Life Cycle Cost of Small Earth Dams Considering the Risk of Heavy Rainfall and Selection Method of the Optimum Countermeasure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hori, Toshikazu; Mohri, Yoshiyuki; Matsushima, Kenichi; Ariyoshi, Mitsuru

In recent years the increase in the number of heavy rainfall occurrences such as through unpredictable cloudbursts have resulted in the safety of the embankments of small earth dams needing to be improved. However, the severe financial condition of the government and local autonomous bodies necessitate the cost of improving them to be reduced. This study concerns the development of a method of evaluating the life cycle cost of small earth dams considered to pose a risk and in order to improve the safety of the downstream areas of small earth dams at minimal cost. Use of a safety evaluation method that is based on a combination of runoff analysis, saturated and unsaturated seepage analysis, and slope stability analysis enables the probability of a dam breach and its life cycle cost with the risk of heavy rainfall taken into account to be calculated. Moreover, use of the life cycle cost evaluation method will lead to the development of a technique for selecting the method of the optimal improvement or countermeasures against heavy rainfall.

Capital update factor: a new era approaches.

PubMed

Grimaldi, P L

1993-02-01

The Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) has constructed a preliminary model of a new capital update method which is consistent with the framework being developed to refine the update method for PPS operating costs. HCFA's eventual goal is to develop a single update framework for operating and capital costs. Initial results suggest that adopting the new capital update method would reduce capital payments substantially, which might intensify creditor's concerns about extending loans to hospitals.

Intelligent electric vehicle charging: Rethinking the valley-fill

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valentine, Keenan; Temple, William G.; Zhang, K. Max

This study proposes an intelligent PEV charging scheme that significantly reduces power system cost while maintaining reliability compared to the widely discussed valley-fill method of aggregated charging in the early morning. This study considers optimal PEV integration into the New York Independent System Operator's (NYISO) day-ahead and real-time wholesale energy markets for 21 days in June, July, and August of 2006, a record-setting summer for peak load. NYISO market and load data is used to develop a statistical Locational Marginal Price (LMP) and wholesale energy cost model. This model considers the high cost of ramping generators at peak-load and the traditional cost of steady-state operation, resulting in a framework with two competing cost objectives. Results show that intelligent charging assigns roughly 80% of PEV load to valley hours to take advantage of low steady-state cost, while placing the remaining 20% equally at shoulder and peak hours to reduce ramping cost. Compared to unregulated PEV charging, intelligent charging reduces system cost by 5-16%; a 4-9% improvement over the flat valley-fill approach. Moreover, a Charge Flexibility Constraint (CFC), independent of market modeling, is constructed from a vehicle-at-home profile and the mixture of Level 1 and Level 2 charging infrastructure. The CFC is found to severely restrict the ability to charge vehicles during the morning load valley. This study further shows that adding more Level 2 chargers without regulating PEV charging will significantly increase wholesale energy cost. Utilizing the proposed intelligent PEV charging method, there is a noticeable reduction in system cost if the penetration of Level 2 chargers is increased from 70/30 to 50/50 (Level 1/Level 2). However, the system benefit is drastically diminished for higher penetrations of Level 2 chargers.

Economic impact of simplified de Gramont regimen in first-line therapy in metastatic colorectal cancer.

PubMed

Limat, Samuel; Bracco-Nolin, Claire-Hélène; Legat-Fagnoni, Christine; Chaigneau, Loic; Stein, Ulrich; Huchet, Bernard; Pivot, Xavier; Woronoff-Lemsi, Marie-Christine

2006-06-01

The cost of chemotherapy has dramatically increased in advanced colorectal cancer patients, and the schedule of fluorouracil administration appears to be a determining factor. This retrospective study compared direct medical costs related to two different de Gramont schedules (standard vs. simplified) given in first-line chemotherapy with oxaliplatin or irinotecan. This cost-minimization analysis was performed from the French Health System perspective. Consecutive unselected patients treated in first-line therapy by LV5FU2 de Gramont with oxaliplatin (Folfox regimen) or with irinotecan (Folfiri regimen) were enrolled. Hospital and outpatient resources related to chemotherapy and adverse events were collected from 1999 to 2004 in 87 patients. Overall cost was reduced in the simplified regimen. The major factor which explained cost saving was the lower need for admissions for chemotherapy. Amount of cost saving depended on the method for assessing hospital stay. In patients treated by the Folfox regimen the per diem and DRG methods found cost savings of Euro 1,997 and Euro 5,982 according to studied schedules; in patients treated by Folfiri regimen cost savings of Euro 4,773 and Euro 7,274 were observed, respectively. In addition, travel costs were also reduced by simplified regimens. The robustness of our results was showed by one-way sensitivity analyses. These findings demonstrate that the simplified de Gramont schedule reduces costs of current first-line chemotherapy in advanced colorectal cancer. Interestingly, our study showed several differences in costs between two costing approaches of hospital stay: average per diem and DRG costs. These results suggested that standard regimen may be considered a profitable strategy from the hospital perspective. The opposition between health system perspective and hospital perspective is worth examining and may affect daily practices. In conclusion, our study shows that the simplified de Gramont schedule in combination with oxaliplatin or irinotecan is an attractive option from the French Health System perspective. This safe and less costly regimen must compared to alternative options such as oral fluoropyrimidines.

Evaluation of a cost-effective loads approach. [for Viking Orbiter light weight structural design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garba, J. A.; Wada, B. K.; Bamford, R.; Trubert, M. R.

1976-01-01

A shock spectra/impedance method for loads prediction is used to estimate member loads for the Viking Orbiter, a 7800-lb interplanetary spacecraft that has been designed using transient loads analysis techniques. The transient loads analysis approach leads to a lightweight structure but requires complex and costly analyses. To reduce complexity and cost a shock spectra/impedance method is currently being used to design the Mariner Jupiter Saturn spacecraft. This method has the advantage of using low-cost in-house loads analysis techniques and typically results in more conservative structural loads. The method is evaluated by comparing the increase in Viking member loads to the loads obtained by the transient loads analysis approach. An estimate of the weight penalty incurred by using this method is presented. The paper also compares the calculated flight loads from the transient loads analyses and the shock spectra/impedance method to measured flight data.

Study of activity based costing implementation for palm oil production using value-added and non-value-added activity consideration in PT XYZ palm oil mill

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sembiring, M. T.; Wahyuni, D.; Sinaga, T. S.; Silaban, A.

2018-02-01

Cost allocation at manufacturing industry particularly in Palm Oil Mill still widely practiced based on estimation. It leads to cost distortion. Besides, processing time determined by company is not in accordance with actual processing time in work station. Hence, the purpose of this study is to eliminates non-value-added activities therefore processing time could be shortened and production cost could be reduced. Activity Based Costing Method is used in this research to calculate production cost with Value Added and Non-Value-Added Activities consideration. The result of this study is processing time decreasing for 35.75% at Weighting Bridge Station, 29.77% at Sorting Station, 5.05% at Loading Ramp Station, and 0.79% at Sterilizer Station. Cost of Manufactured for Crude Palm Oil are IDR 5.236,81/kg calculated by Traditional Method, IDR 4.583,37/kg calculated by Activity Based Costing Method before implementation of Activity Improvement and IDR 4.581,71/kg after implementation of Activity Improvement Meanwhile Cost of Manufactured for Palm Kernel are IDR 2.159,50/kg calculated by Traditional Method, IDR 4.584,63/kg calculated by Activity Based Costing Method before implementation of Activity Improvement and IDR 4.582,97/kg after implementation of Activity Improvement.

Comparability of methods assigning monetary costs to diets: derivation from household till receipts versus cost database estimation using 4-day food diaries.

PubMed

Timmins, K A; Morris, M A; Hulme, C; Edwards, K L; Clarke, G P; Cade, J E

2013-10-01

Diet cost could influence dietary patterns, with potential health consequences. Assigning a monetary cost to diet is challenging, and there are contrasting methods in the literature. This study compares two methods-a food cost database linked to 4-day diet diaries and an individual cost calculated from household till receipts. The Diet and Nutrition Tool for Evaluation (DANTE) had supermarket prices (cost per 100 g) added to its food composition table. Agreement between diet costs calculated using DANTE from food diaries and expenditure recorded using food purchase till receipts for 325 individuals was assessed using correlation and Bland Altman (BA) plots. The mean difference between the methods' estimates was £0.10. The BA showed 95% limits of agreement of £2.88 and -£3.08. Excluding the highest 5% of diet cost values from each collection method reduced the mean difference to £0.02, with limits of agreement ranging from £2.31 to -£2.35. Agreement between the methods was stronger for males and for adults. Diet cost estimates using a food price database with 4-day food diaries are comparable to recorded expenditure from household till receipts at the population or group level. At the individual level, however, estimates differed by as much as £3.00 per day. The methods agreed less when estimating diet costs of children, females or those with more expensive diets.

Air Cargo Marketing Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kersey, J. W.

1972-01-01

The factors involved in developing a market for air cargo services are discussed. A comparison is made between the passenger traffic problems and those of cargo traffic. Emphasis is placed on distribution analyses which isolates total distribution cost, including logistical costs such as transportation, inventory, materials handling, packaging, and processing. Specific examples of methods for reducing air cargo costs are presented.

Reducing case ascertainment costs in US population studies of Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and cognitive impairment—Part 1*

PubMed Central

Weir, David R.; Wallace, Robert B.; Langa, Kenneth M.; Plassman, Brenda L.; Wilson, Robert S.; Bennett, David A.; Duara, Ranjan; Loewenstein, David; Ganguli, Mary; Sano, Mary

2011-01-01

Establishing methods for ascertainment of dementia and cognitive impairment that are accurate and also cost effective is a challenging enterprise. Large population-based studies often using administrative data sets offer relatively inexpensive but reliable estimates of severe conditions including moderate to advanced dementia that are useful for public health planning, but they can miss less severe cognitive impairment which may be the most effective point for intervention. Clinical and epidemiological cohorts, intensively assessed, provide more sensitive detection of less severe cognitive impairment but are often costly. Here, several approaches to ascertainment are evaluated for validity, reliability, and cost. In particular, the methods of ascertainment from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) are described briefly, along with those of the Aging, Demographics, and Memory Study (ADAMS). ADAMS, a resource-intense sub-study of the HRS, was designed to provide diagnostic accuracy among persons with more advanced dementia. A proposal to streamline future ADAMS assessments is offered. Also considered are decision tree, algorithmic, and web-based approaches to diagnosis that can reduce the expense of clinical expertise and, in some contexts, can reduce the extent of data collection. These approaches are intended for intensively assessed epidemiological cohorts. The goal is valid and reliable detection with efficient and cost-effective tools. PMID:21255747

Efficient experimental design for uncertainty reduction in gene regulatory networks.

PubMed

Dehghannasiri, Roozbeh; Yoon, Byung-Jun; Dougherty, Edward R

2015-01-01

An accurate understanding of interactions among genes plays a major role in developing therapeutic intervention methods. Gene regulatory networks often contain a significant amount of uncertainty. The process of prioritizing biological experiments to reduce the uncertainty of gene regulatory networks is called experimental design. Under such a strategy, the experiments with high priority are suggested to be conducted first. The authors have already proposed an optimal experimental design method based upon the objective for modeling gene regulatory networks, such as deriving therapeutic interventions. The experimental design method utilizes the concept of mean objective cost of uncertainty (MOCU). MOCU quantifies the expected increase of cost resulting from uncertainty. The optimal experiment to be conducted first is the one which leads to the minimum expected remaining MOCU subsequent to the experiment. In the process, one must find the optimal intervention for every gene regulatory network compatible with the prior knowledge, which can be prohibitively expensive when the size of the network is large. In this paper, we propose a computationally efficient experimental design method. This method incorporates a network reduction scheme by introducing a novel cost function that takes into account the disruption in the ranking of potential experiments. We then estimate the approximate expected remaining MOCU at a lower computational cost using the reduced networks. Simulation results based on synthetic and real gene regulatory networks show that the proposed approximate method has close performance to that of the optimal method but at lower computational cost. The proposed approximate method also outperforms the random selection policy significantly. A MATLAB software implementing the proposed experimental design method is available at http://gsp.tamu.edu/Publications/supplementary/roozbeh15a/.

Efficient experimental design for uncertainty reduction in gene regulatory networks

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Background An accurate understanding of interactions among genes plays a major role in developing therapeutic intervention methods. Gene regulatory networks often contain a significant amount of uncertainty. The process of prioritizing biological experiments to reduce the uncertainty of gene regulatory networks is called experimental design. Under such a strategy, the experiments with high priority are suggested to be conducted first. Results The authors have already proposed an optimal experimental design method based upon the objective for modeling gene regulatory networks, such as deriving therapeutic interventions. The experimental design method utilizes the concept of mean objective cost of uncertainty (MOCU). MOCU quantifies the expected increase of cost resulting from uncertainty. The optimal experiment to be conducted first is the one which leads to the minimum expected remaining MOCU subsequent to the experiment. In the process, one must find the optimal intervention for every gene regulatory network compatible with the prior knowledge, which can be prohibitively expensive when the size of the network is large. In this paper, we propose a computationally efficient experimental design method. This method incorporates a network reduction scheme by introducing a novel cost function that takes into account the disruption in the ranking of potential experiments. We then estimate the approximate expected remaining MOCU at a lower computational cost using the reduced networks. Conclusions Simulation results based on synthetic and real gene regulatory networks show that the proposed approximate method has close performance to that of the optimal method but at lower computational cost. The proposed approximate method also outperforms the random selection policy significantly. A MATLAB software implementing the proposed experimental design method is available at http://gsp.tamu.edu/Publications/supplementary/roozbeh15a/. PMID:26423515

Risk Costs for New Dams: Economic Analysis and Effects of Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paté-Cornell, M. Elisabeth; Tagaras, George

1986-01-01

This paper presents new developments and illustrations of the introduction of risk and costs in cost-benefit analysis for new dams. The emphasis is on a method of evaluation of the risk costs based on the structure of the local economy. Costs to agricultural property as well as residential, commercial, industrial, and public property are studied in detail. Of particular interest is the case of sequential dam failure and the evaluation of the risk costs attributable to a new dam upstream from an existing one. Three real cases are presented as illustrations of the method: the Auburn Dam, the Dickey-Lincoln School Project, and the Teton Dam, which failed in 1976. This last case provides a calibration tool for the estimation of loss ratios. For these three projects, the risk-modified benefit-cost ratios are computed to assess the effect of the risk on the economic performance of the project. The role of a warning system provided by systematic monitoring of the dam is analyzed: by reducing the risk costs, the warning system attenuates their effect on the benefit-cost ratio. The precursors, however, can be missed or misinterpreted: monitoring does not guarantee that the risks to human life can be reduced to zero. This study shows, in particular, that it is critical to consider the risk costs in the decision to build a new dam when the flood area is large and densely populated.

PET/CT and contrast enhanced CT in single vs. two separate sessions: a cost analysis study.

PubMed

Picchio, M; Mansueto, M; Crivellaro, C; Guerra, L; Marcelli, S; Arosio, M; Sironi, S; Gianolli, L; Grimaldi, A; Messa, C

2012-06-01

Aim of the study was to quantify the economic impact of PET/CT and contrast enhanced (c.e.) CT performed in a single session examination vs. stand-alone modalities in oncological patients. One-hundred-forty-five cancer patients referred to both PET/CT and c.e. CT, to either stage (N.=46) or re-stage (N.=99) the disease, were included. Seventy-two/145 performed both studies in a single session (innovative method) and 73/145 in two different sessions (traditional method). The cost-minimization analysis was performed by evaluating: 1) institutional costs, data obtained by hospital accountability (staff, medical materials, equipment maintenance and depreciation, departments utilities); 2) patients costs, data obtained by a specific survey provided to patients (travel, food, accommodation costs, productivity loss). Economic data analysis showed that the costs for innovative method was lower than those of traditional method, both for Institution (106 € less per test) and for patient (21 € less per patient). The loss of productivity for patient and caregivers resulted lower for the innovative method than the traditional method (3 work-hour less per person). PET/CT and c.e. CT performed in a single session is more cost-effective than stand-alone modalities, by reducing both Institutional and patients costs. These advantages are mainly due to lower Institutional cost (single procedure) and to lower cost related to travel and housing.

Integrated Component-based Data Acquisition Systems for Aerospace Test Facilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ross, Richard W.

2001-01-01

The Multi-Instrument Integrated Data Acquisition System (MIIDAS), developed by the NASA Langley Research Center, uses commercial off the shelf (COTS) products, integrated with custom software, to provide a broad range of capabilities at a low cost throughout the system s entire life cycle. MIIDAS combines data acquisition capabilities with online and post-test data reduction computations. COTS products lower purchase and maintenance costs by reducing the level of effort required to meet system requirements. Object-oriented methods are used to enhance modularity, encourage reusability, and to promote adaptability, reducing software development costs. Using only COTS products and custom software supported on multiple platforms reduces the cost of porting the system to other platforms. The post-test data reduction capabilities of MIIDAS have been installed at four aerospace testing facilities at NASA Langley Research Center. The systems installed at these facilities provide a common user interface, reducing the training time required for personnel that work across multiple facilities. The techniques employed by MIIDAS enable NASA to build a system with a lower initial purchase price and reduced sustaining maintenance costs. With MIIDAS, NASA has built a highly flexible next generation data acquisition and reduction system for aerospace test facilities that meets customer expectations.

Geophysical methods for determining the geotechnical engineering properties of earth materials.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-03-01

Surface and borehole geophysical methods exist to measure in-situ properties and structural : characteristics of earth materials. Application of such methods has demonstrated cost savings through : reduced design uncertainty and lower investigation c...

Using Lean Process Improvement to Enhance Safety and Value in Orthopaedic Surgery: The Case of Spine Surgery.

PubMed

Sethi, Rajiv; Yanamadala, Vijay; Burton, Douglas C; Bess, Robert Shay

2017-11-01

Lean methodology was developed in the manufacturing industry to increase output and decrease costs. These labor organization methods have become the mainstay of major manufacturing companies worldwide. Lean methods involve continuous process improvement through the systematic elimination of waste, prevention of mistakes, and empowerment of workers to make changes. Because of the profit and productivity gains made in the manufacturing arena using lean methods, several healthcare organizations have adopted lean methodologies for patient care. Lean methods have now been implemented in many areas of health care. In orthopaedic surgery, lean methods have been applied to reduce complication rates and create a culture of continuous improvement. A step-by-step guide based on our experience can help surgeons use lean methods in practice. Surgeons and hospital centers well versed in lean methodology will be poised to reduce complications, improve patient outcomes, and optimize cost/benefit ratios for patient care.

Costs and cost-efficiency of a mobile cash transfer to prevent child undernutrition during the lean season in Burkina Faso: a mixed methods analysis from the MAM'Out randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Puett, Chloe; Salpéteur, Cécile; Houngbe, Freddy; Martínez, Karen; N'Diaye, Dieynaba S; Tonguet-Papucci, Audrey

2018-01-01

This study assessed the costs and cost-efficiency of a mobile cash transfer implemented in Tapoa Province, Burkina Faso in the MAM'Out randomized controlled trial from June 2013 to December 2014, using mixed methods and taking a societal perspective by including costs to implementing partners and beneficiary households. Data were collected via interviews with implementing staff from the humanitarian agency and the private partner delivering the mobile money, focus group discussions with beneficiaries, and review of accounting databases. Costs were analyzed by input category and activity-based cost centers. cost-efficiency was analyzed by cost-transfer ratios (CTR) and cost per beneficiary. Qualitative analysis was conducted to identify themes related to implementing electronic cash transfers, and barriers to efficient implementation. The CTR was 0.82 from a societal perspective, within the same range as other humanitarian transfer programs; however the intervention did not achieve the same degree of cost-efficiency as other mobile transfer programs specifically. Challenges in coordination between humanitarian and private partners resulted in long wait times for beneficiaries, particularly in the first year of implementation. Sensitivity analyses indicated a potential 6% reduction in CTR through reducing beneficiary wait time by one-half. Actors reported that coordination challenges improved during the project, therefore inefficiencies likely would be resolved, and cost-efficiency improved, as the program passed the pilot phase. Despite the time required to establish trusting relationships among actors, and to set up a network of cash points in remote areas, this analysis showed that mobile transfers hold promise as a cost-efficient method of delivering cash in this setting. Implementation by local government would likely reduce costs greatly compared to those found in this study context, and improve cost-efficiency especially by subsidizing expansion of mobile money network coverage and increasing cash distribution points in remote areas which are unprofitable for private partners.

Reliability and cost analysis methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suich, Ronald C.

1991-01-01

In the design phase of a system, how does a design engineer or manager choose between a subsystem with .990 reliability and a more costly subsystem with .995 reliability? When is the increased cost justified? High reliability is not necessarily an end in itself but may be desirable in order to reduce the expected cost due to subsystem failure. However, this may not be the wisest use of funds since the expected cost due to subsystem failure is not the only cost involved. The subsystem itself may be very costly. We should not consider either the cost of the subsystem or the expected cost due to subsystem failure separately but should minimize the total of the two costs, i.e., the total of the cost of the subsystem plus the expected cost due to subsystem failure. This final report discusses the Combined Analysis of Reliability, Redundancy, and Cost (CARRAC) methods which were developed under Grant Number NAG 3-1100 from the NASA Lewis Research Center. CARRAC methods and a CARRAC computer program employ five models which can be used to cover a wide range of problems. The models contain an option which can include repair of failed modules.

Ethanol production from lignocellulose

DOEpatents

Ingram, Lonnie O.; Wood, Brent E.

2001-01-01

This invention presents a method of improving enzymatic degradation of lignocellulose, as in the production of ethanol from lignocellulosic material, through the use of ultrasonic treatment. The invention shows that ultrasonic treatment reduces cellulase requirements by 1/3 to 1/2. With the cost of enzymes being a major problem in the cost-effective production of ethanol from lignocellulosic material, this invention presents a significant improvement over presently available methods.

Cost-effectiveness of Recruitment Methods in an Obesity Prevention Trial for Young Children

PubMed Central

Robinson, Jodie L.; Fuerch, Janene H.; Winiewicz, Dana D.; Salvy, Sarah J.; Roemmich, James N.; Epstein, Leonard H.

2007-01-01

Background Recruitment of participants for clinical trials requires considerable effort and cost. There is no research on the cost-effectiveness of recruitment methods for an obesity prevention trial of young children. Methods This study determined the cost-effectiveness of recruiting 70 families with a child aged 4 to 7 (5.9 ± 1.3) years in Western New York from February, 2003 to November, 2004, for a two year randomized obesity prevention trial to reduce television watching in the home. Results Of the 70 randomized families, 65.7% (n = 46) were obtained through direct mailings, 24.3% (n = 17) were acquired through newspaper advertisements, 7.1 % (n = 5) from other sources (e.g. word of mouth), and 2.9% (n = 2) through posters and brochures. Costs of each recruitment method were computed by adding the cost of materials, staff time, and media expenses. Cost-effectiveness (money spent per randomized participant) was US $0 for other sources, US $227.76 for direct mailing, US $546.95 for newspaper ads, and US $3,020.84 for posters and brochures. Conclusion Of the methods with associated costs, direct mailing was the most cost effective in recruiting families with young children, which supports the growing literature of the effectiveness of direct mailing. PMID:17475318

New Technology for Libraries. A Layman's Guide to Reducing Public Library Costs and Improving Services through Scientific Methods and Tools. A Background Paper for the White House Conference on Library and Information Services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weisbrod, David L.

This booklet, one of a series of background papers for the White House Conference, explores the potential of new technologies to improve library services while reducing library costs. Separate subsections describe the application of technology to the following library functions: acquisitions, catalogs and cataloging, serials control, circulation…

Cost-effectiveness of Increasing Access to Contraception during the Zika Virus Outbreak, Puerto Rico, 2016.

PubMed

Li, Rui; Simmons, Katharine B; Bertolli, Jeanne; Rivera-Garcia, Brenda; Cox, Shanna; Romero, Lisa; Koonin, Lisa M; Valencia-Prado, Miguel; Bracero, Nabal; Jamieson, Denise J; Barfield, Wanda; Moore, Cynthia A; Mai, Cara T; Korhonen, Lauren C; Frey, Meghan T; Perez-Padilla, Janice; Torres-Muñoz, Ricardo; Grosse, Scott D

2017-01-01

We modeled the potential cost-effectiveness of increasing access to contraception in Puerto Rico during a Zika virus outbreak. The intervention is projected to cost an additional $33.5 million in family planning services and is likely to be cost-saving for the healthcare system overall. It could reduce Zika virus-related costs by $65.2 million ($2.8 million from less Zika virus testing and monitoring and $62.3 million from avoided costs of Zika virus-associated microcephaly [ZAM]). The estimates are influenced by the contraception methods used, the frequency of ZAM, and the lifetime incremental cost of ZAM. Accounting for unwanted pregnancies that are prevented, irrespective of Zika virus infection, an additional $40.4 million in medical costs would be avoided through the intervention. Increasing contraceptive access for women who want to delay or avoid pregnancy in Puerto Rico during a Zika virus outbreak can substantially reduce the number of cases of ZAM and healthcare costs.

Cost-effectiveness of Increasing Access to Contraception during the Zika Virus Outbreak, Puerto Rico, 2016

PubMed Central

Simmons, Katharine B.; Bertolli, Jeanne; Rivera-Garcia, Brenda; Cox, Shanna; Romero, Lisa; Koonin, Lisa M.; Valencia-Prado, Miguel; Bracero, Nabal; Jamieson, Denise J.; Barfield, Wanda; Moore, Cynthia A.; Mai, Cara T.; Korhonen, Lauren C.; Frey, Meghan T.; Perez-Padilla, Janice; Torres-Muñoz, Ricardo; Grosse, Scott D.

2017-01-01

We modeled the potential cost-effectiveness of increasing access to contraception in Puerto Rico during a Zika virus outbreak. The intervention is projected to cost an additional $33.5 million in family planning services and is likely to be cost-saving for the healthcare system overall. It could reduce Zika virus–related costs by $65.2 million ($2.8 million from less Zika virus testing and monitoring and $62.3 million from avoided costs of Zika virus–associated microcephaly [ZAM]). The estimates are influenced by the contraception methods used, the frequency of ZAM, and the lifetime incremental cost of ZAM. Accounting for unwanted pregnancies that are prevented, irrespective of Zika virus infection, an additional $40.4 million in medical costs would be avoided through the intervention. Increasing contraceptive access for women who want to delay or avoid pregnancy in Puerto Rico during a Zika virus outbreak can substantially reduce the number of cases of ZAM and healthcare costs. PMID:27805547

Enabling CoO improvement thru green initiatives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gross, Eric; Padmabandu, G. G.; Ujazdowski, Richard; Haran, Don; Lake, Matt; Mason, Eric; Gillespie, Walter

2015-03-01

Chipmakers continued pressure to drive down costs while increasing utilization requires development in all areas. Cymer's commitment to meeting customer's needs includes developing solutions that enable higher productivity as well as lowering cost of lightsource operation. Improvements in system power efficiency and predictability were deployed to chipmakers' in 2014 with release of our latest Master Oscillating gas chamber. In addition, Cymer has committed to reduced gas usage, completing development in methods to reduce Helium gas usage while maintaining superior bandwidth and wavelength stability. The latest developments in lowering cost of operations are paired with our advanced ETC controller in Cymer's XLR 700ix product.

The value of a year's general education for reducing the symptoms of dementia.

PubMed

Brent, Robert J

2018-01-01

We present a method for estimating the benefits of years of education for reducing dementia symptoms based on the cost savings that would accrue from continuing independent living rather than relying on formal or informal carers. Our method for estimating the benefits of education involves three steps: first taking a year of education and seeing how much this lowers dementia, second using this dementia reduction and estimating how much independent living is affected and third applying the change in caregiving costs associated with the independent living change. We apply our method for estimating education benefits to a National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center sample of 17,239 participants at 32 US Alzheimer's disease centres over the period September 2005 and May 2015.

Automated installation methods for photovoltaic arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Briggs, R.; Daniels, A.; Greenaway, R.; Oster, J., Jr.; Racki, D.; Stoeltzing, R.

1982-11-01

Since installation expenses constitute a substantial portion of the cost of a large photovoltaic power system, methods for reduction of these costs were investigated. The installation of the photovoltaic arrays includes all areas, starting with site preparation (i.e., trenching, wiring, drainage, foundation installation, lightning protection, grounding and installation of the panel) and concluding with the termination of the bus at the power conditioner building. To identify the optimum combination of standard installation procedures and automated/mechanized techniques, the installation process was investigated including the equipment and hardware available, the photovoltaic array structure systems and interfaces, and the array field and site characteristics. Preliminary designs of hardware for both the standard installation method, the automated/mechanized method, and a mix of standard installation procedures and mechanized procedures were identified to determine which process effectively reduced installation costs. In addition, costs associated with each type of installation method and with the design, development and fabrication of new installation hardware were generated.

Cost Comparison Model: Blended eLearning versus traditional training of community health workers

PubMed Central

Sissine, Mysha; Segan, Robert; Taylor, Mathew; Jefferson, Bobby; Borrelli, Alice; Koehler, Mohandas; Chelvayohan, Meena

2014-01-01

Objectives: Another one million community healthcare workers are needed to address the growing global population and increasing demand of health care services. This paper describes a cost comparison between two training approaches to better understand costs implications of training community health workers (CHWs) in Sub-Saharan Africa. Methods: Our team created a prospective model to forecast and compare the costs of two training methods as described in the Dalburge Report - (1) a traditional didactic training approach (“baseline”) and (2) a blended eLearning training approach (“blended”). After running the model for training 100,000 CHWs, we compared the results and scaled up those results to one million CHWs. Results: A substantial difference exists in total costs between the baseline and blended training programs. Results indicate that using a blended eLearning approach for training community health care workers could provide a total cost savings of 42%. Scaling the model to one million CHWs, the blended eLearning training approach reduces total costs by 25%. Discussion: The blended eLearning savings are a result of decreased classroom time, thereby reducing the costs associated with travel, trainers and classroom costs; and using a tablet with WiFi plus a feature phone rather than a smartphone with data plan. Conclusion: The results of this cost analysis indicate significant savings through using a blended eLearning approach in comparison to a traditional didactic method for CHW training by as much as 67%. These results correspond to the Dalberg publication which indicates that using a blended eLearning approach is an opportunity for closing the gap in training community health care workers. PMID:25598868

Advantages and Disadvantages of Different Methods of Hospitals' Downsizing: A Narrative Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Mousazadeh, Yalda; Jannati, Ali; Jabbari Beiramy, Hossein; AsghariJafarabadi, Mohammad; Ebadi, Ali

2013-01-01

Background: Hospitals as key actors in health systems face growing pres­sures especially cost cutting and search for costeffective ways to resources management. Downsizing is one of these ways. This study was conducted to identify advantages and disadvantages of different methods of hospital' downsizing. Methods:The search was conducted in databases of Medlib, SID, Pub Med, Science Direct and Google Scholar Meta search engine by keywords of Downsizing, Hospital Downsizing, Hospital Rightsizing, Hospital Restructuring, Staff Downsizing, Hospital Merging, Hospital Reorganization and the Persian equivalents. Resulted 815 articles were studied and refined step by step. Finally, 27 articles were selected for analysis. Results: Five hospital downsizing methods were identified during searching. These methods were reducing the number of employees and beds, outsourcing, integration of hospital units, and the combination of these methods. The most important benefits were cost reduction, increasing patient satisfaction, increasing home care and outpatient services. The most important disadvantage included reducing access, reducing the rate of hospital admissions and increasing employees’ workload and dissatisfaction. Conclusion: Each downsizing method has strengths and weaknesses. Using different methods of downsizing, according to circumstances and applying appropriate interventions after implementation, is necessary for promotion. PMID:24688978

Design and cost drivers in 2-D braiding

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morales, Alberto

1993-01-01

Fundamentally, the braiding process is a highly efficient, low cost method for combining single yarns into circumferential shapes, as evidenced by the number of applications for continuous sleeving. However, this braiding approach cannot fully demonstrate that it can drastically reduce the cost of complex shape structural preforms. Factors such as part geometry, machine design and configuration, materials used, and operating parameters are described as key cost drivers and what is needed to minimize their effect on elevating the cost of structural braided preforms.

Cost and Effectiveness of Decontamination Strategies in Radiation Contaminated Areas in Fukushima in Regard to External Radiation Dose

PubMed Central

Yasutaka, Tetsuo; Naito, Wataru; Nakanishi, Junko

2013-01-01

The objective of the present study is to evaluate the cost and effectiveness of decontamination strategies in the special decontamination areas in Fukushima in regard to external radiation dose. A geographical information system (GIS) was used to relate the predicted external dose in the affected areas to the number of potential inhabitants and the land use in the areas. A comprehensive review of the costs of various decontamination methods was conducted as part of the analysis. The results indicate that aerial decontamination in the special decontamination areas in Fukushima would be effective for reducing the air dose rate to the target level in a short period of time in some but not all of the areas. In a standard scenario, analysis of cost and effectiveness suggests that decontamination costs for agricultural areas account for approximately 80% of the total decontamination cost, of which approximately 60% is associated with storage. In addition, the costs of decontamination per person per unit area are estimated to vary greatly. Appropriate selection of decontamination methods may significantly decrease decontamination costs, allowing more meaningful decontamination in terms of the limited budget. Our analysis can help in examining the prioritization of decontamination areas from the viewpoints of cost and effectiveness in reducing the external dose. Decontamination strategies should be determined according to air dose rates and future land-use plans. PMID:24069398

Cost and effectiveness of decontamination strategies in radiation contaminated areas in Fukushima in regard to external radiation dose.

PubMed

Yasutaka, Tetsuo; Naito, Wataru; Nakanishi, Junko

2013-01-01

The objective of the present study is to evaluate the cost and effectiveness of decontamination strategies in the special decontamination areas in Fukushima in regard to external radiation dose. A geographical information system (GIS) was used to relate the predicted external dose in the affected areas to the number of potential inhabitants and the land use in the areas. A comprehensive review of the costs of various decontamination methods was conducted as part of the analysis. The results indicate that aerial decontamination in the special decontamination areas in Fukushima would be effective for reducing the air dose rate to the target level in a short period of time in some but not all of the areas. In a standard scenario, analysis of cost and effectiveness suggests that decontamination costs for agricultural areas account for approximately 80% of the total decontamination cost, of which approximately 60% is associated with storage. In addition, the costs of decontamination per person per unit area are estimated to vary greatly. Appropriate selection of decontamination methods may significantly decrease decontamination costs, allowing more meaningful decontamination in terms of the limited budget. Our analysis can help in examining the prioritization of decontamination areas from the viewpoints of cost and effectiveness in reducing the external dose. Decontamination strategies should be determined according to air dose rates and future land-use plans.

Use of Slow-Scan Television Systems in Telemedicine, Distance Education, Government, and Industrial Applications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Southworth, Glen

Reducing the costs of teaching by television through slow-scan methods is discussed. Conventional television is costly to use, largely because the wide-band communications circuits required are in limited supply. One technical answer is bandwidth compression to fit an image into less spectrum space. A simpler and far less costly answer is to…

A Cost Analysis of Web-Enhanced Training to Reduce Alcohol Sales to Intoxicated Bar Patrons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Page, Timothy F.; Nederhoff, Dawn M.; Ecklund, Alexandra M.; Horvath, Keith J.; Nelson, Toben F.; Erickson, Darin J.; Toomey, Traci L.

2015-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study was to document the development and testing costs of the Enhanced Alcohol Risk Management (eARM) intervention, a web enhanced training program to prevent alcohol sales to intoxicated bar patrons and to estimate its implementation costs in a "real world", non-research setting. Methods: Data for this…

Automatic detection and identification of brown stink bug, Euschistus servus, and southern green stink bug, Nezara viridula, (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) using intraspecific substrate-borne vibrational signals

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Stink bugs cost the southeastern cotton industry millions of dollars each year in crop losses and control costs. These losses are reduced by strategic pesticide applications; however, current methods of monitoring these pests for making management decisions are time-consuming and costly. Therefore, ...

Cost-effective and monitoring-active technique for TDM-passive optical networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chi, Chang-Chia; Lin, Hong-Mao; Tarn, Chen-Wen; Lin, Huang-Liang

2014-08-01

A reliable, detection-active and cost-effective method which employs the hello and heartbeat signals for branched node distinguishing to monitor fiber fault in any branch of distribution fibers of a time division multiplexing passive optical network (TDM-PON) is proposed. With this method, the material cost of building an optical network monitor system for a TDM-PON with 168 ONUs and the time of identifying a multiple branch faults is significantly reduced in a TDM-PON system of any scale. A fault location in a 1 × 32 TDM-PON system using this method to identify the fault branch is demonstrated.

Reducing the cesarean delivery rates for breech presentations: administration of spinal anesthesia facilitates manipulation to cephalic presentation, but is it cost saving?

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background External cephalic version (ECV) is infrequently performed and 98% of breech presenting fetuses are delivered surgically. Neuraxial analgesia can increase the success rate of ECV significantly, potentially reducing cesarean delivery rates for breech presentation. The current study aims to determine whether the additional cost to the hospital of spinal anesthesia for ECV is offset by cost savings generated by reduced cesarean delivery. Methods In our tertiary hospital, three variables manpower, disposables, and fixed costs were calculated for ECV, ECV plus anesthetic doses of spinal block, vaginal delivery and cesarean delivery. Total procedure costs were compared for possible delivery pathways. Manpower data were obtained from management payroll, fixed costs by calculating cost/lifetime usage rate and disposables were micro-costed in 2008, expressed in 2013 NIS. Results Cesarean delivery is the most expensive option, 11670.54 NIS and vaginal delivery following successful ECV under spinal block costs 5497.2 NIS. ECV alone costs 960.21 NIS, ECV plus spinal anesthesia costs 1386.97 NIS. The highest individual cost items for vaginal, cesarean delivery and ECV were for manpower. Expensive fixed costs for cesarean delivery included operating room trays and postnatal hospitalization (minimum 3 days). ECV with spinal block is cheaper due to lower expected cesarean delivery rate and its lower associated costs. Conclusions The additional cost of the spinal anesthesia is offset by increased success rates for the ECV procedure resulting in reduction in the cesarean delivery rate. PMID:24564984

Active control of panel vibrations induced by boundary-layer flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chow, Pao-Liu

1991-01-01

Some problems in active control of panel vibration excited by a boundary layer flow over a flat plate are studied. In the first phase of the study, the optimal control problem of vibrating elastic panel induced by a fluid dynamical loading was studied. For a simply supported rectangular plate, the vibration control problem can be analyzed by a modal analysis. The control objective is to minimize the total cost functional, which is the sum of a vibrational energy and the control cost. By means of the modal expansion, the dynamical equation for the plate and the cost functional are reduced to a system of ordinary differential equations and the cost functions for the modes. For the linear elastic plate, the modes become uncoupled. The control of each modal amplitude reduces to the so-called linear regulator problem in control theory. Such problems can then be solved by the method of adjoint state. The optimality system of equations was solved numerically by a shooting method. The results are summarized.

High-Throughput and Cost-Effective Characterization of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.

PubMed

D'Antonio, Matteo; Woodruff, Grace; Nathanson, Jason L; D'Antonio-Chronowska, Agnieszka; Arias, Angelo; Matsui, Hiroko; Williams, Roy; Herrera, Cheryl; Reyna, Sol M; Yeo, Gene W; Goldstein, Lawrence S B; Panopoulos, Athanasia D; Frazer, Kelly A

2017-04-11

Reprogramming somatic cells to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) offers the possibility of studying the molecular mechanisms underlying human diseases in cell types difficult to extract from living patients, such as neurons and cardiomyocytes. To date, studies have been published that use small panels of iPSC-derived cell lines to study monogenic diseases. However, to study complex diseases, where the genetic variation underlying the disorder is unknown, a sizable number of patient-specific iPSC lines and controls need to be generated. Currently the methods for deriving and characterizing iPSCs are time consuming, expensive, and, in some cases, descriptive but not quantitative. Here we set out to develop a set of simple methods that reduce cost and increase throughput in the characterization of iPSC lines. Specifically, we outline methods for high-throughput quantification of surface markers, gene expression analysis of in vitro differentiation potential, and evaluation of karyotype with markedly reduced cost. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Establishing Common Cost Measures to Evaluate the Economic Value of Patient Navigation Programs

PubMed Central

Whitley, Elizabeth; Valverde, Patricia; Wells, Kristen; Williams, Loretta; Teschner, Taylor; Shih, Ya-Chen Tina

2011-01-01

Background Patient navigation is an intervention aimed at reducing barriers to healthcare for underserved populations as a means to reduce cancer health disparities. Despite the proliferation of patient navigation programs across the United States, information related to the economic impact and sustainability of these programs is lacking. Method Following a review of the relevant literature, the Health Services Research (HSR) cost workgroup of the American Cancer Society National Patient Navigator Leadership Summit met to examine cost data relevant to assessing the economic impact of patient navigation and to propose common cost metrics. Results Recognizing that resources available for data collection, management and analysis vary, five categories of core and optional cost measures were identified related to patient navigator programs, including, program costs, human capital costs, direct medical costs, direct non-medical costs and indirect costs. Conclusion(s) Information demonstrating economic as well as clinical value is necessary to make decisions about sustainability of patient navigation programs. Adoption of these common cost metrics are recommended to promote understanding of the economic impact of patient navigation and comparability across diverse patient navigation programs. PMID:21780096

Economic benefit of fertility control in wild horse populations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bartholow, J.

2007-01-01

I projected costs for several contraceptive treatments that could be used by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to manage 4 wild horse (Equus caballus) populations. Potential management alternatives included existing roundup and selective removal methods combined with contraceptives of different duration and effectiveness. I projected costs for a 20-year economic life using the WinEquus?? wild horse population model and state-by-state cost estimates reflecting BLM's operational expenses. Findings revealed that 1) currently available 2-year contraceptives in most situations are capable of reducing variable operating costs by 15%, 2) experimental 3-year contraceptives may be capable of reducing costs by 18%, and 3) combining contraceptives with modest changes to herd sex ratio (e.g., 55-60% M) could trim costs by 30%. Predicted savings can increase when contraception is applied in conjunction with a removal policy that targets horses aged 0-4 years instead of 0-5 years. However, reductions in herd size result in greater variation in annual operating expenses. Because the horse program's variable operating costs make up about half of the total program costs (which include other fixed costs), contraceptive application and management can only reduce total costs by 14%, saving about $6.1 million per year. None of the contraceptive options I examined eliminated the need for long-term holding facilities over the 20-year period simulated, but the number of horses held may be reduced by about 17% with contraceptive treatment. Cost estimates were most sensitive to the oldest age adoptable and per-day holding costs. The BLM will experience significant cost savings as carefully designed contraceptive programs become widespread in the wild horse herds it manages.

Cost analysis of the CTLB Study, a multitherapy antenatal education programme to reduce routine interventions in labour

PubMed Central

Dahlen, Hannah G; Smith, Caroline A; Finlayson, Kenneth William; Downe, Soo

2018-01-01

Objective To assess whether the multitherapy antenatal education ‘CTLB’ (Complementary Therapies for Labour and Birth) Study programme leads to net cost savings. Design Cost analysis of the CTLB Study, using analysis of outcomes and hospital funding data. Methods We take a payer perspective and use Australian Refined Diagnosis-Related Group (AR-DRG) cost data to estimate the potential savings per woman to the payer (government or private insurer). We consider scenarios in which the intervention cost is either borne by the woman or by the payer. Savings are computed as the difference in total cost between the control group and the study group. Results If the cost of the intervention is not borne by the payer, the average saving to the payer was calculated to be $A808 per woman. If the payer covers the cost of the programme, this figure reduces to $A659 since the average cost of delivering the programme was $A149 per woman. All these findings are significant at the 95% confidence level. Significantly more women in the study group experienced a normal vaginal birth, and significantly fewer women in the study group experienced a caesarean section. The main cost saving resulted from the reduced rate of caesarean section in the study group. Conclusion The CTLB antenatal education programme leads to significant savings to payers that come from reduced use of hospital resources. Depending on which perspective is considered, and who is responsible for covering the cost of the programme, the net savings vary from $A659 to $A808 per woman. Compared with the average cost of birth in the control group, we conclude that the programme could lead to a reduction in birth-related healthcare costs of approximately 9%. Trial registration number ACTRN12611001126909. PMID:29439002

Population-level effects of fitness costs associated with repressible female-lethal transgene insertions in two pest insects

PubMed Central

Harvey-Samuel, Tim; Ant, Thomas; Gong, Hongfei; Morrison, Neil I; Alphey, Luke

2014-01-01

Genetic control strategies offer great potential for the sustainable and effective control of insect pests. These strategies involve the field release of transgenic insects with the aim of introducing engineered alleles into wild populations, either permanently or transiently. Their efficacy can therefore be reduced if transgene-associated fitness costs reduce the relative performance of released insects. We describe a method of measuring the fitness costs associated with transgenes by analyzing their evolutionary trajectories when placed in competition with wild-type alleles in replicated cage populations. Using this method, we estimated lifetime fitness costs associated with two repressible female-lethal transgenes in the diamondback moth and olive fly as being acceptable for field suppression programs. Furthermore, using these estimates of genotype-level fitness costs, we were able to project longer-term evolutionary trajectories for the transgenes investigated. Results from these projections demonstrate that although transgene-associated fitness costs will ultimately cause these transgenes to become extinct, even when engineered lethality is repressed, they may persist for varying periods of time before doing so. This implies that tetracycline-mediated transgene field persistence in these strains is unlikely and suggests that realistic estimates of transgene-associated fitness costs may be useful in trialing ‘uncoupled’ gene drive system components in the field. PMID:24944572

Population-level effects of fitness costs associated with repressible female-lethal transgene insertions in two pest insects.

PubMed

Harvey-Samuel, Tim; Ant, Thomas; Gong, Hongfei; Morrison, Neil I; Alphey, Luke

2014-05-01

Genetic control strategies offer great potential for the sustainable and effective control of insect pests. These strategies involve the field release of transgenic insects with the aim of introducing engineered alleles into wild populations, either permanently or transiently. Their efficacy can therefore be reduced if transgene-associated fitness costs reduce the relative performance of released insects. We describe a method of measuring the fitness costs associated with transgenes by analyzing their evolutionary trajectories when placed in competition with wild-type alleles in replicated cage populations. Using this method, we estimated lifetime fitness costs associated with two repressible female-lethal transgenes in the diamondback moth and olive fly as being acceptable for field suppression programs. Furthermore, using these estimates of genotype-level fitness costs, we were able to project longer-term evolutionary trajectories for the transgenes investigated. Results from these projections demonstrate that although transgene-associated fitness costs will ultimately cause these transgenes to become extinct, even when engineered lethality is repressed, they may persist for varying periods of time before doing so. This implies that tetracycline-mediated transgene field persistence in these strains is unlikely and suggests that realistic estimates of transgene-associated fitness costs may be useful in trialing 'uncoupled' gene drive system components in the field.

Based on the CSI regional segmentation indoor localization algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Xi; Lin, Wei; Lan, Jingwei

2017-08-01

To solve the problem of high cost and low accuracy, the method of Channel State Information (CSI) regional segmentation are proposed in the indoor positioning. Because Channel State Information (CSI) stability, and effective against multipath effect, we used the Channel State Information (CSI) to segment location area. The method Acquisition CSI the influence of different link to pinpoint the location of the area. Then the method can improve the accuracy of positioning, and reduce the cost of the fingerprint localization algorithm.

An efficient Bayesian data-worth analysis using a multilevel Monte Carlo method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Dan; Ricciuto, Daniel; Evans, Katherine

2018-03-01

Improving the understanding of subsurface systems and thus reducing prediction uncertainty requires collection of data. As the collection of subsurface data is costly, it is important that the data collection scheme is cost-effective. Design of a cost-effective data collection scheme, i.e., data-worth analysis, requires quantifying model parameter, prediction, and both current and potential data uncertainties. Assessment of these uncertainties in large-scale stochastic subsurface hydrological model simulations using standard Monte Carlo (MC) sampling or surrogate modeling is extremely computationally intensive, sometimes even infeasible. In this work, we propose an efficient Bayesian data-worth analysis using a multilevel Monte Carlo (MLMC) method. Compared to the standard MC that requires a significantly large number of high-fidelity model executions to achieve a prescribed accuracy in estimating expectations, the MLMC can substantially reduce computational costs using multifidelity approximations. Since the Bayesian data-worth analysis involves a great deal of expectation estimation, the cost saving of the MLMC in the assessment can be outstanding. While the proposed MLMC-based data-worth analysis is broadly applicable, we use it for a highly heterogeneous two-phase subsurface flow simulation to select an optimal candidate data set that gives the largest uncertainty reduction in predicting mass flow rates at four production wells. The choices made by the MLMC estimation are validated by the actual measurements of the potential data, and consistent with the standard MC estimation. But compared to the standard MC, the MLMC greatly reduces the computational costs.

Economic evaluation of the Good School Toolkit: an intervention for reducing violence in primary schools in Uganda

PubMed Central

Knight, Louise; Ssekadde, Willington; Namy, Sophie; Naker, Dipak; Devries, Karen

2018-01-01

Introduction This paper presents the cost and cost-effectiveness of the Good School Toolkit (GST), a programme aimed at reducing physical violence perpetrated by school staff to students in Uganda. Methods The effectiveness of the Toolkit was tested with a cluster randomised controlled trial in 42 primary schools in Luwero District, Uganda. A full economic costing evaluation and cost-effectiveness analysis were conducted alongside the trial. Both financial and economic costs were collected retrospectively from the provider’s perspective to estimate total and unit costs. Results The total cost of setting up and running the Toolkit over the 18-month trial period is estimated at US$397 233, excluding process monitor (M&E) activities. The cost to run the intervention is US$7429 per school annually, or US$15 per primary school pupil annually, in the trial intervention schools. It is estimated that the intervention has averted 1620 cases of past-week physical violence during the 18-month implementation period. The total cost per case of violence averted is US$244, and the annual implementation cost is US$96 per case averted during the trial. Conclusions The GST is a cost-effective intervention for reducing violence against pupils in primary schools in Uganda. It compares favourably against other violence reduction interventions in the region. PMID:29707243

Toward an Improved Method of HSI Evaluation in Defense Acquisition

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-01

29 C. AN EXAMPLE: EXPRESSING THE DOMAINS OF HSI IN TERMS OF LIFE-CYCLE COSTS ................................................................... 30...Edit Parameter’ (A) and ‘Edit Interaction’ (B). . 38 Figure 13. HSI slider tool concept (From http://Kn.gd- ais.com/ASPs/ eLearning /HSI_Sliders...focusing on the human element of a system is the most likely method for increasing system performance and reducing system life-cycle costs (Booher

Wire EDM for Refractory Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zellars, G. R.; Harris, F. E.; Lowell, C. E.; Pollman, W. M.; Rys, V. J.; Wills, R. J.

1982-01-01

In an attempt to reduce fabrication time and costs, Wire Electrical Discharge Machine (Wire EDM) method was investigated as tool for fabricating matched blade roots and disk slots. Eight high-strength nickel-base superalloys were used. Computer-controlled Wire EDM technique provided high quality surfaces with excellent dimensional tolerances. Wire EDM method offers potential for substantial reductions in fabrication costs for "hard to machine" alloys and electrically conductive materials in specific high-precision applications.

New electrostatic coal cleaning method cuts sulfur content by 40%

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1985-12-01

An emission control system that electrically charges pollutants and coal particles promises to reduce sulfur 40% at half the cost. The dry coal cleaning processes offer superior performance and better economics than conventional flotation cleaning. Advanced Energy Dynamics, Inc. (AED) is developing both fine and ultra fine processes which increase combustion efficiency and boiler reliability and reduced operating costs. The article gives details from the performance tests and comparisons and summarizes the economic analyses. 4 tables.

Truncated Conjugate Gradient: An Optimal Strategy for the Analytical Evaluation of the Many-Body Polarization Energy and Forces in Molecular Simulations.

PubMed

Aviat, Félix; Levitt, Antoine; Stamm, Benjamin; Maday, Yvon; Ren, Pengyu; Ponder, Jay W; Lagardère, Louis; Piquemal, Jean-Philip

2017-01-10

We introduce a new class of methods, denoted as Truncated Conjugate Gradient(TCG), to solve the many-body polarization energy and its associated forces in molecular simulations (i.e. molecular dynamics (MD) and Monte Carlo). The method consists in a fixed number of Conjugate Gradient (CG) iterations. TCG approaches provide a scalable solution to the polarization problem at a user-chosen cost and a corresponding optimal accuracy. The optimality of the CG-method guarantees that the number of the required matrix-vector products are reduced to a minimum compared to other iterative methods. This family of methods is non-empirical, fully adaptive, and provides analytical gradients, avoiding therefore any energy drift in MD as compared to popular iterative solvers. Besides speed, one great advantage of this class of approximate methods is that their accuracy is systematically improvable. Indeed, as the CG-method is a Krylov subspace method, the associated error is monotonically reduced at each iteration. On top of that, two improvements can be proposed at virtually no cost: (i) the use of preconditioners can be employed, which leads to the Truncated Preconditioned Conjugate Gradient (TPCG); (ii) since the residual of the final step of the CG-method is available, one additional Picard fixed point iteration ("peek"), equivalent to one step of Jacobi Over Relaxation (JOR) with relaxation parameter ω, can be made at almost no cost. This method is denoted by TCG-n(ω). Black-box adaptive methods to find good choices of ω are provided and discussed. Results show that TPCG-3(ω) is converged to high accuracy (a few kcal/mol) for various types of systems including proteins and highly charged systems at the fixed cost of four matrix-vector products: three CG iterations plus the initial CG descent direction. Alternatively, T(P)CG-2(ω) provides robust results at a reduced cost (three matrix-vector products) and offers new perspectives for long polarizable MD as a production algorithm. The T(P)CG-1(ω) level provides less accurate solutions for inhomogeneous systems, but its applicability to well-conditioned problems such as water is remarkable, with only two matrix-vector product evaluations.

Truncated Conjugate Gradient: An Optimal Strategy for the Analytical Evaluation of the Many-Body Polarization Energy and Forces in Molecular Simulations

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

We introduce a new class of methods, denoted as Truncated Conjugate Gradient(TCG), to solve the many-body polarization energy and its associated forces in molecular simulations (i.e. molecular dynamics (MD) and Monte Carlo). The method consists in a fixed number of Conjugate Gradient (CG) iterations. TCG approaches provide a scalable solution to the polarization problem at a user-chosen cost and a corresponding optimal accuracy. The optimality of the CG-method guarantees that the number of the required matrix-vector products are reduced to a minimum compared to other iterative methods. This family of methods is non-empirical, fully adaptive, and provides analytical gradients, avoiding therefore any energy drift in MD as compared to popular iterative solvers. Besides speed, one great advantage of this class of approximate methods is that their accuracy is systematically improvable. Indeed, as the CG-method is a Krylov subspace method, the associated error is monotonically reduced at each iteration. On top of that, two improvements can be proposed at virtually no cost: (i) the use of preconditioners can be employed, which leads to the Truncated Preconditioned Conjugate Gradient (TPCG); (ii) since the residual of the final step of the CG-method is available, one additional Picard fixed point iteration (“peek”), equivalent to one step of Jacobi Over Relaxation (JOR) with relaxation parameter ω, can be made at almost no cost. This method is denoted by TCG-n(ω). Black-box adaptive methods to find good choices of ω are provided and discussed. Results show that TPCG-3(ω) is converged to high accuracy (a few kcal/mol) for various types of systems including proteins and highly charged systems at the fixed cost of four matrix-vector products: three CG iterations plus the initial CG descent direction. Alternatively, T(P)CG-2(ω) provides robust results at a reduced cost (three matrix-vector products) and offers new perspectives for long polarizable MD as a production algorithm. The T(P)CG-1(ω) level provides less accurate solutions for inhomogeneous systems, but its applicability to well-conditioned problems such as water is remarkable, with only two matrix-vector product evaluations. PMID:28068773

Cone penetrometer testing and discrete-depth ground water sampling techniques: A cost-effective method of site characterization in a multiple-aquifer setting

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zemo, D.A.; Pierce, Y.G.; Gallinatti, J.D.

Cone penetrometer testing (CPT), combined with discrete-depth ground water sampling methods, can significantly reduce the time and expense required to characterize large sites that have multiple aquifers. Results from the screening site characterization can then be used to design and install a cost-effective monitoring well network. At a site in northern California, it was necessary to characterize the stratigraphy and the distribution of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). To expedite characterization, a five-week field screening program was implemented that consisted of a shallow ground water survey, CPT soundings and pore-pressure measurements, and discrete-depth ground water sampling. Based on continuous lithologic informationmore » provided by the CPT soundings, four predominantly coarse-grained, water yielding stratigraphic packages were identified. Seventy-nine discrete-depth ground water samples were collected using either shallow ground water survey techniques, the BAT Enviroprobe, or the QED HydroPunch I, depending on subsurface conditions. Using results from these efforts, a 20-well monitoring network was designed and installed to monitor critical points within each stratigraphic package. Good correlation was found for hydraulic head and chemical results between discrete-depth screening data and monitoring well data. Understanding the vertical VOC distribution and concentrations produced substantial time and cost savings by minimizing the number of permanent monitoring wells and reducing the number of costly conductor casings that had to be installed. Additionally, significant long-term cost savings will result from reduced sampling costs, because fewer wells comprise the monitoring network. The authors estimate these savings to be 50% for site characterization costs, 65% for site characterization time, and 60% for long-term monitoring costs.« less

RANKED SET SAMPLING FOR ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH: ACCOUNTING FOR THE TOTAL COSTS OF SAMPLING

EPA Science Inventory

Researchers aim to design environmental studies that optimize precision and allow for generalization of results, while keeping the costs of associated field and laboratory work at a reasonable level. Ranked set sampling is one method to potentially increase precision and reduce ...

REDUCED COST SEWER PIPE RELINING USING ULTRASONIC TAPE LAMINATION - PHASE II

EPA Science Inventory

During the Phase I program, Foster-Miller developed techniques based on Ultrasonic Tape Lamination (UTL) for joining of plasticized PVC sewer pipe liner. This effort was undertaken in response to a need for environmentally sound and cost-effective methods for rehabilitation of...

A Scheme to Optimize Flow Routing and Polling Switch Selection of Software Defined Networks.

PubMed

Chen, Huan; Li, Lemin; Ren, Jing; Wang, Yang; Zhao, Yangming; Wang, Xiong; Wang, Sheng; Xu, Shizhong

2015-01-01

This paper aims at minimizing the communication cost for collecting flow information in Software Defined Networks (SDN). Since flow-based information collecting method requires too much communication cost, and switch-based method proposed recently cannot benefit from controlling flow routing, jointly optimize flow routing and polling switch selection is proposed to reduce the communication cost. To this end, joint optimization problem is formulated as an Integer Linear Programming (ILP) model firstly. Since the ILP model is intractable in large size network, we also design an optimal algorithm for the multi-rooted tree topology and an efficient heuristic algorithm for general topology. According to extensive simulations, it is found that our method can save up to 55.76% communication cost compared with the state-of-the-art switch-based scheme.

Implicit Runge-Kutta Methods with Explicit Internal Stages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Skvortsov, L. M.

2018-03-01

The main computational costs of implicit Runge-Kutta methods are caused by solving a system of algebraic equations at every step. By introducing explicit stages, it is possible to increase the stage (or pseudo-stage) order of the method, which makes it possible to increase the accuracy and avoid reducing the order in solving stiff problems, without additional costs of solving algebraic equations. The paper presents implicit methods with an explicit first stage and one or two explicit internal stages. The results of solving test problems are compared with similar methods having no explicit internal stages.

Methods for Estimating Payload/Vehicle Design Loads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, J. C.; Garba, J. A.; Salama, M. A.; Trubert, M. R.

1983-01-01

Several methods compared with respect to accuracy, design conservatism, and cost. Objective of survey: reduce time and expense of load calculation by selecting approximate method having sufficient accuracy for problem at hand. Methods generally applicable to dynamic load analysis in other aerospace and other vehicle/payload systems.

Physician Impact on the Total Cost of Care

PubMed Central

Taheri, Paul A.; Butz, David; Griffes, Louisa C.; Morlock, David R.; Greenfield, Lazar J.

2000-01-01

Background and Objectives Physicians’ efforts at cost containment focus on decreased resource utilization and reduced length of stay. Although these efforts appear to be appropriate, little data exist to gauge their success. As such, the goal of this study is to determine trauma service cost allocations and how this information can help physicians to contain costs. Materials and Methods The authors analyzed the costs for 696 trauma admissions at a level I trauma center for fiscal year 1997. Data were obtained from the hospital costing system. Costs analyzed were variable direct, fixed direct, and Indirect costs. Together, the fixed and indirect costs are referred to as “hospital overhead.” Total Cost equals variable direct plus fixed direct plus indirect costs. Results The mean variable, fixed, and indirect costs per patient were $7,998, $3,534, and $11,086, respectively. Mean total cost per patient was $22,618. Conclusion The 35% variable direct cost represents the percentage of total cost that is typically under the immediate influence of physicians, in contrast to the 65% of total cost over which physicians have little control. Physicians must gain a better understanding of cost drivers and must participate in the operations and allocations of institutional fixed direct and indirect costs if the overall cost of care is to be reduced. PMID:10714637

Multi-time Scale Joint Scheduling Method Considering the Grid of Renewable Energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhijun, E.; Wang, Weichen; Cao, Jin; Wang, Xin; Kong, Xiangyu; Quan, Shuping

2018-01-01

Renewable new energy power generation prediction error like wind and light, brings difficulties to dispatch the power system. In this paper, a multi-time scale robust scheduling method is set to solve this problem. It reduces the impact of clean energy prediction bias to the power grid by using multi-time scale (day-ahead, intraday, real time) and coordinating the dispatching power output of various power supplies such as hydropower, thermal power, wind power, gas power and. The method adopts the robust scheduling method to ensure the robustness of the scheduling scheme. By calculating the cost of the abandon wind and the load, it transforms the robustness into the risk cost and optimizes the optimal uncertainty set for the smallest integrative costs. The validity of the method is verified by simulation.

Costs and efficacy of public health interventions to reduce aflatoxin–induced human disease

PubMed Central

Khlangwiset, Pornsri; Wu, Felicia

2010-01-01

This study reviews available information on the economics and efficacy of aflatoxin risk-reduction interventions, and provides an approach for analysis of the cost-effectiveness of public health interventions to reduce aflatoxin-induced human disease. Many strategies have been developed to reduce aflatoxin or its adverse effects in the body. However, a question that has been under-addressed is how likely these strategies will be adopted in the countries that need them most to improve public health. This study evaluates two aspects crucial to adoption of new technologies and methods: the costs and the efficacy of different strategies. First, we describe and categorize different aflatoxin risk-reduction strategies into preharvest, postharvest, dietary, and clinical settings. Then we compile and discuss relevant data on the costs and efficacy of each strategy, in reducing either aflatoxin in food or its metabolites in the body. In addition, we describe which crops are affected by each intervention, who is likely to pay for the control strategy, and who is likely to benefit. A framework is described for how to evaluate cost-effectiveness of strategies according to World Health Organization standards. Finally, we discuss which strategies are likely to be cost-effective and helpful under different conditions worldwide of regulations, local produce and soil ecology, and potential health emergencies. PMID:20419532

Integrating Multiple Criteria in Selection Procedures for Improving Student Quality and Reducing Cost Per Graduate. AIR Forum 1979 Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Gerald L.; Westen, Risdon J.

The multivariate approach of canonical correlation was used to assess selection procedures of the Air Force Academy. It was felt that improved student selection methods might reduce the number of dropouts while maintaining or improving the quality of graduates. The method of canonical correlation was designed to maximize prediction of academic…

Analysis of helicopter position determination methods

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1992-01-01

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), along with members of the helicopter industry, is continually searching for methods to reduce the cost and effort required for helicopter noise certification. In September 1992, the FAA adopted Appendix J of...

A cost-effective methodology for the design of massively-parallel VLSI functional units

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Venkateswaran, N.; Sriram, G.; Desouza, J.

1993-01-01

In this paper we propose a generalized methodology for the design of cost-effective massively-parallel VLSI Functional Units. This methodology is based on a technique of generating and reducing a massive bit-array on the mask-programmable PAcube VLSI array. This methodology unifies (maintains identical data flow and control) the execution of complex arithmetic functions on PAcube arrays. It is highly regular, expandable and uniform with respect to problem-size and wordlength, thereby reducing the communication complexity. The memory-functional unit interface is regular and expandable. Using this technique functional units of dedicated processors can be mask-programmed on the naked PAcube arrays, reducing the turn-around time. The production cost of such dedicated processors can be drastically reduced since the naked PAcube arrays can be mass-produced. Analysis of the the performance of functional units designed by our method yields promising results.

The value of a year’s general education for reducing the symptoms of dementia

PubMed Central

Brent, Robert J.

2017-01-01

We present a method for estimating the benefits of years of education for reducing dementia symptoms based on the cost savings that would accrue from continuing independent living rather than relying on formal or informal carers. Our method for estimating the benefits of education involves three steps: first taking a year of education and seeing how much this lowers dementia, second using this dementia reduction and estimating how much independent living is affected and third applying the change in caregiving costs associated with the independent living change. We apply our method for estimating education benefits to a National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center sample of 17,239 participants at 32 US Alzheimer’s disease centres over the period September 2005 and May 2015. PMID:29743729

The Importance of Powertrain Downsizing in a Benefit-Cost Analysis of Vehicle Lightweighting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, J.; Gohlke, D.; Nealer, R.

2017-04-01

Reducing vehicle weight is an important avenue to improve energy efficiency and decrease greenhouse gas emissions from our cars and trucks. Conventionally, models have estimated acceptable increased manufacturing cost as proportional to the lifetime fuel savings associated with reduced vehicle weight. Vehicle lightweighting also enables a decrease in powertrain size and significant reductions in powertrain cost. Accordingly, we propose and apply a method for calculating the maximum net benefits and breakeven cost of vehicle lightweighting that considers both efficiency and powertrain downsizing for a conventional internal combustion engine vehicle, a battery electric vehicle with a range of 300 miles (BEV300), and a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV). We find that excluding powertrain downsizing cost savings undervalues the potential total net benefits of vehicle lightweighting, especially for the BEV300 and FCEV.

A mobile robot therapist for under-supervised training with robot/computer assisted motivating systems.

PubMed

Shakya, Yuniya; Johnson, Michelle J

2008-01-01

Robot assisted therapy is a new and promising area in stroke rehabilitation and has shown to be effective in reducing motor impairment, but is a costly solution for home rehabilitation. High medical costs could be reduced if we could improve rehabilitation exercise in unsupervised environments such as the home. Hence, there is an augmented need for a cost effective rehabilitation system that can be used outside the clinic. This paper presents the design concept for an autonomous robotic assistant that is low-cost and effective in engaging the users while assisting them with therapy in any under-supervised area. We investigated how the robot assistant can support TheraDrive, our low-cost therapy system. We present the design methods and a case study demonstrating the arm and video collection system.

A Rapid Aerodynamic Design Procedure Based on Artificial Neural Networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rai, Man Mohan

2001-01-01

An aerodynamic design procedure that uses neural networks to model the functional behavior of the objective function in design space has been developed. This method incorporates several improvements to an earlier method that employed a strategy called parameter-based partitioning of the design space in order to reduce the computational costs associated with design optimization. As with the earlier method, the current method uses a sequence of response surfaces to traverse the design space in search of the optimal solution. The new method yields significant reductions in computational costs by using composite response surfaces with better generalization capabilities and by exploiting synergies between the optimization method and the simulation codes used to generate the training data. These reductions in design optimization costs are demonstrated for a turbine airfoil design study where a generic shape is evolved into an optimal airfoil.

Mathematical modeling and pharmaceutical pricing: analyses used to inform in-licensing and developmental go/No-Go decisions.

PubMed

Vernon, John A; Hughen, W Keener; Johnson, Scott J

2005-05-01

In the face of significant real healthcare cost inflation, pressured budgets, and ongoing launches of myriad technology of uncertain value, payers have formalized new valuation techniques that represent a barrier to entry for drugs. Cost-effectiveness analysis predominates among these methods, which involves differencing a new technological intervention's marginal costs and benefits with a comparator's, and comparing the resulting ratio to a payer's willingness-to-pay threshold. In this paper we describe how firms are able to model the feasible range of future product prices when making in-licensing and developmental Go/No-Go decisions by considering payers' use of the cost-effectiveness method. We illustrate this analytic method with a simple deterministic example and then incorporate stochastic assumptions using both analytic and simulation methods. Using this strategic approach, firms may reduce product development and in-licensing risk.

Forecasting Construction Cost Index based on visibility graph: A network approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Rong; Ashuri, Baabak; Shyr, Yu; Deng, Yong

2018-03-01

Engineering News-Record (ENR), a professional magazine in the field of global construction engineering, publishes Construction Cost Index (CCI) every month. Cost estimators and contractors assess projects, arrange budgets and prepare bids by forecasting CCI. However, fluctuations and uncertainties of CCI cause irrational estimations now and then. This paper aims at achieving more accurate predictions of CCI based on a network approach in which time series is firstly converted into a visibility graph and future values are forecasted relied on link prediction. According to the experimental results, the proposed method shows satisfactory performance since the error measures are acceptable. Compared with other methods, the proposed method is easier to implement and is able to forecast CCI with less errors. It is convinced that the proposed method is efficient to provide considerably accurate CCI predictions, which will make contributions to the construction engineering by assisting individuals and organizations in reducing costs and making project schedules.

Costs and benefits in item-method directed forgetting: differential effects of encoding and retrieval.

PubMed

Lee, Yuh-Shiow

2013-01-01

This study examined how encoding and retrieval factors affected directed forgetting costs and benefits in an item-method procedure. Experiment 1 used a typical item-method procedure and revealed a levels-of-processing effect in overall recall. However, the deep encoding condition showed a smaller directed forgetting effect than the shallow encoding conditions. More importantly, "remember" (R) words were selectively rehearsed as indicated by greater recall from the primacy portion of the list and more apt to be recalled before "forget" (F) words. Experiment 2 showed that a deep encoding operation reduced directed forgetting costs and that directed forgetting benefits occurred only when R words were recalled before F words. These findings supported the hypotheses that encoding manipulation affected directed forgetting costs and that directed forgetting benefits were associated with output order bias. Results were discussed in terms of mechanisms that produce item-method directed forgetting.

Projection-free approximate balanced truncation of large unstable systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flinois, Thibault L. B.; Morgans, Aimee S.; Schmid, Peter J.

2015-08-01

In this article, we show that the projection-free, snapshot-based, balanced truncation method can be applied directly to unstable systems. We prove that even for unstable systems, the unmodified balanced proper orthogonal decomposition algorithm theoretically yields a converged transformation that balances the Gramians (including the unstable subspace). We then apply the method to a spatially developing unstable system and show that it results in reduced-order models of similar quality to the ones obtained with existing methods. Due to the unbounded growth of unstable modes, a practical restriction on the final impulse response simulation time appears, which can be adjusted depending on the desired order of the reduced-order model. Recommendations are given to further reduce the cost of the method if the system is large and to improve the performance of the method if it does not yield acceptable results in its unmodified form. Finally, the method is applied to the linearized flow around a cylinder at Re = 100 to show that it actually is able to accurately reproduce impulse responses for more realistic unstable large-scale systems in practice. The well-established approximate balanced truncation numerical framework therefore can be safely applied to unstable systems without any modifications. Additionally, balanced reduced-order models can readily be obtained even for large systems, where the computational cost of existing methods is prohibitive.

Assessing Treatment Effects of Inhaled Corticosteroids on Medical Expenses and Exacerbations among COPD Patients: Longitudinal Analysis of Managed Care Claims

PubMed Central

Akazawa, Manabu; Stearns, Sally C; Biddle, Andrea K

2008-01-01

Objective To assess costs, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) augmenting bronchodilator treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Data Sources Claims between 1997 and 2005 from a large managed care database. Study Design Individual-level, fixed-effects regression models estimated the effects of initiating ICS on medical expenses and likelihood of severe exacerbation. Bootstrapping provided estimates of the incremental cost per severe exacerbation avoided. Data Extraction Methods COPD patients aged 40 or older with ≥15 months of continuous eligibility were identified. Monthly observations for 1 year before and up to 2 years following initiation of bronchodilators were constructed. Principal Findings ICS treatment reduced monthly risk of severe exacerbation by 25 percent. Total costs with ICS increased for 16 months, but declined thereafter. ICS use was cost saving 46 percent of the time, with an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $2,973 per exacerbation avoided; for patients ≥50 years old, ICS was cost saving 57 percent of time. Conclusions ICS treatment reduces exacerbations, with an increase in total costs initially for the full sample. Compared with younger patients with COPD, patients aged 50 or older have reduced costs and improved outcomes. The estimated cost per severe exacerbation avoided, however, may be high for either group because of uncertainty as reflected by the large standard errors of the parameter estimates. PMID:18671750

Cost effectiveness of recruitment methods in an obesity prevention trial for young children.

PubMed

Robinson, Jodie L; Fuerch, Janene H; Winiewicz, Dana D; Salvy, Sarah J; Roemmich, James N; Epstein, Leonard H

2007-06-01

Recruitment of participants for clinical trials requires considerable effort and cost. There is no research on the cost effectiveness of recruitment methods for an obesity prevention trial of young children. This study determined the cost effectiveness of recruiting 70 families with a child aged 4 to 7 (5.9+/-1.3) years in Western New York from February 2003 to November 2004, for a 2-year randomized obesity prevention trial to reduce television watching in the home. Of the 70 randomized families, 65.7% (n=46) were obtained through direct mailings, 24.3% (n=17) were acquired through newspaper advertisements, 7.1% (n=5) from other sources (e.g., word of mouth), and 2.9% (n=2) through posters and brochures. Costs of each recruitment method were computed by adding the cost of materials, staff time, and media expenses. Cost effectiveness (money spent per randomized participant) was US $0 for other sources, US $227.76 for direct mailing, US $546.95 for newspaper ads, and US $3,020.84 for posters and brochures. Of the methods with associated costs, direct mailing was the most cost effective in recruiting families with young children, which supports the growing literature of the effectiveness of direct mailing.

Spending Changes and Scale Economies When School Districts Consolidate Services

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeLuca, Thomas Anthony

2012-01-01

Educational policy makers continue to promote non-instructional service consolidation as one method to reduce operating costs through "economies of scale". Unfortunately, there is essentially no empirical evidence on the size or source of cost savings associated with such measures. Using panel data from 2004-2010, this mixed methods…

Possibility of reducing costs of mining operations - economic aspects of workplace accidents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duda, Adam

2017-11-01

The article presents methods of calculating costs of workplace accidents incurred by an employer, and the influence of the number and severity of accidents on changes in the amount of accident insurance contribution paid by an employer within the framework of the social security system.

Impacts of terrain attributes on economics and the environment: Costs of reducing potential nitrogen pollution in wheat production

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The economic cost of achieving desired environmental outcomes from uniform and variable rate fertilizer application technologies depends both on market forces and agronomic properties. Using spatial econometric methods, we analyze the impact of nitrogen fertilizer supply by terrain attribute on the...

Breast and prostate cancer productivity costs: a comparison of the human capital approach and the friction cost approach.

PubMed

Hanly, Paul; Timmons, Aileen; Walsh, Paul M; Sharp, Linda

2012-05-01

Productivity costs constitute a substantial proportion of the total societal costs associated with cancer. We compared the results of applying two different analytical methods--the traditional human capital approach (HCA) and the emerging friction cost approach (FCA)--to estimate breast and prostate cancer productivity costs in Ireland in 2008. Data from a survey of breast and prostate cancer patients were combined with population-level survival estimates and a national wage data set to calculate costs of temporary disability (cancer-related work absence), permanent disability (workforce departure, reduced working hours), and premature mortality. For breast cancer, productivity costs per person using the HCA were € 193,425 and those per person using the FCA were € 8,103; for prostate cancer, the comparable estimates were € 109,154 and € 8,205, respectively. The HCA generated higher costs for younger patients (breast cancer) because of greater lifetime earning potential. In contrast, the FCA resulted in higher productivity costs for older male patients (prostate cancer) commensurate with higher earning capacity over a shorter time period. Reduced working hours postcancer was a key driver of total HCA productivity costs. HCA costs were sensitive to assumptions about discount and growth rates. FCA costs were sensitive to assumptions about the friction period. The magnitude of the estimates obtained in this study illustrates the importance of including productivity costs when considering the economic impact of illness. Vastly different results emerge from the application of the HCA and the FCA, and this finding emphasizes the importance of choosing the study perspective carefully and being explicit about assumptions that underpin the methods. Copyright © 2012 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evidence-based management assessment of return on investment from anesthesia information management systems.

PubMed

O'Sullivan, Cormac T; Dexter, Franklin; Lubarsky, David A; Vigoda, Michael M

2007-02-01

A systematic and comprehensive review of the scientific literature revealed 4 evidence-based methods that contribute to a positive return on investment from anesthesia information management systems (AIMS): reducing anesthetic-related drug costs, improving staff scheduling and reducing staffing costs, increasing anesthesia billing and capture of anesthesia-related charges, and increased hospital reimbursement through improved hospital coding. There were common features to these interventions. Whereas an AIMS may be the ideal choice to achieve these cost reductions and revenue increases, alternative existing systems may be satisfactory for the studied applications (i.e., the incremental advantage to the AIMS may be less than predicted from applying each study to each facility). Savings are likely heterogeneous among institutions, making an internal survey using standard accounting methods necessary to perform a valid return on investment analysis. Financial advantages can be marked for the anesthesia providers, although hospitals are more likely to purchase the AIMS.

The value of reducing HIV stigma.

PubMed

Brent, Robert J

2016-02-01

HIV-stigma is a major reason why HIV continues to be a global epidemic. Interventions targeting HIV-stigma are therefore necessary. To find an intervention that is worthwhile, a Cost-Benefit Analysis is needed which compares costs and benefits. There are many documented costs of HIV-stigma. What is missing is a valuation of the benefits of reducing HIV-stigma. The purpose of this paper is to present a general method that can be used to value the benefits of stigma reduction programs. The method involves estimating the marginal rate of substitution (MRS) between stigma and income in the utility function of older people with HIV. To illustrate how our framework can be used, we applied it to a sample of just over 900 people coming from the 2005-06 ROAH study (Research on Older Adults with HIV) in New York City. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fast projection/backprojection and incremental methods applied to synchrotron light tomographic reconstruction.

PubMed

de Lima, Camila; Salomão Helou, Elias

2018-01-01

Iterative methods for tomographic image reconstruction have the computational cost of each iteration dominated by the computation of the (back)projection operator, which take roughly O(N 3 ) floating point operations (flops) for N × N pixels images. Furthermore, classical iterative algorithms may take too many iterations in order to achieve acceptable images, thereby making the use of these techniques unpractical for high-resolution images. Techniques have been developed in the literature in order to reduce the computational cost of the (back)projection operator to O(N 2 logN) flops. Also, incremental algorithms have been devised that reduce by an order of magnitude the number of iterations required to achieve acceptable images. The present paper introduces an incremental algorithm with a cost of O(N 2 logN) flops per iteration and applies it to the reconstruction of very large tomographic images obtained from synchrotron light illuminated data.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Three Leprosy Case Detection Methods in Northern Nigeria

PubMed Central

Ezenduka, Charles; Post, Erik; John, Steven; Suraj, Abdulkarim; Namadi, Abdulahi; Onwujekwe, Obinna

2012-01-01

Background Despite several leprosy control measures in Nigeria, child proportion and disability grade 2 cases remain high while new cases have not significantly reduced, suggesting continuous spread of the disease. Hence, there is the need to review detection methods to enhance identification of early cases for effective control and prevention of permanent disability. This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of three leprosy case detection methods in Northern Nigeria to identify the most cost-effective approach for detection of leprosy. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out to evaluate the additional benefits of using several case detection methods in addition to routine practice in two north-eastern states of Nigeria. Primary and secondary data were collected from routine practice records and the Nigerian Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme of 2009. The methods evaluated were Rapid Village Survey (RVS), Household Contact Examination (HCE) and Traditional Healers incentive method (TH). Effectiveness was measured as number of new leprosy cases detected and cost-effectiveness was expressed as cost per case detected. Costs were measured from both providers' and patients' perspectives. Additional costs and effects of each method were estimated by comparing each method against routine practise and expressed as incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). All costs were converted to the U.S. dollar at the 2010 exchange rate. Univariate sensitivity analysis was used to evaluate uncertainties around the ICER. Results The ICER for HCE was $142 per additional case detected at all contact levels and it was the most cost-effective method. At ICER of $194 per additional case detected, THs method detected more cases at a lower cost than the RVS, which was not cost-effective at $313 per additional case detected. Sensitivity analysis showed that varying the proportion of shared costs and subsistent wage for valuing unpaid time did not significantly change the results. Conclusion Complementing routine practice with household contact examination is the most cost-effective approach to identify new leprosy cases and we recommend that, depending on acceptability and feasibility, this intervention is introduced for improved case detection in Northern Nigeria. PMID:23029580

Micro-Costing Quantity Data Collection Methods

PubMed Central

Frick, Kevin D.

2009-01-01

Background Micro-costing studies collect detailed data on resources utilized and the value of those resources. Such studies are useful for estimating the cost of new technologies or new community-based interventions, for producing estimates in studies that include non-market goods, and for studying within-procedure cost variation. Objectives This objectives of this paper were to (1) describe basic micro-costing methods focusing on quantity data collection; and (2) suggest a research agenda to improve methods in and the interpretation of micro-costing Research Design Examples in the published literature were used to illustrate steps in the methods of gathering data (primarily quantity data) for a micro-costing study. Results Quantity data collection methods that were illustrated in the literature include the use of (1) administrative databases at single facilities, (2) insurer administrative data, (3) forms applied across multiple settings, (4) an expert panel, (5) surveys or interviews of one or more types of providers; (6) review of patient charts, (7) direct observation, (8) personal digital assistants, (9) program operation logs, and (10) diary data. Conclusions Future micro-costing studies are likely to improve if research is done to compare the validity and cost of different data collection methods; if a critical review is conducted of studies done to date; and if the combination of the results of the first two steps described are used to develop guidelines that address common limitations, critical judgment points, and decisions that can reduce limitations and improve the quality of studies. PMID:19536026

Microbial reduction of graphene oxide by Escherichia coli: a green chemistry approach.

PubMed

Gurunathan, Sangiliyandi; Han, Jae Woong; Eppakayala, Vasuki; Kim, Jin-Hoi

2013-02-01

Graphene and graphene related materials are an important area of research in recent years due to their unique properties. The extensive industrial application of graphene and related compounds has led researchers to devise novel and simple methods for the synthesis of high quality graphene. In this paper, we developed an environment friendly, cost effective, simple method and green approaches for the reduction of graphene oxide (GO) using Escherichia coli biomass. In biological method, we can avoid use of toxic and environmentally harmful reducing agents commonly used in the chemical reduction of GO to obtain graphene. The biomass of E. coli reduces exfoliated GO to graphene at 37°C in an aqueous medium. The E. coli reduced graphene oxide (ERGO) was characterized with UV-visible absorption spectroscopy, particle analyzer, high resolution X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Besides the reduction potential, the biomass could also play an important role as stabilizing agent, in which synthesized graphene exhibited good stability in water. This method can open up the new avenue for preparing graphene in cost effective and large scale production. Our findings suggest that GO can be reduced by simple eco-friendly method by using E. coli biomass to produce water dispersible graphene. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Materials Genome Initiative Element

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vickers, John

2015-01-01

NASA is committed to developing new materials and manufacturing methods that can enable new missions with ever increasing mission demands. Typically, the development and certification of new materials and manufacturing methods in the aerospace industry has required more than 20 years of development time with a costly testing and certification program. To reduce the cost and time to mature these emerging technologies, NASA is developing computational materials tools to improve understanding of the material and guide the certification process.

Comparative Evaluation of Cutting Methods of Activated Concrete from Nuclear Power Plant Decommissioning - 13548

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, HakSoo; Chung, SungHwan; Maeng, SungJun

2013-07-01

The amount of radioactive wastes from decommissioning of a nuclear power plant varies greatly depending on factors such as type and size of the plant, operation history, decommissioning options, and waste treatment and volume reduction methods. There are many methods to decrease the amount of decommissioning radioactive wastes including minimization of waste generation, waste reclassification through decontamination and cutting methods to remove the contaminated areas. According to OECD/NEA, it is known that the radioactive waste treatment and disposal cost accounts for about 40 percentage of the total decommissioning cost. In Korea, it is needed to reduce amount of decommissioning radioactivemore » waste due to high disposal cost, about $7,000 (as of 2010) per a 200 liter drum for the low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LILW). In this paper, cutting methods to minimize the radioactive waste of activated concrete were investigated and associated decommissioning cost impact was assessed. The cutting methods considered are cylindrical and volume reductive cuttings. The study showed that the volume reductive cutting is more cost-effective than the cylindrical cutting. Therefore, the volume reductive cutting method can be effectively applied to the activated bio-shield concrete. (authors)« less

Provision of No-Cost, Long-Acting Contraception and Teenage Pregnancy

PubMed Central

Secura, Gina M.; Madden, Tessa; McNicholas, Colleen; Mullersman, Jennifer; Buckel, Christina M.; Zhao, Qiuhong; Peipert, Jeffrey F.

2014-01-01

Background The rate of teenage pregnancy in the United States is higher than in other developed nations. Teenage births result in substantial costs, including public assistance, health care costs, and income losses due to lower educational attainment and reduced earning potential. Methods The Contraceptive CHOICE Project was a large prospective cohort study designed to promote the use of long-acting, reversible contraceptive (LARC) methods to reduce unintended pregnancy in the St. Louis region. Participants were educated about reversible contraception, with an emphasis on the benefits of LARC methods, were provided with their choice of reversible contraception at no cost, and were followed for 2 to 3 years. We analyzed pregnancy, birth, and induced-abortion rates among teenage girls and women 15 to 19 years of age in this cohort and compared them with those observed nationally among U.S. teens in the same age group. Results Of the 1404 teenage girls and women enrolled in CHOICE, 72% chose an intrauterine device or implant (LARC methods); the remaining 28% chose another method. During the 2008–2013 period, the mean annual rates of pregnancy, birth, and abortion among CHOICE participants were 34.0, 19.4, and 9.7 per 1000 teens, respectively. In comparison, rates of pregnancy, birth, and abortion among sexually experienced U.S. teens in 2008 were 158.5, 94.0, and 41.5 per 1000, respectively. Conclusions Teenage girls and women who were provided contraception at no cost and educated about reversible contraception and the benefits of LARC methods had rates of pregnancy, birth, and abortion that were much lower than the national rates for sexually experienced teens. (Funded by the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation and others.) PMID:25271604

Cost-efficient scheduling of FAST observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Qi; Zhao, Laiping; Yu, Ce; Xiao, Jian; Sun, Jizhou; Zhu, Ming; Zhong, Yi

2018-03-01

A cost-efficient schedule for the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) requires to maximize the number of observable proposals and the overall scientific priority, and minimize the overall slew-cost generated by telescope shifting, while taking into account the constraints including the astronomical objects visibility, user-defined observable times, avoiding Radio Frequency Interference (RFI). In this contribution, first we solve the problem of maximizing the number of observable proposals and scientific priority by modeling it as a Minimum Cost Maximum Flow (MCMF) problem. The optimal schedule can be found by any MCMF solution algorithm. Then, for minimizing the slew-cost of the generated schedule, we devise a maximally-matchable edges detection-based method to reduce the problem size, and propose a backtracking algorithm to find the perfect matching with minimum slew-cost. Experiments on a real dataset from NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED) show that, the proposed scheduler can increase the usage of available times with high scientific priority and reduce the slew-cost significantly in a very short time.

Can post-acute care programmes for older people reduce overall costs in the health system? A case study using the Australian Transition Care Programme.

PubMed

Hall, C J; Peel, N M; Comans, T A; Gray, L C; Scuffham, P A

2012-01-01

There is an increasing demand for acute care services due in part to rising proportions of older people and increasing rates of chronic diseases. To reduce pressure and costs in the hospital system, community-based post-acute care discharge services for older people have evolved as one method of reducing length of stay in hospital and preventing readmissions. However, it is unclear whether they reduce overall episode cost or expenditure in the health system at a more general level. In this paper, we review the current evidence on the likely costs and benefits of these services and consider whether they are potentially cost-effective from a health services perspective, using the Australian Transition Care Programme as a case study. Evaluations of community-based post-acute services have demonstrated that they reduce length of stay, prevent some re-hospitalisations and defer nursing home placement. There is also evidence that they convey some additional health benefits to older people. An economic model was developed to identify the maximum potential benefits and the likely cost savings from reduced use of health services from earlier discharge from hospital, accelerated recovery, reduced likelihood of readmission to hospital and delayed entry into permanent institutional care for participants of the Transition Care Programme. Assuming the best case scenario, the Transition Care Programme is still unlikely to be cost saving to a healthcare system. Hence for this service to be justified, additional health benefits such as quality of life improvements need to be taken into account. If it can be demonstrated that this service also conveys additional quality of life improvements, community-based programmes such as Transition Care could be considered to be cost-effective when compared with other healthcare programmes. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Assessing potential prescription reimbursement changes: estimated acquisition costs in Wisconsin.

PubMed

Kreling, D H

1989-01-01

Potential impacts from two methods of changing prescription drug ingredient reimbursement in the Wisconsin Medicaid program were estimated. Current reimbursement amounts were compared with those resulting from either direct prices for eight manufacturers' products and average wholesale price less 10.5 percent for other products or wholesaler cost plus 5.01 percent for all products. The resulting overall average ingredient cost reimbursement reductions were 6.64 percent ($0.56 per prescription) and 6.94 percent ($0.59 per prescription) for the two methods, respectively. The results should be viewed from the perspective of both program savings and reduced pharmacists' revenues.

Improvements in SMR Modular Construction through Supply Chain Optimization and Lessons Learned

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

White III, Chelsea C.; Petrovic, Bojan

Affordable energy is a critical societal need. Capital construction cost is a significant portion of nuclear energy cost. By controlling and reducing cost, companies can build more competitive nuclear power plants and hence provide access to more affordable energy. Modular construction provides an opportunity to reduce the cost of construction, and as projects scale up in number, the cost of each unit can be further reduced. The objective of this project was to advance design and construction methods for manufacturing Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), and in particular to improve modular construction techniques and develop best practices for designing and operatingmore » supply chains that take advantage of these techniques. The overarching objectives were to accelerate the construction schedule and reduce its variability, reduce the cost of construction, reduce interest costs accrued during construction (IDC), and thus enhance the economic attractiveness of SMRs. Our fundamental measure of merit was total capital investment cost (TCIC). To achieve these objectives, this project developed a decision support system, EVAL, to support identifying, addressing, and resolving or ameliorating challenges and deficiencies in the current modular construction approach. The results of this effort were consistent with the facts that the cost of a construction activity is often smallest when accomplished in the factory, greatest when accomplished at the construction site, and at an intermediate level when accomplished at an assembly area close to the construction site. Further, EVAL can aid in providing insight into ways to reduce waste, improve quality, efficiency, and throughput and reflects the fact that the more done early in the construction process, i.e., in the factory, the more upfront funding is required and hence the more IDC will be accrued. The analysis has lead to a better understanding of circumstances under which modular construction performed mainly in the factory will result in lower expected total cost, relative to more traditional, on-site construction procedures. Further, we anticipate that EVAL can be used to gain insight regarding what role standardization can play in order for modularization to be most effectively defined. Such results would ultimately benefit all (small and large) new nuclear construction.« less

The importance of activity-based methods in radiology and the technology that now makes this possible.

PubMed

Monge, Paul

2006-01-01

Activity-based methods serve as a dynamic process that has allowed many other industries to reduce and control their costs, increase productivity, and streamline their processes while improving product quality and service. The method could serve the healthcare industry in an equally beneficial way. Activity-based methods encompass both activity based costing (ABC) and activity-based management (ABM). ABC is a cost management approach that links resource consumption to activities that an enterprise performs, and then assigns those activities and their associated costs to customers, products, or product lines. ABM uses the resource assignments derived in ABC so that operation managers can improve their departmental processes and workflows. There are three fundamental problems with traditional cost systems. First, traditional systems fail to reflect the underlying diversity of work taking place within an enterprise. Second, it uses allocations that are, for the most part, arbitrary Single step allocations fail to reflect the real work-the activities being performed and the associate resources actually consumed. Third, they only provide a cost number that, standing alone, does not provide any guidance on how to improve performance by lowering cost or enhancing throughput.

Radioactive Waste Characterization Strategies; Comparisons Between AK/PK, Dose to Curie Modeling, Gamma Spectroscopy, and Laboratory Analysis Methods- 12194

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Singledecker, Steven J.; Jones, Scotty W.; Dorries, Alison M.

2012-07-01

In the coming fiscal years of potentially declining budgets, Department of Energy facilities such as the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) will be looking to reduce the cost of radioactive waste characterization, management, and disposal processes. At the core of this cost reduction process will be choosing the most cost effective, efficient, and accurate methods of radioactive waste characterization. Central to every radioactive waste management program is an effective and accurate waste characterization program. Choosing between methods can determine what is classified as low level radioactive waste (LLRW), transuranic waste (TRU), waste that can be disposed of under an Authorizedmore » Release Limit (ARL), industrial waste, and waste that can be disposed of in municipal landfills. The cost benefits of an accurate radioactive waste characterization program cannot be overstated. In addition, inaccurate radioactive waste characterization of radioactive waste can result in the incorrect classification of radioactive waste leading to higher disposal costs, Department of Transportation (DOT) violations, Notice of Violations (NOVs) from Federal and State regulatory agencies, waste rejection from disposal facilities, loss of operational capabilities, and loss of disposal options. Any one of these events could result in the program that mischaracterized the waste losing its ability to perform it primary operational mission. Generators that produce radioactive waste have four characterization strategies at their disposal: - Acceptable Knowledge/Process Knowledge (AK/PK); - Indirect characterization using a software application or other dose to curie methodologies; - Non-Destructive Analysis (NDA) tools such as gamma spectroscopy; - Direct sampling (e.g. grab samples or Surface Contaminated Object smears) and laboratory analytical; Each method has specific advantages and disadvantages. This paper will evaluate each method detailing those advantages and disadvantages including; - Cost benefit analysis (basic materials costs, overall program operations costs, man-hours per sample analyzed, etc.); - Radiation Exposure As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) program considerations; - Industrial Health and Safety risks; - Overall Analytical Confidence Level. The concepts in this paper apply to any organization with significant radioactive waste characterization and management activities working to within budget constraints and seeking to optimize their waste characterization strategies while reducing analytical costs. (authors)« less

Smart Annotation of Cyclic Data Using Hierarchical Hidden Markov Models.

PubMed

Martindale, Christine F; Hoenig, Florian; Strohrmann, Christina; Eskofier, Bjoern M

2017-10-13

Cyclic signals are an intrinsic part of daily life, such as human motion and heart activity. The detailed analysis of them is important for clinical applications such as pathological gait analysis and for sports applications such as performance analysis. Labeled training data for algorithms that analyze these cyclic data come at a high annotation cost due to only limited annotations available under laboratory conditions or requiring manual segmentation of the data under less restricted conditions. This paper presents a smart annotation method that reduces this cost of labeling for sensor-based data, which is applicable to data collected outside of strict laboratory conditions. The method uses semi-supervised learning of sections of cyclic data with a known cycle number. A hierarchical hidden Markov model (hHMM) is used, achieving a mean absolute error of 0.041 ± 0.020 s relative to a manually-annotated reference. The resulting model was also used to simultaneously segment and classify continuous, 'in the wild' data, demonstrating the applicability of using hHMM, trained on limited data sections, to label a complete dataset. This technique achieved comparable results to its fully-supervised equivalent. Our semi-supervised method has the significant advantage of reduced annotation cost. Furthermore, it reduces the opportunity for human error in the labeling process normally required for training of segmentation algorithms. It also lowers the annotation cost of training a model capable of continuous monitoring of cycle characteristics such as those employed to analyze the progress of movement disorders or analysis of running technique.

Methods for conversion of lignocellulosic-derived products to transportation fuel precursors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lilga, Michael A.; Padmaperuma, Asanga B.

2017-10-03

Methods are disclosed for converting a biomass-derived product containing levulinic acid and/or gamma-valerolactone to a transportation fuel precursor product containing diesel like hydrocarbons. These methods are expected to produce fuel products at a reduced cost relative to conventional approaches.

Strategies Used by Adults to Reduce Their Prescription Drug Costs

MedlinePlus

... on their 2010 income ( 5 ). Data source and methods Data from the 2011 NHIS were used for ... sample design of NHIS. The Taylor series linearization method was chosen for variance estimation. All estimates shown ...

Direct model-based predictive control scheme without cost function for voltage source inverters with reduced common-mode voltage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jae-Chang; Moon, Sung-Ki; Kwak, Sangshin

2018-04-01

This paper presents a direct model-based predictive control scheme for voltage source inverters (VSIs) with reduced common-mode voltages (CMVs). The developed method directly finds optimal vectors without using repetitive calculation of a cost function. To adjust output currents with the CMVs in the range of -Vdc/6 to +Vdc/6, the developed method uses voltage vectors, as finite control resources, excluding zero voltage vectors which produce the CMVs in the VSI within ±Vdc/2. In a model-based predictive control (MPC), not using zero voltage vectors increases the output current ripples and the current errors. To alleviate these problems, the developed method uses two non-zero voltage vectors in one sampling step. In addition, the voltage vectors scheduled to be used are directly selected at every sampling step once the developed method calculates the future reference voltage vector, saving the efforts of repeatedly calculating the cost function. And the two non-zero voltage vectors are optimally allocated to make the output current approach the reference current as close as possible. Thus, low CMV, rapid current-following capability and sufficient output current ripple performance are attained by the developed method. The results of a simulation and an experiment verify the effectiveness of the developed method.

Low cost solar silicon production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mede, Matt

2009-08-01

The worldwide demand for solar grade silicon reached an all time high between 2007 and 2008. Although growth in the solar industry is slowing due to the current economic downturn, demand is expected to rebound in 2011 based on current cost models. However, demand will increase even more than currently anticipated if costs are reduced. This situation creates an opportunity for new and innovative approaches to the production of photovoltaic grade silicon, especially methods which can demonstrate cost reductions over currently utilized processes.

Costs and benefits of trap-neuter-release and euthanasia for removal of urban cats in Oahu, Hawaii.

PubMed

Lohr, Cheryl A; Cox, Linda J; Lepczyk, Christopher A

2013-02-01

Our goal was to determine whether it is more cost-effective to control feral cat abundance with trap-neuter-release programs or trap and euthanize programs. Using STELLA 7, systems modeling software, we modeled changes over 30 years in abundance of cats in a feral colony in response to each management method and the costs and benefits associated with each method . We included costs associated with providing food, veterinary care, and microchips to the colony cats and the cost of euthanasia, wages, and trapping equipment in the model. Due to a lack of data on predation rates and disease transmission by feral cats the only benefits incorporated into the analyses were reduced predation on Wedge-tailed Shearwaters (Puffinus pacificus). When no additional domestic cats were abandoned by owners and the trap and euthanize program removed 30,000 cats in the first year, the colony was extirpated in at least 75% of model simulations within the second year. It took 30 years for trap-neuter-release to extirpate the colony. When the cat population was supplemented with 10% of the initial population size per year, the colony returned to carrying capacity within 6 years and the trap and euthanize program had to be repeated, whereas trap-neuter-release never reduced the number of cats to near zero within the 30-year time frame of the model. The abandonment of domestic cats reduced the cost effectiveness of both trap-neuter-release and trap and euthanize. Trap-neuter-release was approximately twice as expensive to implement as a trap and euthanize program. Results of sensitivity analyses suggested trap-neuter-release programs that employ volunteers are still less cost-effective than trap and euthanize programs that employ paid professionals and that trap-neuter-release was only effective when the total number of colony cats in an area was below 1000. Reducing the rate of abandonment of domestic cats appears to be a more effective solution for reducing the abundance of feral cats. ©2012 Society for Conservation Biology.

Shipping emission forecasts and cost-benefit analysis of China ports and key regions' control.

PubMed

Liu, Huan; Meng, Zhi-Hang; Shang, Yi; Lv, Zhao-Feng; Jin, Xin-Xin; Fu, Ming-Liang; He, Ke-Bin

2018-05-01

China established Domestic Emission Control Area (DECA) for sulphur since 2015 to constrain the increasing shipping emissions. However, future DECA policy-makings are not supported due to a lack of quantitive evaluations. To investigate the effects of current and possible Chinese DECAs policies, a model is presented for the forecast of shipping emissions and evaluation of potential costs and benefits of an DECA policy package set in 2020. It includes a port-level and regional-level projection accounting for shipping trade volume growth, share of ship types, and fuel consumption. The results show that without control measures, both SO 2 and particulate matter (PM) emissions are expected to increase by 15.3-61.2% in Jing-Jin-Ji, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Pearl River Delta from 2013 to 2020. However, most emissions can be reduced annually by the establishment of a DECA that depends on the size of the control area and the fuel sulphur content limit. Costs range from 0.667 to 1.561 billion dollars (control regional shipping emissions) based on current fuel price. A social cost method shows the regional control scenarios benefit-cost ratios vary from 4.3 to 5.1 with large uncertainty. Chemical transportation model combined with health model method is used to get the monetary health benefits and then compared with the results from social cost method. This study suggests that Chinese DECAs will reduce the projected emissions at a favorable benefit-cost ratio, and furthermore proposes policy combinations that provide high cost-effective benefits as a reference for future policy-making. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Feasibility study for automatic reduction of phase change imagery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nossaman, G. O.

1971-01-01

The feasibility of automatically reducing a form of pictorial aerodynamic heating data is discussed. The imagery, depicting the melting history of a thin coat of fusible temperature indicator painted on an aerodynamically heated model, was previously reduced by manual methods. Careful examination of various lighting theories and approaches led to an experimentally verified illumination concept capable of yielding high-quality imagery. Both digital and video image processing techniques were applied to reduction of the data, and it was demonstrated that either method can be used to develop superimposed contours. Mathematical techniques were developed to find the model-to-image and the inverse image-to-model transformation using six conjugate points, and methods were developed using these transformations to determine heating rates on the model surface. A video system was designed which is able to reduce the imagery rapidly, economically and accurately. Costs for this system were estimated. A study plan was outlined whereby the mathematical transformation techniques developed to produce model coordinate heating data could be applied to operational software, and methods were discussed and costs estimated for obtaining the digital information necessary for this software.

Fault Tolerant Considerations and Methods for Guidance and Control Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-07-01

multifunction devices such as microprocessors with software. In striving toward the economic goal, however, a cost is incurred in a different coin, i.e...therefore been developed which reduces the software risk to acceptable proportions. Several of the techniques thus developed incur no significant cost ...complex that their design and implementation need computerized tools in order to be cost -effective (in a broad sense, including the capability of

Summary of the Sixth Persh Workshop: Corrosion Policy Guiding Science and Technology

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

mitigating corrosion. Corrosion affects military readiness, so corrosion prevention and control (CPC) have a high priority for the DOD since CPC is a...resulting in high -cost repairs. Corrosion mitigation is thus a key cost-effective approach for system maintainability and reduced life cycle costs. The... treatments . • Develop corrosion databases and corrosion models for predictive evaluation. Testing methods for realistic prediction of performance

Incorporation of Fixed Installation Costs into Optimization of Groundwater Remediation with a New Efficient Surrogate Nonlinear Mixed Integer Optimization Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shoemaker, Christine; Wan, Ying

2016-04-01

Optimization of nonlinear water resources management issues which have a mixture of fixed (e.g. construction cost for a well) and variable (e.g. cost per gallon of water pumped) costs has been not well addressed because prior algorithms for the resulting nonlinear mixed integer problems have required many groundwater simulations (with different configurations of decision variable), especially when the solution space is multimodal. In particular heuristic methods like genetic algorithms have often been used in the water resources area, but they require so many groundwater simulations that only small systems have been solved. Hence there is a need to have a method that reduces the number of expensive groundwater simulations. A recently published algorithm for nonlinear mixed integer programming using surrogates was shown in this study to greatly reduce the computational effort for obtaining accurate answers to problems involving fixed costs for well construction as well as variable costs for pumping because of a substantial reduction in the number of groundwater simulations required to obtain an accurate answer. Results are presented for a US EPA hazardous waste site. The nonlinear mixed integer surrogate algorithm is general and can be used on other problems arising in hydrology with open source codes in Matlab and python ("pySOT" in Bitbucket).

Quantum chemical approach for condensed-phase thermochemistry (V): Development of rigid-body type harmonic solvation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarumi, Moto; Nakai, Hiromi

2018-05-01

This letter proposes an approximate treatment of the harmonic solvation model (HSM) assuming the solute to be a rigid body (RB-HSM). The HSM method can appropriately estimate the Gibbs free energy for condensed phases even where an ideal gas model used by standard quantum chemical programs fails. The RB-HSM method eliminates calculations for intra-molecular vibrations in order to reduce the computational costs. Numerical assessments indicated that the RB-HSM method can evaluate entropies and internal energies with the same accuracy as the HSM method but with lower calculation costs.

The Economic Gains of Achieving Reduced Alcohol Consumption Targets for Australia

PubMed Central

Magnus, Anne; Cadilhac, Dominique; Sheppard, Lauren; Cumming, Toby; Pearce, Dora; Carter, Rob

2012-01-01

Objectives. To inform prevention policy, we estimated the economic benefits to health, production, and leisure in the 2008 Australian population of a realistic target reduction in per capita annual adult alcohol consumption. Methods. We chose a target of 6.4 liters annually per capita on average. We modeled lifetime health benefits as fewer incident cases of alcohol-related disease, deaths, and disability adjusted life years. We estimated production gains with surveyed participation and absenteeism rates. We valued gains with friction cost and human capital methods. We estimated and valued household production and leisure gains from time-use surveys. Results. A reduction of 3.4 liters of alcohol consumed annually per capita would result in one third fewer incident cases of disease (98 000), deaths (380), working days lost (5 million), days of home-based production lost (54 000), and a A$ 789-million health sector cost reduction. Workforce production had a A$ 427 million gain when we used the friction cost method. By contrast, we estimated a loss of 28 000 leisure days and 1000 additional early retirements. Conclusions. Economic savings and health benefits from reduced alcohol consumption may be substantial—particularly in the health sector with reduced alcohol-related disease and injury. PMID:22594720

A systematic review of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry compared to routine microbiological methods for the time taken to identify microbial organisms from positive blood cultures.

PubMed

Dixon, P; Davies, P; Hollingworth, W; Stoddart, M; MacGowan, A

2015-05-01

Bloodstream infections are a significant source of mortality and morbidity. Patient outcomes are improved by rapid identification of the causative pathogen and administration of appropriate antimicrobial therapy. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry has recently emerged as an alternative to microbiological identification. It is important to establish whether the costs of MALDI-TOF are justified by more timely identification and appropriate therapy, reduced length of stay and reduced hospital costs. We undertook a systematic review of the literature comparing MALDI-TOF and routine methods for the identification of the aetiological agent in patients with known or suspected bloodstream infection. The primary outcome of the review was the 'time to identify' organisms. Information on related measures such as 'time to appropriate antimicrobial treatment' and downstream hospital cost was also collected where reported. Ten of 775 articles identified met the inclusion criteria. All included studies were observational. MALDI-TOF identification was at least 24 h faster than routine methods in most circumstances. MADLI-TOF was associated with a reduction in downstream hospital costs and length of stay in studies reporting these outcomes. The observational studies reviewed provide evidence of potentially substantial time savings of MALDI-TOF in pathogen identification and instigation of appropriate therapy, which may also reduce hospital stay. Due to the small number of studies, all at relatively high risk of bias, this cannot be considered as definitive evidence of the impact of MALDI-TOF. More and better evidence, including impact on patient health and cost-effectiveness, is required.

A Scheme to Optimize Flow Routing and Polling Switch Selection of Software Defined Networks

PubMed Central

Chen, Huan; Li, Lemin; Ren, Jing; Wang, Yang; Zhao, Yangming; Wang, Xiong; Wang, Sheng; Xu, Shizhong

2015-01-01

This paper aims at minimizing the communication cost for collecting flow information in Software Defined Networks (SDN). Since flow-based information collecting method requires too much communication cost, and switch-based method proposed recently cannot benefit from controlling flow routing, jointly optimize flow routing and polling switch selection is proposed to reduce the communication cost. To this end, joint optimization problem is formulated as an Integer Linear Programming (ILP) model firstly. Since the ILP model is intractable in large size network, we also design an optimal algorithm for the multi-rooted tree topology and an efficient heuristic algorithm for general topology. According to extensive simulations, it is found that our method can save up to 55.76% communication cost compared with the state-of-the-art switch-based scheme. PMID:26690571

The Benefits, Limitations, and Cost-Effectiveness of Advanced Technologies in the Management of Patients With Diabetes Mellitus

PubMed Central

Vigersky, Robert A.

2015-01-01

Background: Hypoglycemia mitigation is critical for appropriately managing patients with diabetes. Advanced technologies are becoming more prevalent in diabetes management, but their benefits have been primarily judged on the basis of hemoglobin A1c. A critical appraisal of the effectiveness and limitations of advanced technologies in reducing both A1c and hypoglycemia rates has not been previously performed. Methods: The cost of hypoglycemia was estimated using literature rates of hypoglycemia events resulting in hospitalizations. A literature search was conducted on the effect on A1c and hypoglycemia of advanced technologies. The cost-effectiveness of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) and real-time continuous glucose monitors (RT-CGM) was reviewed. Results: Severe hypoglycemia in insulin-using patients with diabetes costs $4.9-$12.7 billion. CSII reduces A1c in some but not all studies. CSII improves hypoglycemia in patients with high baseline rates. Bolus calculators improve A1c and improve the fear of hypoglycemia but not hypoglycemia rates. RT-CGM alone and when combined with CSII improve A1c with a neutral effect on hypoglycemia rates. Low-glucose threshold suspend systems reduce hypoglycemia with a neutral effect on A1c, and low-glucose predictive suspend systems reduce hypoglycemia with a small increase in plasma glucose levels. In short-term studies, artificial pancreas systems reduce both hypoglycemia rates and plasma glucose levels. CSII and RT-CGM are cost-effective technologies, but their wide adoption is limited by cost, psychosocial, and educational factors. Conclusions: Most currently available technologies improve A1c with a neutral or improved rate of hypoglycemia. Advanced technologies appear to be cost-effective in diabetes management, especially when including the underlying cost of hypoglycemia. PMID:25555391

The Role of Demand Response in Reducing Water-Related Power Plant Vulnerabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macknick, J.; Brinkman, G.; Zhou, E.; O'Connell, M.; Newmark, R. L.; Miara, A.; Cohen, S. M.

2015-12-01

The electric sector depends on readily available water supplies for reliable and efficient operation. Elevated water temperatures or low water levels can trigger regulatory or plant-level decisions to curtail power generation, which can affect system cost and reliability. In the past decade, dozens of power plants in the U.S. have curtailed generation due to water temperatures and water shortages. Curtailments occur during the summer, when temperatures are highest and there is greatest demand for electricity. Climate change could alter the availability and temperature of water resources, exacerbating these issues. Constructing alternative cooling systems to address vulnerabilities can be capital intensive and can also affect power plant efficiencies. Demand response programs are being implemented by electric system planners and operators to reduce and shift electricity demands from peak usage periods to other times of the day. Demand response programs can also play a role in reducing water-related power sector vulnerabilities during summer months. Traditionally, production cost modeling and demand response analyses do not include water resources. In this effort, we integrate an electricity production cost modeling framework with water-related impacts on power plants in a test system to evaluate the impacts of demand response measures on power system costs and reliability. Specifically, we i) quantify the cost and reliability implications of incorporating water resources into production cost modeling, ii) evaluate the impacts of demand response measures on reducing system costs and vulnerabilities, and iii) consider sensitivity analyses with cooling systems to highlight a range of potential benefits of demand response measures. Impacts from climate change on power plant performance and water resources are discussed. Results provide key insights to policymakers and practitioners for reducing water-related power plant vulnerabilities via lower cost methods.

Evaluation of streams in selected communities for the application of limited-detail study methods for flood-insurance studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cobb, Ernest D.

1986-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey evaluated 2,349 communities in 1984 for the application of limited-detail flood-insurance study methods, that is, methods with a reduced effort and cost compared to the detailed studies. Limited-detail study methods were found to be appropriate for 1,705 communities, while detailed studies were appropriate for 62 communities and no studies were appropriate for 582 communities. The total length of streams for which limited-detail studies are recommended is 9 ,327 miles with a corresponding cost of $23,007,000. This results in average estimated costs for conducting limited-detail studies of $2,500 per mile of studied stream length. The purpose of the report is to document the limited-detail study methods and the results of the evaluation. (USGS)

Expanding ART for Treatment and Prevention of HIV in South Africa: Estimated Cost and Cost-Effectiveness 2011-2050

PubMed Central

Granich, Reuben; Kahn, James G.; Bennett, Rod; Holmes, Charles B.; Garg, Navneet; Serenata, Celicia; Sabin, Miriam Lewis; Makhlouf-Obermeyer, Carla; De Filippo Mack, Christina; Williams, Phoebe; Jones, Louisa; Smyth, Caoimhe; Kutch, Kerry A.; Ying-Ru, Lo; Vitoria, Marco; Souteyrand, Yves; Crowley, Siobhan; Korenromp, Eline L.; Williams, Brian G.

2012-01-01

Background Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) significantly reduces HIV transmission. We conducted a cost-effectiveness analysis of the impact of expanded ART in South Africa. Methods We model a best case scenario of 90% annual HIV testing coverage in adults 15–49 years old and four ART eligibility scenarios: CD4 count <200 cells/mm3 (current practice), CD4 count <350, CD4 count <500, all CD4 levels. 2011–2050 outcomes include deaths, disability adjusted life years (DALYs), HIV infections, cost, and cost per DALY averted. Service and ART costs reflect South African data and international generic prices. ART reduces transmission by 92%. We conducted sensitivity analyses. Results Expanding ART to CD4 count <350 cells/mm3 prevents an estimated 265,000 (17%) and 1.3 million (15%) new HIV infections over 5 and 40 years, respectively. Cumulative deaths decline 15%, from 12.5 to 10.6 million; DALYs by 14% from 109 to 93 million over 40 years. Costs drop $504 million over 5 years and $3.9 billion over 40 years with breakeven by 2013. Compared with the current scenario, expanding to <500 prevents an additional 585,000 and 3 million new HIV infections over 5 and 40 years, respectively. Expanding to all CD4 levels decreases HIV infections by 3.3 million (45%) and costs by $10 billion over 40 years, with breakeven by 2023. By 2050, using higher ART and monitoring costs, all CD4 levels saves $0.6 billion versus current; other ART scenarios cost $9–194 per DALY averted. If ART reduces transmission by 99%, savings from all CD4 levels reach $17.5 billion. Sensitivity analyses suggest that poor retention and predominant acute phase transmission reduce DALYs averted by 26% and savings by 7%. Conclusion Increasing the provision of ART to <350 cells/mm3 may significantly reduce costs while reducing the HIV burden. Feasibility including HIV testing and ART uptake, retention, and adherence should be evaluated. PMID:22348000

Cost Comparison Model: Blended eLearning versus traditional training of community health workers.

PubMed

Sissine, Mysha; Segan, Robert; Taylor, Mathew; Jefferson, Bobby; Borrelli, Alice; Koehler, Mohandas; Chelvayohan, Meena

2014-01-01

Another one million community healthcare workers are needed to address the growing global population and increasing demand of health care services. This paper describes a cost comparison between two training approaches to better understand costs implications of training community health workers (CHWs) in Sub-Saharan Africa. Our team created a prospective model to forecast and compare the costs of two training methods as described in the Dalburge Report - (1) a traditional didactic training approach ("baseline") and (2) a blended eLearning training approach ("blended"). After running the model for training 100,000 CHWs, we compared the results and scaled up those results to one million CHWs. A substantial difference exists in total costs between the baseline and blended training programs. RESULTS indicate that using a blended eLearning approach for training community health care workers could provide a total cost savings of 42%. Scaling the model to one million CHWs, the blended eLearning training approach reduces total costs by 25%. The blended eLearning savings are a result of decreased classroom time, thereby reducing the costs associated with travel, trainers and classroom costs; and using a tablet with WiFi plus a feature phone rather than a smartphone with data plan. The results of this cost analysis indicate significant savings through using a blended eLearning approach in comparison to a traditional didactic method for CHW training by as much as 67%. These results correspond to the Dalberg publication which indicates that using a blended eLearning approach is an opportunity for closing the gap in training community health care workers.

Calibration method for a large-scale structured light measurement system.

PubMed

Wang, Peng; Wang, Jianmei; Xu, Jing; Guan, Yong; Zhang, Guanglie; Chen, Ken

2017-05-10

The structured light method is an effective non-contact measurement approach. The calibration greatly affects the measurement precision of structured light systems. To construct a large-scale structured light system with high accuracy, a large-scale and precise calibration gauge is always required, which leads to an increased cost. To this end, in this paper, a calibration method with a planar mirror is proposed to reduce the calibration gauge size and cost. An out-of-focus camera calibration method is also proposed to overcome the defocusing problem caused by the shortened distance during the calibration procedure. The experimental results verify the accuracy of the proposed calibration method.

Communications systems technology assessment study. Volume 2: Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelley, R. L.; Khatri, R. K.; Kiesling, J. D.; Weiss, J. A.

1977-01-01

The cost and technology characteristics are examined for providing special satellite services at UHF, 2.5 GHz, and 14/12 GHz. Considered are primarily health, educational, informational and emergency disaster type services. The total cost of each configuration including space segment, earth station, installation operation and maintenance was optimized to reduce the user's total annual cost and establish preferred equipment performance parameters. Technology expected to be available between now and 1985 is identified and comparisons made between selected alternatives. A key element of the study is a survey of earth station equipment updating past work in the field, providing new insight into technology, and evaluating production and test methods that can reduce costs in large production runs. Various satellite configurations were examined. The cost impact of rain attenuation at Ku-band was evaluated. The factors affecting the ultimate capacity achievable with the available orbital arc and available bandwidth were analyzed.

Identification of Flights for Cost-Efficient Climate Impact Reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Neil Y.; Kirschen, Philippe G.; Sridhar, Banavar; Ng, Hok K.

2014-01-01

The aircraft-induced climate impact has drawn attention in recent years. Aviation operations affect the environment mainly through the release of carbon-dioxide, nitrogen-oxides, and by the formation of contrails. Recent research has shown that altering trajectories can reduce aviation environmental cost by reducing Absolute Global Temperature Change Potential, a climate assessment metric that adapts a linear system for modeling the global temperature response to aviation emissions and contrails. However, these methods will increase fuel consumption that leads to higher fuel costs imposed on airlines. The goal of this work is to identify ights for which the environmental cost of climate impact reduction outweighs the increase in operational cost on an individual aircraft basis. Environmental cost is quanti ed using the monetary social cost of carbon. The increase in operational cost is considering cost of additional fuel usage only. For this paper, an algorithm has been developed that modi es the trajectories of ights to evaluate the e ect of environ- mental cost and operational cost of ights in the United States National Airspace System. The algorithm identi es ights for which the environmental cost of climate impact can be reduced and modi es their trajectories to achieve maximum environmental net bene t, which is the di erence between reduction in environmental cost and additional operational cost. The result shows on a selected day, 16% of the ights among eight major airlines, or 2,043 ights, can achieve environmental net bene t using weather forecast data, resulting in net bene t of around $500,000. The result also suggests that the long-haul ights would be better candidates for cost-ecient climate impact reduction than the short haul ights. The algorithm will help to identify the characteristics of ights that are capable of applying cost-ecient climate impact reduction strategy.

Costs and Cost-Effectiveness of Training Traditional Birth Attendants to Reduce Neonatal Mortality in the Lufwanyama Neonatal Survival Study (LUNESP)

PubMed Central

Sabin, Lora L.; Knapp, Anna B.; MacLeod, William B.; Phiri-Mazala, Grace; Kasimba, Joshua; Hamer, Davidson H.; Gill, Christopher J.

2012-01-01

Background The Lufwanyama Neonatal Survival Project (“LUNESP”) was a cluster randomized, controlled trial that showed that training traditional birth attendants (TBAs) to perform interventions targeting birth asphyxia, hypothermia, and neonatal sepsis reduced all-cause neonatal mortality by 45%. This companion analysis was undertaken to analyze intervention costs and cost-effectiveness, and factors that might improve cost-effectiveness. Methods and Findings We calculated LUNESP's financial and economic costs and the economic cost of implementation for a forecasted ten-year program (2011–2020). In each case, we calculated the incremental cost per death avoided and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) averted in real 2011 US dollars. The forecasted 10-year program analysis included a base case as well as ‘conservative’ and ‘optimistic’ scenarios. Uncertainty was characterized using one-way sensitivity analyses and a multivariate probabilistic sensitivity analysis. The estimated financial and economic costs of LUNESP were $118,574 and $127,756, respectively, or $49,469 and $53,550 per year. Fixed costs accounted for nearly 90% of total costs. For the 10-year program, discounted total and annual program costs were $256,455 and $26,834 respectively; for the base case, optimistic, and conservative scenarios, the estimated cost per death avoided was $1,866, $591, and $3,024, and cost per DALY averted was $74, $24, and $120, respectively. Outcomes were robust to variations in local costs, but sensitive to variations in intervention effect size, number of births attended by TBAs, and the extent of foreign consultants' participation. Conclusions Based on established guidelines, the strategy of using trained TBAs to reduce neonatal mortality was ‘highly cost effective’. We strongly recommend consideration of this approach for other remote rural populations with limited access to health care. PMID:22545117

Cost-effectiveness and cost utility analysis of three pneumococcal conjugate vaccines in children of Peru

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The clinical and economic burden associated with invasive and non-invasive pneumococcal and non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) diseases is substantial in the Latin America and Caribbean region, where pneumococcal vaccines have only been introduced to a few countries. This study analyzed the cost-effectiveness and cost utility of three different pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) for Peru. Methods A Markov model that simulated the disease processes in a birth cohort over a lifetime, within 1,128 month cycles was used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of 10-valent pneumococcal NTHi protein D conjugate vaccine (PHiD-CV) and 7- and 13-valent PCVs (PCV-7 and PCV-13). Expected quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), cost-savings and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated. Results Without vaccination, pneumonia was associated with the greatest health economic burden (90% of QALYs lost and 63% of lifetime direct medical costs); while acute otitis media (AOM) was responsible for 1% of QALYs lost and 25% of direct medical costs. All vaccines were predicted to be cost-effective for Peru, with PHiD-CV being most cost-effective. PHiD-CV was predicted to generate 50 more QALYs gained and required a reduced investment (−US$ 3.4 million) versus PCV-13 (discounted data), and was therefore dominant and cost saving. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that PHiD-CV generated more QALYs gained at a reduced cost than PCV-13 in 84% of the simulations and less QALYs gains at a reduced cost in 16%. Additional scenarios using different assumptions on vaccine efficacies based on previous evidence were explored, but no significant change in the overall cost-effective results were observed. Conclusions The results of this modeling study predict that PCVs are likely to be a cost-effective strategy to help relieve the epidemiological and economic burden associated with pediatric pneumococcal and NTHi diseases for Peru. PHiD-CV is likely to be a dominant (better health gains at a reduced net cost) intervention compared to PCV-13 or PCV-7. The most significant drivers for these results are the better health and economic profile of PHiD-CV against AOM and its reduced cost per dose available through the PAHO Revolving Fund in the LAC region. PMID:24171921

The Cost of Ankylosing Spondylitis in the UK Using Linked Routine and Patient-Reported Survey Data

PubMed Central

Cooksey, Roxanne; Husain, Muhammad J.; Brophy, Sinead; Davies, Helen; Rahman, Muhammad A.; Atkinson, Mark D.; Phillips, Ceri J.; Siebert, Stefan

2015-01-01

Background Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory arthritis which typically begins in early adulthood and impacts on healthcare resource utilisation and the ability to work. Previous studies examining the cost of AS have relied on patient-reported questionnaires based on recall. This study uses a combination of patient-reported and linked-routine data to examine the cost of AS in Wales, UK. Methods Participants in an existing AS cohort study (n = 570) completed questionnaires regarding work status, out-of-pocket expenses, visits to health professionals and disease severity. Participants gave consent for their data to be linked to routine primary and secondary care clinical datasets. Health resource costs were calculated using a bottom-up micro-costing approach. Human capital costs methods were used to estimate work productivity loss costs, particularly relating to work and early retirement. Regression analyses were used to account for age, gender, disease activity. Results The total cost of AS in the UK is estimated at £19016 per patient per year, calculated to include GP attendance, administration costs and hospital costs derived from routine data records, plus patient-reported non-NHS costs, out-of-pocket AS-related expenses, early retirement, absenteeism, presenteeism and unpaid assistance costs. The majority of the cost (>80%) was as a result of work-related costs. Conclusion The major cost of AS is as a result of loss of working hours, early retirement and unpaid carer’s time. Therefore, much of AS costs are hidden and not easy to quantify. Functional impairment is the main factor associated with increased cost of AS. Interventions which keep people in work to retirement age and reduce functional impairment would have the greatest impact on reducing costs of AS. The combination of patient-reported and linked routine data significantly enhanced the health economic analysis and this methodology that can be applied to other chronic conditions. PMID:26185984

A novel minimum cost maximum power algorithm for future smart home energy management.

PubMed

Singaravelan, A; Kowsalya, M

2017-11-01

With the latest development of smart grid technology, the energy management system can be efficiently implemented at consumer premises. In this paper, an energy management system with wireless communication and smart meter are designed for scheduling the electric home appliances efficiently with an aim of reducing the cost and peak demand. For an efficient scheduling scheme, the appliances are classified into two types: uninterruptible and interruptible appliances. The problem formulation was constructed based on the practical constraints that make the proposed algorithm cope up with the real-time situation. The formulated problem was identified as Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) problem, so this problem was solved by a step-wise approach. This paper proposes a novel Minimum Cost Maximum Power (MCMP) algorithm to solve the formulated problem. The proposed algorithm was simulated with input data available in the existing method. For validating the proposed MCMP algorithm, results were compared with the existing method. The compared results prove that the proposed algorithm efficiently reduces the consumer electricity consumption cost and peak demand to optimum level with 100% task completion without sacrificing the consumer comfort.

Scale Matters: A Cost-Outcome Analysis of an m-Health Intervention in Malawi

PubMed Central

Bancroft, Emily; Rajagopal, Sharanya; O'Toole, Maggie; Levin, Ann

2016-01-01

Abstract Background: The primary objectives of this study are to determine cost per user and cost per contact with users of a mobile health (m-health) intervention. The secondary objectives are to map costs to changes in maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) and to estimate costs of alternate implementation and usage scenarios. Materials and Methods: A base cost model, constructed from recurrent costs and selected capital costs, was used to estimate average cost per user and per contact of an m-health intervention. This model was mapped to statistically significant changes in MNCH intermediate outcomes to determine the cost of improvements in MNCH indicators. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to estimate costs in alternate scenarios. Results: The m-health intervention cost $29.33 per user and $4.33 per successful contact. The average cost for each user experiencing a change in an MNCH indicator ranged from $67 to $355. The sensitivity analyses showed that cost per user could be reduced by 48% if the service were to operate at full capacity. Conclusions: We believe that the intervention, operating at scale, has potential to be a cost-effective method for improving maternal and child health indicators. PMID:26348994

Wireless sensor networks for heritage object deformation detection and tracking algorithm.

PubMed

Xie, Zhijun; Huang, Guangyan; Zarei, Roozbeh; He, Jing; Zhang, Yanchun; Ye, Hongwu

2014-10-31

Deformation is the direct cause of heritage object collapse. It is significant to monitor and signal the early warnings of the deformation of heritage objects. However, traditional heritage object monitoring methods only roughly monitor a simple-shaped heritage object as a whole, but cannot monitor complicated heritage objects, which may have a large number of surfaces inside and outside. Wireless sensor networks, comprising many small-sized, low-cost, low-power intelligent sensor nodes, are more useful to detect the deformation of every small part of the heritage objects. Wireless sensor networks need an effective mechanism to reduce both the communication costs and energy consumption in order to monitor the heritage objects in real time. In this paper, we provide an effective heritage object deformation detection and tracking method using wireless sensor networks (EffeHDDT). In EffeHDDT, we discover a connected core set of sensor nodes to reduce the communication cost for transmitting and collecting the data of the sensor networks. Particularly, we propose a heritage object boundary detecting and tracking mechanism. Both theoretical analysis and experimental results demonstrate that our EffeHDDT method outperforms the existing methods in terms of network traffic and the precision of the deformation detection.

Wireless Sensor Networks for Heritage Object Deformation Detection and Tracking Algorithm

PubMed Central

Xie, Zhijun; Huang, Guangyan; Zarei, Roozbeh; He, Jing; Zhang, Yanchun; Ye, Hongwu

2014-01-01

Deformation is the direct cause of heritage object collapse. It is significant to monitor and signal the early warnings of the deformation of heritage objects. However, traditional heritage object monitoring methods only roughly monitor a simple-shaped heritage object as a whole, but cannot monitor complicated heritage objects, which may have a large number of surfaces inside and outside. Wireless sensor networks, comprising many small-sized, low-cost, low-power intelligent sensor nodes, are more useful to detect the deformation of every small part of the heritage objects. Wireless sensor networks need an effective mechanism to reduce both the communication costs and energy consumption in order to monitor the heritage objects in real time. In this paper, we provide an effective heritage object deformation detection and tracking method using wireless sensor networks (EffeHDDT). In EffeHDDT, we discover a connected core set of sensor nodes to reduce the communication cost for transmitting and collecting the data of the sensor networks. Particularly, we propose a heritage object boundary detecting and tracking mechanism. Both theoretical analysis and experimental results demonstrate that our EffeHDDT method outperforms the existing methods in terms of network traffic and the precision of the deformation detection. PMID:25365458

Reducing the risk of injury from table saw use: the potential benefits and costs of automatic protection.

PubMed

Graham, John D; Chang, Joice

2015-02-01

The use of table saws in the United States is associated with approximately 28,000 emergency department (ED) visits and 2,000 cases of finger amputation per year. This article provides a quantitative estimate of the economic benefits of automatic protection systems that could be designed into new table saw products. Benefits are defined as reduced health-care costs, enhanced production at work, and diminished pain and suffering. The present value of the benefits of automatic protection over the life of the table saw are interpreted as the switch-point cost value, the maximum investment in automatic protection that can be justified by benefit-cost comparison. Using two alternative methods for monetizing pain and suffering, the study finds switch-point cost values of $753 and $561 per saw. These point estimates are sensitive to the values of inputs, especially the average cost of injury. The various switch-point cost values are substantially higher than rough estimates of the incremental cost of automatic protection systems. Uncertainties and future research needs are discussed. © 2014 Society for Risk Analysis.

Improved patch-based learning for image deblurring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Bo; Jiang, Zhiguo; Zhang, Haopeng

2015-05-01

Most recent image deblurring methods only use valid information found in input image as the clue to fill the deblurring region. These methods usually have the defects of insufficient prior information and relatively poor adaptiveness. Patch-based method not only uses the valid information of the input image itself, but also utilizes the prior information of the sample images to improve the adaptiveness. However the cost function of this method is quite time-consuming and the method may also produce ringing artifacts. In this paper, we propose an improved non-blind deblurring algorithm based on learning patch likelihoods. On one hand, we consider the effect of the Gaussian mixture model with different weights and normalize the weight values, which can optimize the cost function and reduce running time. On the other hand, a post processing method is proposed to solve the ringing artifacts produced by traditional patch-based method. Extensive experiments are performed. Experimental results verify that our method can effectively reduce the execution time, suppress the ringing artifacts effectively, and keep the quality of deblurred image.

Network of dedicated processors for finding lowest-cost map path

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eberhardt, Silvio P. (Inventor)

1991-01-01

A method and associated apparatus are disclosed for finding the lowest cost path of several variable paths. The paths are comprised of a plurality of linked cost-incurring areas existing between an origin point and a destination point. The method comprises the steps of connecting a purality of nodes together in the manner of the cost-incurring areas; programming each node to have a cost associated therewith corresponding to one of the cost-incurring areas; injecting a signal into one of the nodes representing the origin point; propagating the signal through the plurality of nodes from inputs to outputs; reducing the signal in magnitude at each node as a function of the respective cost of the node; and, starting at one of the nodes representing the destination point and following a path having the least reduction in magnitude of the signal from node to node back to one of the nodes representing the origin point whereby the lowest cost path from the origin point to the destination point is found.

a New Survey on Self-Tuning Integrated Low-Cost Gps/ins Vehicle Navigation System in Harsh Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Navidi, N.; Landry, R., Jr.

2015-08-01

Nowadays, Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers are aided by some complementary radio navigation systems and Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) to obtain more accuracy and robustness in land vehicular navigation. Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) is an acceptable conventional method to estimate the position, the velocity, and the attitude of the navigation system when INS measurements are fused with GPS data. However, the usage of the low-cost Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) based on the Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS), for the land navigation systems, reduces the precision and stability of the navigation system due to their inherent errors. The main goal of this paper is to provide a new model for fusing low-cost IMU and GPS measurements. The proposed model is based on EKF aided by Fuzzy Inference Systems (FIS) as a promising method to solve the mentioned problems. This model considers the parameters of the measurement noise to adjust the measurement and noise process covariance. The simulation results show the efficiency of the proposed method to reduce the navigation system errors compared with EKF.

The Role of Probabilistic Design Analysis Methods in Safety and Affordability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Safie, Fayssal M.

2016-01-01

For the last several years, NASA and its contractors have been working together to build space launch systems to commercialize space. Developing commercial affordable and safe launch systems becomes very important and requires a paradigm shift. This paradigm shift enforces the need for an integrated systems engineering environment where cost, safety, reliability, and performance need to be considered to optimize the launch system design. In such an environment, rule based and deterministic engineering design practices alone may not be sufficient to optimize margins and fault tolerance to reduce cost. As a result, introduction of Probabilistic Design Analysis (PDA) methods to support the current deterministic engineering design practices becomes a necessity to reduce cost without compromising reliability and safety. This paper discusses the importance of PDA methods in NASA's new commercial environment, their applications, and the key role they can play in designing reliable, safe, and affordable launch systems. More specifically, this paper discusses: 1) The involvement of NASA in PDA 2) Why PDA is needed 3) A PDA model structure 4) A PDA example application 5) PDA link to safety and affordability.

Potential public sector cost-savings from over-the-counter access to oral contraceptives.

PubMed

Foster, Diana G; Biggs, M Antonia; Phillips, Kathryn A; Grindlay, Kate; Grossman, Daniel

2015-05-01

This study estimates how making oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) available without a prescription may affect contraceptive use, unintended pregnancies and associated contraceptive and pregnancy costs among low-income women. Based on published figures, we estimate two scenarios [low over-the-counter (OTC) use and high OTC use] of the proportion of low-income women likely to switch to an OTC pill and predict adoption of OCPs according to the out-of-pocket costs per pill pack. We then estimate cost-savings of each scenario by comparing the total public sector cost of providing OCPs OTC and medical care for unintended pregnancy. Twenty-one percent of low-income women at risk for unintended pregnancy are very likely to use OCPs if they were available without a prescription. Women's use of OTC OCPs varies widely by the out-of-pocket pill pack cost. In a scenario assuming no out-of-pocket costs for the over-the counter pill, an additional 11-21% of low-income women will use the pill, resulting in a 20-36% decrease in the number of women using no method or a method less effective than the pill, and a 7-25% decrease in the number of unintended pregnancies, depending on the level of use and any effect on contraceptive failure rates. If out-of-pocket costs for such pills are low, OTC access could have a significant effect on use of effective contraceptives and unintended pregnancy. Public health plans may reduce expenditures on pregnancy and contraceptive healthcare services by covering oral contraceptives as an OTC product. Interest in OTC access to oral contraceptives is high. Removing the prescription barrier, particularly if pill packs are available at low or zero out-of-pocket cost, could increase the use of effective methods of contraception and reduce unintended pregnancy and healthcare costs for contraceptive and pregnancy care. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

26 CFR 1.167(b)-1 - Straight line method.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Straight line method. 1.167(b)-1 Section 1.167(b... Straight line method. (a) In general. Under the straight line method the cost or other basis of the... may be reduced to a percentage or fraction. The straight line method may be used in determining a...

Productivity Costs Decrease After Endoscopic Sinus Surgery for Refractory Chronic Rhinosinusitis

PubMed Central

Rudmik, Luke; Smith, Timothy L.; Mace, Jess C.; Schlosser, Rodney J.; Hwang, Peter H.; Soler, Zachary M.

2015-01-01

Objective The primary objective of this pilot study was to define the change in productivity costs following endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Secondary objectives were to identify CRS-related characteristics that may influence the degree of productivity improvement after ESS. Study Design Prospective, multi-institutional, observational cohort study. Methods The human capital approach was used to define productivity costs. Annual absenteeism, presenteeism, and lost leisure time was quantified to define annual lost productive time (LPT). LPT was monetized using the annual daily wage rates obtained from the 2012 US National Census and the 2013 US Department of Labor statistics. Results 27 patients with refractory CRS who underwent ESS were followed for a mean of 15 [SD 4.0] months (range: 8 – 25 months). Following ESS, there were improvements in annual absenteeism (22 days reduced to 3 days), annual presenteeism (41 days reduced to 19 days), and annual household days lost (12 days reduced to 6 days). Overall, the preoperative productivity costs were reduced after ESS, $9,097 vs. $3,301, respectively (p<0.001). Conclusion Daily productivity is negatively impacted by the presence of CRS. The outcomes from this study provide the first insights into the reduced productivity costs associated with receiving ESS for refractory CRS. Future studies with larger sample sizes will need to validate the results from this pilot study. PMID:26371457

Sizing a rainwater harvesting cistern by minimizing costs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pelak, Norman; Porporato, Amilcare

2016-10-01

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) has the potential to reduce water-related costs by providing an alternate source of water, in addition to relieving pressure on public water sources and reducing stormwater runoff. Existing methods for determining the optimal size of the cistern component of a RWH system have various drawbacks, such as specificity to a particular region, dependence on numerical optimization, and/or failure to consider the costs of the system. In this paper a formulation is developed for the optimal cistern volume which incorporates the fixed and distributed costs of a RWH system while also taking into account the random nature of the depth and timing of rainfall, with a focus on RWH to supply domestic, nonpotable uses. With rainfall inputs modeled as a marked Poisson process, and by comparing the costs associated with building a cistern with the costs of externally supplied water, an expression for the optimal cistern volume is found which minimizes the water-related costs. The volume is a function of the roof area, water use rate, climate parameters, and costs of the cistern and of the external water source. This analytically tractable expression makes clear the dependence of the optimal volume on the input parameters. An analysis of the rainfall partitioning also characterizes the efficiency of a particular RWH system configuration and its potential for runoff reduction. The results are compared to the RWH system at the Duke Smart Home in Durham, NC, USA to show how the method could be used in practice.

Photovoltaic design optimization for terrestrial applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ross, R. G., Jr.

1978-01-01

As part of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Low-Cost Solar Array Project, a comprehensive program of module cost-optimization has been carried out. The objective of these studies has been to define means of reducing the cost and improving the utility and reliability of photovoltaic modules for the broad spectrum of terrestrial applications. This paper describes one of the methods being used for module optimization, including the derivation of specific equations which allow the optimization of various module design features. The method is based on minimizing the life-cycle cost of energy for the complete system. Comparison of the life-cycle energy cost with the marginal cost of energy each year allows the logical plant lifetime to be determined. The equations derived allow the explicit inclusion of design parameters such as tracking, site variability, and module degradation with time. An example problem involving the selection of an optimum module glass substrate is presented.

Low-cost manufacturing of the point focus concentrating module and its key component, the Fresnel lens. Final subcontract report, 31 January 1991--6 May 1991

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Saifee, T.; Konnerth, A. III

1991-11-01

Solar Kinetics, Inc. (SKI) has been developing point-focus concentrating PV modules since 1986. SKI is currently in position to manufacture between 200 to 600 kilowatts annually of the current design by a combination of manual and semi-automated methods. This report reviews the current status of module manufacture and specifies the required approach to achieve a high-volume manufacturing capability and low cost. The approach taken will include process development concurrent with module design for automated manufacturing. The current effort reviews the major manufacturing costs and identifies components and processes whose improvements would produce the greatest effect on manufacturability and cost reduction.more » The Fresnel lens is one such key component. Investigating specific alternative manufacturing methods and sources has substantially reduced the lens costs and has exceeded the DOE cost-reduction goals. 15 refs.« less

Costs and efficacy of public health interventions to reduce aflatoxin-induced human disease.

PubMed

Khlangwiset, P; Wu, F

2010-07-01

This study reviews available information on the economics and efficacy of aflatoxin risk-reduction interventions, and it provides an approach for analysis of the cost-effectiveness of public health interventions to reduce aflatoxin-induced human disease. Many strategies have been developed to reduce aflatoxin or its adverse effects in the body. However, a question that has been under-addressed is how likely these strategies will be adopted in the countries that need them most to improve public health. This study evaluates two aspects crucial to the adoption of new technologies and methods: the costs and the efficacy of different strategies. First, different aflatoxin risk-reduction strategies are described and categorized into pre-harvest, post-harvest, dietary, and clinical settings. Relevant data on the costs and efficacy of each strategy, in reducing either aflatoxin in food or its metabolites in the body are then compiled and discussed. In addition, we describe which crops are affected by each intervention, who is likely to pay for the control strategy, and who is likely to benefit. A framework is described for how to evaluate cost-effectiveness of strategies according to World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Finally, it is discussed which strategies are likely to be cost-effective and helpful under different conditions worldwide of regulations, local produce and soil ecology, and potential health emergencies.

Cost and cost-effectiveness of community based and health facility based directly observed treatment of tuberculosis in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

PubMed Central

Wandwalo, Eliud; Robberstad, Bjarne; Morkve, Odd

2005-01-01

Background Identifying new approaches to tuberculosis treatment that are effective and put less demand to meagre health resources is important. One such approach is community based direct observed treatment (DOT). The purpose of the study was to determine the cost and cost effectiveness of health facility and community based directly observed treatment of tuberculosis in an urban setting in Tanzania. Methods Two alternative strategies were compared: health facility based directly observed treatment by health personnel and community based directly observed treatment by treatment supervisors. Costs were analysed from the perspective of health services, patients and community in the year 2002 in US $ using standard methods. Treatment outcomes were obtained from a randomised-controlled trial which was conducted alongside the cost study. Smear positive, smear negative and extra-pulmonary TB patients were included. Cost-effectiveness was calculated as the cost per patient successfully treated. Results The total cost of treating a patient with conventional health facility based DOT and community based DOT were $ 145 and $ 94 respectively. Community based DOT reduced cost by 35%. Cost fell by 27% for health services and 72% for patients. When smear positive and smear negative patients were considered separately, community DOT was associated with 45% and 19% reduction of the costs respectively. Patients used about $ 43 to follow their medication to health facility which is equivalent to their monthly income. Indirect costs were as important as direct costs, contributing to about 49% of the total patient's cost. The main reason for reduced cost was fewer number of visits to the TB clinic. Community based DOT was more cost-effective at $ 128 per patient successfully treated compared to $ 203 for a patient successfully treated with health facility based DOT. Conclusion Community based DOT presents an economically attractive option to complement health facility based DOT. This is particularly important in settings where TB clinics are working beyond capacity under limited resources. PMID:16018806

Fragmentation, Cost and Environmental Effects of Plaster Stemming Method for Blasting at A Basalt Quarry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cevizci, Halim

2014-10-01

In this study, the plaster stemming application for blasting at a basalt quarry is studied. Drill cuttings are generally used in open pits and quarries as the most common stemming material since these are most readily available at blast sites. However, dry drill cuttings eject very easily from blastholes without offering much resistance to blast energy. The plaster stemming method has been found to be better than the drill cuttings stemming method due to increased confinement inside the hole and better utilization of blast explosive energy in the rock. The main advantage of the new stemming method is the reduction in the cost of blasting. At a basalt quarry, blasting costs per unit volume of rock were reduced to 15% by increasing burden and spacing distances. In addition, better fragmentation was obtained by using the plaster stemming method. Blast trials showed that plaster stemming produced finer material. In the same blast tests, +30 cm size fragments were reduced to 47.3% of the total, compared to 32.6% in the conventional method of drill cuttings stemming. With this method of stemming, vibration and air shock values increased slightly due to more blast energy being available for rock breakage but generally these increased values were small and stayed under the permitted limit for blast damage criteria unless measuring distance is too close.

Cost savings from reduced catheter-related bloodstream infection after simulation-based education for residents in a medical intensive care unit.

PubMed

Cohen, Elaine R; Feinglass, Joe; Barsuk, Jeffrey H; Barnard, Cynthia; O'Donnell, Anna; McGaghie, William C; Wayne, Diane B

2010-04-01

Interventions to reduce preventable complications such as catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) can also decrease hospital costs. However, little is known about the cost-effectiveness of simulation-based education. The aim of this study was to estimate hospital cost savings related to a reduction in CRBSI after simulation training for residents. This was an intervention evaluation study estimating cost savings related to a simulation-based intervention in central venous catheter (CVC) insertion in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) at an urban teaching hospital. After residents completed a simulation-based mastery learning program in CVC insertion, CRBSI rates declined sharply. Case-control and regression analysis methods were used to estimate savings by comparing CRBSI rates in the year before and after the intervention. Annual savings from reduced CRBSIs were compared with the annual cost of simulation training. Approximately 9.95 CRBSIs were prevented among MICU patients with CVCs in the year after the intervention. Incremental costs attributed to each CRBSI were approximately $82,000 in 2008 dollars and 14 additional hospital days (including 12 MICU days). The annual cost of the simulation-based education was approximately $112,000. Net annual savings were thus greater than $700,000, a 7 to 1 rate of return on the simulation training intervention. A simulation-based educational intervention in CVC insertion was highly cost-effective. These results suggest that investment in simulation training can produce significant medical care cost savings.

High-tech or field techs: Radio-telemetry is a cost-effective method for reducing bias in songbird nest searching

USGS Publications Warehouse

Peterson, Sean M.; Streby, Henry M.; Lehman, Justin A.; Kramer, Gunnar R.; Fish, Alexander C.; Andersen, David E.

2015-01-01

We compared the efficacy of standard nest-searching methods with finding nests via radio-tagged birds to assess how search technique influenced our determination of nest-site characteristics and nest success for Golden-winged Warblers (Vermivora chrysoptera). We also evaluated the cost-effectiveness of using radio-tagged birds to find nests. Using standard nest-searching techniques for 3 populations, we found 111 nests in locations with habitat characteristics similar to those described in previous studies: edges between forest and relatively open areas of early successional vegetation or shrubby wetlands, with 43% within 5 m of forest edge. The 83 nests found using telemetry were about half as likely (23%) to be within 5 m of forest edge. We spent little time searching >25 m into forest because published reports state that Golden-winged Warblers do not nest there. However, 14 nests found using telemetry (18%) were >25 m into forest. We modeled nest success using nest-searching method, nest age, and distance to forest edge as explanatory variables. Nest-searching method explained nest success better than nest age alone; we estimated that nests found using telemetry were 10% more likely to fledge young than nests found using standard nest-searching methods. Although radio-telemetry was more expensive than standard nest searching, the cost-effectiveness of both methods differed depending on searcher experience, amount of equipment owned, and bird population density. Our results demonstrate that telemetry can be an effective method for reducing bias in Golden-winged Warbler nest samples, can be cost competitive with standard nest-searching methods in some situations, and is likely to be a useful approach for finding nests of other forest-nesting songbirds.

Analyzing costs of space debris mitigation methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiedemann, C.; Krag, H.; Bendisch, J.; Sdunnus, H.

2004-01-01

The steadily increasing number of space objects poses a considerable hazard to all kinds of spacecraft. To reduce the risks to future space missions different debris mitigation measures and spacecraft protection techniques have been investigated during the last years. However, the economic efficiency has not been considered yet in this context. Current studies have the objective to evaluate the mission costs due to space debris in a business as usual (no mitigation) scenario compared to the missions costs considering debris mitigation. The aim is an estimation of the time until the investment in debris mitigation will lead to an effective reduction of mission costs. This paper presents the results of investigations on the key issues of cost estimation for spacecraft and the influence of debris mitigation and shielding on cost. Mitigation strategies like the reduction of orbital lifetime and de- or re-orbit of non-operational satellites are methods to control the space debris environment. These methods result in an increase of costs. In a first step the overall costs of different types of unmanned satellites are analyzed. A selected cost model is simplified and generalized for an application on all operational satellites. In a next step the influence of space debris on cost is treated, if the implementation of mitigation strategies is considered.

A Method of Dynamic Extended Reactive Power Optimization in Distribution Network Containing Photovoltaic-Storage System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wu; Huang, Wei; Zhang, Yongjun

2018-03-01

The grid-integration of Photovoltaic-Storage System brings some undefined factors to the network. In order to make full use of the adjusting ability of Photovoltaic-Storage System (PSS), this paper puts forward a reactive power optimization model, which are used to construct the objective function based on power loss and the device adjusting cost, including energy storage adjusting cost. By using Cataclysmic Genetic Algorithm to solve this optimization problem, and comparing with other optimization method, the result proved that: the method of dynamic extended reactive power optimization this article puts forward, can enhance the effect of reactive power optimization, including reducing power loss and device adjusting cost, meanwhile, it gives consideration to the safety of voltage.

Wellness programs: a remedy for reducing healthcare costs.

PubMed

Kocakulah, Mehmet C; Joseforsky, Holly

2002-01-01

Offering wellness programs has become a popular method for preserving the health of employees in the hope of generating lower healthcare expenses and, in turn, higher profits. This article offers a cost/benefits analysis of providing wellness programs, to determine whether such programs could add value to a company. Recommendations follow for how to implement a successful wellness program with minimal initial costs should an analysis find that wellness initiatives would prove beneficial.

Reducing electrocoagulation harvesting costs for practical microalgal biodiesel production.

PubMed

Dassey, Adam J; Theegala, Chandra S

2014-01-01

Electrocoagulation has shown potential to be a primary microalgae harvesting technique for biodiesel production. However, methods to reduce energy and electrode costs are still necessary for practical application. Electrocoagulation tests were conducted on Nannochloris sp. and Dunaliella sp. using perforated aluminium and iron electrodes under various charge densities. Aluminium electrodes were shown to be more efficient than iron electrodes when harvesting both algal species. Despite the lower harvesting efficiency, however, the iron electrodes were more energy and cost efficient. Operational costs of less than $0.03/L oil were achieved when harvesting Nannochloris sp. with iron electrodes at 35% harvest efficiency, whereas aluminium electrodes cost $0.75/L oil with 42% harvesting efficiency. Increasing the harvesting efficiencies for both aluminium and iron electrodes also increased the overall cost per litre of oil, therefore lower harvesting efficiencies with lower energy inputs was recommended. Also, increasing the culturing salinity to 2 ppt sodium chloride for freshwater Nannochloris sp. was determined practical to improve the electrocoagulation energy efficiency despite a 25% reduction in cell growth.

Enzymatic cell disruption of microalgae biomass in biorefinery processes.

PubMed

Demuez, Marie; Mahdy, Ahmed; Tomás-Pejó, Elia; González-Fernández, Cristina; Ballesteros, Mercedes

2015-10-01

When employing biotechnological processes for the procurement of biofuels and bio-products from microalgae, one of the most critical steps affecting economy and yields is the "cell disruption" stage. Currently, enzymatic cell disruption has delivered effective and cost competitive results when compared to mechanical and chemical cell disruption methods. However, the introduction of enzymes implies additional associated cost within the overall process. In order to reduce this cost, autolysis of microalgae is proposed as alternative enzymatic cell disruption method. This review aims to provide the state of the art of enzymatic cell disruption treatments employed in biorefinery processes and highlights the use of endopeptidases. During the enzymatic processes of microalgae life cycle, some lytic enzymes involved in cell division and programmed cell death have been proven useful in performing cell lysis. In this context, the role of endopeptidases is emphasized. Mirroring these natural events, an alternative cell disruption approach is proposed and described with the potential to induce the autolysis process using intrinsic cell enzymes. Integrating induced autolysis within biofuel production processes offers a promising approach to reduce overall global costs and energetic input associated with those of current cell disruption methods. A number of options for further inquiry are also discussed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Multi-fidelity methods for uncertainty quantification in transport problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tartakovsky, G.; Yang, X.; Tartakovsky, A. M.; Barajas-Solano, D. A.; Scheibe, T. D.; Dai, H.; Chen, X.

2016-12-01

We compare several multi-fidelity approaches for uncertainty quantification in flow and transport simulations that have a lower computational cost than the standard Monte Carlo method. The cost reduction is achieved by combining a small number of high-resolution (high-fidelity) simulations with a large number of low-resolution (low-fidelity) simulations. We propose a new method, a re-scaled Multi Level Monte Carlo (rMLMC) method. The rMLMC is based on the idea that the statistics of quantities of interest depends on scale/resolution. We compare rMLMC with existing multi-fidelity methods such as Multi Level Monte Carlo (MLMC) and reduced basis methods and discuss advantages of each approach.

AFLP Variation in Populations of Podisus maculiventris

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We are developing methods to reduce costs of mass producing beneficial insect species for biological control programs. One of our methods entails selecting beneficials for optimal production traits. Currently we are selecting for increased fecundity. Selection protocols, whether based on phenotyp...

BMP FILTERS: UPFLOW VS. DOWNFLOW

EPA Science Inventory

Filtration methods have been found to be effective in reducing pollutant levels in stormwater. The main drawback of these methods is that the filters get clogged frequently and require periodical maintenance. In stormwater treatment, because of the cost of pumping, the filters ar...

Waste minimization in horizontal boring operations

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Montgomery, M.

Horizontal boring has become a highly useful, and competitive, practice. Its uses include river crossings, tunneling under existing roads and buildings, and increasing the effectiveness of groundwater remediation programs. As this method becomes more popular, more contractors enter the market place and compete for each project. So, it is important to provide quality service and reduce cost to maintain market share and profitability. This article is about reducing project cost with sound drilling fluid practices. Recirculation of drilling fluid provides many benefits. It reduces the amount of fluid required for a project, reduces waste volume, and improves boring operations. Improvedmore » boring rate, lower torque and drag, greater hole stability, and increased equipment life are all results of proper fluid management.« less

Recent National Transonic Facility Test Process Improvements (Invited)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kilgore, W. A.; Balakrishna, S.; Bobbitt, C. W., Jr.; Adcock, J. B.

2001-01-01

This paper describes the results of two recent process improvements; drag feed-forward Mach number control and simultaneous force/moment and pressure testing, at the National Transonic Facility. These improvements have reduced the duration and cost of testing. The drag feed-forward Mach number control reduces the Mach number settling time by using measured model drag in the Mach number control algorithm. Simultaneous force/moment and pressure testing allows simultaneous collection of force/moment and pressure data without sacrificing data quality thereby reducing the overall testing time. Both improvements can be implemented at any wind tunnel. Additionally the NTF is working to develop and implement continuous pitch as a testing option as an additional method to reduce costs and maintain data quality.

Recent National Transonic Facility Test Process Improvements (Invited)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kilgore, W. A.; Balakrishna, S.; Bobbitt, C. W., Jr.; Adcock, J. B.

2001-01-01

This paper describes the results of two recent process improvements; drag feed-forward Mach number control and simultaneous force/moment and pressure testing, at the National Transonic Facility. These improvements have reduced the duration and cost of testing. The drag feedforward Mach number control reduces the Mach number settling time by using measured model drag in the Mach number control algorithm. Simultaneous force/moment and pressure testing allows simultaneous collection of force/moment and pressure data without sacrificing data quality thereby reducing the overall testing time. Both improvements can be implemented at any wind tunnel. Additionally the NTF is working to develop and implement continuous pitch as a testing option as an additional method to reduce costs and maintain data quality.

A methodology for commonality analysis, with applications to selected space station systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Lawrence Dale

1989-01-01

The application of commonality in a system represents an attempt to reduce costs by reducing the number of unique components. A formal method for conducting commonality analysis has not been established. In this dissertation, commonality analysis is characterized as a partitioning problem. The cost impacts of commonality are quantified in an objective function, and the solution is that partition which minimizes this objective function. Clustering techniques are used to approximate a solution, and sufficient conditions are developed which can be used to verify the optimality of the solution. This method for commonality analysis is general in scope. It may be applied to the various types of commonality analysis required in the conceptual, preliminary, and detail design phases of the system development cycle.

New protocol for construction of eyeglasses-supported provisional nasal prosthesis using CAD/CAM techniques.

PubMed

Ciocca, Leonardo; Fantini, Massimiliano; De Crescenzio, Francesca; Persiani, Franco; Scotti, Roberto

2010-01-01

A new protocol for making an immediate provisional eyeglasses-supported nasal prosthesis is presented that uses laser scanning, computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing procedures, and rapid prototyping techniques, reducing time and costs while increasing the quality of the final product. With this protocol, the eyeglasses were digitized, and the relative position of the nasal prosthesis was planned and evaluated in a virtual environment without any try-in appointment. This innovative method saves time, reduces costs, and restores the patient's aesthetic appearance after a disfiguration caused by ablation of the nasal pyramid better than conventional restoration methods. Moreover, the digital model of the designed nasal epithesis can be used to develop a definitive prosthesis anchored to osseointegrated craniofacial implants.

High-throughput determination of vancomycin in human plasma by a cost-effective system of two-dimensional liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Sheng, Yanghao; Zhou, Boting

2017-05-26

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) is one of the most important services of clinical laboratories. Two main techniques are commonly used: the immunoassay and chromatography method. We have developed a cost-effective system of two-dimensional liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (2D-LC-UV) for high-throughput determination of vancomycin in human plasma that combines the automation and low start-up costs of the immunoassay with the high selectivity and sensitivity of the liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometric detection without incurring their disadvantages, achieving high cost-effectiveness. This 2D-LC system offers a large volume injection to provide sufficient sensitivity and uses simulated gradient peak compression technology to control peak broadening and to improve peak shape. A middle column was added to reduce the analysis cycle time and make it suitable for high-throughput routine clinical assays. The analysis cycle time was 4min and the peak width was 0.8min. Compared with other chromatographic methods that have been developed, the analysis cycle time and peak width for vancomycin was reduced significantly. The lower limit of quantification was 0.20μg/mL for vancomycin, which is the same as certain LC-MS/MS methods that have been recently developed and validated. The method is rapid, automated, and low-cost and has high selectivity and sensitivity for the quantification of vancomycin in human plasma, thus making it well-suited for use in hospital clinical laboratories. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cost-effectiveness of a motivational intervention for alcohol-involved youth in a hospital emergency department.

PubMed

Neighbors, Charles J; Barnett, Nancy P; Rohsenow, Damaris J; Colby, Suzanne M; Monti, Peter M

2010-05-01

Brief interventions in the emergency department targeting risk-taking youth show promise to reduce alcohol-related injury. This study models the cost-effectiveness of a motivational interviewing-based intervention relative to brief advice to stop alcohol-related risk behaviors (standard care). Average cost-effectiveness ratios were compared between conditions. In addition, a cost-utility analysis examined the incremental cost of motivational interviewing per quality-adjusted life year gained. Microcosting methods were used to estimate marginal costs of motivational interviewing and standard care as well as two methods of patient screening: standard emergency-department staff questioning and proactive outreach by counseling staff. Average cost-effectiveness ratios were computed for drinking and driving, injuries, vehicular citations, and negative social consequences. Using estimates of the marginal effect of motivational interviewing in reducing drinking and driving, estimates of traffic fatality risk from drinking-and-driving youth, and national life tables, the societal costs per quality-adjusted life year saved by motivational interviewing relative to standard care were also estimated. Alcohol-attributable traffic fatality risks were estimated using national databases. Intervention costs per participant were $81 for standard care, $170 for motivational interviewing with standard screening, and $173 for motivational interviewing with proactive screening. The cost-effectiveness ratios for motivational interviewing were more favorable than standard care across all study outcomes and better for men than women. The societal cost per quality-adjusted life year of motivational interviewing was $8,795. Sensitivity analyses indicated that results were robust in terms of variability in parameter estimates. This brief intervention represents a good societal investment compared with other commonly adopted medical interventions.

Influence of generic reference pricing on medicine cost in Slovenia: a retrospective study

PubMed Central

Marđetko, Nika; Kos, Mitja

2018-01-01

Aim To assess the impact of the generic reference pricing (GRP) system on the prices and cost of medicines in Slovenia approximately 8 years after its introduction in 2003 and before the implementation of the therapeutic reference pricing system. Methods A retrospective study of all medicines (N = 789) included in the GRP system on January 31, 2012 was performed. Medicine prices and cost were analyzed between January 31, 2012 and December 31, 2013 after every update (N = 11) of the maximum reimbursable price (MRP) and were compared to the price and cost on January 31, 2012 (index date). Time trends of different types of medicine prices (maximum allowed price, MRP, and actual wholesale price) were graphically analyzed, and actual wholesale price adjustments to the MRP changes and the budget impact of the GRP were assessed. Results In the 2-year study period, the long-term performance of the GRP system was associated with an approximate 45% decrease in the average MRP or an approximate 20% cost reduction. For each MRP update period, the GRP reduced the cost based on the maximum allowed price for approximately 30%. The wholesale price adjustments were mostly made for medicines priced above the MRP and reduced patients’ out-of-pocket cost. Conclusions In the long term, the GRP system effectively reduced medicine prices and the cost of reimbursed products. PMID:29740992

Market power and state costs of HIV/AIDS drugs.

PubMed

Leibowitz, Arleen A; Sood, Neeraj

2007-03-01

We examine whether U.S. states can use their market power to reduce the costs of supplying prescription drugs to uninsured and underinsured persons with HIV through a public program, the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). Among states that purchase drugs from manufacturers and distribute them directly to clients, those that purchase a greater volume pay lower average costs per prescription. Among states depending on retail pharmacies to distribute drugs and then claiming rebates from manufacturers, those that contract with smaller numbers of pharmacy networks have lower average costs. Average costs per prescription do not differ between the two purchase methods.

Assessing potential prescription reimbursement changes: Estimated acquisition costs in Wisconsin

PubMed Central

Kreling, David H.

1989-01-01

Potential impacts from two methods of changing prescription drug ingredient reimbursement in the Wisconsin Medicaid program were estimated. Current reimbursement amounts were compared with those resulting from either direct prices for eight manufacturers' products and average wholesale price less 10.5 percent for other products or wholesaler cost plus 5.01 percent for all products. The resulting overall average ingredient cost reimbursement reductions were 6.64 percent ($0.56 per prescription) and 6.94 percent ($0.59 per prescription) for the two methods, respectively. The results should be viewed from the perspective of both program savings and reduced pharmacists' revenues. PMID:10313098

Multisite cost analysis of a school-based voluntary alcohol and drug prevention program.

PubMed

Kilmer, Beau; Burgdorf, James R; D'Amico, Elizabeth J; Miles, Jeremy; Tucker, Joan

2011-09-01

This article estimates the societal costs of Project CHOICE, a voluntary after-school alcohol and other drug prevention program for adolescents. To our knowledge, this is the first cost analysis of an after-school program specifically focused on reducing alcohol and other drug use. The article uses microcosting methods based on the societal perspective and includes a number of sensitivity analyses to assess how the results change with alternative assumptions. Cost data were obtained from surveys of participants, facilitators, and school administrators; insights from program staff members; program expenditures; school budgets; the Bureau of Labor Statistics; and the National Center for Education Statistics. From the societal perspective, the cost of implementing Project CHOICE in eight California schools ranged from $121 to $305 per participant (Mdn = $238). The major cost drivers included labor costs associated with facilitating Project CHOICE, opportunity costs of displaced class time (because of in-class promotions for Project CHOICE and consent obtainment), and other efforts to increase participation. Substituting nationally representative cost information for wages and space reduced the range to $100-$206 (Mdn = $182), which is lower than the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's estimate of $262 per pupil for the "average effective school-based program in 2002." Denominating national Project CHOICE costs by enrolled students instead of participants generates a median per-pupil cost of $21 (range: $14-$28). Estimating the societal costs of school-based prevention programs is crucial for efficiently allocating resources to reduce alcohol and other drug use. The large variation in Project CHOICE costs across schools highlights the importance of collecting program cost information from multiple sites.

Reducing robotic prostatectomy costs by minimizing instrumentation.

PubMed

Delto, Joan C; Wayne, George; Yanes, Rafael; Nieder, Alan M; Bhandari, Akshay

2015-05-01

Since the introduction of robotic surgery for radical prostatectomy, the cost-benefit of this technology has been under scrutiny. While robotic surgery professes to offer multiple advantages, including reduced blood loss, reduced length of stay, and expedient recovery, the associated costs tend to be significantly higher, secondary to the fixed cost of the robot as well as the variable costs associated with instrumentation. This study provides a simple framework for the careful consideration of costs during the selection of equipment and materials. Two experienced robotic surgeons at our institution as well as several at other institutions were queried about their preferred instrument usage for robot-assisted prostatectomy. Costs of instruments and materials were obtained and clustered by type and price. A minimal set of instruments was identified and compared against alternative instrumentation. A retrospective review of 125 patients who underwent robotically assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy for prostate cancer at our institution was performed to compare estimated blood loss (EBL), operative times, and intraoperative complications for both surgeons. Our surgeons now conceptualize instrument costs as proportional changes to the cost of the baseline minimal combination. Robotic costs at our institution were reduced by eliminating an energy source like the Ligasure or vessel sealer, exploiting instrument versatility, and utilizing inexpensive tools such as Hem-o-lok clips. Such modifications reduced surgeon 1's cost of instrumentation to ∼40% less compared with surgeon 2 and up to 32% less than instrumentation used by surgeons at other institutions. Surgeon 1's combination may not be optimal for all robotic surgeons; however, it establishes a minimally viable toolbox for our institution through a rudimentary cost analysis. A similar analysis may aid others in better conceptualizing long-term costs not as nominal, often unwieldy prices, but as percent changes in spending. With regard to intraoperative outcomes, the use of a minimally viable toolbox did not result in increased EBL, operative time, or intraoperative complications. Simple changes to surgeon preference and creative utilization of instruments can eliminate 40% of costs incurred on robotic instruments alone. Moreover, EBL, operative times, and intraoperative complications are not compromised as a result of cost reduction. Our process of identifying such improvements is straightforward and may be replicated by other robotic surgeons. Further prospective multicenter trials should be initiated to assess other methods of cost reduction.

An authoring system for creating a practice environment in the network service field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kiyama, Minoru; Fukuhara, Yoshimi

1993-01-01

This paper describes an authoring system whose main purpose is to reduce the cost of developing and maintaining courseware which contains procedural knowledge used in the network service field. This aim can be achieved by considering the characteristics of this field. Material knowledge is divided into two parts, behavioral knowledge and procedural knowledge. We show that both of these parts are constructed by an easy authoring methods and efficient modification algorithms. This authoring system has been used to build several types of courseware, and the development costs have been reduced.

Using Quality Improvement Methods and Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing to Improve Value-Based Cancer Care Delivery at a Cancer Genetics Clinic.

PubMed

Tan, Ryan Y C; Met-Domestici, Marie; Zhou, Ke; Guzman, Alexis B; Lim, Soon Thye; Soo, Khee Chee; Feeley, Thomas W; Ngeow, Joanne

2016-03-01

To meet increasing demand for cancer genetic testing and improve value-based cancer care delivery, National Cancer Centre Singapore restructured the Cancer Genetics Service in 2014. Care delivery processes were redesigned. We sought to improve access by increasing the clinic capacity of the Cancer Genetics Service by 100% within 1 year without increasing direct personnel costs. Process mapping and plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles were used in a quality improvement project for the Cancer Genetics Service clinic. The impact of interventions was evaluated by tracking the weekly number of patient consultations and access times for appointments between April 2014 and May 2015. The cost impact of implemented process changes was calculated using the time-driven activity-based costing method. Our study completed two PDSA cycles. An important outcome was achieved after the first cycle: The inclusion of a genetic counselor increased clinic capacity by 350%. The number of patients seen per week increased from two in April 2014 (range, zero to four patients) to seven in November 2014 (range, four to 10 patients). Our second PDSA cycle showed that manual preappointment reminder calls reduced the variation in the nonattendance rate and contributed to a further increase in patients seen per week to 10 in May 2015 (range, seven to 13 patients). There was a concomitant decrease in costs of the patient care cycle by 18% after both PDSA cycles. This study shows how quality improvement methods can be combined with time-driven activity-based costing to increase value. In this paper, we demonstrate how we improved access while reducing costs of care delivery. Copyright © 2016 by American Society of Clinical Oncology.

Applying under-sampling techniques and cost-sensitive learning methods on risk assessment of breast cancer.

PubMed

Hsu, Jia-Lien; Hung, Ping-Cheng; Lin, Hung-Yen; Hsieh, Chung-Ho

2015-04-01

Breast cancer is one of the most common cause of cancer mortality. Early detection through mammography screening could significantly reduce mortality from breast cancer. However, most of screening methods may consume large amount of resources. We propose a computational model, which is solely based on personal health information, for breast cancer risk assessment. Our model can be served as a pre-screening program in the low-cost setting. In our study, the data set, consisting of 3976 records, is collected from Taipei City Hospital starting from 2008.1.1 to 2008.12.31. Based on the dataset, we first apply the sampling techniques and dimension reduction method to preprocess the testing data. Then, we construct various kinds of classifiers (including basic classifiers, ensemble methods, and cost-sensitive methods) to predict the risk. The cost-sensitive method with random forest classifier is able to achieve recall (or sensitivity) as 100 %. At the recall of 100 %, the precision (positive predictive value, PPV), and specificity of cost-sensitive method with random forest classifier was 2.9 % and 14.87 %, respectively. In our study, we build a breast cancer risk assessment model by using the data mining techniques. Our model has the potential to be served as an assisting tool in the breast cancer screening.

The economic costs of alcohol consumption in Thailand, 2006.

PubMed

Thavorncharoensap, Montarat; Teerawattananon, Yot; Yothasamut, Jomkwan; Lertpitakpong, Chanida; Thitiboonsuwan, Khannika; Neramitpitagkul, Prapag; Chaikledkaew, Usa

2010-06-09

There is evidence that the adverse consequences of alcohol impose a substantial economic burden on societies worldwide. Given the lack of generalizability of study results across different settings, many attempts have been made to estimate the economic costs of alcohol for various settings; however, these have mostly been confined to industrialized countries. To our knowledge, there are a very limited number of well-designed studies which estimate the economic costs of alcohol consumption in developing countries, including Thailand. Therefore, this study aims to estimate these economic costs, in Thailand, 2006. This is a prevalence-based, cost-of-illness study. The estimated costs in this study included both direct and indirect costs. Direct costs included health care costs, costs of law enforcement, and costs of property damage due to road-traffic accidents. Indirect costs included costs of productivity loss due to premature mortality, and costs of reduced productivity due to absenteeism and presenteeism (reduced on-the-job productivity). The total economic cost of alcohol consumption in Thailand in 2006 was estimated at 156,105.4 million baht (9,627 million US$ PPP) or about 1.99% of the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Indirect costs outweigh direct costs, representing 96% of the total cost. The largest cost attributable to alcohol consumption is that of productivity loss due to premature mortality (104,128 million baht/6,422 million US$ PPP), followed by cost of productivity loss due to reduced productivity (45,464.6 million baht/2,804 million US$ PPP), health care cost (5,491.2 million baht/339 million US$ PPP), cost of property damage as a result of road traffic accidents (779.4 million baht/48 million US$ PPP), and cost of law enforcement (242.4 million baht/15 million US$ PPP), respectively. The results from the sensitivity analysis revealed that the cost ranges from 115,160.4 million baht to 214,053.0 million baht (7,102.1 - 13,201 million US$ PPP) depending on the methods and assumptions employed. Alcohol imposes a substantial economic burden on Thai society, and according to these findings, the Thai government needs to pay significantly more attention to implementing more effective alcohol policies/interventions in order to reduce the negative consequences associated with alcohol.

A quality-based cost model for new electronic systems and products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shina, Sammy G.; Saigal, Anil

1998-04-01

This article outlines a method for developing a quality-based cost model for the design of new electronic systems and products. The model incorporates a methodology for determining a cost-effective design margin allocation for electronic products and systems and its impact on manufacturing quality and cost. A spreadsheet-based cost estimating tool was developed to help implement this methodology in order for the system design engineers to quickly estimate the effect of design decisions and tradeoffs on the quality and cost of new products. The tool was developed with automatic spreadsheet connectivity to current process capability and with provisions to consider the impact of capital equipment and tooling purchases to reduce the product cost.

Engine Seal Technology Requirements to Meet NASA's Advanced Subsonic Technology Program Goals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinetz, Bruce M.; Hendricks, Robert C.

1994-01-01

Cycle studies have shown the benefits of increasing engine pressure ratios and cycle temperatures to decrease engine weight and improve performance of commercial turbine engines. NASA is working with industry to define technology requirements of advanced engines and engine technology to meet the goals of NASA's Advanced Subsonic Technology Initiative. As engine operating conditions become more severe and customers demand lower operating costs, NASA and engine manufacturers are investigating methods of improving engine efficiency and reducing operating costs. A number of new technologies are being examined that will allow next generation engines to operate at higher pressures and temperatures. Improving seal performance - reducing leakage and increasing service life while operating under more demanding conditions - will play an important role in meeting overall program goals of reducing specific fuel consumption and ultimately reducing direct operating costs. This paper provides an overview of the Advanced Subsonic Technology program goals, discusses the motivation for advanced seal development, and highlights seal technology requirements to meet future engine performance goals.

Cost effectiveness of a pentavalent rotavirus vaccine in Oman

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Rotavirus gastroenteritis (RGE) is the leading cause of diarrhea in young children in Oman, incurring substantial healthcare and economic burden. We propose to formally assess the potential cost effectiveness of implementing universal vaccination with a pentavalent rotavirus vaccine (RV5) on reducing the health care burden and costs associated with rotavirus gastroenteritis (RGE) in Oman Methods A Markov model was used to compare two birth cohorts, including children who were administered the RV5 vaccination versus those who were not, in a hypothetical group of 65,500 children followed for their first 5 years of life in Oman. The efficacy of the vaccine in reducing RGE-related hospitalizations, emergency department (ED) and office visits, and days of parental work loss for children receiving the vaccine was based on the results of the Rotavirus Efficacy and Safety Trial (REST). The outcome of interest was cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained from health care system and societal perspectives. Results A universal RV5 vaccination program is projected to reduce, hospitalizations, ED visits, outpatient visits and parental work days lost due to rotavirus infections by 89%, 80%, 67% and 74%, respectively. In the absence of RV5 vaccination, RGE-related societal costs are projected to be 2,023,038 Omani Rial (OMR) (5,259,899 United States dollars [USD]), including 1,338,977 OMR (3,481,340 USD) in direct medical costs. However, with the introduction of RV5, direct medical costs are projected to be 216,646 OMR (563,280 USD). Costs per QALY saved would be 1,140 OMR (2,964 USD) from the health care payer perspective. An RV5 vaccination program would be considered cost saving, from the societal perspective. Conclusions Universal RV5 vaccination in Oman is likely to significantly reduce the health care burden and costs associated with rotavirus gastroenteritis and may be cost-effective from the payer perspective and cost saving from the societal perspective. PMID:24941946

A simplified fuel control approach for low cost aircraft gas turbines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gold, H.

1973-01-01

Reduction in the complexity of gas turbine fuel controls without loss of control accuracy, reliability, or effectiveness as a method for reducing engine costs is discussed. A description and analysis of hydromechanical approach are presented. A computer simulation of the control mechanism is given and performance of a physical model in engine test is reported.

Direct Verification of School Meal Applications with Medicaid Data: A Pilot Evaluation of Feasibility, Effectiveness and Costs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Logan, Christopher W.; Cole, Nancy; Kamara, Sheku G.

2010-01-01

Purpose/Objectives: The Direct Verification Pilot tested the feasibility, effectiveness, and costs of using Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) data to verify applications for free and reduced-price (FRP) school meals instead of obtaining documentation from parents and guardians. Methods: The Direct Verification Pilot…

The Cost of Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplantation in the United States

PubMed Central

Broder, Michael S.; Quock, Tiffany P.; Chang, Eunice; Reddy, Sheila R.; Agarwal-Hashmi, Rajni; Arai, Sally; Villa, Kathleen F.

2017-01-01

Background Hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) requires highly specialized, resource-intensive care. Myeloablative conditioning regimens used before HSCT generally require inpatient stays and are more intensive than other preparative regimens, and may therefore be more costly. Objective To estimate the costs associated with inpatient HSCT according to the type of the conditioning regimen used and other potential contributors to the overall cost of the procedure. Method We used data from the Truven Health MarketScan insurance claims database to analyze healthcare costs for pediatric (age <18 years) and adult (age ≥18 years) patients who had autologous or allogeneic inpatient HSCT between January 1, 2010, and September 23, 2013. We developed an algorithm to determine whether conditioning regimens were myeloablative or nonmyeloablative/reduced intensity. Results We identified a sample of 1562 patients who had inpatient HSCT during the study period for whom the transplant type and the conditioning regimen were determinable: 398 patients had myeloablative allogeneic HSCT; 195 patients had nonmyeloablative/reduced-intensity allogeneic HSCT; and 969 patients had myeloablative autologous HSCT. The median total healthcare cost at 100 days was $289,283 for the myeloablative allogeneic regimen cohort compared with $253,467 for the nonmyeloablative/reduced-intensity allogeneic regimen cohort, and $140,792 for the myeloablative autologous regimen cohort. The mean hospital length of stay for the index (first claim of) HSCT was 35.6 days in the myeloablative allogeneic regimen cohort, 26.6 days in the nonmyeloablative/reduced-intensity allogeneic cohort, and 21.8 days in the myeloablative autologous regimen cohort. Conclusion Allogeneic HSCT was more expensive than autologous HSCT, regardless of the regimen used. Myeloablative conditioning regimens led to higher overall costs than nonmyeloablative/reduced-intensity regimens in the allogeneic HSCT cohort, indicating a greater cost burden associated with inpatient services for higher-intensity preparative conditioning regimens. Pediatric patients had higher costs than adult patients. Future research should involve validating the algorithm for identifying conditioning regimens using clinical data. PMID:29263771

The Potential Cost Implications of Averting Severe Hypoglycemic Events Requiring Hospitalization in High-Risk Adults With Type 1 Diabetes Using Real-Time Continuous Glucose Monitoring

PubMed Central

Bronstone, Amy; Graham, Claudia

2016-01-01

Background: Severe hypoglycemia remains a major barrier to optimal diabetes management and places a high burden on the US health care system due to the high costs of hypoglycemia-related emergency visits and hospitalizations. Patients with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) who have hypoglycemia unawareness are at a particularly high risk for severe hypoglycemia, the incidence of which may be reduced by the use of real-time continuous glucose monitoring (RT-CGM). Methods: We performed a cost calculation using values of key parameters derived from various published sources to examine the potential cost implications of standalone RT-CGM as a tool for reducing rates of severe hypoglycemia requiring hospitalization in adult patients with T1DM who have hypoglycemia unawareness. Results: In a hypothetical commercial health plan with 10 million members aged 18-64 years, 9.3% (930 000) are expected to have diagnosed diabetes, with approximately 5% (46 500) having T1DM, of whom approximately 20% (9300) have hypoglycemia unawareness. RT-CGM was estimated to reduce the cost of annual hypoglycemia-related hospitalizations in this select population by $54 369 000, yielding an estimated net cost savings of $8 799 000 to $12 519 000 and a savings of $946 to $1346 per patient. Conclusion: This article presents a cost calculation based on available data from multiple sources showing that RT-CGM has the potential to reduce short-term health care costs by averting severe hypoglycemic events requiring hospitalization in a select high-risk population. Prospective, randomized studies that are adequately powered and specifically enroll patients at high risk for severe hypoglycemia are needed to confirm that RT-CGM significantly reduces the incidence of these costly events. PMID:26880392

Cost of post-operative intravenous iron therapy in total lower limb arthroplasty: a retrospective, matched cohort study

PubMed Central

Muñoz, Manuel; Gómez-Ramírez, Susana; Martín-Montañez, Elisa; Naveira, Enrique; Seara, Javier; Pavía, José

2014-01-01

Background Requirements for allogeneic red cell transfusion after total lower limb arthroplasty are still high (20–50%), and post-operative intravenous iron has been shown to reduce transfusion requirements for this surgery. We performed a cost analysis to ascertain whether this alternative is also likely to be cost-effective. Materials and methods Data from 182 matched-pairs of total lower limb arthroplasty patients, managed with a restrictive transfusion protocol and without (control group) or with post-operative intravenous iron (iron group), were retrospectively reviewed. Acquisition and administration costs of iron (iron sucrose or ferric carboxymaltose) and allogeneic red cell concentrates, haemoglobin measurements, and prolonged stay in hospital were used for blood management cost analysis. Results Patients in the iron group received 600 mg intravenous iron, without clinically relevant incidents, and had a lower allogeneic transfusion rate (11.5% vs 26.4% for the iron and control groups, respectively; p=0.001). The reduction in transfusion rate was more pronounced in anaemic patients (17% vs 40%; p=0.015) than in non-anaemic ones (9.6% vs 21.2%; p=0.011). There were no differences with respect to post-operative infection rate. Patients receiving allogeneic transfusion stayed in hospital longer (+1.9 days [95% CI: 1.2–2.6]). As intravenous iron reduces the allogeneic transfusion rate, both iron formulations were cost-neutral in the different cost scenarios (−25.5 to 62.1 €/patient for iron sucrose, and −51.1 to 64.4 €/patient for ferric carboxymaltose). Discussion In patients presenting with or without pre-operative anaemia, post-operative intravenous iron after total lower limb arthroplasty seems to be safe and is associated with reduced transfusion rates, without incremental costs. For anaemic patients, its efficacy could be increased by associating some other blood-saving method. PMID:24120595

A critique of recent economic evaluations of community water fluoridation

PubMed Central

Ko, Lee; Thiessen, Kathleen M

2015-01-01

Background: Although community water fluoridation (CWF) results in a range of potential contaminant exposures, little attention has been given to many of the possible impacts. A central argument for CWF is its cost-effectiveness. The U.S. Government states that $1 spent on CWF saves $38 in dental treatment costs. Objective: To examine the reported cost-effectiveness of CWF. Methods: Methods and underlying data from the primary U.S. economic evaluation of CWF are analyzed and corrected calculations are described. Other recent economic evaluations are also examined. Results: Recent economic evaluations of CWF contain defective estimations of both costs and benefits. Incorrect handling of dental treatment costs and flawed estimates of effectiveness lead to overestimated benefits. The real-world costs to water treatment plants and communities are not reflected. Conclusions: Minimal correction reduced the savings to $3 per person per year (PPPY) for a best-case scenario, but this savings is eliminated by the estimated cost of treating dental fluorosis. PMID:25471729

Mission Reliability Estimation for Repairable Robot Teams

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trebi-Ollennu, Ashitey; Dolan, John; Stancliff, Stephen

2010-01-01

A mission reliability estimation method has been designed to translate mission requirements into choices of robot modules in order to configure a multi-robot team to have high reliability at minimal cost. In order to build cost-effective robot teams for long-term missions, one must be able to compare alternative design paradigms in a principled way by comparing the reliability of different robot models and robot team configurations. Core modules have been created including: a probabilistic module with reliability-cost characteristics, a method for combining the characteristics of multiple modules to determine an overall reliability-cost characteristic, and a method for the generation of legitimate module combinations based on mission specifications and the selection of the best of the resulting combinations from a cost-reliability standpoint. The developed methodology can be used to predict the probability of a mission being completed, given information about the components used to build the robots, as well as information about the mission tasks. In the research for this innovation, sample robot missions were examined and compared to the performance of robot teams with different numbers of robots and different numbers of spare components. Data that a mission designer would need was factored in, such as whether it would be better to have a spare robot versus an equivalent number of spare parts, or if mission cost can be reduced while maintaining reliability using spares. This analytical model was applied to an example robot mission, examining the cost-reliability tradeoffs among different team configurations. Particularly scrutinized were teams using either redundancy (spare robots) or repairability (spare components). Using conservative estimates of the cost-reliability relationship, results show that it is possible to significantly reduce the cost of a robotic mission by using cheaper, lower-reliability components and providing spares. This suggests that the current design paradigm of building a minimal number of highly robust robots may not be the best way to design robots for extended missions.

The costs and effects of a nationwide insecticide-treated net programme: the case of Malawi

PubMed Central

Stevens, Warren; Wiseman, Virginia; Ortiz, Juan; Chavasse, Desmond

2005-01-01

Background Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) are a proven intervention to reduce the burden of malaria, yet there remains a debate as to the best method of ensuring they are universally utilized. This study is a cost-effectiveness analysis of an intervention in Malawi that started in 1998, in Blantyre district, before expanding nationwide. Over the 5-year period, 1.5 million ITNs were sold. Methods The costs were calculated retrospectively through analysis of expenditure data. Costs and effects were measured as cost per treated-net year (cost/TNY) and cost per net distributed. Results The mean cost/TNY was calculated at $4.41, and the mean cost/ITN distributed at $2.63. It also shows evidence of economies of scale, with the cost/TNY falling from $7.69 in year one (72,196 ITN) to $3.44 in year five (720,577 ITN). Cost/ITN distributed dropped from $5.04 to $1.92. Conclusion Combining targeting and social marketing has the potential of being both cost-effective and capable of achieving high levels of coverage, and it is possible that increasing returns to scale can be achieved. PMID:15885143

Use of heat pipes in electronic hardware

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graves, J. R.

1977-01-01

A modular, multiple output power converter was developed in order to reduce costs of space hardware in future missions. The converter is of reduced size and weight, and utilizes advanced heat removal techniques, in the form of heat pipes which remove internally generated heat more effectively than conventional methods.

A model for interprovincial air pollution control based on futures prices.

PubMed

Zhao, Laijun; Xue, Jian; Gao, Huaizhu Oliver; Li, Changmin; Huang, Rongbing

2014-05-01

Based on the current status of research on tradable emission rights futures, this paper introduces basic market-related assumptions for China's interprovincial air pollution control problem. The authors construct an interprovincial air pollution control model based on futures prices: the model calculated the spot price of emission rights using a classic futures pricing formula, and determined the identities of buyers and sellers for various provinces according to a partitioning criterion, thereby revealing five trading markets. To ensure interprovincial cooperation, a rational allocation result for the benefits from this model was achieved using the Shapley value method to construct an optimal reduction program and to determine the optimal annual decisions for each province. Finally, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region was used as a case study, as this region has recently experienced serious pollution. It was found that the model reduced the overall cost of reducing SO2 pollution. Moreover, each province can lower its cost for air pollution reduction, resulting in a win-win solution. Adopting the model would therefore enhance regional cooperation and promote the control of China's air pollution. The authors construct an interprovincial air pollution control model based on futures prices. The Shapley value method is used to rationally allocate the cooperation benefit. Interprovincial pollution control reduces the overall reduction cost of SO2. Each province can lower its cost for air pollution reduction by cooperation.

A videoconferencing tool acting as a home-based healthcare monitoring robot for elderly patients.

PubMed

Mapundu, Zamikhaya; Simonnet, Thierry; van der Walt, J S

2012-01-01

Currently, healthcare costs associated with aging at home can be prohibitive if individuals require continual/periodical supervision and assistance because of Alzheimer's disease. Open-source tools and videoconferencing tools are attracting more significant organizations; it has been observed that another way to reduce medical care costs is to reduce the length of the patient's hospitalization and reinforce home sanitary support by medical professionals with family care givers. Videoconferencing has been around for a while and presently this technology is the leading way in reducing healthcare costs, thus making medical care more available and convenient for both doctors and patients. This article portrays how the videoconferencing tool can be utilized to improve communication practices for patient monitoring using a Robot Companion. SWOT analysis method is also presented in a form of a summary and was utilized to evaluate the user's point of view.

An approach to the design of operations systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chafin, Roy L.; Curran, Patrick S.

1993-01-01

The MultiMission Control Team (MMCT) consists of mission controllers which provides Real-Time operations support for the Mars Observer project. The Real-Time Operations task is to insure the integrity of the ground data system, to insure that the configuration is correct to support the mission, and to monitor the spacecraft for the Spacecraft Team. Operations systems are typically developed by adapting operations systems from previous projects. Problems tend to be solved empirically when they are either anticipated or observed in testing. This development method has worked in the past when time was available for extensive Ops testing. In the present NASA budget environment, a more cost conscious design approach has become necessary. Cost is a concern because operations is an ongoing, continuous activity. Reducing costs entails reducing staff. Reducing staffing levels potentially increases the risk of mission failure. Therefore, keeping track of the risk level is necessary.

Low Cost Design of an Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) Processor Using a New Common-Subexpression-Elimination Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Ming-Chih; Hsiao, Shen-Fu

In this paper, we propose an area-efficient design of Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) processor by applying a new common-expression-elimination (CSE) method to the sub-functions of various transformations required in AES. The proposed method reduces the area cost of realizing the sub-functions by extracting the common factors in the bit-level XOR/AND-based sum-of-product expressions of these sub-functions using a new CSE algorithm. Cell-based implementation results show that the AES processor with our proposed CSE method has significant area improvement compared with previous designs.

Systematic process synthesis and design methods for cost effective waste minimization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Biegler, L.T.; Grossman, I.E.; Westerberg, A.W.

We present progress on our work to develop synthesis methods to aid in the design of cost effective approaches to waste minimization. Work continues to combine the approaches of Douglas and coworkers and of Grossmann and coworkers on a hierarchical approach where bounding information allows it to fit within a mixed integer programming approach. We continue work on the synthesis of reactors and of flexible separation processes. In the first instance, we strive for methods we can use to reduce the production of potential pollutants, while in the second we look for ways to recover and recycle solvents.

Novel method to reduce fishy aftertaste in wine and seafood pairing using alcohol-treated yeast cells.

PubMed

Tsuji, Toshikazu; Kanai, Keiko; Yokoyama, Aki; Tamura, Takayuki; Hanamure, Kenichi; Sasaki, Kanako; Takata, Ryoji; Yoshida, Satoshi

2012-06-20

"Fishy aftertaste" is sometimes perceived in wine consumed with seafood. Iron in wine has been reported to be a key compound that produces fishy aftertaste. However, cost-effective methods to remove iron from wine have not been developed. Here, we describe a cost-effective and safe iron adsorbent consisting of alcohol-treated yeast (ATY) cells based on the observation that nonviable cells adsorbed iron after completion of fermentation. Treatment of cells with more than 40% (v/v) ethanol killed them without compromising their ability to adsorb iron. Drying the ATY cells did not reduce iron adsorption. Use of ATY cells together with phytic acid had a synergistic effect on iron removal. We term this means of removing iron the "ATY-PA" method. Sensory analysis indicated that fishy aftertaste in wine-seafood pairings was not perceived if the wine had been pretreated with both ATY cells and phytic acid.

[Measures to reduce lighting-related energy use and costs at hospital nursing stations].

PubMed

Su, Chiu-Ching; Chen, Chen-Hui; Chen, Shu-Hwa; Ping, Tsui-Chu

2011-06-01

Hospitals have long been expected to deliver medical services in an environment that is comfortable and bright. This expectation keeps hospital energy demand stubbornly high and energy costs spiraling due to escalating utility fees. Hospitals must identify appropriate strategies to control electricity usage in order to control operating costs effectively. This paper proposes several electricity saving measures that both support government policies aimed at reducing global warming and help reduce energy consumption at the authors' hospital. The authors held educational seminars, established a website teaching energy saving methods, maximized facility and equipment use effectiveness (e.g., adjusting lamp placements, power switch and computer saving modes), posted signs promoting electricity saving, and established a regularized energy saving review mechanism. After implementation, average nursing staff energy saving knowledge had risen from 71.8% to 100% and total nursing station electricity costs fell from NT$16,456 to NT$10,208 per month, representing an effective monthly savings of 37.9% (NT$6,248). This project demonstrated the ability of a program designed to slightly modify nursing staff behavior to achieve effective and meaningful results in reducing overall electricity use.

Leukocyte-reduced blood components: patient benefits and practical applications.

PubMed

Higgins, V L

1996-05-01

To review the various types of filters used for red blood cell and platelet transfusions and to explain the trend in the use of leukocyte removal filters, practical information about their use, considerations in the selection of a filtration method, and cost-effectiveness issues. Published articles, books, and the author's experience. Leukocyte removal filters are used to reduce complications associated with transfused white blood cells that are contained in units of red blood cells and platelets. These complications include nonhemolytic febrile transfusion reactions (NHFTRs), alloimmunization and refractoriness to platelet transfusion, transfusion-transmitted cytomegalovirus (CMV), and immunomodulation. Leukocyte removal filters may be used at the bedside, in a hospital blood bank, or in a blood collection center. Factors that affect the flow rate of these filters include the variations in the blood component, the equipment used, and filter priming. Studies on the cost-effectiveness of using leukocyte-reduced blood components demonstrate savings based on the reduction of NHFTRs, reduction in the number of blood components used, and the use of filtered blood components as the equivalent of CMV seronegative-screened products. The use of leukocyte-reduced blood components significantly diminishes or prevents many of the adverse transfusion reactions associated with donor white blood cells. Leukocyte removal filters are cost-effective, and filters should be selected based on their ability to consistently achieve low leukocyte residual levels as well as their ease of use. Physicians may order leukocyte-reduced blood components for specific patients, or the components may be used because of an established institutional transfusion policy. Nurses often participate in deciding on a filtration method, primarily based on ease of use. Understanding the considerations in selecting a filtration method will help nurses make appropriate decisions to ensure quality patient care.

Active and Reactive Power Optimal Dispatch Associated with Load and DG Uncertainties in Active Distribution Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, F.; Song, X. H.; Zhang, Y.; Li, J. F.; Zhao, S. S.; Ma, W. Q.; Jia, Z. Y.

2017-05-01

In order to reduce the adverse effects of uncertainty on optimal dispatch in active distribution network, an optimal dispatch model based on chance-constrained programming is proposed in this paper. In this model, the active and reactive power of DG can be dispatched at the aim of reducing the operating cost. The effect of operation strategy on the cost can be reflected in the objective which contains the cost of network loss, DG curtailment, DG reactive power ancillary service, and power quality compensation. At the same time, the probabilistic constraints can reflect the operation risk degree. Then the optimal dispatch model is simplified as a series of single stage model which can avoid large variable dimension and improve the convergence speed. And the single stage model is solved using a combination of particle swarm optimization (PSO) and point estimate method (PEM). Finally, the proposed optimal dispatch model and method is verified by the IEEE33 test system.

Tensor hypercontracted ppRPA: Reducing the cost of the particle-particle random phase approximation from O(r {sup 6}) to O(r {sup 4})

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Shenvi, Neil; Yang, Yang; Yang, Weitao

In recent years, interest in the random-phase approximation (RPA) has grown rapidly. At the same time, tensor hypercontraction has emerged as an intriguing method to reduce the computational cost of electronic structure algorithms. In this paper, we combine the particle-particle random phase approximation with tensor hypercontraction to produce the tensor-hypercontracted particle-particle RPA (THC-ppRPA) algorithm. Unlike previous implementations of ppRPA which scale as O(r{sup 6}), the THC-ppRPA algorithm scales asymptotically as only O(r{sup 4}), albeit with a much larger prefactor than the traditional algorithm. We apply THC-ppRPA to several model systems and show that it yields the same results as traditionalmore » ppRPA to within mH accuracy. Our method opens the door to the development of post-Kohn Sham functionals based on ppRPA without the excessive asymptotic cost of traditional ppRPA implementations.« less

Tensor hypercontracted ppRPA: Reducing the cost of the particle-particle random phase approximation from O(r 6) to O(r 4)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shenvi, Neil; van Aggelen, Helen; Yang, Yang; Yang, Weitao

2014-07-01

In recent years, interest in the random-phase approximation (RPA) has grown rapidly. At the same time, tensor hypercontraction has emerged as an intriguing method to reduce the computational cost of electronic structure algorithms. In this paper, we combine the particle-particle random phase approximation with tensor hypercontraction to produce the tensor-hypercontracted particle-particle RPA (THC-ppRPA) algorithm. Unlike previous implementations of ppRPA which scale as O(r6), the THC-ppRPA algorithm scales asymptotically as only O(r4), albeit with a much larger prefactor than the traditional algorithm. We apply THC-ppRPA to several model systems and show that it yields the same results as traditional ppRPA to within mH accuracy. Our method opens the door to the development of post-Kohn Sham functionals based on ppRPA without the excessive asymptotic cost of traditional ppRPA implementations.

Toward zero waste to landfill: an effective method for recycling zeolite waste from refinery industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Homchuen, K.; Anuwattana, R.; Limphitakphong, N.; Chavalparit, O.

2017-07-01

One-third of landfill waste of refinery plant in Thailand was spent chloride zeolite, which wastes a huge of land, cost and time for handling. Toward zero waste to landfill, this study was aimed at determining an effective method for recycling zeolite waste by comparing the chemical process with the electrochemical process. To investigate the optimum conditions of both processes, concentration of chemical solution and reaction time were carried out for the former, while the latter varied in term of current density, initial pH of water, and reaction time. The results stated that regenerating zeolite waste from refinery industry in Thailand should be done through the chemical process with alkaline solution because it provided the best chloride adsorption efficiency with cost the least. A successful recycling will be beneficial not only in reducing the amount of landfill waste but also in reducing material and disposal costs and consumption of natural resources as well.

The cost of child health inequalities in Aotearoa New Zealand: a preliminary scoping study

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Health inequalities have been extensively documented, internationally and in New Zealand. The cost of reducing health inequities is often perceived as high; however, recent international studies suggest the cost of “doing nothing” is itself significant. This study aimed to develop a preliminary estimate of the economic cost of health inequities between Māori (indigenous) and non-Māori children in New Zealand. Methods Standard quantitative epidemiological methods and “cost of illness” methodology were employed, within a Kaupapa Māori theoretical framework. Data were obtained from national data collections held by the New Zealand Health Information Service and other health sector agencies. Results Preliminary estimates suggest child health inequities between Māori and non-Māori in New Zealand are cost-saving to the health sector. However the societal costs are significant. A conservative “base case” scenario estimate is over $NZ62 million per year, while alternative costing methods yield larger costs of nearly $NZ200 million per annum. The total cost estimate is highly sensitive to the costing method used and Value of Statistical Life applied, as the cost of potentially avoidable deaths of Māori children is the major contributor to this estimate. Conclusions This preliminary study suggests that health sector spending is skewed towards non-Māori children despite evidence of greater Māori need. Persistent child health inequities result in significant societal economic costs. Eliminating child health inequities, particularly in primary care access, could result in significant economic benefits for New Zealand. However, there are conceptual, ethical and methodological challenges in estimating the economic cost of child health inequities. Re-thinking of traditional economic frameworks and development of more appropriate methodologies is required. PMID:22640030

Cost-Effectiveness of Price Subsidies on Fortified Packaged Infant Cereals in Reducing Iron Deficiency Anemia in 6-23-Month-Old-Children in Urban India

PubMed Central

Plessow, Rafael; Arora, Narendra Kumar; Brunner, Beatrice

2016-01-01

Introduction Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is a major public health problem in India and especially harmful in early childhood due to its impact on cognitive development and increased all-cause mortality. We estimate the cost-effectiveness of price subsidies on fortified packaged infant cereals (F-PICs) in reducing IDA in 6-23-monthold children in urban India. Materials and Methods Cost-effectiveness is estimated by comparing the net social cost of price subsidies with the disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) averted with price subsidies. The net social costs correspond to the cost of the subsidy minus the monetary costs saved by reducing IDA. The estimation proceeds in three steps: 1) the current lifetime costs of IDA are assessed with a health economic model combining the prevalence of anemia, derived from a large population survey, with information on the health consequences of IDA and their costs in terms of mortality, morbidity, and DALYs. 2) The effects of price subsidies on the demand for F-PICs are assessed with a market survey among 4801 households in 12 large Indian cities. 3) The cost-effectiveness is calculated by combining the findings of the first two steps with the results of a systematic review on the effectiveness of F-PICs in reducing IDA. We compare the cost-effectiveness of interventions that differ in the level of the subsidy and in the socio-economic strata (SES) eligible for the subsidy. Results The lifetime social costs of IDA in 6-23-month-old children in large Indian cities amount to production losses of 3222 USD and to 726,000 DALYs. Poor households incur the highest costs, yet even wealthier households suffer substantial losses. The market survey reveals that few households currently buy F-PICs, with the share ranging from 14% to 36%. Wealthier households are generally more likely to buy FPICs. The costs of the subsidies per DALY averted range from 909 to 3649 USD. Interventions targeted at poorer households are most effective. Almost all interventions are cost saving from a societal perspective when taking into account the reduction of future production losses. Return per DALY averted ranges between gains of 1655 USD to a cost of 411 USD. Conclusion Price subsidies on F-PICs are a cost-effective way to reduce the social costs of IDA in 6-23-month-old children in large Indian cities. Interventions targeting poorer households are especially cost-effective. PMID:27073892

Advantages and disadvantages of endoscopically assisted front-lift.

PubMed

Dusková, M; Padĕra, J; Kristen, M

2002-01-01

Reduced surgical risk, a diminution of visible scars, rapid recovery, long-termed results and reduced costs are at present the most important demands on development in aesthetic plastic surgery. Endoscopically assisted front-lift meets perfectly the need of reduced invasiveness. It is technically simple and associated with a minimum of complications. It brings minimal scars beyond the hairline with a favourable effect after eliminating the drop of the brows, and wrinkles on the forehead. The duration of the effect in the aging face depends, however, similarly as other methods, on the characteristics of the skin, changes in other parts and the individual disposition. A marked disadvantage is the high initial, cost of special equipment. Their recovery ensues from the reduced time of surgery, reduced consumption of material, lower number of complications and more rapid return to normal life.

Cost analysis of school-based intermittent screening and treatment of malaria in Kenya

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The control of malaria in schools is receiving increasing attention, but there remains currently no consensus as to the optimal intervention strategy. This paper analyses the costs of intermittent screening and treatment (IST) of malaria in schools, implemented as part of a cluster-randomized controlled trial on the Kenyan coast. Methods Financial and economic costs were estimated using an ingredients approach whereby all resources required in the delivery of IST are quantified and valued. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to investigate how programme variation affects costs and to identify potential cost savings in the future implementation of IST. Results The estimated financial cost of IST per child screened is US$ 6.61 (economic cost US$ 6.24). Key contributors to cost were salary costs (36%) and malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) (22%). Almost half (47%) of the intervention cost comprises redeployment of existing resources including health worker time and use of hospital vehicles. Sensitivity analysis identified changes to intervention delivery that can reduce programme costs by 40%, including use of alternative RDTs and removal of supervised treatment. Cost-effectiveness is also likely to be highly sensitive to the proportion of children found to be RDT-positive. Conclusion In the current context, school-based IST is a relatively expensive malaria intervention, but reducing the complexity of delivery can result in considerable savings in the cost of intervention. (Costs are reported in US$ 2010). PMID:21933376

Pretreatment of microbial sludges

DOEpatents

Rivard, Christopher J.; Nagle, Nicholas J.

1995-01-01

Methods are described for pretreating microbial sludges to break cells and disrupt organic matter. One method involves the use of sonication, and another method involves the use of shear forces. The pretreatment of sludge enhances bioconversion of the organic fraction. This allows for efficient dewatering of the sludge and reduces the cost for final disposal of the waste.

Pretreatment of microbial sludges

DOEpatents

Rivard, C.J.; Nagle, N.J.

1995-01-10

Methods are described for pretreating microbial sludges to break cells and disrupt organic matter. One method involves the use of sonication, and another method involves the use of shear forces. The pretreatment of sludge enhances bioconversion of the organic fraction. This allows for efficient dewatering of the sludge and reduces the cost for final disposal of the waste.

A fast and low-cost microfabrication approach for six types of thermoplastic substrates with reduced feature size and minimized bulges using sacrificial layer assisted laser engraving.

PubMed

Gu, Longjun; Yu, Guodong; Li, Cheuk-Wing

2018-01-02

Since polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is notorious for its severe sorption to biological compounds and even nanoparticles, thermoplastics become a promising substrate for microdevices. Although CO 2 laser engraving is an efficient method for thermoplastic device fabrication, it accompanies with poor bonding issues due to severe bulging and large feature size determined by the diameter of laser beam. In this study, a low-cost microfabrication method is proposed by reversibly sealing a 1 mm thick polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) over an engraving substrate to reduce channel feature size and minimize bulges of laser engraved channels. PMMA, polycarbonate (PC), polystyrene (PS), perfluoroalkoxy alkane (PFA), cyclic-olefin polymers (COP) and polylactic acid (PLA) were found compatible with this sacrificial layer assisted laser engraving technique. Microchannel width as small as ∼40 μm was attainable by a laser beam that was 5 times larger in diameter. Bulging height was significantly reduced to less 5 μm for most substrates, which facilitated leak proof device bonding without channel deformation. Microdevices with high aspect ratio channels were prepared to demonstrate the applicability of this microfabrication method. We believe this fast and low-cost fabrication approach for thermoplastics will be of interest to researchers who have encountered problem with polydimethylsiloxane based microdevices in their applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Near-Net Shape Powder Metallurgy Rhenium Thruster

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leonhardt, Todd; Hamister, Mark; Carlen, Jan C.; Biaglow, James; Reed, Brian

2001-01-01

This paper describes the development of a method to produce a near-net shape (NNS) powder metallurgy (PM) rhenium combustion chamber of the size 445 N (100 lbf) used in a high performance liquid apogee engine. These engines are used in low earth Orbit and geostationary orbit for satellite positioning systems. The developments in near-net shape powder metallurgy rhenium combustion chambers reported in this paper will reduce manufacturing cost of the rhenium chambers by 25 percent, and reduce the manufacturing time by 30 to 40 percent. The quantity of rhenium metal powder used to produce a rhenium chamber is reduced by approximately 70 percent and the subsequent reduction in machining schedule and costs is nearly 50 percent.

Can home care for homebound patients with chronic heart failure reduce hospitalizations and costs?

PubMed Central

Punchik, Boris; Komarov, Roman; Gavrikov, Dmitry; Semenov, Anna; Freud, Tamar; Kagan, Ella; Goldberg, Yury

2017-01-01

Background Congestive heart failure (CHF), a common problem in adults, is associated with multiple hospitalizations, high mortality rates and high costs. Purpose To evaluate whether home care for homebound patients with CHF reduces healthcare service utilization and overall costs. Methods A retrospective study of healthcare utilization among homebound patients who received home care for CHF from 2012–1015. The outcome measures were number of hospital admissions per month, total number of hospitalization days and days for CHF only, emergency room visits, and overall costs. A comparison was conducted between the 6-month period prior to entry into home care and the time in home care. Results Over the study period 196 patients were treated by home care for CHF with a mean age of 79.4±9.5 years. 113 (57.7%) were women. Compared to the six months prior to home care, there were statistically significant decreases in hospitalizations (46.3%), in the number of total in-hospital days (28.7%), in the number of in-hospital days for CHF (66.7%), in emergency room visits (47%), and in overall costs (23.9%). Conclusion Home care for homebound adults with CHF can reduce healthcare utilization and healthcare costs. PMID:28753675

Economic Evaluation of Pharmacologic Pre- and Postconditioning With Sevoflurane Compared With Total Intravenous Anesthesia in Liver Surgery: A Cost Analysis

PubMed Central

Urner, Martin; Twerenbold, Claudia; Kern, Sabine; Brügger, Urs; Spahn, Donat R.; Beck-Schimmer, Beatrice; Ganter, Michael T.

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Pharmacologic pre- and postconditioning with sevoflurane compared with total IV anesthesia in patients undergoing liver surgery reduced complication rates as shown in 2 recent randomized controlled trials. However, the potential health economic consequences of these different anesthesia regimens have not yet been assessed. METHODS: An expostcost analysis of these 2 trials in 129 patients treated between 2006 and 2010 was performed. We analyzed direct medical costs for in-hospital stay and compared pharmacologic pre- and postconditioning with sevoflurane (intervention) with total IV anesthesia (control) from the perspective of a Swiss university hospital. Year 2015 costs, converted to US dollars, were derived from hospital cost accounting data and compared with a multivariable regression analysis adjusting for relevant covariables. Costs with negative prefix indicate savings and costs with positive prefix represent higher spending in our analysis. RESULTS: Treatment-related costs per patient showed a nonsignificant change by −12,697 US dollars (95% confidence interval [CI], 10,956 to −36,352; P = .29) with preconditioning and by −6139 US dollars (95% CI, 6723 to −19,000; P = .35) with postconditioning compared with the control group. Results were robust in our sensitivity analysis. For both procedures (control and intervention) together, major complications led to a significant increase in costs by 86,018 US dollars (95% CI, 13,839-158,198; P = .02) per patient compared with patients with no major complications. CONCLUSIONS: In this cost analysis, reduced in-hospital costs by pharmacologic conditioning with sevoflurane in patients undergoing liver surgery are suggested. This possible difference in costs compared with total IV anesthesia is the result of reduced complication rates with pharmacologic conditioning, because major complications have significant cost implications. PMID:28067701

Evaluation of systems for reducing the transmission of Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus by aerosol

PubMed Central

2006-01-01

Abstract The purpose of this study was to compare 3 methods for the reduction of aerosol transmission of Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV): high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filtration, low-cost filtration, and ultraviolet light (UV) irradiation. The HEPA-filtration system involved a pre-filter screen, a bag filter (EU8 rating), and a HEPA filter (EU13 rating). The low-cost-filtration system contained mosquito netting (pre-filter), a fiberglass furnace filter, and an electrostatic furnace filter. For UV irradiation, a lamp emitted UVC radiation at 253.7 nm. No form of intervention was used in the control group. The experimental facilities consisted of 2 chambers connected by a 1.3-m-long duct. Recipient pigs, housed in chamber 2, were exposed to artificial aerosols created by a mechanically operated mister containing modified live PRRSV vaccine located in chamber 1. Aerosol transmission of PRRSV occurred in 9 of the 10 control replicates, 8 of the 10 UVC-irradiation replicates, 4 of the 10 low-cost-filtration replicates, and 0 of the 10 HEPA-filtration replicates. When compared with no intervention, HEPA filtration and low-cost filtration significantly reduced PRRSV transmission (P < 0.0005 and = 0.0286, respectively), whereas UV irradiation had no effect (P = 0.5). However, low-cost filtration and UV irradiation were significantly less effective (P = 0.043 and P < 0.0005, respectively) than HEPA filtration. In conclusion, under the conditions of this study, HEPA filtration was significantly more effective at reducing aerosol transmission of PRRSV than the other methods evaluated. PMID:16548329

Improving health care, Part 4: Concepts for improving any clinical process.

PubMed

Batalden, P B; Mohr, J J; Nelson, E C; Plume, S K

1996-10-01

One promising method for streamlining the generation of "good ideas" is to formulate what are sometimes called change concepts-general notions or approaches to change found useful in developing specific ideas for changes that lead to improvement. For example, in current efforts to reduce health care costs by discounting provider charges, the underlying generic concept is "reducing health care costs," and the specific idea is "discounting provider charges." Short-term gains in health care cost reduction can occur by pursuing discounts. After some time, however, limits to such reduction in costs are experienced. Persevering and continuing to travel down the "discounting provider charges" path is less likely to produce further substantial improvement than returning to the basic concept of "reducing health care costs." An interdisciplinary team aiming to reduce costs while improving quality of care for patients in need of hip joint replacement generated ideas for changing "what's done (process) to get better results." After team members wrote down their improvement ideas, they deduced the underlying change concepts and used them to generate even more ideas for improvement. Such change concepts include reordering the sequence of steps (preadmission physical therapy "certification"), eliminating failures at hand-offs between steps (transfer of information from physician's office to hospital), and eliminating a step (epidural pain control). Learning about making change, encouraging change, managing the change within and across organizations, and learning from the changes tested will characterize the sustainable, thriving health systems of the future.

Advanced Hydrogen Liquefaction Process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Schwartz, Joseph; Kromer, Brian; Neu, Ben

2011-09-28

The project identified and quantified ways to reduce the cost of hydrogen liquefaction, and reduce the cost of hydrogen distribution. The goal was to reduce the power consumption by 20% and then to reduce the capital cost. Optimizing the process, improving process equipment, and improving ortho-para conversion significantly reduced the power consumption of liquefaction, but by less than 20%. Because the efficiency improvement was less than the target, the program was stopped before the capital cost was addressed. These efficiency improvements could provide a benefit to the public to improve the design of future hydrogen liquefiers. The project increased themore » understanding of hydrogen liquefaction by modeling different processes and thoroughly examining ortho-para separation and conversion. The process modeling provided a benefit to the public because the project incorporated para hydrogen into the process modeling software, so liquefaction processes can be modeled more accurately than using only normal hydrogen. Adding catalyst to the first heat exchanger, a simple method to reduce liquefaction power, was identified, analyzed, and quantified. The demonstrated performance of ortho-para separation is sufficient for at least one identified process concept to show reduced power cost when compared to hydrogen liquefaction processes using conventional ortho-para conversion. The impact of improved ortho-para conversion can be significant because ortho para conversion uses about 20-25% of the total liquefaction power, but performance improvement is necessary to realize a substantial benefit. Most of the energy used in liquefaction is for gas compression. Improvements in hydrogen compression will have a significant impact on overall liquefier efficiency. Improvements to turbines, heat exchangers, and other process equipment will have less impact.« less

Cost analysis of immunisation against east coast fever on smallholder dairy farms in Kenya.

PubMed

Muraguri, G R; Mbogo, S K; McHardy, N; Kariuki, D P

1998-03-27

A spreadsheet model was developed and used to estimate the total cost of immunising cattle against East Coast fever (ECF) based on the infection-and-treatment method. Using data from an immunisation trial carried out on 102 calves and yearlings on 64 farms in the Githunguri division, Kiambu district, Kenya, a reference base scenario of a mean herd of five animals, a 10% rate of reaction to immunisation and a 2-day interval monitoring regimen (a total of 10 farm visits) was simulated. Under these conditions, the mean cost of immunisation per animal was US$16.48 (Ksh 955.78); this was equivalent to US$82.39 (Ksh 4778.90) per five-animal farm. A commonly reported reactor rate of 3% would decrease the cost of US$14.63 (Ksh 848.29) per animal. Reducing the number of farm monitoring visits from 10 to 7 would reduce the total cost by 10%, justified if farmers are trained to undertake some of the monitoring work. The fixed costs were 53% of the total cost of immunisation per farm. The cost of immunisation decreased with increasing number of animals per farm, showing economies of scale.

A decision-making framework for total ownership cost management of complex systems: A Delphi study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, Russel J.

This qualitative study, using a modified Delphi method, was conducted to develop a decision-making framework for the total ownership cost management of complex systems in the aerospace industry. The primary focus of total ownership cost is to look beyond the purchase price when evaluating complex system life cycle alternatives. A thorough literature review and the opinions of a group of qualified experts resulted in a compilation of total ownership cost best practices, cost drivers, key performance factors, applicable assessment methods, practitioner credentials and potential barriers to effective implementation. The expert panel provided responses to the study questions using a 5-point Likert-type scale. Data were analyzed and provided to the panel members for review and discussion with the intent to achieve group consensus. As a result of the study, the experts agreed that a total ownership cost analysis should (a) be as simple as possible using historical data; (b) establish cost targets, metrics, and penalties early in the program; (c) monitor the targets throughout the product lifecycle and revise them as applicable historical data becomes available; and (d) directly link total ownership cost elements with other success factors during program development. The resultant study framework provides the business leader with incentives and methods to develop and implement strategies for controlling and reducing total ownership cost over the entire product life cycle when balancing cost, schedule, and performance decisions.

Improvement of correlation-based centroiding methods for point source Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xuxu; Li, Xinyang; wang, Caixia

2018-03-01

This paper proposes an efficient approach to decrease the computational costs of correlation-based centroiding methods used for point source Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors. Four typical similarity functions have been compared, i.e. the absolute difference function (ADF), ADF square (ADF2), square difference function (SDF), and cross-correlation function (CCF) using the Gaussian spot model. By combining them with fast search algorithms, such as three-step search (TSS), two-dimensional logarithmic search (TDL), cross search (CS), and orthogonal search (OS), computational costs can be reduced drastically without affecting the accuracy of centroid detection. Specifically, OS reduces calculation consumption by 90%. A comprehensive simulation indicates that CCF exhibits a better performance than other functions under various light-level conditions. Besides, the effectiveness of fast search algorithms has been verified.

Innovative computational tools for reducing exploration risk through integration of water-rock interactions and magnetotelluric surveys

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moore, Joseph

2017-04-20

Mapping permeability distributions in geothermal reservoirs is essential for reducing the cost of geothermal development. To avoid the cost and sampling bias of measuring permeability directly through drilling, we require remote methods of imaging permeability such as geophysics. Electrical resistivity (or its inverse, conductivity) is one of the most sensitive geophysical properties known to reflect long range fluid interconnection and thus the likelihood of permeability. Perhaps the most widely applied geophysical methods for imaging subsurface resistivity is magnetotellurics (MT) due to its relatively great penetration depths. A primary goal of this project is to confirm through ground truthing at existingmore » geothermal systems that MT resistivity structure interpreted integratively is capable of revealing permeable fluid pathways into geothermal systems.« less

Detoxification of sugarcane-derived hemicellulosic hydrolysate using a lactic acid producing strain.

PubMed

Alves de Oliveira, Regiane; Vaz Rossell, Carlos Eduardo; Venus, Joachim; Cândida Rabelo, Sarita; Maciel Filho, Rubens

2018-07-20

Furfural and HMF are known for a negative impact in different bioprocesses, including lactic acid fermentation. There are already some methods described to remove these inhibitory compounds from the hydrolysates. However, these methods also reduce the yield of sugars from the hydrolysis and increase the process costs. In this work, the detoxification of sugarcane-derived hemicellulosic hydrolysate was performed by Lactobacillus plantarum during the fermentation time. At the end of the fermentation, a decrease of 98% of furfural and 86% of HMF and was observed, with a final lactic acid titer of 34.5 g/L. The simultaneous fermentation and bio-detoxification simplify the process and reduce operational costs, leading to economic competitiveness of second-generation feedstock for lactic acid production. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reducing Time-dependent Bias in Estimates of the Attributable Cost of Health Care-associated Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infections: A Comparison of Three Estimation Strategies.

PubMed

Nelson, Richard E; Samore, Matthew H; Jones, Makoto; Greene, Tom; Stevens, Vanessa W; Liu, Chuan-Fen; Graves, Nicholas; Evans, Martin F; Rubin, Michael A

2015-09-01

Previous estimates of the excess costs due to health care-associated infection (HAI) have scarcely addressed the issue of time-dependent bias. We examined time-dependent bias by estimating the health care costs attributable to an HAI due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) using a unique dataset in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that makes it possible to distinguish between costs that occurred before and after an HAI. In addition, we compare our results to those from 2 other estimation strategies. Using a historical cohort study design to estimate the excess predischarge costs attributable to MRSA HAIs, we conducted 3 analyses: (1) conventional, in which costs for the entire inpatient stay were compared between patients with and without MRSA HAIs; (2) post-HAI, which included only costs that occurred after an infection; and (3) matched, in which costs for the entire inpatient stay were compared between patients with an MRSA HAI and subset of patients without an MRSA HAI who were matched based on the time to infection. In our post-HAI analysis, estimates of the increase in inpatient costs due to MRSA HAI were $12,559 (P<0.0001) and $24,015 (P<0.0001) for variable and total costs, respectively. The excess variable and total cost estimates were 33.7% and 31.5% higher, respectively, when using the conventional methods and 14.6% and 11.8% higher, respectively, when using matched methods. This is the first study to account for time-dependent bias in the estimation of incremental per-patient health care costs attributable to HAI using a unique dataset in the VA. We found that failure to account for this bias can lead to overestimation of these costs. Matching on the timing of infection can reduce this bias substantially.

Algorithm For Optimal Control Of Large Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salama, Moktar A.; Garba, John A..; Utku, Senol

1989-01-01

Cost of computation appears competitive with other methods. Problem to compute optimal control of forced response of structure with n degrees of freedom identified in terms of smaller number, r, of vibrational modes. Article begins with Hamilton-Jacobi formulation of mechanics and use of quadratic cost functional. Complexity reduced by alternative approach in which quadratic cost functional expressed in terms of control variables only. Leads to iterative solution of second-order time-integral matrix Volterra equation of second kind containing optimal control vector. Cost of algorithm, measured in terms of number of computations required, is of order of, or less than, cost of prior algoritms applied to similar problems.

Magnetic Shield for Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigerators (ADR)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chui, Talso C.; Haddad, Nicolas E.

2013-01-01

A new method was developed for creating a less expensive shield for ADRs using 1018 carbon steel. This shield has been designed to have similar performance to the expensive vanadium permendur shields, but the cost is 30 to 50% less. Also, these shields can be stocked in a variety of sizes, eliminating the need for special forgings, which also greatly reduces cost.

Evaluating ASTER satellite imagery and gradient modeling for mapping and characterizing wildland fire fuels

Treesearch

Michael J. Falkowski; Paul Gessler; Penelope Morgan; Alistair M. S. Smith; Andrew T. Hudak

2004-01-01

Land managers need cost-effective methods for mapping and characterizing fire fuels quickly and accurately. The advent of sensors with increased spatial resolution may improve the accuracy and reduce the cost of fuels mapping. The objective of this research is to evaluate the accuracy and utility of imagery from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection...

Evaluating the ASTER sensor for mapping and characterizing forest fire fuels in northern Idaho

Treesearch

Michael J. Falkowski; Paul Gessler; Penelope Morgan; Alistair M. S. Smith; Andrew T. Hudak

2004-01-01

Land managers need cost-effective methods for mapping and characterizing fire fuels quickly and accurately. The advent of sensors with increased spatial resolution may improve the accuracy and reduce the cost of fuels mapping. The objective of this research is to evaluate the accuracy and utility of imagery from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection...

The potential of urban tree plantings to be cost effective in carbon credit markets

Treesearch

M.R. McHale; E.G. McPherson; I.C. Burke

2007-01-01

Emission trading is considered to be an economically sensitive method for reducing the concentrations of greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide, in the atmosphere. There has been debate about the viability of using urban tree plantings in these markets. The main concern is whether or not urban planting projects can be cost effective options for investors. We...

Development and evaluation of a low cost probe-type instrument to measure the equilibrium moisture content of grain

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Storage bags are common in Africa, Asia and many other less developed countries therefore a grain probing method is well-suited for moisture content (MC) measurement. A low cost meter was developed as part of a USAID project to reduce the post-harvest loss (PHL). The meter measures the MC of maize a...

Characterizing and mapping forest fire fuels using ASTER imagery and gradient modeling

Treesearch

Michael J. Falkowski; Paul E. Gessler; Penelope Morgan; Andrew T. Hudak; Alistair M. S. Smith

2005-01-01

Land managers need cost-effective methods for mapping and characterizing forest fuels quickly and accurately. The launch of satellite sensors with increased spatial resolution may improve the accuracy and reduce the cost of fuels mapping. The objective of this research is to evaluate the accuracy and utility of imagery from the advanced spaceborne thermal emission and...

End-of-Life Care in the Intensive Care Unit

PubMed Central

Engelberg, Ruth A.; Bensink, Mark E.; Ramsey, Scott D.

2012-01-01

The incidence and costs of critical illness are increasing in the United States at a time when there is a focus both on limiting the rising costs of healthcare and improving the quality of end-of-life care. More than 25% of healthcare costs are spent in the last year of life, and approximately 20% of deaths occur in the intensive care unit (ICU). Consequently, there has been speculation that end-of-life care in the ICU represents an important target for cost savings. It is unclear whether efforts to improve end-of-life care in the ICU could significantly reduce healthcare costs. Here, we summarize recent studies suggesting that important opportunities may exist to improve quality and reduce costs through two mechanisms: advance care planning for patients with life-limiting illness and use of time-limited trials of ICU care for critically ill patients. The goal of these approaches is to ensure patients receive the intensity of care that they would choose at the end of life, given the opportunity to make an informed decision. Although these mechanisms hold promise for increasing quality and reducing costs, there are few clearly described, effective methods to implement these mechanisms in routine clinical practice. We believe basic science in communication and decision making, implementation research, and demonstration projects are critically important if we are to translate these approaches into practice and, in so doing, provide high-quality and patient-centered care while limiting rising healthcare costs. PMID:22859524

Low cost damage tolerant composite fabrication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Palmer, R. J.; Freeman, W. T.

1988-01-01

The resin transfer molding (RTM) process applied to composite aircraft parts offers the potential for using low cost resin systems with dry graphite fabrics that can be significantly less expensive than prepreg tape fabricated components. Stitched graphite fabric composites have demonstrated compression after impact failure performance that equals or exceeds that of thermoplastic or tough thermoset matrix composites. This paper reviews methods developed to fabricate complex shape composite parts using stitched graphite fabrics to increase damage tolerance with RTM processes to reduce fabrication cost.

Localization Versus Abstraction: A Comparison of Two Search Reduction Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lansky, Amy L.

1992-01-01

There has been much recent work on the use of abstraction to improve planning behavior and cost. Another technique for dealing with the inherently explosive cost of planning is localization. This paper compares the relative strengths of localization and abstraction in reducing planning search cost. In particular, localization is shown to subsume abstraction. Localization techniques can model the various methods of abstraction that have been used, but also provide a much more flexible framework, with a broader range of benefits.

Operation and maintenance cost data for residential photovoltaic modules/panels

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oster, J. R., Jr.; Zaremski, D. R., Jr.; Albert, E. M.; Hawkins, S. L.

1980-01-01

Costs associated with the operation and maintenance of residential photovoltaic modules and arrays are studied. Six basic topics related to operation and maintenance to photovoltaic arrays are investigated: maintenance; cleaning; panel replacement; gasket repair/replacement; wiring repair/replacement; and termination repair/replacement. The effects of the mounting types (rack mount, stand off mount, direct mount and integral mount) and the installation/replacement type (sequential, partial interruption and independent) are identified and described. Methods of reducing maintenance costs are suggested.

Advanced Guidance and Control Methods for Reusable Launch Vehicles: Test Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hanson, John M.; Jones, Robert E.; Krupp, Don R.; Fogle, Frank R. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

There are a number of approaches to advanced guidance and control (AG&C) that have the potential for achieving the goals of significantly increasing reusable launch vehicle (RLV) safety/reliability and reducing the cost. In this paper, we examine some of these methods and compare the results. We briefly introduce the various methods under test, list the test cases used to demonstrate that the desired results are achieved, show an automated test scoring method that greatly reduces the evaluation effort required, and display results of the tests. Results are shown for the algorithms that have entered testing so far.

A simple and cost-effective molecular diagnostic system and DNA probes synthesized by light emitting diode photolithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oleksandrov, Sergiy; Kwon, Jung Ho; Lee, Ki-chang; Sujin-Ku; Paek, Mun Cheol

2014-09-01

This work introduces a novel chip to be used in the future as a simple and cost-effective method for creating DNA arrays using light emission diode (LED) photolithography. The DNA chip platform contains 24 independent reaction sites, which allows for the testing of a corresponding amount of patients' samples in hospital. An array of commercial UV LEDs and lens systems was combined with a microfluidic flow system to provide patterning of 24 individual reaction sites, each with 64 independent probes. Using the LED array instead of conventional laser exposure systems or micro-mirror systems significantly reduces the cost of equipment. The microfluidic system together with microfluidic flow cells drastically reduces the amount of used reagents, which is important due to the high cost of commercial reagents. The DNA synthesis efficiency was verified by fluorescence labeling and conventional hybridization.

Leveraging metal matrix composites to reduce costs in space mechanisms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nye, Ted; Claridge, Rex; Walker, Jim

1994-01-01

Advanced metal matrix composites may be one of the most promising technologies for reducing cost in structural components without compromise to strength or stiffness. A microlight 12.50 N (2.81 lb), two-axis, solar array drive assembly (SADA) was made for the Advanced Materials Applications to Space Structures (AMASS) Program flight experiment. The SADA had both its inner and outer axis housings fabricated from silicon carbide particulate reinforced alumimun. Two versions of the housings were made. The first was machined from a solid billet of material. The second was plaster cast to a near net shape that required minimal finish machining. Both manufacturing methods were compared upon completion. Results showed a cost savings with the cast housing was possible for quantities greater than one and probable for quantities greater than two. For quantities approaching ten, casting resulted in a reduction factor of almost three in the cost per part.

Green remediation: enhanced reductive dechlorination using recycled rinse water as bioremediation substrate

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dawson, Gaynor; McKeon, Tom

Enhanced reductive dechlorination (ERD) has rapidly become a remedy of choice for use on chlorinated solvent contamination when site conditions allow. With this approach, solutions of an organic substrate are injected into the affected aquifer to stimulate biological growth and the resultant production of reducing conditions in the target zone. Under the reducing conditions, hydrogen is produced and ultimately replaces chlorine atoms on the contaminant molecule causing sequential dechlorination. Under suitable conditions the process continues until the parent hydrocarbon precursor is produced, such as the complete dechlorination of trichloroethylene (TCE) to ethene. The process is optimized by use of amore » substrate that maximizes hydrogen production per unit cost. When natural biota are not present to promote the desired degradation, inoculates can be added with the substrate. The in-situ method both reduces cost and accelerates cleanup. Successful applications have been extended from the most common chlorinated compounds perchloroethylene (PCE) and TCE and related products of degradation, to perchlorate, and even explosives such as RDX and trinitrotoluene on which nitrates are attacked in lieu of chloride. In recent work, the process has been further improved through use of beverage industry wastewaters that are available at little or no cost. With material cost removed from the equation, applications can maximize the substrate loading without significantly increasing total cost. The extra substrate loading both accelerates reaction rates and extends the period of time over which reducing conditions are maintained. In some cases, the presence of other organic matter in addition to simple sugars provides for longer performance times of individual injections, thereby working in a fashion similar to emulsified vegetable oil. The paper discusses results of applications at three different sites contaminated with chlorinated ethylenes. The applications have included wastewaters of both natural fruit juices and corn syrup solutions from carbonated beverages. Cost implications include both the reduced cost of substrate and the cost avoidance of needing to pay for treatment of the wastewater. (authors)« less

Cost & efficiency evaluation of a publicly financed & publicly delivered referral transport service model in three districts of Haryana State, India

PubMed Central

Prinja, Shankar; Manchanda, Neha; Aggarwal, Arun Kumar; Kaur, Manmeet; Jeet, Gursimer; Kumar, Rajesh

2013-01-01

Background & objectives: Various models of referral transport services have been introduced in different States in India with an aim to reduce maternal and infant mortality. Most of the research on referral transport has focussed on coverage, quality and timeliness of the service with not much information on cost and efficiency. This study was undertaken to analyze the cost of a publicly financed and managed referral transport service model in three districts of Haryana State, and to assess its cost and technical efficiency. Methods: Data on all resources spent for delivering referral transport service, during 2010, were collected from three districts of Haryana State. Costs incurred at State level were apportioned using appropriate methods. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) technique was used to assess the technical efficiency of ambulances. To estimate the efficient scale of operation for ambulance service, the average cost was regressed on kilometres travelled for each ambulance station using a quadratic regression equation. Results: The cost of referral transport per year varied from ₹5.2 million in Narnaul to ₹9.8 million in Ambala. Salaries (36-50%) constituted the major cost. Referral transport was found to be operating at an average efficiency level of 76.8 per cent. Operating an ambulance with a patient load of 137 per month was found to reduce unit costs from an average ₹ 15.5 per km to ₹ 9.57 per km. Interpretation & conclusions: Our results showed that the publicly delivered referral transport services in Haryana were operating at an efficient level. Increasing the demand for referral transport services among the target population represents an opportunity for further improving the efficiency of the underutilized ambulances. PMID:24521648

Methods of Transposition of Nurses between Wards

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyazaki, Shigeji; Masuda, Masakazu

In this paper, a computer-implemented method for automating the transposition of a hospital’s nursing staff is proposed. The model is applied to the real case example ‘O’ hospital, which performs a transposition of its nursing staff once a year. Results are compared with real data obtained from this hospital’s current manual transposition system. The proposed method not only significantly reduces the time taken to construct the transposition, thereby significantly reducing management labor costs, but also is demonstrated to increase nurses’ levels of satisfaction with the process.

Developing a dashboard to help measure and achieve the triple aim: a population-based cohort study.

PubMed

Seow, Hsien-Yeang; Sibley, Lyn M

2014-08-30

Health system planners aim to pursue the three goals of Triple Aim: 1) reduce health care costs; 2) improve population health; and 3) improve the care experience. Moreover, they also need measures that can reliably predict future health care needs in order to manage effectively the health system performance. Yet few measures exist to assess Triple Aim and predict future needs at a health system level. The purpose of this study is to explore the novel application of a case-mix adjustment method in order to measure and help improve the Triple Aim of health system performance. We applied a case-mix adjustment method to a population-based analysis to assess its usefulness as a measure of health system performance and Triple Aim. The study design was a retrospective, cohort study of adults from Ontario, Canada using administrative databases: individuals were assigned a predicted illness burden score using a case-mix adjustment system from diagnoses and health utilization data in 2008, and then followed forward to assess the actual health care utilization and costs in the following year (2009). We applied the Johns Hopkins Adjusted Clinical Group (ACG) Case-Mix System to categorize individuals into 60 levels of healthcare need, called ACGs. The outcomes were: 1) Number of individuals per ACG; 2) Total system costs per ACG; and 3) Mean cost per person per ACG, which together formed a health system "dashboard". We identified 11.4 million adults. 16.1% were aged 65 or older, 3.2 million (28%) did not use health care services that year, and 45,000 (0.4%) were in the highest acuity ACG category using 12 times more than an average adult. The sickest 1%, 5% and 15% of the population use about 10%, 30% and 50% of total health system costs respectively. The dashboard measures 2 dimensions of Triple Aim: 1) reduced costs: when total system costs per ACG or when average costs per person is reduced; and 2) improved population health: when more people move into healthier rather than sicker ACGs. It can help to achieve the third aim, improved care experience, when ACG utilization predictions are reported to providers to proactively develop care plans. The dashboard, developed via case-mix methods, measures 2 of the Triple Aim goals and can help health system planners better manage their health delivery systems.

Geminal-spanning orbitals make explicitly correlated reduced-scaling coupled-cluster methods robust, yet simple

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavošević, Fabijan; Neese, Frank; Valeev, Edward F.

2014-08-01

We present a production implementation of reduced-scaling explicitly correlated (F12) coupled-cluster singles and doubles (CCSD) method based on pair-natural orbitals (PNOs). A key feature is the reformulation of the explicitly correlated terms using geminal-spanning orbitals that greatly reduce the truncation errors of the F12 contribution. For the standard S66 benchmark of weak intermolecular interactions, the cc-pVDZ-F12 PNO CCSD F12 interaction energies reproduce the complete basis set CCSD limit with mean absolute error <0.1 kcal/mol, and at a greatly reduced cost compared to the conventional CCSD F12.

Fault tolerant testbed evaluation, phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Caluori, V., Jr.; Newberry, T.

1993-01-01

In recent years, avionics systems development costs have become the driving factor in the development of space systems, military aircraft, and commercial aircraft. A method of reducing avionics development costs is to utilize state-of-the-art software application generator (autocode) tools and methods. The recent maturity of application generator technology has the potential to dramatically reduce development costs by eliminating software development steps that have historically introduced errors and the need for re-work. Application generator tools have been demonstrated to be an effective method for autocoding non-redundant, relatively low-rate input/output (I/O) applications on the Space Station Freedom (SSF) program; however, they have not been demonstrated for fault tolerant, high-rate I/O, flight critical environments. This contract will evaluate the use of application generators in these harsh environments. Using Boeing's quad-redundant avionics system controller as the target system, Space Shuttle Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) software will be autocoded, tested, and evaluated in the Johnson (Space Center) Avionics Engineering Laboratory (JAEL). The response of the autocoded system will be shown to match the response of the existing Shuttle General Purpose Computers (GPC's), thereby demonstrating the viability of using autocode techniques in the development of future avionics systems.

Cost-of-illness studies: concepts, scopes, and methods

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Liver diseases are one of the main causes of death, and their ever-increasing prevalence is threatening to cause significant damage both to individuals and society as a whole. This damage is especially serious for the economically active population in Korea. From the societal perspective, it is therefore necessary to consider the economic impacts associated with liver diseases, and identify interventions that can reduce the burden of these diseases. The cost-of-illness study is considered to be an essential evaluation technique in health care. By measuring and comparing the economic burdens of diseases to society, such studies can help health-care decision-makers to set up and prioritize health-care policies and interventions. Using economic theories, this paper introduces various study methods that are generally applicable to most disease cases for estimating the costs of illness associated with mortality, morbidity, disability, and other disease characteristics. It also presents concepts and scopes of costs along with different cost categories from different research perspectives in cost estimations. By discussing the epidemiological and economic grounds of the cost-of-illness study, the reported results represent useful information about several evaluation techniques at an advanced level, such as cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, and cost-utility analysis. PMID:25548737

Cost-of-illness studies: concepts, scopes, and methods.

PubMed

Jo, Changik

2014-12-01

Liver diseases are one of the main causes of death, and their ever-increasing prevalence is threatening to cause significant damage both to individuals and society as a whole. This damage is especially serious for the economically active population in Korea. From the societal perspective, it is therefore necessary to consider the economic impacts associated with liver diseases, and identify interventions that can reduce the burden of these diseases. The cost-of-illness study is considered to be an essential evaluation technique in health care. By measuring and comparing the economic burdens of diseases to society, such studies can help health-care decision-makers to set up and prioritize health-care policies and interventions. Using economic theories, this paper introduces various study methods that are generally applicable to most disease cases for estimating the costs of illness associated with mortality, morbidity, disability, and other disease characteristics. It also presents concepts and scopes of costs along with different cost categories from different research perspectives in cost estimations. By discussing the epidemiological and economic grounds of the cost-of-illness study, the reported results represent useful information about several evaluation techniques at an advanced level, such as cost-benefit analysis, cost-effectiveness analysis, and cost-utility analysis.

Optimal costs of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis for men who have sex with men

PubMed Central

Chen, Anders; Hoover, Karen W.; Kelly, Jane; Dowdy, David; Sharifi, Parastu; Sullivan, Patrick S.; Rosenberg, Eli S.

2017-01-01

Introduction Men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV due to their increased risk of infection. Oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a highly effictive HIV-prevention strategy for MSM. Despite evidence of its effectiveness, PrEP uptake in the United States has been slow, in part due to its cost. As jurisdictions and health organizations begin to think about PrEP scale-up, the high cost to society needs to be understood. Methods We modified a previously-described decision-analysis model to estimate the cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained, over a 1-year duration of PrEP intervention and lifetime time horizon. Using updated parameter estimates, we calculated: 1) the cost per QALY gained, stratified over 4 strata of PrEP cost (a function of both drug cost and provider costs); and 2) PrEP drug cost per year required to fall at or under 4 cost per QALY gained thresholds. Results When PrEP drug costs were reduced by 60% (with no sexual disinhibition) to 80% (assuming 25% sexual disinhibition), PrEP was cost-effective (at <$100,000 per QALY averted) in all scenarios of base-case or better adherence, as long as the background HIV prevalence was greater than 10%. For PrEP to be cost saving at base-case adherence/efficacy levels and at a background prevalence of 20%, drug cost would need to be reduced to $8,021 per year with no disinhibition, and to $2,548 with disinhibition. Conclusion Results from our analysis suggest that PrEP drug costs need to be reduced in order to be cost-effective across a range of background HIV prevalence. Moreover, our results provide guidance on the pricing of generic emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, in order to provide those at high risk for HIV an affordable prevention option without financial burden on individuals or jurisdictions scaling-up coverage. PMID:28570572

EFFECT OF ALTERNATING WETTING AND DRYING IRRIGATION METHODS ON PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND TEMPERATURE OF RICE AND WEED PLANTS.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Reduced input systems such as alternating wetting and drying (AWD) and furrow irrigation can potentially reduce water costs and limit the release of greenhouse gases in rice production, but also can introduce unwanted crop stresses that compromise crop yield and quality, as well as introducing compl...

Precious Metals Recovery from Electroplating Wastewater: A Review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azmi, A. A.; Jai, J.; Zamanhuri, N. A.; Yahya, A.

2018-05-01

Metal bearing electroplating wastewater posts great health and environmental concerns, but could also provide opportunities for precious and valuable metal recovery, which can make the treatment process more cost-effective and sustainable. Current conventional electroplating wastewater treatment and metal recovery methods include chemical precipitation, coagulation and flocculation, ion exchange, membrane filtration, adsorption, electrochemical treatment and photocatalysis. However, these physico-chemical methods have several disadvantages such as high initial capital cost, high operational cost due to expensive chemical reagents and electricity supply, generation of metal complexes sludge which requires further treatment, ineffective in diluted and/or concentrated wastewater, low precious metal selectivity, and slow recovery process. On the other hand, metal bio-reduction assisted by bioactive phytochemical compounds extracted from plants and plant parts is a new found technology explored by several researchers in recent years aiming to recover precious and valuable metals from secondary sources mainly industrial wastewater by utilizing low-cost and eco-friendly biomaterials as reagents. Extract of plants contains polyphenolic compounds which have great antioxidant properties and reducing capacities, able to reduce metal ions into zerovalent metal atoms and stabilize the metal particles formed. This green bio-recovery method has a value added in their end products since the metals are recovered in nano-sized particles which are more valuable and have high commercial demand in other fields ranging from electrochemistry to medicine.

Correlated natural transition orbital framework for low-scaling excitation energy calculations (CorNFLEx).

PubMed

Baudin, Pablo; Kristensen, Kasper

2017-06-07

We present a new framework for calculating coupled cluster (CC) excitation energies at a reduced computational cost. It relies on correlated natural transition orbitals (NTOs), denoted CIS(D')-NTOs, which are obtained by diagonalizing generalized hole and particle density matrices determined from configuration interaction singles (CIS) information and additional terms that represent correlation effects. A transition-specific reduced orbital space is determined based on the eigenvalues of the CIS(D')-NTOs, and a standard CC excitation energy calculation is then performed in that reduced orbital space. The new method is denoted CorNFLEx (Correlated Natural transition orbital Framework for Low-scaling Excitation energy calculations). We calculate second-order approximate CC singles and doubles (CC2) excitation energies for a test set of organic molecules and demonstrate that CorNFLEx yields excitation energies of CC2 quality at a significantly reduced computational cost, even for relatively small systems and delocalized electronic transitions. In order to illustrate the potential of the method for large molecules, we also apply CorNFLEx to calculate CC2 excitation energies for a series of solvated formamide clusters (up to 4836 basis functions).

Cost Savings of Human Milk as a Strategy to Reduce the Incidence of Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Very Low Birth Weight Infants

PubMed Central

Johnson, Tricia J.; Patel, Aloka L.; Bigger, Harold R.; Engstrom, Janet L.; Meier, Paula P.

2015-01-01

Background Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a costly morbidity in very low birth weight (VLBW; <1500g birth weight) infants that increases hospital length of stay and requires expensive treatments. Objectives To evaluate the cost of NEC as a function of dose and exposure period of human milk (HM) feedings received by VLBW infants during the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalization and determine the drivers of differences in NICU hospitalization costs for infants with and without NEC. Methods This study included 291 VLBW infants enrolled in an NIH-funded prospective observational cohort study between February 2008 and July 2012. We examined the incidence of NEC, NICU hospitalization cost, and cost of individual resources used during the NICU hospitalization. Results Twenty-nine (10.0%) infants developed NEC. The average total NICU hospitalization cost (in 2012 dollars) was $180,163 for infants with NEC and $134,494 for infants without NEC (p=0.024). NEC was associated with a marginal increase in costs of $43,818, after controlling for demographic characteristics, risk of NEC and average daily dose of HM during Days 1–14 (p<0.001). Each additional mL/kg/day of HM during Days 1–14 decreased non-NEC-related NICU costs by $534 (p<0.001). Conclusions Avoidance of formula and use of exclusive HM feedings during the first 14 days of life is an effective strategy to reduce the risk of NEC and resulting NICU costs in VLBW infants. Hospitals investing in initiatives to feed exclusive HM during the first 14 days of life could substantially reduce NEC-related NICU hospitalization costs. PMID:25765818

Collecting verbal autopsies: improving and streamlining data collection processes using electronic tablets.

PubMed

Flaxman, Abraham D; Stewart, Andrea; Joseph, Jonathan C; Alam, Nurul; Alam, Sayed Saidul; Chowdhury, Hafizur; Mooney, Meghan D; Rampatige, Rasika; Remolador, Hazel; Sanvictores, Diozele; Serina, Peter T; Streatfield, Peter Kim; Tallo, Veronica; Murray, Christopher J L; Hernandez, Bernardo; Lopez, Alan D; Riley, Ian Douglas

2018-02-01

There is increasing interest in using verbal autopsy to produce nationally representative population-level estimates of causes of death. However, the burden of processing a large quantity of surveys collected with paper and pencil has been a barrier to scaling up verbal autopsy surveillance. Direct electronic data capture has been used in other large-scale surveys and can be used in verbal autopsy as well, to reduce time and cost of going from collected data to actionable information. We collected verbal autopsy interviews using paper and pencil and using electronic tablets at two sites, and measured the cost and time required to process the surveys for analysis. From these cost and time data, we extrapolated costs associated with conducting large-scale surveillance with verbal autopsy. We found that the median time between data collection and data entry for surveys collected on paper and pencil was approximately 3 months. For surveys collected on electronic tablets, this was less than 2 days. For small-scale surveys, we found that the upfront costs of purchasing electronic tablets was the primary cost and resulted in a higher total cost. For large-scale surveys, the costs associated with data entry exceeded the cost of the tablets, so electronic data capture provides both a quicker and cheaper method of data collection. As countries increase verbal autopsy surveillance, it is important to consider the best way to design sustainable systems for data collection. Electronic data capture has the potential to greatly reduce the time and costs associated with data collection. For long-term, large-scale surveillance required by national vital statistical systems, electronic data capture reduces costs and allows data to be available sooner.

Cost-Effectiveness of Chemoprevention with Proton Pump Inhibitors in Barrett’s Esophagus

PubMed Central

Freedberg, Daniel E.; Abrams, Julian A.; Wang, Y. Claire

2015-01-01

Background Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) may reduce the risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) in patients with Barrett’s esophagus. PPIs are prescribed for virtually all patients with Barrett’s esophagus, irrespective of the presence of reflux symptoms, and represent a de facto chemopreventive agent in this population. However, long-term PPI use has been associated with several adverse effects, and the cost-effectiveness of chemoprevention with PPIs has not been evaluated. Aim The purpose of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of PPIs for the prevention of EAC in Barrett’s esophagus without reflux. Methods We designed a state-transition Markov micro-simulation model of a hypothetical cohort of 50-year-old white men with Barrett’s esophagus. We modeled chemoprevention with PPIs or no chemoprevention, with endoscopic surveillance for all treatment arms. Outcome measures were life-years, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), incident EAC cases and deaths, costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. Results Assuming 50 % reduction in EAC, chemoprevention with PPIs was a cost-effective strategy compared to no chemoprevention. In our model, administration of PPIs cost $23,000 per patient and resulted in a gain of 0.32 QALYs for an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $12,000/QALY. In sensitivity analyses, PPIs would be cost-effective at $50,000/QALY if they reduce EAC risk by at least 19 %. Conclusions Chemoprevention with PPIs in patients with Barrett’s esophagus without reflux is cost-effective if PPIs reduce EAC by a minimum of 19 %. The identification of subgroups of Barrett’s esophagus patients at increased risk for progression would lead to more cost-effective strategies for the prevention of esophageal adenocarcinoma. PMID:24795040

Active management of labor

PubMed Central

Rogers, Rebecca G; Gardner, Michael O; Tool, Kevin J; Ainsley, Jeanne; Gilson, George

2000-01-01

Objective To compare the costs of a protocol of active management of labor with those of traditional labor management. Design Cost analysis of a randomized controlled trial. Methods From August 1992 to April 1996, we randomly allocated 405 women whose infants were delivered at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, to an active management of labor protocol that had substantially reduced the duration of labor or a control protocol. We calculated the average cost for each delivery, using both actual costs and charges. Results The average cost for women assigned to the active management protocol was $2,480.79 compared with an average cost of $2,528.61 for women in the control group (P = 0.55). For women whose infant was delivered by cesarean section, the average cost was $4,771.54 for active management of labor and $4,468.89 for the control protocol (P = 0.16). Spontaneous vaginal deliveries cost an average of $27.00 more for actively managed patients compared with the cost for the control protocol. Conclusions The reduced duration of labor by active management did not translate into significant cost savings. Overall, an average cost saving of only $47.91, or 2%, was achieved for labors that were actively managed. This reduction in cost was due to a decrease in the rate of cesarean sections in women whose labor was actively managed and not to a decreased duration of labor. PMID:10778374

Flooded Underground Coal Mines: A Significant Source of Inexpensive Geothermal Energy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Watzlaf, G.R.; Ackman, T.E.

2007-04-01

Many mining regions in the United States contain extensive areas of flooded underground mines. The water within these mines represents a significant and widespread opportunity for extracting low-grade, geothermal energy. Based on current energy prices, geothermal heat pump systems using mine water could reduce the annual costs for heating to over 70 percent compared to conventional heating methods (natural gas or heating oil). These same systems could reduce annual cooling costs by up to 50 percent over standard air conditioning in many areas of the country. (Formatted full-text version is released by permission of publisher)

Integrating Physical Actions and Financial Instruments to Manage Environmental Financial Risk

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foster, B.

2016-12-01

Exposure to extreme weather events can be reduced through physical actions (e.g., dams/reservoirs) or mitigated financially (e.g., insurance). Often physical actions involve investments in expensive infrastructure that reduce exposure, but whose benefits are only occasionally realized. Financial risk management does not reduce the impacts of an event, but rather redistributes them temporally, albeit at a cost. Nonetheless, these costs are typically much smaller, at least in the short run, than those incurred for physical actions. Financial strategies are also more flexible than physical ones in the face of an uncertain future. Financial contracts specifically designed to manage extreme environmental risks are becoming more common and can either replace or complement infrastructural investments as part of a risk management portfolio. In order to make optimal decisions as to the relative levels of physical and financial risk mitigation to employ, it is necessary to understand the relative merits of each strategy. This research develops a method for analyzing tradeoffs between physical and financial risk management strategies. We identify the unique cost and benefit properties of each strategy and integrate them into a single model that details the tradeoffs involved in various portfolios of physical and financial strategies. These methods are then applied to evaluate decisions to pursue emergency dredging during drought on the Mississippi River, which is used to mitigate the increased costs and/or reduced revenues barge operators face when water levels are low. Currently the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers funds most emergency dredging operations during major droughts and they are considering more intensive strategies for future droughts. Barge carriers and shippers though could manage at least some portion of their financial risks through a series of existing and experimental financial contracts. This work involves the formulation of these experimental contracts and the development of methods to evaluate integrated portfolios of physical and financial risk management strategies.

A mathematical model of Clostridium difficile transmission in medical wards and a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing different strategies for laboratory diagnosis and patient isolation

PubMed Central

Carmeli, Yehuda; Leshno, Moshe

2017-01-01

Background Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a common and potentially fatal healthcare-associated infection. Improving diagnostic tests and infection control measures may prevent transmission. We aimed to determine, in resource-limited settings, whether it is more effective and cost-effective to allocate resources to isolation or to diagnostics. Methods We constructed a mathematical model of CDI transmission based on hospital data (9 medical wards, 350 beds) between March 2010 and February 2013. The model consisted of three compartments: susceptible patients, asymptomatic carriers and CDI patients. We used our model results to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis, comparing four strategies that were different combinations of 2 test methods (the two-step test and uniform PCR) and 2 infection control measures (contact isolation in multiple-bed rooms or single-bed rooms/cohorting). For each strategy, we calculated the annual cost (of CDI diagnosis and isolation) for a decrease of 1 in the average daily number of CDI patients; the strategy of the two-step test and contact isolation in multiple-bed rooms was the reference strategy. Results Our model showed that the average number of CDI patients increased exponentially as the transmission rate increased. Improving diagnosis by adopting uniform PCR assay reduced the average number of CDI cases per day per 350 beds from 9.4 to 8.5, while improving isolation by using single-bed rooms reduced the number to about 1; the latter was cost saving. Conclusions CDI can be decreased by better isolation and more sensitive laboratory methods. From the hospital perspective, improving isolation is more cost-effective than improving diagnostics. PMID:28187144

Reduction of costs for anemia-management drugs associated with the use of ferric citrate

PubMed Central

Thomas, Anila; Peterson, Leif E

2014-01-01

Background Ferric citrate is a novel phosphate binder which has the potential to reduce usage of erythropoietin-stimulating agents (ESAs) and intravenous (IV) iron used for anemia management during hemodialysis (HD) among patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Currently, the potential health care cost savings on a national scale due to the use of ferric citrate in ESRD are undetermined. Methods Per-patient-per-year costs of ESAs (Epogen® and Aranesp® [Amgen Inc., CA, USA]) and IV iron (Venofer® [American Regent, Inc., NY, USA] and Ferrlecit® [Sanofi US, Bridgewater, NJ, USA]) were based on RED BOOK™ (Truven Health Analytics New York, NY, USA) costs combined with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) base rate and actual usage in 2011 for the four drugs. The annual number of outpatients undergoing HD in the US was based on frequencies reported by the USRDS (United States Renal Data System). Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis was performed to determine total annual costs and cost reduction based on ferric citrate usage. Results Total annual cost of ESAs and IV iron for anemia management in ESRD determined by Monte Carlo analysis assuming CMS base rate value was 5.127 (3.664–6.260) billion USD. For actual utilization in 2011, total annual cost of ESAs and IV iron was 3.981 (2.780–4.930) billion USD. If ferric citrate usage reduced ESA utilization by 20% and IV iron by 40%, then total cost would be reduced by 21.2% to 4.038 (2.868–4.914) billion USD for the CMS base rate, and by 21.8% to 3.111 (2.148–3.845) billion USD, based on 2011 actual utilization. Conclusion It is likely that US health care costs for anemia-management drugs associated with ESRD among HD patients can be reduced by using ferric citrate as a phosphate binder. PMID:24899820

Space/lunar solar power systems research and needs (1999)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Criswell, David R.; Waldron, Robert D.

1999-01-01

Average per capita incomes of people in the Developed and Developing Nations have been diverging since the 1800s. The divergence increased after World War II. Now the per capita cost of commercial energy in the Developing Nations is a large fraction of the per capita income within the Developing Nations. Solar electric power could be provided to Earth from space or lunar installations. This new source power must be low in cost, <=1 ¢/kWe-h, in order to accelerate economic growth in the Developing Nations. Microwave beams appear to be the preferable method of delivering power to Earth. In order to provide low cost solar-electric power the projected cost of the microwave rectifier/antennas, termed rectennas, must be reduced. A reflector-rectenna is proposed to concentrate microwaves before they are converted by compact sets of antenna/rectifiers to electric power. Rectenna costs may be reduced by a factor of 5 and energy costs to the order of 1 ¢/kWe-h or less. The primary disadvantages of the concentrators are an ~10% loss in efficiency and re-emission of non-captured microwave energy.

FIELD ANALYTICAL METHODS: ADVANCED FIELD MONITORING METHODS DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF NEW AND INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES THAT SUPPORT THE SITE CHARACTERIZATION AND MONITORING REQUIREMENTS OF THE SUPERFUND PROGRAM.

EPA Science Inventory

The overall goal of this task is to help reduce the uncertainties in the assessment of environmental health and human exposure by better characterizing hazardous wastes through cost-effective analytical methods. Research projects are directed towards the applied development and ...

Head Lice in Norwegian Households: Actions Taken, Costs and Knowledge

PubMed Central

Rukke, Bjørn Arne; Birkemoe, Tone; Soleng, Arnulf; Lindstedt, Heidi Heggen; Ottesen, Preben

2012-01-01

Introduction Head lice infestations cause distress in many families. A well-founded strategy to reduce head lice prevalence must shorten the infectious period of individual hosts. To develop such a strategy, information about the actions taken (inspection, treatment and informing others about own infestations), level of knowledge and costs is needed. The present study is the first to consider all these elements combined. Materials and Methods A questionnaire was answered by 6203 households from five geographically separated municipalities in Norway. Results 94% of the households treated members with pediculicides when head lice were discovered. Nearly half of the households checked biannually or not at all. Previous occurrence of head lice and multiple children in a household improved both checking frequency and method. More than 90% of the households informed close contacts about their own pediculosis. Direct costs of pediculosis were low (less than €6.25 yearly) for 70% of the households, but the ability to pay for pediculicides decreased with the number of head lice infestations experienced. One in three households kept children from school because of pediculosis. Other widespread misconceptions, such as that excessive cleaning is necessary to fight head lice, may also add unnecessary burden to households. School affiliation had a significant effect on checking frequency and method, knowledge and willingness to inform others about own pediculosis. Conclusions Increased checking frequencies appear to be the most important element to reduce head lice prevalence in Norway and should be a primary focus of future strategies. National campaigns directed through schools to individual households, might be an important tool to achieve this goal. In addition to improving actions taken, such campaigns should also provide accurate information to reduce costs and enhance the level of knowledge about head lice in households. PMID:22393437

Whole Genome Amplification and Reduced-Representation Genome Sequencing of Schistosoma japonicum Miracidia.

PubMed

Shortt, Jonathan A; Card, Daren C; Schield, Drew R; Liu, Yang; Zhong, Bo; Castoe, Todd A; Carlton, Elizabeth J; Pollock, David D

2017-01-01

In areas where schistosomiasis control programs have been implemented, morbidity and prevalence have been greatly reduced. However, to sustain these reductions and move towards interruption of transmission, new tools for disease surveillance are needed. Genomic methods have the potential to help trace the sources of new infections, and allow us to monitor drug resistance. Large-scale genotyping efforts for schistosome species have been hindered by cost, limited numbers of established target loci, and the small amount of DNA obtained from miracidia, the life stage most readily acquired from humans. Here, we present a method using next generation sequencing to provide high-resolution genomic data from S. japonicum for population-based studies. We applied whole genome amplification followed by double digest restriction site associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) to individual S. japonicum miracidia preserved on Whatman FTA cards. We found that we could effectively and consistently survey hundreds of thousands of variants from 10,000 to 30,000 loci from archived miracidia as old as six years. An analysis of variation from eight miracidia obtained from three hosts in two villages in Sichuan showed clear population structuring by village and host even within this limited sample. This high-resolution sequencing approach yields three orders of magnitude more information than microsatellite genotyping methods that have been employed over the last decade, creating the potential to answer detailed questions about the sources of human infections and to monitor drug resistance. Costs per sample range from $50-$200, depending on the amount of sequence information desired, and we expect these costs can be reduced further given continued reductions in sequencing costs, improvement of protocols, and parallelization. This approach provides new promise for using modern genome-scale sampling to S. japonicum surveillance, and could be applied to other schistosome species and other parasitic helminthes.

Silicon crystal growth in vacuum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khattak, C. P.; Schmid, F.

1982-01-01

The most developed process for silicon crystal growth is the Czochralski (CZ) method which was in production for over two decades. In an effort to reduce cost of single crystal silicon for photovoltaic applications, a directional solidification technique, Heat Exchanger Method (HEM), was adapted. Materials used in HEM and CZ furnaces are quite similar (heaters, crucibles, insulation, etc.). To eliminate the cost of high purity argon, it was intended to use vacuum operation in HEM. Two of the major problems encountered in vacuum processing of silicon are crucible decomposition and silicon carbide formation in the melt.

Costing the scaling-up of human resources for health: lessons from Mozambique and Guinea Bissau

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Introduction In the context of the current human resources for health (HRH) crisis, the need for comprehensive Human Resources Development Plans (HRDP) is acute, especially in resource-scarce sub-Saharan African countries. However, the financial implications of such plans rarely receive due consideration, despite the availability of much advice and examples in the literature on how to conduct HRDP costing. Global initiatives have also been launched recently to standardise costing methodologies and respective tools. Methods This paper reports on two separate experiences of HRDP costing in Mozambique and Guinea Bissau, with the objective to provide an insight into the practice of costing exercises in information-poor settings, as well as to contribute to the existing debate on HRH costing methodologies. The study adopts a case-study approach to analyse the methodologies developed in the two countries, their contexts, policy processes and actors involved. Results From the analysis of the two cases, it emerged that the costing exercises represented an important driver of the HRDP elaboration, which lent credibility to the process, and provided a financial framework within which HRH policies could be discussed. In both cases, bottom-up and country-specific methods were designed to overcome the countries' lack of cost and financing data, as well as to interpret their financial systems. Such an approach also allowed the costing exercises to feed directly into the national planning and budgeting process. Conclusions The authors conclude that bottom-up and country-specific costing methodologies have the potential to serve adequately the multi-faceted purpose of the exercise. It is recognised that standardised tools and methodologies may help reduce local governments' dependency on foreign expertise to conduct the HRDP costing and facilitate regional and international comparisons. However, adopting pre-defined and insufficiently flexible tools may undermine the credibility of the costing exercise, and reduce the space for policy negotiation opportunities within the HRDP elaboration process. PMID:20579341

The healthy workplace project: Reduced viral exposure in an office setting.

PubMed

Reynolds, Kelly A; Beamer, Paloma I; Plotkin, Kevin R; Sifuentes, Laura Y; Koenig, David W; Gerba, Charles P

2016-05-03

Viral illnesses such as gastroenteritis and the common cold create a substantial burden in the workplace due to reduced productivity, increased absenteeism, and increased health care costs. Behaviors in the workplace contribute to the spread of human viruses via direct contact between hands, contaminated surfaces, and the mouth, eyes, and/or nose. This study assessed whether implementation of the Healthy Workplace Project (HWP) (providing hand sanitizers, disinfecting wipes, facial tissues, and use instructions) would reduce viral loads in an office setting of approximately 80 employees after seeding fomites and the hands of volunteer participants with an MS-2 phage tracer. The HWP significantly reduced viable phage detected on participants' hands, communal fomites, and personal fomites (p ≤ .010) in office environments and presents a cost-effective method for reducing the health and economic burden associated with viral illnesses in the workplace.

Can aging in place be cost effective? A systematic review.

PubMed

Graybill, Erin M; McMeekin, Peter; Wildman, John

2014-01-01

To systematically review cost, cost-minimization and cost-effectiveness studies for assisted living technologies (ALTs) that specifically enable older people to 'age in place' and highlight what further research is needed to inform decisions regarding aging in place. People aged 65+ and their live-in carers (where applicable), using an ALT to age in place at home opposed to a community-dwelling arrangement. Studies were identified using a predefined search strategy on two key economic and cost evaluation databases NHS EED, HEED. Studies were assessed using methods recommended by the Campbell and Cochrane Economic Methods Group and presented in a narrative synthesis style. Eight eligible studies were identified from North America spread over a diverse geographical range. The majority of studies reported the ALT intervention group as having lower resource use costs than the control group; though the low methodological quality and heterogeneity of the individual costs and outcomes reported across studies must be considered. The studies suggest that in some cases ALTs may reduce costs, though little data were identified and what there were was of poor quality. Methods to capture quality of life gains were not used, therefore potential effects on health and wellbeing may be missed. Further research is required using newer developments such as the capabilities approach. High quality studies assessing the cost-effectiveness of ALTs for ageing in place are required before robust conclusion on their use can be drawn.

Method for efficient recovery of high-purity polycarbonates from electronic waste.

PubMed

Weeden, George S; Soepriatna, Nicholas H; Wang, Nien-Hwa Linda

2015-02-17

More than one million tons of polycarbonates from waste electrical and electronic equipment are consigned to landfills at an increasing rate of 3-5% per year. Recycling the polymer waste should have a major environmental impact. Pure solvents cannot be used to selectively extract polycarbonates from mixtures of polymers with similar properties. In this study, selective mixed solvents are found using guidelines from Hansen solubility parameters, gradient polymer elution chromatography, and solubility tests. A room-temperature sequential extraction process using two mixed solvents is developed to recover polycarbonates with high yield (>95%) and a similar purity and molecular weight distribution as virgin polycarbonates. The estimated cost of recovery is less than 30% of the cost of producing virgin polycarbonates from petroleum. This method would potentially reduce raw materials from petroleum, use 84% less energy, reduce emission by 1-6 tons of CO2 per ton of polycarbonates, and reduce polymer accumulation in landfills and associated environmental hazards.

Large-scale use of mosquito larval source management for malaria control in Africa: a cost analysis

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background At present, large-scale use of two malaria vector control methods, long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) is being scaled up in Africa with substantial funding from donors. A third vector control method, larval source management (LSM), has been historically very successful and is today widely used for mosquito control globally, except in Africa. With increasing risk of insecticide resistance and a shift to more exophilic vectors, LSM is now under re-evaluation for use against afro-tropical vector species. Here the costs of this intervention were evaluated. Methods The 'ingredients approach' was used to estimate the economic and financial costs per person protected per year (pppy) for large-scale LSM using microbial larvicides in three ecologically diverse settings: (1) the coastal metropolitan area of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, (2) a highly populated Kenyan highland area (Vihiga District), and (3) a lakeside setting in rural western Kenya (Mbita Division). Two scenarios were examined to investigate the cost implications of using alternative product formulations. Sensitivity analyses on product prices were carried out. Results The results show that for programmes using the same granular formulation larviciding costs the least pppy in Dar es Salaam (US$0.94), approximately 60% more in Vihiga District (US$1.50) and the most in Mbita Division (US$2.50). However, these costs are reduced substantially if an alternative water-dispensable formulation is used; in Vihiga, this would reduce costs to US$0.79 and, in Mbita Division, to US$1.94. Larvicide and staff salary costs each accounted for approximately a third of the total economic costs per year. The cost pppy depends mainly on: (1) the type of formulation required for treating different aquatic habitats, (2) the human population density relative to the density of aquatic habitats and (3) the potential to target the intervention in space and/or time. Conclusion Costs for LSM compare favourably with costs for IRS and LLINs, especially in areas with moderate and focal malaria transmission where mosquito larval habitats are accessible and well defined. LSM presents an attractive tool to be integrated in ongoing malaria control effort in such settings. Further data on the epidemiological health impact of larviciding is required to establish cost effectiveness. PMID:22067606

Transaction costs and sequential bargaining in transferable discharge permit markets.

PubMed

Netusil, N R; Braden, J B

2001-03-01

Market-type mechanisms have been introduced and are being explored for various environmental programs. Several existing programs, however, have not attained the cost savings that were initially projected. Modeling that acknowledges the role of transactions costs and the discrete, bilateral, and sequential manner in which trades are executed should provide a more realistic basis for calculating potential cost savings. This paper presents empirical evidence on potential cost savings by examining a market for the abatement of sediment from farmland. Empirical results based on a market simulation model find no statistically significant change in mean abatement costs under several transaction cost levels when contracts are randomly executed. An alternative method of contract execution, gain-ranked, yields similar results. At the highest transaction cost level studied, trading reduces the total cost of compliance relative to a uniform standard that reflects current regulations.

The costs of introducing new technologies into space systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dodson, E. N.; Partma, H.; Ruhland, W.

1992-01-01

A review is conducted of cost-research studies intended to provide guidelines for cost estimates of integrating new technologies into existing satellite systems. Quantitative methods are described for determining the technological state-of-the-art so that proposed programs can be evaluated accurately in terms of their contribution to technological development. The R&D costs associated with the proposed programs are then assessed with attention given to the technological advances. Also incorporated quantifiably are any reductions in the costs of production, operations, and support afforded by the advanced technologies. The proposed model is employed in relation to a satellite sizing and cost study in which a tradeoff between increased R&D costs and reduced production costs is examined. The technology/cost model provides a consistent yardstick for assessing the true relative economic impact of introducing novel techniques and technologies.

Modified Method for Detection of Benzoylecgonine in Human Urine by GC-MS: Derivatization Using Pentafluoropropanol/Acetic Anhydride.

PubMed

Serafin, Michelle C; Paulemon, Kasandra M; Fuller, Zachary J; Bronner, William E

2017-05-01

An existing GC-MS method for detecting benzoylecgonine (BZE) in urine was modified by changing derivatizing reagents. This method modification presents a cost-effective alternative derivatization procedure for the detection of BZE in urine by GC-MS. The combination of pentafluoropropanol and acetic anhydride was found to produce the same reaction product for BZE as pentafluoropropanol with pentafluoropropionic anhydride, while reducing reagent cost. With no anhydride present, derivatization of BZE by pentafluoropropanol did not occur. Published by Oxford University Press 2017. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

37 CFR 203.4 - Methods of operation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 37 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Methods of operation. 203.4 Section 203.4 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights COPYRIGHT OFFICE, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS COPYRIGHT OFFICE... manner as to enable the Office to respond effectively and reduce search costs for the requester. (f) The...

37 CFR 203.4 - Methods of operation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 37 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Methods of operation. 203.4 Section 203.4 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS COPYRIGHT... manner as to enable the Office to respond effectively and reduce search costs for the requester. (f) The...

37 CFR 203.4 - Methods of operation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 37 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Methods of operation. 203.4 Section 203.4 Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights COPYRIGHT OFFICE, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS COPYRIGHT OFFICE... manner as to enable the Office to respond effectively and reduce search costs for the requester. (f) The...

Influence of nitrogen rate and drip application method on pomegranate fruit yield and quality

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Currently, 98% of domestic commercial pomegranate fruit (Punica granatum L.) are produced in California on over 13,000 ha. Developing more efficient methods of water and fertilizer application are important in reducing production costs. In 2012, a pomegranate orchard established in 2010 with a den...

Using Ensemble Decisions and Active Selection to Improve Low-Cost Labeling for Multi-View Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rebbapragada, Umaa; Wagstaff, Kiri L.

2011-01-01

This paper seeks to improve low-cost labeling in terms of training set reliability (the fraction of correctly labeled training items) and test set performance for multi-view learning methods. Co-training is a popular multiview learning method that combines high-confidence example selection with low-cost (self) labeling. However, co-training with certain base learning algorithms significantly reduces training set reliability, causing an associated drop in prediction accuracy. We propose the use of ensemble labeling to improve reliability in such cases. We also discuss and show promising results on combining low-cost ensemble labeling with active (low-confidence) example selection. We unify these example selection and labeling strategies under collaborative learning, a family of techniques for multi-view learning that we are developing for distributed, sensor-network environments.

HIV Treatment as Prevention: Modelling the Cost of Antiretroviral Treatment—State of the Art and Future Directions

PubMed Central

Meyer-Rath, Gesine; Over, Mead

2012-01-01

Policy discussions about the feasibility of massively scaling up antiretroviral therapy (ART) to reduce HIV transmission and incidence hinge on accurately projecting the cost of such scale-up in comparison to the benefits from reduced HIV incidence and mortality. We review the available literature on modelled estimates of the cost of providing ART to different populations around the world, and suggest alternative methods of characterising cost when modelling several decades into the future. In past economic analyses of ART provision, costs were often assumed to vary by disease stage and treatment regimen, but for treatment as prevention, in particular, most analyses assume a uniform cost per patient. This approach disregards variables that can affect unit cost, such as differences in factor prices (i.e., the prices of supplies and services) and the scale and scope of operations (i.e., the sizes and types of facilities providing ART). We discuss several of these variables, and then present a worked example of a flexible cost function used to determine the effect of scale on the cost of a proposed scale-up of treatment as prevention in South Africa. Adjusting previously estimated costs of universal testing and treatment in South Africa for diseconomies of small scale, i.e., more patients being treated in smaller facilities, adds 42% to the expected future cost of the intervention. PMID:22802731

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Horowitz, Kelsey A. W.; Fu, Ran; Woodhouse, Michael

This article examines current cost drivers and potential avenues to reduced cost for monolithic, glass-glass Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S)2 (CIGS) modules by constructing a comprehensive bottom-up cost model. For a reference case where sputtering plus batch sulfurization after selenization (SAS) is employed, we compute a manufacturing cost of $69/m2 if the modules are made in the United States at a 1 GW/year production volume. At 14% module efficiency, this corresponds to a manufacturing cost of $0.49/WDC and a minimum sustainable price (MSP) of $0.67/WDC. We estimate that MSP could vary within +/-20% of this value given the range of quoted input prices, andmore » existing variations in module design, manufacturing processes, and manufacturing location. Potential for reduction in manufacturing costs to below $0.40/WDC may be possible if average production module efficiencies can be increased above 17% without increasing $/m2 costs; even lower costs could be achieved if $/m2 costs could be reduced, particularly via innovations in the CIGS deposition process or balance-of-module elements. We present the impact on cost of regional factors, CIGS deposition method, device design, and price fluctuations. One metric of competitiveness-levelized cost of energy (LCOE) -- is also assessed for several U.S. locations and compared to that of standard multi-crystalline silicon (m(c-Si)) and cadmium telluride (CdTe).« less

Cost-effectiveness of Crohn’s disease post-operative care

PubMed Central

Wright, Emily K; Kamm, Michael A; Dr Cruz, Peter; Hamilton, Amy L; Ritchie, Kathryn J; Bell, Sally J; Brown, Steven J; Connell, William R; Desmond, Paul V; Liew, Danny

2016-01-01

AIM: To define the cost-effectiveness of strategies, including endoscopy and immunosuppression, to prevent endoscopic recurrence of Crohn’s disease following intestinal resection. METHODS: In the “POCER” study patients undergoing intestinal resection were treated with post-operative drug therapy. Two thirds were randomized to active care (6 mo colonoscopy and drug intensification for endoscopic recurrence) and one third to drug therapy without early endoscopy. Colonoscopy at 18 mo and faecal calprotectin (FC) measurement were used to assess disease recurrence. Administrative data, chart review and patient questionnaires were collected prospectively over 18 mo. RESULTS: Sixty patients (active care n = 43, standard care n = 17) were included from one health service. Median total health care cost was $6440 per patient. Active care cost $4824 more than standard care over 18 mo. Medication accounted for 78% of total cost, of which 90% was for adalimumab. Median health care cost was higher for those with endoscopic recurrence compared to those in remission [$26347 (IQR 25045-27485) vs $2729 (IQR 1182-5215), P < 0.001]. FC to select patients for colonoscopy could reduce cost by $1010 per patient over 18 mo. Active care was associated with 18% decreased endoscopic recurrence, costing $861 for each recurrence prevented. CONCLUSION: Post-operative management strategies are associated with high cost, primarily medication related. Calprotectin use reduces costs. The long term cost-benefit of these strategies remains to be evaluated. PMID:27076772

Optimization of joint energy micro-grid with cold storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Bin; Luo, Simin; Tian, Yan; Chen, Xianda; Xiong, Botao; Zhou, Bowen

2018-02-01

To accommodate distributed photovoltaic (PV) curtailment, to make full use of the joint energy micro-grid with cold storage, and to reduce the high operating costs, the economic dispatch of joint energy micro-grid load is particularly important. Considering the different prices during the peak and valley durations, an optimization model is established, which takes the minimum production costs and PV curtailment fluctuations as the objectives. Linear weighted sum method and genetic-taboo Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm are used to solve the optimization model, to obtain optimal power supply output. Taking the garlic market in Henan as an example, the simulation results show that considering distributed PV and different prices in different time durations, the optimization strategies are able to reduce the operating costs and accommodate PV power efficiently.

Integration of Mahalanobis-Taguchi system and traditional cost accounting for remanufacturing crankshaft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abu, M. Y.; Norizan, N. S.; Rahman, M. S. Abd

2018-04-01

Remanufacturing is a sustainability strategic planning which transforming the end of life product to as new performance with their warranty is same or better than the original product. In order to quantify the advantages of this strategy, all the processes must implement the optimization to reach the ultimate goal and reduce the waste generated. The aim of this work is to evaluate the criticality of parameters on the end of life crankshaft based on Taguchi’s orthogonal array. Then, estimate the cost using traditional cost accounting by considering the critical parameters. By implementing the optimization, the remanufacturer obviously produced lower cost and waste during production with higher potential to gain the profit. Mahalanobis-Taguchi System was proven as a powerful method of optimization that revealed the criticality of parameters. When subjected the method to the MAN engine model, there was 5 out of 6 crankpins were critical which need for grinding process while no changes happened to the Caterpillar engine model. Meanwhile, the cost per unit for MAN engine model was changed from MYR1401.29 to RM1251.29 while for Caterpillar engine model have no changes due to the no changes on criticality of parameters consideration. Therefore, by integrating the optimization and costing through remanufacturing process, a better decision can be achieved after observing the potential profit will be gained. The significant of output demonstrated through promoting sustainability by reducing re-melting process of damaged parts to ensure consistent benefit of return cores.

Small Habitat Commonality Reduces Cost for Human Mars Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Griffin, Brand N.; Lepsch, Roger; Martin, John; Howard, Robert; Rucker, Michelle; Zapata, Edgar; McCleskey, Carey; Howe, Scott; Mary, Natalie; Nerren, Philip (Inventor)

2015-01-01

Most view the Apollo Program as expensive. It was. But, a human mission to Mars will be orders of magnitude more difficult and costly. Recently, NASA's Evolvable Mars Campaign (EMC) mapped out a step-wise approach for exploring Mars and the Mars-moon system. It is early in the planning process but because approximately 80% of the total life cycle cost is committed during preliminary design, there is an effort to emphasize cost reduction methods up front. Amongst the options, commonality across small habitat elements shows promise for consolidating the high bow-wave costs of Design, Development, Test and Evaluation (DDT&E) while still accommodating each end-item's functionality. In addition to DDT&E, there are other cost and operations benefits to commonality such as reduced logistics, simplified infrastructure integration and with inter-operability, improved safety and simplified training. These benefits are not without a cost. Some habitats are sub-optimized giving up unique attributes for the benefit of the overall architecture and because the first item sets the course for those to follow, rapidly developing technology may be excluded. The small habitats within the EMC include the pressurized crew cabins for the ascent vehicle,

A Modeled Analysis of Telehealth Methods for Treating Pressure Ulcers after Spinal Cord Injury

PubMed Central

Smith, Mark W.; Hill, Michelle L.; Hopkins, Karen L.; Kiratli, B. Jenny; Cronkite, Ruth C.

2012-01-01

Home telehealth can improve clinical outcomes for conditions that are common among patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). However, little is known about the costs and potential savings associated with its use. We developed clinical scenarios that describe common situations in treatment or prevention of pressure ulcers. We calculated the cost implications of using telehealth for each scenario and under a range of reasonable assumptions. Data were gathered primarily from US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) administrative records. For each scenario and treatment method, we multiplied probabilities, frequencies, and costs to determine the expected cost over the entire treatment period. We generated low-, medium-, and high-cost estimates based on reasonable ranges of costs and probabilities. Telehealth care was less expensive than standard care when low-cost technology was used but often more expensive when high-cost, interactive devices were installed in the patient's home. Increased utilization of telehealth technology (particularly among rural veterans with SCI) could reduce the incidence of stage III and stage IV ulcers, thereby improving veterans' health and quality of care without increasing costs. Future prospective studies of our present scenarios using patients with various healthcare challenges are recommended. PMID:22969798

ALTERNATIVES FOR REDUCING INSECTICIDES ON COTTON AND CORN: ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT - SUPPLEMENT 1: DETAILED DATA FOR STATIC AND LINEAR ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVES FOR REDUCING INSECTICIDES ON COTTON AND CORN

EPA Science Inventory

The report lists the expected insect control costs and insecticide use per acre for each insect control method on corn and cotton in each region discussed in Alternatives for Reducing Insecticides on Cotton and Corn: Economic and Environmental Impact. All the runs used in the lin...

The hidden costs: Identification of indirect costs associated with acute gastrointestinal illness in an Inuit community

PubMed Central

Vriezen, Rachael; Edge, Victoria L.; Ford, James; Wood, Michele; Harper, Sherilee

2018-01-01

Background Acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) incidence and per-capita healthcare expenditures are higher in some Inuit communities as compared to elsewhere in Canada. Consequently, there is a demand for strategies that will reduce the individual-level costs of AGI; this will require a comprehensive understanding of the economic costs of AGI. However, given Inuit communities’ unique cultural, economic, and geographic contexts, there is a knowledge gap regarding the context-specific indirect costs of AGI borne by Inuit community members. This study aimed to identify the major indirect costs of AGI, and explore factors associated with these indirect costs, in the Inuit community of Rigolet, Canada, in order to develop a case-based context-specific study framework that can be used to evaluate these costs. Methods A mixed methods study design and community-based methods were used. Qualitative in-depth, group, and case interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify and describe indirect costs of AGI specific to Rigolet. Data from two quantitative cross-sectional retrospective surveys were analyzed using univariable regression models to examine potential associations between predictor variables and the indirect costs. Results/Significance The most notable indirect costs of AGI that should be incorporated into cost-of-illness evaluations were the tangible costs related to missing paid employment and subsistence activities, as well as the intangible costs associated with missing community and cultural events. Seasonal cost variations should also be considered. This study was intended to inform cost-of-illness studies conducted in Rigolet and other similar research settings. These results contribute to a better understanding of the economic impacts of AGI on Rigolet residents, which could be used to help identify priority areas and resource allocation for public health policies and programs. PMID:29768456

12 strategies for managing capital projects.

PubMed

Stoudt, Richard L

2013-05-01

To reduce the amount of time and cost associated with capital projects, healthcare leaders should: Begin the project with a clear objective and a concise master facilities plan. Select qualified team members who share the vision of the owner. Base the size of the project on a conservative business plan. Minimize incremental program requirements. Evaluate the cost impact of the building footprint. Consider alternative delivery methods.

Solar cells based on electrodeposited thin films of ZnS, CdS, CdSSe and CdTe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weerasinghe, Ajith R.

The motivations of this research were to produce increased efficiency and low-cost solar cells. The production efficiency of Si solar cells has almost reached their theoretical limit, and reducing the manufacturing cost of Si solar cells is difficult to achieve due to the high-energy usage in material purifying and processing stages. Due to the low usage of materials and input energy, thin film solar cells have the potential to reduce the costs. CdS/CdTe thin film solar cells are already the cheapest on $/W basis. The cost of CdTe solar cells can be further reduced if all the semiconducting layers are fabricated using the electrodeposition (ED) method. ED method is scalable, low in the usage of energy and raw materials. These benefits lead to the cost effective production of semiconductors. The conventional method of fabricating CdS layers produces Cd containing waste solutions routinely, which adds to the cost of solar cells.ZnS, CdS and CdS(i-X)Sex buffer and window layers and CdTe absorber layers have been successfully electrodeposited and explored under this research investigation. These layers were fully characterised using complementary techniques to evaluate the material properties. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) studies, optical absorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Raman spectroscopy were utilised to evaluate the material properties of these solid thin film layers. ZnS and CdS thin film layers were electrodeposited from Na-free chemical precursors to avoid the group I element (Na) to reduce deterioration of CdTe devices. Deposition parameters such as, growth substrates, temperature, pH, growth cathodic voltage, stirring rate, time and chemical concentrations were identified to fabricate the above semiconductors. To further optimise these layers, a heat treatment process specific to the material was developed. In addition, the deposition parameters of CdTe layers were further optimised. This research programme has demonstrated that electrodeposited ZnS, CdS and CdTe thin film layers have material characteristics comparable with those of the materials reported in the literature and can be used in thin film solar cell devices. Furthermore, the electrolytes were used for up to two years, reducing the wastage even further, in comparison to other fabrication methods, such as chemical bath deposition. Several large-area semiconducting layers were successfully fabricated to test the scalability of the method. Nano-rods perpendicular to the glass/FTO surface with gaps among grains in CdS layers were observed. In order to reduce the possible pinholes due the gaps, a deposition of a semiconducting layer to cover completely the substrate was investigated. CdS(i-X)Sex layers were investigated to produce a layer-by-layer deposition of the material. However it was observed the surface morphology of CdS(j.X)Sex is a function of the growth parameters which produced nano-wires, nano-tubes and nano-sheets. This is the first recording of this effect for a low temperature deposition method, minimising the cost of producing this highly photosensitive material for use in various nano technology applications.The basic structure experimented was glass/conducting-glass/buffer layer/window material/absorber material/metal. By utilising all the semiconducting layers developed, several solar cell device structures were designed, fabricated and tested. This included a novel all-electrodeposited multi-layer graded bandgap device, to enhance the absorption of solar photons. The device efficiencies varied from batch to batch, and efficiencies in the range (3-7)% were observed. The variations in chemical concentrations, surface states and the presence of pin-hole defects in CdS were the main reasons for the range of efficiencies obtained. In the future work section, ways to avoid these variations and to increase efficiencies are identified and presented.

CC2 oscillator strengths within the local framework for calculating excitation energies (LoFEx).

PubMed

Baudin, Pablo; Kjærgaard, Thomas; Kristensen, Kasper

2017-04-14

In a recent work [P. Baudin and K. Kristensen, J. Chem. Phys. 144, 224106 (2016)], we introduced a local framework for calculating excitation energies (LoFEx), based on second-order approximated coupled cluster (CC2) linear-response theory. LoFEx is a black-box method in which a reduced excitation orbital space (XOS) is optimized to provide coupled cluster (CC) excitation energies at a reduced computational cost. In this article, we present an extension of the LoFEx algorithm to the calculation of CC2 oscillator strengths. Two different strategies are suggested, in which the size of the XOS is determined based on the excitation energy or the oscillator strength of the targeted transitions. The two strategies are applied to a set of medium-sized organic molecules in order to assess both the accuracy and the computational cost of the methods. The results show that CC2 excitation energies and oscillator strengths can be calculated at a reduced computational cost, provided that the targeted transitions are local compared to the size of the molecule. To illustrate the potential of LoFEx for large molecules, both strategies have been successfully applied to the lowest transition of the bivalirudin molecule (4255 basis functions) and compared with time-dependent density functional theory.

Kaizen method for esophagectomy patients: improved quality control, outcomes, and decreased costs.

PubMed

Iannettoni, Mark D; Lynch, William R; Parekh, Kalpaj R; McLaughlin, Kelley A

2011-04-01

The majority of costs associated with esophagectomy are related to the initial 3 days of hospital stay requiring intensive care unit stays, ventilator support, and intraoperative time. Additional costs arise from hospital-based services. The major cost increases are related to complications associated with the procedure. We attempted to define these costs and identify expense management by streamlining care through strict adherence to patient care maps, operative standardization, and rapid discharge planning to reduce variability. Utilizing methods of Kaizen philosophy we evaluated all processes related to the entire experience of esophageal resection. This process has taken over 5 years to achieve, with quality and cost being tracked over this time period. Cost analysis included expenses related to intensive care unit, anesthesia, disposables, and hospital services. Quality improvement measures were related to intraoperative complications, in-hospital complications, and postoperative outcomes. The Institutional Review Board approved the use of anonymous data from standard clinical practice because no additional treatment was planned (observational study). Utilizing a continuous process improvement methodology, a 43% reduction in cost per case has been achieved with a significant increase in contribution margin for esophagectomy. The length of stay has been reduced from 14 days to 5. With intraoperative and postoperative standardization the leak rate has dropped from 12% to less than 3% to no leaks in our current Kaizen modification of care in our last 64 patients. Utilizing lean manufacturing techniques and continuous process evaluation we have attempted to eliminate variability, standardized the phases of care resulting in improved outcomes, decreased length of stay, and improved contribution margins. These Kaizen improvements require continuous interventions, strict adherence to care maps, and input from all levels for quality improvements. Copyright © 2011 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A guide for roadside vegetation management

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-10-01

Implementing a comprehensive turf management program significantly reduces the overall cost of managing the vegetation along state roadways. This guide provides methods for efficiently and effectively managing the activities that will achieve and mai...

Using CFD Surface Solutions to Shape Sonic Boom Signatures Propagated from Off-Body Pressure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ordaz, Irian; Li, Wu

2013-01-01

The conceptual design of a low-boom and low-drag supersonic aircraft remains a challenge despite significant progress in recent years. Inverse design using reversed equivalent area and adjoint methods have been demonstrated to be effective in shaping the ground signature propagated from computational fluid dynamics (CFD) off-body pressure distributions. However, there is still a need to reduce the computational cost in the early stages of design to obtain a baseline that is feasible for low-boom shaping, and in the search for a robust low-boom design over the entire sonic boom footprint. The proposed design method addresses the need to reduce the computational cost for robust low-boom design by using surface pressure distributions from CFD solutions to shape sonic boom ground signatures propagated from CFD off-body pressure.

Fast Pulling of n-Type Si Ingots for Enhanced Si Solar Cell Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Kwanghun; Park, Sanghyun; Park, Jaechang; Pang, Ilsun; Ryu, Sangwoo; Oh, Jihun

2018-07-01

Reducing the manufacturing costs of silicon substrates is an important issue in the silicon-based solar cell industry. In this study, we developed a high-throughput ingot growth method by accelerating the pulling speed in the Czochralski process. By controlling the heat flow of the ingot growth chamber and at the solid-liquid interfaces, the pulling speed of an ingot could be increased by 15% compared to the conventional method, while retaining high quality. The wafer obtained at a high pulling speed showed an enhanced minority carrier lifetime compared with conventional wafers, due to the vacancy passivation effect, and also demonstrated comparable bulk resistivity and impurities. The results in this work are expected to open a new way to enhance the productivity of Si wafers used for Si solar cells, and therefore, to reduce the overall manufacturing cost.

Fast Pulling of n-Type Si Ingots for Enhanced Si Solar Cell Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Kwanghun; Park, Sanghyun; Park, Jaechang; Pang, Ilsun; Ryu, Sangwoo; Oh, Jihun

2018-03-01

Reducing the manufacturing costs of silicon substrates is an important issue in the silicon-based solar cell industry. In this study, we developed a high-throughput ingot growth method by accelerating the pulling speed in the Czochralski process. By controlling the heat flow of the ingot growth chamber and at the solid-liquid interfaces, the pulling speed of an ingot could be increased by 15% compared to the conventional method, while retaining high quality. The wafer obtained at a high pulling speed showed an enhanced minority carrier lifetime compared with conventional wafers, due to the vacancy passivation effect, and also demonstrated comparable bulk resistivity and impurities. The results in this work are expected to open a new way to enhance the productivity of Si wafers used for Si solar cells, and therefore, to reduce the overall manufacturing cost.

Identifying High-Rate Flows Based on Sequential Sampling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yu; Fang, Binxing; Luo, Hao

We consider the problem of fast identification of high-rate flows in backbone links with possibly millions of flows. Accurate identification of high-rate flows is important for active queue management, traffic measurement and network security such as detection of distributed denial of service attacks. It is difficult to directly identify high-rate flows in backbone links because tracking the possible millions of flows needs correspondingly large high speed memories. To reduce the measurement overhead, the deterministic 1-out-of-k sampling technique is adopted which is also implemented in Cisco routers (NetFlow). Ideally, a high-rate flow identification method should have short identification time, low memory cost and processing cost. Most importantly, it should be able to specify the identification accuracy. We develop two such methods. The first method is based on fixed sample size test (FSST) which is able to identify high-rate flows with user-specified identification accuracy. However, since FSST has to record every sampled flow during the measurement period, it is not memory efficient. Therefore the second novel method based on truncated sequential probability ratio test (TSPRT) is proposed. Through sequential sampling, TSPRT is able to remove the low-rate flows and identify the high-rate flows at the early stage which can reduce the memory cost and identification time respectively. According to the way to determine the parameters in TSPRT, two versions of TSPRT are proposed: TSPRT-M which is suitable when low memory cost is preferred and TSPRT-T which is suitable when short identification time is preferred. The experimental results show that TSPRT requires less memory and identification time in identifying high-rate flows while satisfying the accuracy requirement as compared to previously proposed methods.

Corruption costs lives: evidence from a cross-country study.

PubMed

Li, Qiang; An, Lian; Xu, Jing; Baliamoune-Lutz, Mina

2018-01-01

This paper investigates the effect of corruption on health outcomes by using cross-country panel data covering about 150 countries for the period of 1995 to 2012. We employ ordinary least squares (OLS), fixed-effects and two-stage least squares (2SLS) estimation methods, and find that corruption significantly increases mortality rates, and reduces life expectancy and immunization rates. The results are consistent across different regions, gender, and measures of corruption. The findings suggest that reducing corruption can be an effective method to improve health outcomes.

User costs as one of main advantages of precast concrete application in highway construction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomek, Radan

2017-09-01

Road user cost primarily refer to the monetized components of road (re)construction impacts, such as the user delay costs, vehicle operating costs, crash costs and emission costs. Objective of this paper is to analyze and appraise the advantages and benefits of the innovative prefabrication approach in contrast to traditional cast-in-place construction method. The goal is to reduce these additional costs borne by motorists and the community at-large as a result of road construction activity to their minimum through application of the prefabrication. Assessing two basic possible approaches to highway infrastructure construction - casting the road pavements and structures either in place or precast off the site - it can be concluded that the initial capital investment costs do not vary much. Substantial differences can be recognized when comparing their life-cycle costs and an extent to which their construction process affects the public, environment and the local economy. Prefabrication of any structure component off-site offers major construction time and user cost savings in comparison with the traditional cast-in-place methods of construction. Precast prestressed road pavements’ technology and precasting bridges’ parts and elements offers dramatic increase in durability, while it also substantially decreases construction time and resulting user costs.

Space system production cost benefits from contemporary philosophies in management and manufacturing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rosmait, Russell L.

1991-01-01

The cost of manufacturing space system hardware has always been expensive. The Engineering Cost Group of the Program Planning office at Marshall is attempting to account for cost savings that result from new technologies in manufacturing and management. The objective is to identify and define contemporary philosophies in manufacturing and management. The seven broad categories that make up the areas where technological advances can assist in reducing space system costs are illustrated. Included within these broad categories is a list of the processes or techniques that specifically provide the cost savings within todays design, test, production and operations environments. The processes and techniques listed achieve savings in the following manner: increased productivity; reduced down time; reduced scrap; reduced rework; reduced man hours; and reduced material costs. In addition, it should be noted that cost savings from production and processing improvements effect 20 to 40 pct. of production costs whereas savings from management improvements effects 60 to 80 of production cost. This is important because most efforts in reducing costs are spent trying to reduce cost in the production.

A Decision-Tree Approach to Cost Comparison of Newborn Screening Strategies for Cystic Fibrosis

PubMed Central

Wells, Janelle; Rosenberg, Marjorie; Hoffman, Gary; Anstead, Michael

2012-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Because cystic fibrosis can be difficult to diagnose and treat early, newborn screening programs have rapidly developed nationwide but methods vary widely. We therefore investigated the costs and consequences or specific outcomes of the 2 most commonly used methods. METHODS: With available data on screening and follow-up, we used a simulation approach with decision trees to compare immunoreactive trypsinogen (IRT) screening followed by a second IRT test against an IRT/DNA analysis. By using a Monte Carlo simulation program, variation in the model parameters for counts at various nodes of the decision trees, as well as for costs, are included and applied to fictional cohorts of 100 000 newborns. The outcome measures included the numbers of newborns given a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis and costs of screening strategy at each branch and cost per newborn. RESULTS: Simulations revealed a substantial number of potential missed diagnoses for the IRT/IRT system versus IRT/DNA. Although the IRT/IRT strategy with commonly used cutoff values offers an average overall cost savings of $2.30 per newborn, a breakdown of costs by societal segments demonstrated higher out-of-pocket costs for families. Two potential system failures causing delayed diagnoses were identified relating to the screening protocols and the follow-up system. CONCLUSIONS: The IRT/IRT screening algorithm reduces the costs to laboratories and insurance companies but has more system failures. IRT/DNA offers other advantages, including fewer delayed diagnoses and lower out-of-pocket costs to families. PMID:22291119

A novel method for automated tracking and quantification of adult zebrafish behaviour during anxiety.

PubMed

Nema, Shubham; Hasan, Whidul; Bhargava, Anamika; Bhargava, Yogesh

2016-09-15

Behavioural neuroscience relies on software driven methods for behavioural assessment, but the field lacks cost-effective, robust, open source software for behavioural analysis. Here we propose a novel method which we called as ZebraTrack. It includes cost-effective imaging setup for distraction-free behavioural acquisition, automated tracking using open-source ImageJ software and workflow for extraction of behavioural endpoints. Our ImageJ algorithm is capable of providing control to users at key steps while maintaining automation in tracking without the need for the installation of external plugins. We have validated this method by testing novelty induced anxiety behaviour in adult zebrafish. Our results, in agreement with established findings, showed that during state-anxiety, zebrafish showed reduced distance travelled, increased thigmotaxis and freezing events. Furthermore, we proposed a method to represent both spatial and temporal distribution of choice-based behaviour which is currently not possible to represent using simple videograms. ZebraTrack method is simple and economical, yet robust enough to give results comparable with those obtained from costly proprietary software like Ethovision XT. We have developed and validated a novel cost-effective method for behavioural analysis of adult zebrafish using open-source ImageJ software. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detecting and treating occlusal caries lesions: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

PubMed

Schwendicke, F; Stolpe, M; Meyer-Lueckel, H; Paris, S

2015-02-01

The health gains and costs resulting from using different caries detection strategies might not only depend on the accuracy of the used method but also the treatment emanating from its use in different populations. We compared combinations of visual-tactile, radiographic, or laser-fluorescence-based detection methods with 1 of 3 treatments (non-, micro-, and invasive treatment) initiated at different cutoffs (treating all or only dentinal lesions) in populations with low or high caries prevalence. A Markov model was constructed to follow an occlusal surface in a permanent molar in an initially 12-y-old male German patient over his lifetime. Prevalence data and transition probabilities were extracted from the literature, while validity parameters of different methods were synthesized or obtained from systematic reviews. Microsimulations were performed to analyze the model, assuming a German health care setting and a mixed public-private payer perspective. Radiographic and fluorescence-based methods led to more overtreatments, especially in populations with low prevalence. For the latter, combining visual-tactile or radiographic detection with microinvasive treatment retained teeth longest (mean 66 y) at lowest costs (329 and 332 Euro, respectively), while combining radiographic or fluorescence-based detections with invasive treatment was the least cost-effective (<60 y, >700 Euro). In populations with high prevalence, combining radiographic detection with microinvasive treatment was most cost-effective (63 y, 528 Euro), while sensitive detection methods combined with invasive treatments were again the least cost-effective (<59 y, >690 Euro). The suitability of detection methods differed significantly between populations, and the cost-effectiveness was greatly influenced by the treatment initiated after lesion detection. The accuracy of a detection method relative to a "gold standard" did not automatically convey into better health or reduced costs. Detection methods should be evaluated not only against their criterion validity but also the long-term effects resulting from their use in different populations. © International & American Associations for Dental Research 2014.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of guidelines for antihypertensive care in Finland

PubMed Central

Booth, Neill; Jula, Antti; Aronen, Pasi; Kaila, Minna; Klaukka, Timo; Kukkonen-Harjula, Katriina; Reunanen, Antti; Rissanen, Pekka; Sintonen, Harri; Mäkelä, Marjukka

2007-01-01

Background Hypertension is one of the major causes of disease burden affecting the Finnish population. Over the last decade, evidence-based care has emerged to complement other approaches to antihypertensive care, often without health economic assessment of its costs and effects. This study looks at the extent to which changes proposed by the 2002 Finnish evidence-based Current Care Guidelines concerning the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of hypertension (the ACCG scenario) can be considered cost-effective when compared to modelled prior clinical practice (the PCP scenario). Methods A decision analytic model compares the ACCG and PCP scenarios using information synthesised from a set of national registers covering prescription drug reimbursements, morbidity, and mortality with data from two national surveys concerning health and functional capacity. Statistical methods are used to estimate model parameters from Finnish data. We model the potential impact of the different treatment strategies under the ACCG and PCP scenarios, such as lifestyle counselling and drug therapy, for subgroups stratified by age, gender, and blood pressure. The model provides estimates of the differences in major health-related outcomes in the form of life-years and costs as calculated from a 'public health care system' perspective. Cost-effectiveness analysis results are presented for subgroups and for the target population as a whole. Results The impact of the use of the ACCG scenario in subgroups (aged 40–80) without concomitant cardiovascular and related diseases is mainly positive. Generally, costs and life-years decrease in unison in the lowest blood pressure group, while in the highest blood pressure group costs and life-years increase together and in the other groups the ACCG scenario is less expensive and produces more life-years. When the costs and effects for subgroups are combined using standard decision analytic aggregation methods, the ACCG scenario is cost-saving and more effective. Conclusion The ACCG scenario is likely to reduce costs and increase life-years compared to the PCP scenario in many subgroups. If the estimated trade-offs between the subgroups in terms of outcomes and costs are acceptable to decision-makers, then widespread implementation of the ACCG scenario is expected to reduce overall costs and be accompanied by positive outcomes overall. PMID:17958883

Staged decision making based on probabilistic forecasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Booister, Nikéh; Verkade, Jan; Werner, Micha; Cranston, Michael; Cumiskey, Lydia; Zevenbergen, Chris

2016-04-01

Flood forecasting systems reduce, but cannot eliminate uncertainty about the future. Probabilistic forecasts explicitly show that uncertainty remains. However, as - compared to deterministic forecasts - a dimension is added ('probability' or 'likelihood'), with this added dimension decision making is made slightly more complicated. A technique of decision support is the cost-loss approach, which defines whether or not to issue a warning or implement mitigation measures (risk-based method). With the cost-loss method a warning will be issued when the ratio of the response costs to the damage reduction is less than or equal to the probability of the possible flood event. This cost-loss method is not widely used, because it motivates based on only economic values and is a technique that is relatively static (no reasoning, yes/no decision). Nevertheless it has high potential to improve risk-based decision making based on probabilistic flood forecasting because there are no other methods known that deal with probabilities in decision making. The main aim of this research was to explore the ways of making decision making based on probabilities with the cost-loss method better applicable in practice. The exploration began by identifying other situations in which decisions were taken based on uncertain forecasts or predictions. These cases spanned a range of degrees of uncertainty: from known uncertainty to deep uncertainty. Based on the types of uncertainties, concepts of dealing with situations and responses were analysed and possible applicable concepts where chosen. Out of this analysis the concepts of flexibility and robustness appeared to be fitting to the existing method. Instead of taking big decisions with bigger consequences at once, the idea is that actions and decisions are cut-up into smaller pieces and finally the decision to implement is made based on economic costs of decisions and measures and the reduced effect of flooding. The more lead-time there is in flood event management, the more damage can be reduced. And with decisions based on probabilistic forecasts, partial decisions can be made earlier in time (with a lower probability) and can be scaled up or down later in time when there is more certainty; whether the event takes place or not. Partial decisions are often more cheap, or shorten the final mitigation-time at the moment when there is more certainty. The proposed method is tested on Stonehaven, on the Carron River in Scotland. Decisions to implement demountable defences in the town are currently made based on a very short lead-time due to the absence of certainty. Application showed that staged decision making is possible and gives the decision maker more time to respond to a situation. The decision maker is able to take a lower regret decision with higher uncertainty and less related negative consequences. Although it is not possible to quantify intangible effects, it is part of the analysis to reduce these effects. Above all, the proposed approach has shown to be a possible improvement in economic terms and opens up possibilities of more flexible and robust decision making.

Using Chebyshev polynomials and approximate inverse triangular factorizations for preconditioning the conjugate gradient method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaporin, I. E.

2012-02-01

In order to precondition a sparse symmetric positive definite matrix, its approximate inverse is examined, which is represented as the product of two sparse mutually adjoint triangular matrices. In this way, the solution of the corresponding system of linear algebraic equations (SLAE) by applying the preconditioned conjugate gradient method (CGM) is reduced to performing only elementary vector operations and calculating sparse matrix-vector products. A method for constructing the above preconditioner is described and analyzed. The triangular factor has a fixed sparsity pattern and is optimal in the sense that the preconditioned matrix has a minimum K-condition number. The use of polynomial preconditioning based on Chebyshev polynomials makes it possible to considerably reduce the amount of scalar product operations (at the cost of an insignificant increase in the total number of arithmetic operations). The possibility of an efficient massively parallel implementation of the resulting method for solving SLAEs is discussed. For a sequential version of this method, the results obtained by solving 56 test problems from the Florida sparse matrix collection (which are large-scale and ill-conditioned) are presented. These results show that the method is highly reliable and has low computational costs.

The impact of implementation of the requirements of Standard No. OHSAS 18001:2007 to reduce the number of injuries at work and financial costs in the Republic of Croatia.

PubMed

Palačić, Darko

2017-06-01

This article contains the results of research into the impact of implementation of the requirements mentioned in Standard No. OHSAS 18001:2007 to reduce the number of injuries at work and the financial costs incurred in this way. The study was conducted on a determined sample by a written questionnaire survey method in the Republic of Croatia. The objective of the empirical research is to determine the impact of implementation of the requirements of Standard No. OHSAS 18001:2007 to reduce the number of injuries at work and financial costs in Croatia in business organizations that implement these requirements. To provide a broader picture, the research included the collection and analysis of data on the impact of the Standard No. OHSAS 18001:2007 on accidents and fatalities at work. Research findings are based on the analysis of performed statistical data where correlation and regression analysis has been applied.

Simplifying silicon burning: Application of quasi-equilibrium to (alpha) network nucleosynthesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hix, W. R.; Thielemann, F.-K.; Khokhlov, A. M.; Wheeler, J. C.

1997-01-01

While the need for accurate calculation of nucleosynthesis and the resulting rate of thermonuclear energy release within hydrodynamic models of stars and supernovae is clear, the computational expense of these nucleosynthesis calculations often force a compromise in accuracy to reduce the computational cost. To redress this trade-off of accuracy for speed, the authors present an improved nuclear network which takes advantage of quasi- equilibrium in order to reduce the number of independent nuclei, and hence the computational cost of nucleosynthesis, without significant reduction in accuracy. In this paper they will discuss the first application of this method, the further reduction in size of the minimal alpha network. The resultant QSE- reduced alpha network is twice as fast as the conventional alpha network it replaces and requires the tracking of half as many abundance variables, while accurately estimating the rate of energy generation. Such reduction in cost is particularly necessary for future generation of multi-dimensional models for supernovae.

Cost Effectiveness of Potential ART Adherence Monitoring Interventions in Sub-Saharan Africa

PubMed Central

Cambiano, Valentina; Nakagawa, Fumiyo; Bansi-Matharu, Loveleen; Sow, Papa Salif; Ehrenkranz, Peter; Ford, Deborah; Mugurungi, Owen; Apollo, Tsitsi; Murungu, Joseph; Bangsberg, David R.; Revill, Paul

2016-01-01

Background Interventions based around objective measurement of adherence to antiretroviral drugs for HIV have potential to improve adherence and to enable differentiation of care such that clinical visits are reduced in those with high adherence. It would be useful to understand the approximate upper limit of cost that could be considered for such interventions of a given effectiveness in order to be cost effective. Such information can guide whether to implement an intervention in the light of a trial showing a certain effectiveness and cost. Methods An individual-based model, calibrated to Zimbabwe, which incorporates effects of adherence and resistance to antiretroviral therapy, was used to model the potential impact of adherence monitoring-based interventions on viral suppression, death rates, disability adjusted life years and costs. Potential component effects of the intervention were: enhanced average adherence when on ART, reduced risk of ART discontinuation, and reduced risk of resistance acquisition. We considered a situation in which viral load monitoring is not available and one in which it is. In the former case, it was assumed that care would be differentiated based on the adherence level, with fewer clinic visits in those demonstrated to have high adherence. In the latter case, care was assumed to be primarily differentiated according to viral load level. The maximum intervention cost required to be cost effective was calculated based on a cost effectiveness threshold of $500 per DALY averted. Findings In the absence of viral load monitoring, an adherence monitoring-based intervention which results in a durable 6% increase in the proportion of ART experienced people with viral load < 1000 cps/mL was cost effective if it cost up to $50 per person-year on ART, mainly driven by the cost savings of differentiation of care. In the presence of viral load monitoring availability, an intervention with a similar effect on viral load suppression was cost-effective when costing $23-$32 per year, depending on whether the adherence intervention is used to reduce the level of need for viral load measurement. Conclusion The cost thresholds identified suggest that there is clear scope for adherence monitoring-based interventions to provide net population health gain, with potential cost-effective use in situations where viral load monitoring is or is not available. Our results guide the implementation of future adherence monitoring interventions found in randomized trials to have health benefit. PMID:27977702

Using contingent choice methods to assess consumer preferences about health plan design.

PubMed

Marquis, M Susan; Buntin, Melinda Beeuwkes; Kapur, Kanika; Yegian, Jill M

2005-01-01

American insurers are designing products to contain health care costs by making consumers financially responsible for their choices. Little is known about how consumers will view these new designs. Our objective is to examine consumer preferences for selected benefit designs. We used the contingent choice method to assess willingness to pay for six health plan attributes. Our sample included subscribers to individual health insurance products in California, US. We used fitted logistic regression models to explore how preferences for the more generous attributes varied with the additional premium and with the characteristics of the subscriber. High quality was the most highly valued attribute based on the amounts consumers report they are willing to pay. They were also willing to pay substantial monthly premiums to reduce their overall financial risk. Individuals in lower health were willing to pay more to reduce their financial risk than individuals in better health. Consumers may prefer tiered-benefit designs to those that involve overall increases in cost sharing. More consumer information is needed to help consumers better evaluate the costs and benefits of their insurance choices.

Impact of Brief Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for Insomnia on Health Care Utilization and Costs

PubMed Central

McCrae, Christina S.; Bramoweth, Adam D.; Williams, Jacob; Roth, Alicia; Mosti, Caterina

2014-01-01

Study Objectives: To examine health care utilization (HCU) and costs following brief cognitive behavioral treatment for insomnia (bCBTi). Methods: Reviewed medical records of 84 outpatients [mean age = 54.25 years (19.08); 58% women] treated in a behavioral sleep medicine clinic (2005-2010) based in an accredited sleep disorders center. Six indicators of HCU and costs were obtained: estimated total and outpatient costs, estimated primary care visits, CPT costs, number of office visits, and number of medications. All patients completed ≥ 1 session of bCBTi. Those who attended ≥ 3 sessions were considered completers (n = 37), and completers with significant sleep improvements were considered responders (n = 32). Results: For completers and responders, all HCU and cost variables, except number of medications, significantly decreased (ps < 0.05) or trended towards decrease at post-treatment. Completers had average decreases in CPT costs of $200 and estimated total costs of $75. Responders had average decreases in CPT costs of $210. No significant decreases occurred for non-completers. Conclusions: bCBTi can reduce HCU and costs. Response to bCBTi resulted in greater reduction of HCU and costs. While limited by small sample size and non-normal data distribution, the findings highlight the need for greater dissemination of bCBTi for several reasons: a high percentage of completers responded to treatment, as few as 3 sessions can result in significant improvements in insomnia severity, bCBTi can be delivered by novice clinicians, and health care costs can reduce following treatment. Insomnia remains an undertreated disorder, and brief behavioral treatments can help to increase access to care and reduce the burden of insomnia. Citation: McCrae CS; Bramoweth AD; Williams J; Roth A; Mosti C. Impact of brief cognitive behavioral treatment for insomnia on health care utilization and costs. J Clin Sleep Med 2014;10(2):127-135. PMID:24532995

The Cost Analysis of Corrosion Protection Solutions for Steel Components in Terms of the Object Life Cycle Cost

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kowalski, Dariusz; Grzyl, Beata; Kristowski, Adam

2017-09-01

Steel materials, due to their numerous advantages - high availability, easiness of processing and possibility of almost any shaping are commonly applied in construction for carrying out basic carrier systems and auxiliary structures. However, the major disadvantage of this material is its high corrosion susceptibility, which depends strictly on the local conditions of the facility and the applied type of corrosion protection system. The paper presents an analysis of life cycle costs of structures installed on bridges used in the road lane conditions. Three anti-corrosion protection systems were considered, analyzing their essential cost components. The possibility of reducing significantly the costs associated with anti-corrosion protection at the stage of steel barriers maintenance over a period of 30 years has been indicated. The possibility of using a new approach based on the life cycle cost estimation in the anti-corrosion protection of steel elements is presented. The relationship between the method of steel barrier protection, the scope of repair, renewal work and costs is shown. The article proposes an optimal solution which, while reducing the cost of maintenance of road infrastructure components in the area of corrosion protection, allows to maintain certain safety standards for steel barriers that are installed on the bridge.

A Method for Estimating Costs and Benefits of Space Assembly and Servicing By Astronauts and Robots

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Purves, Lloyd R.; Benfield, Mark (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

One aspect of designing future space missions is to determine whether Space Assembly and Servicing (SAS) is useful and, if so, what combination of robots and astronauts provides the most effective means of accomplishing it. Certain aspects of these choices, such as the societal value of developing the means for humans to live in space, do not lend themselves to quantification. However, other SAS costs and benefits can be quantified in a manner that can help select the most cost-effective SAS approach. Any space facility, whether it is assembled and serviced or not, entails an eventual replacement cost due to wear and obsolescence. Servicing can reduce this cost by limiting replacement to only failed or obsolete components. However, servicing systems, such as space robots, have their own logistics cost, and astronauts can have even greater logistics requirements. On the other hand, humans can be more capable than robots at performing dexterous and unstructured tasks, which can reduce logistics costs by allowing a reduction in mass of replacement components. Overall, the cost-effectiveness of astronaut SAS depends on its efficiency; and, if astronauts have to be wholly justified by their servicing usefulness, then the serviced space facility has to be large enough to fully occupy them.

A pilot study to evaluate the feasibility of using willingness to pay as a measure of value in cancer supportive care: an assessment of amifostine cytoprotection.

PubMed

Dranitsaris, G

1997-11-01

The most commonly used method for pharmacoeconomic studies has been the cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA), where the outcome is expressed as an incremental cost per unit of effectiveness (e.g. quality-adjusted life years). Although CEA is a valuable tool for identifying therapies that are more effective and less expensive, deficiencies develop when a given treatment is both more expensive and more effective. An alternative that has not been investigated in the oncology setting is the willingness-to-pay (WTP) method. In this pilot study, a WTP strategy was utilized to estimate the value that the Canadian tax-paying public puts on amifostine, a new cytoprotective agent that reduces the risk of chemotherapy-induced toxicity. The method of WTP was used within the framework of a classical cost-benefit analysis to estimate the net cost or benefit of prophylactic amifostine in patients with ovarian cancer who were receiving chemotherapy. This included direct costs for amifostine administration and hospital savings secondary to the reduced incidence of antineoplastic toxicity. A random sample of 50 Canadian tax-payers were interviewed to ascertain their maximum WTP for the new drug. The WTP survey instrument was simple to administer and easily understood by participants. Respondents stated that they would be willing to pay an average of $Can3,476 (95% confidence interval = $Can2,275 to $Can4,676) as an income tax increase to be paid over their lifetime for the value offered by the product. The benefit was then subtracted from the overall cost of amifostine ($Can3,826). This produced a net cost of $Can350 per patient (95% confidence interval = -$Can850 to $Can1,551), suggesting a situation of cost neutrality. WTP as a measure of value for oncology products is feasible and should be considered for future economic evaluations. The strategy is currently being used at this institution to determine the net societal cost or benefit of other cancer supportive care therapies, such as epoetin-alfa.

Empirical analysis shows reduced cost data collection may be an efficient method in economic clinical trials

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Data collection for economic evaluation alongside clinical trials is burdensome and cost-intensive. Limiting both the frequency of data collection and recall periods can solve the problem. As a consequence, gaps in survey periods arise and must be filled appropriately. The aims of our study are to assess the validity of incomplete cost data collection and define suitable resource categories. Methods In the randomised KORINNA study, cost data from 234 elderly patients were collected quarterly over a 1-year period. Different strategies for incomplete data collection were compared with complete data collection. The sample size calculation was modified in response to elasticity of variance. Results Resource categories suitable for incomplete data collection were physiotherapy, ambulatory clinic in hospital, medication, consultations, outpatient nursing service and paid household help. Cost estimation from complete and incomplete data collection showed no difference when omitting information from one quarter. When omitting information from two quarters, costs were underestimated by 3.9% to 4.6%. With respect to the observed increased standard deviation, a larger sample size would be required, increased by 3%. Nevertheless, more time was saved than extra time would be required for additional patients. Conclusion Cost data can be collected efficiently by reducing the frequency of data collection. This can be achieved by incomplete data collection for shortened periods or complete data collection by extending recall windows. In our analysis, cost estimates per year for ambulatory healthcare and non-healthcare services in terms of three data collections was as valid and accurate as a four complete data collections. In contrast, data on hospitalisation, rehabilitation stays and care insurance benefits should be collected for the entire target period, using extended recall windows. When applying the method of incomplete data collection, sample size calculation has to be modified because of the increased standard deviation. This approach is suitable to enable economic evaluation with lower costs to both study participants and investigators. Trial registration The trial registration number is ISRCTN02893746 PMID:22978572

The cost of post-operative shed blood salvage after total knee arthroplasty: an analysis of 1,093 consecutive procedures

PubMed Central

Muñoz, Manuel; Ariza, Daniel; Campos, Arturo; Martín-Montañez, Elisa; Pavía, José

2013-01-01

Background Requirements for allogeneic red cell transfusion after total knee arthroplasty are still high (20–50%), and salvage and reinfusion of unwashed, filtered post-operative shed blood is an established method for reducing transfusion requirements following this operation. We performed a cost analysis to ascertain whether this alternative is likely to be cost-effective. Materials and methods Data from 1,093 consecutive primary total knee arthroplasties, managed with (reinfusion group, n=763) or without reinfusion of unwashed salvaged blood (control group, n=330), were retrospectively reviewed. The costs of low-vacuum drains, shed blood collection canisters (Bellovac ABT®, Wellspect HealthCare and ConstaVac CBC II®, Stryker), shed blood reinfusion, acquisition and transfusion of allogeneic red cell concentrate, haemoglobin measurements, and prolonged length of hospital stay were used for the blood management cost analysis. Results Patients in the reinfusion group received 152±64 mL of red blood cells from postoperatively salvaged blood, without clinically relevant incidents, and showed a lower allogeneic transfusion rate (24.5% vs 8.5%, for the control and reinfusion groups, respectively; p =0.001). There were no differences in post-operative infection rates. Patients receiving allogeneic transfusions stayed in hospital longer (+1.9 days [95% CI: 1.2 to 2.6]). As reinfusion of unwashed salvaged blood reduced the allogeneic transfusion rate, both reinfusion systems may provide net savings in different cost scenarios (€ 4.6 to € 106/patient for Bellovac ABT, and € −51.9 to € 49.9/patient for ConstaVac CBCII). Discussion Return of unwashed salvaged blood after total knee arthroplasty seems to save costs in patients with pre-operative haemoglobin between 12 and 15 g/dL. It is not cost-saving in patients with a pre-operative haemoglobin >15 g/dL, whereas in those with a pre-operative haemoglobin <12 g/dL, although cost-saving, its efficacy could be increased by associating some other blood-saving method. PMID:23149145

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Diagnostic Options for Pneumocystis Pneumonia (PCP)

PubMed Central

Harris, Julie R.; Marston, Barbara J.; Sangrujee, Nalinee; DuPlessis, Desiree; Park, Benjamin

2011-01-01

Background Diagnosis of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) is challenging, particularly in developing countries. Highly sensitive diagnostic methods are costly, while less expensive methods often lack sensitivity or specificity. Cost-effectiveness comparisons of the various diagnostic options have not been presented. Methods and Findings We compared cost-effectiveness, as measured by cost per life-years gained and proportion of patients successfully diagnosed and treated, of 33 PCP diagnostic options, involving combinations of specimen collection methods [oral washes, induced and expectorated sputum, and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)] and laboratory diagnostic procedures [various staining procedures or polymerase chain reactions (PCR)], or clinical diagnosis with chest x-ray alone. Our analyses were conducted from the perspective of the government payer among ambulatory, HIV-infected patients with symptoms of pneumonia presenting to HIV clinics and hospitals in South Africa. Costing data were obtained from the National Institutes of Communicable Diseases in South Africa. At 50% disease prevalence, diagnostic procedures involving expectorated sputum with any PCR method, or induced sputum with nested or real-time PCR, were all highly cost-effective, successfully treating 77–90% of patients at $26–51 per life-year gained. Procedures using BAL specimens were significantly more expensive without added benefit, successfully treating 68–90% of patients at costs of $189–232 per life-year gained. A relatively cost-effective diagnostic procedure that did not require PCR was Toluidine Blue O staining of induced sputum ($25 per life-year gained, successfully treating 68% of patients). Diagnosis using chest x-rays alone resulted in successful treatment of 77% of patients, though cost-effectiveness was reduced ($109 per life-year gained) compared with several molecular diagnostic options. Conclusions For diagnosis of PCP, use of PCR technologies, when combined with less-invasive patient specimens such as expectorated or induced sputum, represent more cost-effective options than any diagnostic procedure using BAL, or chest x-ray alone. PMID:21858013

Analyzing costs of space debris mitigation methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiedemann, C.; Krag, H.; Bendisch, J.; Sdunnus, H.

The steadily increasing number of space objects poses a considerable hazard to all kinds of spacecraft. To reduce the risks to future space missions different debris mitigation measures and spacecraft protection techniques have been investigated during the last years. However, the economic efficiency has not been considered yet in this context. This economical background is not always clear to satellite operators and the space industry. Current studies have the objective to evaluate the mission costs due to space debris in a business as usual (no mitigation) scenario compared to the missions costs considering debris mitigation. The aim i an estimation of thes time until the investment in debris mitigation will lead to an effective reduction of mission costs. This paper presents the results of investigations on the key problems of cost estimation for spacecraft and the influence of debris mitigation and shielding on cost. The shielding of a satellite can be an effective method to protect the spacecraft against debris impact. Mitigation strategies like the reduction of orbital lifetime and de- or re-orbit of non-operational satellites are methods to control the space debris environment. These methods result in an increase of costs. In a first step the overall costs of different types of unmanned satellites are analyzed. The key problem is, that it is not possible to provide a simple cost model that can be applied to all types of satellites. Unmanned spacecraft differ very much in mission, complexity of design, payload and operational lifetime. It is important to classify relevant cost parameters and investigate their influence on the respective mission. The theory of empirical cost estimation and existing cost models are discussed. A selected cost model is simplified and generalized for an application on all operational satellites. In a next step the influence of space debris on cost is treated, if the implementation of mitigation strategies is considered.

On the track for an efficient detection of Escherichia coli in water: A review on PCR-based methods.

PubMed

Mendes Silva, Diana; Domingues, Lucília

2015-03-01

Ensuring water safety is an ongoing challenge to public health providers. Assessing the presence of fecal contamination indicators in water is essential to protect public health from diseases caused by waterborne pathogens. For this purpose, the bacteria Escherichia coli has been used as the most reliable indicator of fecal contamination in water. The methods currently in use for monitoring the microbiological safety of water are based on culturing the microorganisms. However, these methods are not the desirable solution to prevent outbreaks as they provide the results with a considerable delay, lacking on specificity and sensitivity. Moreover, viable but non-culturable microorganisms, which may be present as a result of environmental stress or water treatment processes, are not detected by culture-based methods and, thus, may result in false-negative assessments of E. coli in water samples. These limitations may place public health at significant risk, leading to substantial monetary losses in health care and, additionally, in costs related with a reduced productivity in the area affected by the outbreak, and in costs supported by the water quality control departments involved. Molecular methods, particularly polymerase chain reaction-based methods, have been studied as an alternative technology to overcome the current limitations, as they offer the possibility to reduce the assay time, to improve the detection sensitivity and specificity, and to identify multiple targets and pathogens, including new or emerging strains. The variety of techniques and applications available for PCR-based methods has increased considerably and the costs involved have been substantially reduced, which together have contributed to the potential standardization of these techniques. However, they still require further refinement in order to be standardized and applied to the variety of environmental waters and their specific characteristics. The PCR-based methods under development for monitoring the presence of E. coli in water are here discussed. Special emphasis is given to methodologies that avoid pre-enrichment during the water sample preparation process so that the assay time is reduced and the required legislated sensitivity is achieved. The advantages and limitations of these methods are also reviewed, contributing to a more comprehensive overview toward a more conscious research in identifying E. coli in water. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Options for reducing oil content of sludge from a petroleum wastewater treatment plant.

PubMed

Kwon, Tae-Soon; Lee, Jae-Young

2015-10-01

Wastewater treatment plants at petroleum refineries often produce substantial quantities of sludge with relatively high concentrations of oil. Disposal of this waste is costly, in part because the high oil content requires use of secure disposal methods akin to handling of hazardous wastes. This article examines the properties of oily sludge and evaluates optional methods for reducing the oil content of this sludge to enable use of lower cost disposal methods. To reduce the oil content or break the structure of oily sludge, preliminary lab-scale experiments involving mechanical treatment, surfactant extraction, and oxidation are conducted. By applying surfactants, approximately 36% to 45% of oils are extracted from oily sludge. Of this, about 33% of oils are rapidly oxidised via radiation by an electron beam within 10 s of exposure. The Fenton reaction is effective for destruction of oily sludge. It is also found that 56% of oils were removed by reacting oily sludge with water containing ozone of 0.5 mg l(-1) over a period of 24 h. Oxidation using ozone thus can also be effectively used as a pretreatment for oily sludge. © The Author(s) 2015.

Combining an Analytic Hierarchy Process and TOPSIS for Selecting Postharvest Technology Method for Selayar Citrus in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dirpan, Andi

2018-05-01

This research was intended to select the best handling methods or postharvest technologies that can be used to maintain the quality of citrus fruit in Selayar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia among (1) modified atmosphere packaging (MAP (2) Controlled atmosphere storage (CAS) (3) coatings (4) hot water treatment (5) Hot Calcium Dip (HCD) by using combination between an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and TOPSIS. Improving quality, applicability, increasing shelf life and reducing cost are used as the criteria to determine the best postharvest technologies. The results show that the most important criteria for selecting postharvest technology is improving quality followed by increasing shelf life, reducing cost and applicability. Furthermore, by using TOPSIS, it is clear that the postharvest technology that had the lowest rangking is modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), followed by controlled atmosphere storage (CAS), coatings, hot calcium dip (HCD) and hot water treatment (HWT). Therefore, it can be concluded that the best postharvest technology method for Selayar citrus is modified atmosphere packaging (MAP).

An adaptive model order reduction by proper snapshot selection for nonlinear dynamical problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nigro, P. S. B.; Anndif, M.; Teixeira, Y.; Pimenta, P. M.; Wriggers, P.

2016-04-01

Model Order Reduction (MOR) methods are employed in many fields of Engineering in order to reduce the processing time of complex computational simulations. A usual approach to achieve this is the application of Galerkin projection to generate representative subspaces (reduced spaces). However, when strong nonlinearities in a dynamical system are present and this technique is employed several times along the simulation, it can be very inefficient. This work proposes a new adaptive strategy, which ensures low computational cost and small error to deal with this problem. This work also presents a new method to select snapshots named Proper Snapshot Selection (PSS). The objective of the PSS is to obtain a good balance between accuracy and computational cost by improving the adaptive strategy through a better snapshot selection in real time (online analysis). With this method, it is possible a substantial reduction of the subspace, keeping the quality of the model without the use of the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD).

An Introduction to Using Surface Geophysics to Characterize Sand and Gravel Deposits

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lucius, Jeffrey E.; Langer, William H.; Ellefsen, Karl J.

2006-01-01

This report is an introduction to surface geophysical techniques that aggregate producers can use to characterize known deposits of sand and gravel. Five well-established and well-tested geophysical methods are presented: seismic refraction and reflection, resistivity, ground penetrating radar, time-domain electromagnetism, and frequency-domain electromagnetism. Depending on site conditions and the selected method(s), geophysical surveys can provide information concerning aerial extent and thickness of the deposit, thickness of overburden, depth to the water table, critical geologic contacts, and location and correlation of geologic features. In addition, geophysical surveys can be conducted prior to intensive drilling to help locate auger or drill holes, reduce the number of drill holes required, calculate stripping ratios to help manage mining costs, and provide continuity between sampling sites to upgrade the confidence of reserve calculations from probable reserves to proved reserves. Perhaps the greatest value of geophysics to aggregate producers may be the speed of data acquisition, reduced overall costs, and improved subsurface characterization.

An Introduction to Using Surface Geophysics to Characterize Sand and Gravel Deposits

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lucius, Jeffrey E.; Langer, William H.; Ellefsen, Karl J.

2007-01-01

This report is an introduction to surface geophysical techniques that aggregate producers can use to characterize known deposits of sand and gravel. Five well-established and well-tested geophysical methods are presented: seismic refraction and reflection, resistivity, ground penetrating radar, time-domain electromagnetism, and frequency-domain electromagnetism. Depending on site conditions and the selected method(s), geophysical surveys can provide information concerning areal extent and thickness of the deposit, thickness of overburden, depth to the water table, critical geologic contacts, and location and correlation of geologic features. In addition, geophysical surveys can be conducted prior to intensive drilling to help locate auger or drill holes, reduce the number of drill holes required, calculate stripping ratios to help manage mining costs, and provide continuity between sampling sites to upgrade the confidence of reserve calculations from probable reserves to proved reserves. Perhaps the greatest value of geophysics to aggregate producers may be the speed of data acquisition, reduced overall costs, and improved subsurface characterization.

Calibration free beam hardening correction for cardiac CT perfusion imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Levi, Jacob; Fahmi, Rachid; Eck, Brendan L.; Fares, Anas; Wu, Hao; Vembar, Mani; Dhanantwari, Amar; Bezerra, Hiram G.; Wilson, David L.

2016-03-01

Myocardial perfusion imaging using CT (MPI-CT) and coronary CTA have the potential to make CT an ideal noninvasive gate-keeper for invasive coronary angiography. However, beam hardening artifacts (BHA) prevent accurate blood flow calculation in MPI-CT. BH Correction (BHC) methods require either energy-sensitive CT, not widely available, or typically a calibration-based method. We developed a calibration-free, automatic BHC (ABHC) method suitable for MPI-CT. The algorithm works with any BHC method and iteratively determines model parameters using proposed BHA-specific cost function. In this work, we use the polynomial BHC extended to three materials. The image is segmented into soft tissue, bone, and iodine images, based on mean HU and temporal enhancement. Forward projections of bone and iodine images are obtained, and in each iteration polynomial correction is applied. Corrections are then back projected and combined to obtain the current iteration's BHC image. This process is iterated until cost is minimized. We evaluate the algorithm on simulated and physical phantom images and on preclinical MPI-CT data. The scans were obtained on a prototype spectral detector CT (SDCT) scanner (Philips Healthcare). Mono-energetic reconstructed images were used as the reference. In the simulated phantom, BH streak artifacts were reduced from 12+/-2HU to 1+/-1HU and cupping was reduced by 81%. Similarly, in physical phantom, BH streak artifacts were reduced from 48+/-6HU to 1+/-5HU and cupping was reduced by 86%. In preclinical MPI-CT images, BHA was reduced from 28+/-6 HU to less than 4+/-4HU at peak enhancement. Results suggest that the algorithm can be used to reduce BHA in conventional CT and improve MPI-CT accuracy.

Launch vehicle operations cost reduction through artificial intelligence techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Tom C., Jr.

1988-01-01

NASA's Kennedy Space Center has attempted to develop AI methods in order to reduce the cost of launch vehicle ground operations as well as to improve the reliability and safety of such operations. Attention is presently given to cost savings estimates for systems involving launch vehicle firing-room software and hardware real-time diagnostics, as well as the nature of configuration control and the real-time autonomous diagnostics of launch-processing systems by these means. Intelligent launch decisions and intelligent weather forecasting are additional applications of AI being considered.

The cost of child health inequalities in Aotearoa New Zealand: a preliminary scoping study.

PubMed

Mills, Clair; Reid, Papaarangi; Vaithianathan, Rhema

2012-05-28

Health inequalities have been extensively documented, internationally and in New Zealand. The cost of reducing health inequities is often perceived as high; however, recent international studies suggest the cost of "doing nothing" is itself significant. This study aimed to develop a preliminary estimate of the economic cost of health inequities between Māori (indigenous) and non-Māori children in New Zealand. Standard quantitative epidemiological methods and "cost of illness" methodology were employed, within a Kaupapa Māori theoretical framework. Data were obtained from national data collections held by the New Zealand Health Information Service and other health sector agencies. Preliminary estimates suggest child health inequities between Māori and non-Māori in New Zealand are cost-saving to the health sector. However the societal costs are significant. A conservative "base case" scenario estimate is over $NZ62 million per year, while alternative costing methods yield larger costs of nearly $NZ200 million per annum. The total cost estimate is highly sensitive to the costing method used and Value of Statistical Life applied, as the cost of potentially avoidable deaths of Māori children is the major contributor to this estimate. This preliminary study suggests that health sector spending is skewed towards non-Māori children despite evidence of greater Māori need. Persistent child health inequities result in significant societal economic costs. Eliminating child health inequities, particularly in primary care access, could result in significant economic benefits for New Zealand. However, there are conceptual, ethical and methodological challenges in estimating the economic cost of child health inequities. Re-thinking of traditional economic frameworks and development of more appropriate methodologies is required.

Prevention methods for pest control and their use in Poland.

PubMed

Matyjaszczyk, Ewa

2015-04-01

Prevention methods can still be a cost-effective and efficient tool for pest control. Rational use of prevention methods is a feasible way to reduce dependency on chemical protection in agriculture. Costs, workload and farmers' awareness are key issues, however. In Poland, crop rotation is used as a method for pest control only to a limited extent owing to the high share of cereals in the crop structure. The choice of resistant varieties is satisfactory, but farmers should make use of qualified seed material more often. Liming is recommended on the majority of farms on account of widespread soil acidity. Favourable aspects as regards the prevention of pest development are biodiversity and the popularity of prevention cultivation techniques. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry.

Cost evaluation of clinical laboratory in Taiwan's National Health System by using activity-based costing.

PubMed

Su, Bin-Guang; Chen, Shao-Fen; Yeh, Shu-Hsing; Shih, Po-Wen; Lin, Ching-Chiang

2016-11-01

To cope with the government's policies to reduce medical costs, Taiwan's healthcare service providers are striving to survive by pursuing profit maximization through cost control. This article aimed to present the results of cost evaluation using activity-based costing performed in the laboratory in order to throw light on the differences between costs and the payment system of National Health Insurance (NHI). This study analyzed the data of costs and income of the clinical laboratory. Direct costs belong to their respective sections of the department. The department's shared costs, including public expenses and administrative assigned costs, were allocated to the department's respective sections. A simple regression equation was created to predict profit and loss, and evaluate the department's break-even point, fixed cost, and contribution margin ratio. In clinical chemistry and seroimmunology sections, the cost per test was lower than the NHI payment and their major laboratory tests had revenues with the profitability ratio of 8.7%, while the other sections had a higher cost per test than the NHI payment and their major tests were in deficit. The study found a simple linear regression model as follows: "Balance=-84,995+0.543×income (R2=0.544)". In order to avoid deficit, laboratories are suggested to increase test volumes, enhance laboratory test specialization, and become marginal scale. A hospital could integrate with regional medical institutions through alliances or OEM methods to increase volumes to reach marginal scale and reduce laboratory costs, enhancing the level and quality of laboratory medicine.

SW-846 Test Method 3511: Organic Compounds in Water by Microextraction

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

a procedure for extracting selected volatile and semivolatileorganic compounds from water. The microscale approach minimizes sample size and solventusage, thereby reducing the supply costs, health and safety risks, and waste generated.

METHODS MODULE

EPA Science Inventory

The ultimate goal of classification is to reduce variation within classes to enable detection of differences between reference and impacted condition within classes as cost-effectively as possible, while minimizing the number of classes for which reference conditions must be defi...

Method for shaping polyethylene tubing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kramer, R. C.

1981-01-01

Method forms polyethylene plastic tubing into configurations previously only possible with metal tubing. By using polyethylene in place of copper or stain less steel tubing inlow pressure systems, fabrication costs are significantly reduced. Polyethylene tubing can be used whenever low pressure tubing is needed in oil operations, aircraft and space applications, powerplants, and testing laboratories.

Hubless satellite communications networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, Peter Alan

1994-01-01

Frequency Comb Multiple Access (FCMA) is a new combined modulation and multiple access method which will allow cheap hubless Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT) networks to be constructed. Theoretical results show bandwidth efficiency and power efficiency improvements over other modulation and multiple access methods. Costs of the VSAT network are reduced dramatically since a hub station is not required.

Reduction of Martian Sample Return Mission Launch Mass with Solar Sail Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russell, Tiffany E.; Heaton, Andy F.; Young, Roy; Baysinger, Mike; Schnell, Andrew R.

2013-01-01

Solar sails have the potential to provide mass and cost savings for spacecraft traveling within the innter solar system. Companies like L'Garde have demonstrated sail manufacturability and various i-space development methods. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a current Mars sample return architecture and to determine how cost and mass would be reduced by incorporating a solar sail propulsion system. The team validated the design proposed by L'Garde, and scaled the design based on a trajectory analysis. Using the solar sail design reduced the required mass, eliminating one of the three launches required in the original architecture.

Advanced Computational Methods for Thermal Radiative Heat Transfer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tencer, John; Carlberg, Kevin Thomas; Larsen, Marvin E.

2016-10-01

Participating media radiation (PMR) in weapon safety calculations for abnormal thermal environments are too costly to do routinely. This cost may be s ubstantially reduced by applying reduced order modeling (ROM) techniques. The application of ROM to PMR is a new and unique approach for this class of problems. This approach was investigated by the authors and shown to provide significant reductions in the computational expense associated with typical PMR simulations. Once this technology is migrated into production heat transfer analysis codes this capability will enable the routine use of PMR heat transfer in higher - fidelity simulations of weaponmore » resp onse in fire environments.« less

Reduction of Martian Sample Return Mission Launch Mass with Solar Sail Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russell, Tiffany E.; Heaton, Andrew; Thomas, Scott; Thomas, Dan; Young, Roy; Baysinger, Mike; Capizzo, Pete; Fabisinski, Leo; Hornsby, Linda; Maples, Dauphne;

Application of inexpensive, low-cost, low-bandwidth silhouette profiling UGS systems to current remote sensing operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haskovic, Emir Y.; Walsh, Sterling; Cloud, Glenn; Winkelman, Rick; Jia, Yingqing; Vishnyakov, Sergey; Jin, Feng

2013-05-01

Low cost, power and bandwidth UGS can be used to fill the growing need for surveillance in remote environments. In particular, linear and 2D thermal sensor systems can run for up to months at a time and their deployment can be scaled to suit the size of the mission. Thermal silhouette profilers like Brimrose's SPOT system reduce power and bandwidth requirements by performing elementary classification and only transmitting binary data using optimized compression methods. These systems satisfy the demands for an increasing number of surveillance operations where reduced bandwidth and power consumption are mission critical.

Low-cost optical interconnect module for parallel optical data links

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noddings, Chad; Hirsch, Tom J.; Olla, M.; Spooner, C.; Yu, Jason J.

1995-04-01

We have designed, fabricated, and tested a prototype parallel ten-channel unidirectional optical data link. When scaled to production, we project that this technology will satisfy the following market penetration requirements: (1) up to 70 meters transmission distance, (2) at least 1 gigabyte/second data rate, and (3) 0.35 to 0.50 MByte/second volume selling price. These goals can be achieved by means of the assembly innovations described in this paper: a novel alignment method that is integrated with low-cost, few chip module packaging techniques, yielding high coupling and reducing the component count. Furthermore, high coupling efficiency increases projected reliability reducing the driver's power requirements.

Competition in health care. Where it has failed and why.

PubMed

Mittler, B S

1988-12-01

During the 1980s, it was expected that competition and deregulation would render health care more efficient and less expensive, but these measures have not worked. Rather, hospitals have become more expensive, HMO costs are increasing as fast as those for fee-for-service practices, access to care has deteriorated, cost-containment policies have reduced quality of care, and government regulation has increased instead of decreased. Examined in detail is the failure of supermeds (giant hospital corporations), HMOs, and marketing and advertising to lower costs and increase efficiency. The author discusses reasons why these methods failed and proposes solutions to the problems of rising health care costs.

Analysis and evaluation of processes and equipment in tasks 2 and 4 of the low-cost solar array project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldman, H.; Wolf, M.

1978-01-01

Several experimental and projected Czochralski crystal growing process methods were studied and compared to available operations and cost-data of recent production Cz-pulling, in order to elucidate the role of the dominant cost contributing factors. From this analysis, it becomes apparent that the specific add-on costs of the Cz-process can be expected to be reduced by about a factor of three by 1982, and about a factor of five by 1986. A format to guide in the accumulation of the data needed for thorough techno-economic analysis of solar cell production processes was developed.

Endovascular aneurysm repair delivery redesign leads to quality improvement and cost reduction

PubMed Central

Warner, Courtney J.; Horvath, Alexander J.; Powell, Richard J.; Columbo, Jesse A.; Walsh, Teri R.; Goodney, Philip P.; Walsh, Daniel B.; Stone, David H.

2017-01-01

Objective Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is now a mainstay of therapy for abdominal aortic aneurysm, although it remains associated with significant expense. We performed a comprehensive analysis of EVAR delivery at an academic medical center to identify targets for quality improvement and cost reduction in light of impending health care reform. Methods All infrarenal EVARs performed from April 2011 to March 2012 were identified (N = 127). Procedures were included if they met standard commercial instructions for use guidelines, used a single manufacturer, and were billed to Medicare diagnosis-related group 238 (n = 49). By use of DMAIC (define, measure, analyze, improve, and control) quality improvement methodology (define, measure, analyze, improve, control), targets for EVAR quality improvement were identified and high-yield changes were implemented. Procedure technical costs were calculated before and after process redesign. Results Perioperative services and clinic visits were identified as targets for quality improvement efforts and cost reduction. Mean technical costs before the intervention were $31,672, with endograft implants accounting for 52%. Pricing redesign in collaboration with hospital purchasing reduced mean EVAR technical costs to $28,607, a 10% reduction in overall cost, with endograft implants now accounting for 46%. Perioperative implementation of instrument tray redesign reduced instrument use by 32% (184 vs 132 instruments), saving $50,000 annually. Unnecessary clinic visits were reduced by 39% (1.6 vs 1.1 clinic visits per patient) through implementation of a preclinic imaging protocol. There was no difference in mean length of stay after the intervention. Conclusions Comprehensive EVAR delivery redesign leads to cost reduction and waste elimination while preserving quality. Future efforts to achieve more competitive and transparent device pricing will make EVAR more cost neutral and enhance its financial sustainability for health care systems. PMID:25935271

Direct costs of unintended pregnancy in the Russian federation.

PubMed

Lowin, Julia; Jarrett, James; Dimova, Maria; Ignateva, Victoria; Omelyanovsky, Vitaly; Filonenko, Anna

2015-02-01

In 2010, almost every third pregnancy in Russia was terminated, indicating that unintended pregnancy (UP) is a public health problem. The aim of this study was to estimate the direct cost of UP to the healthcare system in Russia and the proportion attributable to using unreliable contraception. A cost model was built, adopting a generic payer perspective with a 1-year time horizon. The analysis cohort was defined as women of childbearing age between 18 and 44 years actively seeking to avoid pregnancy. Model inputs were derived from published sources or government statistics with a 2012 cost base. To estimate the number of UPs attributable to unreliable methods, the model combined annual typical use failure rates and age-adjusted utilization for each contraceptive method. Published survey data was used to adjust the total cost of UP by the number of UPs that were mistimed rather than unwanted. Scenario analysis considered alternate allocation of methods to the reliable and unreliable categories and estimate of the burden of UP in the target sub-group of women aged 18-29 years. The model estimated 1,646,799 UPs in the analysis cohort (women aged 18-44 years) with an associated annual cost of US$783 million. The model estimated 1,019,371 UPs in the target group of 18-29 years, of which 88 % were attributable to unreliable contraception. The total cost of UPs in the target group was estimated at approximately US$498 million, of which US$441 million could be considered attributable to the use of unreliable methods. The cost of UP attributable to use of unreliable contraception in Russia is substantial. Policies encouraging use of reliable contraceptive methods could reduce the burden of UP.

Fabrication of polycrystalline solar cells on low-cost substrates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chu, T. L. (Inventor)

1976-01-01

A new method of producing p-n junction semiconductors for solar cells was described; the principal objective of this investigation is to reduce production costs significantly by depositing polycrystalline silicon on a relatively cheap substrate such as metallurgical-grade silicon, graphite, or steel. The silicon layer contains appropriate dopants, and the substrates are coated with a diffusion barrier of silica, borosilicate, phosphosilicate, or mixtures of these compounds.

LSSA (Low-cost Silicon Solar Array) project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1976-01-01

Methods are explored for economically generating electrical power to meet future requirements. The Low-Cost Silicon Solar Array Project (LSSA) was established to reduce the price of solar arrays by improving manufacturing technology, adapting mass production techniques, and promoting user acceptance. The new manufacturing technology includes the consideration of new silicon refinement processes, silicon sheet growth techniques, encapsulants, and automated assembly production being developed under contract by industries and universities.

Can cover data be used as a surrogate for seedling counts in regeneration stocking evaluations in northern hardwood forests?

Treesearch

Todd E. Ristau; Susan L. Stout

2014-01-01

Assessment of regeneration can be time-consuming and costly. Often, foresters look for ways to minimize the cost of doing inventories. One potential method to reduce time required on a plot is use of percent cover data rather than seedling count data to determine stocking. Robust linear regression analysis was used in this report to predict seedling count data from...

Pitfalls associated with the therapeutic reference pricing practice of asthma medication

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Therapeutic reference pricing (TRP) based on the WHO daily defined dose (DDD) is a method frequently employed for the cost-containment of pharmaceuticals. Our objective was to compare average drug use in the real world with DDD and to evaluate whether TRP based on DDD could result in cost savings on maintenance medication and the total direct health expenditures for asthma patients treated with Symbicort Turbuhaler (SYT) and Seretide Diskus (SED) in Hungary. Methods Real-world data were derived from the Hungarian National Health Insurance Fund database. Average doses and costs were compared between the high-dose and medium-dose SYT and SED groups. Multiple linear regressions were employed to adjust the data for differences in the gender and age distribution of patients. Results 27,779 patients with asthma were included in the analysis. Average drug use was lower than DDD in all groups, 1.38-1.95 inhalations in both SED groups, 1.28-1.97 and 1.74-2.49 inhalations in the medium and high-dose SYT groups, respectively. Although the cost of SED based on the DDD would be much lower than the cost of SYT in the medium-dose groups, no difference was found in the actual cost of the maintenance therapy. No significant differences were found between the groups in terms of total medical costs. Conclusions Cost-containment initiatives by payers may influence clinical decisions. TRP for inhalation asthma drugs raises special concern, because of differences in the therapeutic profile of pharmaceuticals and the lack of proven financial benefits after exclusion of the effect of generic price erosion. Our findings indicate that the presented TRP approach of asthma medications based on the daily therapeutic costs according to the WHO DDD does not result in reduced public healthcare spending in Hungary. Further analysis is required to show whether TRP generates additional expenditures by inducing switching costs and reducing patient compliance. Potential confounding factors may limit the generalisability of our conclusions. PMID:22818402

Simulation of product distribution at PT Anugrah Citra Boga by using capacitated vehicle routing problem method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lamdjaya, T.; Jobiliong, E.

2017-01-01

PT Anugrah Citra Boga is a food processing industry that produces meatballs as their main product. The distribution system of the products must be considered, because it needs to be more efficient in order to reduce the shipment cost. The purpose of this research is to optimize the distribution time by simulating the distribution channels with capacitated vehicle routing problem method. Firstly, the distribution route is observed in order to calculate the average speed, time capacity and shipping costs. Then build the model using AIMMS software. A few things that are required to simulate the model are customer locations, distances, and the process time. Finally, compare the total distribution cost obtained by the simulation and the historical data. It concludes that the company can reduce the shipping cost around 4.1% or Rp 529,800 per month. By using this model, the utilization rate can be more optimal. The current value for the first vehicle is 104.6% and after the simulation it becomes 88.6%. Meanwhile, the utilization rate of the second vehicle is increase from 59.8% to 74.1%. The simulation model is able to produce the optimal shipping route with time restriction, vehicle capacity, and amount of vehicle.

Benefit-cost analysis of moist exposed burn ointment.

PubMed

Atiyeh, Bishara S; Dham, Ruwayda; Kadry, Mohammaed; Abdallah, Abdel Fattah; Al-Oteify, Mahmoud; Fathi, Osman; Samir, Ahmed

2002-11-01

Burn injury is one of the most devastating injuries that may affect a patient. Even in economically deprived areas, burn care is largely driven by relatively plentiful resources equating quality of care with generous monitoring and clinical attention with little concern to management cost. Burn care costs have been the subject of very few investigations and are among the least studied by health services researchers. Nevertheless, it can be stated that local care of burn wounds accounts for a large proportion of the cost per day for treating patients. As economic times are changing and as market penetration of managed care contracts and stiff competition in the health care industry gains momentum, ways to reduce expenditures without adversely affecting the quality of care have become of primary importance. We report a randomized prospective comparative study analyzing the benefit-cost value of moist exposed burn ointment (MEBO) application, an exposed method for burn wound care without the need for a secondary covering dressing, as compared to conventional closed methods.

Resin transfer molding of textile preforms for aircraft structural applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hasko, Gregory H.; Dexter, H. Benson; Weideman, Mark H.

1992-01-01

The NASA LaRC is conducting and supporting research to develop cost-effective fabrication methods that are applicable to primary composite aircraft structures. One of the most promising fabrication methods that has evolved is resin transfer molding (RTM) of dry textile material forms. RTM has been used for many years for secondary structures, but has received increased emphasis because it is an excellent method for applying resin to damage-tolerant textile preforms at low cost. Textile preforms based on processes such as weaving, braiding, knitting, stitching, and combinations of these have been shown to offer significant improvements in damage tolerance compared to laminated tape composites. The use of low-cost resins combined with textile preforms could provide a major breakthrough in achieving cost-effective composite aircraft structures. RTM uses resin in its lowest cost form, and storage and spoilage costs are minimal. Near net shape textile preforms are expected to be cost-effective because automated machines can be used to produce the preforms, post-cure operations such as machining and fastening are minimized, and material scrap rate may be reduced in comparison with traditional prepreg molding. The purpose of this paper is to discuss experimental and analytical techniques that are under development at NASA Langley to aid the engineer in developing RTM processes for airframe structural elements. Included are experimental techniques to characterize preform and resin behavior and analytical methods that were developed to predict resin flow and cure kinetics.

Increasing energy efficiency level of building production based on applying modern mechanization facilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prokhorov, Sergey

2017-10-01

Building industry in a present day going through the hard times. Machine and mechanism exploitation cost, on a field of construction and installation works, takes a substantial part in total building construction expenses. There is a necessity to elaborate high efficient method, which allows not only to increase production, but also to reduce direct costs during machine fleet exploitation, and to increase its energy efficiency. In order to achieve the goal we plan to use modern methods of work production, hi-tech and energy saving machine tools and technologies, and use of optimal mechanization sets. As the optimization criteria there are exploitation prime cost and set efficiency. During actual task-solving process we made a conclusion, which shows that mechanization works, energy audit with production juxtaposition, prime prices and costs for energy resources allow to make complex machine fleet supply, improve ecological level and increase construction and installation work quality.

DEVELOPMENT OF A METHOD TO DESIGN A LOW-CARBON SOCIETY IN SMALL COMMUNITY AND ITS APPLICATION TO PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayashi, Yuri; Simson, Janice. J.; Gomi, Kei; Matsuoka, Yuzuru

In this study, we developed the method to design Low-carbon society for small communities almost without industry, with regarding of costs for countermeasures. Then we applied it to Putrajaya, Malaysia, and estimate Socio-economic indicators, energy demand, CO2 emission in year 2007 and 2025. For countermeasure case in 2025, we set three cases according to their priority; Transport, Renewable energy, Building, and calculated costs for countermeasures also. As a result, it was shown that it is possible to reduce 45% of CO2 emission by 2025 compared to 2007 level. Renewable energy priority case needs the highest cost, and Building and Transport was estimated to be the second and third highest. C-ExSS will help more realistic discussion on the policy and countermeasures for developing low-carbon society based on their costs.

Pre-capture multiplexing improves efficiency and cost-effectiveness of targeted genomic enrichment.

PubMed

Shearer, A Eliot; Hildebrand, Michael S; Ravi, Harini; Joshi, Swati; Guiffre, Angelica C; Novak, Barbara; Happe, Scott; LeProust, Emily M; Smith, Richard J H

2012-11-14

Targeted genomic enrichment (TGE) is a widely used method for isolating and enriching specific genomic regions prior to massively parallel sequencing. To make effective use of sequencer output, barcoding and sample pooling (multiplexing) after TGE and prior to sequencing (post-capture multiplexing) has become routine. While previous reports have indicated that multiplexing prior to capture (pre-capture multiplexing) is feasible, no thorough examination of the effect of this method has been completed on a large number of samples. Here we compare standard post-capture TGE to two levels of pre-capture multiplexing: 12 or 16 samples per pool. We evaluated these methods using standard TGE metrics and determined the ability to identify several classes of genetic mutations in three sets of 96 samples, including 48 controls. Our overall goal was to maximize cost reduction and minimize experimental time while maintaining a high percentage of reads on target and a high depth of coverage at thresholds required for variant detection. We adapted the standard post-capture TGE method for pre-capture TGE with several protocol modifications, including redesign of blocking oligonucleotides and optimization of enzymatic and amplification steps. Pre-capture multiplexing reduced costs for TGE by at least 38% and significantly reduced hands-on time during the TGE protocol. We found that pre-capture multiplexing reduced capture efficiency by 23 or 31% for pre-capture pools of 12 and 16, respectively. However efficiency losses at this step can be compensated by reducing the number of simultaneously sequenced samples. Pre-capture multiplexing and post-capture TGE performed similarly with respect to variant detection of positive control mutations. In addition, we detected no instances of sample switching due to aberrant barcode identification. Pre-capture multiplexing improves efficiency of TGE experiments with respect to hands-on time and reagent use compared to standard post-capture TGE. A decrease in capture efficiency is observed when using pre-capture multiplexing; however, it does not negatively impact variant detection and can be accommodated by the experimental design.

The reduced space Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP) method for calculating the worst resonance response of nonlinear systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liao, Haitao; Wu, Wenwang; Fang, Daining

2018-07-01

A coupled approach combining the reduced space Sequential Quadratic Programming (SQP) method with the harmonic balance condensation technique for finding the worst resonance response is developed. The nonlinear equality constraints of the optimization problem are imposed on the condensed harmonic balance equations. Making use of the null space decomposition technique, the original optimization formulation in the full space is mathematically simplified, and solved in the reduced space by means of the reduced SQP method. The transformation matrix that maps the full space to the null space of the constrained optimization problem is constructed via the coordinate basis scheme. The removal of the nonlinear equality constraints is accomplished, resulting in a simple optimization problem subject to bound constraints. Moreover, second order correction technique is introduced to overcome Maratos effect. The combination application of the reduced SQP method and condensation technique permits a large reduction of the computational cost. Finally, the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed methodology is demonstrated by two numerical examples.

Development of Improved Burnable Poisons for Commercial Nuclear Power Reactors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

M. L. Grossbeck J-P.A. Renier Tim Bigelow

2003-09-30

Burnable poisons are used in nuclear reactors to produce a more level distribution of power in the reactor core and to reduce to necessity for a large control system. An ideal burnable poison would burn at the same rate as the fuel. In this study, separation of neutron-absorbing isotopes was investigated in order to eliminate isotopes that remain as absorbers at the end of fuel life, thus reducing useful fuel life. The isotopes Gd-157, Dy-164, and Er-167 were found to have desirable properties. These isotopes were separated from naturally occurring elements by means of plasma separation to evaluate feasibility andmore » cost. It was found that pure Gd-157 could save approximately $6 million at the end of four years. However, the cost of separation, using the existing facility, made separation cost- ineffective. Using a magnet with three times the field strength is expected to reduce the cost by a factor of ten, making isotopically separated burnable poisons a favorable method of increasing fuel life in commercial reactors, in particular Generation-IV reactors. The project also investigated various burnable poison configurations, and studied incorporation of metallic burnable poisons into fuel cladding.« less

Beyond Hosting Capacity: Using Shortest Path Methods to Minimize Upgrade Cost Pathways: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gensollen, Nicolas; Horowitz, Kelsey A; Palmintier, Bryan S

We present in this paper a graph based forwardlooking algorithm applied to distribution planning in the context of distributed PV penetration. We study the target hosting capacity (THC) problem where the objective is to find the cheapest sequence of system upgrades to reach a predefined hosting capacity target value. We show in this paper that commonly used short-term cost minimization approaches lead most of the time to suboptimal solutions. By comparing our method against such myopic techniques on real distribution systems, we show that our algorithm is able to reduce the overall integration costs by looking at future decisions. Becausemore » hosting capacity is hard to compute, this problem requires efficient methods to search the space. We demonstrate here that heuristics using domain specific knowledge can be efficiently used to improve the algorithm performance such that real distribution systems can be studied.« less

Injector element characterization methodology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cox, George B., Jr.

1988-01-01

Characterization of liquid rocket engine injector elements is an important part of the development process for rocket engine combustion devices. Modern nonintrusive instrumentation for flow velocity and spray droplet size measurement, and automated, computer-controlled test facilities allow rapid, low-cost evaluation of injector element performance and behavior. Application of these methods in rocket engine development, paralleling their use in gas turbine engine development, will reduce rocket engine development cost and risk. The Alternate Turbopump (ATP) Hot Gas Systems (HGS) preburner injector elements were characterized using such methods, and the methodology and some of the results obtained will be shown.

Cost comparison of axillary sentinel lymph node detection and axillary lymphadenectomy in early breast cancer. A national study based on a prospective multi-institutional series of 985 patients ‘on behalf of the Group of Surgeons from the French Unicancer Federation’

PubMed Central

Classe, J. M.; Baffert, S.; Sigal-Zafrani, B.; Fall, M.; Rousseau, C.; Alran, S.; Rouanet, P.; Belichard, C.; Mignotte, H.; Ferron, G.; Marchal, F.; Giard, S.; Tunon de Lara, C.; Le Bouedec, G.; Cuisenier, J.; Werner, R.; Raoust, I.; Rodier, J.-F.; Laki, F.; Colombo, P.-E.; Lasry, S.; Faure, C.; Charitansky, H.; Olivier, J.-B.; Chauvet, M.-P.; Bussières, E.; Gimbergues, P.; Flipo, B.; Houvenaeghel, G.; Dravet, F.; Livartowski, A.

2012-01-01

Background: Our objective was to assess the global cost of the sentinel lymph node detection [axillary sentinel lymph node detection (ASLND)] compared with standard axillary lymphadenectomy [axillary lymph node dissection (ALND)] for early breast cancer patients. Patients and methods: We conducted a prospective, multi-institutional, observational, cost comparative analysis. Cost calculations were realized with the micro-costing method from the diagnosis until 1 month after the last surgery. Results: Eight hundred and thirty nine patients were included in the ASLND group and 146 in the ALND group. The cost generated for a patient with an ASLND, with one preoperative scintigraphy, a combined method for sentinel node detection, an intraoperative pathological analysis without lymphadenectomy, was lower than the cost generated for a patient with lymphadenectomy [€2947 (σ = 580) versus €3331 (σ = 902); P = 0.0001]. Conclusion: ASLND, involving expensive techniques, was finally less expensive than ALND. The length of hospital stay was the cost driver of these procedures. The current observational study points the heterogeneous practices for this validated and largely diffused technique. Several technical choices have an impact on the cost of ASLND, as intraoperative analysis allowing to reduce rehospitalization rate for secondary lymphadenectomy or preoperative scintigraphy, suggesting possible savings on hospital resources. PMID:21896543

Use of online recruitment strategies in a randomized trial of cancer survivors.

PubMed

Juraschek, Stephen P; Plante, Timothy B; Charleston, Jeanne; Miller, Edgar R; Yeh, Hsin-Chieh; Appel, Lawrence J; Jerome, Gerald J; Gayles, Debra; Durkin, Nowella; White, Karen; Dalcin, Arlene; Hermosilla, Manuel

2018-04-01

Despite widespread Internet adoption, online advertising remains an underutilized tool to recruit participants into clinical trials. Whether online advertising is a cost-effective method to enroll participants compared to other traditional forms of recruitment is not known. Recruitment for the Survivorship Promotion In Reducing IGF-1 Trial, a community-based study of cancer survivors, was conducted from June 2015 through December 2016 via in-person community fairs, advertisements in periodicals, and direct postal mailings. In addition, "Right Column" banner ads were purchased from Facebook to direct participants to the Survivorship Promotion In Reducing IGF-1 Trial website. Response rates, costs of traditional and online advertisements, and demographic data were determined and compared across different online and traditional recruitment strategies. Micro-trials optimizing features of online advertisements were also explored. Of the 406 respondents to our overall outreach efforts, 6% (24 of 406) were referred from online advertising. Facebook advertisements were shown over 3 million times (impressions) to 124,476 people, which resulted in 4401 clicks on our advertisement. Of these, 24 people ultimately contacted study staff, 6 underwent prescreening, and 4 enrolled in the study. The cost of online advertising per enrollee was $794 when targeting a general population versus $1426 when accounting for strategies that specifically targeted African Americans or men. By contrast, community fairs, direct mail, or periodicals cost $917, $799, or $436 per enrollee, respectively. Utilization of micro-trials to assess online ads identified subtleties (e.g. use of an advertisement title) that substantially impacted viewer interest in our trial. Online advertisements effectively directed a relevant population to our website, which resulted in new enrollees in the Survivorship Promotion In Reducing IGF-1 Trial at a cost comparable to traditional methods. Costs were substantially greater with online recruitment when targeting under-represented populations, however. Additional research using online micro-trial tools is needed to evaluate means of more precise recruitment to improve yields in under-represented groups. Potential gains from faster recruitment speed remain to be determined.

The Evolution of Private Plans in Medicare.

PubMed

Patel, Yash M; Guterman, Stuart

2017-12-01

Since the 1980s, private plans have played an increasingly important role in the Medicare program. While initially created with the goals of reducing costs, improving choice, and enhancing quality, risk-based plans--now known as Medicare Advantage plans--have undergone significant policy changes since their inception; these changes have not always aligned with the original policy objectives. To examine major policy changes to Medicare risk plans and the effects of these policies on plan participation, enrollment, average premiums and cost-sharing, total costs to Medicare, and quality of care. Review of key policy documents, reports, position statements, and academic studies. Private plans have changed considerably since their introduction into Medicare. Enrollment has risen to 33 percent of all Medicare beneficiaries; 99 percent of beneficiaries have access to private plans in 2017. Recent policies have improved risk-adjustment methods, rewarded plans’ performance on quality of care, and reduced average payments to private plans to 100 percent of traditional Medicare spending. As enrollment in private plans continues to grow and as health care costs rise, policymakers should enhance incentives for private plans to meet intended goals for higher-quality care at lower cost.

Global variation in the cost of increasing ecosystem carbon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Larjavaara, Markku; Kanninen, Markku; Gordillo, Harold; Koskinen, Joni; Kukkonen, Markus; Käyhkö, Niina; Larson, Anne M.; Wunder, Sven

2018-01-01

Slowing the reduction, or increasing the accumulation, of organic carbon stored in biomass and soils has been suggested as a potentially rapid and cost-effective method to reduce the rate of atmospheric carbon increase1. The costs of mitigating climate change by increasing ecosystem carbon relative to the baseline or business-as-usual scenario has been quantified in numerous studies, but results have been contradictory, as both methodological issues and substance differences cause variability2. Here we show, based on 77 standardized face-to-face interviews of local experts with the best possible knowledge of local land-use economics and sociopolitical context in ten landscapes around the globe, that the estimated cost of increasing ecosystem carbon varied vastly and was perceived to be 16-27 times cheaper in two Indonesian landscapes dominated by peatlands compared with the average of the eight other landscapes. Hence, if reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+) and other land-use mitigation efforts are to be distributed evenly across forested countries, for example, for the sake of international equity, their overall effectiveness would be dramatically lower than for a cost-minimizing distribution.

Low Cost Injection Mold Creation via Hybrid Additive and Conventional Manufacturing

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dehoff, Ryan R.; Watkins, Thomas R.; List, III, Frederick Alyious

2015-12-01

The purpose of the proposed project between Cummins and ORNL is to significantly reduce the cost of the tooling (machining and materials) required to create injection molds to make plastic components. Presently, the high cost of this tooling forces the design decision to make cast aluminum parts because Cummins typical production volumes are too low to allow injection molded plastic parts to be cost effective with the amortized cost of the injection molding tooling. In addition to reducing the weight of components, polymer injection molding allows the opportunity for the alternative cooling methods, via nitrogen gas. Nitrogen gas cooling offersmore » an environmentally and economically attractive cooling option, if the mold can be manufactured economically. In this project, a current injection molding design was optimized for cooling using nitrogen gas. The various components of the injection mold tooling were fabricated using the Renishaw powder bed laser additive manufacturing technology. Subsequent machining was performed on the as deposited components to form a working assembly. The injection mold is scheduled to be tested in a projection setting at a commercial vendor selected by Cummins.« less

[Mobile single-pass batch hemodialysis system in intensive care medicine. Reduction of costs and workload in renal replacement therapy].

PubMed

Hopf, H-B; Hochscherf, M; Jehmlich, M; Leischik, M; Ritter, J

2007-07-01

This paper describes the introduction of a single-pass batch hemodialysis system for renal replacement therapy in a 14 bed intensive care unit. The goals were to reduce the workload of intensive care unit physicians using an alternative and simpler method compared to continuous veno-venous hemodiafiltration (CVVHDF) and to reduce the costs of hemofiltrate solutions (80,650 EUR per year in our clinic in 2005). We describe and evaluate the process of implementation of the system as well as the achieved and prospective savings. We conclude that a close cooperation of all participants (physicians, nurses, economists, technicians) of a hospital can achieve substantial benefits for patients and employees as well as reduce the economic burden of a hospital.

A Distributed Learning Method for ℓ1-Regularized Kernel Machine over Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Ji, Xinrong; Hou, Cuiqin; Hou, Yibin; Gao, Fang; Wang, Shulong

2016-01-01

In wireless sensor networks, centralized learning methods have very high communication costs and energy consumption. These are caused by the need to transmit scattered training examples from various sensor nodes to the central fusion center where a classifier or a regression machine is trained. To reduce the communication cost, a distributed learning method for a kernel machine that incorporates ℓ1 norm regularization (ℓ1-regularized) is investigated, and a novel distributed learning algorithm for the ℓ1-regularized kernel minimum mean squared error (KMSE) machine is proposed. The proposed algorithm relies on in-network processing and a collaboration that transmits the sparse model only between single-hop neighboring nodes. This paper evaluates the proposed algorithm with respect to the prediction accuracy, the sparse rate of model, the communication cost and the number of iterations on synthetic and real datasets. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can obtain approximately the same prediction accuracy as that obtained by the batch learning method. Moreover, it is significantly superior in terms of the sparse rate of model and communication cost, and it can converge with fewer iterations. Finally, an experiment conducted on a wireless sensor network (WSN) test platform further shows the advantages of the proposed algorithm with respect to communication cost. PMID:27376298

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Petruccelli, Umberto, E-mail: umberto.petruccelli@unibas.it

Many studies about the external costs generated by the transport system have been developed in the last twenty years. To standardize methodologies and assessment procedures to be used in the evaluation of the projects, some European countries recently have adopted specific guidelines that differ from each other in some aspects even sensibly. This paper presents a critical analysis of the British, Italian and German guidelines and is aimed at cataloguing the external cost types regarded and the assessment methods indicated as well as to highlight the differences of the results, in terms of applicability and reliability. The goal is tomore » contribute to a European standardization process that would lead to the drafting of guidelines suited for all EU countries. - Highlights: • The analyzed guidelines agree on the methods to evaluate costs from air pollution, greenhouse gases and accidents. • They recommend respectively: dose-resp. approach; costs to reduce/permit emissions; whole direct, indirect and social costs. • For noise, DE guide indicates defensive expenditure or SP methods; IT guide, SP method; UK guide, the hedonic prices one. • For on territory impact, DE guide regards only the barrier effect; the IT one, also the soil consumption and system effects. • British guide proposes a qualitative methodology to estimate the impact on various landscapes and environments.« less

Reliability Study of Solder Paste Alloy for the Improvement of Solder Joint at Surface Mount Fine-Pitch Components.

PubMed

Rahman, Mohd Nizam Ab; Zubir, Noor Suhana Mohd; Leuveano, Raden Achmad Chairdino; Ghani, Jaharah A; Mahmood, Wan Mohd Faizal Wan

2014-12-02

The significant increase in metal costs has forced the electronics industry to provide new materials and methods to reduce costs, while maintaining customers' high-quality expectations. This paper considers the problem of most electronic industries in reducing costly materials, by introducing a solder paste with alloy composition tin 98.3%, silver 0.3%, and copper 0.7%, used for the construction of the surface mount fine-pitch component on a Printing Wiring Board (PWB). The reliability of the solder joint between electronic components and PWB is evaluated through the dynamic characteristic test, thermal shock test, and Taguchi method after the printing process. After experimenting with the dynamic characteristic test and thermal shock test with 20 boards, the solder paste was still able to provide a high-quality solder joint. In particular, the Taguchi method is used to determine the optimal control parameters and noise factors of the Solder Printer (SP) machine, that affects solder volume and solder height. The control parameters include table separation distance, squeegee speed, squeegee pressure, and table speed of the SP machine. The result shows that the most significant parameter for the solder volume is squeegee pressure (2.0 mm), and the solder height is the table speed of the SP machine (2.5 mm/s).

Reliability Study of Solder Paste Alloy for the Improvement of Solder Joint at Surface Mount Fine-Pitch Components

PubMed Central

Rahman, Mohd Nizam Ab.; Zubir, Noor Suhana Mohd; Leuveano, Raden Achmad Chairdino; Ghani, Jaharah A.; Mahmood, Wan Mohd Faizal Wan

2014-01-01

The significant increase in metal costs has forced the electronics industry to provide new materials and methods to reduce costs, while maintaining customers’ high-quality expectations. This paper considers the problem of most electronic industries in reducing costly materials, by introducing a solder paste with alloy composition tin 98.3%, silver 0.3%, and copper 0.7%, used for the construction of the surface mount fine-pitch component on a Printing Wiring Board (PWB). The reliability of the solder joint between electronic components and PWB is evaluated through the dynamic characteristic test, thermal shock test, and Taguchi method after the printing process. After experimenting with the dynamic characteristic test and thermal shock test with 20 boards, the solder paste was still able to provide a high-quality solder joint. In particular, the Taguchi method is used to determine the optimal control parameters and noise factors of the Solder Printer (SP) machine, that affects solder volume and solder height. The control parameters include table separation distance, squeegee speed, squeegee pressure, and table speed of the SP machine. The result shows that the most significant parameter for the solder volume is squeegee pressure (2.0 mm), and the solder height is the table speed of the SP machine (2.5 mm/s). PMID:28788270

Optimal structural design of the midship of a VLCC based on the strategy integrating SVM and GA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Li; Wang, Deyu

2012-03-01

In this paper a hybrid process of modeling and optimization, which integrates a support vector machine (SVM) and genetic algorithm (GA), was introduced to reduce the high time cost in structural optimization of ships. SVM, which is rooted in statistical learning theory and an approximate implementation of the method of structural risk minimization, can provide a good generalization performance in metamodeling the input-output relationship of real problems and consequently cuts down on high time cost in the analysis of real problems, such as FEM analysis. The GA, as a powerful optimization technique, possesses remarkable advantages for the problems that can hardly be optimized with common gradient-based optimization methods, which makes it suitable for optimizing models built by SVM. Based on the SVM-GA strategy, optimization of structural scantlings in the midship of a very large crude carrier (VLCC) ship was carried out according to the direct strength assessment method in common structural rules (CSR), which eventually demonstrates the high efficiency of SVM-GA in optimizing the ship structural scantlings under heavy computational complexity. The time cost of this optimization with SVM-GA has been sharply reduced, many more loops have been processed within a small amount of time and the design has been improved remarkably.

Intervention Costs From Communities Putting Prevention to Work

PubMed Central

Khavjou, Olga A.; Bradley, Christina; Neuwahl, Simon; Hoerger, Thomas J.; Bellard, David; Cash, Amanda J.

2016-01-01

Introduction In 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded 50 communities to participate in the Communities Putting Prevention to Work (CPPW) program. CPPW supported community-based approaches to prevent or delay chronic disease and promote wellness by reducing tobacco use and obesity. We collected the direct costs of CPPW for the 44 communities funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) and analyzed costs per person reached for all CPPW interventions and by intervention category. Methods From 2011 through 2013, we collected quarterly data on costs from the 44 CPPW ARRA-funded communities. We estimated CPPW program costs as spending on labor; consultants; materials, travel, and services; overhead activities; and partners plus the value of in-kind donations. We estimated communities’ costs per person reached for each intervention implemented and compared cost allocations across communities that focused on reducing tobacco use, or obesity, or both. Analyses were conducted in 2014; costs are reported in 2012 dollars. Results The largest share of CPPW total costs of $363 million supported interventions in communities that focused on obesity ($228 million). Average costs per person reached were less than $5 for 84% of tobacco-related interventions, 88% of nutrition interventions, and 89% of physical activity interventions. Costs per person reached were highest for social support and services interventions, almost $3 for tobacco‑use interventions and $1 for obesity prevention interventions. Conclusions CPPW cost estimates are useful for comparing intervention cost per person reached with health outcomes and for addressing how community health intervention costs vary by type of intervention and by community size. PMID:27468157

Cost-effectiveness of the strong African American families-teen program: 1-year follow-up

PubMed Central

Ingels, Justin B.; Corso, Phaedra S.; Kogan, Steve M.; Brody, Gene H.

2013-01-01

Introduction Alcohol use poses a major threat to the health and well being of rural African American adolescents by negatively impacting academic performance, health, and safety. However, rigorous economic evaluations of prevention programs targeting this population are scarce. Methods Cost-effectiveness analyses were conducted of SAAF-T relative to an attention-control intervention (ACI), as part of a randomized prevention trial. Outcomes of interest were the number of alcohol use and binge drinking episodes prevented, one year following the intervention. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) and cost-effectiveness acceptability curves (CEACs) were used to determine the cost-effectiveness of SAAF-T compared to the ACI intervention. Results For the 473 participating youth completing baseline and follow-up assessments, the incremental per participant costs were $168, while the incremental per participant effects were 3.39 episodes of alcohol use prevented and 1.36 episodes of binge drinking prevented. Compared to the ACI intervention, the SAAF-T program cost $50 per reduction in an alcohol use episode and $123 per reduced episode of binge drinking. For the CEACs, at thresholds of $100 and $440, SAAF-T has at least a 90% probability of being cost-effective, relative to the ACI, for reductions in alcohol use and binge drinking episodes, respectively. Conclusions The SAAF-T intervention provides a potentially cost-effective means for reducing the African American youths’ alcohol use and binge drinking episodes. PMID:23998376

Computer-assisted Behavioral Therapy and Contingency Management for Cannabis Use Disorder

PubMed Central

Budney, Alan J.; Stanger, Catherine; Tilford, J. Mick; Scherer, Emily; Brown, Pamela C.; Li, Zhongze; Li, Zhigang; Walker, Denise

2015-01-01

Computer-assisted behavioral treatments hold promise for enhancing access to and reducing costs of treatments for substance use disorders. This study assessed the efficacy of a computer-assisted version of an efficacious, multicomponent treatment for cannabis use disorders (CUD), i.e., motivational enhancement therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and abstinence-based contingency-management (MET/CBT/CM). An initial cost comparison was also performed. Seventy-five adult participants, 59% African Americans, seeking treatment for CUD received either, MET only (BRIEF), therapist-delivered MET/CBT/CM (THERAPIST), or computer-delivered MET/CBT/CM (COMPUTER). During treatment, the THERAPIST and COMPUTER conditions engendered longer durations of continuous cannabis abstinence than BRIEF (p < .05), but did not differ from each other. Abstinence rates and reduction in days of use over time were maintained in COMPUTER at least as well as in THERAPIST. COMPUTER averaged approximately $130 (p < .05) less per case than THERAPIST in therapist costs, which offset most of the costs of CM. Results add to promising findings that illustrate potential for computer-assisted delivery methods to enhance access to evidence-based care, reduce costs, and possibly improve outcomes. The observed maintenance effects and the cost findings require replication in larger clinical trials. PMID:25938629

Experimental investigation and numerical analysis to develop low-energy large-midwater trawls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jihoon; Kim, Taeho; Lee, Chun-Woo; Park, Subong

2017-12-01

Fuel consumption in fisheries is a primary concern because of its effects on the environment and the costs incurred by fishermen. Many studies have been conducted to reduce the fuel consumption in fishing operations. Fuel consumption due to fishing gear during a fishing operation is generally related to the hydrodynamic resistance on the gear. This means that fuel consumption is proportional to the drag created by the towing speed. Based on numerical methods, this study suggests a new approach to reduce fuel consumption in fisheries. The results of the simulation are in good agreement with those of model experiments. The total as well as partial resistance forces on the gear are calculated by simulation. The simulation results suggest improved materials and gear structure for reducing the hydrodynamic forces on the gear while maintaining gear performance. The method for assessing the gear performance involves measuring the height and width of the net mouth. Furthermore, this study investigates the efficiency of a low-energy trawl from an economic point of view. The findings of this study will be useful in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in fishing operations, and thereby contribute toward lowering fishing costs by saving fuel.

Economic analysis of the design and fabrication of a space qualified power system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruselowski, G.

1980-01-01

An economic analysis was performed to determine the cost of the design and fabrication of a low Earth orbit, 2 kW photovoltaic/battery, space qualified power system. A commercially available computer program called PRICE (programmed review of information for costing and evaluation) was used to conduct the analysis. The sensitivity of the various cost factors to the assumptions used is discussed. Total cost of the power system was found to be $2.46 million with the solar array accounting for 70.5%. Using the assumption that the prototype becomes the flight system, 77.3% of the total cost is associated with manufacturing. Results will be used to establish whether the cost of space qualified hardware can be reduced by the incorporation of commercial design, fabrication, and quality assurance methods.

Evaluating the causes of photovoltaics cost reduction: Why is PV different?

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Trancik, Jessika; McNerney, James; Kavlak, Goksin

The goals of this project were to quantify sources of cost reduction in photovoltaics (PV), improve theories of technological evolution, develop new analytical methods, and formu- late guidelines for continued cost reduction in photovoltaics. A number of explanations have been suggested for why photovoltaics have come down in cost rapidly over time, including increased production rates, significant R&D expenditures, heavy patenting ac- tivity, decreasing material and input costs, scale economies, reduced plant construction costs, and higher conversion efficiencies. We classified these proposed causes into low- level factors and high-level drivers. Low-level factors include technical characteristics, such as module efficiency ormore » wafer area, which are easily posed in terms of variables of a cost equation. High-level factors include scale economies, research and development (R&D), and learning-by-doing.« less

A geostatistics-informed hierarchical sensitivity analysis method for complex groundwater flow and transport modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Heng; Chen, Xingyuan; Ye, Ming; Song, Xuehang; Zachara, John M.

2017-05-01

Sensitivity analysis is an important tool for development and improvement of mathematical models, especially for complex systems with a high dimension of spatially correlated parameters. Variance-based global sensitivity analysis has gained popularity because it can quantify the relative contribution of uncertainty from different sources. However, its computational cost increases dramatically with the complexity of the considered model and the dimension of model parameters. In this study, we developed a new sensitivity analysis method that integrates the concept of variance-based method with a hierarchical uncertainty quantification framework. Different uncertain inputs are grouped and organized into a multilayer framework based on their characteristics and dependency relationships to reduce the dimensionality of the sensitivity analysis. A set of new sensitivity indices are defined for the grouped inputs using the variance decomposition method. Using this methodology, we identified the most important uncertainty source for a dynamic groundwater flow and solute transport model at the Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford site. The results indicate that boundary conditions and permeability field contribute the most uncertainty to the simulated head field and tracer plume, respectively. The relative contribution from each source varied spatially and temporally. By using a geostatistical approach to reduce the number of realizations needed for the sensitivity analysis, the computational cost of implementing the developed method was reduced to a practically manageable level. The developed sensitivity analysis method is generally applicable to a wide range of hydrologic and environmental problems that deal with high-dimensional spatially distributed input variables.

A Geostatistics-Informed Hierarchical Sensitivity Analysis Method for Complex Groundwater Flow and Transport Modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, H.; Chen, X.; Ye, M.; Song, X.; Zachara, J. M.

2017-12-01

Sensitivity analysis is an important tool for development and improvement of mathematical models, especially for complex systems with a high dimension of spatially correlated parameters. Variance-based global sensitivity analysis has gained popularity because it can quantify the relative contribution of uncertainty from different sources. However, its computational cost increases dramatically with the complexity of the considered model and the dimension of model parameters. In this study we developed a new sensitivity analysis method that integrates the concept of variance-based method with a hierarchical uncertainty quantification framework. Different uncertain inputs are grouped and organized into a multi-layer framework based on their characteristics and dependency relationships to reduce the dimensionality of the sensitivity analysis. A set of new sensitivity indices are defined for the grouped inputs using the variance decomposition method. Using this methodology, we identified the most important uncertainty source for a dynamic groundwater flow and solute transport model at the Department of Energy (DOE) Hanford site. The results indicate that boundary conditions and permeability field contribute the most uncertainty to the simulated head field and tracer plume, respectively. The relative contribution from each source varied spatially and temporally. By using a geostatistical approach to reduce the number of realizations needed for the sensitivity analysis, the computational cost of implementing the developed method was reduced to a practically manageable level. The developed sensitivity analysis method is generally applicable to a wide range of hydrologic and environmental problems that deal with high-dimensional spatially-distributed input variables.

Economic evaluation of influenza pandemic mitigation strategies in the us using a stochastic microsimulation transmission model

PubMed Central

Sander, Beate; Nizam, Azhar; Garrison, Louis P.; Postma, Maarten J.; Halloran, M. Elizabeth; Longini, Ira M.

2013-01-01

Objectives To project the potential economic impact of pandemic influenza mitigation strategies from a societal perspective in the United States. Methods We use a stochastic agent-based model to simulate pandemic influenza in the community. We compare 17 strategies: targeted antiviral prophylaxis (TAP) alone and in combination with school closure as well as prevaccination. Results In the absence of intervention, we predict a 50% attack rate with an economic impact of $187 per capita as loss to society. Full TAP is the most effective single strategy, reducing number of cases by 54% at the lowest cost to society ($127 per capita). Prevaccination reduces number of cases by 48% and is the second least costly alternative ($140 per capita). Adding school closure to full TAP or prevaccination further improves health outcomes, but increases total cost to society by approximately $2700 per capita. Conclusion Full targeted antiviral prophylaxis is an effective and cost-saving measure for mitigating pandemic influenza. PMID:18671770

The Effectiveness of Insurer-Supported Safety and Health Engineering Controls in Reducing Workers’ Compensation Claims and Costs

PubMed Central

Wurzelbacher, Steven J.; Bertke, Stephen J.; Lampl, Michael P.; Bushnell, P. Timothy; Meyers, Alysha R.; Robins, David C.; Al-Tarawneh, Ibraheem S.

2015-01-01

Background This study evaluated the effectiveness of a program in which a workers’ compensation (WC) insurer provided matching funds to insured employers to implement safety/health engineering controls. Methods Pre- and post-intervention WC metrics were compiled for the employees designated as affected by the interventions within 468 employers for interventions occurring from 2003 to 2009. Poisson, two-part, and linear regression models with repeated measures were used to evaluate differences in pre- and post-data, controlling for time trends independent of the interventions. Results For affected employees, total WC claim frequency rates (both medical-only and lost-time claims) decreased 66%, lost-time WC claim frequency rates decreased 78%, WC paid cost per employee decreased 81%, and WC geometric mean paid claim cost decreased 30% post-intervention. Reductions varied by employer size, specific industry, and intervention type. Conclusions The insurer-supported safety/health engineering control program was effective in reducing WC claims and costs for affected employees. PMID:25223846

A Prospective Analysis of the Costs, Benefits, and Impacts of U.S. Renewable Portfolio Standards

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mai, Trieu; Wiser, Ryan; Barbose, Galen

This is the third in a series of reports exploring the costs, benefits, and other impacts of state renewable portfolio standards (RPS). This report evaluates the effects of renewable electricity used to meet aggregate RPS demand growth prospectively, over the period 2015-2050, under both current RPS policies as well as a potential expansion of those policies. Relying on a well-vetted suite of methods, the report quantifies: the costs to the electric system and retail electricity price impacts; the potential societal benefits associated with reduced greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution emissions, and water use; workforce requirements and economic development effects; andmore » consumer savings associated with reduced natural gas prices. The study quantifies these effects in both physical and monetary terms, where possible, at both national and regional levels, and characterizes key uncertainties. The two prior studies in the series have focused, instead, on the historical costs and on the historical benefits and impacts of state RPS policies.« less

Low Cost Manufacturing Approach of High Temperature PMC Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kannmacher, Kevin

1997-01-01

The overall objective is to develop a satisfactory sheet molding compound (SMC) of a high temperature polyimide, such as PMR-11-50, VCAP-75, or NB2-76, and to develop compression molding processing parameters for a random, chopped fiber, high temperature, sheet molding compound that will be more affordable than the traditional hand lay-up fabrication methods. Compression molding will reduce manufacturing costs of composites by: (1) minimizing the conventional machining required after fabrication due to the use of full 360 deg matched tooling, (2) reducing fabrication time by minimizing the intensive hand lay-up operations associated with individual ply fabrication techniques, such as ply orientation and ply count and (3) possibly reducing component mold time by advanced B-staging prior to molding. This program is an integral part of Allison's T406/AE engine family's growth plan, which will utilize technologies developed under NASA's Sub-sonic Transport (AST) programs, UHPTET initiatives, and internally through Allison's IR&D projects. Allison is aggressively pursuing this next generation of engines, with both commercial and military applications, by reducing the overall weight of the engine through the incorporation of advanced, lightweight, high temperature materials, such as polymer matrix composites. This infusion of new materials into the engine is also a major factor in reducing engine cost because it permits the use of physically smaller structural components to achieve the same thrust levels as the generation that it replaced. A lighter, more efficient propulsion system translates to a substantial cost and weight savings to an airframe's structure.

A simulation based approach to optimize inventory replenishment with RAND algorithm: An extended study of corrected demand using Holt's method for textile industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morshed, Mohammad Sarwar; Kamal, Mostafa Mashnoon; Khan, Somaiya Islam

2016-07-01

Inventory has been a major concern in supply chain and numerous researches have been done lately on inventory control which brought forth a number of methods that efficiently manage inventory and related overheads by reducing cost of replenishment. This research is aimed towards providing a better replenishment policy in case of multi-product, single supplier situations for chemical raw materials of textile industries in Bangladesh. It is assumed that industries currently pursue individual replenishment system. The purpose is to find out the optimum ideal cycle time and individual replenishment cycle time of each product for replenishment that will cause lowest annual holding and ordering cost, and also find the optimum ordering quantity. In this paper indirect grouping strategy has been used. It is suggested that indirect grouping Strategy outperforms direct grouping strategy when major cost is high. An algorithm by Kaspi and Rosenblatt (1991) called RAND is exercised for its simplicity and ease of application. RAND provides an ideal cycle time (T) for replenishment and integer multiplier (ki) for individual items. Thus the replenishment cycle time for each product is found as T×ki. Firstly, based on data, a comparison between currently prevailing (individual) process and RAND is provided that uses the actual demands which presents 49% improvement in total cost of replenishment. Secondly, discrepancies in demand is corrected by using Holt's method. However, demands can only be forecasted one or two months into the future because of the demand pattern of the industry under consideration. Evidently, application of RAND with corrected demand display even greater improvement. The results of this study demonstrates that cost of replenishment can be significantly reduced by applying RAND algorithm and exponential smoothing models.

Adenosine-stress cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in suspected coronary artery disease: a net cost analysis and reimbursement implications.

PubMed

Pilz, Guenter; Patel, Pankaj A; Fell, Ulrich; Ladapo, Joseph A; Rizzo, John A; Fang, Hai; Gunnarsson, Candace; Heer, Tobias; Hoefling, Berthold

2011-01-01

The health and economic implications of new imaging technologies are increasingly relevant policy issues. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is currently not or not sufficiently reimbursed in a number of countries including Germany, presumably because of a limited evidence base. It is unknown, however, whether it can be effectively used to facilitate medical decision-making and reduce costs by serving as a gatekeeper to invasive coronary angiography. We investigated whether the application of CMR in patients suspected of having coronary artery disease (CAD) reduces costs by averting referrals to cardiac catheterization. We used propensity score methods to match 218 patients from a CMR registry to a previously studied cohort in which CMR was demonstrated to reliably identify patients who were low-risk for major cardiac events. Covariates over which patients were matched included comorbidity profiles, demographics, CAD-related symptoms, and CAD risk as measured by Morise scores. We determined the proportion of patients for whom cardiac catheterization was deferred based upon CMR findings. We then calculated the economic effects of practice pattern changes using data on cardiac catheterization and CMR costs. CMR reduced the utilization of cardiac catheterization by 62.4%. Based on estimated catheterization costs of € 619, the utilization of CMR as a gatekeeper reduced per-patient costs by a mean of € 90. Savings were realized until CMR costs exceeded € 386. Cost savings were greatest for patients at low-risk for CAD, as measured by baseline Morise scores, but were present for all Morise subgroups with the exception of patients at the highest risk of CAD. CMR significantly reduces the utilization of cardiac catheterization in patients suspected of having CAD. Per-patient savings range from € 323 in patients at lowest risk of CAD to € 58 in patients at high-risk but not in the highest risk stratum. Because a negative CMR evaluation has high negative predictive value, its application as a gatekeeper to cardiac catheterization should be further explored as a treatment option.

Effects of independently altering body weight and body mass on the metabolic cost of running.

PubMed

Teunissen, Lennart P J; Grabowski, Alena; Kram, Rodger

2007-12-01

The metabolic cost of running is substantial, despite the savings from elastic energy storage and return. Previous studies suggest that generating vertical force to support body weight and horizontal forces to brake and propel body mass are the major determinants of the metabolic cost of running. In the present study, we investigated how independently altering body weight and body mass affects the metabolic cost of running. Based on previous studies, we hypothesized that reducing body weight would decrease metabolic rate proportionally, and adding mass and weight would increase metabolic rate proportionally. Further, because previous studies show that adding mass alone does not affect the forces generated on the ground, we hypothesized that adding mass alone would have no substantial effect on metabolic rate. We manipulated the body weight and body mass of 10 recreational human runners and measured their metabolic rates while they ran at 3 m s(-1). We reduced weight using a harness system, increased mass and weight using lead worn about the waist, and increased mass alone using a combination of weight support and added load. We found that net metabolic rate decreased in less than direct proportion to reduced body weight, increased in slightly more than direct proportion to added load (added mass and weight), and was not substantially different from normal running with added mass alone. Adding mass alone was not an effective method for determining the metabolic cost attributable to braking/propelling body mass. Runners loaded with mass alone did not generate greater vertical or horizontal impulses and their metabolic costs did not substantially differ from those of normal running. Our results show that generating force to support body weight is the primary determinant of the metabolic cost of running. Extrapolating our reduced weight data to zero weight suggests that supporting body weight comprises at most 74% of the net cost of running. However, 74% is probably an overestimate of the metabolic demand of body weight to support itself because in reduced gravity conditions decrements in horizontal impulse accompanied decrements in vertical impulse.

Adenosine-stress cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in suspected coronary artery disease: a net cost analysis and reimbursement implications

PubMed Central

Patel, Pankaj A.; Fell, Ulrich; Ladapo, Joseph A.; Rizzo, John A.; Fang, Hai; Gunnarsson, Candace; Heer, Tobias; Hoefling, Berthold

2010-01-01

The health and economic implications of new imaging technologies are increasingly relevant policy issues. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) is currently not or not sufficiently reimbursed in a number of countries including Germany, presumably because of a limited evidence base. It is unknown, however, whether it can be effectively used to facilitate medical decision-making and reduce costs by serving as a gatekeeper to invasive coronary angiography. We investigated whether the application of CMR in patients suspected of having coronary artery disease (CAD) reduces costs by averting referrals to cardiac catheterization. We used propensity score methods to match 218 patients from a CMR registry to a previously studied cohort in which CMR was demonstrated to reliably identify patients who were low-risk for major cardiac events. Covariates over which patients were matched included comorbidity profiles, demographics, CAD-related symptoms, and CAD risk as measured by Morise scores. We determined the proportion of patients for whom cardiac catheterization was deferred based upon CMR findings. We then calculated the economic effects of practice pattern changes using data on cardiac catheterization and CMR costs. CMR reduced the utilization of cardiac catheterization by 62.4%. Based on estimated catheterization costs of € 619, the utilization of CMR as a gatekeeper reduced per-patient costs by a mean of € 90. Savings were realized until CMR costs exceeded € 386. Cost savings were greatest for patients at low-risk for CAD, as measured by baseline Morise scores, but were present for all Morise subgroups with the exception of patients at the highest risk of CAD. CMR significantly reduces the utilization of cardiac catheterization in patients suspected of having CAD. Per-patient savings range from € 323 in patients at lowest risk of CAD to € 58 in patients at high-risk but not in the highest risk stratum. Because a negative CMR evaluation has high negative predictive value, its application as a gatekeeper to cardiac catheterization should be further explored as a treatment option. PMID:20524070

Predictive Modeling of Developmental Toxicity

EPA Science Inventory

The use of alternative methods in conjunction with traditional in vivo developmental toxicity testing has the potential to (1) reduce cost and increase throughput of testing the chemical universe, (2) prioritize chemicals for further targeted toxicity testing and risk assessment,...

Semi-Automated Pulse-Echo Ultrasonic System for Inspecting Tires

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1977-07-01

A nondestructive tire-testing system has been developed using the pulse-echo ultrasonic technique, which offers substantial advantages over all other physical nondestructive-testing methods and shows promise of reducing the cost of production-tire in...

Process for using surface strain measurements to obtain operational loads for complex structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ko, William L. (Inventor); Richards, William Lance (Inventor)

2010-01-01

The invention is an improved process for using surface strain data to obtain real-time, operational loads data for complex structures that significantly reduces the time and cost versus current methods.

An evaluation of noise reduction algorithms for particle-based fluid simulations in multi-scale applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zimoń, M. J.; Prosser, R.; Emerson, D. R.; Borg, M. K.; Bray, D. J.; Grinberg, L.; Reese, J. M.

2016-11-01

Filtering of particle-based simulation data can lead to reduced computational costs and enable more efficient information transfer in multi-scale modelling. This paper compares the effectiveness of various signal processing methods to reduce numerical noise and capture the structures of nano-flow systems. In addition, a novel combination of these algorithms is introduced, showing the potential of hybrid strategies to improve further the de-noising performance for time-dependent measurements. The methods were tested on velocity and density fields, obtained from simulations performed with molecular dynamics and dissipative particle dynamics. Comparisons between the algorithms are given in terms of performance, quality of the results and sensitivity to the choice of input parameters. The results provide useful insights on strategies for the analysis of particle-based data and the reduction of computational costs in obtaining ensemble solutions.

Enhanced methods for operating refueling station tube-trailers to reduce refueling cost

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Elgowainy, Amgad; Reddi, Krishna

A method and apparatus are provided for operating a refueling station including source tube-trailers and at least one compressor to reduce refueling cost. The refueling station includes a gaseous fuel supply source including a plurality of tanks on a tube trailer coupled to a first control unit, and high pressure buffer storage having predefined capacity coupled to a second control unit and the first tanks by a pressure control valve and the first control unit, and at least one compressor. The refueling station is operated at different modes depending on a state of the refueling station at the beginning ofmore » each operational mode. The refueling system is assessed at the end of each operational mode to identify the state of the system and select a next mode of operation. The operational modes include consolidating hydrogen, or any gaseous fuel, within the tubes mounted on the trailer.« less

Innovative and cost-effective management of large omphalocele.

PubMed

Gupta, Parthapratim

2007-06-01

The aim of this study was to develop a method of management of large omphalocele, with easily available inexpensive materials. The efficacy of using the plastic of urine collection bag and paper stapler, in creating the "silo" for the management of 3 newborns with such defects, were assessed. All operations were done within 36 hours of birth. A silo was created with the plastic of a sterile urine collection bag, which was stapled with a paper stapler at its free margin. The omphalocele was gradually reduced every 24 to 48 hours, using the stapler, until the contents were reduced, when the abdominal wall was repaired. The mean time taken to close the abdominal defect was 34 days. All patients could be breast-fed from 48 hours after the first stage is done. Rooming in was done by day 7. None of the babies required assisted ventilation. This method is simple and cost-effective, using minimally expensive, easily available materials.

A systematic review and cost-effectiveness analysis of tonometer disinfection methods.

PubMed

Omar Akhtar, Ahmad; Singh, Hargurinder; Si, Francie; Hodge, William G

2014-08-01

The Goldmann applanation tonometer presents the problem of being one of the most widely used pieces of equipment in the ophthalmic clinic and a known risk factor for the transmission of epidemic keratoconjunctivitis (EKC). The purpose of this review is to assess the effectiveness of 3 methods of disinfection: alcohol swabs, immersion in peroxide, and the use of disposable prisms. An economic evaluation is undertaken to assess the cost-effectiveness of the 3 alternatives. In doing so, we contribute an evidence-based overview of the issue at an opportune time, because several jurisdictions are developing protocols regarding tonometer tip disinfection. Systematic review and cost-effectiveness analysis. A comprehensive literature review was undertaken with a librarian, comprising searches of 6 electronic databases and hand searches of the grey literature. A 3-level screening process was undertaken by 2 reviewers according to prespecified inclusion and exclusion criteria. Values from included papers were used to inform a cost-effectiveness analysis undertaken using a decision tree model implemented in TreeAge. The analysis was undertaken from the hospital perspective and included all equipment and labour costs. Synthesis of in vitro data indicates that all 3 methods are plausible methods of disinfection with a 64% reduction in log growth of EKC when peroxide is used compared with alcohol swabs. The incremental cost-effective ratios from the cost-effectiveness analysis were $12,000/case averted using peroxide and $61,000/case averted with Tonosafe as compared with alcohol. Assuming clinical infection rates match in vitro disinfection data, the cost of bleach is high and the cost of Tonosafe is unacceptably high to reduce 1 potential case of adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The direct and indirect costs of both overweight and obesity: a systematic review

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The rising prevalence of overweight and obesity places a financial burden on health services and on the wider economy. Health service and societal costs of overweight and obesity are typically estimated by top-down approaches which derive population attributable fractions for a range of conditions associated with increased body fat or bottom-up methods based on analyses of cross-sectional or longitudinal datasets. The evidence base of cost of obesity studies is continually expanding, however, the scope of these studies varies widely and a lack of standardised methods limits comparisons nationally and internationally. The objective of this review is to contribute to this knowledge pool by examining direct costs and indirect (lost productivity) costs of both overweight and obesity to provide comparable estimates. This review was undertaken as part of the introductory work for the Irish cost of overweight and obesity study and examines inconsistencies in the methodologies of cost of overweight and obesity studies. Studies which evaluated the direct costs and indirect costs of both overweight and obesity were included. Methods A computerised search of English language studies addressing direct and indirect costs of overweight and obesity in adults between 2001 and 2011 was conducted. Reference lists of reports, articles and earlier reviews were scanned to identify additional studies. Results Five published articles were deemed eligible for inclusion. Despite the limited scope of this review there was considerable heterogeneity in methodological approaches and findings. In the four studies which presented separate estimates for direct and indirect costs of overweight and obesity, the indirect costs were higher, accounting for between 54% and 59% of the estimated total costs. Conclusion A gradient exists between increasing BMI and direct healthcare costs and indirect costs due to reduced productivity and early premature mortality. Determining precise estimates for the increases is mired by the large presence of heterogeneity among the available cost estimation literature. To improve the availability of quality evidence an international consensus on standardised methods for cost of obesity studies is warranted. Analyses of nationally representative cross-sectional datasets augmented by data from primary care are likely to provide the best data for international comparisons. PMID:24739239

Economic evaluation of environmental epidemiological projects in national industrial complexes.

PubMed

Shin, Youngchul

2017-01-01

In this economic evaluation of environmental epidemiological monitoring projects, we analyzed the economic feasibility of these projects by determining the social cost and benefit of these projects and conducting a cost/benefit analysis. Here, the social cost was evaluated by converting annual budgets for these research and survey projects into present values. Meanwhile, the societal benefit of these projects was evaluated by using the contingent valuation method to estimate the willingness-to-pay of residents living in or near industrial complexes. In addition, the extent to which these projects reduced negative health effects (i.e., excess disease and premature death) was evaluated through expert surveys, and the analysis was conducted to reflect the unit of economic value, based on the cost of illness and benefit transfer method. The results were then used to calculate the benefit of these projects in terms of the decrease in negative health effects. For residents living near industrial complexes, the benefit/cost ratio was 1.44 in the analysis based on resident surveys and 5.17 in the analysis based on expert surveys. Thus, whichever method was used for the economic analysis, the economic feasibility of these projects was confirmed.

The personal, societal, and economic burden of schizophrenia in the People’s Republic of China: implications for antipsychotic therapy

PubMed Central

Montgomery, William; Liu, Li; Stensland, Michael D; Xue, Hai Bo; Treuer, Tamas; Ascher-Svanum, Haya

2013-01-01

Background This article describes the personal, societal, and economic burden attributable to schizophrenia in the People’s Republic of China and highlights the potential for effective outpatient treatment to reduce this burden given recent changes in the Chinese health care system. The importance of effective antipsychotic therapy in reducing the burden of schizophrenia is also examined. Methods Published research on the burden, disability, management, and economic costs of schizophrenia in the People’s Republic of China was examined in the context of the larger body of global research. Research written in English or Chinese and published before June 2012 was identified using PubMed, CNKI, and Wanfang Med database searches. The contribution of effective antipsychotic therapy in reducing the risk for relapse and hospitalization and improving patients’ functioning is described. Results Schizophrenia imposes a substantial burden on Chinese society, with indirect costs accounting for the majority of the total cost. Functional impairment is high, leading to lost wages and work impairment. In the People’s Republic of China, schizophrenia is the most common diagnosis among hospitalized psychiatric patients. Ongoing changes in the Chinese health care system may reduce some barriers to effective relapse prevention in schizophrenia and potentially reduce hospitalizations. The use of antipsychotics for acute episodes and maintenance treatment has been shown to decrease symptom severity and reduce the risk for relapse and hospitalization. However, discontinuing antipsychotic medication appears common and is a strong predictor of relapse. Cost-effectiveness research in the People’s Republic of China is needed to examine the potential gains from improved outpatient antipsychotic treatment. Conclusion Schizophrenia is a very costly mental illness in terms of personal, economic, and societal burden, both in the People’s Republic of China and globally. When treated effectively, patients tend to persist longer with antipsychotic treatment, have fewer costly relapses, and have improved functioning. Further research examining the long-term effects of reducing barriers to effective treatments on the societal burden of schizophrenia in the People’s Republic of China is needed. PMID:23983478

Investigation of low-cost ablative heat shield fabrication for space shuttles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chandler, H. H.

1972-01-01

Improvements in the processes and design to reduce the manufacturing costs for low density ablative panels for the space shuttle are discussed. The areas that were studied included methods of loading honeycomb core, alternative reinforcement concepts, and the use of reusable subpanels. A review of previous studies on the fabrication of low-cost ablative panels and on permissible defects that do not affect thermal performance was conducted. Considerable differences in the quoted prices for ablative panels, even though the various contractors had reported similar fabrication times were discovered. How these cost differences arise from different estimating criteria and which estimating assumptions and other costs must be included in order to arrive at a realistic price are discussed.

Use of the DISST Model to Estimate the HOMA and Matsuda Indexes Using Only a Basal Insulin Assay

PubMed Central

Docherty, Paul D.; Chase, J. Geoffrey

2014-01-01

Background: It is hypothesized that early detection of reduced insulin sensitivity (SI) could prompt intervention that may reduce the considerable financial strain type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) places on global health care. Reduction of the cost of already inexpensive SI metrics such as the Matsuda and HOMA indexes would enable more widespread, economically feasible use of these metrics for screening. The goal of this research was to determine a means of reducing the number of insulin samples and therefore the cost required to provide an accurate Matsuda Index value. Method: The Dynamic Insulin Sensitivity and Secretion Test (DISST) model was used with the glucose and basal insulin measurements from an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) to predict patient insulin responses. The insulin response to the OGTT was determined via population based regression analysis that incorporated the 60-minute glucose and basal insulin values. Results: The proposed method derived accurate and precise Matsuda Indices as compared to the fully sampled Matsuda (R = .95) using only the basal assay insulin-level data and 4 glucose measurements. Using a model employing the basal insulin also allows for determination of the 1-day HOMA value. Conclusion: The DISST model was successfully modified to allow for the accurate prediction an individual’s insulin response to the OGTT. In turn, this enabled highly accurate and precise estimation of a Matsuda Index using only the glucose and basal insulin assays. As insulin assays account for the majority of the cost of the Matsuda Index, this model offers a significant reduction in assay cost. PMID:24876431

Does NGAL reduce costs? A cost analysis of urine NGAL (uNGAL) & serum creatinine (sCr) for acute kidney injury (AKI) diagnosis

PubMed Central

Canetta, Pietro; Forster, Catherine; Sise, Meghan; Maarouf, Omar; Singer, Eugenia; Elger, Antje; Elitok, Saban; Schmidt-Ott, Kai; Barasch, Jonathon

2017-01-01

Introduction Urine neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (uNGAL) is a sensitive and specific diagnostic test for acute kidney injury (AKI) in the Emergency Department (ED), but its economic impact has not been investigated. We hypothesized that uNGAL used in combination with serum creatinine (sCr) would reduce costs in the management of AKI in patients presenting to the ED in comparison to using sCr alone. Materials and methods A cost simulation model was developed for clinical algorithms to diagnose AKI based on sCr alone vs. uNGAL plus sCr (uNGAL+sCr). A cost minimization analysis was performed to determine total expected costs for patients with AKI. uNGAL test characteristics were validated with eight-hundred forty-nine patients with sCr ≥1.5 from a completed study of 1635 patients recruited from EDs at two U.S. hospitals from 2007–8. Biomarker test, AKI work-up, and diagnostic imaging costs were incorporated. Results For a hypothetical cohort of 10,000 patients, the model predicted that the expected costs were $900 per patient (pp) in the sCr arm and $950 in the uNGAL+sCr arm. uNGAL+sCr resulted in 1,578 fewer patients with delayed diagnosis and treatment than sCr alone (2,013 vs. 436 pts) at center 1 and 1,973 fewer patients with delayed diagnosis and treatment than sCr alone at center 2 (2,227 vs. 254 patients). Although initial evaluation costs at each center were $50 pp higher in with uNGAL+sCr, total costs declined by $408 pp at Center 1 and by $522 pp at Center 2 due to expected reduced delays in diagnosis and treatment. Sensitivity analyses confirmed savings with uNGAL + sCr for a range of cost inputs. Discussion Using uNGAL with sCr as a clinical diagnostic test for AKI may improve patient management and reduce expected costs. Any cost savings would likely result from avoiding delays in diagnosis and treatment and from avoidance of unnecessary testing in patients given a false positive AKI diagnosis by use of sCr alone. PMID:28542336

Cost-effectiveness of edoxaban versus rivaroxaban for stroke prevention in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) in the US

PubMed Central

Miller, Jeffrey D; Ye, Xin; Lenhart, Gregory M; Farr, Amanda M; Tran, Oth V; Kwong, W Jackie; Magnuson, Elizabeth A; Weintraub, William S

2016-01-01

Background Understanding the value of new anticoagulation therapies compared with existing therapies is of paramount importance in today’s cost-conscious and efficiency-driven health care environment. Edoxaban and rivaroxaban for stroke prevention in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients with CHADS2 scores ≥2 have been evaluated in pivotal trials versus warfarin. The relative value of edoxaban versus rivaroxaban would be of interest to health care stakeholders and patients who prefer a once-daily treatment option for long-term stroke prevention in NVAF. Objective To evaluate the relative cost-effectiveness of two once-daily regimens of novel oral anticoagulation therapy – edoxaban (60 mg/30 mg dose-reduced) versus rivaroxaban (20 mg/15 mg dose-reduced) – for stroke prevention in NVAF patients from a US health-plan perspective. Materials and methods A Markov model simulated lifetime risk and treatment of stroke, systemic embolism, major bleeding, clinically relevant nonmajor bleeding, myocardial infarction, and death in NVAF patients treated with edoxaban or rivaroxaban. Efficacy and safety data were derived from a network meta-analysis that utilized data from patients enrolled in ENGAGE AF-TIMI 48 and ROCKET-AF. Health care cost and utility data were obtained from published sources. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios of $150,000 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained were used as thresholds for “highly cost-effective”, “cost-effective”, and “not cost-effective” treatment options, respectively, as per American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology guidelines. Results Edoxaban was dominant relative to rivaroxaban, such that it was associated with lower total health care costs and better effectiveness in terms of QALYs in the base-case analysis. Results were supported by probabilistic sensitivity analyses that showed edoxaban as either dominant or a highly cost-effective alternative (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio <$50,000) to rivaroxaban in 88.4% of 10,000 simulations. Conclusion Results of this study showed that the once-daily edoxaban (60 mg/30 mg dose-reduced) regimen is a cost-saving or highly cost-effective treatment relative to rivaroxaban (20 mg/15 mg dose-reduced) for stroke prevention in NVAF patients with CHADS2 ≥2. PMID:27284259

Comparative cost effectiveness of varicella, hepatitis A, and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines.

PubMed

Jacobs, R J; Meyerhoff, A S

2001-12-01

Several state and local U.S. governments are considering making varicella, hepatitis A, and/or pneumococcal conjugate vaccination conditions of day care or school entry. These requirements will likely be issued sequentially, because simultaneous mandates exacerbate budget constraints and complicate communication with parents and providers. Cost-effectiveness assessments should aid the establishment of vaccination priorities, but comparing results of published studies is confounded by their dissimilar methods. We reviewed U.S. cost-effectiveness studies of childhood varicella, hepatitis A, and pneumococcal conjugate vaccines and identified four providing data required to standardize methods. Vaccination, disease treatment, and work-loss costs were estimated from original study results and current prices. Estimated life-years saved were derived from original study results, epidemiological evidence, and alternative procedures for discounting to present values. Hepatitis A vaccine would have the lowest health system costs per life-year saved. Varicella vaccine would provide the greatest reduction in societal costs, mainly through reduced parent work loss. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine would cost twice the amount of varicella and hepatitis A vaccines combined and be less cost effective than the other vaccines. Hepatitis A and varicella vaccines, but not pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, meet or exceed conventional standards of cost effectiveness. Copyright 2001 American Health Foundation and Elsevier Science.

Multifamily Psychoeducation for First-Episode Psychosis: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

PubMed Central

Breitborde, Nicholas J. K.; Woods, Scott W.; Srihari, Vinod H.

2017-01-01

Objective Family psychoeducation is considered part of optimal treatment for first-episode psychosis, but concerns about the cost of this intervention have limited its availability. Although evidence suggests that family psychoeducation is cost-effective, many cost-effectiveness analyses have suffered from limitations that reduce their utility in guiding decisions to incorporate this intervention within existing clinical services. These include not presenting results in present-day dollars and not examining whether the intervention would remain cost-effective in situations where the clinical benefits achieved were smaller than those reported in past studies. Thus the goal of this study was to investigate the cost of providing a specific psychoeducation program—multifamily group psychoeducation—to individuals with first-episode psychosis and their families. Methods Statistical simulation was used to estimate the cost and burden of illness associated with usual treatment versus usual treatment plus multifamily group psychoeducation. In addition, the simulation model was rerun to test whether multifamily psychoeducation would remain cost-effective in situations where the clinical benefits achieved were smaller than those reported in past studies. Results When provided for two years, multifamily group psychoeducation ranged from a cost-effective to a cost-saving intervention, depending on the clinical benefits achieved by staff delivering the intervention. When provided for longer durations (five, ten, or 20 years), multifamily psychoeducation was a cost-saving intervention even in scenarios where the clinical benefits of the intervention were reduced by 90%. Conclusions The results suggest that multifamily group psychoeducation may not only be a cost-effective intervention for first-episode psychosis but may often be a cost-saving intervention. PMID:19880465

Retrospective Assessment of Cost Savings From Prevention

PubMed Central

Grosse, Scott D.; Berry, Robert J.; Tilford, J. Mick; Kucik, James E.; Waitzman, Norman J.

2016-01-01

Introduction Although fortification of food with folic acid has been calculated to be cost saving in the U.S., updated estimates are needed. This analysis calculates new estimates from the societal perspective of net cost savings per year associated with mandatory folic acid fortification of enriched cereal grain products in the U.S. that was implemented during 1997–1998. Methods Estimates of annual numbers of live-born spina bifida cases in 1995–1996 relative to 1999–2011 based on birth defects surveillance data were combined during 2015 with published estimates of the present value of lifetime direct costs updated in 2014 U.S. dollars for a live-born infant with spina bifida to estimate avoided direct costs and net cost savings. Results The fortification mandate is estimated to have reduced the annual number of U.S. live-born spina bifida cases by 767, with a lower-bound estimate of 614. The present value of mean direct lifetime cost per infant with spina bifida is estimated to be $791,900, or $577,000 excluding caregiving costs. Using a best estimate of numbers of avoided live-born spina bifida cases, fortification is estimated to reduce the present value of total direct costs for each year's birth cohort by $603 million more than the cost of fortification. A lower-bound estimate of cost savings using conservative assumptions, including the upper-bound estimate of fortification cost, is $299 million. Conclusions The estimates of cost savings are larger than previously reported, even using conservative assumptions. The analysis can also inform assessments of folic acid fortification in other countries. PMID:26790341

Incremental analysis of the reengineering of an outpatient billing process: an empirical study in a public hospital

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background A smartcard is an integrated circuit card that provides identification, authentication, data storage, and application processing. Among other functions, smartcards can serve as credit and ATM cards and can be used to pay various invoices using a ‘reader’. This study looks at the unit cost and activity time of both a traditional cash billing service and a newly introduced smartcard billing service in an outpatient department in a hospital in Taipei, Taiwan. Methods The activity time required in using the cash billing service was determined via a time and motion study. A cost analysis was used to compare the unit costs of the two services. A sensitivity analysis was also performed to determine the effect of smartcard use and number of cashier windows on incremental cost and waiting time. Results Overall, the smartcard system had a higher unit cost because of the additional service fees and business tax, but it reduced patient waiting time by at least 8 minutes. Thus, it is a convenient service for patients. In addition, if half of all outpatients used smartcards to pay their invoices, along with four cashier windows for cash payments, then the waiting time of cash service users could be reduced by approximately 3 minutes and the incremental cost would be close to breaking even (even though it has a higher overall unit cost that the traditional service). Conclusions Traditional cash billing services are time consuming and require patients to carry large sums of money. Smartcard services enable patients to pay their bill immediately in the outpatient clinic and offer greater security and convenience. The idle time of nurses could also be reduced as they help to process smartcard payments. A reduction in idle time reduces hospital costs. However, the cost of the smartcard service is higher than the cash service and, as such, hospital administrators must weigh the costs and benefits of introducing a smartcard service. In addition to the obvious benefits of the smartcard service, there is also scope to extend its use in a hospital setting to include the notification of patient arrival and use in other departments. PMID:23763904

Validated Feasibility Study of Integrally Stiffened Metallic Fuselage Panels for Reducing Manufacturing Costs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pettit, R. G.; Wang, J. J.; Toh, C.

2000-01-01

The continual need to reduce airframe cost and the emergence of high speed machining and other manufacturing technologies has brought about a renewed interest in large-scale integral structures for aircraft applications. Applications have been inhibited, however, because of the need to demonstrate damage tolerance, and by cost and manufacturing risks associated with the size and complexity of the parts. The Integral Airframe Structures (IAS) Program identified a feasible integrally stiffened fuselage concept and evaluated performance and manufacturing cost compared to conventional designs. An integral skin/stiffener concept was produced both by plate hog-out and near-net extrusion. Alloys evaluated included 7050-T7451 plate, 7050-T74511 extrusion, 6013-T6511 extrusion, and 7475-T7351 plate. Mechanical properties, structural details, and joint performance were evaluated as well as repair, static compression, and two-bay crack residual strength panels. Crack turning behavior was characterized through panel tests and improved methods for predicting crack turning were developed. Manufacturing cost was evaluated using COSTRAN. A hybrid design, made from high-speed machined extruded frames that are mechanically fastened to high-speed machined plate skin/stringer panels, was identified as the most cost-effective manufacturing solution. Recurring labor and material costs of the hybrid design are up to 61 percent less than the current technology baseline.

The Potential Economic Value of Screening Hospital Admissions for Clostridium difficile

PubMed Central

Bartsch, Sarah M.; Curry, Scott R.; Harrison, Lee H.; Lee, Bruce Y.

2012-01-01

Purpose Asymptomatic Clostridium difficile carriage has a prevalence reported as high as 51% to 85%; with up to 84% of incident hospital-acquired infections linked to carriers. Accurately identifying carriers may limit the spread of Clostridium difficile. Methods Since new technology adoption depends heavily on its economic value, we developed a analytic simulation model to determine the cost-effectiveness screening hospital admissions for Clostridium difficile from the hospital and third party payer perspectives. Isolation precautions were applied to patients testing positive, preventing transmission. Sensitivity analyses varied Clostridium difficile colonization rate, infection probability among secondary cases, contact isolation compliance, and screening cost. Results Screening was cost-effective [i.e., incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) ≤$50,000/QALY] for every scenario tested; all ICER values ≤$256/QALY. Screening was economically dominant (i.e., saved costs and provided health benefits) with a ≥10.3% colonization rate and ≥5.88% infection probability when contact isolation compliance was ≥25% (hospital perspective). Under some conditions screening led to cost-savings per case averted (range: $53 to $272). Conclusion Clostridium difficile screening, coupled with isolation precautions, may be a cost-effective intervention to hospitals and third party payers, based on prevalence. Limiting Clostridium difficile transmission can reduce the number of infections, thereby reducing its economic burden to the healthcare system. PMID:22752150

Preventing recurrent ankle sprains: Is the use of an App more cost-effective than a printed Booklet? Results of a RCT.

PubMed

Van Reijen, M; Vriend, I; van Mechelen, W; Verhagen, E A

2018-02-01

Recurrent ankle sprains can be reduced by following a neuromuscular training (NMT) program via a printed Booklet or a mobile application. Regarding the high incidence of ankle sprains, cost-effectiveness regarding implementation can have a large effect on total societal costs. In this economic analysis, we evaluated whether the method of implementing a proven effective NMT program using an App or a Booklet resulted in differences in injury incidence rates leading to costs and hence to differences in cost-effectiveness. In total, 220 athletes with a previous ankle sprain were recruited for this randomized controlled trial with a follow-up of 12 months. Half of the athletes used the freely available "Strengthen your ankle" App and the other half received a printed Booklet. After the 8-week program, athletes were questioned monthly on their recurrent injuries. Primary outcome measures were incidence density of ankle injury and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). During follow-up, 31 athletes suffered from a recurrent ankle sprain that led to costs resulting in a hazard ratio of 1.13 (95% CI: 0.56-2.27). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of the App group in comparison with the Booklet group was €361.52. The CE plane shows that there was neither a difference in effects nor in costs between both intervention methods. This study showed that the method of implementing the NMT program using an App or a Booklet led to similar cost-effectiveness ratios and the same occurrence of recurrent injuries leading to costs. Both the App and the Booklet can be used to prevent recurrent ankle injuries, showing no differences in (cost-) effectiveness at 12-month follow-up. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The economic consequences of noncompliance in cardiovascular disease and related conditions: a literature review

PubMed Central

Muszbek, N; Brixner, D; Benedict, A; Keskinaslan, A; Khan, Z M

2008-01-01

Objectives To review studies on the cost consequences of compliance and/or persistence in cardiovascular disease (CVD) and related conditions (hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes and heart failure) published since 1995, and to evaluate the effects of noncompliance on healthcare expenditure and the cost-effectiveness of pharmaceutical interventions. Methods English language papers published between January 1995 and February 2007 that examined compliance/persistence with medication for CVD or related conditions, provided an economic evaluation of pharmacological interventions or cost analysis, and quantified the cost consequences of noncompliance, were identified through database searches. The cost consequences of noncompliance were compared across studies descriptively. Results Of the 23 studies identified, 10 focused on hypertension, seven on diabetes, one on dyslipidaemia, one on coronary heart disease, one on heart failure and three covered multiple diseases. In studies assessing drug costs only, increased compliance/persistence led to increased drug costs. However, increased compliance/persistence increased the effectiveness of treatment, leading to a decrease in medical events and non-drug costs. This offset the higher drug costs, leading to savings in overall treatment costs. In studies evaluating the effect of compliance/persistence on the cost-effectiveness of pharmacological interventions, increased compliance/persistence appeared to reduce cost-effectiveness ratios, but the extent of this effect was not quantified. Conclusions Noncompliance with cardiovascular and antidiabetic medication is a significant problem. Increased compliance/persistence leads to increased drug costs, but these are offset by reduced non-drug costs, leading to overall cost savings. The effect of noncompliance on the cost-effectiveness of pharmacological interventions is inconclusive and further research is needed to resolve the issue. PMID:18199282

Cost–consequence analysis of daily continuous remote monitoring of implantable cardiac defibrillator and resynchronization devices in the UK

PubMed Central

Burri, Haran; Sticherling, Christian; Wright, David; Makino, Koji; Smala, Antje; Tilden, Dominic

2013-01-01

Aims The need for ongoing and lifelong follow-up (FU) of patients with cardiac implantable electric devices (CIED) requires significant resources. Remote CIED management has been established as a safe alternative to conventional periodical in-office FU (CFU). An economic model compares the long-term cost and consequences of using daily Home Monitoring® (HM) instead of CFU. Methods and results A cost–consequence evaluation comparing HM vs. CFU was performed using a Markov cohort model and data relating to events and costs identified via a systematic review of the literature. The model is conservative, without assuming a reduction of cardiovascular events by HM such as decompensated heart failure or mortality, or considering cost savings such as for transportation. Also cost savings due to an improved timing of elective device replacement, and fewer FU visits needed in patients near device replacement are not considered. Over 10 years, HM is predicted to be cost neutral at about GBP 11 500 per patient in either treatment arm, with all costs for the initial investment into HM and fees for ongoing remote monitoring included. Fewer inappropriate shocks (−51%) reduce the need for replacing devices for battery exhaustion (−7%); the number of FU visits is predicted to be halved by HM. Conclusion From a UK National Health Service perspective, HM is cost neutral over 10 years. This is mainly accomplished by reducing the number of battery charges and inappropriate shocks, resulting in fewer device replacements, and by reducing the number of in-clinic FU visits. PMID:23599169

BMI and Healthcare Cost Impact of Eliminating Tax Subsidy for Advertising Unhealthy Food to Youth.

PubMed

Sonneville, Kendrin R; Long, Michael W; Ward, Zachary J; Resch, Stephen C; Wang, Y Claire; Pomeranz, Jennifer L; Moodie, Marj L; Carter, Rob; Sacks, Gary; Swinburn, Boyd A; Gortmaker, Steven L

2015-07-01

Food and beverage TV advertising contributes to childhood obesity. The current tax treatment of advertising as an ordinary business expense in the U.S. subsidizes marketing of nutritionally poor foods and beverages to children. This study models the effect of a national intervention that eliminates the tax subsidy of advertising nutritionally poor foods and beverages on TV to children aged 2-19 years. We adapted and modified the Assessing Cost Effectiveness framework and methods to create the Childhood Obesity Intervention Cost Effectiveness Study model to simulate the impact of the intervention over the 2015-2025 period for the U.S. population, including short-term effects on BMI and 10-year healthcare expenditures. We simulated uncertainty intervals (UIs) using probabilistic sensitivity analysis and discounted outcomes at 3% annually. Data were analyzed in 2014. We estimated the intervention would reduce an aggregate 2.13 million (95% UI=0.83 million, 3.52 million) BMI units in the population and would cost $1.16 per BMI unit reduced (95% UI=$0.51, $2.63). From 2015 to 2025, the intervention would result in $352 million (95% UI=$138 million, $581 million) in healthcare cost savings and gain 4,538 (95% UI=1,752, 7,489) quality-adjusted life-years. Eliminating the tax subsidy of TV advertising costs for nutritionally poor foods and beverages advertised to children and adolescents would likely be a cost-saving strategy to reduce childhood obesity and related healthcare expenditures. Copyright © 2015 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reduced-rank approximations to the far-field transform in the gridded fast multipole method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hesford, Andrew J.; Waag, Robert C.

2011-05-01

The fast multipole method (FMM) has been shown to have a reduced computational dependence on the size of finest-level groups of elements when the elements are positioned on a regular grid and FFT convolution is used to represent neighboring interactions. However, transformations between plane-wave expansions used for FMM interactions and pressure distributions used for neighboring interactions remain significant contributors to the cost of FMM computations when finest-level groups are large. The transformation operators, which are forward and inverse Fourier transforms with the wave space confined to the unit sphere, are smooth and well approximated using reduced-rank decompositions that further reduce the computational dependence of the FMM on finest-level group size. The adaptive cross approximation (ACA) is selected to represent the forward and adjoint far-field transformation operators required by the FMM. However, the actual error of the ACA is found to be greater than that predicted using traditional estimates, and the ACA generally performs worse than the approximation resulting from a truncated singular-value decomposition (SVD). To overcome these issues while avoiding the cost of a full-scale SVD, the ACA is employed with more stringent accuracy demands and recompressed using a reduced, truncated SVD. The results show a greatly reduced approximation error that performs comparably to the full-scale truncated SVD without degrading the asymptotic computational efficiency associated with ACA matrix assembly.

Reduced-Rank Approximations to the Far-Field Transform in the Gridded Fast Multipole Method.

PubMed

Hesford, Andrew J; Waag, Robert C

2011-05-10

The fast multipole method (FMM) has been shown to have a reduced computational dependence on the size of finest-level groups of elements when the elements are positioned on a regular grid and FFT convolution is used to represent neighboring interactions. However, transformations between plane-wave expansions used for FMM interactions and pressure distributions used for neighboring interactions remain significant contributors to the cost of FMM computations when finest-level groups are large. The transformation operators, which are forward and inverse Fourier transforms with the wave space confined to the unit sphere, are smooth and well approximated using reduced-rank decompositions that further reduce the computational dependence of the FMM on finest-level group size. The adaptive cross approximation (ACA) is selected to represent the forward and adjoint far-field transformation operators required by the FMM. However, the actual error of the ACA is found to be greater than that predicted using traditional estimates, and the ACA generally performs worse than the approximation resulting from a truncated singular-value decomposition (SVD). To overcome these issues while avoiding the cost of a full-scale SVD, the ACA is employed with more stringent accuracy demands and recompressed using a reduced, truncated SVD. The results show a greatly reduced approximation error that performs comparably to the full-scale truncated SVD without degrading the asymptotic computational efficiency associated with ACA matrix assembly.

Reduced-Rank Approximations to the Far-Field Transform in the Gridded Fast Multipole Method

PubMed Central

Hesford, Andrew J.; Waag, Robert C.

2011-01-01

The fast multipole method (FMM) has been shown to have a reduced computational dependence on the size of finest-level groups of elements when the elements are positioned on a regular grid and FFT convolution is used to represent neighboring interactions. However, transformations between plane-wave expansions used for FMM interactions and pressure distributions used for neighboring interactions remain significant contributors to the cost of FMM computations when finest-level groups are large. The transformation operators, which are forward and inverse Fourier transforms with the wave space confined to the unit sphere, are smooth and well approximated using reduced-rank decompositions that further reduce the computational dependence of the FMM on finest-level group size. The adaptive cross approximation (ACA) is selected to represent the forward and adjoint far-field transformation operators required by the FMM. However, the actual error of the ACA is found to be greater than that predicted using traditional estimates, and the ACA generally performs worse than the approximation resulting from a truncated singular-value decomposition (SVD). To overcome these issues while avoiding the cost of a full-scale SVD, the ACA is employed with more stringent accuracy demands and recompressed using a reduced, truncated SVD. The results show a greatly reduced approximation error that performs comparably to the full-scale truncated SVD without degrading the asymptotic computational efficiency associated with ACA matrix assembly. PMID:21552350

The cost effectiveness of a quality improvement program to reduce maternal and fetal mortality in a regional referral hospital in Accra, Ghana.

PubMed

Goodman, David M; Ramaswamy, Rohit; Jeuland, Marc; Srofenyoh, Emmanuel K; Engmann, Cyril M; Olufolabi, Adeyemi J; Owen, Medge D

2017-01-01

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a quality improvement intervention aimed at reducing maternal and fetal mortality in Accra, Ghana. Quasi-experimental, time-sequence intervention, retrospective cost-effectiveness analysis. Data were collected on the cost and outcomes of a 5-year Kybele-Ghana Health Service Quality Improvement (QI) intervention conducted at Ridge Regional Hospital, a tertiary referral center in Accra, Ghana, focused on systems, personnel, and communication. Maternal deaths prevented were estimated comparing observed rates with counterfactual projections of maternal mortality and case-fatality rates for hypertensive disorders of pregnancy and obstetric hemorrhage. Stillbirths prevented were estimated based on counterfactual estimates of stillbirth rates. Cost-effectiveness was then calculated using estimated disability-adjusted life years averted and subjected to Monte Carlo and one-way sensitivity analyses to test the importance of assumptions inherent in the calculations. Incremental Cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), which represents the cost per disability-adjusted life-year (DALY) averted by the intervention compared to a model counterfactual. From 2007-2011, 39,234 deliveries were affected by the QI intervention implemented at Ridge Regional Hospital. The total budget for the program was $2,363,100. Based on program estimates, 236 (±5) maternal deaths and 129 (±13) intrapartum stillbirths were averted (14,876 DALYs), implying an ICER of $158 ($129-$195) USD. This value is well below the highly cost-effective threshold of $1268 USD. Sensitivity analysis considered DALY calculation methods, and yearly prevalence of risk factors and case fatality rates. In each of these analyses, the program remained highly cost-effective with an ICER ranging from $97-$218. QI interventions to reduce maternal and fetal mortality in low resource settings can be highly cost effective. Cost-effectiveness analysis is feasible and should regularly be conducted to encourage fiscal responsibility in the pursuit of improved maternal and child health.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Motivational Interviewing With Feedback to Reduce Drinking Among a Sample of College Students

PubMed Central

Cowell, Alexander J.; Brown, Janice M.; Mills, Michael J.; Bender, Randall H.; Wedehase, Brendan J.

2012-01-01

Objective: This study evaluated the costs and cost-effectiveness of combining motivational interviewing with feedback to address heavy drinking among university freshmen. Method: Microcosting methods were used in a prospective cost and cost-effectiveness study of a randomized trial of assessment only (AO), motivational interviewing (MI), feedback only (FB), and motivational interviewing with feedback (MIFB) at a large public university in the southeastern United States. Students were recruited and screened into the study during freshman classes based on recent heavy drinking. A total of 727 students (60% female) were randomized, and 656 had sufficient data at 3-months’ follow-up to be included in the cost-effectiveness analysis. Effectiveness outcomes were changes in average drinks per drinking occasion and number of heavy drinking occasions. Results: Mean intervention costs per student were $16.51 for MI, $17.33 for FB, and $36.03 for MIFB. Cost-effectiveness analysis showed two cost-effective interventions for both outcomes: AO ($0 per student) and MIFB ($36 per student). Conclusions: This is the first prospective cost-effectiveness study to our knowledge to examine MI for heavy drinking among students in a university setting. Despite being the most expensive intervention, MIFB was the most effective intervention and may be a cost-effective intervention, depending on a university’s willingness to pay for changes in the considered outcomes. PMID:22333330

Cost-effectiveness of active transport for primary school children - Walking School Bus program

PubMed Central

Moodie, Marjory; Haby, Michelle; Galvin, Leah; Swinburn, Boyd; Carter, Robert

2009-01-01

Background To assess from a societal perspective the incremental cost-effectiveness of the Walking School Bus (WSB) program for Australian primary school children as an obesity prevention measure. The intervention was modelled as part of the ACE-Obesity study, which evaluated, using consistent methods, thirteen interventions targeting unhealthy weight gain in Australian children and adolescents. Methods A logic pathway was used to model the effects on body mass index [BMI] and disability-adjusted life years [DALYs] of the Victorian WSB program if applied throughout Australia. Cost offsets and DALY benefits were modelled until the eligible cohort reached 100 years of age or death. The reference year was 2001. Second stage filter criteria ('equity', 'strength of evidence', 'acceptability', feasibility', sustainability' and 'side-effects') were assessed to incorporate additional factors that impact on resource allocation decisions. Results The modelled intervention reached 7,840 children aged 5 to 7 years and cost $AUD22.8M ($16.6M; $30.9M). This resulted in an incremental saving of 30 DALYs (7:104) and a net cost per DALY saved of $AUD0.76M ($0.23M; $3.32M). The evidence base was judged as 'weak' as there are no data available documenting the increase in the number of children walking due to the intervention. The high costs of the current approach may limit sustainability. Conclusion Under current modelling assumptions, the WSB program is not an effective or cost-effective measure to reduce childhood obesity. The attribution of some costs to non-obesity objectives (reduced traffic congestion and air pollution etc.) is justified to emphasise the other possible benefits. The program's cost-effectiveness would be improved by more comprehensive implementation within current infrastructure arrangements. The importance of active transport to school suggests that improvements in WSB or its variants need to be developed and fully evaluated. PMID:19747402

Advanced Concepts for Composite Structure Joints and Attachment Fittings. Volume I. Design and Evaluation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-11-01

interlaminar tension). The analysis is also influenced by other factors such as bolt location, washer/bolt size, fastener pattern, laminate thickness, corner...to reduce the cost of tooling were also studied. These include: * Pultrusion dies for under $5, 000 * Stable, accurate, low-cost chopped-fiber phenolic ...fittings were state-of- the-art methods developed for laminated composite plates, shells, beams, and columns as used in analyses of discontinuities, edge

Blood flow measurement in extracorporeal circulation using self-mixing laser diode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cattini, Stefano; Norgia, Michele; Pesatori, Alessandro; Rovati, Luigi

2010-02-01

To measure blood flow rate in ex-vivo circulation, we propose an optical Doppler flowmeter based on the self-mixing effect within a laser diode (SM-LD). Advantages in adopting SM-LD techniques derive from reduced costs, ease of implementation and limited size. Moreover, the provided contactless sensing allows sensor reuse, hence further cost reduction. Preliminary measurements performed on bovine blood are reported, thus demonstrating the applicability of the proposed measurement method.

Impact of Advanced Propeller Technology on Aircraft/Mission Characteristics of Several General Aviation Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keiter, I. D.

1982-01-01

Studies of several General Aviation aircraft indicated that the application of advanced technologies to General Aviation propellers can reduce fuel consumption in future aircraft by a significant amount. Propeller blade weight reductions achieved through the use of composites, propeller efficiency and noise improvements achieved through the use of advanced concepts and improved propeller analytical design methods result in aircraft with lower operating cost, acquisition cost and gross weight.

Introduction: Aims and Requirements of Future Aerospace Vehicles. Chapter 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodriguez, Pedro I.; Smeltzer, Stanley S., III; McConnaughey, Paul (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The goals and system-level requirements for the next generation aerospace vehicles emphasize safety, reliability, low-cost, and robustness rather than performance. Technologies, including new materials, design and analysis approaches, manufacturing and testing methods, operations and maintenance, and multidisciplinary systems-level vehicle development are key to increasing the safety and reducing the cost of aerospace launch systems. This chapter identifies the goals and needs of the next generation or advanced aerospace vehicle systems.

Results of FM-TV threshold reduction investigation for the ATS F trust experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, J. P.

1972-01-01

An investigation of threshold effects in FM TV was initiated to determine if any simple, low cost techniques were available which can reduce the subjective video threshold, applicable to low cost community TV reception via satellite. Two methods of eliminating these effects were examined: the use of standard video pre-emphasis, and the use of an additional circuit to blank the picture tube during the retrace period.

Smart Aquifer Characterisation validated using Information Theory and Cost benefit analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, Catherine

2016-04-01

The field data acquisition required to characterise aquifer systems are time consuming and expensive. Decisions regarding field testing, the type of field measurements to make and the spatial and temporal resolution of measurements have significant cost repercussions and impact the accuracy of various predictive simulations. The Smart Aquifer Characterisation (SAC) research programme (New Zealand (NZ)) addresses this issue by assembling and validating a suite of innovative methods for characterising groundwater systems at the large, regional and national scales. The primary outcome is a suite of cost effective tools and procedures provided to resource managers to advance the understanding and management of groundwater systems and thereby assist decision makers and communities in the management of their groundwater resources, including the setting of land use limits that protect fresh water flows and quality and the ecosystems dependent on that fresh water. The programme has focused novel investigation approaches including the use of geophysics, satellite remote sensing, temperature sensing and age dating. The SMART (Save Money And Reduce Time) aspect of the programme emphasises techniques that use these passive cost effective data sources to characterise groundwater systems at both the aquifer and the national scale by: • Determination of aquifer hydraulic properties • Determination of aquifer dimensions • Quantification of fluxes between ground waters and surface water • Groundwater age dating These methods allow either a lower cost method for estimating these properties and fluxes, or a greater spatial and temporal coverage for the same cost. To demonstrate the cost effectiveness of the methods a 'data worth' analysis is undertaken. The data worth method involves quantification of the utility of observation data in terms of how much it reduces the uncertainty of model parameters and decision focussed predictions which depend on these parameters. Such decision focussed predictions can include many aspects of system behaviour which underpin management decisions e.g., drawdown of groundwater levels, salt water intrusion, stream depletion, or wetland water level. The value of a data type or an observation location (e.g. remote sensing data (Westerhoff 2015) or a distributed temperature sensing measurement) is greater the more it enhances the certainty with which the model is able to predict such environmental behaviour. By comparing the difference in predictive uncertainty with or without such data, the value of potential observations is assessed. This can easily be achieved using rapid linear predictive uncertainty analysis methods (Moore 2005, Moore and Doherty 2006). By assessing the tension between the cost of data acquisition and the predictive accuracy achieved by gathering these observations in a pareto analysis, the relative cost effectiveness of these novel methods can be compared with more traditional measurements (e.g. bore logs, aquifer pumping tests, and simultaneous stream loss gaugings) for a suite of pertinent groundwater management decisions (Wallis et al 2014). This comparison illuminates those field data acquisition methods which offer the best value for the specific issues managers face in any region, and also indicates the diminishing returns of increasingly large and expensive data sets. References: Wallis I, Moore C, Post V, Wolf L, Martens E, Prommer. Using predictive uncertainty analysis to optimise tracer test design and data acquisition. Journal of Hydrology 515 (2014) 191-204. Moore, C. (2005). The use of regularized inversion in groundwater model calibration and prediction uncertainty analysis. Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at The University of Queensland, Australia. Moore, C., and Doherty, D. (2005). Role of the calibration process in reducing model predictive error. Water Resources Research 41, no.5 W05050. Westerhoff RS. Using uncertainty of Penman and Penman-Monteith methods in combined satellite and ground-based evapotranspiration estimates. Remote Sensing of Environment 169, 102-112

Estimation of stress distribution in ferromagnetic tensile specimens using low cost eddy current stress measurement system and BP neural network.

PubMed

Li, Jianwei; Zhang, Weimin; Zeng, Weiqin; Chen, Guolong; Qiu, Zhongchao; Cao, Xinyuan; Gao, Xuanyi

2017-01-01

Estimation of the stress distribution in ferromagnetic components is very important for evaluating the working status of mechanical equipment and implementing preventive maintenance. Eddy current testing technology is a promising method in this field because of its advantages of safety, no need of coupling agent, etc. In order to reduce the cost of eddy current stress measurement system, and obtain the stress distribution in ferromagnetic materials without scanning, a low cost eddy current stress measurement system based on Archimedes spiral planar coil was established, and a method based on BP neural network to obtain the stress distribution using the stress of several discrete test points was proposed. To verify the performance of the developed test system and the validity of the proposed method, experiment was implemented using structural steel (Q235) specimens. Standard curves of sensors at each test point were achieved, the calibrated data were used to establish the BP neural network model for approximating the stress variation on the specimen surface, and the stress distribution curve of the specimen was obtained by interpolating with the established model. The results show that there is a good linear relationship between the change of signal modulus and the stress in most elastic range of the specimen, and the established system can detect the change in stress with a theoretical average sensitivity of -0.4228 mV/MPa. The obtained stress distribution curve is well consonant with the theoretical analysis result. At last, possible causes and improving methods of problems appeared in the results were discussed. This research has important significance for reducing the cost of eddy current stress measurement system, and advancing the engineering application of eddy current stress testing.

Estimation of stress distribution in ferromagnetic tensile specimens using low cost eddy current stress measurement system and BP neural network

PubMed Central

Li, Jianwei; Zeng, Weiqin; Chen, Guolong; Qiu, Zhongchao; Cao, Xinyuan; Gao, Xuanyi

2017-01-01

Estimation of the stress distribution in ferromagnetic components is very important for evaluating the working status of mechanical equipment and implementing preventive maintenance. Eddy current testing technology is a promising method in this field because of its advantages of safety, no need of coupling agent, etc. In order to reduce the cost of eddy current stress measurement system, and obtain the stress distribution in ferromagnetic materials without scanning, a low cost eddy current stress measurement system based on Archimedes spiral planar coil was established, and a method based on BP neural network to obtain the stress distribution using the stress of several discrete test points was proposed. To verify the performance of the developed test system and the validity of the proposed method, experiment was implemented using structural steel (Q235) specimens. Standard curves of sensors at each test point were achieved, the calibrated data were used to establish the BP neural network model for approximating the stress variation on the specimen surface, and the stress distribution curve of the specimen was obtained by interpolating with the established model. The results show that there is a good linear relationship between the change of signal modulus and the stress in most elastic range of the specimen, and the established system can detect the change in stress with a theoretical average sensitivity of -0.4228 mV/MPa. The obtained stress distribution curve is well consonant with the theoretical analysis result. At last, possible causes and improving methods of problems appeared in the results were discussed. This research has important significance for reducing the cost of eddy current stress measurement system, and advancing the engineering application of eddy current stress testing. PMID:29145500

Cost-effectiveness analysis of a hospital electronic medication management system

PubMed Central

Gospodarevskaya, Elena; Li, Ling; Richardson, Katrina L; Roffe, David; Heywood, Maureen; Day, Richard O; Graves, Nicholas

2015-01-01

Objective To conduct a cost–effectiveness analysis of a hospital electronic medication management system (eMMS). Methods We compared costs and benefits of paper-based prescribing with a commercial eMMS (CSC MedChart) on one cardiology ward in a major 326-bed teaching hospital, assuming a 15-year time horizon and a health system perspective. The eMMS implementation and operating costs were obtained from the study site. We used data on eMMS effectiveness in reducing potential adverse drug events (ADEs), and potential ADEs intercepted, based on review of 1 202 patient charts before (n = 801) and after (n = 401) eMMS. These were combined with published estimates of actual ADEs and their costs. Results The rate of potential ADEs following eMMS fell from 0.17 per admission to 0.05; a reduction of 71%. The annualized eMMS implementation, maintenance, and operating costs for the cardiology ward were A$61 741 (US$55 296). The estimated reduction in ADEs post eMMS was approximately 80 actual ADEs per year. The reduced costs associated with these ADEs were more than sufficient to offset the costs of the eMMS. Estimated savings resulting from eMMS implementation were A$63–66 (US$56–59) per admission (A$97 740–$102 000 per annum for this ward). Sensitivity analyses demonstrated results were robust when both eMMS effectiveness and costs of actual ADEs were varied substantially. Conclusion The eMMS within this setting was more effective and less expensive than paper-based prescribing. Comparison with the few previous full economic evaluations available suggests a marked improvement in the cost–effectiveness of eMMS, largely driven by increased effectiveness of contemporary eMMs in reducing medication errors. PMID:25670756

Cost-Effectiveness of Pharmacotherapy to Reduce Obesity

PubMed Central

Veerman, J. Lennert; Barendregt, Jan J.; Forster, Megan; Vos, Theo

2011-01-01

Aims Obesity causes a high disease burden in Australia and across the world. We aimed to analyse the cost-effectiveness of weight reduction with pharmacotherapy in Australia, and to assess its potential to reduce the disease burden due to excess body weight. Methods We constructed a multi-state life-table based Markov model in Excel in which body weight influences the incidence of stroke, ischemic heart disease, hypertensive heart disease, diabetes mellitus, osteoarthritis, post-menopausal breast cancer, colon cancer, endometrial cancer and kidney cancer. We use data on effectiveness identified from PubMed searches, on mortality from Australian Bureau of Statistics, on disease costs from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, and on drug costs from the Department of Health and Ageing. We evaluate 1-year pharmacological interventions with sibutramine and orlistat targeting obese Australian adults free of obesity-related disease. We use a lifetime horizon for costs and health outcomes and a health sector perspective for costs. Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratios (ICERs) below A$50 000 per Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALY) averted are considered good value for money. Results The ICERs are A$130 000/DALY (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 93 000–180 000) for sibutramine and A$230 000/DALY (170 000–340 000) for orlistat. The interventions reduce the body weight-related disease burden at the population level by 0.2% and 0.1%, respectively. Modest weight loss during the interventions, rapid post-intervention weight regain and low adherence limit the health benefits. Conclusions Treatment with sibutramine or orlistat is not cost-effective from an Australian health sector perspective and has a negligible impact on the total body weight-related disease burden. PMID:22046255

Thin film solar cell configuration and fabrication method

DOEpatents

Menezes, Shalini

2009-07-14

A new photovoltaic device configuration based on an n-copper indium selenide absorber and a p-type window is disclosed. A fabrication method to produce this device on flexible or rigid substrates is described that reduces the number of cell components, avoids hazardous materials, simplifies the process steps and hence the costs for high volume solar cell manufacturing.

Techniques and computations for mapping plot clusters that straddle stand boundaries

Treesearch

Charles T. Scott; William A. Bechtold

1995-01-01

Many regional (extensive) forest surveys use clusters of subplots or prism points to reduce survey costs. Two common methods of handling clusters that straddle stand boundaries entail: (1) moving all subplots into a single forest cover type, or (2)"averaging" data across multiple conditions without regard to the boundaries. these methods result in biased...

Apparatus and method for fabricating a microbattery

DOEpatents

Shul, Randy J.; Kravitz, Stanley H.; Christenson, Todd R.; Zipperian, Thomas E.; Ingersoll, David

2002-01-01

An apparatus and method for fabricating a microbattery that uses silicon as the structural component, packaging component, and semiconductor to reduce the weight, size, and cost of thin film battery technology is described. When combined with advanced semiconductor packaging techniques, such a silicon-based microbattery enables the fabrication of autonomous, highly functional, integrated microsystems having broad applicability.

The Minerva Multi-Microprocessor.

DTIC Science & Technology

A multiprocessor system is described which is an experiment in low cost, extensible, multiprocessor architectures. Global issues such as inclusion of a central bus, design of the bus arbiter, and methods of interrupt handling are considered. The system initially includes two processor types, based on microprocessors, and these are discussed. Methods for reducing processor demand for the central bus are described.

Are Non-Pharmacological Interventions Effective in Reducing Drug Use and Criminality? A Systematic and Meta-Analytical Review with an Economic Appraisal of These Interventions

PubMed Central

Perry, Amanda E.; Woodhouse, Rebecca; Neilson, Matthew; Martyn St James, Marrissa; Glanville, Julie; Hewitt, Catherine; Trépel, Dominic

2016-01-01

Background: The numbers of incarcerated people suffering from drug dependence has steadily risen since the 1980s and only a small proportion of these receive appropriate treatment. A systematic review to evaluate the effectiveness and economic evidence of non-pharmacological interventions for drug using offenders was conducted. Methods: Cochrane Collaboration criteria were used to identify trials across 14 databases between 2004 and 2014. A series of meta-analyses and an economic appraisal were conducted. Results: 43 trials were identified showing to have limited effect in reducing re-arrests RR 0.97 (95% CI 0.89–1.07) and drug use RR 0.90 (95% CI 0.80–1.00) but were found to significantly reduce re-incarceration RR 0.70 (95% CI 0.57–0.85). Therapeutic community programs were found to significantly reduce the number of re-arrests RR 0.70 (95% CI 0.56–0.87). 10 papers contained economic information. One paper presented a cost-benefit analysis and two reported on the cost and cost effectiveness of the intervention. Conclusions: We suggest that therapeutic community interventions have some benefit in reducing subsequent re-arrest. We recommend that economic evaluations should form part of standard trial protocols. PMID:27690077

Estimating costs and potentials of different methods to reduce the Swedish phosphorus load from agriculture to surface water.

PubMed

Malmaeus, J M; Karlsson, O M

2010-01-01

This paper reviews 17 measures to reduce phosphorus leakage from Swedish agriculture to surface waters. Our aim is to evaluate the possible contribution from agriculture to achieve environmental goals including the Baltic Sea Action Plan. Using a regional approach integrating the variability in field specific characteristics, typical costs and national potential for the included measures may be estimated without identifying, e.g., suitable individual fields for implementation. The result may be helpful to select suitable measures but may also influence the design of environmental targets before they are determined. We find that the cheapest measures are reduced phosphorus content in animal food and fertilizer application supervision in pig farms, both measures with annual potentials of around 50t each, and costs of euro7 to euro11 kg(-1)yr(-1). The total potential of the listed measures is an annual phosphorus reduction to surface waters of 242t. If the most expensive measures are excluded (>euro1000 kg(-1)yr(-1)) and including retention in lakes the phosphorus transport to the sea could be reduced by 165 t yr(-1). This amount can be compared with the Swedish commitment in the Baltic Sea Action Plan (BSAP) to reduce input to the Baltic Proper by 290 t yr(-1).

Cost analysis of Periodontitis management in public sector specialist dental clinics

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The objective of this paper is to quantify the cost of periodontitis management at public sector specialist periodontal clinic settings and analyse the distribution of cost components. Methods Five specialist periodontal clinics in the Ministry of Health represented the public sector in providing clinical and cost data for this study. Newly-diagnosed periodontitis patients (N = 165) were recruited and followed up for one year of specialist periodontal care. Direct and indirect costs from the societal viewpoint were included in the cost analysis. They were measured in 2012 Ringgit Malaysia (MYR) and estimated from the societal perspective using activity-based and step-down costing methods, and substantiated by clinical pathways. Cost of dental equipment, consumables and labour (average treatment time) for each procedure was measured using activity-based costing method. Meanwhile, unit cost calculations for clinic administration, utilities and maintenance used step-down approach. Patient expenditures and absence from work were recorded via diary entries. The conversion from MYR to Euro was based on the 2012 rate (1€ = MYR4). Results A total of 2900 procedures were provided, with an average cost of MYR 2820 (€705) per patient for the study year, and MYR 376 (€94) per outpatient visit. Out of this, 90% was contributed by provider cost and 10% by patient cost; 94% for direct cost and 4% for lost productivity. Treatment of aggressive periodontitis was significantly higher than for chronic periodontitis (t-test, P = 0.003). Higher costs were expended as disease severity increased (ANOVA, P = 0.022) and for patients requiring surgeries (ANOVA, P < 0.001). Providers generally spent most on consumables while patients spent most on transportation. Conclusions Cost of providing dental treatment for periodontitis patients at public sector specialist settings were substantial and comparable with some non-communicable diseases. These findings provide basis for identifying potential cost-reducing strategies, estimating economic burden of periodontitis management and performing economic evaluation of the specialist periodontal programme. PMID:24884465

Electrical motor/generator drive apparatus and method

DOEpatents

Su, Gui Jia

2013-02-12

The present disclosure includes electrical motor/generator drive systems and methods that significantly reduce inverter direct-current (DC) bus ripple currents and thus the volume and cost of a capacitor. The drive methodology is based on a segmented drive system that does not add switches or passive components but involves reconfiguring inverter switches and motor stator winding connections in a way that allows the formation of multiple, independent drive units and the use of simple alternated switching and optimized Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) schemes to eliminate or significantly reduce the capacitor ripple current.

Control of Fine Particulate (PM2.5) Emissions from Restaurant Operations.

PubMed

Whynot, Jill; Quinn, Gary; Perryman, Pamela; Votlucka, Peter

1999-09-01

This paper describes efforts to reduce particulate matter (PM) emissions from restaurant operations, including application of an existing control method to a new equipment type. Commercial charbroiling in the South Coast Air Basin results in emissions of approximately 10 tons/day of fine particulate matter ( PM 2.5) and 1.3 tons/day of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Over a seven-year period, the South Coast Air Quality Management District worked with industry to develop test methods for measuring emissions from various cooking operations, evaluate control technologies, and develop a rule to reduce these emissions. Of the two basic types of charbroilers-chain-driven and underfired-underfired produce four times the emissions when equivalent amounts of product are cooked. Cost-effective control technology is currently available only for chain-driven charbroilers. The application of flameless catalytic oxidizers to chain-driven charbroilers was found to effectively reduce emissions by at least 83% and is cost-effective. The catalysts have been used worldwide at restaurants for several years. Research efforts are underway to identify control options for underfired charbroilers. Implementation of Rule 1138, Control of Emissions from Restaurant Operations, adopted November 14, 1997, will result in reductions of 0.5 tons/day of PM 2.5 and 0.2 tons/day of VOCs. Future rules will result in reductions from underfired charbroilers and possibly other restaurant equipment when cost-effective solutions are available.

Control of fine particulate (PM2.5) emissions from restaurant operations.

PubMed

Whynot, J; Quinn, G; Perryman, P; Votlucka, P

1999-09-01

This paper describes efforts to reduce particulate matter (PM) emissions from restaurant operations, including application of an existing control method to a new equipment type. Commercial charbroiling in the South Coast Air Basin results in emissions of approximately 10 tons/day of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and 1.3 tons/day of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Over a seven-year period, the South Coast Air Quality Management District worked with industry to develop test methods for measuring emissions from various cooking operations, evaluate control technologies, and develop a rule to reduce these emissions. Of the two basic types of charbroilers--chain-driven and underfired--underfired produce four times the emissions when equivalent amounts of product are cooked. Cost-effective control technology is currently available only for chain-driven charbroilers. The application of flameless catalytic oxidizers to chain-driven charbroilers was found to effectively reduce emissions by at least 83% and is cost-effective. The catalysts have been used worldwide at restaurants for several years. Research efforts are underway to identify control options for underfired charbroilers. Implementation of Rule 1138, Control of Emissions from Restaurant Operations, adopted November 14, 1997, will result in reductions of 0.5 tons/day of PM2.5 and 0.2 tons/day of VOCs. Future rules will result in reductions from underfired charbroilers and possibly other restaurant equipment when cost-effective solutions are available.

A nearly-linear computational-cost scheme for the forward dynamics of an N-body pendulum

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chou, Jack C. K.

1989-01-01

The dynamic equations of motion of an n-body pendulum with spherical joints are derived to be a mixed system of differential and algebraic equations (DAE's). The DAE's are kept in implicit form to save arithmetic and preserve the sparsity of the system and are solved by the robust implicit integration method. At each solution point, the predicted solution is corrected to its exact solution within given tolerance using Newton's iterative method. For each iteration, a linear system of the form J delta X = E has to be solved. The computational cost for solving this linear system directly by LU factorization is O(n exp 3), and it can be reduced significantly by exploring the structure of J. It is shown that by recognizing the recursive patterns and exploiting the sparsity of the system the multiplicative and additive computational costs for solving J delta X = E are O(n) and O(n exp 2), respectively. The formulation and solution method for an n-body pendulum is presented. The computational cost is shown to be nearly linearly proportional to the number of bodies.

Iterative pass optimization of sequence data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wheeler, Ward C.

2003-01-01

The problem of determining the minimum-cost hypothetical ancestral sequences for a given cladogram is known to be NP-complete. This "tree alignment" problem has motivated the considerable effort placed in multiple sequence alignment procedures. Wheeler in 1996 proposed a heuristic method, direct optimization, to calculate cladogram costs without the intervention of multiple sequence alignment. This method, though more efficient in time and more effective in cladogram length than many alignment-based procedures, greedily optimizes nodes based on descendent information only. In their proposal of an exact multiple alignment solution, Sankoff et al. in 1976 described a heuristic procedure--the iterative improvement method--to create alignments at internal nodes by solving a series of median problems. The combination of a three-sequence direct optimization with iterative improvement and a branch-length-based cladogram cost procedure, provides an algorithm that frequently results in superior (i.e., lower) cladogram costs. This iterative pass optimization is both computation and memory intensive, but economies can be made to reduce this burden. An example in arthropod systematics is discussed. c2003 The Willi Hennig Society. Published by Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.

Cost-of-Illness Analysis of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Iran

PubMed Central

Javanbakht, Mehdi; Baradaran, Hamid R.; Mashayekhi, Atefeh; Haghdoost, Ali Akbar; Khamseh, Mohammad E.; Kharazmi, Erfan; Sadeghi, Aboozar

2011-01-01

Introduction Diabetes is a worldwide high prevalence chronic progressive disease that poses a significant challenge to healthcare systems. The aim of this study is to provide a detailed economic burden of diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its complications in Iran in 2009 year. Methods This is a prevalence-based cost-of-illness study focusing on quantifying direct health care costs by bottom-up approach. Data on inpatient hospital services, outpatient clinic visits, physician services, drugs, laboratory test, education and non-medical cost were collected from two national registries. The human capital approach was used to calculate indirect costs separately in male and female and also among different age groups. Results The total national cost of diagnosed T2DM in 2009 is estimated at 3.78 billion USA dollars (USD) including 2.04±0.28 billion direct (medical and non-medical) costs and indirect costs of 1.73 million. Average direct and indirect cost per capita was 842.6±102 and 864.8 USD respectively. Complications (48.9%) and drugs (23.8%) were main components of direct cost. The largest components of medical expenditures attributed to diabetes's complications are cardiovascular disease (42.3% of total Complications cost), nephropathy (23%) and ophthalmic complications (14%). Indirect costs include temporarily disability (335.7 million), permanent disability (452.4 million) and reduced productivity due to premature mortality (950.3 million). Conclusions T2DM is a costly disease in the Iran healthcare system and consume more than 8.69% of total health expenditure. In addition to these quantified costs, T2DM imposes high intangible costs on society in terms of reduced quality of life. Identification of effective new strategies for the control of diabetes and its complications is a public health priority. PMID:22066013

Evaluation of Epoke Bulk Spreader for winter maintenance.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-12-01

In the current economic climate, it is imperative to maximize efficiency while minimizing costs. As a : result, ODOT is evaluating new methods to reduce expenditures in their winter maintenance budget. One : such evaluation is of the Epoke Bulk Sprea...

Encouraging stormwater management using a reverse auction: potential to restore stream ecosystems

EPA Science Inventory

Stormwater runoff is the primary mechanism by which urbanizing landscapes disrupt natural, stream ecosystems. Source control management has been demonstrated as an effective and cost-efficient method for reducing stormwater runoff; however, sufficiently widespread implementation...

A STUDY ON IMPLEMENTATION OF PROCUREMENT MANAGEMENT METHOD THAT DELIVERLY'S UNCERTAINTY OF EQUIPMENTS, MATERIALS AND INSTRUCTIONS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asaine, Keita; Asaine, Wataru; Shiratsuchi, Ryoma; Yoshida, Takaichi; Hashimoto, Masaaki

This paper highlights the issues of procurement management in construction projects, such as late delivery of purchased equipments/materials and missing instructions from customers, which cause delays of construction schedule and over-budget cost. We point that most of these problems are caused by lack of synchronization between procurement activities and process control. Therefore, we propose a managerial method which enables better synchronization between the two by applying this method to a construction company. We discuss the necessary conditions and validity of incorporating it and show the way how to establish the mechanics through the case study. Furthermore, we analyze that the feature of this method is not only addressing procurement issues but also bringing additional benefits, such as shortening project lead time and reducing project cost.

Doing more for less: identifying opportunities to expand public sector access to safe abortion in South Africa through budget impact analysis.

PubMed

Lince-Deroche, Naomi; Harries, Jane; Constant, Deborah; Morroni, Chelsea; Pleaner, Melanie; Fetters, Tamara; Grossman, Daniel; Blanchard, Kelly; Sinanovic, Edina

2018-02-01

To estimate the costs of public-sector abortion provision in South Africa and to explore the potential for expanding access at reduced cost by changing the mix of technologies used. We conducted a budget impact analysis using public sector abortion statistics and published cost data. We estimated the total costs to the public health service over 10 years, starting in South Africa's financial year 2016/17, given four scenarios: (1) holding service provision constant, (2) expanding public sector provision, (3) changing the abortion technologies used (i.e. the method mix), and (4) expansion plus changing the method mix. The public sector performed an estimated 20% of the expected total number of abortions in 2016/17; 26% and 54% of all abortions were performed illegally or in the private sector respectively. Costs were lowest in scenarios where method mix shifting occurred. Holding the proportion of abortions performed in the public-sector constant, shifting to more cost-effective service provision (more first-trimester services with more medication abortion and using the combined regimen for medical induction in the second trimester) could result in savings of $28.1 million in the public health service over the 10-year period. Expanding public sector provision through elimination of unsafe abortions would require an additional $192.5 million. South Africa can provide more safe abortions for less money in the public sector through shifting the methods provided. More research is needed to understand whether the cost of expanding access could be offset by savings from averting costs of managing unsafe abortions. South Africa can provide more safe abortions for less money in the public sector through shifting to more first-trimester methods, including more medication abortion, and shifting to a combined mifepristone plus misoprostol regimen for second trimester medical induction. Expanding access in addition to method mix changes would require additional funds. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Smoke Alarm Giveaway and Installation Programs

PubMed Central

Liu, Ying; Mack, Karin A.; Diekman, Shane T.

2015-01-01

Background The burden of residential fire injury and death is substantial. Targeted smoke alarm giveaway and installation programs are popular interventions used to reduce residential fire mortality and morbidity. Purpose To evaluate the cost effectiveness and cost benefit of implementing a giveaway or installation program in a small hypothetic community with a high risk of fire death and injury through a decision-analysis model. Methods Model inputs included program costs; program effectiveness (life-years and quality-adjusted life-years saved); and monetized program benefits (medical cost, productivity, property loss and quality-of-life losses averted) and were identified through structured reviews of existing literature (done in 2011) and supplemented by expert opinion. Future costs and effectiveness were discounted at a rate of 3% per year. All costs were expressed in 2011 U.S. dollars. Results Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) resulted in anaverage cost-effectiveness ratio (ACER) of $51,404 per quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) saved and $45,630 per QALY for the giveaway and installation programs, respectively. Cost–benefit analysis (CBA) showed that both programs were associated with a positive net benefit with a benefit–cost ratio of 2.1 and 2.3, respectively. Smoke alarm functional rate, baseline prevalence of functional alarms, and baseline home fire death rate were among the most influential factors for the CEA and CBA results. Conclusions Both giveaway and installation programs have an average cost-effectiveness ratio similar to or lower than the median cost-effectiveness ratio reported for other interventionsto reduce fatal injuries in homes. Although more effort is required, installation programs result in lower cost per outcome achieved compared with giveaways. PMID:22992356

Cost-effectiveness and resource implications of aggressive action on TB in China, India and South Africa: a combined analysis of nine models

PubMed Central

Menzies, Nicolas A; Gomez, Gabriela B; Bozzani, Fiammetta; Chatterjee, Susmita; Foster, Nicola; Baena, Ines Garcia; Laurence, Yoko V; Qiang, Sun; Siroka, Andrew; Sweeney, Sedona; Verguet, Stéphane; Arinaminpathy, Nimalan; Azman, Andrew S; Bendavid, Eran; Chang, Stewart T; Cohen, Ted; Denholm, Justin T; Dowdy, David W; Eckhoff, Philip A; Goldhaber-Fiebert, Jeremy D; Handel, Andreas; Huynh, Grace H; Lalli, Marek; Lin, Hsien-Ho; Mandal, Sandip; McBryde, Emma S; Pandey, Surabhi; Salomon, Joshua A; Suen, Sze-chuan; Sumner, Tom; Trauer, James M; Wagner, Bradley G; Whalen, Christopher C; Wu, Chieh-Yin; Boccia, Delia; Chadha, Vineet K; Charalambous, Salome; Chin, Daniel P; Churchyard, Gavin; Daniels, Colleen; Dewan, Puneet; Ditiu, Lucica; Eaton, Jeffrey W; Grant, Alison D; Hippner, Piotr; Hosseini, Mehran; Mametja, David; Pretorius, Carel; Pillay, Yogan; Rade, Kiran; Sahu, Suvanand; Wang, Lixia; Houben, Rein MGJ; Kimerling, Michael E; White, Richard G; Vassall, Anna

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND The End TB Strategy sets global goals of reducing TB incidence and mortality by 50% and 75% respectively by 2025. We assessed resource requirements and cost-effectiveness of strategies to achieve these targets in China, India, and South Africa. METHODS We examined intervention scenarios developed in consultation with country stakeholders, which scaled-up existing interventions to high but feasible coverage by 2025. Nine independent TB modelling groups collaborated to estimate policy outcomes, and we costed each scenario by synthesizing service utilization estimates, empirical cost data, and expert opinion on implementation strategies. We estimated health impact and resource implications for 2016–2035, including patient-incurred costs. To assess resource requirements and cost-effectiveness, we compared scenarios to a base case representing continued current practice. FINDINGS Incremental TB service costs differed by scenario and country, and in some cases more than doubled current funding needs. In general, expanding TB services substantially reduced patient-incurred costs; and in India and China this produced net cost-savings for most interventions under a societal perspective. In all countries, expanding TB care access produced substantial health gains. Compared to current practice, most intervention approaches appeared highly cost-effective when compared to conventional cost-effectiveness thresholds. INTERPRETATION Expanding TB services appears cost-effective for high-burden countries and could generate substantial health and economic benefits for patients, though funding needs challenge affordability. Further work is required to determine the optimal intervention mix for each country. PMID:27720689

Multilevel Monte Carlo and improved timestepping methods in atmospheric dispersion modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katsiolides, Grigoris; Müller, Eike H.; Scheichl, Robert; Shardlow, Tony; Giles, Michael B.; Thomson, David J.

2018-02-01

A common way to simulate the transport and spread of pollutants in the atmosphere is via stochastic Lagrangian dispersion models. Mathematically, these models describe turbulent transport processes with stochastic differential equations (SDEs). The computational bottleneck is the Monte Carlo algorithm, which simulates the motion of a large number of model particles in a turbulent velocity field; for each particle, a trajectory is calculated with a numerical timestepping method. Choosing an efficient numerical method is particularly important in operational emergency-response applications, such as tracking radioactive clouds from nuclear accidents or predicting the impact of volcanic ash clouds on international aviation, where accurate and timely predictions are essential. In this paper, we investigate the application of the Multilevel Monte Carlo (MLMC) method to simulate the propagation of particles in a representative one-dimensional dispersion scenario in the atmospheric boundary layer. MLMC can be shown to result in asymptotically superior computational complexity and reduced computational cost when compared to the Standard Monte Carlo (StMC) method, which is currently used in atmospheric dispersion modelling. To reduce the absolute cost of the method also in the non-asymptotic regime, it is equally important to choose the best possible numerical timestepping method on each level. To investigate this, we also compare the standard symplectic Euler method, which is used in many operational models, with two improved timestepping algorithms based on SDE splitting methods.

Process engineering economics of bioethanol production.

PubMed

Galbe, Mats; Sassner, Per; Wingren, Anders; Zacchi, Guido

2007-01-01

This work presents a review of studies on the process economics of ethanol production from lignocellulosic materials published since 1996. Our objective was to identify the most costly process steps and the impact of various parameters on the final production cost, e.g. plant capacity, raw material cost, and overall product yield, as well as process configuration. The variation in estimated ethanol production cost is considerable, ranging from about 0.13 to 0.81 US$ per liter ethanol. This can be explained to a large extent by actual process differences and variations in the assumptions underlying the techno-economic evaluations. The most important parameters for the economic outcome are the feedstock cost, which varied between 30 and 90 US$ per metric ton in the papers studied, and the plant capacity, which influences the capital cost. To reduce the ethanol production cost it is necessary to reach high ethanol yields, as well as a high ethanol concentration during fermentation, to be able to decrease the energy required for distillation and other downstream process steps. Improved pretreatment methods, enhanced enzymatic hydrolysis with cheaper and more effective enzymes, as well as improved fermentation systems present major research challenges if we are to make lignocellulose-based ethanol production competitive with sugar- and starch-based ethanol. Process integration, either internally or externally with other types of plants, e.g. heat and power plants, also offers a way of reducing the final ethanol production cost.

Impact of Sterile Compounding Batch Frequency on Pharmaceutical Waste.

PubMed

Abbasi, Ghalib; Gay, Evan

2017-01-01

Purpose: To measure the impact of increasing sterile compounding batch frequency on pharmaceutical waste as it relates to cost and quantity. Methods: Pharmaceutical IV waste at a tertiary care hospital was observed and recorded for 7 days. The batching frequency of compounded sterile products (CSPs) was then increased from twice daily to 4 times daily. After a washout period, pharmaceutical IV waste was then recorded for another 7 days. The quantity of units wasted and the cost were compared between both phases to determine the impact that batching frequency has on IV waste, specifically among high- and low-cost drugs. Results: Patient days increased from 2,459 during phase 1 to 2,617 during phase 2. The total number of CSPs wasted decreased from 3.6 to 2.7 doses per 100 patient days. Overall cost was reduced from $4,585.36 in phase 1 to $4,453.88 in phase 2. The value of wasted high-cost drugs per 100 patient days increased from $146 in phase 1 to $149 in phase 2 ( p > .05). The value of wasted low cost drugs per 100 patient days decreased from $41 in phase 1 to $21 in phase 2 ( p < .05). Conclusion: Lean batch IV methodology reduced overall waste quantity and cost. The highest impact of the intervention was observed among low-cost CSPs.

Enhancing soil infiltration reduces gaseous emissions and improves N uptake from applied dairy slurry.

PubMed

Bhandral, R; Bittman, S; Kowalenko, G; Buckley, K; Chantigny, M H; Hunt, D E; Bounaix, F; Friesen, A

2009-01-01

Rapid infiltration of liquid manure into the soil reduces emissions of ammonia (NH(3)) into the atmosphere. This study was undertaken to assess the effects of two low-cost methods of assisting infiltration of applied dairy slurry on emissions of NH(3), nitrous oxide (N(2)O), and on crop N uptake. The two methods were removing of solids by settling-decantation to make the manure less viscous and mechanically aerating the soil. Ammonia emissions were measured with wind tunnels as percentage of applied total ammoniacal nitrogen (TAN) while emissions of N(2)O were measured with vented chambers. Mechanically aerating the soil before manure application significantly reduced emissions of NH(3) relative to the nonaerated soil in spring (38.6 to 20.3% of applied TAN), summer (41.1 to 26.4% of applied TAN) and fall (27.7 to 13.6% of applied TAN) trials. Decantation of manure had no effect on NH(3) emissions in spring, tended to increase emissions in summer and significantly decreased emissions in fall (30.3 to 11.1% of applied TAN). Combining the two abatement techniques reduced NH(3) emission by 82% in fall, under cool weather conditions typical of manure spreading. The two abatement techniques generally did not significantly affect N(2)O emissions. Uptake of applied N by Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) was generally significantly greater with decanted than from whole manure but the effect of aeration was generally small and not significant. The study shows that low cost methods that assist manure infiltration into the soil may be used to greatly reduce ammonia loss without increasing N(2)O emissions, but efficacy of abatement methods is affected by weather conditions.

Disease management positively affects patient quality of life.

PubMed

Walker, David R; Landis, Darryl L; Stern, Patricia M; Vance, Richard P

2003-04-01

Health care costs are spiraling upward. The population of the United States is aging, and many baby boomers will develop multiple chronic health conditions. Disease management is one method for reducing costs associated with chronic health conditions. Although these programs have been proven effective in improving patient health, detailed information about their effect on patient quality of life has been scarce. This article provides preliminary evidence that disease management programs for coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, and heart failure lead to improved quality of life, which correlates with a healthier, more satisfied, and less costly patient.

Method and apparatus for energy efficient self-aeration in chemical, biochemical, and wastewater treatment processes

DOEpatents

Gao, Johnway [Richland, WA; Skeen, Rodney S [Pendleton, OR

2002-05-28

The present invention is a pulse spilling self-aerator (PSSA) that has the potential to greatly lower the installation, operation, and maintenance cost associated with aerating and mixing aqueous solutions. Currently, large quantities of low-pressure air are required in aeration systems to support many biochemical production processes and wastewater treatment plants. Oxygen is traditionally supplied and mixed by a compressor or blower and a mechanical agitator. These systems have high-energy requirements and high installation and maintenance costs. The PSSA provides a mixing and aeration capability that can increase operational efficiency and reduce overall cost.

Reduced-cost second-order algebraic-diagrammatic construction method for excitation energies and transition moments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mester, Dávid; Nagy, Péter R.; Kállay, Mihály

2018-03-01

A reduced-cost implementation of the second-order algebraic-diagrammatic construction [ADC(2)] method is presented. We introduce approximations by restricting virtual natural orbitals and natural auxiliary functions, which results, on average, in more than an order of magnitude speedup compared to conventional, density-fitting ADC(2) algorithms. The present scheme is the successor of our previous approach [D. Mester, P. R. Nagy, and M. Kállay, J. Chem. Phys. 146, 194102 (2017)], which has been successfully applied to obtain singlet excitation energies with the linear-response second-order coupled-cluster singles and doubles model. Here we report further methodological improvements and the extension of the method to compute singlet and triplet ADC(2) excitation energies and transition moments. The various approximations are carefully benchmarked, and conservative truncation thresholds are selected which guarantee errors much smaller than the intrinsic error of the ADC(2) method. Using the canonical values as reference, we find that the mean absolute error for both singlet and triplet ADC(2) excitation energies is 0.02 eV, while that for oscillator strengths is 0.001 a.u. The rigorous cutoff parameters together with the significantly reduced operation count and storage requirements allow us to obtain accurate ADC(2) excitation energies and transition properties using triple-ζ basis sets for systems of up to one hundred atoms.

Selection of infectious medical waste disposal firms by using the analytic hierarchy process and sensitivity analysis.

PubMed

Hsu, Pi-Fang; Wu, Cheng-Ru; Li, Ya-Ting

2008-01-01

While Taiwanese hospitals dispose of large amounts of medical waste to ensure sanitation and personal hygiene, doing so inefficiently creates potential environmental hazards and increases operational expenses. However, hospitals lack objective criteria to select the most appropriate waste disposal firm and evaluate its performance, instead relying on their own subjective judgment and previous experiences. Therefore, this work presents an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method to objectively select medical waste disposal firms based on the results of interviews with experts in the field, thus reducing overhead costs and enhancing medical waste management. An appropriate weight criterion based on AHP is derived to assess the effectiveness of medical waste disposal firms. The proposed AHP-based method offers a more efficient and precise means of selecting medical waste firms than subjective assessment methods do, thus reducing the potential risks for hospitals. Analysis results indicate that the medical sector selects the most appropriate infectious medical waste disposal firm based on the following rank: matching degree, contractor's qualifications, contractor's service capability, contractor's equipment and economic factors. By providing hospitals with an effective means of evaluating medical waste disposal firms, the proposed AHP method can reduce overhead costs and enable medical waste management to understand the market demand in the health sector. Moreover, performed through use of Expert Choice software, sensitivity analysis can survey the criterion weight of the degree of influence with an alternative hierarchy.