Grouping in decomposition method for multi-item capacitated lot-sizing problem with immediate lost sales and joint and item-dependent setup cost

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narenji, M.; Fatemi Ghomi, S. M. T.; Nooraie, S. V. R.

2011-03-01

This article examines a dynamic and discrete multi-item capacitated lot-sizing problem in a completely deterministic production or procurement environment with limited production/procurement capacity where lost sales (the loss of customer demand) are permitted. There is no inventory space capacity and the production activity incurs a fixed charge linear cost function. Similarly, the inventory holding cost and the cost of lost demand are both associated with a linear no-fixed charge function. For the sake of simplicity, a unit of each item is assumed to consume one unit of production/procurement capacity. We analyse a different version of setup costs incurred by a production or procurement activity in a given period of the planning horizon. In this version, called the joint and item-dependent setup cost, an additional item-dependent setup cost is incurred separately for each produced or ordered item on top of the joint setup cost.

Analysis of digester design concepts

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

Ashare, E.; Wilson, E. H.

1979-01-29

Engineering economic analyses were performed on various digester design concepts to determine the relative performance for various biomass feedstocks. A comprehensive literature survey describing the state-of-the-art of the various digestion designs is included. The digester designs included in the analyses are CSTR, plug flow, batch, CSTR in series, multi-stage digestion and biomethanation. Other process options investigated included pretreatment processes such as shredding, degritting, and chemical pretreatment, and post-digestion processes, such as dewatering and gas purification. The biomass sources considered include feedlot manure, rice straw, and bagasse. The results of the analysis indicate that the most economical (on a unit gasmore » cost basis) digester design concept is the plug flow reactor. This conclusion results from this system providing a high gas production rate combined with a low capital hole-in-the-ground digester design concept. The costs determined in this analysis do not include any credits or penalties for feedstock or by-products, but present the costs only for conversion of biomass to methane. The batch land-fill type digester design was shown to have a unit gas cost comparable to that for a conventional stirred tank digester, with the potential of reducing the cost if a land-fill site were available for a lower cost per unit volume. The use of chemical pretreatment resulted in a higher unit gas cost, primarily due to the cost of pretreatment chemical. A sensitivity analysis indicated that the use of chemical pretreatment could improve the economics provided a process could be developed which utilized either less pretreatment chemical or a less costly chemical. The use of other process options resulted in higher unit gas costs. These options should only be used when necessary for proper process performance, or to result in production of a valuable by-product.« less

Economic cost of initial attack and large-fire suppression

Treesearch

Armando González-Cabán

1983-01-01

A procedure has been developed for estimating the economic cost of initial attack and large-fire suppression. The procedure uses a per-unit approach to estimate total attack and suppression costs on an input-by-input basis. Fire management inputs (FMIs) are the production units used. All direct and indirect costs are charged to the FMIs. With the unit approach, all...

Methods and consequences of including feed intake and efficiency in genetic selection for multiple-trait merit.

PubMed

Barwick, Stephen A; Henzell, Anthony L; Walmsley, Brad J; Johnston, David J; Banks, Robert G

2018-05-04

Methods are presented for including feed intake and efficiency in genetic selection for multiple-trait merit when commercial production is from any combination of pasture or concentrates. Consequences for the production system and for individual animals are illustrated with a beef cattle example. Residual feed intake at pasture (RFI-p), residual feed intake in the feedlot (RFI-f), and cow condition score are additional traits of the breeding objective. Feed requirement change is costed in the economic values of other objective traits. Selection responses are examined when feed costs are ignored, partially or fully included in the breeding objective, and when net feed intake (NFI) EBVs are added to the index. When all feed cost was included and NFI EBVs were in the index, selection (with selection intensity, i = 1) increased production system $ net return by 6.0%, $ per unit of product by 5.2%, $ per unit of feed by 6.6%, total product by 0.7% and product per unit of feed by 1.3%. There was little change in production system total feed. When feed cost was ignored, selection decreased production system $ net return, $ per unit of product, and $ per unit of feed. At the individual trait level, when feed was fully included there were increases in weaning weight-direct (0.8 kg), feedlot entry weight (1.4 kg), dressing % (0.04%), carcass meat % (0.36%), carcase fat depth (0.12 mm), carcass marbling score (0.02 score), cow condition score (0.01 score), calving ease-direct (0.97%), calving ease-maternal (0.22%) and cow weaning rate (1.3%), and decreases in weaning weight-maternal (-0.9 kg), RFI-p (-0.09 kg DM/d), RFI-f (-0.11 kg DM/d), sale weight (-1.6 kg) and cow weight (-8.7 kg). Gains were evident over a range of feed price. Selection for $ net return also increased $ net return per unit of feed, suggesting that $ net return per unit area would increase in grazing industries. Feed cost for trait change was the source of a major genotype × environment interaction affecting animal rankings. Where industry production environments vary, and feed cost for trait change varies with the environment, we recommend that industry indexes be derived for more than one level of feed cost. Cow condition score did not decline while biological and economic efficiency of the production system and individual animal were improving, suggesting that efficiency can be improved under multiple-trait selection without compromising breeding cow welfare.

Hydrogen Production Cost Analysis | Hydrogen and Fuel Cells | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Analysis Hydrogen Production Cost Analysis This interactive map displays the results of a 2011 NREL analysis on the cost of hydrogen from electrolysis at potential sites across the United States. NREL analyzed the cost of hydrogen production via wind-based water electrolysis at 42 potential sites in 11

Integrated strategic and tactical biomass-biofuel supply chain optimization.

PubMed

Lin, Tao; Rodríguez, Luis F; Shastri, Yogendra N; Hansen, Alan C; Ting, K C

2014-03-01

To ensure effective biomass feedstock provision for large-scale biofuel production, an integrated biomass supply chain optimization model was developed to minimize annual biomass-ethanol production costs by optimizing both strategic and tactical planning decisions simultaneously. The mixed integer linear programming model optimizes the activities range from biomass harvesting, packing, in-field transportation, stacking, transportation, preprocessing, and storage, to ethanol production and distribution. The numbers, locations, and capacities of facilities as well as biomass and ethanol distribution patterns are key strategic decisions; while biomass production, delivery, and operating schedules and inventory monitoring are key tactical decisions. The model was implemented to study Miscanthus-ethanol supply chain in Illinois. The base case results showed unit Miscanthus-ethanol production costs were $0.72L(-1) of ethanol. Biorefinery related costs accounts for 62% of the total costs, followed by biomass procurement costs. Sensitivity analysis showed that a 50% reduction in biomass yield would increase unit production costs by 11%. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Unit cost variation in a social security company in Querétaro, México].

PubMed

Villarreal-Ríos, Enrique; Campos-Esparza, Maribel; Garza-Elizondo, María E; Martínez-González, Lidia; Núñez-Rocha, Georgina M; Romero-Islas, Nestor R

2006-01-01

Comparing unit cost variation between departments and reasons for consultation in outpatient health services provided by a social security company from Querétaro, Mexico. A study of costs (in US dollars) was carried out in outpatient health service units during 2004. Fixed unit costs were estimated per department and adjusted for one year's productivity. Material, physical and consumer resources were included. Weighting was assigned to resources invested in each department. Unit cost was estimated by using the micro cost technique; medicaments, materials used during treatment and reagents were considered to be consumer items. Unit cost resulted from adding fixed unit cost to the variable unit cost corresponding to the reason for consulting. Units costs were then compared between the medical units. Unit cost per month for diabetic treatment varied from 34.8 US dollars, 32,2 US dollars to US 34 US dollars, pap smear screening test costs were 7,2 US dollars, 8,7 US dollars and 7,3 US dollars and dental treatment 27 US dollars, 33 US dollars, 6 and 28,7 US dollars. Unit cost variation was more important in the emergency room and the dental service.

Cost-price: a useful way to evaluate timber growing alternatives.

Treesearch

Allen L. Lundgren

1973-01-01

This paper explains how to calculate and use cost-price as an investment criterion for timber and other forest products. Cost-price is the cost (including a return on invested capital) of producing a unit of output, usually expressed as dollars per cubic foot or other unit of output.

An Alternative Procedure for Estimating Unit Learning Curves,

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-09-01

the model accurately describes the real-life situation, i.e., when the model is properly applied to the data, it can be a powerful tool for...predicting unit production costs. There are, however, some unique estimation problems inherent in the model . The usual method of generating predicted unit...production costs attempts to extend properties of least squares estimators to non- linear functions of these estimators. The result is biased estimates of

Launch Vehicle Production and Operations Cost Metrics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Michael D.; Neeley, James R.; Blackburn, Ruby F.

2014-01-01

Traditionally, launch vehicle cost has been evaluated based on $/Kg to orbit. This metric is calculated based on assumptions not typically met by a specific mission. These assumptions include the specified orbit whether Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO), or both. The metric also assumes the payload utilizes the full lift mass of the launch vehicle, which is rarely true even with secondary payloads.1,2,3 Other approaches for cost metrics have been evaluated including unit cost of the launch vehicle and an approach to consider the full program production and operations costs.4 Unit cost considers the variable cost of the vehicle and the definition of variable costs are discussed. The full program production and operation costs include both the variable costs and the manufacturing base. This metric also distinguishes operations costs from production costs, including pre-flight operational testing. Operations costs also consider the costs of flight operations, including control center operation and maintenance. Each of these 3 cost metrics show different sensitivities to various aspects of launch vehicle cost drivers. The comparison of these metrics provides the strengths and weaknesses of each yielding an assessment useful for cost metric selection for launch vehicle programs.

Bridging environmental and financial cost of dairy production: A case study of Irish agricultural policy.

PubMed

Chen, Wenhao; Holden, Nicholas M

2018-02-15

The Irish agricultural policy 'Food Harvest 2020' is a roadmap for sectoral expansion and Irish dairy farming is expected to intensify, which could influence the environmental and economic performance of Irish milk production. Evaluating the total environmental impacts and the real cost of Irish milk production is a key step towards understanding the possibility of sustainable production. This paper addresses two main issues: aggregation of environmental impacts of Irish milk production by monetization, to understand the real cost of Irish milk production, including the environmental costs; and the effect of the agricultural policy 'Food Harvest 2020' on total cost (combining financial cost and environmental cost) of Irish milk production. This study used 2013 Irish dairy farming as a baseline, and defined 'bottom', 'target' and 'optimum' scenarios, according to the change of elementary inputs required to meet agricultural policy ambitions. The study demonstrated that the three monetization methods, Stepwise 2006, Eco-cost 2012 and EPS 2000, could be used for aggregating different environmental impacts into monetary unit, and to provide an insight for evaluating policy related to total environmental performance. The results showed that the total environmental cost of Irish milk production could be greater than the financial cost (up to €0.53/kg energy corrected milk). The dairy expansion policy with improved herbage utilization and fertilizer application could reduce financial cost and minimize the total environmental cost of per unit milk produced. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Costing complexities in mixed apheresis.

PubMed

Trenchard, P M

1993-07-01

For mixed apheresis procedures {plasma (PMA) and platelets (PLTs) as products}, six cost-accounting methods are described for apportioning the unit procedure cost ($156.02; representative example) to the two products. The methods are derived from clinical/scientific apheresis principles, but provide a wide range of unit PLT costs ($14.10, 19.71, 34.37, 42.06, 43.82 and 52.00) which relate inversely to the corresponding unit PMA costs ($73.84, 63.01, 34.36, 19.37, 15.94 and 0.00). Two of the methods appear particularly appropriate, depending upon whether the procedure is driven by PLTs predominantly or by PMA+PLTs equally. The paper encourages apheresis physicians and scientists to debate the relative attributes of the methods, develop refinements of the same, and determine through dialogue that mixed apheresis costing models properly account for the clinical science of the service provided.

Learning/cost-improvement curves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delionback, L. M.

1976-01-01

Review guide is an aid to manager or engineer who must determine production costs for components, systems, or services. Methods are described by which manufacturers may use historical data, task characteristics, and current cost data to estimate unit prices as function of number of units to be produced.

Price Estimation Guidelines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chamberlain, R. G.; Aster, R. W.; Firnett, P. J.; Miller, M. A.

1985-01-01

Improved Price Estimation Guidelines, IPEG4, program provides comparatively simple, yet relatively accurate estimate of price of manufactured product. IPEG4 processes user supplied input data to determine estimate of price per unit of production. Input data include equipment cost, space required, labor cost, materials and supplies cost, utility expenses, and production volume on industry wide or process wide basis.

Estimating the cost of production stoppage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delionback, L. M.

1979-01-01

Estimation model considers learning curve quantities, and time of break to forecast losses due to break in production schedule. Major parameters capable of predicting costs are number of units made prior to production sequence, length of production break, and slope of learning curve produced prior to break.

24 CFR Appendix to Part 971 - Methodology of Comparing Cost of Public Housing With Cost of Tenant-Based Assistance

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... bills directly to the utility company, then the development's monthly operating cost per occupied unit... Authority and its affected developments. c. As an example of estimating development operating costs from PHA... divided by 270, the product of 22.5 and 12, to give a cost per unit month of $222. C. Accrual The monthly...

An Alternative Method for Computing Unit Costs and Productivity Ratios. AIR 1984 Annual Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Winstead, Wayland H.; And Others

An alternative measure for evaluating the performance of academic departments was studied. A comparison was made with the traditional manner for computing unit costs and productivity ratios: prorating the salary and effort of each faculty member to each course level based on the personal mix of course taught. The alternative method used averaging…

Economic analysis of biomass gasification for generating electricity in rural areas in Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Susanto, H.; Suria, T.; Pranolo, S. H.

2018-03-01

The gaseous fuel from biomass gasification might reduce the consumption of diesel fuel by 70%. The investment cost of the whole unit with a capacity of 45 kWe was about IDR 220 million in 2008 comprised of 24% for gasification unit, 54% for diesel engine and electric generator, 22% for transportation of the whole unit from Bandung to the site in South Borneo. The gasification unit was made in local workshop in Bandung, while the diesel-generator was purchased also in a local market. To anticipate the development of biomass based electricity in remote areas, an economic analysis has been made for implementations in 2019. A specific investment cost of 600 USD/kW has been estimated taking account to the escalation and capacity factors. Using a discounted factor of 11% and biomass cost in the range of 0.03-0.07 USD/kg, the production cost of electricity would be in the range of 0.09-0.16 USD/kWh. This production cost was lower than that of diesel engine fueled with full oil commonly implemented in many remote areas in Indonesia at this moment. This production cost was also lower than the Feed in Tariff in some regions established by Indonesian government in 2017.

Cost Analysis for Dual Source Weapon Procurement

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-10-01

no change in the unit production cost of weapon systems. The theoretical foundation of a production rate impact on cost is closely related to - he...Yet the impact on procure- aent costs of these rate changes is not generally under- stood. Empirical studies in recent years have documented cases where...slbpe of th:. rate/cost curve.- Using this equation, Kratz, et al., reported the pric- reac- tions attributable to a change in production rate. Of th? 11

Stabilization of gas turbine unit power

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dolotovskii, I.; Larin, E.

2017-11-01

We propose a new cycle air preparation unit which helps increasing energy power of gas turbine units (GTU) operating as a part of combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) units of thermal power stations and energy and water supply systems of industrial enterprises as well as reducing power loss of gas turbine engines of process blowers resulting from variable ambient air temperatures. Installation of GTU power stabilizer at CCGT unit with electric and thermal power of 192 and 163 MW, respectively, has resulted in reduction of produced electrical energy production costs by 2.4% and thermal energy production costs by 1.6% while capital expenditures after installation of this equipment increased insignificantly.

16 CFR 305.10 - Ranges of comparability on the required labels.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... cost. The Representative Average Unit Energy Cost figures to be used on labels as required by § 305.11... Commission shall publish revised Representative Average Unit Energy Cost figures in the Federal Register in... ACTS OF CONGRESS ENERGY AND WATER USE LABELING FOR CONSUMER PRODUCTS UNDER THE ENERGY POLICY AND...

Cost of standard indoor ultra-low-volume space spraying as a method to control adult dengue vectors.

PubMed

Ditsuwan, Thanittha; Liabsuetrakul, Tippawan; Ditsuwan, Vallop; Thammapalo, Suwich

2012-06-01

To access the costs of standard indoor ultra-low-volume (SID-ULV) space spraying for controlling dengue vectors in Thailand. Resources related to SID-ULV space spraying as a method to control dengue vectors between July and December 2009 were identified, measured and valued taking a societal perspective into consideration. Information on costs was collected from direct observations, interviews and bookkeeping records. Uncertainty of unit costs was investigated using a bootstrap technique. Costs of SID-ULV were calculated from 18 new dengue cases that covered 1492 surrounding houses. The average coverage of the SID-ULV was 64.4%. In the first round of spraying, 53% of target houses were sprayed and 44.6% in the second round, of which 69.2% and 54.7% received entire indoor space spraying. Unit costs per case, per 10 houses and per 100 m(2) were USD 705 (95% Confidence Interval CI, 539-888), 180 (95% CI, 150-212) and USD 23 (95% CI, 17-30). The majority of SID-ULV unit cost per case was attributed to productivity loss (83.9%) and recurrent costs (15.2%). The unit cost of the SID-ULV per case and per house in rural was 2.8 and 1.6 times lower than municipal area. The estimated annual cost of SID-ULV space spraying from 2005 to 2009 using healthcare perspective ranged from USD 5.3 to 10.3 million. The majority of the cost of SID-ULV space spraying was attributed to productivity loss. Potential productivity loss influences the achievement of high coverage, so well-planned SID-ULV space spraying strategies are needed to reduce costs. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

16 CFR Appendix K to Part 305 - Representative Average Unit Energy Costs

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Representative Average Unit Energy Costs K... CONGRESS ENERGY AND WATER USE LABELING FOR CONSUMER PRODUCTS UNDER THE ENERGY POLICY AND CONSERVATION ACT (âENERGY LABELING RULEâ) Pt. 305, App. K Appendix K to Part 305—Representative Average Unit Energy...

Economic assessment of biodiesel production from wastewater sludge.

PubMed

Chen, Jiaxin; Tyagi, Rajeshwar Dayal; Li, Ji; Zhang, Xiaolei; Drogui, Patrick; Sun, Feiyun

2018-04-01

Currently, there are mainly two pathways of the biodiesel production from wastewater sludge including 1) directly extracting the lipid in sludge and then converting the lipid to biodiesel through trans-esterification, and 2) employing sludge as medium to cultivate oleaginous microorganism to accumulate lipid and then transferring the lipid to biodiesel. So far, the study was still in research stage and its cost feasibility was not yet investigated. In this study, biodiesel production from wastewater sludge was designed and the cost was estimated with SuperPro Designer. With consideration of converting the lipid in raw sludge to biodiesel, the unit production cost was 0.67 US $/kg biodiesel (0.59 US $/L biodiesel). When the sludge was used as medium to grow oleaginous microorganism to accumulate lipid for producing biodiesel, the unit production cost was 1.08 US $/kg biodiesel (0.94 US $/L biodiesel). The study showed that sludge has great potential in biodiesel production. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Direct and Indirect Costs of Chronic and Episodic Migraine in the United States: A Web-Based Survey.

PubMed

Messali, Andrew; Sanderson, Joanna C; Blumenfeld, Andrew M; Goadsby, Peter J; Buse, Dawn C; Varon, Sepideh F; Stokes, Michael; Lipton, Richard B

2016-02-01

The objective of this study was to compare the societal direct and indirect costs of chronic and episodic migraine in the United States. Episodic and chronic migraine are distinguished by the frequency of headache-days. Chronic migraine has a greater overall impact on quality of life than does episodic migraine. Individuals with chronic migraine also use more healthcare resources (resulting in higher direct costs) and experience greater decreases in productivity (resulting in higher indirect costs) than those with episodic migraine as shown in the American Migraine Prevalence and Prevention (AMPP) Study. The International Burden of Migraine Study utilized a web-based questionnaire to elicit data on several topics related to the burden of migraine illness, including health resource utilization and productivity losses. Potential survey participants were identified by Synovate Healthcare (Chicago, IL, USA) from a pool of registered panelists from various countries. The panelists were screened online to determine eligibility and to identify individuals with migraine (episodic or chronic), based on reported symptoms. Participants from the United States were divided into episodic and chronic migraine groups, based on reported headache-day per month frequency. Direct and indirect costs were estimated by applying estimated unit costs to reported headache-related productivity losses and resource use. Costs were compared between participants with episodic and chronic migraine. Mean [standard deviation] total annual cost of headache among people with chronic migraine ($8243 [$10,646]) was over three times that of episodic migraine ($2649 [$4634], P < .001). Participants with chronic migraine had significantly greater direct medical costs ($4943 [$6382]) and indirect (lost productivity) costs ($3300 [$6907]) than did participants with episodic migraine (direct, $1705 [$3591]; indirect, $943 [$2084]) (P < .001 for each). Unlike previous findings, direct medical costs constituted the majority of total headache-related costs for both chronic migraine (60.0%, $4943 of $8243) and episodic migraine (64.3%, $1705 of $2649) participants. A large portion of direct medical costs are attributable to pharmaceutical utilization among both chronic migraine (80%, $3925 of 4943) and episodic migraine (70%, $1196 of $1705) participants. The results of this study build on previous results of the AMPP Study, demonstrating that headache-related direct, indirect, and total costs are significantly greater among individuals with chronic migraine than with episodic migraine in the United States. © 2016 American Headache Society.

Low cost solar array project production process and equipment task. A Module Experimental Process System Development Unit (MEPSDU)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

Technical readiness for the production of photovoltaic modules using single crystal silicon dendritic web sheet material is demonstrated by: (1) selection, design and implementation of solar cell and photovoltaic module process sequence in a Module Experimental Process System Development Unit; (2) demonstration runs; (3) passing of acceptance and qualification tests; and (4) achievement of a cost effective module.

Estimating Power Outage Cost based on a Survey for Industrial Customers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshida, Yoshikuni; Matsuhashi, Ryuji

A survey was conducted on power outage cost for industrial customers. 5139 factories, which are designated energy management factories in Japan, answered their power consumption and the loss of production value due to the power outage in an hour in summer weekday. The median of unit cost of power outage of whole sectors is estimated as 672 yen/kWh. The sector of services for amusement and hobbies and the sector of manufacture of information and communication electronics equipment relatively have higher unit cost of power outage. Direct damage cost from power outage in whole sectors reaches 77 billion yen. Then utilizing input-output analysis, we estimated indirect damage cost that is caused by the repercussion of production halt. Indirect damage cost in whole sectors reaches 91 billion yen. The sector of wholesale and retail trade has the largest direct damage cost. The sector of manufacture of transportation equipment has the largest indirect damage cost.

48 CFR 52.248-1 - Value Engineering.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... contract requirement and the proposed requirement, the comparative advantages and disadvantages of each, a... not rewardable under performance, design-to-cost (production unit cost, operating and support costs...

48 CFR 52.248-1 - Value Engineering.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... contract requirement and the proposed requirement, the comparative advantages and disadvantages of each, a... not rewardable under performance, design-to-cost (production unit cost, operating and support costs...

48 CFR 52.248-1 - Value Engineering.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... contract requirement and the proposed requirement, the comparative advantages and disadvantages of each, a... not rewardable under performance, design-to-cost (production unit cost, operating and support costs...

48 CFR 52.248-1 - Value Engineering.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... contract requirement and the proposed requirement, the comparative advantages and disadvantages of each, a... not rewardable under performance, design-to-cost (production unit cost, operating and support costs...

48 CFR 52.248-1 - Value Engineering.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... contract requirement and the proposed requirement, the comparative advantages and disadvantages of each, a... not rewardable under performance, design-to-cost (production unit cost, operating and support costs...

Improving Power System Modeling. A Tool to Link Capacity Expansion and Production Cost Models

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

Diakov, Victor; Cole, Wesley; Sullivan, Patrick

2015-11-01

Capacity expansion models (CEM) provide a high-level long-term view at the prospects of the evolving power system. In simulating the possibilities of long-term capacity expansion, it is important to maintain the viability of power system operation in the short-term (daily, hourly and sub-hourly) scales. Production-cost models (PCM) simulate routine power system operation on these shorter time scales using detailed load, transmission and generation fleet data by minimizing production costs and following reliability requirements. When based on CEM 'predictions' about generating unit retirements and buildup, PCM provide more detailed simulation for the short-term system operation and, consequently, may confirm the validitymore » of capacity expansion predictions. Further, production cost model simulations of a system that is based on capacity expansion model solution are 'evolutionary' sound: the generator mix is the result of logical sequence of unit retirement and buildup resulting from policy and incentives. The above has motivated us to bridge CEM with PCM by building a capacity expansion - to - production cost model Linking Tool (CEPCoLT). The Linking Tool is built to onset capacity expansion model prescriptions onto production cost model inputs. NREL's ReEDS and Energy Examplar's PLEXOS are the capacity expansion and the production cost models, respectively. Via the Linking Tool, PLEXOS provides details of operation for the regionally-defined ReEDS scenarios.« less

77 FR 24940 - Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Representative Average Unit Costs of Energy

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-26

... electricity, natural gas, No. 2 heating oil, propane, and kerosene. DATES: The representative average unit... unit after-tax costs for electricity, natural gas, No. 2 heating oil, and propane are based on...\\ In commonly used terms As required by test procedure Electricity $34.70 11.84[cent]/kWh 2 3...

Cost analysis of DAWT innovative wind energy systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foreman, K. M.

The results of a diffuser augmented wind turbine (DAWT) preliminary design study of three constructional material approaches and cost analysis of DAWT electrical energy generation are presented. Costs are estimated assuming a limited production run (100 to 500 units) of factory-built subassemblies and on-site final assembly and erection within 200 miles of regional production centers. It is concluded that with the DAWT the (busbar) cost of electricity (COE) can range between 2.0 and 3.5 cents/kW-hr for farm and REA cooperative end users, for sites with annual average wind speeds of 16 and 12 mph respectively, and 150 kW rated units. No tax credit incentives are included in these figures. For commercial end users of the same units and site characteristics, the COE ranges between 4.0 and 6.5 cents/kW-hr.

[Cost per capita in outpatients by gender].

PubMed

Villarreal-Ríos, Enrique; Campos Esparza, Maribel; Galicia Rodríguez, Liliana; Martínez González, Lidia; Vargas Daza, Emma Rosa; Torres Labra, Guadalupe; Patiño Vega, Adolfo; Rivera Martínez, María Teresa; Aparicio Rojas, Raúl; Juárez Durán, Martín

2011-03-01

The objective of this study is to identify the annual cost per capita by gender in first level of attention. It is a cost study in Family Physician Units in Mexico. The information corresponded to the year of 2004 and the study divided in the use profile and cost attention. USE PROFILE OF SERVICES: it was studied 1,585 clinical registries of patients, use profile defined by average and attention reasons by department, gender and age group. COST ATTENTION: considered in American dollars it included fixed unit cost (departmentalization adjusted by productivity), variable unit cost (micro cost technical), department unite cost by type attention, and department unit cost by age and gender. The life expectancy was of 73 years for men and 78 for women. Three scenes were identified. The annual cost per capita is superior among woman [US$73.24 (IC 95% $11.38 - $197.49)] than in man [$ 53.11 (IC 95% 2.51 - 207.71)]. The conclusion found that in the first level of attention the cost per capita is greater in woman than in man.

On intra-supply chain system with an improved distribution plan, multiple sales locations and quality assurance.

PubMed

Chiu, Singa Wang; Huang, Chao-Chih; Chiang, Kuo-Wei; Wu, Mei-Fang

2015-01-01

Transnational companies, operating in extremely competitive global markets, always seek to lower different operating costs, such as inventory holding costs in their intra- supply chain system. This paper incorporates a cost reducing product distribution policy into an intra-supply chain system with multiple sales locations and quality assurance studied by [Chiu et al., Expert Syst Appl, 40:2669-2676, (2013)]. Under the proposed cost reducing distribution policy, an added initial delivery of end items is distributed to multiple sales locations to meet their demand during the production unit's uptime and rework time. After rework when the remaining production lot goes through quality assurance, n fixed quantity installments of finished items are then transported to sales locations at a fixed time interval. Mathematical modeling and optimization techniques are used to derive closed-form optimal operating policies for the proposed system. Furthermore, the study demonstrates significant savings in stock holding costs for both the production unit and sales locations. Alternative of outsourcing product delivery task to an external distributor is analyzed to assist managerial decision making in potential outsourcing issues in order to facilitate further reduction in operating costs.

Incidence and lifetime costs of injuries in the United States

PubMed Central

Corso, P; Finkelstein, E; Miller, T; Fiebelkorn, I; Zaloshnja, E

2006-01-01

Background Standardized methodologies for assessing economic burden of injury at the national or international level do not exist. Objective To measure national incidence, medical costs, and productivity losses of medically treated injuries using the most recent data available in the United States, as a case study for similarly developed countries undertaking economic burden analyses. Method The authors combined several data sets to estimate the incidence of fatal and non‐fatal injuries in 2000. They computed unit medical and productivity costs and multiplied these costs by corresponding incidence estimates to yield total lifetime costs of injuries occurring in 2000. Main outcome measures Incidence, medical costs, productivity losses, and total costs for injuries stratified by age group, sex, and mechanism. Results More than 50 million Americans experienced a medically treated injury in 2000, resulting in lifetime costs of $406 billion; $80 billion for medical treatment and $326 billion for lost productivity. Males had a 20% higher rate of injury than females. Injuries resulting from falls or being struck by/against an object accounted for more than 44% of injuries. The rate of medically treated injuries declined by 15% from 1985 to 2000 in the US. For those aged 0–44, the incidence rate of injuries declined by more than 20%; while persons aged 75 and older experienced a 20% increase. Conclusions These national burden estimates provide unequivocal evidence of the large health and financial burden of injuries. This study can serve as a template for other countries or be used in intercountry comparisons. PMID:16887941

Cost estimating Brayton and Stirling engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fortgang, H. R.

1980-01-01

Brayton and Stirling engines were analyzed for cost and selling price for production quantities ranging from 1000 to 400,000 units per year. Parts and components were subjected to indepth scrutiny to determine optimum manufacturing processes coupled with make or buy decisions on materials and small parts. Tooling and capital equipment costs were estimated for each detail and/or assembly. For low annual production volumes, the Brayton engine appears to have a lower cost and selling price than the Stirling Engine. As annual production quantities increase, the Stirling becomes a lower cost engine than the Brayton. Both engines could benefit cost wise if changes were made in materials, design and manufacturing process as annual production quantities increase.

An Instructional Exercise in Cost-Raising Strategies, and Perfect Complements Production

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Weisman, Dennis L.

2007-01-01

The author presents an account of the 1993 contract negotiations between the United Auto Workers (UAW) and Ford Motor Company to assist students in developing facility with perfect complements production and cost functions and cost-raising strategies. The author seeks an answer to why the UAW targeted Ford for contract negotiations to establish a…

Cost-Effectiveness and Cost-Reduction in United States Colleges and Universities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Richard I.; Miller, Peggy M.

1991-01-01

The relationship in college administration between cost effectiveness/cost reduction and planning, management, and evaluation is explored, and approaches to cost accounting and financial ratio analysis are discussed. It is concluded that it is important to emphasize institutional mission and people rather than cost containment and productivity.…

[Ecological cost of grain production in gully area of Loess Plateau].

PubMed

Li, Xiao; Xie, Yong-sheng; Zhang, Ying-long; Li, Wen-zhuo

2010-12-01

Economic and ecological methods were applied to investigate the ecological cost of grain production in the gully area of Loess Plateau. In the study area in 2008, the ecological loss due to grain production was 7.2% of the total crop output, and the ecological cost reached 2.42 yuan x kg(-1) for wheat and 2.12 yuan x kg(-1) for corn. However, the per unit sales were 1.70 yuan x kg(-1) for wheat and 1.28 yuan x kg(-1) for corn. The combination of high production cost and low income affected the sustainable development of local ecological economy. The analysis of grey relationships among various factors affecting the ecological cost of grain production indicated that yield, sown area, and agricultural mechanical cost were the important factors affecting the ecological cost of grain production, while chemical fertilizer cost and organic fertilizer cost had less impact on the ecological cost of grain production. Under current production conditions, the ecological cost of grain production in the area could be reduced by raising the level of scientific and technological inputs, expanding the scale of family agricultural production, and improving the grain yield.

Guide for Transitioning Army Missile Systems From Development to Production.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-07-01

cost reduction ideas. 3 e! M. atumtion0 !eM . One missile system currently In fall *"I* develoluft, MM9 bee foregone the traditional engineering... costs , delivery schedules and deployment dates. Because of these difficulties and a desire to improve the weapon systems acquisition process, the...tered during the transition of new missile systems into production include: 1. High production unit costs - Occasionally the number of systems to be

Low Life Cycle Cost Paratransit Vehicle Design Study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1978-08-01

A preliminary design and cost study was performed for a low life cycle cost paratransit vehicle. The manufacturing technique and cost analysis were based on limited production of 5000 units per year for a ten year period. The vehicle configuration re...

16 CFR Appendix K to Part 305 - Representative Average Unit Energy Costs

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Representative Average Unit Energy Costs K... CONGRESS RULE CONCERNING DISCLOSURES REGARDING ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND WATER USE OF CERTAIN HOME APPLIANCES AND OTHER PRODUCTS REQUIRED UNDER THE ENERGY POLICY AND CONSERVATION ACT (âAPPLIANCE LABELING RULEâ...

16 CFR Appendix K to Part 305 - Representative Average Unit Energy Costs

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Representative Average Unit Energy Costs K... CONGRESS RULE CONCERNING DISCLOSURES REGARDING ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND WATER USE OF CERTAIN HOME APPLIANCES AND OTHER PRODUCTS REQUIRED UNDER THE ENERGY POLICY AND CONSERVATION ACT (âAPPLIANCE LABELING RULEâ...

16 CFR Appendix K to Part 305 - Representative Average Unit Energy Costs

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Representative Average Unit Energy Costs K... CONGRESS RULE CONCERNING DISCLOSURES REGARDING ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND WATER USE OF CERTAIN HOME APPLIANCES AND OTHER PRODUCTS REQUIRED UNDER THE ENERGY POLICY AND CONSERVATION ACT (âAPPLIANCE LABELING RULEâ...

16 CFR Appendix K to Part 305 - Representative Average Unit Energy Costs

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Representative Average Unit Energy Costs K... CONGRESS RULE CONCERNING DISCLOSURES REGARDING ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND WATER USE OF CERTAIN HOME APPLIANCES AND OTHER PRODUCTS REQUIRED UNDER THE ENERGY POLICY AND CONSERVATION ACT (âAPPLIANCE LABELING RULEâ...

Advanced Dairy Unit for Advanced Livestock Production Curriculum. Selected Readings. AGDEX 410/00.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coday, Stan; Stewart, Bob R.

These selected readings are designed to supplement James Gillespie's "Modern Livestock and Poultry Production" (2nd edition) as the the student reference for the advanced dairy unit. Readings are provided for 18 lessons. Topics include profitability of the dairy enterprise; production costs for dairy; comparative advantages of dairy; milk…

Activity-based costs of plasma transfusions in medical and surgical inpatients at a US hospital.

PubMed

Shander, A; Ozawa, S; Hofmann, A

2016-07-01

Fresh frozen plasma (FFP) usage has significantly increased over the last decade leading to elevated healthcare costs. Although FFP is used in several clinical settings, it is often inappropriately transfused and evidence for its clinical efficacy is poor. Here, we describe plasma usage and transfusion costs in a real-world US inpatient setting to determine the cost-effectiveness of FFP transfusion and for comparison to various patient blood management (PBM) options to treat coagulopathies. All activities related to plasma transfusion recorded at a single US hospital over one calendar year were collected in a stepwise manner using an activity-based costing (ABC) methodology. This model maps all technical, administrative and clinical processes inherent to the cost of plasma. Of 18 200 inpatients recorded, 849 were charged for blood products. In total, 136 medical and surgical inpatients were charged for 577 units of FFP, receiving a total of 534 units; 43 units were charged but not transfused. The total cost per unit of FFP transfused was $409·62 and $1,608·37 per patient transfused with FFP. Wasted products, in-hospital processes and overhead costs were found to account for 89·8% of the total cost of FFP transfusions. This study is the first to use ABC methodology to determine the full cost of plasma transfusion in a US inpatient setting. These data reveal the true cost of plasma, providing a useful reference point to compare with the cost of other PBM options to manage coagulation disorders. © 2016 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

Economic lot sizing in a production system with random demand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Shine-Der; Yang, Chin-Ming; Lan, Shu-Chuan

2016-04-01

An extended economic production quantity model that copes with random demand is developed in this paper. A unique feature of the proposed study is the consideration of transient shortage during the production stage, which has not been explicitly analysed in existing literature. The considered costs include set-up cost for the batch production, inventory carrying cost during the production and depletion stages in one replenishment cycle, and shortage cost when demand cannot be satisfied from the shop floor immediately. Based on renewal reward process, a per-unit-time expected cost model is developed and analysed. Under some mild condition, it can be shown that the approximate cost function is convex. Computational experiments have demonstrated that the average reduction in total cost is significant when the proposed lot sizing policy is compared with those with deterministic demand.

Manufacturing Economics of Plant-Made Biologics: Case Studies in Therapeutic and Industrial Enzymes

PubMed Central

Tusé, Daniel; McDonald, Karen A.

2014-01-01

Production of recombinant biologics in plants has received considerable attention as an alternative platform to traditional microbial and animal cell culture. Industrially relevant features of plant systems include proper eukaryotic protein processing, inherent safety due to lack of adventitious agents, more facile scalability, faster production (transient systems), and potentially lower costs. Lower manufacturing cost has been widely claimed as an intuitive feature of the platform by the plant-made biologics community, even though cost information resides within a few private companies and studies accurately documenting such an advantage have been lacking. We present two technoeconomic case studies representing plant-made enzymes for diverse applications: human butyrylcholinesterase produced indoors for use as a medical countermeasure and cellulases produced in the field for the conversion of cellulosic biomass into ethanol as a fuel extender. Production economics were modeled based on results reported with the latest-generation expression technologies on Nicotiana host plants. We evaluated process unit operations and calculated bulk active and per-dose or per-unit costs using SuperPro Designer modeling software. Our analyses indicate that substantial cost advantages over alternative platforms can be achieved with plant systems, but these advantages are molecule/product-specific and depend on the relative cost-efficiencies of alternative sources of the same product. PMID:24977145

Manufacturing economics of plant-made biologics: case studies in therapeutic and industrial enzymes.

PubMed

Tusé, Daniel; Tu, Tiffany; McDonald, Karen A

2014-01-01

Production of recombinant biologics in plants has received considerable attention as an alternative platform to traditional microbial and animal cell culture. Industrially relevant features of plant systems include proper eukaryotic protein processing, inherent safety due to lack of adventitious agents, more facile scalability, faster production (transient systems), and potentially lower costs. Lower manufacturing cost has been widely claimed as an intuitive feature of the platform by the plant-made biologics community, even though cost information resides within a few private companies and studies accurately documenting such an advantage have been lacking. We present two technoeconomic case studies representing plant-made enzymes for diverse applications: human butyrylcholinesterase produced indoors for use as a medical countermeasure and cellulases produced in the field for the conversion of cellulosic biomass into ethanol as a fuel extender. Production economics were modeled based on results reported with the latest-generation expression technologies on Nicotiana host plants. We evaluated process unit operations and calculated bulk active and per-dose or per-unit costs using SuperPro Designer modeling software. Our analyses indicate that substantial cost advantages over alternative platforms can be achieved with plant systems, but these advantages are molecule/product-specific and depend on the relative cost-efficiencies of alternative sources of the same product.

Production rates and costs of cable yarding wood residue from clearcut units

Treesearch

Chris B. LeDoux

1984-01-01

Wood residue is a little used source of fiber, chips, and fuel because harvest costs are largely unknown. This study calculates incremental production rates and costs for yarding and loading logging residue in clearcut old-growth Douglas-fir/western hemlock forests. Harvest operations were observed for two timber sales in western Oregon. Three different cable yarding...

Cost-volume-profit analysis and expected benefit of health services: a study of cardiac catheterization services.

PubMed

Younis, Mustafa Z; Jabr, Samer; Smith, Pamela C; Al-Hajeri, Maha; Hartmann, Michael

2011-01-01

Academic research investigating health care costs in the Palestinian region is limited. Therefore, this study examines the costs of the cardiac catheterization unit of one of the largest hospitals in Palestine. We focus on costs of a cardiac catheterization unit and the increasing number of deaths over the past decade in the region due to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). We employ cost-volume-profit (CVP) analysis to determine the unit's break-even point (BEP), and investigate expected benefits (EBs) of Palestinian government subsidies to the unit. Findings indicate variable costs represent 56 percent of the hospital's total costs. Based on the three functions of the cardiac catheterization unit, results also indicate that the number of patients receiving services exceed the break-even point in each function, despite the unit receiving a government subsidy. Our findings, although based on one hospital, will permit hospital management to realize the importance of unit costs in order to make informed financial decisions. The use of break-even analysis will allow area managers to plan minimum production capacity for the organization. The economic benefits for patients and the government from the unit may encourage government officials to focus efforts on increasing future subsidies to the hospital.

Hospital costs and specialization: benefits of limiting the number of product lines.

PubMed

Eastaugh, Steven R

2009-01-01

Trends in hospital specialization are studied using multiple regression analysis for the period 1999-2008. The observed 31.3 percent rise in specialization was associated with a 9.5 percent decline in unit cost per admission. The number of specialized hospitals has grown by 149 percent in the past decade. Other hospitals are getting more specialized by reducing their product lines. Specialization has been highest in competitive West Coast markets and lowest in the rate-regulated states (New York and Massachusetts). Hospitals have less incentive to contain costs by decreasing the array of services offered in stringent rate-setting states. The term "underspecialization" is advanced to capture the inability of some hospitals to selectively prune out product lines in order to specialize. Such hospitals spread resources so thin that many good departments suffer. Unit cost per case (DRG-adjusted) is higher in the less specialized hospitals.

Low cost solar array project: Experimental process system development unit for producing semiconductor-grade silicon using silane-to-silicon process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The design, fabrication, and installation of an experimental process system development unit (EPSDU) were analyzed. Supporting research and development were performed to provide an information data base usable for the EPSDU and for technological design and economical analysis for potential scale-up of the process. Iterative economic analyses were conducted for the estimated product cost for the production of semiconductor grade silicon in a facility capable of producing 1000-MT/Yr.

Capacity, production, and manufacture of woodbased panels in the United States and Canada

Treesearch

Henry Spelter

1996-01-01

Structural and nonstructural panel products have constituted the fastest growing segment of the wood products industries over the past two decades. Based on announced plans, growth will accelerate in the next 2 years. The cost of wood fiber used in these processes has been rising. To keep wood costs as low as possible, a growing share of the new production is being...

How Can It Cost That Much? A Three-Year Study of Proposal Production Costs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiese, W. C.; Bowden, C. Mal

1997-01-01

Examines significant new business proposal efforts for United States Department of Defense contracts. Identifies six "pillars" of a contractor's proposal preparation costs. Derives a formula that characterizes proposal preparation costs. Demonstrates that a quick, accurate cost model can be developed for proposal publishing. (RS)

Cost analysis of Navy acquisition alternatives for the NAVSTAR Global Positioning System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Darcy, T. F.; Smith, G. P.

1982-12-01

This research analyzes the life cycle cost (LCC) of the Navy's current and two hypothetical procurement alternatives for NAVSTAR Global Positioning System (GPS) user equipment. Costs are derived by the ARINC Research Corporation ACBEN cost estimating system. Data presentation is in a comparative format describing individual alternative LCC and differential costs between alternatives. Sensitivity analysis explores the impact receiver-processor unit (RPU) first unit production cost has on individual alternative LCC, as well as cost differentials between each alternative. Several benefits are discussed that might provide sufficient cost savings and/or system effectiveness improvements to warrant a procurement strategy other than the existing proposal.

The effect of CO2 regulations on the cost of corn ethanol production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plevin, R. J.; Mueller, S.

2008-04-01

To explore the effect of CO2 price on the effective cost of ethanol production we have developed a model that integrates financial and emissions accounting for dry-mill corn ethanol plants. Three policy options are modeled: (1) a charge per unit of life cycle CO2 emissions, (2) a charge per unit of direct biorefinery emissions only, and (3) a low carbon fuel standard (LCFS). A CO2 charge on life cycle emissions increases production costs by between 0.005 and 0.008 l-1 per 10 Mg-1 CO2 price increment, across all modeled plant energy systems, with increases under direct emissions somewhat lower in all cases. In contrast, a LCFS increases the cost of production for selected plant energy systems only: a LCFS requiring reductions in average fuel global warming intensity (GWI) with a target of 10% below the 2005 baseline increases the production costs for coal-fired plants only. For all other plant types, the LCFS operates as a subsidy. The findings depend strongly on the magnitude of a land use change adder. Some land use change adders currently discussed in the literature will push the GWI of all modeled production systems above the LCFS target, flipping the CO2 price from a subsidy to a tax.

Technological development and medical productivity: the diffusion of angioplasty in New York state.

PubMed

Cutler, David M; Huckman, Robert S

2003-03-01

A puzzling feature of many medical innovations is that they simultaneously appear to reduce unit costs and increase total costs. We consider this phenomenon by examining the diffusion of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA)--a treatment for coronary artery disease--over the past two decades. We find that growth in the use of PTCA led to higher total costs despite its lower unit cost. Over the two decades following PTCA's introduction, however, we find that the magnitude of this increase was reduced by between 10 and 20% due to the substitution of PTCA for CABG. In addition, the increased use of PTCA appears to be a productivity improvement. PTCAs that substitute for CABG cost less and have the same or better outcomes, while PTCAs that replace medical management appear to improve health by enough to justify the cost. Copyright 2003 Elsevier Science B.V.

A 12 GHz satellite video receiver: Low noise, low cost prototype model for TV reception from broadcast satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hreha, M. A.; Baprawski, J. G.; Chamaneria, C. N.; Ferry, S. J.; Keithly, G.; Kuklin, H. S.; Lockyear, W. H.; Schifter, L. H.; Swanberg, N. E.; Swift, G. W.

1978-01-01

A 12-channel synchronous phase lock video receiver consisting of an outdoor downconverter unit and an indoor demodulator unit was developed to provide both low noise performance and low cost in production quantities of 1000 units. The prototype receiver can be mass produced at a cost under $1540 without sacrificing system performance. The receiver also has the capability of selecting any of the twelve assigned satellite broadcast channels in the frequency range 11.7 to 12.2 GHz.

78 FR 78294 - Airworthiness Directives; Airbus Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-26

... Control Unit--Constant Speed Motor/Generator (GCU-CSM/G) failed the operational test. Investigations... airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by the failure of the generator control unit-constant speed motor... costing up to $17,314, for a cost of up to $17,399 per product. We have no way of determining the number...

Advanced Beef Unit for Advanced Livestock Production Curriculum. Selected Readings. AGDEX 420/00.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sparks, Jim; Stewart, Bob R.

These selected readings are designed to supplement James Gillespie's "Modern Livestock and Poultry Production" (2nd edition) as the student reference for the advanced beef unit. The 15 lessons build on Agricultural Science I and II competencies. Topics of the 15 lessons are: importance of the beef enterprise; cost of beef production;…

Dual-use micromechanical inertial sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elwell, John M., Jr.

1995-03-01

A new industry, which will provide low-cost silicon-based inertial sensors to the commercial and military markets. is being created. Inertial measurement units are used extensively in military systems, and new versions are expected to find their way into commercial products, such as automobiles, as production costs fall as technology advances. An automotive inertial measurement unit can be expected to perform a complete range of control, diagnostic, and navigation functions. These functions are expected to provide significant active safety, performance, comfort, convenience, and fuel economy advantages to the automotive consumer. An inertial measurement unit applicable to the automobile industry would meet many of the performance requirements for the military in important areas, such as antenna and image stabilization, autopilot control, and the guidance of smart weapons. Such a new industrial base will significantly reduce the acquisition cost of many future tactical weapons systems. An alliance, consisting of the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory and Rockwell International, has been created to develop inertial products for this new industry.

Plantation thinning systems in the Southern United States

Treesearch

Bryce J. Stokes; William F. Watson

1996-01-01

This paper reviews southern pine management and thinning practices, describes three harvesting systems for thinning, and presents production and cost estimates, and utilization rates. The costs and product recoveries were developed from published sources using a spreadsheet analysis. Systems included tree-length, flail/chip, and cut-to-length. The estimated total...

Lunar base scenario cost estimates: Lunar base systems study task 6.1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

The projected development and production costs of each of the Lunar Base's systems are described and unit costs are estimated for transporting the systems to the lunar surface and for setting up the system.

Years of potential life lost and productivity costs because of cancer mortality and for specific cancer sites where human papillomavirus may be a risk factor for carcinogenesis-United States, 2003.

PubMed

Ekwueme, Donatus U; Chesson, Harrell W; Zhang, Kevin B; Balamurugan, Appathurai

2008-11-15

Although years of potential life lost (YPLL) and mortality-related productivity costs comprise a substantial portion of the burden of cancers where human papillomavirus (HPV) may be a risk factor for carcinogenesis (called HPV-associated cancers in this report), estimates of these costs are limited. The authors estimated the mortality-related burden (in terms of YPLL and productivity costs) of HPV-associated cancers (without regard to the percentage of each of these cancers that could be attributed to HPV) and all malignant cancers in the United States in 2003. The authors used 2003 national mortality data and US life tables to estimate YPLL for HPV-associated cancers and all malignant cancers. YPLL was estimated by using the life expectancy method. The human capital approach was used to estimate the value of the expected future lifetime productivity losses caused by premature deaths from HPV-associated cancers and all malignant cancers. Indirect mortality costs were estimated as the product of the number of deaths and the expected value of individuals' future earnings, including an imputed value of housekeeping services. In 2003, HPV-associated cancers accounted for 181,026 YPLL, which represented 2.4% of the estimated 7.5 million YPLL attributable to all malignant cancers in the United States. The average number of YPLL was 21.8 per HPV-associated cancer death and 16.3 per death from overall malignant cancers. Overall, HPV-associated cancers had the largest relative contribution to YPLL in women ages 30 to 34 years. The lifetime productivity cost from mortality in 2003 was $3.7 billion for HPV-associated cancer mortality and $133.5 billion for overall malignant cancer mortality. HPV-associated cancers impose a considerable burden in terms of premature deaths and productivity losses.

The economics of dairy production.

PubMed

Wolf, Christopher A

2003-07-01

The structure of the dairy farm industry has been changing rapidly in recent years. Milk production has increased, with dramatic increases in milk produced per cow and with a steep decline in number of milk cows and fewer farms with larger herds. The change in dairy farm size has not been uniform across regions. The growth in farm size has occurred much more rapidly in the Pacific and South regions than in the traditional dairy-producing regions (Upper Midwest, Northeast, and Corn Belt). Using USDA data to examine costs and returns over time reveals that the incentives to produce milk have been much greater in the Pacific and South regions in recent years. Although the cash costs are similar across regions, accounting for all costs including unpaid factors such as labor and capital replacement yields a clear advantage for the Pacific region. Dairy farm size and cost of production are jointly determined. The incentive to increase farm size is derived from the economies of size that may be achieved by spreading the capital, labor, and managerial costs across more units of milk production. Empiric evidence from previous studies indicates a declining cost of production over a large range of herd sizes. Even in the presence of a flat average cost curve, the incentive to maximize farm income provides incentive to increase production. Adjustment costs may fix dairy production facilities in their current use. Those firms facing higher adjustment costs because of individual or regional characteristics or because of different timing of growth will be smaller or grow more slowly than if they faced smaller adjustment costs. This situation may explain the continued lag of farm size and technology adoption in the traditional dairy producing regions relative to the Pacific and South regions where the more recent population growth coincided with the presence of modern, large-scale production technologies. Finally, dairy marketing policies almost certainly have affected the structure and regional pattern of dairy farm size and production. For the most part, however, the policy effects have been of indirect nature. The Pacific region has grown (despite having the lowest average price) by taking advantage of economies of size by specializing in milking cows. The United States dairy industry is a technologically advanced, well-managed, and economically important sector of United States agriculture. Future challenges include the ability to remain viable economically while dealing with environmental and social sustainability issues in the form of new constraints from formal policies and from consumer perceptions.

Multi-Product Microalgae Biorefineries: From Concept Towards Reality.

PubMed

't Lam, G P; Vermuë, M H; Eppink, M H M; Wijffels, R H; van den Berg, C

2018-02-01

Although microalgae are a promising biobased feedstock, industrial scale production is still far off. To enhance the economic viability of large-scale microalgae processes, all biomass components need to be valorized, requiring a multi-product biorefinery. However, this concept is still too expensive. Typically, downstream processing of industrial biotechnological bulk products accounts for 20-40% of the total production costs, while for a microalgae multi-product biorefinery the costs are substantially higher (50-60%). These costs are high due to the lack of appropriate and mild technologies to access the different product fractions such as proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids. To reduce the costs, simplified processes need to be developed for the main unit operations including harvesting, cell disruption, extraction, and possibly fractionation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Cost-effectiveness analysis and diet quality index applied to the WHO Global Strategy].

PubMed

Machado, Flávia Mori Sarti; Simões, Arlete Naresse

2008-02-01

To test the use of cost-effectiveness analysis as a decision making tool in the production of meals for the inclusion of the recommendations published in the World Health Organization's Global Strategy. Five alternative options for breakfast menu were assessed previously to their adoption in a food service at a university in the state of Sao Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, in 2006. Costs of the different options were based on market prices of food items (direct cost). Health benefits were estimated based on adaptation of the Diet Quality Index (DQI). Cost-effectiveness ratios were estimated by dividing benefits by costs and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were estimated as cost differential per unit of additional benefit. The meal choice was based on health benefit units associated to direct production cost as well as incremental effectiveness per unit of differential cost. The analysis showed the most simple option with the addition of a fruit (DQI = 64 / cost = R$ 1.58) as the best alternative. Higher effectiveness was seen in the options with a fruit portion (DQI1=64 / DQI3=58 / DQI5=72) compared to the others (DQI2=48 / DQI4=58). The estimate of cost-effectiveness ratio allowed to identifying the best breakfast option based on cost-effectiveness analysis and Diet Quality Index. These instruments allow easy application easiness and objective evaluation which are key to the process of inclusion of public or private institutions under the Global Strategy directives.

Development of Protection and Control Unit for Distribution Substation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iguchi, Fumiaki; Hayashi, Hideyuki; Takeuchi, Motohiro; Kido, Mitsuyasu; Kobayashi, Takashi; Yanaoka, Atsushi

The Recently, electronics and IT technologies have been rapidly innovated and have been introduced to power system protection & control system to achieve high reliability, maintainability and more functionality. Concerning the distribution substation application, digital relays have been applied for more than 10 years. Because of a number of electronic devices used for it, product cost becomes higher. Also, products installed during the past high-growth period will be at the end of lifetime and will be replaced. Therefore, replacing market is expected to grow and the reduction of cost is demanded. Considering above mentioned background, second generation digital protection and control unit as a successor is designed to have following concepts. Functional integration based on advanced digital technologies, Ethernet LAN based indoor communication network, cost reduction and downsizing. Pondering above concepts, integration of protection and control function is adopted in contrary to the functional segregation applied to the previous system in order to achieve one-unit concept. Also the adoption of Ethernet LAN for inter-unit communication is objective. This report shows the development of second-generation digital relay for distribution substation, which is equipped with control function and Ethernet LAN by reducing the size of auxiliary transformer unit and the same size as previous product is realized.

Time-driven activity-based costing of multivessel coronary artery bypass grafting across national boundaries to identify improvement opportunities: study protocol

PubMed Central

Erhun, F; Mistry, B; Platchek, T; Milstein, A; Narayanan, V G; Kaplan, R S

2015-01-01

Introduction Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is a well-established, commonly performed treatment for coronary artery disease—a disease that affects over 10% of US adults and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. In 2005, the mean cost for a CABG procedure among Medicare beneficiaries in the USA was $32 201±$23 059. The same operation reportedly costs less than $2000 to produce in India. The goals of the proposed study are to (1) identify the difference in the costs incurred to perform CABG surgery by three Joint Commission accredited hospitals with reputations for high quality and efficiency and (2) characterise the opportunity to reduce the cost of performing CABG surgery. Methods and analysis We use time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) to quantify the hospitals’ costs of producing elective, multivessel CABG. TDABC estimates the costs of a given clinical service by combining information about the process of patient care delivery (specifically, the time and quantity of labour and non-labour resources utilised to perform each activity) with the unit cost of each resource used to provide the care. Resource utilisation was estimated by constructing CABG process maps for each site based on observation of care and staff interviews. Unit costs were calculated as a capacity cost rate, measured as a $/min, for each resource consumed in CABG production. Multiplying together the unit costs and resource quantities and summing across all resources used will produce the average cost of CABG production at each site. We will conclude by conducting a variance analysis of labour costs to reveal opportunities to bend the cost curve for CABG production in the USA. Ethics and dissemination All our methods were exempted from review by the Stanford Institutional Review Board. Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at scientific meetings. PMID:26307621

Braille in the United States: Its Production, Distribution, and Use.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldish, Louis Harvey

The braille production system in the United States is described. Aspects treated are the following: the need for braille (the braille system), the market for braille (size and characteristics), sources of braille (producers and braille book source information), and present methods and costs of producing braille. Technological advances are…

75 FR 13123 - Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Representative Average Unit Costs of Energy

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-18

... electricity, natural gas, No. 2 heating oil, propane, and kerosene. DATES: The representative average unit... after-tax costs for electricity, natural gas, No. 2 heating oil, and propane are based on simulations... million Btu As required by test Type of energy \\1\\ In commonly used terms procedure Electricity $33.70 11...

76 FR 13168 - Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Representative Average Unit Costs of Energy

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-10

... electricity, natural gas, No. 2 heating oil, propane, and kerosene. DATES: The representative average unit... after-tax costs for electricity, natural gas, No. 2 heating oil, and propane are based on simulations... million As required by Type of energy Btu \\1\\ In commonly used terms test procedure Electricity $34.14 11...

Costing improvement of remanufacturing crankshaft by integrating Mahalanobis-Taguchi System and Activity based Costing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abu, M. Y.; Nor, E. E. Mohd; Rahman, M. S. Abd

2018-04-01

Integration between quality and costing system is very crucial in order to achieve an accurate product cost and profit. Current practice by most of remanufacturers, there are still lacking on optimization during the remanufacturing process which contributed to incorrect variables consideration to the costing system. Meanwhile, traditional costing accounting being practice has distortion in the cost unit which lead to inaccurate cost of product. The aim of this work is to identify the critical and non-critical variables during remanufacturing process using Mahalanobis-Taguchi System and simultaneously estimate the cost using Activity Based Costing method. The orthogonal array was applied to indicate the contribution of variables in the factorial effect graph and the critical variables were considered with overhead costs that are actually demanding the activities. This work improved the quality inspection together with costing system to produce an accurate profitability information. As a result, the cost per unit of remanufactured crankshaft of MAN engine model with 5 critical crankpins is MYR609.50 while Detroit engine model with 4 critical crankpins is MYR1254.80. The significant of output demonstrated through promoting green by reducing re-melting process of damaged parts to ensure consistent benefit of return cores.

The economic costs of chronic pain among a cohort of treatment seeking adolescents in the United States

PubMed Central

Groenewald, Cornelius B.; Essner, Bonnie S.; Wright, Davene; Fesinmeyer, Megan D.; Palermo, Tonya M.

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the economic cost of chronic pain among adolescents receiving interdisciplinary pain treatment. Information was gathered from 149 adolescents (ages 10-17) presenting for evaluation and treatment at interdisciplinary pain clinics in the United States. Parents completed a validated measure of family economic attributes, the Client Service Receipt Inventory, to report on health service use and productivity losses due to their child's chronic pain retrospectively over 12 months. Health care costs were calculated by multiplying reported utilization estimates by unit visit costs from the 2010 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. The estimated mean and median costs per participant were $11,787 and $6,770 respectively. Costs were concentrated in a small group of participants, the top 5 % of those patients incurring the highest costs accounted for 30 % of total costs while the lower 75 % of participants accounted for only 34 % of costs. Total costs to society for adolescents with moderate to severe chronic pain were extrapolated to $19.5 billion annually in the U.S. The cost of childhood chronic pain presents a substantial economic burden to families and society. Future research should focus on predictors of increased health services use and costs in adolescents with chronic pain. Perspective This cost of illness study comprehensively estimates the economic costs of chronic pain in a cohort of treatment-seeking adolescents. The primary driver of costs was direct medical costs followed by productivity losses. Because of its economic impact, policy makers should invest resources in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chronic pediatric pain. PMID:24953887

An economic study of an advanced technology supersonic cruise vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, C. L.; Williams, L. J.

1975-01-01

A description is given of the methods used and the results of an economic study of an advanced technology supersonic cruise vehicle. This vehicle was designed for a maximum range of 4000 n.mi. at a cruise speed of Mach 2.7 and carrying 292 passengers. The economic study includes the estimation of aircraft unit cost, operating cost, and idealized cash flow and discounted cash flow return on investment. In addition, it includes a sensitivity study on the effects of unit cost, manufacturing cost, production quantity, average trip length, fuel cost, load factor, and fare on the aircraft's economic feasibility.

Improving air pollution control policy in China--A perspective based on cost-benefit analysis.

PubMed

Gao, Jinglei; Yuan, Zengwei; Liu, Xuewei; Xia, Xiaoming; Huang, Xianjin; Dong, Zhanfeng

2016-02-01

To mitigate serious air pollution, the State Council of China promulgated the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan in 2013. To verify the feasibility and validity of industrial energy-saving and emission-reduction policies in the action plan, we conducted a cost-benefit analysis of implementing these policies in 31 provinces for the period of 2013 to 2017. We also completed a scenario analysis in this study to assess the cost-effectiveness of different measures within the energy-saving and the emission-reduction policies individually. The data were derived from field surveys, statistical yearbooks, government documents, and published literatures. The results show that total cost and total benefit are 118.39 and 748.15 billion Yuan, respectively, and the estimated benefit-cost ratio is 6.32 in the S3 scenario. For all the scenarios, these policies are cost-effective and the eastern region has higher satisfactory values. Furthermore, the end-of-pipe scenario has greater emission reduction potential than energy-saving scenario. We also found that gross domestic product and population are significantly correlated with the benefit-cost ratio value through the regression analysis of selected possible influencing factors. The sensitivity analysis demonstrates that benefit-cost ratio value is more sensitive to unit emission-reduction cost, unit subsidy, growth rate of gross domestic product, and discount rate among all the parameters. Compared with other provinces, the benefit-cost ratios of Beijing and Tianjin are more sensitive to changes of unit subsidy than unit emission-reduction cost. These findings may have significant implications for improving China's air pollution prevention policy. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Manufacturing cost analysis of a parabolic dish concentrator (General Electric design) for solar thermal electric power systems in selected production volumes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

The manufacturing cost of a General Electric 12 meter diameter concentrator was estimated. This parabolic dish concentrator for solar thermal system was costed in annual production volumes of 100 - 1,000 - 5,000 - 10,000 - 50,000 100,000 - 400,000 and 1,000,000 units. Presented for each volume are the costs of direct labor, material, burden, tooling, capital equipment and buildings. Also presented is the direct labor personnel and factory space requirements. All costs are based on early 1981 economics.

TBC costing. [test bed concentrator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaminski, H. L.

1980-01-01

Procedures to be used in determining the cost of producing and installing a parabolic dish collector in annual production volumes of 10,000, 50,000, 100,000, and 1,000,000 units include (1) evaluating each individual part for material cost and for the type and number of operations required to work the raw material into the finished part; (2) costing labor, burden, tooling, gaging, machinery, and equipment; (3) estimating facilities requirements for each production volume; and (4) considering suggestions for design and material alterations that could result in cost reduction.

A Study of United States Army Product Support Manager (PSM) Training

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-25

relevant policy and data associated with Product Support Manager (PSM) responsibilities, measure the current status of PSM training and selection, and...Year (FY) 16 (U.S. Department of Defense, 2015) which encompasses a need for processes, procedures, policies and regulations by which to accomplish...availability rates , and reduce operation and sustainment costs (C) Conduct appropriate cost analyses to validate the product support strategy

When is hardwood cable logging economical?

Treesearch

Chris B. LeDoux

1985-01-01

Using cable logging to harvest eastern hardwood logs on steep terrain can result in low production rates and high costs per unit of wood produced. Logging managers can improve productivity and profitability by knowing how the interaction of site-specific variables and cable logging equipment affect costs and revenues. Data from selected field studies and forest model...

Alternative trailer configurations for maximizing payloads

Treesearch

Jason D. Thompson; Dana Mitchell; John Klepac

2017-01-01

In order for harvesting contractors to stay ahead of increasing costs, it is imperative that they employ all options to maximize productivity and efficiency. Transportation can account for half the cost to deliver wood to a mill. Contractors seek to maximize truck payload to increase productivity. The Forest Operations Research Unit, Southern Research Station, USDA...

Potential uranium supply from phosphoric acid: A U.S. analysis comparing solvent extraction and Ion exchange recovery

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

Kim, Haeyeon; G. Eggert, Roderick; W. Carlsen, Brett

Phosphate rock contains significant amounts of uranium, although in low concentrations. Recovery of uranium as a by-product from phosphoric acid, an intermediate product produced during the recovery of phosphorus from phosphate rock, is not unprecedented. Phosphoric acid plants ceased to produce uranium as a by-product in the early 1990s with the fall of uranium prices. In the last decade, this topic has regained attention due to higher uranium prices and expected increase in demand for uranium. Our study revisits the topic and estimates how much uranium might be recoverable from current phosphoric acid production in the United States and whatmore » the associated costs might be considering two different recovery processes: solvent extraction and ion exchange. Based on U.S. phosphoric acid production in 2014, 5.5 million pounds of U 3O 8 could have been recovered, more than domestic U.S. mine production of uranium in the same year. Annualized costs for a hypothetical uranium recovery plant are US$48-66 per pound U 3O 8 for solvent extraction, the process used historically in the United States to recover uranium from phosphoric acid. For ion exchange, not yet proven at a commercial scale for uranium recovery, the estimated costs are US$33-54 per pound U 3O 8. Our results suggest that it is technically possible for the United States to recover significant quantities of uranium from current phosphoric acid production. And for this type of uranium production to be economically attractive on a large scale, either recovery costs must fall or uranium prices rise.« less

Potential uranium supply from phosphoric acid: A U.S. analysis comparing solvent extraction and Ion exchange recovery

DOE PAGES

Kim, Haeyeon; G. Eggert, Roderick; W. Carlsen, Brett; ...

2016-06-16

Phosphate rock contains significant amounts of uranium, although in low concentrations. Recovery of uranium as a by-product from phosphoric acid, an intermediate product produced during the recovery of phosphorus from phosphate rock, is not unprecedented. Phosphoric acid plants ceased to produce uranium as a by-product in the early 1990s with the fall of uranium prices. In the last decade, this topic has regained attention due to higher uranium prices and expected increase in demand for uranium. Our study revisits the topic and estimates how much uranium might be recoverable from current phosphoric acid production in the United States and whatmore » the associated costs might be considering two different recovery processes: solvent extraction and ion exchange. Based on U.S. phosphoric acid production in 2014, 5.5 million pounds of U 3O 8 could have been recovered, more than domestic U.S. mine production of uranium in the same year. Annualized costs for a hypothetical uranium recovery plant are US$48-66 per pound U 3O 8 for solvent extraction, the process used historically in the United States to recover uranium from phosphoric acid. For ion exchange, not yet proven at a commercial scale for uranium recovery, the estimated costs are US$33-54 per pound U 3O 8. Our results suggest that it is technically possible for the United States to recover significant quantities of uranium from current phosphoric acid production. And for this type of uranium production to be economically attractive on a large scale, either recovery costs must fall or uranium prices rise.« less

Costs of fire suppression forces based on cost-aggregation approach

Treesearch

Gonz& aacute; lez-Cab& aacute; Armando n; Charles W. McKetta; Thomas J. Mills

1984-01-01

A cost-aggregation approach has been developed for determining the cost of Fire Management Inputs (FMls)-the direct fireline production units (personnel and equipment) used in initial attack and large-fire suppression activities. All components contributing to an FMI are identified, computed, and summed to estimate hourly costs. This approach can be applied to any FMI...

Feasibility of Floating Platform Systems for Wind Turbines: Preprint

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

Musial, W.; Butterfield, S.; Boone, A.

This paper provides a general technical description of several types of floating platforms for wind turbines. Platform topologies are classified into multiple- or single-turbine floaters and by mooring method. Platforms using catenary mooring systems are contrasted to vertical mooring systems and the advantages and disadvantages are discussed. Specific anchor types are described in detail. A rough cost comparison is performed for two different platform architectures using a generic 5-MW wind turbine. One platform is a Dutch study of a tri-floater platform using a catenary mooring system, and the other is a mono-column tension-leg platform developed at the National Renewable Energymore » Laboratory. Cost estimates showed that single unit production cost is $7.1 M for the Dutch tri-floater, and $6.5 M for the NREL TLP concept. However, value engineering, multiple unit series production, and platform/turbine system optimization can lower the unit platform costs to $4.26 M and $2.88 M, respectively, with significant potential to reduce cost further with system optimization. These foundation costs are within the range necessary to bring the cost of energy down to the DOE target range of $0.05/kWh for large-scale deployment of offshore floating wind turbines.« less

[Austrian expenditures on psychopharmaceutical drugs between 2006 and 2013].

PubMed

Boeckle, Markus; Chetouani, Yasmine; Schrimpf, Marlene; Liegl, Gregor; Leitner, Anton; Pieh, Christoph

2015-01-01

Health costs, which are increasing at a yearly rate of 4 %, represent 11% and thus a large share of Austria's gross domestic product (GDP). High expenditures derive frommental health care costs, including medication. In this article we investigate whether the costs and usage of psychopharmaceutic products in Austria are rising. We did a descriptive analysis of the sales figures and number for packaging units of pharmaceutical products of ATC-classes N05 and N06 in all Austrian hospitals, pharmacies and medicine chests for the years 2006-2013. All data were provided free of charge by IMSHealth. The sales volume and number of prescribed packaging units of pharmaceuticals of ATC-classes N05 and N06 increased over the time period in question. In 2013, about 25% more packaging units were being sold than in 2006. Among the two ATC-classes, however, the indication subgroups developed differently. Expenditures increased a total of about 31%within the period of consideration. The increase in psycho-pharmaceutical sales exceeds the expansion rates of other health expenditures (17.8 %). During the 9 years of observation, 25% more psychopharmaceutical products were sold. This may result from increased prevalence of mental disorders, higher usage or an increment in prescriptions.

Optimal ordering and production policy for a recoverable item inventory system with learning effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsai, Deng-Maw

2012-02-01

This article presents two models for determining an optimal integrated economic order quantity and economic production quantity policy in a recoverable manufacturing environment. The models assume that the unit production time of the recovery process decreases with the increase in total units produced as a result of learning. A fixed proportion of used products are collected from customers and then recovered for reuse. The recovered products are assumed to be in good condition and acceptable to customers. Constant demand can be satisfied by utilising both newly purchased products and recovered products. The aim of this article is to show how to minimise total inventory-related cost. The total cost functions of the two models are derived and two simple search procedures are proposed to determine optimal policy parameters. Numerical examples are provided to illustrate the proposed models. In addition, sensitivity analyses have also been performed and are discussed.

Costing the supply chain for delivery of ACT and RDTs in the public sector in Benin and Kenya.

PubMed

Shretta, Rima; Johnson, Brittany; Smith, Lisa; Doumbia, Seydou; de Savigny, Don; Anupindi, Ravi; Yadav, Prashant

2015-02-05

Studies have shown that supply chain costs are a significant proportion of total programme costs. Nevertheless, the costs of delivering specific products are poorly understood and ballpark estimates are often used to inadequately plan for the budgetary implications of supply chain expenses. The purpose of this research was to estimate the country level costs of the public sector supply chain for artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) from the central to the peripheral levels in Benin and Kenya. A micro-costing approach was used and primary data on the various cost components of the supply chain was collected at the central, intermediate, and facility levels between September and November 2013. Information sources included central warehouse databases, health facility records, transport schedules, and expenditure reports. Data from document reviews and semi-structured interviews were used to identify cost inputs and estimate actual costs. Sampling was purposive to isolate key variables of interest. Survey guides were developed and administered electronically. Data were extracted into Microsoft Excel, and the supply chain cost per unit of ACT and RDT distributed by function and level of system was calculated. In Benin, supply chain costs added USD 0.2011 to the initial acquisition cost of ACT and USD 0.3375 to RDTs (normalized to USD 1). In Kenya, they added USD 0.2443 to the acquisition cost of ACT and USD 0.1895 to RDTs (normalized to USD 1). Total supply chain costs accounted for more than 30% of the initial acquisition cost of the products in some cases and these costs were highly sensitive to product volumes. The major cost drivers were found to be labour, transport, and utilities with health facilities carrying the majority of the cost per unit of product. Accurate cost estimates are needed to ensure adequate resources are available for supply chain activities. Product volumes should be considered when costing supply chain functions rather than dollar value. Further work is needed to develop extrapolative costing models that can be applied at country level without extensive micro-costing exercises. This will allow other countries to generate more accurate estimates in the future.

Effect of present technology on airship capabilities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Madden, R. T.

1975-01-01

The effect is presented of updating past airship designs using current materials and propulsion systems to determine new airship performance and productivity capabilities. New materials and power plants permit reductions in the empty weights and increases in the useful load capabilities of past airship designs. The increased useful load capability results in increased productivity for a given range, i.e., either increased payload at the same operating speed or increased operating speed for the same payload weight or combinations of both. Estimated investment costs and operating costs are presented to indicate the significant cost parameters in estimating transportation costs of payloads in cents per ton mile. Investment costs are presented considering production lots of 1, 10 and 100 units. Operating costs are presented considering flight speeds and ranges.

Cost analysis in a clinical microbiology laboratory.

PubMed

Brezmes, M F; Ochoa, C; Eiros, J M

2002-08-01

The use of models for business management and cost control in public hospitals has led to a need for microbiology laboratories to know the real cost of the different products they offer. For this reason, a catalogue of microbiological products was prepared, and the costs (direct and indirect) for each product were analysed, along with estimated profitability. All tests performed in the microbiology laboratory of the "Virgen de la Concha" Hospital in Zamora over a 2-year period (73192 tests) were studied. The microbiological product catalogue was designed using homogeneity criteria with respect to procedures used, workloads and costs. For each product, the direct personnel costs (estimated from workloads following the method of the College of American Pathologists, 1992 version), the indirect personnel costs, the direct and indirect material costs and the portion of costs corresponding to the remaining laboratory costs (capital and structural costs) were calculated. The average product cost was 16.05 euros. The average cost of a urine culture (considered, for purposes of this study, as a relative value unit) reached 13.59 euros, with a significant difference observed between positive and negative cultures (negative urine culture, 10.72 euros; positive culture, 29.65 euros). Significant heterogeneity exists, both in the costs of different products and especially in the cost per positive test. The application of a detailed methodology of cost analysis facilitates the calculation of the real cost of microbiological products. This information provides a basic tool for establishing clinical management strategies.

Regional cost information for private timberland conversion and management.

Treesearch

Lucas S Bair; Ralph J. Alig

2006-01-01

Cost of private timber management practices in the United States are identified, and their relationship to timber production in general is highlighted. Costs across timber-producing regions and forest types are identified by forest type and timber management practices historically applied in each region. This includes cost estimates for activities such as forest...

Health economics in the United States: cost implications.

PubMed

Whitelaw, G N

1993-01-01

World health care costs are increasing uncontrollably and will continue to grow even if draconian controls are implemented immediately. In the United States, the health care objectives are to control the escalating costs of health care and increase access to quality care. To achieve these goals, new administrative controls will be put in place to respond to the cost pressures. New policies to accommodate these new controls will be made by the state and federal governments and by various private third parties. The policies will contain incentives and disincentives for private and institutional providers and beneficiaries. As a result, providers are responding with various cost-control techniques and payors are attempting to reduce costs. In addition, new decision makers in hospitals, insurance companies, and government will be evaluating new technologies by new standards. In order to gain or maintain significant market penetration for a product, drug and device manufacturers will have to develop a multifaceted strategy to present their products in the most favorable economic light.

Principles and methods of managerial cost-accounting systems.

PubMed

Suver, J D; Cooper, J C

1988-01-01

An introduction to cost-accounting systems for pharmacy managers is provided; terms are defined and examples of specific applications are given. Cost-accounting systems determine, record, and report the resources consumed in providing services. An effective cost-accounting system must provide the information needed for both internal and external reports. In accounting terms, cost is the value given up to secure an asset. In determining how volumes of activity affect costs, fixed costs and variable costs are calculated; applications include pricing strategies, cost determinations, and break-even analysis. Also discussed are the concepts of direct and indirect costs, opportunity costs, and incremental and sunk costs. For most pharmacy department services, process costing, an accounting of intermediate outputs and homogeneous units, is used; in determining the full cost of providing a product or service (e.g., patient stay), job-order costing is used. Development of work-performance standards is necessary for monitoring productivity and determining product costs. In allocating pharmacy department costs, a ratio of costs to charges can be used; this method is convenient, but microcosting (specific identification of the costs of products) is more accurate. Pharmacy managers can use cost-accounting systems to evaluate the pharmacy's strategies, policies, and services and to improve budgets and reports.

Life-Cycle Cost and Environmental Assessment of Decentralized Nitrogen Recovery Using Ion Exchange from Source-Separated Urine through Spatial Modeling.

PubMed

Kavvada, Olga; Tarpeh, William A; Horvath, Arpad; Nelson, Kara L

2017-11-07

Nitrogen standards for discharge of wastewater effluent into aquatic bodies are becoming more stringent, requiring some treatment plants to reduce effluent nitrogen concentrations. This study aimed to assess, from a life-cycle perspective, an innovative decentralized approach to nitrogen recovery: ion exchange of source-separated urine. We modeled an approach in which nitrogen from urine at individual buildings is sorbed onto resins, then transported by truck to regeneration and fertilizer production facilities. To provide insight into impacts from transportation, we enhanced the traditional economic and environmental assessment approach by combining spatial analysis, system-scale evaluation, and detailed last-mile logistics modeling using the city of San Francisco as an illustrative case study. The major contributor to energy intensity and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions was the production of sulfuric acid to regenerate resins, rather than transportation. Energy and GHG emissions were not significantly sensitive to the number of regeneration facilities. Cost, however, increased with decentralization as rental costs per unit area are higher for smaller areas. The metrics assessed (unit energy, GHG emissions, and cost) were not significantly influenced by facility location in this high-density urban area. We determined that this decentralized approach has lower cost, unit energy, and GHG emissions than centralized nitrogen management via nitrification-denitrification if fertilizer production offsets are taken into account.

Modelling of sequential groundwater treatment with zero valent iron and granular activated carbon.

PubMed

Bayer, Peter; Finkel, Michael

2005-06-01

Multiple contaminant mixtures in groundwater may not efficiently be treated by a single technology if contaminants possess rather different properties with respect to sorptivity, solubility, and degradation potential. An obvious choice is to use sequenced units of the generally accepted treatment materials zero valent iron (ZVI) and granular activated carbon (GAC). However, as the results of this modelling study suggest, the required dimensions of both reactor units may strongly differ from those expected on the grounds of a contaminant-specific design. This is revealed by performing an analysis for a broad spectrum of design alternatives through numerical experiments for selected patterns of contaminant mixtures consisting of monochlorobenzene, tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene (TCE), cis-1,2-dichloroethylene (cis-DCE), and vinyl chloride (VC). It is shown that efficient treatment can be achieved only if competitive sorption effects in the GAC unit as well as the formation of intermediate products in the ZVI unit are carefully taken into account. Cost-optimal designs turned out to vary extremely depending on the prevailing conditions concerning contaminant concentrations, branching ratios, and unit costs of both reactor materials. Where VC is the critical contaminant, due to high initial concentration or extensive production as an intermediate, two options are cost-effective: an oversized ZVI unit with an oversized GAC unit or a pure GAC reactor.

The folly of using RCCs and RVUs for intermediate product costing.

PubMed

Young, David W

2007-04-01

Two measures for computing the cost of intermediate projects--a ratio of cost to charges and relative value units--are highly flawed and can have serious financial implications for the hospitals that use them. Full-cost accounting, using the principles of activity-based costing, enables hospitals to measure their costs more accurately, both for competitive bidding purposes and to manage them more effectively.

The Production and Cost Behavior of Higher Education Institutions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlson, Daryl E.

This report is an empirical analysis of the "frontier" production and cost relationships between the number of students enrolled and the labor and capital inputs observed over a wide cross-section of four-year higher education institutions in the United States. In the analysis, students are differentiated as to type and as to part-time versus…

Production, Cost and Chip Characteristics of In-Woods Microchipping

Treesearch

J. Thompson; W. Sprinkle

2013-01-01

Emerging markets for biomass have increased the interest in producing microchips in the field. As a component of a large United States Department of Energy (DOE) funded project, microchipping has been trialed on a limited scale. The goal of the research was to evaluate the production, cost and chip characteristics of a mobile disc chipper configured to produce...

PCS: a pallet costing system for wood pallet manufacturers (version 1.0 for Windows®)

Treesearch

A. Jefferson, Jr. Palmer; Cynthia D. West; Bruce G. Hansen; Marshall S. White; Hal L. Mitchell

2002-01-01

The Pallet Costing System (PCS) is a computer-based, Microsoft Windows® application that computes the total and per-unit cost of manufacturing an order of wood pallets. Information about the manufacturing facility, along with the pallet-order requirements provided by the customer, is used in determining production cost. The major cost factors addressed by PCS...

Estimating costs of programme services and products using information provided in standard financial statements.

PubMed

Ellwein, L B; Thulasiraj, R D; Boulter, A R; Dhittal, S P

1998-01-01

The financial viability of programme services and product offerings requires that revenue exceeds expenses. Revenue includes payments for services and products as well as donor cash and in-kind contributions. Expenses reflect consumption of purchased or contributed time and materials and utilization (depreciation) of physical plant facilities and equipment. Standard financial reports contain this revenue and expense information, complemented when necessary by valuation and accounting of in-kind contributions. Since financial statements are prepared using consistent and accepted accounting practices, year-to-year and organization-to-organization comparisons can be made. The use of such financial information is illustrated in this article by determining the unit cost of cataract surgery in two hospitals in Nepal. The proportion of unit cost attributed to personnel, medical supplies, administrative materials, and depreciation varied significantly by institution. These variations are accounted for by examining differences in operational structure and capacity utilization.

Estimating costs of programme services and products using information provided in standard financial statements.

PubMed Central

Ellwein, L. B.; Thulasiraj, R. D.; Boulter, A. R.; Dhittal, S. P.

1998-01-01

The financial viability of programme services and product offerings requires that revenue exceeds expenses. Revenue includes payments for services and products as well as donor cash and in-kind contributions. Expenses reflect consumption of purchased or contributed time and materials and utilization (depreciation) of physical plant facilities and equipment. Standard financial reports contain this revenue and expense information, complemented when necessary by valuation and accounting of in-kind contributions. Since financial statements are prepared using consistent and accepted accounting practices, year-to-year and organization-to-organization comparisons can be made. The use of such financial information is illustrated in this article by determining the unit cost of cataract surgery in two hospitals in Nepal. The proportion of unit cost attributed to personnel, medical supplies, administrative materials, and depreciation varied significantly by institution. These variations are accounted for by examining differences in operational structure and capacity utilization. PMID:9868836

Cost and efficacy comparison of integrated pest management strategies with monthly spray insecticide applications for German cockroach (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae) control in public housing.

PubMed

Miller, D M; Meek, F

2004-04-01

The long-term costs and efficacy of two treatment methodologies for German cockroach, Blattella germanica (L.), control were compared in the public housing environment. The "traditional" treatment for German cockroaches consisted of monthly baseboard and crack and crevice treatment (TBCC) by using spray and dust formulation insecticides. The integrated pest management treatment (IPM) involved initial vacuuming of apartments followed by monthly or quarterly applications of baits and insect growth regulator (IGR) devices. Cockroach populations in the IPM treatment were also monitored with sticky traps. Technician time and the amount of product applied were used to measure cost in both treatments. Twenty-four hour sticky trap catch was used as an indicator of treatment efficacy. The cost of the IPM treatment was found to be significantly greater than the traditional treatment, particularly at the initiation of the test. In the first month (clean-out), the average cost per apartment unit was dollar 14.60, whereas the average cost of a TBCC unit was dollar 2.75. In the second month of treatment, the average cost of IPM was still significantly greater than the TBCC cost. However, after month 4 the cost of the two treatments was no longer significantly different because many of the IPM apartments were moved to a quarterly treatment schedule. To evaluate the long-term costs of the two treatments over the entire year, technician time and product quantities were averaged over all units treated within the 12-mo test period (total 600 U per treatment). The average per unit cost of the IPM treatment was (dollar 4.06). The average IPM cost was significantly greater than that of the TBCC treatment at dollar 1.50 per unit. Although the TBCC was significantly less expensive than the IPM treatment, it was also less effective. Trap catch data indicated that the TBCC treatment had little, if any, effect on the cockroach populations over the course of the year. Cockroach populations in the TBCC treatment remained steady for the first 5 mo of the test and then had a threefold increase during the summer. Cockroach populations in the IPM treatment were significantly reduced from an average of 24.7 cockroaches per unit before treatment to an average 3.9 cockroaches per unit in month 4. The suppressed cockroach populations (< 5 per unit) in the IPM treatment remained constant for the remaining 8 mo of the test.

Essays in environmental and energy economics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hancevic, Pedro I.

Chapter 1: I measure the impact of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendment on the productivity and output of US coal-fired power generating units. The Act led to power units adopting a number of different pollution abating behaviors, one of which was an input change to lower SO2 emitting coal. A key feature of coal generating units is each one is designed to burn a particular variety of coal, with significant deviations from the targeted coal characteristics resulting in productivity loss. The main innovation is to quantify the effect that switching to cleaner coal had on productivity, output and generation costs. With data spanning over twenty one years, I first compute the unconstrained coal type of each unit and document ensuing deviations caused by switching to cleaner coal. I then incorporate the effect of this deviation directly into a production function to explicitly quantify the resulting productivity loss. Chapter 2: Since the 1990-CAAA was implemented and a market for SO2 emission permits was established, coal-fired power generating units have had to choose among three main compliance alternatives: i) burn high-sulfur coal and buy additional permits to cover the excess emissions, ii) retrofit the boiler and convert it to low-sulfur coal, or iii) adopt a flue gas desulfurization unit (scrubber). The decision problem has dynamic implications driven by the evolution of input, output, and allowance prices and is revised whenever significant changes in the industry occur. I assume output level is randomly and exogenously assigned to each boiler and estimate a structural dynamic discrete choice model to recover the relative compliance costs. Chapter 3: We study a cycle of subsidized energy prices and estimate its welfare impact on households in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Region. A simple framework explains its emergence in terms of the preference of a median household (voter) for receiving transfer gains followed by a future flow of transfer losses. We evaluate actual transfers and welfare effects that a departure of prices of natural gas and electricity generation from opportunity costs since 2003 had on households, and explore the impact of a way back to opportunity cost pricing.

Healthcare technology: physician collaboration in reducing the surgical cost.

PubMed

Olson, Steven A; Obremskey, William T; Bozic, Kevin J

2013-06-01

The increasing cost of providing health care is a national concern. Healthcare spending related to providing hospital care is one of the primary drivers of healthcare spending in the United States. Adoption of advanced medical technologies accounts for the largest percentage of growth in healthcare spending in the United States when compared with other developed countries. Within the specialty of orthopaedic surgery, a variety of implants can result in similar outcomes for patients in several areas of clinical care. However, surgeons often do not know the cost of implants used in a specific procedure or how the use of an implant or technology affects the overall cost of the episode of care. The purposes of this study were (1) to describe physician-led processes for introduction of new surgical products and technologies; and (2) to inform physicians of potential cost savings of physician-led product contract negotiations and approval of new technology. We performed a detailed review of the steps taken by two centers that have implemented surgeon-led programs to demonstrate responsibility in technology acquisition and product procurement decision-making. Each program has developed a physician peer review process in technology and new product acquisition that has resulted in a substantial reduction in spending for the respective hospitals in regard to surgical implants. Implant costs have decreased between 3% and 38% using different negotiating strategies. At the same time, new product requests by physicians have been approved in greater than 90% of instances. Hospitals need physicians to be engaged and informed in discussions concerning current and new technology and products. Surgeons can provide leadership for these efforts to reduce the cost of high-quality care.

[Analysis of productivity, quality and cost of first grade laboratories: blood biometry].

PubMed

Avila, L; Hernández, P; Cruz, A; Zurita, B; Terres, A M; Cruz, C

1999-04-01

Assessment of productivity, quality and production costs and determination of the efficiency of top grade clinical laboratories in Mexico. Ten laboratories were selected from among the total number (52) existing in Mexico City, and the Donabedian model of structure, process and results were applied. Blood count was selected as a tracer. The principal problems found were: inadequate distribution of trained human resources, poor glass material, inadequate analytic process and low productivity. These factors are reflected in the unit costs, which exceed reference laboratory costs by 200%. Only 50% of the laboratories analyzed generate reliable results. Only 20% of the laboratories studied operate efficiently. To solve the problems identified requires integral strategies at different levels. A specific recomendation for the improvement of quality and productivity is an assessment of the cost/benefit of creating a central laboratory and using the remaining sites exclusively for the collection of samples.

The Economic Burden of Child Maltreatment in the United States And Implications for Prevention

PubMed Central

Fang, Xiangming; Brown, Derek S.; Florence, Curtis; Mercy, James A.

2013-01-01

Objectives To present new estimates of the average lifetime costs per child maltreatment victim and aggregate lifetime costs for all new child maltreatment cases incurred in 2008 using an incidence-based approach. Methods This study used the best available secondary data to develop cost per case estimates. For each cost category, the paper used attributable costs whenever possible. For those categories that attributable cost data were not available, costs were estimated as the product of incremental effect of child maltreatment on a specific outcome multiplied by the estimated cost associated with that outcome. The estimate of the aggregate lifetime cost of child maltreatment in 2008 was obtained by multiplying per-victim lifetime cost estimates by the estimated cases of new child maltreatment in 2008. Results The estimated average lifetime cost per victim of nonfatal child maltreatment is $210,012 in 2010 dollars, including $32,648 in childhood health care costs; $10,530 in adult medical costs; $144,360 in productivity losses; $7,728 in child welfare costs; $6,747 in criminal justice costs; and $7,999 in special education costs. The estimated average lifetime cost per death is $1,272,900, including $14,100 in medical costs and $1,258,800 in productivity losses. The total lifetime economic burden resulting from new cases of fatal and nonfatal child maltreatment in the United States in 2008 is approximately $124 billion. In sensitivity analysis, the total burden is estimated to be as large as $585 billion. Conclusions Compared with other health problems, the burden of child maltreatment is substantial, indicating the importance of prevention efforts to address the high prevalence of child maltreatment. PMID:22300910

28 CFR 100.15 - Disallowed costs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... include, but are not limited to, any Marketing, Sales, Product Management, and Advertising expenses. (c...) costs are disallowed. G&A costs include, but are not limited to, any management, financial, and other expenditures which are incurred by or allocated to a business unit as a whole. These include, but are not...

Antisnake venom production crisis--who told us it was uneconomic and unsustainable?

PubMed

Simpson, Ian D; Jacobsen, Ingrid M

2009-01-01

The world of antisnake venom production is currently a gloomy place to visit. It is described as being in crisis, characterized by shortages, producers leaving the market, high prices, and unsustainability. It has been reduced to a pauper-like status, doomed to relying on charitable handouts for resolution. The worrying aspect of this is that little work has been done to establish the true economics and return on antisnake venom if provided by private companies. Fortunately, it is amenable to economic analysis, and in this manner, a rational approach to further development and distribution can be obtained. This article proposes a model antisnake venom (ASV) production unit and shows the likely economics and return based on the production of various volumes of ASV. It estimates the costs for the key components of the unit, which are production equipment and staffing. A profit and loss account and balance sheet are constructed for the unit, and the effects of ASV volume and neutralizing titres are demonstrated. It is our contention that ASV production can be sustained at affordable prices in the developing world. We recommend that any solution to the ASV shortage must take into account the most cost efficient method(s) of production.

The economic costs of traffic accidents in Spain.

PubMed

Bastida, Julio López; Aguilar, Pedro Serrano; González, Beatriz Duque

2004-04-01

This study aimed to evaluate the economic impact of traffic accidents in Spain during 1997. The cost-of-illness method was used. Direct costs were divided into health services costs, insurance administration costs, and the costs of the material damages to the vehicles. Indirect costs were obtained through transformation of physical units into monetary units using the approach based on the human capital theory. The total cost of traffic accidents was 6,280.36 million euros, which amounts to 157.59 euros for each inhabitant in Spain and represents 1.35% of the gross national product. The total direct cost was 3,397.00 million euros, representing 54.1% of the total cost. The total indirect cost was 2,883.36 million euros, accounting for 45.9% of the total cost. The high socioeconomic cost of traffic accidents clearly indicates the need for the different administrations in Spain to collaborate in implementing preventive measures.

An expert system for estimating production rates and costs for hardwood group-selection harvests

Treesearch

Chris B. LeDoux; B. Gopalakrishnan; R. S. Pabba

2003-01-01

As forest managers shift their focus from stands to entire ecosystems alternative harvesting methods such as group selection are being used increasingly. Results of several field time and motion studies and simulation runs were incorporated into an expert system for estimating production rates and costs associated with harvests of group-selection units of various size...

Time-driven activity-based costing of multivessel coronary artery bypass grafting across national boundaries to identify improvement opportunities: study protocol.

PubMed

Erhun, F; Mistry, B; Platchek, T; Milstein, A; Narayanan, V G; Kaplan, R S

2015-08-25

Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is a well-established, commonly performed treatment for coronary artery disease--a disease that affects over 10% of US adults and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. In 2005, the mean cost for a CABG procedure among Medicare beneficiaries in the USA was $32, 201 ± $23,059. The same operation reportedly costs less than $2000 to produce in India. The goals of the proposed study are to (1) identify the difference in the costs incurred to perform CABG surgery by three Joint Commission accredited hospitals with reputations for high quality and efficiency and (2) characterise the opportunity to reduce the cost of performing CABG surgery. We use time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) to quantify the hospitals' costs of producing elective, multivessel CABG. TDABC estimates the costs of a given clinical service by combining information about the process of patient care delivery (specifically, the time and quantity of labour and non-labour resources utilised to perform each activity) with the unit cost of each resource used to provide the care. Resource utilisation was estimated by constructing CABG process maps for each site based on observation of care and staff interviews. Unit costs were calculated as a capacity cost rate, measured as a $/min, for each resource consumed in CABG production. Multiplying together the unit costs and resource quantities and summing across all resources used will produce the average cost of CABG production at each site. We will conclude by conducting a variance analysis of labour costs to reveal opportunities to bend the cost curve for CABG production in the USA. All our methods were exempted from review by the Stanford Institutional Review Board. Results will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at scientific meetings. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Costs Attributable to Overweight and Obesity in Working Asthma Patients in the United States

PubMed Central

Chang, Chongwon; Lee, Seung-Mi; Choi, Byoung-Whui; Song, Jong-hwa; Song, Hee; Jung, Sujin; Bai, Yoon Kyeong; Park, Haedong; Jeung, Seungwon

2017-01-01

Purpose To estimate annual health care and productivity loss costs attributable to overweight or obesity in working asthmatic patients. Materials and Methods This study was conducted using the 2003–2013 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) in the United States. Patients aged 18 to 64 years with asthma were identified via self-reported diagnosis, a Clinical Classification Code of 128, or a ICD-9-CM code of 493.xx. All-cause health care costs were estimated using a generalized linear model with a log function and a gamma distribution. Productivity loss costs were estimated in relation to hourly wages and missed work days, and a two-part model was used to adjust for patients with zero costs. To estimate the costs attributable to overweight or obesity in asthma patients, costs were estimated by the recycled prediction method. Results Among 11670 working patients with a diagnosis of asthma, 4428 (35.2%) were obese and 3761 (33.0%) were overweight. The health care costs attributable to obesity and overweight in working asthma patients were estimated to be $878 [95% confidence interval (CI): $861–$895] and $257 (95% CI: $251–$262) per person per year, respectively, from 2003 to 2013. The productivity loss costs attributable to obesity and overweight among working asthma patients were $256 (95% CI: $253–$260) and $26 (95% CI: $26–$27) per person per year, respectively. Conclusion Health care and productivity loss costs attributable to overweight and obesity in asthma patients are substantial. This study's results highlight the importance of effective public health and educational initiatives targeted at reducing overweight and obesity among patients with asthma, which may help lower the economic burden of asthma. PMID:27873513

Costs Attributable to Overweight and Obesity in Working Asthma Patients in the United States.

PubMed

Chang, Chongwon; Lee, Seung Mi; Choi, Byoung Whui; Song, Jong Hwa; Song, Hee; Jung, Sujin; Bai, Yoon Kyeong; Park, Haedong; Jeung, Seungwon; Suh, Dong Churl

2017-01-01

To estimate annual health care and productivity loss costs attributable to overweight or obesity in working asthmatic patients. This study was conducted using the 2003-2013 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) in the United States. Patients aged 18 to 64 years with asthma were identified via self-reported diagnosis, a Clinical Classification Code of 128, or a ICD-9-CM code of 493.xx. All-cause health care costs were estimated using a generalized linear model with a log function and a gamma distribution. Productivity loss costs were estimated in relation to hourly wages and missed work days, and a two-part model was used to adjust for patients with zero costs. To estimate the costs attributable to overweight or obesity in asthma patients, costs were estimated by the recycled prediction method. Among 11670 working patients with a diagnosis of asthma, 4428 (35.2%) were obese and 3761 (33.0%) were overweight. The health care costs attributable to obesity and overweight in working asthma patients were estimated to be $878 [95% confidence interval (CI): $861-$895] and $257 (95% CI: $251-$262) per person per year, respectively, from 2003 to 2013. The productivity loss costs attributable to obesity and overweight among working asthma patients were $256 (95% CI: $253-$260) and $26 (95% CI: $26-$27) per person per year, respectively. Health care and productivity loss costs attributable to overweight and obesity in asthma patients are substantial. This study's results highlight the importance of effective public health and educational initiatives targeted at reducing overweight and obesity among patients with asthma, which may help lower the economic burden of asthma.

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

Townsend, M.W.

The Monsanto Chemical Company operates a plastics and resins plant located in Addyston, Ohio. The process equipment requires routine rinsing with technical grade acetone between batches. Due to the volumes of spent acetone generated and the associated RCRA hazardous waste regulations, the plant sought to recycle and reuse the acetone to reduce the purchase cost of virgin acetone and the cost of spent acetone disposal. One of the first options explored was package unit distillation units. The cost of these units was in the $20--$30,000 range in 1989 dollars. Even though the cost of a package unit was not deemedmore » unreasonable, there were additional costs and concerns that led to elimination of this option. The unit would have required additional manpower to operate and maintain, i.e., at least a fraction of an operator and mechanic. For plant safety reasons, it was desired to operate this package unit outside the production building, thus construction of an outbuilding would have added to the expense of the project. Additionally, there were concerns of package unit reliability. During this evaluation, tractor-trailer mounted distillation units were discovered. The portable units were equipped with either thin-film evaporator technology capable of processing 240 to 480 gallons per hour, or pot still (batch) distillation technology capable of rates from 120 to 240 gallons per hour. Both units were constructed of stainless steel.« less

An Extended EPQ-Based Problem with a Discontinuous Delivery Policy, Scrap Rate, and Random Breakdown

PubMed Central

Song, Ming-Syuan; Chen, Hsin-Mei; Chiu, Yuan-Shyi P.

2015-01-01

In real supply chain environments, the discontinuous multidelivery policy is often used when finished products need to be transported to retailers or customers outside the production units. To address this real-life production-shipment situation, this study extends recent work using an economic production quantity- (EPQ-) based inventory model with a continuous inventory issuing policy, defective items, and machine breakdown by incorporating a multiple delivery policy into the model to replace the continuous policy and investigates the effect on the optimal run time decision for this specific EPQ model. Next, we further expand the scope of the problem to combine the retailer's stock holding cost into our study. This enhanced EPQ-based model can be used to reflect the situation found in contemporary manufacturing firms in which finished products are delivered to the producer's own retail stores and stocked there for sale. A second model is developed and studied. With the help of mathematical modeling and optimization techniques, the optimal run times that minimize the expected total system costs comprising costs incurred in production units, transportation, and retail stores are derived, for both models. Numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the applicability of our research results. PMID:25821853

An extended EPQ-based problem with a discontinuous delivery policy, scrap rate, and random breakdown.

PubMed

Chiu, Singa Wang; Lin, Hong-Dar; Song, Ming-Syuan; Chen, Hsin-Mei; Chiu, Yuan-Shyi P

2015-01-01

In real supply chain environments, the discontinuous multidelivery policy is often used when finished products need to be transported to retailers or customers outside the production units. To address this real-life production-shipment situation, this study extends recent work using an economic production quantity- (EPQ-) based inventory model with a continuous inventory issuing policy, defective items, and machine breakdown by incorporating a multiple delivery policy into the model to replace the continuous policy and investigates the effect on the optimal run time decision for this specific EPQ model. Next, we further expand the scope of the problem to combine the retailer's stock holding cost into our study. This enhanced EPQ-based model can be used to reflect the situation found in contemporary manufacturing firms in which finished products are delivered to the producer's own retail stores and stocked there for sale. A second model is developed and studied. With the help of mathematical modeling and optimization techniques, the optimal run times that minimize the expected total system costs comprising costs incurred in production units, transportation, and retail stores are derived, for both models. Numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the applicability of our research results.

Perianal Dermatitis, Its Incidence, and Patterns of Topical Therapies in a Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

PubMed

Malik, Anuj; Witsberger, Emily; Cottrell, Lesley; Kiefer, Autumn; Yossuck, Panitan

2018-04-01

 To define the incidence of perianal dermatitis (PD) and determine the usage pattern and cost efficacy of diaper products among neonates admitted to a level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) including those with a diagnosis of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS).  A retrospective cohort study to evaluate neonates with PD based on number of orders for Aquaphor, Bagbalm, Desitin, Flanders, or Nystatin. Various demographic and clinical parameters were recorded. Usage patterns of these five products were analyzed, and their costs estimated. Subgroup analysis was performed among infants with NAS.  Of 1,241 admissions, 56.2% had at least one diaper product ordered during their NICU stay, while 52.6% had multiple products ordered. Only 23.0% of all neonates had appropriate documentation of PD. The most common product ordered first was Aquaphor (64.3%), followed by Desitin (19.2%). Note that 86% term NAS infants had PD compared with 28% term non-NAS infants. The estimated product cost was $14,139 over 2 years, averaging $20 per patient.  Over half of NICU neonates were exposed to one or more diaper products, usually without documented PD diagnosis. Term NAS infants had three times higher incidence of PD than term non-NAS infants. The cost of diaper product use was significant, and possibly underestimated due to lack of documentation. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Production costs and animal welfare for four stylized hog production systems.

PubMed

Seibert, Lacey; Norwood, F Bailey

2011-01-01

Nonhuman animal welfare is arguably the most contentious issue facing the hog industry. Animal advocacy groups influence the regulation of hog farms and induce some consumers to demand more humane pork products. Hog producers are understandably reluctant to improve animal well being unless the premium they extract exceeds the corresponding increase in cost. To better understand the relationship between animal welfare and production costs under different farm systems, this study investigates 4 stylized hog production systems. The results show that increasing animal welfare for all hogs in the United States will increase retail pork prices by a maximum of 2% for a small welfare increase and 5% for a large welfare increase. The cost of banning gestation crates measured by this study is lower than the consumer willingness-to-pay from other studies.

Single and Multiple Scattered Solar Radiation

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-08-30

so that factor can be expected to vary considerably from one scattering point to the next. The monochromatic intensity at the observer due to all of...the single scattering sources within the line-of-sight is obtained by summing over the optical path the product of the source function and the...the observer. Using a dot product 1)etwecen position_ vectors on the unit sphere, it can be Chown that cosA cost coss cost) cos4o + 0 S 0 0 "+ cost

Maximising profits for an EPQ model with unreliable machine and rework of random defective items

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pal, Brojeswar; Sankar Sana, Shib; Chaudhuri, Kripasindhu

2013-03-01

This article deals with an economic production quantity (EPQ) model in an imperfect production system. The production system may undergo in 'out-of-control' state from 'in-control' state, after a certain time that follows a probability density function. The density function varies with reliability of the machinery system that may be controlled by new technologies, investing more costs. The defective items produced in 'out-of-control' state are reworked at a cost just after the regular production time. Occurrence of the 'out-of-control' state during or after regular production-run time is analysed and also graphically illustrated separately. Finally, an expected profit function regarding the inventory cost, unit production cost and selling price is maximised analytically. Sensitivity analysis of the model with respect to key parameters of the system is carried out. Two numerical examples are considered to test the model and one of them is illustrated graphically.

Techno-economic and Monte Carlo probabilistic analysis of microalgae biofuel production system.

PubMed

Batan, Liaw Y; Graff, Gregory D; Bradley, Thomas H

2016-11-01

This study focuses on the characterization of the technical and economic feasibility of an enclosed photobioreactor microalgae system with annual production of 37.85 million liters (10 million gallons) of biofuel. The analysis characterizes and breaks down the capital investment and operating costs and the production cost of unit of algal diesel. The economic modelling shows total cost of production of algal raw oil and diesel of $3.46 and $3.69 per liter, respectively. Additionally, the effects of co-products' credit and their impact in the economic performance of algal-to-biofuel system are discussed. The Monte Carlo methodology is used to address price and cost projections and to simulate scenarios with probabilities of financial performance and profits of the analyzed model. Different markets for allocation of co-products have shown significant shifts for economic viability of algal biofuel system. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Learning and forgetting in the jet fighter aircraft industry.

PubMed

Bongers, Anelí

2017-01-01

A recent strategy carried out by the aircraft industry to reduce the total cost of the new generation fighters has consisted in the development of a single airframe with different technical and operational specifications. This strategy has been designed to reduce costs in the Research, Design and Development phase with the ultimate objective of reducing the final unit price per aircraft. This is the case of the F-35 Lightning II, where three versions, with significant differences among them, are produced simultaneously based on a single airframe. Whereas this strategy seems to be useful to cut down pre-production sunk costs, their effects on production costs remain to be studied. This paper shows that this strategy can imply larger costs in the production phase by reducing learning acquisition and hence, the total effect on the final unit price of the aircraft is indeterminate. Learning curves are estimated based on the flyaway cost for the latest three fighter aircraft models: The A/F-18E/F Super Hornet, the F-22A Raptor, and the F-35A Lightning II. We find that learning rates for the F-35A are significantly lower (an estimated learning rate of around 9%) than for the other two models (around 14%).

Learning and forgetting in the jet fighter aircraft industry

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

A recent strategy carried out by the aircraft industry to reduce the total cost of the new generation fighters has consisted in the development of a single airframe with different technical and operational specifications. This strategy has been designed to reduce costs in the Research, Design and Development phase with the ultimate objective of reducing the final unit price per aircraft. This is the case of the F-35 Lightning II, where three versions, with significant differences among them, are produced simultaneously based on a single airframe. Whereas this strategy seems to be useful to cut down pre-production sunk costs, their effects on production costs remain to be studied. This paper shows that this strategy can imply larger costs in the production phase by reducing learning acquisition and hence, the total effect on the final unit price of the aircraft is indeterminate. Learning curves are estimated based on the flyaway cost for the latest three fighter aircraft models: The A/F-18E/F Super Hornet, the F-22A Raptor, and the F-35A Lightning II. We find that learning rates for the F-35A are significantly lower (an estimated learning rate of around 9%) than for the other two models (around 14%). PMID:28957359

Preliminary estimates of the economic implications of addiction in the United Arab Emirates.

PubMed

Doran, C M

2017-01-23

This study aimed to provide preliminary estimates of the economic implications of addiction in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Local and international data sources were used to derive estimates of substancerelated healthcare costs, lost productivity and criminal behaviour. From an estimated population of 8.26 million: ~1.47 million used tobacco (20.5% of adults); 380 085 used cannabis (> 5%); 14 077 used alcohol in a harmful manner (0.2%); and 1408 used opiates (0.02%). The cost of addiction was estimated at US$ 5.47 billion in 2012, equivalent to 1.4% of gross domestic product. Productivity costs were the largest contributor at US$ 4.79 billion (88%) followed by criminal behaviour at US$ 0.65 billion (12%). There were no data to estimate cost of: treating tobacco-related diseases, community education and prevention efforts, or social disharmony. Current data collection efforts are limited in their capacity to fully inform an appropriate response to addiction in the UAE. Resources are required to improve indicators of drug use, monitor harm and evaluate treatment.

Are Public Master's Institutions Cost Efficient? A Stochastic Frontier and Spatial Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Titus, Marvin A.; Vamosiu, Adriana; McClure, Kevin R.

2017-01-01

The current study examines costs, measured by educational and general (E&G) spending, and cost efficiency at 252 public master's institutions in the United States over a nine-year (2004-2012) period. We use a multi-product quadratic cost function and results from a random-effects model with a first-order autoregressive (AR1) disturbance term…

Climate change trade measures : estimating industry effects

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-06-01

Estimating the potential effects of domestic emissions pricing for industries in the United States is complex. If the United States were to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, production costs could rise for certain industries and could cause output, ...

Biases in cost measurement for economic evaluation studies in health care.

PubMed

Jacobs, P; Baladi, J F

1996-01-01

This paper addresses the issue of biases in cost measures which used in economic evaluation studies. The basic measure of hospital costs which is used by most investigators is unit cost. Focusing on this measure, a set of criteria which the basic measures must fulfil in order to approximate the marginal cost (MC) of a service for the relevant product, in the representative site, was identified. Then four distinct biases--a scale bias, a case mix bias, a methods bias and a site selection bias--each of which reflects the divergence of the unit cost measure from the desired MC measure, were identified. Measures are proposed for several of these biases and it is suggested how they can be corrected.

Production Program - Operational - SNAP 10A Units

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

None

1961-08-07

This planning report is provided to describe the lead time, approximate costs, and major decisions and approvals required to enter a production program for the 500 watt SNAP 10A nuclear space power system.

EPQ model with learning consideration, imperfect production and partial backlogging in fuzzy random environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shankar Kumar, Ravi; Goswami, A.

2015-06-01

The article scrutinises the learning effect of the unit production time on optimal lot size for the uncertain and imprecise imperfect production process, wherein shortages are permissible and partially backlogged. Contextually, we contemplate the fuzzy chance of production process shifting from an 'in-control' state to an 'out-of-control' state and re-work facility of imperfect quality of produced items. The elapsed time until the process shifts is considered as a fuzzy random variable, and consequently, fuzzy random total cost per unit time is derived. Fuzzy expectation and signed distance method are used to transform the fuzzy random cost function into an equivalent crisp function. The results are illustrated with the help of numerical example. Finally, sensitivity analysis of the optimal solution with respect to major parameters is carried out.

Helicopter logging productivity on harvesting operations in southeast Alaska, using ecologically based silvicultural prescriptions.

Treesearch

L. Christian; A. Brackley

2007-01-01

This study examines production rates and costs for felling and helicopter yarding on eight units harvested in accordance with ecologically based silvicultural prescriptions. The units represent five levels of basal area retention. The levels of retention had irregular spatial arrangements caused by gaps and clumps that ranged from 0 percent retention (clearcut) to 75...

The direct and indirect costs of Dravet Syndrome.

PubMed

Whittington, Melanie D; Knupp, Kelly G; Vanderveen, Gina; Kim, Chong; Gammaitoni, Arnold; Campbell, Jonathan D

2018-03-01

The objective of this study was to estimate the annual direct and indirect costs associated with Dravet Syndrome (DS). A survey was electronically administered to the caregivers of patients with DS treated at Children's Hospital Colorado. Survey domains included healthcare utilization of the patient with DS and DS caregiver work productivity and activity impairment. Patient healthcare utilization was measured using modified questions from the National Health Interview Survey; caregiver work productivity and activity impairment were measured using modified questions from the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire. Direct costs were calculated by multiplying the caregiver-reported healthcare utilization rates by the mean unit cost for each healthcare utilization category. Indirect costs included lost productivity, income loss, and lost leisure time. The indirect costs were a function of caregiver-reported hours spent caregiving and an hourly unit cost. The survey was emailed to 60 DS caregivers, of which 34 (57% response rate) responded. Direct costs on average were $27,276 (95% interval: $15,757, $41,904) per patient with DS. Hospitalizations ($11,565 a year) and in-home medical care visits ($9894 a year) were substantial cost drivers. Additionally, caregivers reported extensive time spent providing care to an individual with DS. This caregiver time resulted in average annual indirect costs of $81,582 (95% interval: $57,253, $110,151), resulting in an average total annual financial burden of $106,378 (95% interval: $78,894, $137,906). Dravet Syndrome results in substantial healthcare utilization, financial burden, and time commitment. Establishing evidence on the financial burden of DS is essential to understanding the overall impact of DS, identifying potential areas for support needs, and assessing the impact of novel treatments as they become available. Based on the study findings, in-home visits, hospitalizations, and lost productivity and leisure time of caregivers are key domains for DS economic evaluations. Future research should extend these estimates to include the potential additional healthcare utilization of the DS caregiver. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cost Efficiency in the University: A Departmental Evaluation Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gimenez, Victor M.; Martinez, Jose Luis

2006-01-01

This article presents a model for the analysis of cost efficiency within the framework of data envelopment analysis models. It calculates the cost excess, separating a unit of production from its optimal or frontier levels, and, at the same time, breaks these excesses down into three explanatory factors: (a) technical inefficiency, which depends…

Cost Analysis of an Air Brayton Receiver for a Solar Thermal Electric Power System in Selected Annual Production Volumes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

Pioneer Engineering and Manufacturing Company estimated the cost of manufacturing and Air Brayton Receiver for a Solar Thermal Electric Power System as designed by the AiResearch Division of the Garrett Corporation. Production costs were estimated at annual volumes of 100; 1,000; 5,000; 10,000; 50,000; 100,000 and 1,000,000 units. These costs included direct labor, direct material and manufacturing burden. A make or buy analysis was made of each part of each volume. At high volumes special fabrication concepts were used to reduce operation cycle times. All costs were estimated at an assumed 100% plant capacity. Economic feasibility determined the level of production at which special concepts were to be introduced. Estimated costs were based on the economics of the last half of 1980. Tooling and capital equipment costs were estimated for ach volume. Infrastructure and personnel requirements were also estimated.

Cost Accounting in the Automated Manufacturing Environment

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-06-01

1 NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL M terey, California 0 DTIC II ELECTE R AD%$° NO 0,19880 -- THESIS COST ACCOUNTING IN THE AUTOMATED MANUFACTURING...PROJECT TASK WORK UNIT ELEMENT NO. NO NO ACCESSION NO 11. TITLE (Include Security Classification) E COST ACCOUNTING IN THE AUTOMATED MANUFACTURING...GROUP ’" Cost Accounting ; Product Costing ; Automated Manufacturing; CAD/CAM- CIM 19 ABSTRACT (Continue on reverse if necessary and identify by blo

An Analysis of the Factors Generating the Variance Between the Budgeted and Actual Operating Results of the Naval Aviation Depot at North Island, California

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-06-01

management structure employs free- market system principles and encourages business-like processes that are mission driven. Since no operating funds are...variable (Potvin, 2007). 2. Unit Cost Goal NWCFs use the unit cost goal ( UCG ) for planning purposes. The UCG is an estimate of what a unit of product...mission 6. Will not interfere with depot performance This section opens the depot to the private market . 53 Chapter 159 – Real Property

A comparison of costs of Medicare Part D prescriptions dispensed at retail and mail order pharmacies.

PubMed

Carroll, Norman V

2014-09-01

Plan sponsors encourage the use of mail order pharmacies because they believe mail order dispensing will lower their prescription drug costs. Health plans and pharmacy benefit management companies (PBMs) usually offer patients substantially lower copayments to incentivize them to use mail order pharmacies. A number of health plans and PBMs now require patients to use these pharmacies for maintenance prescriptions. To (a) compare costs for prescriptions dispensed through mail order and retail pharmacies in Medicare Part D plans and (b) examine whether mail order or retail pharmacies provided lower all third-party costs for each of the top 300 products; the relationship between whether a product was available generically and whether mail order or retail pharmacies provided lower prices; and the generic substitution rates at mail order and retail pharmacies. The sample for this study consisted of 2010 Medicare Part D prescription drug data for the 300 products with the highest sales at mail order pharmacies. The prescriptions included in the study were dispensed in the initial coverage limit phase of Part D by retail or mail order pharmacies to patients who were insured by Part D for 12 months in 2010, who received no Part D subsidies, and who were alive for the full year in 2010. Mean-per-unit costs were calculated for both mail order and retail prescriptions for each of the top 300 products. Products were defined by Medi-Span Generic Product Indentifier. Summary statistics for the overall costs of mail order and retail prescriptions were calculated as the weighted mean-per-unit costs of the top 300 products. The weighting factor for both mail order and retail prescriptions included both the mail order quantity dispensed per prescription and the number of prescriptions dispensed. Weighting both mail and retail prescriptions by mail order quantities dispensed and numbers of prescriptions ensured that the results reflected actual cost differences rather than differences in the mix or quantities of prescriptions dispensed. These calculations were made for total costs, costs covered by the Medicare Standard Benefit (MSB), costs paid by all third-party payers (including Medicare), and patient costs. The top 300 products accounted for 84.8% of mail order costs. Among all prescriptions in the sample--both mail order and retail--mail order prescriptions accounted for 7.8% of prescriptions dispensed and 14.1% of total spending. Comparison of 90-day or greater supplies indicated that costs per unit of medication for retail pharmacies were lower for total costs ($0.94 for retail pharmacies vs. $0.96 for mail order pharmacies), MSB costs ($0.59 for retail pharmacies vs. $0.63 for mail order pharmacies), and all third-party payer costs ($0.64 for retail pharmacies vs. $0.72 for mail order pharmacies), but higher for patient costs ($0.31 for retail pharmacies vs. $0.24 for mail order pharmacies). Retail pharmacies had lower all third-party payer costs for 244 products, while mail pharmacies had lower costs for 56 products. Retail pharmacies were more likely to have lower costs for products that included generic alternatives, while mail order pharmacies were more likely to have lower costs for products that included only branded drugs. Generic substitution rates were 91.4% for retail pharmacies versus 88.8% for mail order pharmacies. Results from secondary analyses that compared all prescriptions which met the inclusion criteria, regardless of days supply, and that compared exactly 90-day supplies, yielded similar results. Third-party payers, including Medicare, paid more for prescriptions dispensed at mail order pharmacies than for those dispensed at retail pharmacies in the Medicare Part D program. The higher payments appeared to result, for the most part, because of higher patient cost sharing at retail pharmacies. Further, total costs--including both third-party payer and patient payments--for 90-day and 90-day or greater supplies were lower at retail pharmacies than at mail pharmacies. These results suggest that, all other things being equal, Medicare Part D plan sponsors do not realize savings when patients use mail order pharmacies.

Foreign direct investment outflows in the forest products industry: the case of the United States and Japan

Treesearch

R.V. Nagubadi; D. Zhang

2008-01-01

This paper investigates the determinants of foreign direct investment (FDI) outflows from two major forest product importing countries: the U.S. and Japan. Exchange rate, per capita income, cost of capital, and cost of labour in host countries have significant impacts on the FDI outflows from these two countries. A complementary relationship is found between forest...

Miniature rotary actuator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fink, R. A.; Ellis, R. C.

1996-01-01

The trend toward smaller satellites has challenged component manufacturers to reduce the size, weight, and cost of their products while maintaining high performance. Both a new stepper motor and a new harmonic drive were developed to meet this need. The resulting actuator embodies small angle stepper technology usually reserved for larger units and incorporates an integral approach to harmonic drive design. By product simplifications, costs were significantly reduced over prior designs.

Production, consumption, and prices of softwood products in North America: regional time series data, 1950 to 1985.

Treesearch

Darius M. Adams; Kristine C. Jackson; Richard W. Haynes

1988-01-01

This report provides 35 years of information on softwood timber production and consumption in the United States and Canada. Included are regional time series on production and prices of softwood lumber, plywood, residues, and pulpwood; timber harvest volumes and values; production costs; and recovery factors.

Short rotation forestry harvesting - systems and costs

Treesearch

Bruce R. Hartsough; Bryce J. Stokes

1997-01-01

Single stem short rotation plantations in the United States are largely dedicated to pulp production, with fuel as a secondary product. There are very limited plantings for fuel production, and others where the primary purpose is treatment of various wastewater's. All production harvesting of single stem plantations is conducted with conventional forestry...

Economic and market issues on the sustainability of egg production in the United States: analysis of alternative production systems.

PubMed

Sumner, D A; Gow, H; Hayes, D; Matthews, W; Norwood, B; Rosen-Molina, J T; Thurman, W

2011-01-01

Conventional cage housing for laying hens evolved as a cost-effective egg production system. Complying with mandated hen housing alternatives would raise marginal production costs and require sizable capital investment. California data indicate that shifts from conventional cages to barn housing would likely cause farm-level cost increases of about 40% per dozen. The US data on production costs of such alternatives as furnished cages are not readily available and European data are not applicable to the US industry structure. Economic analysis relies on key facts about production and marketing of conventional and noncage eggs. Even if mandated by government or buyers, shifts to alternative housing would likely occur with lead times of at least 5 yr. Therefore, egg producers and input suppliers would have considerable time to plan new systems and build new facilities. Relatively few US consumers now pay the high retail premiums required for nonconventional eggs from hens housed in alternative systems. However, data from consumer experiments indicate that additional consumers would also be willing to pay some premium. Nonetheless, current data do not allow easy extrapolation to understand the willingness to pay for such eggs by the vast majority of conventional egg consumers. Egg consumption in the United States tends to be relatively unresponsive to price changes, such that sustained farm price increases of 40% would likely reduce consumption by less than 10%. This combination of facts and relationships suggests that, unless low-cost imports grew rapidly, requirements for higher cost hen housing systems would raise US egg prices considerably while reducing egg consumption marginally. Eggs are a low-cost source of animal protein and low-income consumers would be hardest hit. However, because egg expenditures are a very small share of the consumer budget, real income loss for consumers would be small in percentage terms. Finally, the high egg prices imposed by alternative hen housing systems raise complex issues about linking public policy costs to policy beneficiaries.

Lost productivity due to premature mortality in developed and emerging countries: an application to smoking cessation.

PubMed

Menzin, Joseph; Marton, Jeno P; Menzin, Jordan A; Willke, Richard J; Woodward, Rebecca M; Federico, Victoria

2012-06-25

Researchers and policy makers have determined that accounting for productivity costs, or "indirect costs," may be as important as including direct medical expenditures when evaluating the societal value of health interventions. These costs are also important when estimating the global burden of disease. The estimation of indirect costs is commonly done on a country-specific basis. However, there are few studies that evaluate indirect costs across countries using a consistent methodology. Using the human capital approach, we developed a model that estimates productivity costs as the present value of lifetime earnings (PVLE) lost due to premature mortality. Applying this methodology, the model estimates productivity costs for 29 selected countries, both developed and emerging. We also provide an illustration of how the inclusion of productivity costs contributes to an analysis of the societal burden of smoking. A sensitivity analysis is undertaken to assess productivity costs on the basis of the friction cost approach. PVLE estimates were higher for certain subpopulations, such as men, younger people, and people in developed countries. In the case study, productivity cost estimates from our model showed that productivity loss was a substantial share of the total cost burden of premature mortality due to smoking, accounting for over 75 % of total lifetime costs in the United States and 67 % of total lifetime costs in Brazil. Productivity costs were much lower using the friction cost approach among those of working age. Our PVLE model is a novel tool allowing researchers to incorporate the value of lost productivity due to premature mortality into economic analyses of treatments for diseases or health interventions. We provide PVLE estimates for a number of emerging and developed countries. Including productivity costs in a health economics study allows for a more comprehensive analysis, and, as demonstrated by our illustration, can have important effects on the results and conclusions.

Lost productivity due to premature mortality in developed and emerging countries: an application to smoking cessation

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Researchers and policy makers have determined that accounting for productivity costs, or “indirect costs,” may be as important as including direct medical expenditures when evaluating the societal value of health interventions. These costs are also important when estimating the global burden of disease. The estimation of indirect costs is commonly done on a country-specific basis. However, there are few studies that evaluate indirect costs across countries using a consistent methodology. Methods Using the human capital approach, we developed a model that estimates productivity costs as the present value of lifetime earnings (PVLE) lost due to premature mortality. Applying this methodology, the model estimates productivity costs for 29 selected countries, both developed and emerging. We also provide an illustration of how the inclusion of productivity costs contributes to an analysis of the societal burden of smoking. A sensitivity analysis is undertaken to assess productivity costs on the basis of the friction cost approach. Results PVLE estimates were higher for certain subpopulations, such as men, younger people, and people in developed countries. In the case study, productivity cost estimates from our model showed that productivity loss was a substantial share of the total cost burden of premature mortality due to smoking, accounting for over 75 % of total lifetime costs in the United States and 67 % of total lifetime costs in Brazil. Productivity costs were much lower using the friction cost approach among those of working age. Conclusions Our PVLE model is a novel tool allowing researchers to incorporate the value of lost productivity due to premature mortality into economic analyses of treatments for diseases or health interventions. We provide PVLE estimates for a number of emerging and developed countries. Including productivity costs in a health economics study allows for a more comprehensive analysis, and, as demonstrated by our illustration, can have important effects on the results and conclusions. PMID:22731620

Estimating the variable cost for high-volume and long-haul transportation of densified biomass and biofuel

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

Jacob J. Jacobson; Erin Searcy; Md. S. Roni

This article analyzes rail transportation costs of products that have similar physical properties as densified biomass and biofuel. The results of this cost analysis are useful to understand the relationship and quantify the impact of a number of factors on rail transportation costs of denisfied biomass and biofuel. These results will be beneficial and help evaluate the economic feasibility of high-volume and long-haul transportation of biomass and biofuel. High-volume and long-haul rail transportation of biomass is a viable transportation option for biofuel plants, and for coal plants which consider biomass co-firing. Using rail optimizes costs, and optimizes greenhouse gas (GHG)more » emissions due to transportation. Increasing bioenergy production would consequently result in lower GHG emissions due to displacing fossil fuels. To estimate rail transportation costs we use the carload waybill data, provided by Department of Transportation’s Surface Transportation Board for products such as grain and liquid type commodities for 2009 and 2011. We used regression analysis to quantify the relationship between variable transportation unit cost ($/ton) and car type, shipment size, rail movement type, commodity type, etc. The results indicate that: (a) transportation costs for liquid is $2.26/ton–$5.45/ton higher than grain type commodity; (b) transportation costs in 2011 were $1.68/ton–$5.59/ton higher than 2009; (c) transportation costs for single car shipments are $3.6/ton–$6.68/ton higher than transportation costs for multiple car shipments of grains; (d) transportation costs for multiple car shipments are $8.9/ton and $17.15/ton higher than transportation costs for unit train shipments of grains.« less

The Association between Insomnia Severity and Healthcare and Productivity Costs in a Health Plan Sample

PubMed Central

Sarsour, Khaled; Kalsekar, Anupama; Swindle, Ralph; Foley, Kathleen; Walsh, James K.

2011-01-01

Study Objectives: Insomnia is a chronic condition with significant burden on health care and productivity costs. Despite this recognized burden, very few studies have examined associations between insomnia severity and healthcare and productivity costs. Design: A retrospective study linking health claims data with a telephone survey of members of a health plan in the Midwestern region of the United States. Participants: The total healthcare costs study sample consisted of 2086 health plan members who completed the survey and who had complete health claims data. The productivity costs sample consisted of 1329 health plan members who worked for pay—a subset of the total healthcare costs sample. Measurements: Subjects' age, gender, demographic variables, comorbidities, and total health care costs were ascertained using health claims. Insomnia severity and lost productivity related variables were assessed using telephone interview. Results: Compared with the no insomnia group, mean total healthcare costs were 75% larger in the group with moderate and severe insomnia ($1323 vs. $757, P < 0.05). Compared with the no insomnia group, mean lost productivity costs were 72% larger in the moderate and severe insomnia group ($1739 vs. $1013, P < 0.001). Chronic medical comorbidities and psychiatric comorbidities were positively associated with health care cost. In contrast, psychiatric comorbidities were associated with lost productivity; while, medical comorbidities were not associated with lost productivity. Conclusions: Health care and lost productivity costs were consistently found to be greater in moderate and severe insomniacs compared with non-insomniacs. Factors associated with lost productivity and health care costs may be fundamentally different and may require different kinds of interventions. Future studies should focus on better understanding mechanisms linking insomnia to healthcare and productivity costs and to understanding whether developing targeted interventions will reduce these costs. Citation: Sarsour K; Kalsekar A; Swindle R; Foley K; Walsh JK. The association between insomnia severity and healthcare and productivity costs in a health plan sample. SLEEP 2011;34(4):443-450. PMID:21461322

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.

Burden of disease and costs of aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH) in the United Kingdom

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background To estimate life years and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) lost and the economic burden of aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH) in the United Kingdom including healthcare and non-healthcare costs from a societal perspective. Methods All UK residents in 2005 with aSAH (International Classification of Diseases 10th revision (ICD-10) code I60). Sex and age-specific abridged life tables were generated for a general population and aSAH cohorts. QALYs in each cohort were calculated adjusting the life tables with health-related quality of life (HRQL) data. Healthcare costs included hospital expenditure, cerebrovascular rehabilitation, primary care and community health and social services. Non-healthcare costs included informal care and productivity losses arising from morbidity and premature death. Results A total of 80,356 life years and 74,807 quality-adjusted life years were estimated to be lost due to aSAH in the UK in 2005. aSAH costs the National Health Service (NHS) £168.2 million annually with hospital inpatient admissions accounting for 59%, community health and social services for 18%, aSAH-related operations for 15% and cerebrovascular rehabilitation for 6% of the total NHS estimated costs. The average per patient cost for the NHS was estimated to be £23,294. The total economic burden (including informal care and using the human capital method to estimate production losses) of a SAH in the United Kingdom was estimated to be £510 million annually. Conclusion The economic and disease burden of aSAH in the United Kingdom is reported in this study. Decision-makers can use these results to complement other information when informing prevention policies in this field and to relate health care expenditures to disease categories. PMID:20423472

Stump-to-mill timber production cost equations for cable logging eastern hardwoods

Treesearch

Chris B. LeDoux; Chris B. LeDoux

1985-01-01

Logging cost simulators and data from logging cost studies have been assembled and converted into a series of equations that can be used to estimate the stump-to-mill cost of cable logging in mountainous terrain in the Eastern United States. These equations include the use of two small and four mediumsize cable yarders and are appropriate for harvested trees ranging in...

The Economic Burden of Vision Loss and Eye Disorders among the United States Population Younger than 40 Years

PubMed Central

Wittenborn, John S.; Zhang, Xinzhi; Feagan, Charles W.; Crouse, Wesley L.; Shrestha, Sundar; Kemper, Alex R.; Hoerger, Thomas J.; Saaddine, Jinan B.

2017-01-01

Objective To estimate the economic burden of vision loss and eye disorders in the United States population younger than 40 years in 2012. Design Econometric and statistical analysis of survey, commercial claims, and census data. Participants The United States population younger than 40 years in 2012. Methods We categorized costs based on consensus guidelines. We estimated medical costs attributable to diagnosed eye-related disorders, undiagnosed vision loss, and medical vision aids using Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and MarketScan data. The prevalence of vision impairment and blindness were estimated using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. We estimated costs from lost productivity using Survey of Income and Program Participation. We estimated costs of informal care, low vision aids, special education, school screening, government spending, and transfer payments based on published estimates and federal budgets. We estimated quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) lost based on published utility values. Main Outcome Measures Costs and QALYs lost in 2012. Results The economic burden of vision loss and eye disorders among the United States population younger than 40 years was $27.5 billion in 2012 (95% confidence interval, $21.5–$37.2 billion), including $5.9 billion for children and $21.6 billion for adults 18 to 39 years of age. Direct costs were $14.5 billion, including $7.3 billion in medical costs for diagnosed disorders, $4.9 billion in refraction correction, $0.5 billion in medical costs for undiagnosed vision loss, and $1.8 billion in other direct costs. Indirect costs were $13 billion, primarily because of $12.2 billion in productivity losses. In addition, vision loss cost society 215 000 QALYs. Conclusions We found a substantial burden resulting from vision loss and eye disorders in the United States population younger than 40 years, a population excluded from previous studies. Monetizing quality-of-life losses at $50 000 per QALY would add $10.8 billion in additional costs, indicating a total economic burden of $38.2 billion. Relative to previously reported estimates for the population 40 years of age and older, more than one third of the total cost of vision loss and eye disorders may be incurred by persons younger than 40 years. PMID:23631946

Indirect costs and workplace productivity loss associated with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

PubMed

Yu, Justin S; Hansen, Ryan N; Valderrama, Adriana; Carlson, Josh J

2016-11-01

The objective of this study was to examine indirect costs and workplace productivity loss (defined as an aggregate measure of absenteeism, short-term disability, and long-term disability days) associated with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) from a societal perspective in a commercially insured working-age United States population. The MarketScan(®) Commercial Claims and Encounters and Health and Productivity Management Databases (2007-2013) were used in this study, with controls matched 3:1 to NHL patients. In comparison to controls, NHL patients incurred significantly more workplace productivity loss (31.99 days; 95% CI: 25.24 days, 38.73 days; p < 0.001) and associated indirect costs ($6302.34; 95% CI: $4973.40, $7631.28; p < 0.001) in the 12-month post-diagnosis period when adjusting for covariates. NHL contributes significantly to losses in workplace productivity and higher associated indirect costs.

Improving quality of life in multiple sclerosis: an unmet need.

PubMed

Zwibel, Howard L; Smrtka, Jennifer

2011-05-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) affects approximately 400,000 people in the United States and 2.1 million people worldwide. It is the most common chronic, non-traumatic neurological disorder afflicting young people during their peak productive ages. MS can diminish quality of life (QOL) by interfering with the ability to work, pursue leisure activities, and carry on usual life roles. Symptoms that affect QOL may include impaired mobility, fatigue, depression, pain, spasticity, cognitive impairment, sexual dysfunction, bowel and bladder dysfunction, vision and hearing problems, seizures, and sDwallowing and breathing difficulties. Direct medical costs of MS in the United States are estimated in excess of $10 billion per year. Indirect costs of MS include costs of reduced employment or unemployment, assistive equipment, disability related home modifications, and paid and unpaid personal care. Although direct medical costs predominate in the earlier stages of MS, indirect costs of productivity loss are responsible for higher costs later. Disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) lessen symptoms, reduce relapses, and delay disability progression. Unfortunately, many DMTs might produce only modest improvements in QOL. Although symptom-specific therapies do not delay disease progression, they may delay unemployment and dependency, thereby reducing indirect costs.

A systematic review assessing the economic impact of sildenafil citrate (Viagra) in the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

PubMed

Martin, Amber L; Huelin, Rachel; Wilson, David; Foster, Talia S; Mould, Joaquin F

2013-05-01

Sildenafil was the first oral phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor introduced as primary therapy for erectile dysfunction (ED). In the 7 years following its market launch, sildenafil was prescribed by more than 750,000 physicians to more than 23 million men worldwide. To date, few studies have evaluated the economic impact of sildenafil in treating ED. To evaluate the cost-effectiveness and impact of sildenafil on health care costs for patients with ED in multiple countries. Economic outcomes including cost, cost-effectiveness, cost of illness, cost consequence, resource use, productivity, work loss, and willingness to pay (WTP) were investigated. Using keywords related to economic outcomes and sildenafil, we systematically searched literature published between July 2001 and July 2011 using MEDLINE and EMBASE. Included articles pertained to costs, WTP, and economic evaluations. In the last 10 years, 12 studies assessed economic outcomes associated with sildenafil for ED. Most studies were conducted in the United States and the United Kingdom, with one study identified in Canada and one from Mexico. Six studies evaluated cost of illness, cost consequence, or cost of care, and four studies evaluated WTP or drug pricing by country in the United States and the United Kingdom. In the United States and the United Kingdom, costs to health care systems have increased with demand for treatment. Cost analyses suggested that sildenafil would lower direct costs compared with other PDE5 inhibitors. U.S. and U.K. studies found that patients exhibited WTP for sildenafil. The two cost-effectiveness models we identified examined ED sub-groups, those with spinal cord injury and those with diabetes or hypertension. These models indicated favorable cost-effectiveness profiles for sildenafil compared with other active-treatment options in both Mexico and Canada. The relative value of sildenafil vs. surgically implanted prosthetic devices and other PDE5 inhibitors, is underscored by patients' WTP, and cost-effectiveness in ED patients with comorbidities. © 2013 International Society for Sexual Medicine.

Cost of Purchased Versus Produced Plasma from Donor Recruitment Through Transfusion.

PubMed

Prioli, Katherine M; Pizzi, Laura T; Karp, Julie Katz; Galanis, Taki; Herman, Jay H

2016-10-01

Plasma is used to treat acquired coagulopathy or thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, or to reverse warfarin effect. Scant data are available, however, about its costs. To estimate total costs of plasma from production through administration, from the perspective of a US hospital blood donor center (BDC). Six sequential decision analytic models were constructed and informed by primary and secondary data on time, tasks, personnel, and supplies for donation, processing, and administration. Expected values of the models were summed to yield the BDC's total cost of producing, preparing, and transfusing plasma. Costs ($US 2015) are reported for a typical patient using three units of plasma. Models assume plasma was obtained from whole blood donation and transfused in an inpatient setting. Univariate sensitivity analyses were performed to test the impact of changing inputs for personnel costs and adverse event (AE) rates and costs. BDC production cost of plasma was $91.24/patient ($30.41/unit), a $30.16/patient savings versus purchased plasma. Administration and monitoring costs totaled $194.64/patient. Sensitivity analyses indicated that modifying BDC personnel costs during donation and processing has little impact on total plasma costs. However, the probability and cost of transfusion-associated circulatory overload (TACO) have a significant impact on costs. Plasma produced by our BDC may be less costly than purchased plasma. Though plasma processes have multiple tasks involving staff time, these are not the largest cost driver. Major plasma-related AEs are uncommon, but are the biggest driver of total plasma costs.

Independent versus system-affiliated hospitals: a comparative analysis of financial performance, cost, and productivity.

PubMed Central

Levitz, G S; Brooke, P P

1985-01-01

This article analyzes differences in the financial performance, cost, and productivity between system-affiliated and independent hospitals. Data for the study were obtained from the 1981 American Hospital Association (AHA) Annual Survey of Hospitals for the State of Iowa and included 94 nonstate or nonfederal short-term hospitals without long-term care units. An interpretation of the results indicated that system-affiliated hospitals are more profitable, have better access to capital markets, are more effective price setters, and experience higher costs per case which are related to longer lengths of stay and less productive use of plant and equipment in generating revenues. PMID:4019214

Process model and economic analysis of ethanol production from sugar beet raw juice as part of the cleaner production concept.

PubMed

Vučurović, Damjan G; Dodić, Siniša N; Popov, Stevan D; Dodić, Jelena M; Grahovac, Jovana A

2012-01-01

The batch fermentation process of sugar beet processing intermediates by free yeast cells is the most widely used method in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina for producing ethanol as fuel. In this study a process and cost model was developed for producing ethanol from raw juice. The model can be used to calculate capital investment costs, unit production costs and operating costs for a plant producing 44 million l of 99.6% pure ethanol annually. In the sensitivity analysis the influence of sugar beet and yeast price, as well as the influence of recycled biomass on process economics, ethanol production costs and project feasibility was examined. The results of this study clearly demonstrate that the raw material costs have a significant influence on the expenses for producing ethanol. Also, the optimal percentage of recycled biomass turned out to be in the range from 50% to 70%. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Suicide and Suicidal Attempts in the United States: Costs and Policy Implications.

PubMed

Shepard, Donald S; Gurewich, Deborah; Lwin, Aung K; Reed, Gerald A; Silverman, Morton M

2016-06-01

The national cost of suicides and suicide attempts in the United States in 2013 was $58.4 billion based on reported numbers alone. Lost productivity (termed indirect costs) represents most (97.1%) of this cost. Adjustment for under-reporting increased the total cost to $93.5 billion or $298 per capita, 2.1-2.8 times that of previous studies. Previous research suggests that improved continuity of care would likely reduce the number of subsequent suicidal attempts following a previous nonfatal attempt. We estimate a highly favorable benefit-cost ratio of 6 to 1 for investments in additional medical, counseling, and linkage services for such patients. © 2015 The Authors. Suicide and LifeThreatening Behavior published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association of Suicidology.

Costs of Alcohol-Involved Crashes, United States, 2010

PubMed Central

Zaloshnja, Eduard; Miller, Ted R.; Blincoe, Lawrence J.

2013-01-01

This paper estimates total and unit costs of alcohol-involved crashes in the U.S. in 2010. With methods from earlier studies, we estimated costs per crash survivor by MAIS, body part, and fracture/dislocation involvement. We multiplied them times 2010 crash incidence estimates from NHTSA data sets, with adjustments for underreporting of crashes and their alcohol involvement. The unit costs are lifetime costs discounted at 3%. To develop medical costs, we combined 2008 Health Care Utilization Program national data for hospitalizations and ED visits of crash survivors with prior estimates of post-discharge costs. Productivity losses drew on Current Population Survey and American Time Use Survey data. Quality of life losses came from a 2011 AAAM paper and property damage from insurance data. We built a hybrid incidence file comprised of 2008–2010 and 1984–86 NHTSA crash surveillance data, weighted with 2010 General Estimates System weights. Fatality data came from the 2010 FARS. An estimated 12% of 2010 crashes but only 0.9% of miles driven were alcohol-involved (BAC > .05). Alcohol-involved crashes cost an estimated $125 billion. That is 22.5% of the societal cost of all crashes. Alcohol-attributable crashes accounted for an estimated 22.5% of US auto liability insurance payments. Alcohol-involved crashes cost $0.86 per drink. Above the US BAC limit of .08, crash costs were $8.37 per mile driven; 1 in 788 trips resulted in a crash and 1 in 1,016 trips in an arrest. Unit costs for crash survivors by severity are higher for impaired driving than for other crashes. That suggests national aggregate impaired driving cost estimates in other countries are substantial underestimates if they are based on all-crash unit costs. PMID:24406941

Induction of a dwarf phenotype with IBH1 may enable increased production of plant-made pharmaceuticals in plant factory conditions.

PubMed

Nagatoshi, Yukari; Ikeda, Miho; Kishi, Hiroyuki; Hiratsu, Keiichiro; Muraguchi, Atsushi; Ohme-Takagi, Masaru

2016-03-01

Year-round production in a contained, environmentally controlled 'plant factory' may provide a cost-effective method to produce pharmaceuticals and other high-value products. However, cost-effective production may require substantial modification of the host plant phenotype; for example, using dwarf plants can enable the growth of more plants in a given volume by allowing more plants per shelf and enabling more shelves to be stacked vertically. We show here that the expression of the chimeric repressor for Arabidopsis AtIBH1 (P35S:AtIBH1SRDX) in transgenic tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum) induces a dwarf phenotype, with reduced cell size. We estimate that, in a given volume of cultivation space, we can grow five times more AtIBH1SRDX plants than wild-type plants. Although, the AtIBH1SRDX plants also showed reduced biomass compared with wild-type plants, they produced about four times more biomass per unit of cultivation volume. To test whether the dwarf phenotype affects the production of recombinant proteins, we expressed the genes for anti-hepatitis B virus antibodies (anti-HBs) in tobacco plants and found that the production of anti-HBs per unit fresh weight did not significantly differ between wild-type and AtIBH1SRDX plants. These data indicate that P35S:AtIBH1SRDX plants produced about fourfold more antibody per unit of cultivation volume, compared with wild type. Our results indicate that AtIBH1SRDX provides a useful tool for the modification of plant phenotype for cost-effective production of high-value products by stably transformed plants in plant factory conditions. © 2015 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Trends in Medicaid Reimbursements for Insulin From 1991 Through 2014.

PubMed

Luo, Jing; Avorn, Jerry; Kesselheim, Aaron S

2015-10-01

Insulin is a vital medicine for patients with diabetes mellitus. Newer, more expensive insulin products and the lack of generic insulins in the United States have increased costs for patients and insurers. To examine Medicaid payment trends for insulin products. Cost information is available for all 50 states and has been recorded since the 1990s. A time-series analysis comparing reimbursements and prices. Using state- and national-level Medicaid data from 1991 to 2014, we identified all patients who used 1 or more of the 16 insulin products that were continuously available in the United States between 2006 and 2014. Insulin products were classified into rapid-acting and long-acting analogs, short-acting, intermediate, and premixed insulins based on American Diabetes Association Guidelines. Inflation-adjusted payments made to pharmacies by Medicaid per 1 mL (100 IU) of insulin in 2014 US dollars. Since 1991, Medicaid reimbursement per unit (1 mL) of insulin dispensed has risen steadily. In the 1990s, Medicaid reimbursed pharmacies between $2.36 and $4.43 per unit. By 2014, reimbursement for short-acting insulins increased to $9.64 per unit; intermediate, $9.22; premixed, $14.79; and long-acting, $19.78. Medicaid reimbursement for rapid-acting insulin analogs rose to $19.81 per unit. The rate of increase in reimbursement was higher for insulins with patent protection ($0.20 per quarter) than without ($0.05 per quarter) (P<.001).Total Medicaid reimbursements peaked at $407.4 million dollars in quarter 2 of 2014. Total volume peaked at 29.9 million units in quarter 4 of 2005 and was 21.2 million units in quarter 2 of 2014. Between 1991 and 2014, there was a near-exponential upward trend in Medicaid payments on a per-unit basis for a wide variety of insulin products regardless of formulation, duration of action, and whether the product was patented. Although reimbursements for newer, patent-protected insulin analogs increased at a faster rate than reimbursements for older insulins, payments increased for all products we examined. Our findings suggest a lack of price competition in the United States for this class of medications.

A Study of Ship Acquisition Cost Estimating in the Naval Sea Systems Command. Appendices

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-10-01

Shipbuilding Is A Heovy Fabrication Industry Pro- ducing Small Numbers Of Expensive, Complex Units Of Output PAGE A-2 (1) Due to its heavy ...estimate future ship construction costs. - A-l 1. SHIPBUILDING IS A HEAVY FABRICATION INDUSTRY PRODUCING SMALL NUMBERS OF EXPENSIVE, COMPLEX...extensively in production line industries such as automotive products and the airframe industry. (1) Due To Its Heavy Construction Orientation

Can portable pyrolysis units make biomass utilization affordable while using bio-char to enhance soil productivity and sequester carbon?

Treesearch

Mark Coleman; Deborah Page-Dumroese; Jim Archuleta; Phil Badger; Woodum Chung; Tyron Venn; Dan Loeffler; Greg Jones; Kristin McElligott

2010-01-01

We describe a portable pyrolysis system for bioenergy production from forest biomass that minimizes long-distance transport costs and provides for nutrient return and long-term soil carbon storage. The cost for transporting biomass to conversion facilities is a major impediment to utilizing forest biomass. If forest biomass could be converted into bio-oil in the field...

Economic aspects of intraoperative coagulation management targeting higher fibrinogen concentrations during major craniosynostosis surgery.

PubMed

Haas, Thorsten; Spielmann, Nelly; Restin, Tanja; Schmidt, Alexander R; Schmugge, Markus; Cushing, Melissa M

2016-01-01

Results of a previously published study demonstrated a significant decrease in transfusion requirements and calculated blood loss for pediatric major craniosynostosis surgery, if a ROTEM(®) FIBTEM trigger of <13 mm (early substitution group) was applied as compared to a trigger of <8 mm (conventional group). The aim of this study was a posthoc analysis of the costs for this coagulation management. The total volume as well as the number of units or bags for all transfused blood products and coagulation factors were recorded for each case. The number of laboratory and point-of-care coagulation tests was also analyzed. Total blood product costs were calculated according to the local prices per unit. The total cost for all transfused/administered blood products/coagulation factors per patient was a median of 1023EUR (IQR 850EUR-1058EUR) in the early substitution group as compared to a median of 910EUR (IQR 719EUR-1351EUR) in the conventional group (P = 0.81). No difference in the number of coagulation tests performed was observed. In this study, the use of a higher fibrinogen trigger was not linked to a significant increase in total costs for transfused blood products and coagulation factors, and may offer an economically equivalent approach to coagulation management. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Analyzing the requirements for mass production of small wind turbine generators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anuskiewicz, T.; Asmussen, J.; Frankenfield, O.

Mass producibility of small wind turbine generators to give manufacturers design and cost data for profitable production operations is discussed. A 15 kW wind turbine generator for production in annual volumes from 1,000 to 50,000 units is discussed. Methodology to cost the systems effectively is explained. The process estimate sequence followed is outlined with emphasis on the process estimate sheets compiled for each component and subsystem. These data enabled analysts to develop cost breakdown profiles crucial in manufacturing decision-making. The appraisal also led to various design recommendations including replacement of aluminum towers with cost effective carbon steel towers. Extensive cost information is supplied in tables covering subassemblies, capital requirements, and levelized energy costs. The physical layout of the plant is depicted to guide manufacturers in taking advantage of the growing business opportunity now offered in conjunction with the national need for energy development.

Troubleshooting Costs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kornacki, Jeffrey L.

Seventy-six million cases of foodborne disease occur each year in the United States alone. Medical and lost productivity costs of the most common pathogens are estimated to be 5.6-9.4 billion. Product recalls, whether from foodborne illness or spoilage, result in added costs to manufacturers in a variety of ways. These may include expenses associated with lawsuits from real or allegedly stricken individuals and lawsuits from shorted customers. Other costs include those associated with efforts involved in finding the source of the contamination and eliminating it and include time when lines are shut down and therefore non-productive, additional non-routine testing, consultant fees, time and personnel required to overhaul the entire food safety system, lost market share to competitors, and the cost associated with redesign of the factory and redesign or acquisition of more hygienic equipment. The cost associated with an effective quality assurance plan is well worth the effort to prevent the situations described.

Production cost analysis of Euphorbia lathyris. Final report

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

Mendel, D.A.; Schooley, F.A.; Dickenson, R.L.

1979-08-01

The purpose of SRI's study was to estimate the costs of producing Euphorbia in commercial quantities in five regions of the United States, which include both irrigated and nonirrigated areas. The study assumed that a uniform crop yield could be achieved in the five regions by varying the quantities of production inputs. Therefore, the production costs estimates, which are based on fourth quarter 1978 dollars, include both fixed and variable costs for each region. Doane's Machinery Custom Rates for 1978 were used to estimate all variable costs except materials, which were estimated separately. Custom rates are determined by members ofmore » the Doane Countywide Farm Panel, a group of farmers specifically selected to represent the various sizes and types of commercial farms found throughout the country. The rates reported are the most recent rates the panel members had either paid, charged, or known for certain a second party had paid or charged. Custom rates for any particular operation include equipment operating costs (fuel, lubrication, and repairs), equipment ownership costs (depreciation, taxes, interest), as well as a labor charge for the operator. Custom rates are regionally specific and thereby assist the accuracy of this analysis. Fixed costs include land, management, and transportation of the plant material to a conversion facility. When appropriate, fixed costs were regionally specific. Changes in total production costs over future time periods were not addressed. The total estimated production costs of Euphorbia in each region were compared with production costs for corn and alfalfa in the same regions. Finally, the effects on yield and costs of changes in the production inputs were estimated.« less

Employment in the U.S. Chemical Industry. Chemical Work Force Tops 1.1 Million.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chemical and Engineering News, 1990

1990-01-01

The annual census of industrial employment, production workers, women, the workweek, scientists and engineers, chemical employment, wages, and productivity in the chemical industry is presented. Trends in the numbers of workers, productivity, and unit labor costs are illustrated in graphs. (CW)

Exploring agricultural production systems and their fundamental components with system dynamics modeling

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Agricultural production in the United States is undergoing marked changes due to rapid shifts in consumer demands, input costs, and concerns for food safety and environmental impact. Agricultural production systems are comprised of multidimensional components and drivers that interact in complex wa...

Growth-promoting technologies decrease the carbon footprint, ammonia emissions, and costs of California beef production systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Improved animal performance is suggested as one of the most effective mitigation strategies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) and ammonia (NH3) emissions from livestock production per unit of product produced. However, little information exists on the effects of increased animal productivity on the net...

An Economic Basis for Littoral Land-Based Production of Low Carbon Fuel from Renewable Electrical Energy and Seawater for Naval Use: Diego Garcia Evaluation

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-13

installed is $1.54 billion. Table 3 provides the cost breakdown of the various major components ( solar PV arrays, the carbon/hydrogen production units...barges or modular floats made from high density polymer HDP (Jet Dock and Versa Dock). These floats could support the entire solar PV array process...the restricted area is reached. Since the capital cost of the wind turbines is half that of the solar PV per Watt ($2.40/watt), the total cost

Synfuel program analysis. Volume 2: VENVAL users manual

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muddiman, J. B.; Whelan, J. W.

1980-07-01

This volume is intended for program analysts and is a users manual for the VENVAL model. It contains specific explanations as to input data requirements and programming procedures for the use of this model. VENVAL is a generalized computer program to aid in evaluation of prospective private sector production ventures. The program can project interrelated values of installed capacity, production, sales revenue, operating costs, depreciation, investment, dent, earnings, taxes, return on investment, depletion, and cash flow measures. It can also compute related public sector and other external costs and revenues if unit costs are furnished.

Comparison of Patient Costs in Internal Medicine and Anaesthesiology Intensive Care Units in a Tertiary University Hospital.

PubMed

Kara, İskender; Yıldırım, Fatma; Başak, Dilek Yumuş; Küçük, Hamit; Türkoğlu, Melda; Aygencel, Gülbin; Katı, İsmail; Karabıyık, Lale

2015-06-01

The allocation of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to health is limited, therefore it has made a need for professional management of health business. Hospital managers as well as employees are required to have sufficient knowledge about the hospital costs. Hospital facilities like intensive care units that require specialization and advanced technology have an important part in costs. For this purpose, cost analysis studies should be done in the general health business and special units separately. In this study we aimed to compare the costs of anaesthesiology and internal medicine intensive care units (ICU) roughly. After approval of this study by Gazi University Faculty of Medicine Ethics Committee, the costs of 855 patients that were hospitalized, examined and treated for at least 24 hours in internal medicine and anaesthesiology ICUs between January 2012-August 2013 (20 months period) were taken and analyzed from chief staff of the Department of Information Technology, Gazi University Hospital. At the end of the study, we observed clear differences between internal medicine and anaesthesiology ICUs arising from transactions and patient characteristics of units. We stated that these differences should be considered by Social Security Institution (SSI) for the reimbursement of the services. Further, we revealed that SSI payments do not meet the intensive care expenditure.

2011 Cost of Wind Energy Review

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

Tegen, S.; Lantz, E.; Hand, M.

2013-03-01

This report describes the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for a typical land-based wind turbine installed in the United States in 2011, as well as the modeled LCOE for a fixed-bottom offshore wind turbine installed in the United States in 2011. Each of the four major components of the LCOE equation are explained in detail, such as installed capital cost, annual energy production, annual operating expenses, and financing, and including sensitivity ranges that show how each component can affect LCOE. These LCOE calculations are used for planning and other purposes by the U.S. Department of Energy's Wind Program.

Biodiesel production process from microalgae oil by waste heat recovery and process integration.

PubMed

Song, Chunfeng; Chen, Guanyi; Ji, Na; Liu, Qingling; Kansha, Yasuki; Tsutsumi, Atsushi

2015-10-01

In this work, the optimization of microalgae oil (MO) based biodiesel production process is carried out by waste heat recovery and process integration. The exergy analysis of each heat exchanger presented an efficient heat coupling between hot and cold streams, thus minimizing the total exergy destruction. Simulation results showed that the unit production cost of optimized process is 0.592$/L biodiesel, and approximately 0.172$/L biodiesel can be avoided by heat integration. Although the capital cost of the optimized biodiesel production process increased 32.5% and 23.5% compared to the reference cases, the operational cost can be reduced by approximately 22.5% and 41.6%. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measuring treatment costs of typical waste electrical and electronic equipment: A pre-research for Chinese policy making.

PubMed

Li, Jinhui; Dong, Qingyin; Liu, Lili; Song, Qingbin

2016-11-01

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) volume is increasing, worldwide. In 2011, the Chinese government issued new regulations on WEEE recycling and disposal, establishing a WEEE treatment subsidy funded by a levy on producers of electrical and electronic equipment. In order to evaluate WEEE recycling treatment costs and revenue possibilities under the new regulations, and to propose suggestions for cost-effective WEEE management, a comprehensive revenue-expenditure model (REM), were established for this study, including 7 types of costs, 4 types of fees, and one type of revenue. Since TV sets dominated the volume of WEEE treated from 2013 to 2014, with a contribution rate of 87.3%, TV sets were taken as a representative case. Results showed that the treatment cost varied from 46.4RMB/unit to 82.5RMB/unit, with a treatment quantity of 130,000 units to 1,200,000 units per year in China. Collection cost accounted for the largest portion (about 70.0%), while taxes and fees (about 11.0 %) and labor cost (about 7.0 %) contributed less. The average costs for disposal, sales, and taxes had no influence on treatment quantity (TQ). TQ might have an adverse effect on average labor and management costs; while average collection and purchase fees, and financing costs, would vary with purchase price, and the average sales fees and taxes would vary with the sales of dismantled materials and other recycled products. Recycling enterprises could reduce their costs by setting up online and offline collection platforms, cooperating with individual collectors, creating door-to-door collection channels, improving production efficiency and reducing administrative expenditures. The government could provide economic incentives-such as subsidies, low-cost loans, tax cuts and credits-and could also raise public awareness of waste management and environmental protection, in order to capture some of the WEEE currently discarded into the general waste stream. Foreign companies with advanced WEEE utilization technology could invest or participate in this area, producing profits for themselves while helping to develop and implement environmentally friendly and energy-saving technologies applicable to the Chinese market. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The U.S. Chemical Industry, the Way It Performs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chemical and Engineering News, 1972

1972-01-01

Data on the performance of chemical companies are presented in this section of the annual report on the chemical industry, including: productivity, unit labor costs, chemical company performance, wholesale prices, shipments and inventories, and industrial production. (PR)

Financial impact of nosocomial infections in the intensive care units of a charitable hospital in Minas Gerais, Brazil

PubMed Central

Nangino, Glaucio de Oliveira; de Oliveira, Cláudio Dornas; Correia, Paulo César; Machado, Noelle de Melo; Dias, Ana Thereza Barbosa

2012-01-01

Objective Infections in intensive care units are often associated with a high morbidity and mortality in addition to high costs. An analysis of these aspects can assist in optimizing the allocation of relevant financial resources. Methods This retrospective study analyzed the hospital administration and quality in intensive care medical databases [Sistema de Gestão Hospitalar (SGH)] and RM Janus®. A cost analysis was performed by evaluating the medical products and materials used in direct medical care. The costs are reported in the Brazilian national currency (Real). The cost and length of stay analyses were performed for all the costs studied. The median was used to determine the costs involved. Costs were also adjusted by the patients' length of stay in the intensive care unit. Results In total, 974 individuals were analyzed, of which 51% were male, and the mean age was 57±18.24 years. There were 87 patients (8.9%) identified who had nosocomial infections associated with the intensive care unit. The median cost per admission and the length of stay for all the patients sampled were R$1.257,53 and 3 days, respectively. Compared to the patients without an infection, the patients with an infection had longer hospital stays (15 [11-25] versus 3 [2-6] days, p<0.01), increased costs per patient in the intensive care unit (median R$9.763,78 [5445.64 - 18,007.90] versus R$1.093,94 [416.14 - 2755.90], p<0.01) and increased costs per day of hospitalization in the intensive care unit (R$618,00 [407.81 - 838.69] versus R$359,00 [174.59 - 719.12], p<0.01). Conclusion Nosocomial infections associated with the intensive care unit were determinants of increased costs and longer hospital stays. However, the study design did not allow us to evaluate specific aspects of cause and effect. PMID:23917933

[Costs with personnel and productivity analysis of family health program teams in Fortaleza, Ceará].

PubMed

Rocha Filho, Fernando dos Santos; da Silva, Marcelo Gurgel Carlos

2009-01-01

The research verified the productivity and the operational personnel costs of eight teams of the Family Health Program (PSF) of two Basic Units of Family Health (UBASF) in Fortaleza, Ceará, through the methodology of costs by absorption, in 2004. The largest expenses were with personnel (75%), mainly with the PSF teams, and medicines (18%). The federal allocations received in September, 2004, by each PSF team, were R$ 9,543.33. The total cost by team was R$ 15,719.00. Some professionals of various PSF teams showed productivity above the set objectives, but the average productivity by doctor and nurse was below fifty per cent of objectives, with high idle time making the work onerous. The unity cost of home visits by doctor and prenatal attendance by nurses were checked, and, would be less expensive if the idle time were reduced. Various alternatives of cost reduction were observed, such as scale savings of some resources and services and re-negotiation of contracts with suppliers and cooperatives. The data obtained will contribute to more accurate planning for the installation and maintenance of PSF teams as well as alternatives of cost reductions, higher productivity, and better quality.

19 CFR 10.253 - Articles eligible for preferential treatment.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... the production or manufacture of a new or different article which is imported directly into the United... incurred in the growth, production, or manufacture of the material, including general expenses; (2) An... merchandise: (A) All actual labor costs involved in the growth, production, manufacture, or assembly of the...

The Workplace Realities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carnevale, Anthony P.

2008-01-01

From the Civil War until the 1970s, the United States was the world's most successful mass-production economy, the very best at producing standardized goods and services at least cost and selling them at the lowest price. These mass-production successes required rigorous discipline and narrow skill. Final products and services were broken down…

United States-Canada Trade and Economic Relationship: Prospects and Challenges

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-10-13

to Canadian policymakers as it raises questions about Canadian productivity and competitiveness (see box). In terms of sectoral components of GDP...Coordinated automotive production has raised living standards in both the United States and Canada, and has strengthened the global competitiveness of producers...problems in other sectors of its economy, its automotive plants are among the most competitive in North America. Part of the cost advantage

Environmental and economic suitability of forest biomass-based bioenergy production in the Southern United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dwivedi, Puneet

This study attempts to ascertain the environmental and economic suitability of utilizing forest biomass for cellulosic ethanol production in the Southern United States. The study is divided into six chapters. The first chapter details the background and defines the relevance of the study along with objectives. The second chapter reviews the existing literature to ascertain the present status of various existing conversion technologies. The third chapter assesses the net energy ratio and global warming impact of ethanol produced from slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) biomass. A life-cycle assessment was applied to achieve the task. The fourth chapter assesses the role of emerging bioenergy and voluntary carbon markets on the profitability of non-industrial private forest (NIPF) landowners by combining the Faustmann and Hartmann models. The fifth chapter assesses perceptions of four stakeholder groups (Non-Government Organization, Academics, Industries, and Government) on the use of forest biomass for bioenergy production in the Southern United States using the SWOT-AHP (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threat-Analytical Hierarchy Process) technique. Finally, overall conclusions are made in the sixth chapter. Results indicate that currently the production of cellulosic ethanol is limited as the production cost of cellulosic ethanol is higher than the production cost of ethanol derived from corn. However, it is expected that the production cost of cellulosic ethanol will come down in the future from its current level due to ongoing research efforts. The total global warming impact of E85 fuel (production and consumption) was found as 10.44 tons where as global warming impact of an equivalent amount of gasoline (production and consumption) was 21.45 tons. This suggests that the production and use of ethanol derived from slash pine biomass in the form of E85 fuel in an automobile saves about 51% of carbon emissions when compared to gasoline. The net energy ratio of ethanol produced at the mill was found to be 3.2. The unit cost of production of ethanol was estimated to be $2.05 per gasoline gallon energy equivalent. The study also found that the emerging bioenergy and voluntary carbon markets will significantly increase land expectation values and, thus, the profitability of landowners. Results suggest that the optimal rotation age is insensible to alternate management scenarios. Finally, it was found that all stakeholder groups perceive that the overall benefits of forest biomass-based bioenergy development were higher than its weaknesses.

Evaluation of Selected Chemical Processes for Production of Low-cost Silicon, Phase 3. [using a fluidized bed reactor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blocher, J. M., Jr.; Browning, M. F.

1979-01-01

The construction and operation of an experimental process system development unit (EPSDU) for the production of granular semiconductor grade silicon by the zinc vapor reduction of silicon tetrachloride in a fluidized bed of seed particles is presented. The construction of the process development unit (PDU) is reported. The PDU consists of four critical units of the EPSDU: the fluidized bed reactor, the reactor by product condenser, the zinc vaporizer, and the electrolytic cell. An experimental wetted wall condenser and its operation are described. Procedures are established for safe handling of SiCl4 leaks and spills from the EPSDU and PDU.

Is Job Sharing Worthwhile? A Cost-Benefit Analysis in UK Universities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harris, Geoff

1997-01-01

Data from a survey of personnel directors in United Kingdom universities were used to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of job sharing from the institutions' perspective. Results show a 5% rise in productivity would raise the ratio of benefits to cost to 14.3 to 1. Retention of staff, reduction of stress, and reduced unemployment are also benefits.…

Developing the Systems Engineering Experience Accelerator (SEEA) Prototype and Roadmap

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-10-24

system attributes. These metrics track non-requirements performance, typically relate to production cost per unit, maintenance costs, training costs...immediately implement lessons learned from the training experience to the job, assuming the culture allows this. 1.3 MANAGEMENT PLAN/TECHNICAL OVERVIEW...resolving potential conflicts as they arise. Incrementally implement and continuously integrate capability in priority order, to ensure that final system

48 CFR 49.206-2 - Bases for settlement proposals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... construction or related professional services contract. (ii) The partial or complete termination of supply... distinguished from a lump-sum) professional services contract. (b) Total cost basis. (1) When use of the..., under the contractor's accounting system, unit costs for work in process and finished products cannot...

48 CFR 49.206-2 - Bases for settlement proposals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... construction or related professional services contract. (ii) The partial or complete termination of supply... distinguished from a lump-sum) professional services contract. (b) Total cost basis. (1) When use of the..., under the contractor's accounting system, unit costs for work in process and finished products cannot...

48 CFR 49.206-2 - Bases for settlement proposals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... construction or related professional services contract. (ii) The partial or complete termination of supply... distinguished from a lump-sum) professional services contract. (b) Total cost basis. (1) When use of the..., under the contractor's accounting system, unit costs for work in process and finished products cannot...

48 CFR 49.206-2 - Bases for settlement proposals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... construction or related professional services contract. (ii) The partial or complete termination of supply... distinguished from a lump-sum) professional services contract. (b) Total cost basis. (1) When use of the..., under the contractor's accounting system, unit costs for work in process and finished products cannot...

Productivity cost benefit to employers of treating migraine with rizatriptan: a specific worksite analysis and model.

PubMed

Gerth, William C; Sarma, Syam; Hu, X Henry; Silberstein, Stephen D

2004-01-01

Employers in the United States might not be aware of the productivity costs of migraine or the extent to which those costs can be reduced by optimal treatment. An economic model was developed to enable employers to estimate the productivity costs of migraine to their company and the savings that will accrue if those patients who suffer from migraine are treated with rizatriptan. Analyses were run for both a major financial services corporation and a representative U.S. company. The major financial services corporation, with 87,821 employees, is projected to lose 538 person-years annually, at an estimated cost of 23.8 million dollars. A representative U.S. company with 10,000 employees is projected to lose 46.0 person-years of productive effort annually as a result of migraine, valued at approximately 1.94 million dollars. The value of the annual work loss avoided if migraine is treated with rizatriptan is projected at 10.3 million dollars for the financial services corporation and 841,000 dollars for the representative U.S. company. There is a substantial productivity cost burden of migraine from a U.S. employer perspective. These productivity costs can be reduced significantly by treating migraine headaches with rizatriptan.

Namibia’s transition from whole blood–derived pooled platelets to single-donor apheresis platelet collections

PubMed Central

Pitman, John P.; Basavaraju, Sridhar V.; Shiraishi, Ray W.; Wilkinson, Robert; von Finckenstein, Bjorn; Lowrance, David W.; Marfin, Anthony A.; Postma, Maarten; Mataranyika, Mary; Sibinga, Cees Th. Smit

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND Few African countries separate blood donations into components; however, demand for platelets (PLTs) is increasing as regional capacity to treat causes of thrombocytopenia, including chemotherapy, increases. Namibia introduced single-donor apheresis PLT collections in 2007 to increase PLT availability while reducing exposure to multiple donors via pooling. This study describes the impact this transition had on PLT availability and safety in Namibia. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Annual national blood collections and PLT units issued data were extracted from a database maintained by the Blood Transfusion Service of Namibia (NAMBTS). Production costs and unit prices were analyzed. RESULTS In 2006, NAMBTS issued 771 single and pooled PLT doses from 3054 whole blood (WB) donations (drawn from 18,422 WB donations). In 2007, NAMBTS issued 486 single and pooled PLT doses from 1477 WB donations (drawn from 18,309 WB donations) and 131 single-donor PLT doses. By 2011, NAMBTS issued 837 single-donor PLT doses per year, 99.1% of all PLT units. Of 5761 WB donations from which PLTs were made in 2006 to 2011, a total of 20 (0.35%) were from donors with confirmed test results for human immunodeficiency virus or other transfusion-transmissible infections (TTIs). Of 2315 single-donor apheresis donations between 2007 and 2011, none of the 663 donors had a confirmed positive result for any pathogen. As apheresis replaced WB-derived PLTs, apheresis production costs dropped by a mean of 8.2% per year, while pooled PLT costs increased by an annual mean of 21.5%. Unit prices paid for apheresis- and WB-derived PLTs increased by 9 and 7.4% per year on average, respectively. CONCLUSION Namibia’s PLT transition shows that collections from repeat apheresis donors can reduce TTI risk and production costs. PMID:25727921

The cost of care of rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis patients in tertiary care rheumatology units in Turkey.

PubMed

Malhan, Simten; Pay, Salih; Ataman, Sebnem; Dalkilic, Ediz; Dinc, Ayhan; Erken, Eren; Ertenli, Ihsan; Ertugrul, Esin; Gogus, Feride; Hamuryudan, Vedat; Inanc, Murat; Karaarslan, Yasar; Karadag, Omer; Karakoc, Yuksel; Keskin, Goksal; Kisacik, Bunyamin; Kiraz, Sedat; Oksel, Fahrettin; Oksuz, Ergun; Pirildar, Timur; Sari, Ismail; Soy, Mehmet; Senturk, Taskin; Taylan, Ali

2012-01-01

To determine the direct and indirect costs due to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients in Turkey. An expert panel was convened to estimate the direct and indirect costs of care of patients with RA and AS in Turkey. The panel was composed of 22 experts chosen from all national tertiary care rheumatology units (n=53). To calculate direct costs, the medical management of RA and AS patients was estimated using 'cost-of-illness' methodology. To measure indirect costs, the number of days of sick leave, the extent of disability, and the levels of early retirement and early death were also evaluated. Lost productivity costs were calculated using the 'human capital approach', based on the minimum wage. The total annual direct costs were 2,917.03 Euros per RA patient and 3,565.9 Euros for each AS patient. The direct costs were thus substantial, but the indirect costs were much higher because of extensive morbidity and mortality rates. The total annual indirect costs were 7,058.99 Euros per RA patient and 6,989.81 for each AS patient. Thus, the total cost for each RA patient was 9,976.01 Euros and that for an AS patient 10,555.72 Euros, in Turkey. From the societal perspective, both RA and AS have become burden in Turkey. The cost of lost productivity is higher than the medical cost. Another important conclusion is that indirect costs constitute 70% and 66% of total costs in patients with RA and AS, respectively.

Cost and results of information systems for health and poverty indicators in the United Republic of Tanzania.

PubMed Central

Rommelmann, Vanessa; Setel, Philip W.; Hemed, Yusuf; Angeles, Gustavo; Mponezya, Hamisi; Whiting, David; Boerma, Ties

2005-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To examine the costs of complementary information generation activities in a resource-constrained setting and compare the costs and outputs of information subsystems that generate the statistics on poverty, health and survival required for monitoring, evaluation and reporting on health programmes in the United Republic of Tanzania. METHODS: Nine systems used by four government agencies or ministries were assessed. Costs were calculated from budgets and expenditure data made available by information system managers. System coverage, quality assurance and information production were reviewed using questionnaires and interviews. Information production was characterized in terms of 38 key sociodemographic indicators required for national programme monitoring. FINDINGS: In 2002-03 approximately US$ 0.53 was spent per Tanzanian citizen on the nine information subsystems that generated information on 37 of the 38 selected indicators. The census and reporting system for routine health service statistics had the largest participating populations and highest total costs. Nationally representative household surveys and demographic surveillance systems (which are not based on nationally representative samples) produced more than half the indicators and used the most rigorous quality assurance. Five systems produced fewer than 13 indicators and had comparatively high costs per participant. CONCLUSION: Policy-makers and programme planners should be aware of the many trade-offs with respect to system costs, coverage, production, representativeness and quality control when making investment choices for monitoring and evaluation. In future, formal cost-effectiveness studies of complementary information systems would help guide investments in the monitoring, evaluation and planning needed to demonstrate the impact of poverty-reduction and health programmes. PMID:16184275

Social and economic costs and health-related quality of life in stroke survivors in the Canary Islands, Spain

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Cost-of-illness analysis is the main method of providing an overall vision of the economic impact of a disease. Such studies have been used to set priorities for healthcare policies and inform resource allocation. The aim of this study was to determine the economic burden and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in the first, second and third years after surviving a stroke in the Canary Islands, Spain. Methods Cross-sectional, retrospective study of 448 patients with stroke based on ICD 9 discharge codes, who received outpatient care at five hospitals. The study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria University Hospital. Data on demographic characteristics, health resource utilization, informal care, labor productivity losses and HRQOL were collected from the hospital admissions databases and questionnaires completed by stroke patients or their caregivers. Labor productivity losses were calculated from physical units and converted into monetary units with a human capital-based method. HRQOL was measured with the EuroQol EQ-5D questionnaire. Healthcare costs, productivity losses and informal care costs were analyzed with log-normal, probit and ordered probit multivariate models. Results The average cost for each stroke survivor was €17 618 in the first, €14 453 in the second and €12 924 in the third year after the stroke; the reference year for unit prices was 2004. The largest expenditures in the first year were informal care and hospitalizations; in the second and third years the main costs were for informal care, productivity losses and medication. Mean EQ-5D index scores for stroke survivors were 0.50 for the first, 0.47 for the second and 0.46 for the third year, and mean EQ-5D visual analog scale scores were 56, 52 and 55, respectively. Conclusions The main strengths of this study lie in our bottom-up-approach to costing, and in the evaluation of stroke survivors from a broad perspective (societal costs) in the first, second and third years after surviving the stroke. This type of analysis is rare in the Spanish context. We conclude that stroke incurs considerable societal costs among survivors to three years and there is substantial deterioration in HRQOL. PMID:22970797

An Application of a Costing Methodology to Waste-to-Energy Power Generating Units at Remote Sites and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-09-01

which were based on off-season, summer prices and demand C4 143-8], and placed mandatory controls on all petroleum product prices s6:136]. These...Service, September 1982. Hausman , J. A., and P. L. Joskow. "Evaluating the Costs and Benefits of Appliance Efficiency Standards," American Economic...Department of Agriculture, Washington: United States Government Printing Office, March 4, 1989. Zoch, Lawrence L., Jr., Jack J. Rusch, and Edward L. Springer

Energy performance indicators of wastewater treatment: a field study with 17 Portuguese plants.

PubMed

Silva, Catarina; Rosa, Maria João

2015-01-01

The energy costs usually represent the second largest part of the running costs of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). It is therefore crucial to increase the energy efficiency of these infrastructures and to implement energy management systems, where quantitative performance metrics, such as performance indicators (PIs), play a key role. This paper presents energy PIs which cover the unit energy consumption, production, net use from external sources and costs, and the results used to validate them and derive their reference values. The results of a field study with 17 Portuguese WWTPs (5-year period) were consistent with the results obtained through an international literature survey on the two key parcels of the energy balance--consumption and production. The unit energy consumption showed an overall inverse relation with the volume treated, and the reference values reflect this relation for trickling filters and for activated sludge systems (conventional, with coagulation/filtration (C/F) and with nitrification and C/F). The reference values of electrical energy production were derived from the methane generation potential (converted to electrical energy) and literature data, whereas those of energy net use were obtained by the difference between the energy consumption and production.

Using genetic algorithm to determine the optimal order quantities for multi-item multi-period under warehouse capacity constraints in kitchenware manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saraswati, D.; Sari, D. K.; Johan, V.

2017-11-01

The study was conducted on a manufacturer that produced various kinds of kitchenware with kitchen sink as the main product. There were four types of steel sheets selected as the raw materials of the kitchen sink. The problem was the manufacturer wanted to determine how much steel sheets to order from a single supplier to meet the production requirements in a way to minimize the total inventory cost. In this case, the economic order quantity (EOQ) model was developed using all-unit discount as the price of steel sheets and the warehouse capacity was limited. Genetic algorithm (GA) was used to find the minimum of the total inventory cost as a sum of purchasing cost, ordering cost, holding cost and penalty cost.

Planning, budgeting, and controlling--one look at the future: case-mix cost accounting.

PubMed Central

Thompson, J D; Averill, R F; Fetter, R B

1979-01-01

This paper outlines the system for cost accounting and managerial control which is an extension of the usually accepted departmental costing systems and takes as its units the 383 Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs) considered to be the hospital's products. It is held that such an approach offers hospital managers a more powerful, analytic, budgeting, and cost-finding tool and offers the opportunity to involve the medical staff in the issues of how their practice patterns are affecting hospital costs. PMID:511578

Planning, budgeting, and controlling--one look at the future: case-mix cost accounting.

PubMed

Thompson, J D; Averill, R F; Fetter, R B

1979-01-01

This paper outlines the system for cost accounting and managerial control which is an extension of the usually accepted departmental costing systems and takes as its units the 383 Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs) considered to be the hospital's products. It is held that such an approach offers hospital managers a more powerful, analytic, budgeting, and cost-finding tool and offers the opportunity to involve the medical staff in the issues of how their practice patterns are affecting hospital costs.

Impact of Obesity on Work Productivity in Different US Occupations: Analysis of the National Health and Wellness Survey 2014 to 2015.

PubMed

Kudel, Ian; Huang, Joanna C; Ganguly, Rahul

2018-01-01

The aim of this study was to quantify the relationship between workers' body mass index and work productivity within various occupations. Data from two administrations (2014 and 2015) of the United States (US) National Health and Wellness Survey, an Internet-based survey administered to an adult sample of the US population, were used for this study (n = 59,772). Occupation was based on the US Department of Labor's 2010 Standardized Occupation Codes. Outcomes included work productivity impairment and indirect costs of missed work time. Obesity had the greatest impact on work productivity in Construction, followed by Arts and Hospitality occupations. Outcomes varied across occupations; multivariable analyses found significant differences in work productivity impairment and indirect costs between normal weight and at least one obesity class. Obesity differentially impacted productivity and costs, depending upon occupation.

The effects of fabric type, fabric width and model type on the cost of unit raw material in terms of apparel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bilgiç, H.; Duru Baykal, P.

2017-10-01

The cost of the fabric which is the raw material of apparel constitutes approximately the half of the total product cost. So, it is highly important that the fabric should be used with the greatest productivity. Cost analysis are of great importance in terms of competitiveness of readymade clothing and apparel sector both in national and international markets. The proximity of costs to international average and the average cost of the countries that are competitors of Turkey in clothing market is essential for Turkey to sustain its effect in textile sector. In the contrary case, the sector won’t be able to maintain its competitive capacity sustainably [1].The main cost elements of textile and apparel sector consist of raw material, labor, energy and financing [2].

Economic and Environmental Assessment of Seed and Rhizome Propagated Miscanthus in the UK.

PubMed

Hastings, Astley; Mos, Michal; Yesufu, Jalil A; McCalmont, Jon; Schwarz, Kai; Shafei, Reza; Ashman, Chris; Nunn, Chris; Schuele, Heinrich; Cosentino, Salvatore; Scalici, Giovanni; Scordia, Danilo; Wagner, Moritz; Clifton-Brown, John

2017-01-01

Growth in planted areas of Miscanthus for biomass in Europe has stagnated since 2010 due to technical challenges, economic barriers and environmental concerns. These limitations need to be overcome before biomass production from Miscanthus can expand to several million hectares. In this paper, we consider the economic and environmental effects of introducing seed based hybrids as an alternative to clonal M. x giganteus ( Mxg ). The impact of seed based propagation and novel agronomy was compared with current Mxg cultivation and used in 10 commercially relevant, field scale experiments planted between 2012 and 2014 in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Ukraine. Economic and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions costs were quantified for the following production chain: propagation, establishment, harvest, transportation, storage, and fuel preparation (excluding soil carbon changes). The production and utilization efficiency of seed and rhizome propagation were compared. Results show that new hybrid seed propagation significantly reduces establishment cost to below £900 ha -1 . Calculated GHG emission costs for the seeds established via plugs, though relatively small, was higher than rhizomes because fossil fuels were assumed to heat glasshouses for raising seedling plugs (5.3 and 1.5 kg CO 2 eq. C Mg [dry matter (DM)] -1 ), respectively. Plastic mulch film reduced establishment time, improving crop economics. The breakeven yield was calculated to be 6 Mg DM ha -1 y -1 , which is about half average United Kingdom yield for Mxg ; with newer seeded hybrids reaching 16 Mg DM ha -1 in second year United Kingdom trials. These combined improvements will significantly increase crop profitability. The trade-offs between costs of production for the preparation of different feedstock formats show that bales are the best option for direct firing with the lowest transport costs (£0.04 Mg -1 km -1 ) and easy on-farm storage. However, if pelleted fuel is required then chip harvesting is more economic. We show how current seed based propagation methods can increase the rate at which Miscanthus can be scaled up; ∼×100 those of current rhizome propagation. These rapid ramp rates for biomass production are required to deliver a scalable and economic Miscanthus biomass fuel whose GHG emissions are ∼1/20th those of natural gas per unit of heat.

Economic and Environmental Assessment of Seed and Rhizome Propagated Miscanthus in the UK

PubMed Central

Hastings, Astley; Mos, Michal; Yesufu, Jalil A.; McCalmont, Jon; Schwarz, Kai; Shafei, Reza; Ashman, Chris; Nunn, Chris; Schuele, Heinrich; Cosentino, Salvatore; Scalici, Giovanni; Scordia, Danilo; Wagner, Moritz; Clifton-Brown, John

2017-01-01

Growth in planted areas of Miscanthus for biomass in Europe has stagnated since 2010 due to technical challenges, economic barriers and environmental concerns. These limitations need to be overcome before biomass production from Miscanthus can expand to several million hectares. In this paper, we consider the economic and environmental effects of introducing seed based hybrids as an alternative to clonal M. x giganteus (Mxg). The impact of seed based propagation and novel agronomy was compared with current Mxg cultivation and used in 10 commercially relevant, field scale experiments planted between 2012 and 2014 in the United Kingdom, Germany, and Ukraine. Economic and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions costs were quantified for the following production chain: propagation, establishment, harvest, transportation, storage, and fuel preparation (excluding soil carbon changes). The production and utilization efficiency of seed and rhizome propagation were compared. Results show that new hybrid seed propagation significantly reduces establishment cost to below £900 ha-1. Calculated GHG emission costs for the seeds established via plugs, though relatively small, was higher than rhizomes because fossil fuels were assumed to heat glasshouses for raising seedling plugs (5.3 and 1.5 kg CO2 eq. C Mg [dry matter (DM)]-1), respectively. Plastic mulch film reduced establishment time, improving crop economics. The breakeven yield was calculated to be 6 Mg DM ha-1 y-1, which is about half average United Kingdom yield for Mxg; with newer seeded hybrids reaching 16 Mg DM ha-1 in second year United Kingdom trials. These combined improvements will significantly increase crop profitability. The trade-offs between costs of production for the preparation of different feedstock formats show that bales are the best option for direct firing with the lowest transport costs (£0.04 Mg-1 km-1) and easy on-farm storage. However, if pelleted fuel is required then chip harvesting is more economic. We show how current seed based propagation methods can increase the rate at which Miscanthus can be scaled up; ∼×100 those of current rhizome propagation. These rapid ramp rates for biomass production are required to deliver a scalable and economic Miscanthus biomass fuel whose GHG emissions are ∼1/20th those of natural gas per unit of heat. PMID:28713395

International Trends in Productivity and Labor Costs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Capdevielle, Patricia; And Others

1982-01-01

Productivity increased in 1981 in the United States, Japan, and European countries studied. Gains ranged from 2 to 4 percent in the US, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands, to 6 percent in England and Denmark, and more than 7 percent in Belgium. In Canada and Sweden, productivity remained essentially unchanged. (SSH)

Efficiency of U.S. Dialysis Centers: An Updated Examination of Facility Characteristics That Influence Production of Dialysis Treatments

PubMed Central

Shreay, Sanatan; Ma, Martin; McCluskey, Jill; Mittelhammer, Ron C; Gitlin, Matthew; Stephens, J Mark

2014-01-01

Objective To explore the relative efficiency of dialysis facilities in the United States and identify factors that are associated with efficiency in the production of dialysis treatments. Data Sources/Study Setting Medicare cost report data from 4,343 free-standing dialysis facilities in the United States that offered in-center hemodialysis in 2010. Study Design A cross-sectional, facility-level retrospective database analysis, utilizing data envelopment analysis (DEA) to estimate facility efficiency. Data Collection/Extraction Methods Treatment data and cost and labor inputs of dialysis treatments were obtained from 2010 Medicare Renal Cost Reports. Demographic data were obtained from the 2010 U.S. Census. Principal Findings Only 26.6 percent of facilities were technically efficient. Neither the intensity of market competition nor the profit status of the facility had a significant effect on efficiency. Facilities that were members of large chains were less likely to be efficient. Cost and labor savings due to changes in drug protocols had little effect on overall dialysis center efficiency. Conclusions The majority of free-standing dialysis facilities in the United States were functioning in a technically inefficient manner. As payment systems increasingly employ capitation and bundling provisions, these institutions will need to evaluate their efficiency to remain competitive. PMID:24237043

Commercial premixed parenteral nutrition: Is it right for your institution?

PubMed

Miller, Sarah J

2009-01-01

Two-compartment premixed parenteral nutrition (PN) products are heavily promoted in the United States. These products may present safety advantages over PN solutions mixed by a local pharmacy, although clinical data to support this assertion are scarce. Multicompartment products can be labor-saving for pharmacy and therefore may be cost-effective for some institutions. Before adopting such products for use, an institution must determine that standardized PN solutions are acceptable for many or most of their patients compared with customized PN compounded specifically for individual patients. A larger selection of premixed products is available in Europe and some other parts of the world compared with the United States. Availability of a broader selection of products in the United States, including 3-compartment bags and a wider range of macronutrient concentrations and volumes, may make the use of such products more desirable in the future.

Techno-economic Analysis of Acid Gas Removal and Liquefaction for Pressurized LNG

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, S. H.; Seo, Y. K.; Chang, D. J.

2018-05-01

This study estimated the life cycle cost (LCC) of an acid gas removal and a liquefaction processes for Pressurized LNG (PLNG) production and compared the results with the cost of normal LNG production. PLNG is pressurized LNG that is liquefied at a higher pressure and temperature than normal LNG. Due to the high temperature, the energy for liquefaction is reduced. The allowable CO2 concentration in PLNG is increased up to 3 mol% when the product pressure 25 bar. An amine process with 35 wt% of diethanolamine (DEA) aqueous solution and a nitrogen expansion cycle were selected for the acid gas removal and the liquefaction processes, respectively. Two types of CO2 concentration in the feed gas were investigated to analyze their impacts on the acid gas removal unit. When the CO2 concentration was 5 mol%, the acid gas removal unit was required for both LNG and PLNG production. However, the acid gas removal unit was not necessary in PLNG when the concentration was 0.5 mol% and the pressure was higher than 15 bar. The results showed that the LCC of PLNG was reduced by almost 35% relative to that of LNG when the PLNG pressure was higher than 15 bar.

Cost accounting in a surgical unit in a teaching hospital--a pilot study.

PubMed

Malalasekera, A P; Ariyaratne, M H; Fernando, R; Perera, D; Deen, K I

2003-09-01

Economic constraints remain one of the major limitations on the quality of health care even in industrialised countries. Improvement of quality will require optimising facilities within available resources. Our objective was to determine costs of surgery and to identify areas where cost reduction is possible. 80 patients undergoing routine major and intermediate surgery during a period of 6 months were selected at random. All consumables used and procedures carried out were documented. A unit cost was assigned to each of these. Costing was based on 3 main categories: preoperative (investigations, blood product related costs), operative (anaesthetic charges, consumables and theatre charges) and post-operative (investigations, consumables, hospital stay). Theatre charges included two components: fixed (consumables) and variable (dependent on time per operation). The indirect costs (e.g. administration costs, 'hotel' costs), accounted for 30%, of the total and were lower than similar costs in industrialised nations. The largest contributory factors (median, range) towards total cost were, basic hospital charges (30%; 15 to 63%); theatre charges fixed (23%; 6 to 35%) and variable (14%; 8 to 27%); and anaesthetic charges (15%; 1 to 36%). Cost reduction in patients undergoing surgery should focus on decreasing hospital stay, operating theatre time and anaesthetic expenditure. Although definite measures can be suggested from the study, further studies on these variables are necessary to optimise cost effectiveness of surgical units.

Critical care medicine in the United States 2000-2005: an analysis of bed numbers, occupancy rates, payer mix, and costs.

PubMed

Halpern, Neil A; Pastores, Stephen M

2010-01-01

To analyze the evolving role, patterns of use, and costs of critical care medicine in the United States from 2000 to 2005. Retrospective study of data from the Hospital Cost Report Information System (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Baltimore, Maryland). Nonfederal, acute care hospitals with critical care medicine beds in the United States. None. None. We analyzed hospital and critical care medicine beds, bed types, days, occupancy rates, payer mix (Medicare and Medicaid), and costs. Critical care medicine costs were compared with national cost indexes. Between 2000 and 2005, the total number of U.S. hospitals with critical care medicine beds decreased by 12.2% (from 3,586 to 3,150). Although the number of hospital beds decreased by 4.2% (from 655,785 to 628,409), both hospital days and occupancy rates increased by 5.1% (from 145.1 to 152.5 million) and 13.7% (from 59% to 67%), respectively. Critical care medicine beds increased by 6.5% (from 88,252 to 93,955), days by 10.6% (from 21.0 to 23.2 million), and occupancy rates by 4.5% (from 65% to 68%). The majority (90%) of critical care medicine beds were classified as intensive care, premature/neonatal, and coronary care unit beds. The percentage of critical care medicine days used by Medicare decreased by 3.8% (from 37.9% to 36.5%) compared with an increase of 15.5% (from 14.5% to 16.8%) by Medicaid. From 2000 to 2005, critical care medicine costs per day increased by 30.4% (from $2698 to $3518). Although annual critical care medicine costs increased by 44.2% (from $56.6 to $81.7 billion), the proportion of hospital costs and national health expenditures allocated to critical care medicine decreased by 1.6% and 1.8%, respectively. However, the proportion of the gross domestic product used by critical care medicine increased by 13.7%. In 2005, critical care medicine costs represented 13.4% of hospital costs, 4.1% of national health expenditures, and 0.66% of the gross domestic product. Critical care medicine continues to grow in a shrinking U.S. hospital system. The critical care medicine payer mix is evolving, with Medicaid increasing in its percentage of critical care medicine use. Critical care medicine is more cost controlled than other healthcare indexes, but is still using an increasing percentage of the gross domestic product. Our updated and comprehensive critical care medicine use and cost analysis provides a contemporary benchmark for the strategic planning of critical care medicine services within the U.S. healthcare system.

Two Echelon Supply Chain Integrated Inventory Model for Similar Products: A Case Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parjane, Manoj Baburao; Dabade, Balaji Marutirao; Gulve, Milind Bhaskar

2017-06-01

The purpose of this paper is to develop a mathematical model towards minimization of total cost across echelons in a multi-product supply chain environment. The scenario under consideration is a two-echelon supply chain system with one manufacturer, one retailer and M products. The retailer faces independent Poisson demand for each product. The retailer and the manufacturer are closely coupled in the sense that the information about any depletion in the inventory of a product at a retailer's end is immediately available to the manufacturer. Further, stock-out is backordered at the retailer's end. Thus the costs incurred at the retailer's end are the holding costs and the backorder costs. The manufacturer has only one processor which is time shared among the M products. Production changeover from one product to another entails a fixed setup cost and a fixed set up time. Each unit of a product has a production time. Considering the cost components, and assuming transportation time and cost to be negligible, the objective of the study is to minimize the expected total cost considering both the manufacturer and retailer. In the process two aspects are to be defined. Firstly, every time a product is taken up for production, how much of it (production batch size, q) should be produced. Considering a large value of q favors the manufacturer while a small value of q suits the retailers. Secondly, for a given batch size q, at what level of retailer's inventory (production queuing point), the batch size S of a product be taken up for production by the manufacturer. A higher value of S incurs more holding cost whereas a lower value of S increases the chance of backorder. A tradeoff between the holding and backorder cost must be taken into consideration while choosing an optimal value of S. It may be noted that due to multiple products and single processor, a product `taken' up for production may not get the processor immediately, and may have to wait in a queue. The `S' should factor in the probability of waiting time in the queue.

Space Transportatioin System (STS) propellant scavenging system study. Volume 3: Cost and work breakdown structure-dictionary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

Fundamentally, the volumes of the oxidizer and fuel propellant scavenged from the orbiter and external tank determine the size and weight of the scavenging system. The optimization of system dimensions and weights is stimulated by the requirement to minimize the use of partial length of the orbiter payload bay. Thus, the cost estimates begin with weights established for the optimum design. Both the design, development, test, and evaluation and theoretical first unit hardware production costs are estimated from parametric cost weight scaling relations for four subsystems. For cryogenic propellants, the widely differing characteristics of the oxidizer and the fuel lead to two separate tank subsystems, in addition to the electrical and instrumentation subsystems. Hardwares costs also involve quantity, as an independent variable, since the number of production scavenging systems is not firm. For storable propellants, since the tankage volume of the oxidizer and fuel are equal, the hardware production costs for developing these systems are lower than for cryogenic propellants.

Cost accounting, management control, and planning in health care.

PubMed

Siegrist, R B; Blish, C S

1988-02-01

Advantages and pharmacy applications of computerized hospital management-control and planning systems are described. Hospitals must define their product lines; patient cases, not tests or procedures, are the end product. Management involves operational control, management control, and strategic planning. Operational control deals with day-to-day management on the task level. Management control involves ensuring that managers use resources effectively and efficiently to accomplish the organization's objectives. Management control includes both control of unit costs of intermediate products, which are procedures and services used to treat patients and are managed by hospital department heads, and control of intermediate product use per case (managed by the clinician). Information from the operation and management levels feeds into the strategic plan; conversely, the management level controls the plan and the operational level carries it out. In the system developed at New England Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, the intermediate product-management system enables managers to identify intermediate products, develop standard costs, simulate changes in departmental costs, and perform variance analysis. The end-product management system creates a patient-level data-base, identifies end products (patient-care groupings), develops standard resource protocols, models alternative assumptions, performs variance analysis, and provides concurrent reporting. Examples are given of pharmacy managers' use of such systems to answer questions in the areas of product costing, product pricing, variance analysis, productivity monitoring, flexible budgeting, modeling and planning, and comparative analysis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

7 CFR 2902.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... environmental and health benefits and life cycle costs of items, developed by the U.S. Department of Commerce..., industries, business, and consumer representatives. Neat product. A product that is made of only one... Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture. Small and emerging private business enterprise...

Field Demonstration of a High-Efficiency Packaged Rooftop Air Conditioning Unit at Fort Gordon, Augusta, GA

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

Armstrong, Peter R.; Sullivan, Gregory P.; Parker, Graham B.

2006-03-31

As part of a larger program targeting the market transformation of packaged rooftop air conditioning, five high-efficiency rooftop air conditioning products were selected in 2002 by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under the Unitary Air Conditioner (UAC) Technology Procurement (http://www.pnl.gov/uac). In February 2003, Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia was chosen as the demonstration site. With the goal of validating the field performance and operation of one of the awarded products, a 10-ton high-efficiency packaged rooftop unit (RTU) manufactured by Global Energy Group (GEG) was installed at Fort Gordon in October 2003. Following equipment installation, power metering, air- and refrigerant-sidemore » instrumentation was installed on the GEG RTU and a 4-year old typical-efficiency 20-ton RTU manufactured by AAON . The GEG and AAON units were instrumented identically and operated May through July, 2005, to observe performance under a range of conditions. Based on the data collected as part of this demonstration, the GEG equipment performed at least 8% better in stage-1 (single compressor running) cooling and at least 16% better in stage-2 (both compressors running) than the baseline AAON equipment. Performance comparisons are based on what we call application EER normalized to equivalent specific fan power. The full-load, specific-fan-power-normalized application EERs at ARI design conditions were 10.48 Btu/Wh for the GEG and 9.00 Btu/Wh for the baseline machine. With a cost premium of nearly 50%, and slightly higher maintenance costs, the life-cycle cost analysis shows that the GEG technology pays for itself--a positive net-present value (NPV)--only in climates and buildings with long cooling seasons. Manufacture of this equipment on a larger scale can be expected to reduce costs to the point where it is more broadly cost-effective. The assumed 10-ton baseline and new-technology unit costs are $3824.00 and $5525.00 respectively. If the new technology cost is assumed to drop as sales increase to $4674.50 for a 10-ton unit (i.e. the original cost difference is halved), the life-cycle costs improve. A grid of first cost, annual maintenance cost and electricity price is enumerated and the results presented in the report show the sensitivity of life cycle cost to these three financial parameters in each of eight different climates.« less

The Quantitative Analysis of Chennai Automotive Industry Cluster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhaskaran, Ethirajan

2016-07-01

Chennai, also called as Detroit of India due to presence of Automotive Industry producing over 40 % of the India's vehicle and components. During 2001-2002, the Automotive Component Industries (ACI) in Ambattur, Thirumalizai and Thirumudivakkam Industrial Estate, Chennai has faced problems on infrastructure, technology, procurement, production and marketing. The objective is to study the Quantitative Performance of Chennai Automotive Industry Cluster before (2001-2002) and after the CDA (2008-2009). The methodology adopted is collection of primary data from 100 ACI using quantitative questionnaire and analyzing using Correlation Analysis (CA), Regression Analysis (RA), Friedman Test (FMT), and Kruskall Wallis Test (KWT).The CA computed for the different set of variables reveals that there is high degree of relationship between the variables studied. The RA models constructed establish the strong relationship between the dependent variable and a host of independent variables. The models proposed here reveal the approximate relationship in a closer form. KWT proves, there is no significant difference between three locations clusters with respect to: Net Profit, Production Cost, Marketing Costs, Procurement Costs and Gross Output. This supports that each location has contributed for development of automobile component cluster uniformly. The FMT proves, there is no significant difference between industrial units in respect of cost like Production, Infrastructure, Technology, Marketing and Net Profit. To conclude, the Automotive Industries have fully utilized the Physical Infrastructure and Centralised Facilities by adopting CDA and now exporting their products to North America, South America, Europe, Australia, Africa and Asia. The value chain analysis models have been implemented in all the cluster units. This Cluster Development Approach (CDA) model can be implemented in industries of under developed and developing countries for cost reduction and productivity increase.

A GIS cost model to assess the availability of freshwater, seawater, and saline groundwater for algal biofuel production in the United States.

PubMed

Venteris, Erik R; Skaggs, Richard L; Coleman, Andre M; Wigmosta, Mark S

2013-05-07

A key advantage of using microalgae for biofuel production is the ability of some algal strains to thrive in waters unsuitable for conventional crop irrigation such as saline groundwater or seawater. Nonetheless, the availability of sustainable water supplies will provide significant challenges for scale-up and development of algal biofuels. We conduct a partial techno-economic assessment based on the availability of freshwater, saline groundwater, and seawater for use in open pond algae cultivation systems. We explore water issues through GIS-based models of algae biofuel production, freshwater supply (constrained to less than 5% of mean annual flow per watershed) and costs, and cost-distance models for supplying seawater and saline groundwater. We estimate that, combined, these resources can support 9.46 × 10(7) m(3) yr(-1) (25 billion gallons yr(-1)) of renewable biodiesel production in the coterminous United States. Achievement of larger targets requires the utilization of less water efficient sites and relatively expensive saline waters. Despite the addition of freshwater supply constraints and saline water resources, the geographic conclusions are similar to our previous results. Freshwater availability and saline water delivery costs are most favorable for the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and Florida peninsula, where evaporation relative to precipitation is moderate. As a whole, the barren and scrub lands of the southwestern U.S. have limited freshwater supplies, and large net evaporation rates greatly increase the cost of saline alternatives due to the added makeup water required to maintain pond salinity. However, this and similar analyses are particularly sensitive to knowledge gaps in algae growth/lipid production performance and the proportion of freshwater resources available, key topics for future investigation.

Estimating the economic opportunity cost of water use with river basin simulators in a computationally efficient way

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rougé, Charles; Harou, Julien J.; Pulido-Velazquez, Manuel; Matrosov, Evgenii S.

2017-04-01

The marginal opportunity cost of water refers to benefits forgone by not allocating an additional unit of water to its most economically productive use at a specific location in a river basin at a specific moment in time. Estimating the opportunity cost of water is an important contribution to water management as it can be used for better water allocation or better system operation, and can suggest where future water infrastructure could be most beneficial. Opportunity costs can be estimated using 'shadow values' provided by hydro-economic optimization models. Yet, such models' use of optimization means the models had difficulty accurately representing the impact of operating rules and regulatory and institutional mechanisms on actual water allocation. In this work we use more widely available river basin simulation models to estimate opportunity costs. This has been done before by adding in the model a small quantity of water at the place and time where the opportunity cost should be computed, then running a simulation and comparing the difference in system benefits. The added system benefits per unit of water added to the system then provide an approximation of the opportunity cost. This approximation can then be used to design efficient pricing policies that provide incentives for users to reduce their water consumption. Yet, this method requires one simulation run per node and per time step, which is demanding computationally for large-scale systems and short time steps (e.g., a day or a week). Besides, opportunity cost estimates are supposed to reflect the most productive use of an additional unit of water, yet the simulation rules do not necessarily use water that way. In this work, we propose an alternative approach, which computes the opportunity cost through a double backward induction, first recursively from outlet to headwaters within the river network at each time step, then recursively backwards in time. Both backward inductions only require linear operations, and the resulting algorithm tracks the maximal benefit that can be obtained by having an additional unit of water at any node in the network and at any date in time. Results 1) can be obtained from the results of a rule-based simulation using a single post-processing run, and 2) are exactly the (gross) benefit forgone by not allocating an additional unit of water to its most productive use. The proposed method is applied to London's water resource system to track the value of storage in the city's water supply reservoirs on the Thames River throughout a weekly 85-year simulation. Results, obtained in 0.4 seconds on a single processor, reflect the environmental cost of water shortage. This fast computation allows visualizing the seasonal variations of the opportunity cost depending on reservoir levels, demonstrating the potential of this approach for exploring water values and its variations using simulation models with multiple runs (e.g. of stochastically generated plausible future river inflows).

78 FR 31399 - Recoupment of Nonrecurring Costs (NCs) on Sales of U.S. Items

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-24

.... Nonrecurring production costs do not include DoD expenditures for machine tools, capital equipment, or... organization pursuant to 22 U.S.C. Chapter 39. Major defense equipment. Any item of significant military equipment on the United States Munitions List having a nonrecurring research, development, test, and...

Low-Cost Hydrogen Distributed Production System Development

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

C.E.

2011-03-10

H{sub 2}Gen, with the support of the Department of Energy, successfully designed, built and field-tested two steam methane reformers with 578 kg/day capacity, which has now become a standard commercial product serving customers in the specialty metals and PV manufacturing businesses. We demonstrated that this reformer/PSA system, when combined with compression, storage and dispensing (CSD) equipment could produce hydrogen that is already cost-competitive with gasoline per mile driven in a conventional (non-hybrid) vehicle. We further showed that mass producing this 578 kg/day system in quantities of just 100 units would reduce hydrogen cost per mile approximately 13% below the cost of untaxed gasoline per mile used in a hybrid electric vehicle. If mass produced in quantities of 500 units, hydrogen cost per mile in a FCEV would be 20% below the cost of untaxed gasoline in an HEV in the 2015-2020 time period using EIA fuel cost projections for natural gas and untaxed gasoline, and 45% below the cost of untaxed gasoline in a conventional car. This 20% to 45% reduction in fuel cost per mile would accrue even though hydrogen from this 578 kg/day system would cost approximatelymore » $4.14/kg, well above the DOE hydrogen cost targets of $2.50/kg by 2010 and $$2.00/kg by 2015. We also estimated the cost of a larger, 1,500 kg/day SMR/PSA fueling system based on engineering cost scaling factors derived from the two H{sub 2}Gen products, a commercial 115 kg/day system and the 578 kg/day system developed under this DOE contract. This proposed system could support 200 to 250 cars per day, similar to a medium gasoline station. We estimate that the cost per mile from this larger 1,500 kg/day hydrogen fueling system would be 26% to 40% below the cost per mile of untaxed gasoline in an HEV and ICV respectively, even without any mass production cost reductions. In quantities of 500 units, we are projecting per mile cost reductions between 45% (vs. HEVs) and 62% (vs ICVs), with hydrogen costing approximately $$2.87/kg, still above the DOE's 2010 $2.50/kg target. We also began laboratory testing of reforming ethanol, which we showed is currently the least expensive approach to making renewable hydrogen. Extended testing of neat ethanol in micro-reactors was successful, and we also were able to reform E-85 acquired from a local fueling station for 2,700 hours, although some modifications were required to handle the 15% gasoline present in E-85. We began initial tests of a catalyst-coated wall reformer tube that showed some promise in reducing the propensity to coke with E-85. These coated-wall tests ran for 350 hours. Additional resources would be required to commercialize an ethanol reformer operating on E-85, but there is no market for such a product at this time, so this ethanol reformer project was moth-balled pending future government or industry support. The two main objectives of this project were: (1) to design, build and test a steam methane reformer and pressure swing adsorption system that, if scaled up and mass produced, could potentially meet the DOE 2015 cost and efficiency targets for on-site distributed hydrogen generation, and (2) to demonstrate the efficacy of a low-cost renewable hydrogen generation system based on reforming ethanol to hydrogen at the fueling station.« less

Demonstration of no-VOC/no-HAP wood furniture coating system

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

Huang, E.W.; Guan, R.; McCrillis, R.C.

1997-12-31

The United States Environmental Protection Agency has contracted with AeroVironment Environmental Services, Inc. and its subcontractor, Adhesive Coating Co., to develop and demonstrate a no-VOC (volatile organic compound)/no-HAP (hazardous air pollutant) wood furniture coating system. The objectives of this project are to develop a new wood coating system that is sufficiently mature for demonstration and to develop a technology transfer plan to get the product into public use. The performance characteristics of this new coating system are excellent in terms of adhesion, drying times, gloss, hardness, mar resistance, level of solvents, and stain resistance. Workshops will be held to providemore » detailed information to wood furniture manufacturers on what is required to change to the new coating system. Topics such as spray gun selection, spray techniques, coating repair procedures, drying times and procedures, and spray equipment cleaning materials and techniques will be presented. A cost analysis, including costs of materials, capital outlay, and labor will be conducted comparing costs to finish furniture with the new system to systems currently used. Film performance, coating materials cost per unit production, productivity, manufacturing changes, and emission levels will be compared in the workshops, based on data gathered during the in-plant, full scale demonstrations.« less

Compact and low-cost fiber optic thermometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Mei H.

1997-06-01

Commercial fiberoptic thermometers have been available for a number of years. The early products were unreliable and high in price. However, the continuing effort in the development of new sensing techniques along with the breakthroughs made in many areas of optoelectronics in recent years have made the production of cost competitive and reliable systems feasible. A fluorescence decay time based system has been demonstrated to successfully meet both cost and performance requirements for various medical applications. A very critical element to the success of this low cost and compact fiberoptic thermometer is the fluorescent sensor material. The very high quantum efficiency, the operating wavelengths, and the temperature sensitivity helped significantly in simplifying the design requirements for the optics and the electronics. The one to eight channel unit contains one to eight modules of a simple optical assembly: an LED light source, a small lens, and a filter are housed in an injection molded plastic container. Both the electronics and the optics reside on a small printed circuit board of approximately 6 inches by 3 inches. This system can be packaged as a stand alone unit or embedded in original manufacturer equipment.

The economic efficiency and equity of government policies on brucellosis: comparative insights from Albania and the United States of America.

PubMed

Peck, D; Bruce, M

2017-04-01

Brucellosis is a zoonotic bacterial disease that causes recurring febrile illness in humans, as well as reproductive failure and reduced milk production in livestock. The cost of brucellosis is equal to the sum of lost productivity of humans and animals, as well as private and public expenditures on brucellosis surveillance, prevention, control and treatment. In Albania, Brucella abortus and B. melitensis affect humans, cattle and small ruminants. In the United States, B. abortus affects cattle and wild ungulates in the Greater Yellowstone Area. These two case studies illustrate the importance of place-specific context in developing sustainable and effective brucellosis mitigation policies. Government regulations and mitigation strategies should be designed with consideration of all costs and benefits, both to public agencies and private stakeholders. Policy-makers should, for example, weigh the benefits of a regulation that increases epidemiological certainty against the costs of compliance for producers and households. The distribution of costs and benefits amongst public agencies and private individuals can have important implications for a policy's economic efficiency and equity quite apart from their total magnitude.

Continuous processing and the applications of online tools in pharmaceutical product manufacture: developments and examples.

PubMed

Ooi, Shing Ming; Sarkar, Srimanta; van Varenbergh, Griet; Schoeters, Kris; Heng, Paul Wan Sia

2013-04-01

Continuous processing and production in pharmaceutical manufacturing has received increased attention in recent years mainly due to the industries' pressing needs for more efficient, cost-effective processes and production, as well as regulatory facilitation. To achieve optimum product quality, the traditional trial-and-error method for the optimization of different process and formulation parameters is expensive and time consuming. Real-time evaluation and the control of product quality using an online process analyzer in continuous processing can provide high-quality production with very high-throughput at low unit cost. This review focuses on continuous processing and the application of different real-time monitoring tools used in the pharmaceutical industry for continuous processing from powder to tablets.

Mobile HIV screening in Cape Town, South Africa: clinical impact, cost and cost-effectiveness.

PubMed

Bassett, Ingrid V; Govindasamy, Darshini; Erlwanger, Alison S; Hyle, Emily P; Kranzer, Katharina; van Schaik, Nienke; Noubary, Farzad; Paltiel, A David; Wood, Robin; Walensky, Rochelle P; Losina, Elena; Bekker, Linda-Gail; Freedberg, Kenneth A

2014-01-01

Mobile HIV screening may facilitate early HIV diagnosis. Our objective was to examine the cost-effectiveness of adding a mobile screening unit to current medical facility-based HIV testing in Cape Town, South Africa. We used the Cost Effectiveness of Preventing AIDS Complications International (CEPAC-I) computer simulation model to evaluate two HIV screening strategies in Cape Town: 1) medical facility-based testing (the current standard of care) and 2) addition of a mobile HIV-testing unit intervention in the same community. Baseline input parameters were derived from a Cape Town-based mobile unit that tested 18,870 individuals over 2 years: prevalence of previously undiagnosed HIV (6.6%), mean CD4 count at diagnosis (males 423/µL, females 516/µL), CD4 count-dependent linkage to care rates (males 31%-58%, females 49%-58%), mobile unit intervention cost (includes acquisition, operation and HIV test costs, $29.30 per negative result and $31.30 per positive result). We conducted extensive sensitivity analyses to evaluate input uncertainty. Model outcomes included site of HIV diagnosis, life expectancy, medical costs, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of the intervention compared to medical facility-based testing. We considered the intervention to be "very cost-effective" when the ICER was less than South Africa's annual per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ($8,200 in 2012). We projected that, with medical facility-based testing, the discounted (undiscounted) HIV-infected population life expectancy was 132.2 (197.7) months; this increased to 140.7 (211.7) months with the addition of the mobile unit. The ICER for the mobile unit was $2,400/year of life saved (YLS). Results were most sensitive to the previously undiagnosed HIV prevalence, linkage to care rates, and frequency of HIV testing at medical facilities. The addition of mobile HIV screening to current testing programs can improve survival and be very cost-effective in South Africa and other resource-limited settings, and should be a priority.

Estimate of the direct and indirect annual cost of bacterial conjunctivitis in the United States

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to estimate both the direct and indirect annual costs of treating bacterial conjunctivitis (BC) in the United States. This was a cost of illness study performed from a U.S. healthcare payer perspective. Methods A comprehensive review of the medical literature was supplemented by data on the annual incidence of BC which was obtained from an analysis of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) database for the year 2005. Cost estimates for medical visits and laboratory or diagnostic tests were derived from published Medicare CPT fee codes. The cost of prescription drugs was obtained from standard reference sources. Indirect costs were calculated as those due to lost productivity. Due to the acute nature of BC, no cost discounting was performed. All costs are expressed in 2007 U.S. dollars. Results The number of BC cases in the U.S. for 2005 was estimated at approximately 4 million yielding an estimated annual incidence rate of 135 per 10,000. Base-case analysis estimated the total direct and indirect cost of treating patients with BC in the United States at $ 589 million. One- way sensitivity analysis, assuming either a 20% variation in the annual incidence of BC or treatment costs, generated a cost range of $ 469 million to $ 705 million. Two-way sensitivity analysis, assuming a 20% variation in both the annual incidence of BC and treatment costs occurring simultaneously, resulted in an estimated cost range of $ 377 million to $ 857 million. Conclusion The economic burden posed by BC is significant. The findings may prove useful to decision makers regarding the allocation of healthcare resources necessary to address the economic burden of BC in the United States. PMID:19939250

Electricity prices in a competitive environment: Marginal cost pricing of generation services and financial status of electric utilities. A preliminary analysis through 2015

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

NONE

1997-08-01

The emergence of competitive markets for electricity generation services is changing the way that electricity is and will be priced in the United States. This report presents the results of an analysis that focuses on two questions: (1) How are prices for competitive generation services likely to differ from regulated prices if competitive prices are based on marginal costs rather than regulated {open_quotes}cost-of-service{close_quotes} pricing? (2) What impacts will the competitive pricing of generation services (based on marginal costs) have on electricity consumption patterns, production costs, and the financial integrity patterns, production costs, and the financial integrity of electricity suppliers? Thismore » study is not intended to be a cost-benefit analysis of wholesale or retail competition, nor does this report include an analysis of the macroeconomic impacts of competitive electricity prices.« less

A Cost Analysis of the Ohio College Library Center On-Line Shared Cataloging System in the Ohio State University Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morita, Ichiko T.; Gapen, D. Kaye

1977-01-01

A study of the costs of cataloging and associated processing tasks before and after the adoption of the Ohio College Library Center On-Line Shared Cataloging System at the Ohio State University Libraries finds that an increase in production has been achieved. Unit costs have risen at a rate less than the general rate of inflation. (Author)

Evaluation of Selected Chemical Processes for Production of Low-cost Silicon, Phase 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blocher, J. M., Jr.; Browning, M. F.

1979-01-01

The construction of the 50 MT Si/year experimental process system development unit was deferred until FY 1980, and the fluidized bed, zinc vaporizer, by-product condenser, and electrolytic cell were combined with auxiliary units, capable of supporting 8-hour batchwise operation, to form the process development unit (PDU), which is scheduled to be in operation by October 1, 1979. The design of the PDU and objectives of its operation are discussed. Experimental program support activities described relate to: (1) a wetted-wall condensor; (2) fluidized-bed modeling; (3) zinc chloride electrolysis; and (4) zinc vaporizer.

On the socioeconomic benefits of family planning work.

PubMed

Yang, D

1991-01-01

The focus of this article is on 1) the intended socioeconomic benefit of Chinese family planning (FP) versus the benefit of the maternal production sector, 2) the estimated costs of FP work, 3) and the principal ways to lower FP costs. Marxian population theory, which is ascribed to in socialist China, states that population and socioeconomic development are interconnected and must adapt to each other and that an excessively large or small population will upset the balance and retard development. Malthusians believe that large populations reduce income, and Adam Smith believed that more people meant a larger market and more income. It is believed that FP will bring socioeconomic benefits to China. The socioeconomic benefit of material production is the linkage between labor consumption and the amount of labor usage with the fruits and benefits of labor. FP invests in human, material, and financial resources to reduce the birth rate and the absolute number of births. The investment is recouped in population. The increased national income generated from a small outlay to produce an ideal population would be used to improve material and cultural lives. FP brings economic benefits and accelerates social development (ecological balances women's emancipation and improvement in the physical and mental health of women and children, improvement in cultural learning and employment, cultivation of socialist morality and new practices, and stability). In computing FP cost, consideration is given to total cost and unit cost. Cost is dependent on the state budget allocation, which was 445.76 million yuan in 1982 and was doubled by 1989. World Bank figures for 1984 affixed the FP budget in China at 979.6 million US dollars, of which 80% was provided by China. Per person, this means 21 cents for central, provincial, prefecture, and country spending, 34 cents for rural collective set-ups, 25 cents for child awards, and various subsidies, 15 cents for sterilization, and 5 cents for rural medical services, or 1 US dollar/person. Unit costs are the costs to reduce the population of one and include direct and indirect costs. The unit cost between 1970-82 was 35.5 yuan, but if outlays for families and industrial units are included, the cost was 70-100 yuan. Population growth, however, must be balanced so that aging does not cancel out the benefits from FP gains. Lower costs can be achieved by better FP administration.

Techno-economic evaluation of simultaneous production of extra-cellular polymeric substance (EPS) and lipids by Cloacibacterium normanense NK6 using crude glycerol and sludge as substrate.

PubMed

Ram, S K; Kumar, L R; Tyagi, R D; Drogui, P

2018-05-01

This study used the technical, economic analysis tool, SuperPro designer in evaluating a novel technology for simultaneous production of extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) and biodiesel using crude glycerol and secondary sludge. As renewable energy sources are depleting, the process utilizes municipal sewage sludge for production of EPS and biodiesel along with crude glycerol, which is a waste byproduct of biodiesel industry providing an alternate way for disposal of municipal sludge and crude glycerol. Newly isolated Cloacibacterium normanense NK6 is used as micro-organism in the study as it is capable of producing high EPS concentration, using activated sludge and crude glycerol as the sole carbon source. The technology has many environmental and economic advantages like the simultaneous production of two major products: EPS and lipids. Sensitivity analysis of the process revealed that biomass lipid content is a most significant factor where unit cost production of biodiesel was highly sensitive to lipid content during bioreaction. B7 biodiesel unit production cost can be lowered from $1 to $0.6 if the lipid content of the biomass is improved by various process parameter modifications.

Abatement Cost of GHG Emissions for Wood-Based Electricity and Ethanol at Production and Consumption Levels

PubMed Central

Dwivedi, Puneet; Khanna, Madhu

2014-01-01

Woody feedstocks will play a critical role in meeting the demand for biomass-based energy products in the US. We developed an integrated model using comparable system boundaries and common set of assumptions to ascertain unit cost and greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of electricity and ethanol derived from slash pine (Pinus elliottii) at the production and consumption levels by considering existing automobile technologies. We also calculated abatement cost of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with respect to comparable energy products derived from fossil fuels. The production cost of electricity derived using wood chips was at least cheaper by 1 ¢ MJ−1 over electricity derived from wood pellets. The production cost of ethanol without any income from cogenerated electricity was costlier by about 0.7 ¢ MJ−1 than ethanol with income from cogenerated electricity. The production cost of electricity derived from wood chips was cheaper by at least 0.7 ¢ MJ−1 than the energy equivalent cost of ethanol produced in presence of cogenerated electricity. The cost of using ethanol as a fuel in a flex-fuel vehicle was at least higher by 6 ¢ km−1 than a comparable electric vehicle. The GHG intensity of per km distance traveled in a flex-fuel vehicle was greater or lower than an electric vehicle running on electricity derived from wood chips depending on presence and absence of GHG credits related with co-generated electricity. A carbon tax of at least $7 Mg CO2e−1 and $30 Mg CO2e−1 is needed to promote wood-based electricity and ethanol production in the US, respectively. The range of abatement cost of GHG emissions is significantly dependent on the harvest age and selected baseline especially for electricity generation. PMID:24937461

Abatement cost of GHG emissions for wood-based electricity and ethanol at production and consumption levels.

PubMed

Dwivedi, Puneet; Khanna, Madhu

2014-01-01

Woody feedstocks will play a critical role in meeting the demand for biomass-based energy products in the US. We developed an integrated model using comparable system boundaries and common set of assumptions to ascertain unit cost and greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of electricity and ethanol derived from slash pine (Pinus elliottii) at the production and consumption levels by considering existing automobile technologies. We also calculated abatement cost of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions with respect to comparable energy products derived from fossil fuels. The production cost of electricity derived using wood chips was at least cheaper by 1 ¢ MJ-1 over electricity derived from wood pellets. The production cost of ethanol without any income from cogenerated electricity was costlier by about 0.7 ¢ MJ-1 than ethanol with income from cogenerated electricity. The production cost of electricity derived from wood chips was cheaper by at least 0.7 ¢ MJ-1 than the energy equivalent cost of ethanol produced in presence of cogenerated electricity. The cost of using ethanol as a fuel in a flex-fuel vehicle was at least higher by 6 ¢ km-1 than a comparable electric vehicle. The GHG intensity of per km distance traveled in a flex-fuel vehicle was greater or lower than an electric vehicle running on electricity derived from wood chips depending on presence and absence of GHG credits related with co-generated electricity. A carbon tax of at least $7 Mg CO2e-1 and $30 Mg CO2e-1 is needed to promote wood-based electricity and ethanol production in the US, respectively. The range of abatement cost of GHG emissions is significantly dependent on the harvest age and selected baseline especially for electricity generation.

75 FR 72845 - New Postal Product

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-26

... contract for future functional equivalence analyses of the GEPS 3 product. \\1\\ Notice of United States... analysis of the formulas, and certification of the Governors' vote; and Attachment 4--an application for... costing information and volume commitments, do not alter the contracts' functional equivalency. Id. at 3-4...

1170 MW/sub t/ HTGR steamer cogeneration plant: design and cost study

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

None

A conceptual design and cost study is presented for intermediate size high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) for industrial energy applications performed by United Engineers and Constructors Inc., (UE and C) and The General Atomic Company (GAC). The study is part of a program at ORNL and has the objective to provide support in the evaluation of the technical and economic feasibility of a single unit 1170 MW/sub t/ HTGR steam cycle cogeneration plant (referred to as the Steamer plant) for the production of industrial process energy. Inherent in the achievement of this objective, it was essential to perform a numbermore » of basic tasks such as the development of plant concept, capital cost estimate, project schedule and annual operation and maintenance (O and M) cost.« less

Sustainable Mining Land Use for Lignite Based Energy Projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dudek, Michal; Krysa, Zbigniew

2017-12-01

This research aims to discuss complex lignite based energy projects economic viability and its impact on sustainable land use with respect to project risk and uncertainty, economics, optimisation (e.g. Lerchs and Grossmann) and importance of lignite as fuel that may be expressed in situ as deposit of energy. Sensitivity analysis and simulation consist of estimated variable land acquisition costs, geostatistics, 3D deposit block modelling, electricity price considered as project product price, power station efficiency and power station lignite processing unit cost, CO2 allowance costs, mining unit cost and also lignite availability treated as lignite reserves kriging estimation error. Investigated parameters have nonlinear influence on results so that economically viable amount of lignite in optimal pit varies having also nonlinear impact on land area required for mining operation.

A Decentralized Scheduling Policy for a Dynamically Reconfigurable Production System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giordani, Stefano; Lujak, Marin; Martinelli, Francesco

In this paper, the static layout of a traditional multi-machine factory producing a set of distinct goods is integrated with a set of mobile production units - robots. The robots dynamically change their work position to increment the product rate of the different typologies of products in respect to the fluctuations of the demands and production costs during a given time horizon. Assuming that the planning time horizon is subdivided into a finite number of time periods, this particularly flexible layout requires the definition and the solution of a complex scheduling problem, involving for each period of the planning time horizon, the determination of the position of the robots, i.e., the assignment to the respective tasks in order to minimize production costs given the product demand rates during the planning time horizon.

A Film Unit Designed Especially For Developing Countries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Woods, John L.

An Agency for International Development (AID) project established an educational film production unit in Malawi. The project was designed to deliver extension services and information from the Ministry of Agriculture to rural farmers and had to: 1) produce films which meet the needs of villagers; 2) keep costs to an absolute minimum; and 3) fully…

Development and on-site field testing of the power-tube airlift aerator and chances for commercialization

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Aeration of ponds when dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations are low is the principal management tool that allows for higher feeding rates, increased production, and decreased cost per unit fish produced. Recent research conducted at the USDA-ARS Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit has shown that fee...

15 CFR 50.60 - Request for certification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... set cost of the product (one certificate). Certification fees may increase somewhat if the customer.... These governmental units include a variety of legally defined general- and special-purpose governmental...

Estimating the unit costs of public hospitals and primary healthcare centers.

PubMed

Younis, Mustafa Z; Jaber, Samer; Mawson, Anthony R; Hartmann, Michael

2013-01-01

Many factors have affected the rise of health expenditures, such as high-cost medical technologies, changes in disease patterns and increasing demand for health services. All countries allocate a significant portion of resources to the health sector. In 2008, the gross domestic product of Palestine was estimated to be at $6.108bn (current price) or about $1697 per capita. Health expenditures are estimated at 15.6% of the gross domestic product, almost as much as those of Germany, Japan and other developed countries. The numbers of hospitals, hospital beds and primary healthcare centers in the country have all increased. The Ministry of Health (MOH) currently operates 27 of 76 hospitals, with a total of 3074 beds, which represent 61% of total beds of all hospitals in the Palestinian Authorities area. Also, the MOH is operating 453 of 706 Primary Health Care facilities. By 2007, about 40 000 people were employed in different sectors of the health system, with 33% employed by the MOH. This purpose of this study was to develop a financing strategy to help cover some or all of the costs involved in operating such institutions and to estimate the unit cost of primary and secondary programs and departments. A retrospective study was carried out on data from government hospitals and primary healthcare centers to identify and analyze the costs and output (patient-related services) and to estimate the unit cost of health services provided by hospitals and PHCs during the year 2008. All operating costs are assigned and allocated to the departments at MOH hospitals and primary health care centers (PPHCs) and are identified as overhead departments, intermediate-service and final-service departments. Intermediate-service departments provide procedures and services to patients in the final-service departments. The costs of the overhead departments are distributed to the intermediate-service and final-service departments through a step-down method, according to allocation criteria devised to resemble as closely as possible the actual use of resources by each of the departments. The data were analyzed using spss. Data cleaning was carried out by cross-validating the results through conducting cross-tabulations between the hospital/center and section/program to identify errors from the data collection or entry process. Depreciation of assets and the consumption of capital costs are ignored in this study, as it is difficult to evaluate the MOH facilities owing to a lack of recording of depreciation of assets or other costs of servicing capital assets. Inpatient costs contributed about 75% of all costs, whereas outpatient services contributed the remaining 25% of total costs. The average cost per visit was $13.00 for outpatient departments, whereas the average cost per patient day for inpatient departments was $90.00. As for the unit cost for each department, intensive care unit and intermediate care unit services were the highest among all categories of daily hospital services ($208.00). This is in contrast to surgical operations ($124.00), specialized surgeries ($106.00), delivery department ($99.00), orthopedics ($98.50) and general surgery ($85.00). The lowest unit cost was found in the neonatology department ($72.00). In PHCs, the unit cost per visit was highest for psychiatry programs ($26.00), followed by other programs ($21.50), chronic diseases ($21.00), maternal and child health ($11.50), preventive programs ($9.00) and general medicine ($6.50). The exchange rate listed by The Wall Street Journal as of Wednesday August 25, 2010 is 1 US dollar = 3.82 new Israeli shekel (NIS). The findings have implications for policy and decision making in the health sector in Palestine concerning the cost of services provided by hospitals and PHCs. The availability of a standardized data set for cost assessment would greatly enhance and improve the quality of financial information as well as efficiency in the use of scarce resources. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Flat-plate solar array project: Experimental process system development unit for producing semiconductor-grade silicon using the silane-to-silicon process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1983-01-01

The process technology for the manufacture of semiconductor-grade silicon in a large commercial plant by 1986, at a price less than $14 per kilogram of silicon based on 1975 dollars is discussed. The engineering design, installation, checkout, and operation of an Experimental Process System Development unit was discussed. Quality control of scaling-up the process and an economic analysis of product and production costs are discussed.

All plastic ultra-small size imaging lens unit fabrication and evaluation for endoscope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishii, Kenta; Okamoto, Dai; Ushio, Makoto; Tai, Hidetoshi; Nishihara, Atsuhiko; Tokuda, Kimio; Kawai, Shinsuke; Kitagawa, Seiichiro

2017-02-01

There is demand for small-size lens units for endoscope and industrial applications. Polished glass lenses with a diameter of 1 - 2mm exist, however plastic lenses similar in size are not commonplace. For low-cost, light-weight, and mass production, plastic lens fabrication is extremely beneficial. Especially, in the medical field, there is strong demand for disposable lens unit for endoscopes which prevent contamination due to reuse of the lens. Therefore, high mass producible and low cost becomes increasingly important. This paper reports our findings on injection-molded ultra-small size plastic lens units with a diameter of 1.3mm and total thickness of 1.4mm. We performed optical design, injection molding, and lens unit assembly for injection moldable, high imaging performance ultra-small sized lens units. We prioritize a robust product design, considering injection molding properties and lens unit assembly, with feedback from molding simulations reflected into the optical design. A mold capable of high precision lens positioning is used to fabricate the lenses and decrease the variability of the assembly. The geometric dimensions of the resulting lenses, are measured and used in the optical simulation to validate the optical performance, and a high agreement is reported. The injection molding of the lens and the assembly of the lens unit is performed with high precision, and results in high optical performance.

Techno-economic assessment of pellets produced from steam pretreated biomass feedstock

DOE PAGES

Shahrukh, Hassan; Oyedun, Adetoyese Olajire; Kumar, Amit; ...

2016-03-10

Minimum production cost and optimum plant size are determined for pellet plants for three types of biomass feedstock e forest residue, agricultural residue, and energy crops. The life cycle cost from harvesting to the delivery of the pellets to the co-firing facility is evaluated. The cost varies from 95 to 105 t -1 for regular pellets and 146–156 t -1 for steam pretreated pellets. The difference in the cost of producing regular and steam pretreated pellets per unit energy is in the range of 2e3 GJ -1. The economic optimum plant size (i.e., the size at which pellet production costmore » is minimum) is found to be 190 kt for regular pellet production and 250 kt for steam pretreated pellet. Furthermore, sensitivity and uncertainty analyses were carried out to identify sensitivity parameters and effects of model error.« less

Uncertainty analysis and global sensitivity analysis of techno-economic assessments for biodiesel production.

PubMed

Tang, Zhang-Chun; Zhenzhou, Lu; Zhiwen, Liu; Ningcong, Xiao

2015-01-01

There are various uncertain parameters in the techno-economic assessments (TEAs) of biodiesel production, including capital cost, interest rate, feedstock price, maintenance rate, biodiesel conversion efficiency, glycerol price and operating cost. However, fewer studies focus on the influence of these parameters on TEAs. This paper investigated the effects of these parameters on the life cycle cost (LCC) and the unit cost (UC) in the TEAs of biodiesel production. The results show that LCC and UC exhibit variations when involving uncertain parameters. Based on the uncertainty analysis, three global sensitivity analysis (GSA) methods are utilized to quantify the contribution of an individual uncertain parameter to LCC and UC. The GSA results reveal that the feedstock price and the interest rate produce considerable effects on the TEAs. These results can provide a useful guide for entrepreneurs when they plan plants. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimating herbaceous biomass of grassland vegetation using the reference unit method

Treesearch

Eric D. Boyda; Jack L. Butler; Lan Xu

2015-01-01

Aboveground net primary production provides valuable information on wildlife habitat, fire fuel loads, and forage availability. Aboveground net primary production in herbaceous plant communities is typically measured by clipping aboveground biomass. However, the high costs associated with physically harvesting plant biomass may prevent collecting sufficient...

Dry-extrusion of Asian Carp to supplement natural methionine for organic poultry production

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Methionine, a sulfur containing amino acid, is essential for healthy poultry production. Synthetic methionine is commonly used as a supplement in conventional poultry. However, for organic poultry in the United States, a natural, cost effective source of methionine that can replace synthetic methion...

Impact on the world poultry industry of the global shift to biofuels.

PubMed

Aho, P

2007-11-01

The shift to biofuels is a worldwide phenomenon, but the most notable recent development has been the rapid increase in the production of ethanol in the United States. Ethanol production in the United States enjoys a substantial subsidy, tariff protection, and mandated use. The consequence of increasing biofuels production is to raise the cost of feed and food worldwide. Those that suffer from this policy include all consumers of food, most notably the urban poor of developing countries. Those that benefit from the policy are farmers everywhere, including farmers in developing countries.

Estimating the system price of redox flow batteries for grid storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ha, Seungbum; Gallagher, Kevin G.

2015-11-01

Low-cost energy storage systems are required to support extensive deployment of intermittent renewable energy on the electricity grid. Redox flow batteries have potential advantages to meet the stringent cost target for grid applications as compared to more traditional batteries based on an enclosed architecture. However, the manufacturing process and therefore potential high-volume production price of redox flow batteries is largely unquantified. We present a comprehensive assessment of a prospective production process for aqueous all vanadium flow battery and nonaqueous lithium polysulfide flow battery. The estimated investment and variable costs are translated to fixed expenses, profit, and warranty as a function of production volume. When compared to lithium-ion batteries, redox flow batteries are estimated to exhibit lower costs of manufacture, here calculated as the unit price less materials costs, owing to their simpler reactor (cell) design, lower required area, and thus simpler manufacturing process. Redox flow batteries are also projected to achieve the majority of manufacturing scale benefits at lower production volumes as compared to lithium-ion. However, this advantage is offset due to the dramatically lower present production volume of flow batteries compared to competitive technologies such as lithium-ion.

Potential benefits of minimum unit pricing for alcohol versus a ban on below cost selling in England 2014: modelling study.

PubMed

Brennan, Alan; Meng, Yang; Holmes, John; Hill-McManus, Daniel; Meier, Petra S

2014-09-30

To evaluate the potential impact of two alcohol control policies under consideration in England: banning below cost selling of alcohol and minimum unit pricing. Modelling study using the Sheffield Alcohol Policy Model version 2.5. England 2014-15. Adults and young people aged 16 or more, including subgroups of moderate, hazardous, and harmful drinkers. Policy to ban below cost selling, which means that the selling price to consumers could not be lower than tax payable on the product, compared with policies of minimum unit pricing at £0.40 (€0.57; $0.75), 45 p, and 50 p per unit (7.9 g/10 mL) of pure alcohol. Changes in mean consumption in terms of units of alcohol, drinkers' expenditure, and reductions in deaths, illnesses, admissions to hospital, and quality adjusted life years. The proportion of the market affected is a key driver of impact, with just 0.7% of all units estimated to be sold below the duty plus value added tax threshold implied by a ban on below cost selling, compared with 23.2% of units for a 45 p minimum unit price. Below cost selling is estimated to reduce harmful drinkers' mean annual consumption by just 0.08%, around 3 units per year, compared with 3.7% or 137 units per year for a 45 p minimum unit price (an approximately 45 times greater effect). The ban on below cost selling has a small effect on population health-saving an estimated 14 deaths and 500 admissions to hospital per annum. In contrast, a 45 p minimum unit price is estimated to save 624 deaths and 23,700 hospital admissions. Most of the harm reductions (for example, 89% of estimated deaths saved per annum) are estimated to occur in the 5.3% of people who are harmful drinkers. The ban on below cost selling, implemented in the England in May 2014, is estimated to have small effects on consumption and health harm. The previously announced policy of a minimum unit price, if set at expected levels between 40 p and 50 p per unit, is estimated to have an approximately 40-50 times greater effect. © Brennan et al 2014.

Potential benefits of minimum unit pricing for alcohol versus a ban on below cost selling in England 2014: modelling study

PubMed Central

Meng, Yang; Holmes, John; Hill-McManus, Daniel; Meier, Petra S

2014-01-01

Objective To evaluate the potential impact of two alcohol control policies under consideration in England: banning below cost selling of alcohol and minimum unit pricing. Design Modelling study using the Sheffield Alcohol Policy Model version 2.5. Setting England 2014-15. Population Adults and young people aged 16 or more, including subgroups of moderate, hazardous, and harmful drinkers. Interventions Policy to ban below cost selling, which means that the selling price to consumers could not be lower than tax payable on the product, compared with policies of minimum unit pricing at £0.40 (€0.57; $0.75), 45p, and 50p per unit (7.9 g/10 mL) of pure alcohol. Main outcome measures Changes in mean consumption in terms of units of alcohol, drinkers’ expenditure, and reductions in deaths, illnesses, admissions to hospital, and quality adjusted life years. Results The proportion of the market affected is a key driver of impact, with just 0.7% of all units estimated to be sold below the duty plus value added tax threshold implied by a ban on below cost selling, compared with 23.2% of units for a 45p minimum unit price. Below cost selling is estimated to reduce harmful drinkers’ mean annual consumption by just 0.08%, around 3 units per year, compared with 3.7% or 137 units per year for a 45p minimum unit price (an approximately 45 times greater effect). The ban on below cost selling has a small effect on population health—saving an estimated 14 deaths and 500 admissions to hospital per annum. In contrast, a 45p minimum unit price is estimated to save 624 deaths and 23 700 hospital admissions. Most of the harm reductions (for example, 89% of estimated deaths saved per annum) are estimated to occur in the 5.3% of people who are harmful drinkers. Conclusions The ban on below cost selling, implemented in the England in May 2014, is estimated to have small effects on consumption and health harm. The previously announced policy of a minimum unit price, if set at expected levels between 40p and 50p per unit, is estimated to have an approximately 40-50 times greater effect. PMID:25270743

Stimulating learning-by-doing in advanced biofuels: effectiveness of alternative policies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Xiaoguang; Khanna, Madhu; Yeh, Sonia

2012-12-01

This letter examines the effectiveness of various biofuel and climate policies in reducing future processing costs of cellulosic biofuels due to learning-by-doing. These policies include a biofuel production mandate alone and supplementing the biofuel mandate with other policies, namely a national low carbon fuel standard, a cellulosic biofuel production tax credit or a carbon price policy. We find that the binding biofuel targets considered here can reduce the unit processing cost of cellulosic ethanol by about 30% to 70% between 2015 and 2035 depending on the assumptions about learning rates and initial costs of biofuel production. The cost in 2035 is more sensitive to the speed with which learning occurs and less sensitive to uncertainty in the initial production cost. With learning rates of 5-10%, cellulosic biofuels will still be at least 40% more expensive than liquid fossil fuels in 2035. The addition of supplementary low carbon/tax credit policies to the mandate that enhance incentives for cellulosic biofuels can achieve similar reductions in these costs several years earlier than the mandate alone; the extent of these incentives differs across policies and different kinds of cellulosic biofuels.

Woody energy crops in the southeastern United States: Two centuries of practitioner experience$$\\star$$

DOE PAGES

Kline, Keith L.; Coleman, Mark D.

2010-12-01

Forest industry experts were consulted on the potential for hardwood tree species to serve as feedstock for bioenergy in the southeastern United States. Hardwoods are of interest for bioenergy because of desirable physical qualities, genetic research advances, and growth potential. Yet little data is available regarding potential productivity and costs. This paper describes required operations and provides a realistic estimate of the costs of producing bioenergy feedstock based on commercial experiences. Forestry practitioners reported that high productivity rates in southeastern hardwood plantations are confined to narrow site conditions or require costly inputs. Eastern cottonwood and American sycamore grow quickly onmore » rich bottomlands, but are also prone to pests and disease. Sweetgum is frost hardy, has few pest or disease problems, and grows across a broad range of sites, yet growth rates are relatively low. Eucalypts require fewer inputs than do other species and offer high potential productivity but are limited by frost to the lower Coastal Plain and Florida. Further research is required to study naturally regenerated hardwood biomass resources. Loblolly pine has robust site requirements, growth rates rivaling hardwoods, and lower costs of production. More time and investment in silviculture, selection, and breeding will be needed to develop hardwoods as competitive biofuel feedstock species. Because of existing stands and fully developed operations, the forestry community considers loblolly pine to be a prime candidate for plantation bioenergy in the Southeast.« less

The health care burden and societal impact of acute otitis media in seven European countries: results of an Internet survey.

PubMed

Wolleswinkel-van den Bosch, Judith H; Stolk, Elly A; Francois, Martine; Gasparini, Roberto; Brosa, Max

2010-11-19

This paper estimates medical resource use, direct costs, and productivity losses and costs (indirect costs) during episodes of acute otitis media (AOM) in young children. A 24-item Internet questionnaire was developed for parents in Belgium (Flanders), France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom (UK) to report health care resource use and productivity losses during the most recent episode of AOM in their child, younger than 5 years. The percentage who did not seek medical help for AOM was considerable in The Netherlands (28.3%) and the UK (19.7%). Antibiotic use was high, ranging from 60.8% (Germany) to 87.1% (Italy). Total costs per AOM episode ranged from €332.00 (The Netherlands) to €752.49 (UK). Losses in productivity accounted for 61% (France) to 83% (Germany) of the total costs. AOM poses a significant medical and economic burden to society. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health care cost containment strategies used in four other high-income countries hold lessons for the United States.

PubMed

Stabile, Mark; Thomson, Sarah; Allin, Sara; Boyle, Seán; Busse, Reinhard; Chevreul, Karine; Marchildon, Greg; Mossialos, Elias

2013-04-01

Around the world, rising health care costs are claiming a larger share of national budgets. This article reviews strategies developed to contain costs in health systems in Canada, England, France, and Germany in 2000-10. We used a comprehensive analysis of health systems and reforms in each country, compiled by the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies. These countries rely on a number of budget and price-setting mechanisms to contain health care costs. Our review revealed trends in all four countries toward more use of technology assessments and payment based on diagnosis-related groups and the value of products or services. These policies may result in a more efficient use of health care resources, but we argue that they need to be combined with volume and price controls--measures unlikely to be adopted in the United States--if they are also to meet cost containment goals.

The Mobile Bark Blower: An Evaluation of Performance and Costs

Treesearch

Raymond L. Sarles; David M. Emanuel

1977-01-01

A custom-built bark blower truck (MOBLOW) developed in Oregon was tested for its effectiveness in applying bark mulches, sawdust, and shavings in the eastern United States. Tests determined the bark blower's performance and cost in mulching grass-legume seedings and shrub beds with 10 bark products or wood residues. Bark blower trucks built to MOBLOW...

Process integration possibilities for biodiesel production from palm oil using ethanol obtained from lignocellulosic residues of oil palm industry.

PubMed

Gutiérrez, Luis F; Sánchez, Oscar J; Cardona, Carlos A

2009-02-01

In this paper, integration possibilities for production of biodiesel and bioethanol using a single source of biomass as a feedstock (oil palm) were explored through process simulation. The oil extracted from Fresh Fruit Bunches was considered as the feedstock for biodiesel production. An extractive reaction process is proposed for transesterification reaction using in situ produced ethanol, which is obtained from two types of lignocellulosic residues of palm industry (Empty Fruit Bunches and Palm Press Fiber). Several ways of integration were analyzed. The integration of material flows between ethanol and biodiesel production lines allowed a reduction in unit energy costs down to 3.4%, whereas the material and energy integration leaded to 39.8% decrease of those costs. The proposed integrated configuration is an important option when the technology for ethanol production from biomass reaches such a degree of maturity that its production costs be comparable with those of grain or cane ethanol.

DoD Weapon System Acquisition Reform Product Support Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-11-01

can be best effected by working through the Defense Acquisition University, the Logistics Functional IPT, the Acquisition Management Functional... WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Department of Defense,Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition,Technology and...each year in product support. Reformed stewardship—driven by improving product support and achieving more cost- effective weapon system readiness

Shift level analysis of cable yarder availability, utilization, and productive time

Treesearch

James R. Sherar; Chris B. LeDoux

1989-01-01

Decision makers, loggers, managers, and planners need to understand and have methods for estimating utilization and productive time of cable logging systems. In making an accurate prediction of how much area and volume a machine will log per unit time and the associated cable yarding costs, a reliable estimate of the availability, utilization, and productive time of...

Logistics cost analysis of rice residues for second generation bioenergy production in Ghana.

PubMed

Vijay Ramamurthi, Pooja; Cristina Fernandes, Maria; Sieverts Nielsen, Per; Pedro Nunes, Clemente

2014-12-01

This study explores the techno-economic potential of rice residues as a bioenergy resource to meet Ghana's energy demands. Major rice growing regions of Ghana have 70-90% of residues available for bioenergy production. To ensure cost-effective biomass logistics, a thorough cost analysis was made for two bioenergy routes. Logistics costs for a 5 MWe straw combustion plant were 39.01, 47.52 and 47.89 USD/t for Northern, Ashanti and Volta regions respectively. Logistics cost for a 0.25 MWe husk gasification plant (with roundtrip distance 10 km) was 2.64 USD/t in all regions. Capital cost (66-72%) contributes significantly to total logistics costs of straw, however for husk logistics, staff (40%) and operation and maintenance costs (46%) dominate. Baling is the major processing logistic cost for straw, contributing to 46-48% of total costs. Scale of straw unit does not have a large impact on logistic costs. Transport distance of husks has considerable impact on logistic costs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Treatment costs in Hodgkin's disease: a cost-utility analysis.

PubMed

Norum, J; Angelsen, V; Wist, E; Olsen, J A

1996-08-01

The aim of this study was to estimate costs of treatment for Hodgkin's disease (HD) and the outcome in health in terms of quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and compare these to a constructed nontreatment alternative. All 55 patients treated for HD at the oncological unit of the University Hospital of Tromsø between 1985 and 1993 were included. The total treatment costs (medication, hospital stay, hospital hotel stay, radiotherapy, travelling, loss in production, i.e. work) were retrospectively estimated for all patients. In December 1994, the 49 survivors were sent a EuroQol questionnaire recording quality of life: 42 responded. The mean quality of life score was 0.78 on a 0-1 scale, and the mean total cost of treatment was pounds 12512. The total treatment costs were significantly higher in patients with advanced clinical stages of the disease (P = 0.0006), B-symptoms (fever, sweats, weight loss) (P = 0.0027) and relapse (P < 0.0001). The costs of one QALY (with production gains included and using a 10% discount rate) were estimated at pounds 1651. When excluding production gains and using a 5% discount rate, the figures became pounds 1327. This makes HD one of the most cost-effective malignancies to treat.

30 CFR 725.23 - Reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... productivity data, including unit cost information. This quantitative information will be reported on Forms OSM-51A and OSM-51B or OSM-51C, Quantitative Program Management Information, as applicable. (c) The...

30 CFR 735.26 - Reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... productivity data, including unit cost information. This quantitative information will be reported on Forms OSM-51A and OSM-51B or OSM-51C, Quantitative Program Management Information, as applicable. (c) The...

30 CFR 725.23 - Reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... productivity data, including unit cost information. This quantitative information will be reported on Forms OSM-51A and OSM-51B or OSM-51C, Quantitative Program Management Information, as applicable. (c) The...

30 CFR 735.26 - Reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... productivity data, including unit cost information. This quantitative information will be reported on Forms OSM-51A and OSM-51B or OSM-51C, Quantitative Program Management Information, as applicable. (c) The...

30 CFR 735.26 - Reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... productivity data, including unit cost information. This quantitative information will be reported on Forms OSM-51A and OSM-51B or OSM-51C, Quantitative Program Management Information, as applicable. (c) The...

30 CFR 725.23 - Reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... productivity data, including unit cost information. This quantitative information will be reported on Forms OSM-51A and OSM-51B or OSM-51C, Quantitative Program Management Information, as applicable. (c) The...

Economic costs of obesity in Thailand: a retrospective cost-of-illness study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Over the last decade, the prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) in Thailand has been rising rapidly and consistently. Estimating the cost of obesity to society is an essential step in setting priorities for research and resource use and helping improve public awareness of the negative economic impacts of obesity. This prevalence-based, cost-of-illness study aims to estimate the economic costs of obesity in Thailand. Methods The estimated costs in this study included health care cost, cost of productivity loss due to premature mortality, and cost of productivity loss due to hospital-related absenteeism. The Obesity-Attributable Fraction (OAF) was used to estimate the extent to which the co-morbidities were attributable to obesity. The health care cost of obesity was further estimated by multiplying the number of patients in each disease category attributable to obesity by the unit cost of treatment. The cost of productivity loss was calculated using the human capital approach. Results The health care cost attributable to obesity was estimated at 5,584 million baht or 1.5% of national health expenditure. The cost of productivity loss attributable to obesity was estimated at 6,558 million baht - accounting for 54% of the total cost of obesity. The cost of hospital-related absenteeism was estimated at 694 million baht, while the cost of premature mortality was estimated at 5,864 million baht. The total cost of obesity was then estimated at 12,142 million baht (725.3 million US$PPP, 16.74 baht =1 US$PPP accounting for 0.13% of Thailand’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Conclusions Obesity imposes a substantial economic burden on Thai society especially in term of health care costs. Large-scale comprehensive interventions focused on improving public awareness of the cost of and problems associated with obesity and promoting a healthy lifestyle should be regarded as a public health priority. PMID:24690106

Economic costs of obesity in Thailand: a retrospective cost-of-illness study.

PubMed

Pitayatienanan, Paiboon; Butchon, Rukmanee; Yothasamut, Jomkwan; Aekplakorn, Wichai; Teerawattananon, Yot; Suksomboon, Naeti; Thavorncharoensap, Montarat

2014-04-02

Over the last decade, the prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) in Thailand has been rising rapidly and consistently. Estimating the cost of obesity to society is an essential step in setting priorities for research and resource use and helping improve public awareness of the negative economic impacts of obesity. This prevalence-based, cost-of-illness study aims to estimate the economic costs of obesity in Thailand. The estimated costs in this study included health care cost, cost of productivity loss due to premature mortality, and cost of productivity loss due to hospital-related absenteeism. The Obesity-Attributable Fraction (OAF) was used to estimate the extent to which the co-morbidities were attributable to obesity. The health care cost of obesity was further estimated by multiplying the number of patients in each disease category attributable to obesity by the unit cost of treatment. The cost of productivity loss was calculated using the human capital approach. The health care cost attributable to obesity was estimated at 5,584 million baht or 1.5% of national health expenditure. The cost of productivity loss attributable to obesity was estimated at 6,558 million baht - accounting for 54% of the total cost of obesity. The cost of hospital-related absenteeism was estimated at 694 million baht, while the cost of premature mortality was estimated at 5,864 million baht. The total cost of obesity was then estimated at 12,142 million baht (725.3 million US$PPP, 16.74 baht =1 US$PPP accounting for 0.13% of Thailand's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Obesity imposes a substantial economic burden on Thai society especially in term of health care costs. Large-scale comprehensive interventions focused on improving public awareness of the cost of and problems associated with obesity and promoting a healthy lifestyle should be regarded as a public health priority.

The cost and cost-effectiveness of childhood cancer treatment in El Salvador, Central America: A report from the Childhood Cancer 2030 Network.

PubMed

Fuentes-Alabi, Soad; Bhakta, Nickhill; Vasquez, Roberto Franklin; Gupta, Sumit; Horton, Susan E

2018-01-15

Although previous studies have examined the cost of treating individual childhood cancers in low-income and middle-income countries, to the authors' knowledge none has examined the overall cost and cost-effectiveness of operating a childhood cancer treatment center. Herein, the authors examined the cost and sources of financing of a pediatric cancer unit in Hospital Nacional de Ninos Benjamin Bloom in El Salvador, and make estimates of cost-effectiveness. Administrative data regarding costs and volumes of inputs were obtained for 2016 for the pediatric cancer unit. Similar cost and volume data were obtained for shared medical services provided centrally (eg, blood bank). Costs of central nonmedical support services (eg, utilities) were obtained from hospital data and attributed by inpatient share. Administrative data also were used for sources of financing. Cost-effectiveness was estimated based on the number of new patients diagnosed annually and survival rates. The pediatric cancer unit cost $5.2 million to operate in 2016 (treating 90 outpatients per day and experiencing 1385 inpatient stays per year). Approximately three-quarters of the cost (74.7%) was attributed to 4 items: personnel (21.6%), pathological diagnosis (11.5%), pharmacy (chemotherapy, supportive care medications, and nutrition; 31.8%), and blood products (9.8%). Funding sources included government (52.5%), charitable foundations (44.2%), and a social security contribution scheme (3.4%). Based on 181 new patients per year and a 5-year survival rate of 48.5%, the cost per disability-adjusted life-year averted was $1624, which is under the threshold considered to be very cost effective. Treating childhood cancer in a specialized unit in low-income and middle-income countries can be done cost-effectively. Strong support from charitable foundations aids with affordability. Cancer 2018;124:391-7. © 2017 American Cancer Society. © 2017 American Cancer Society.

Economic evaluation of an intervention program with the aim to improve at-work productivity for workers with rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Noben, Cindy; Vilsteren, Myrthe van; Boot, Cécile; Steenbeek, Romy; Schaardenburg, Dirkjan van; Anema, Johannes R; Evers, Silvia; Nijhuis, Frans; Rijk, Angelique de

2017-05-25

Evaluating the cost effectiveness and cost utility of an integrated care intervention and participatory workplace intervention for workers with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to improve their work productivity. Twelve month follow-up economic evaluation alongside a randomized controlled trial (RCT) within specialized rheumatology treatment centers. Adults diagnosed with RA between 18-64 years, in a paid job for at least eight hours per week, experiencing minor difficulties in work functioning were randomized to the intervention (n = 75) or the care-as-usual (CAU) group (n = 75). Effect outcomes were productivity and quality of life (QALYs). Costs associated with healthcare, patient and family, productivity, and intervention were calculated from a societal perspective. Cost effectiveness and cost utility were assessed to indicate the incremental costs and benefits per additional unit of effect. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses evaluated the robustness of the findings. At-work productivity loss was about 4.6 hours in the intervention group and 3.5 hours in the care as usual (CAU) group per two weeks. Differences in QALY were negligible; 0.77 for the CAU group and 0.74 for the intervention group. In total, average costs after twelve months follow-up were highest in the intervention group (€7,437.76) compared to the CAU group (€5,758.23). The cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses show that the intervention was less effective and (often) more expensive when compared to CAU. Sensitivity analyses supported these findings. The integrated care intervention and participatory workplace intervention for workers with RA provides gains neither in productivity at the workplace nor in quality of life. These results do not justify the additional costs.

Economic evaluation of an intervention program with the aim to improve at-work productivity for workers with rheumatoid arthritis

PubMed Central

Noben, Cindy; van Vilsteren, Myrthe; Boot, Cécile; Steenbeek, Romy; van Schaardenburg, Dirkjan; Anema, Johannes R.; Evers, Silvia; Nijhuis, Frans; de Rijk, Angelique

2017-01-01

Objectives: Evaluating the cost effectiveness and cost utility of an integrated care intervention and participatory workplace intervention for workers with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to improve their work productivity. Methods: Twelve month follow-up economic evaluation alongside a randomized controlled trial (RCT) within specialized rheumatology treatment centers. Adults diagnosed with RA between 18-64 years, in a paid job for at least eight hours per week, experiencing minor difficulties in work functioning were randomized to the intervention (n = 75) or the care-as-usual (CAU) group (n = 75). Effect outcomes were productivity and quality of life (QALYs). Costs associated with healthcare, patient and family, productivity, and intervention were calculated from a societal perspective. Cost effectiveness and cost utility were assessed to indicate the incremental costs and benefits per additional unit of effect. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses evaluated the robustness of the findings. Results: At-work productivity loss was about 4.6 hours in the intervention group and 3.5 hours in the care as usual (CAU) group per two weeks. Differences in QALY were negligible; 0.77 for the CAU group and 0.74 for the intervention group. In total, average costs after twelve months follow-up were highest in the intervention group (€7,437.76) compared to the CAU group (€5,758.23). The cost-effectiveness and cost-utility analyses show that the intervention was less effective and (often) more expensive when compared to CAU. Sensitivity analyses supported these findings. Discussion: The integrated care intervention and participatory workplace intervention for workers with RA provides gains neither in productivity at the workplace nor in quality of life. These results do not justify the additional costs. PMID:28381814

Greater accordance with the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension dietary pattern is associated with lower diet-related greenhouse gas production but higher dietary costs in the United Kingdom12

PubMed Central

Monsivais, Pablo; Scarborough, Peter; Lloyd, Tina; Mizdrak, Anja; Luben, Robert; Mulligan, Angela A; Wareham, Nicholas J; Woodcock, James

2015-01-01

Background: The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is a proven way to prevent and control hypertension and other chronic disease. Because the DASH diet emphasizes plant-based foods, including vegetables and grains, adhering to this diet might also bring about environmental benefits, including lower associated production of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Objective: The objective was to examine the interrelation between dietary accordance with the DASH diet and associated GHGs. A secondary aim was to examine the retail cost of diets by level of DASH accordance. Design: In this cross-sectional study of adults aged 39–79 y from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition–Norfolk, United Kingdom cohort (n = 24,293), dietary intakes estimated from food-frequency questionnaires were analyzed for their accordance with the 8 DASH food and nutrient-based targets. Associations between DASH accordance, GHGs, and dietary costs were evaluated in regression analyses. Dietary GHGs were estimated with United Kingdom-specific data on carbon dioxide equivalents associated with commodities and foods. Dietary costs were estimated by using national food prices from a United Kingdom–based supermarket comparison website. Results: Greater accordance with the DASH dietary targets was associated with lower GHGs. Diets in the highest quintile of accordance had a GHG impact of 5.60 compared with 6.71 kg carbon dioxide equivalents/d for least-accordant diets (P < 0.0001). Among the DASH food groups, GHGs were most strongly and positively associated with meat consumption and negatively with whole-grain consumption. In addition, higher accordance with the DASH diet was associated with higher dietary costs, with the mean cost of diets in the top quintile of DASH scores 18% higher than that of diets in the lowest quintile (P < 0.0001). Conclusions: Promoting wider uptake of the DASH diet in the United Kingdom may improve population health and reduce diet-related GHGs. However, to make the DASH diet more accessible, food affordability, particularly for lower income groups, will have to be addressed. PMID:25926505

Greater accordance with the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension dietary pattern is associated with lower diet-related greenhouse gas production but higher dietary costs in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Monsivais, Pablo; Scarborough, Peter; Lloyd, Tina; Mizdrak, Anja; Luben, Robert; Mulligan, Angela A; Wareham, Nicholas J; Woodcock, James

2015-07-01

The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet is a proven way to prevent and control hypertension and other chronic disease. Because the DASH diet emphasizes plant-based foods, including vegetables and grains, adhering to this diet might also bring about environmental benefits, including lower associated production of greenhouse gases (GHGs). The objective was to examine the interrelation between dietary accordance with the DASH diet and associated GHGs. A secondary aim was to examine the retail cost of diets by level of DASH accordance. In this cross-sectional study of adults aged 39-79 y from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition-Norfolk, United Kingdom cohort (n = 24,293), dietary intakes estimated from food-frequency questionnaires were analyzed for their accordance with the 8 DASH food and nutrient-based targets. Associations between DASH accordance, GHGs, and dietary costs were evaluated in regression analyses. Dietary GHGs were estimated with United Kingdom-specific data on carbon dioxide equivalents associated with commodities and foods. Dietary costs were estimated by using national food prices from a United Kingdom-based supermarket comparison website. Greater accordance with the DASH dietary targets was associated with lower GHGs. Diets in the highest quintile of accordance had a GHG impact of 5.60 compared with 6.71 kg carbon dioxide equivalents/d for least-accordant diets (P < 0.0001). Among the DASH food groups, GHGs were most strongly and positively associated with meat consumption and negatively with whole-grain consumption. In addition, higher accordance with the DASH diet was associated with higher dietary costs, with the mean cost of diets in the top quintile of DASH scores 18% higher than that of diets in the lowest quintile (P < 0.0001). Promoting wider uptake of the DASH diet in the United Kingdom may improve population health and reduce diet-related GHGs. However, to make the DASH diet more accessible, food affordability, particularly for lower income groups, will have to be addressed.

How do strategic decisions and operative practices affect operating room productivity?

PubMed

Peltokorpi, Antti

2011-12-01

Surgical operating rooms are cost-intensive parts of health service production. Managing operating units efficiently is essential when hospitals and healthcare systems aim to maximize health outcomes with limited resources. Previous research about operating room management has focused on studying the effect of management practices and decisions on efficiency by utilizing mainly modeling approach or before-after analysis in single hospital case. The purpose of this research is to analyze the synergic effect of strategic decisions and operative management practices on operating room productivity and to use a multiple case study method enabling statistical hypothesis testing with empirical data. 11 hypotheses that propose connections between the use of strategic and operative practices and productivity were tested in a multi-hospital study that included 26 units. The results indicate that operative practices, such as personnel management, case scheduling and performance measurement, affect productivity more remarkably than do strategic decisions that relate to, e.g., units' size, scope or academic status. Units with different strategic positions should apply different operative practices: Focused hospital units benefit most from sophisticated case scheduling and parallel processing whereas central and ambulatory units should apply flexible working hours, incentives and multi-skilled personnel. Operating units should be more active in applying management practices which are adequate for their strategic orientation.

Recombinant factor VIIa as an adjunctive therapy for patients requiring large volume transfusion: a pharmacoeconomic evaluation.

PubMed

Loudon, B; Smith, M P

2005-08-01

Acute haemorrhage requiring large volume transfusion presents a costly and unpredictable risk to transfusion services. Recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa) (NovoSeven, Novo Nordisk, Bagsvaard, Denmark) may provide an important adjunctive haemostatic strategy for the management of patients requiring large volume blood transfusions. To review blood transfusion over a 12-month period and assess the major costs associated with haemorrhage management. A pharmoeconomic evaluation of rFVIIa intervention for large volume transfusion was conducted to identify the most cost-effective strategy for using this haemostatic product. Audit and analysis of all patients admitted to Christchurch Public Hospital requiring > 5 units of red blood cells (RBC) during a single transfusion episode. Patients were stratified into groups dependent on RBC units received and further stratified with regard to ward category. Cumulative costs were derived to compare standard treatment with an hypothesized rFVIIa intervention for each transfusion group. Sensitivity analyses were performed by varying parameters and comparing to original outcomes. Comparison of costs between the standard and hypothetical model indicated no statistically significant differences between groups (P < 0.05). Univariate and multivariate sensitivity analyses indicate that intervention with rFVIIa after transfusion of 14 RBC units may be cost-effective due to conservation of blood components and reduction in duration of intensive area stay. Intervention with rFVIIa for haemorrhage control is most cost-effective relatively early in the RBC transfusion period. Our hypothetical model indicates the optimal time point is when 14 RBC units have been transfused.

Woody energy crops in the southeastern United States: two centuries of practitioner experience

Treesearch

Keith L. Kline; Mark D. Coleman

2010-01-01

Forest industry experts were consulted on the potential for hardwood tree species to serve as feedstock for bioenergy in the southeastern United States. Hardwoods are of interest for bioenergy because of desirable physical qualities, genetic research advances, and growth potential. Yet little data is available regarding potential productivity and costs. This paper...

26 CFR 1.181-2 - Election to deduct production costs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... applicable, if a significant portion of the total number of days of first-unit principal photography will... principal photography engaged in) for the applicable activities described in § 1.181-1(b)(2)(ii), (b)(2)(iii... number of days of first-unit principal photography engaged in) for such activities (whether or not they...

26 CFR 1.181-2 - Election to deduct production costs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... applicable, if a significant portion of the total number of days of first-unit principal photography will... principal photography engaged in) for the applicable activities described in § 1.181-1(b)(2)(ii), (b)(2)(iii... number of days of first-unit principal photography engaged in) for such activities (whether or not they...

26 CFR 1.181-2 - Election to deduct production costs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... applicable, if a significant portion of the total number of days of first-unit principal photography will... principal photography engaged in) for the applicable activities described in § 1.181-1(b)(2)(ii), (b)(2)(iii... number of days of first-unit principal photography engaged in) for such activities (whether or not they...

76 FR 9542 - Stainless Steel Sheet and Strip in Coils From Mexico; Notice of Amended Final Results of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-18

... investigation; and (4) the cash deposit rate for all non-Mexican exporters will be the rate applicable to the...-unit cost of production and per-unit packing expenses by the quantity sold. See Mexinox Ministerial.... indirect selling expenses. Specifically, Mexinox contends that the Department a) failed to include ``other...

Crash costs by body part injured, fracture involvement, and threat-to-life severity. United States, 2000.

PubMed

Zaloshnja, Eduard; Miller, Ted; Romano, Eduardo; Spicer, Rebecca

2004-05-01

This paper presents costs per US motor vehicle crash victim differentiated into many more diagnostic categories than prior estimates. These unit costs, which include the first keyed to the 1990 edition of Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) threat-to-life severity scores, are reported by body part, whether a fracture/dislocation was involved, and the maximum AIS score among the victim's injuries. This level of detail allows for a more accurate estimation of the social costs of motor vehicle crashes. It also allows for reliable analyses of interventions targeting narrow ranges of injuries. The paper updates the medical care data underlying the US crash costs from 1979 to 1986 to the mid 1990s and improves on prior productivity cost estimates. In addition to presenting the latest generation of crash victim costs, this paper analyzes the effects of applying injury costs classified by AIS code from the 1985 edition to injury incidence data coded with the 1990 edition of AIS. This long-standing practice results in inaccurate cost-benefit analyses that typically overestimate benefits. This problem is more acute when old published costs adjusted for inflation are used rather than the recent costs.

Off-Line Catalog Production.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc., Dublin, OH.

The Ohio College Library Center's off-line catalog system is a limited technique for production of card catalogs. Unlike the on-line system, it cannotmake the resources of a region available to users in an individual institution, and it does not have the potential for significantly reducing rate of rise of library per-unit costs. In short, it is…

Increased Use of Productivity Management Can Help Control Government Costs.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-11-10

estimated that 34 percent of agency spend- ing reductions made to balance the budget in fiscal year 1984 can be attributed to the productivity program. The...result in the services 5. [] use of employee incentives (9) of some employees no longer being required in the unit in which they 6. [) quality of worklife

Energy Gain. Teacher's Guide and Student Guide. Net Energy Unit. Draft.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McLeod, Richard J.

This module focuses on gains and losses of energy as society processes resources for energy production. It particularly focuses on the end point of energy conversion and addresses decisions which society must make concerning benefits and costs of various energy production methods and generating facilities. One class period is needed to implement…

76 FR 65616 - Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Test Procedures for Residential Central Air...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-24

... measure the energy efficiency, energy use or estimated annual operating cost of a covered product over an... the June 2010 NOPR would be used to determine the average power consumption of a residential central... residential central air conditioners, the unit's average power consumption during the heating season...

Energy Efficiency Improvement and Cost Saving Oportunities for the Concrete Industry

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

Kermeli, Katerina; Worrell, Ernst; Masanet, Eric

2011-12-01

The U.S. concrete industry is the main consumer of U.S.-produced cement. The manufacturing of ready mixed concrete accounts for more than 75% of the U.S. concrete production following the manufacturing of precast concrete and masonry units. The most significant expenditure is the cost of materials accounting for more than 50% of total concrete production costs - cement only accounts for nearly 24%. In 2009, energy costs of the U.S. concrete industry were over $610 million. Hence, energy efficiency improvements along with efficient use of materials without negatively affecting product quality and yield, especially in times of increased fuel and materialmore » costs, can significantly reduce production costs and increase competitiveness. The Energy Guide starts with an overview of the U.S. concrete industry’s structure and energy use, a description of the various manufacturing processes, and identification of the major energy consuming areas in the different industry segments. This is followed by a description of general and process related energy- and cost-efficiency measures applicable to the concrete industry. Specific energy and cost savings and a typical payback period are included based on literature and case studies, when available. The Energy Guide intends to provide information on cost reduction opportunities to energy and plant managers in the U.S. concrete industry. Every cost saving opportunity should be assessed carefully prior to implementation in individual plants, as the economics and the potential energy and material savings may differ.« less

Optical and system engineering in the development of a high-quality student telescope kit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pompea, Stephen M.; Pfisterer, Richard N.; Ellis, Scott; Arion, Douglas N.; Fienberg, Richard Tresch; Smith, Thomas C.

2010-07-01

The Galileoscope student telescope kit was developed by a volunteer team of astronomers, science education experts, and optical engineers in conjunction with the International Year of Astronomy 2009. This refracting telescope is in production with over 180,000 units produced and distributed with 25,000 units in production. The telescope was designed to be able to resolve the rings of Saturn and to be used in urban areas. The telescope system requirements, performance metrics, and architecture were established after an analysis of current inexpensive telescopes and student telescope kits. The optical design approaches used in the various prototypes and the optical system engineering tradeoffs will be described. Risk analysis, risk management, and change management were critical as was cost management since the final product was to cost around 15 (but had to perform as well as 100 telescopes). In the system engineering of the Galileoscope a variety of analysis and testing approaches were used, including stray light design and analysis using the powerful optical analysis program FRED.

Integration of biotechnological wastewater treatment units in textile finishing factories: from end of the pipe solutions to combined production and wastewater treatment units.

PubMed

Feitkenhauer, H; Meyer, U

2001-08-23

Increasing costs for water, wastewater and energy put pressure on textile finishing plants to increase the efficiency of wet processing. An improved water management can decrease the use of these resources and is a prerequisite for the integration of an efficient, anaerobic on-site pretreatment of effluents that will further cut wastewater costs. A two-phase anaerobic treatment is proposed, and successful laboratory experiments with model effluents from the cotton finishing industry are reported. The chemical oxygen demand of this wastewater was reduced by over 88% at retention times of 1 day or longer. The next step to boost the efficiency is to combine the production and wastewater treatment. The example of cotton fabric desizing (removing size from the fabric) illustrates how this final step of integration uses the acidic phase bioreactor as a part of the production and allows to close the water cycle of the system.

Ultralightweight optics for space applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayo, James W.; DeHainaut, Linda L.; Bell, Kevin D.; Smith, Winfred S.; Killpatrick, Don H.; Dyer, Richard W.

2000-07-01

Lightweight, deployable space optics has been identified as a key technology for future cost-effective, space-based systems. The United States Department of Defense has partnered with the National Aeronautical Space Administration to implement a space mirror technology development activity known as the Advanced Mirror System Demonstrator (AMSD). The AMSD objectives are to advance technology in the production of low-mass primary mirror systems, reduce mirror system cost and shorten mirror- manufacturing time. The AMSD program will offer substantial weight, cost and production rate improvements over Hubble Space Telescope mirror technology. A brief history of optical component development and a review of optical component state-of-the-art technology will be given, and the AMSD program will be reviewed.

International red meat trade.

PubMed

Brester, Gary W; Marsh, John M; Plain, Ronald L

2003-07-01

The maturation of the US beef and pork markets and increasing consumer demands for convenience, safety, and nutrition suggests that the beef and pork industries must focus on product development and promotion. New marketing arrangements are developing that help coordinate production with consumer demands. The relative high levels of incomes in the United States are likely to increase the demands for branded products rather than increase total per capita consumption. Foreign markets represent the greatest opportunity for increased demand for commodity beef and pork products. Increasing incomes in developing countries will likely allow consumers to increase consumption of animal-source proteins. Real prices of beef and pork have declined substantially because of sagging domestic demand and increasing farm-level production technologies. Increasing US beef and pork exports have obviated some of the price declines. Pork attained a net export position from a quantity perspective in 1995. The United States continues to be a net importer of beef on a quantity basis but is close to becoming a net exporter in terms of value. By-products continue to play a critical role in determining the red meat trade balance and producer prices. The United States, however, must continue to become cost, price, and quality competitive with other suppliers and must secure additional market access if it is to sustain recent trade trends. Several trade tensions remain in the red meat industry. For example, mandated COOL will undoubtedly have domestic and international effects on the beef and pork sectors. Domestically, uncertainty regarding consumer demand responses or quality perceptions regarding product origin, as well as added processor-retailer costs will be nontrivial. How these factors balance out in terms of benefits versus costs to the industry is uncertain. From an international perspective, some beef and pork export suppliers to the United States could view required labeling as a trade restriction, which could ultimately impact future US red meat exports. Conversely, some countries may view such labeling requirements as an opportunity to brand high-quality products. The US lamb meat industry has experienced declining real prices, domestic production, and demand. The cessation of wool incentive payments, increased environmental regulations, and competition by imports have significantly affected the industry. Import suppliers have capitalized on product quality in this niche market. Trade restrictions initially imposed in 1999 by the US Government were ruled illegal by the WTO. The US Government responded by providing financial assistance to lamb producers. Product quality improvements and promotion aimed at the domestic market, however, will be critical factors in shaping the economic viability of the US lamb meat industry.

26 CFR 1.199-4 - Costs allocable to domestic production gross receipts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

.... Use of standard cost method. X, a calendar year taxpayer, manufactures item A in a factory located in the United States and item B in a factory located in Country Y. Item A is produced by X within the... engaged in the trade or business of farming that is not required to use the accrual method of accounting...

26 CFR 1.199-4 - Costs allocable to domestic production gross receipts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

.... Use of standard cost method. X, a calendar year taxpayer, manufactures item A in a factory located in the United States and item B in a factory located in Country Y. Item A is produced by X within the... engaged in the trade or business of farming that is not required to use the accrual method of accounting...

26 CFR 1.199-4 - Costs allocable to domestic production gross receipts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

.... Use of standard cost method. X, a calendar year taxpayer, manufactures item A in a factory located in the United States and item B in a factory located in Country Y. Item A is produced by X within the... engaged in the trade or business of farming that is not required to use the accrual method of accounting...

Breaking the Social Contract. The Fiscal Crisis in Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Council for Aid to Education, Santa Monica, CA.

This report presents the results of a 2-year study of the fiscal condition of higher education in the United States. The study found that at a time when the level of education needed for productive employment is increasing, college costs and demand are rising much faster than funding. Unless sweeping changes are made to control costs, millions of…

Software Cost Estimating,

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-05-13

Size Of The Software. A favourite measure for software system size is linos of operational code, or deliverable code (operational code plus...regression models, these conversions are either derived from productivity measures using the "cost per instruction" type of equation or they are...appropriate to different development organisattons, differert project types, different sets of units for measuring e and s, and different items

Returns and determinants of technical efficiency in small-scale Malabari goat production units in Kerala, India.

PubMed

Alex, Rani; Kunniyoor Cheemani, Raghavan; Thomas, Naicy

2013-11-01

A stochastic frontier production function was employed to measure technical efficiency and its determinants in smallholder Malabari goat production units in Kerala, India. Data were obtained from 100 goat farmers in northern Kerala, selected using multistage random sampling. The parameters of the stochastic frontier production function were estimated using the maximum likelihood method. Cost and return analysis showed that the major expenditure was feed and fodder, and veterinary expenses were secondary. The chief returns were the sale of live animals, milk and manure. Individual farm technical efficiency ranged from 0.34 to 0.97 with a mean of 0.88. The study found herd size (number of animal units) and centre (locality of farm) significantly affected technical efficiency, but sex of farmer, education, land size and family size did not. Technical efficiency decreased as herd size increased; half the units with five or more adult animals had technical efficiency below 60 %.

Dairy farm cost efficiency.

PubMed

Tauer, L W; Mishra, A K

2006-12-01

A stochastic cost equation was estimated for US dairy farms using national data from the production year 2000 to determine how farmers might reduce their cost of production. Cost of producing a unit of milk was estimated into separate frontier (efficient) and inefficiency components, with both components estimated as a function of management and causation variables. Variables were entered as impacting the frontier component as well as the efficiency component of the stochastic curve because a priori both components could be impacted. A factor that has an impact on the cost frontier was the number of hours per day the milking facility is used. Using the milking facility for more hours per day decreased frontier costs; however, inefficiency increased with increased hours of milking facility use. Thus, farmers can decrease costs with increased utilization of the milking facility, but only if they are efficient in this strategy. Parlors compared with stanchions used for milking did not decrease frontier costs, but decreased costs because of increased efficiency, as did the use of a nutritionist. Use of rotational grazing decreased frontier costs but also increased inefficiency. Older farmers were less efficient.

Electronic manufacturing and packaging in Japan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kelly, Michael J.; Boulton, William R. (Editor); Kukowski, John A.; Meieran, Eugene S.; Pecht, Michael; Peeples, John W.; Tummala, Rao R.

1995-01-01

This report summarizes the status of electronic manufacturing and packaging technology in Japan in comparison to that in the United States, and its impact on competition in electronic manufacturing in general. In addition to electronic manufacturing technologies, the report covers technology and manufacturing infrastructure, electronics manufacturing and assembly, quality assurance and reliability in the Japanese electronics industry, and successful product realization strategies. The panel found that Japan leads the United States in almost every electronics packaging technology. Japan clearly has achieved a strategic advantage in electronics production and process technologies. Panel members believe that Japanese competitors could be leading U.S. firms by as much as a decade in some electronics process technologies. Japan has established this marked competitive advantage in electronics as a consequence of developing low-cost, high-volume consumer products. Japan's infrastructure, and the remarkable cohesiveness of vision and purpose in government and industry, are key factors in the success of Japan's electronics industry. Although Japan will continue to dominate consumer electronics in the foreseeable future, opportunities exist for the United States and other industrial countries to capture an increasingly large part of the market. The JTEC panel has identified no insurmountable barriers that would prevent the United States from regaining a significant share of the consumer electronics market; in fact, there is ample evidence that the United States needs to aggressively pursue high-volume, low-cost electronic assembly, because it is a critical path leading to high-performance electronic systems.

Policy implications of drug importation.

PubMed

Palumbo, Francis B; Mullins, C Daniel; Slagle, Ashley F; Rizer, Jessica

2007-12-01

Importation of prescription drugs into the United States has been a major health policy issue for some time. The original objective of personal importation was to allow patients to have access to drugs that were not available to them in the United States either for continuation of therapy begun in another country or when all US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug options for their condition had been exhausted. An increasing proportion of personally imported drugs are currently marketed in the United States, but imported drugs are presumably available at a lower cost to the consumer. As US consumers opt for importation through Internet sites and other means of purchase from other countries, potential risks of exposure to counterfeit products have increased, presenting challenges to both the US regulatory system and pharmaceutical companies. This commentary summarizes the current state of importation of prescription drugs into the United States. Regulators and policymakers are under increasing pressure to address the high cost of branded drugs in the United States and the desires of many US patients to purchase less expensive formulations of these products through importation. In many cases, the historical policies surrounding personal importation of prescription drugs that are not sold in the United States have been blatantly ignored, leaving the FDA in a quandary. While current legislative proposals would allow for greater access to drugs directly to consumers from other countries, they do not address the fact that the FDA has no ability to monitor the safety and efficacy of imported products. As such, the possibility of the entry of counterfeit medications and the related potential harm remain concerns.

Costs of novel tuberculosis diagnostics--will countries be able to afford it?

PubMed

Pantoja, Andrea; Kik, Sandra V; Denkinger, Claudia M

2015-04-01

Four priority target product profiles for the development of diagnostic tests for tuberculosis were identified: 1) Rapid sputum-based (RSP), 2) non-sputum Biomarker-based (BMT), 3) triage test followed by confirmatory test (TT), and 4) drug-susceptibility testing (DST). We assessed the cost of the new tests in suitable strategies and of the conventional diagnosis of tuberculosis as per World Health Organization guidelines, in 36 high tuberculosis and MDR burden countries. Costs were then compared to the available funding for tuberculosis at country level. Costs of diagnosing tuberculosis using RSP ranged US$93-187 million/year; if RSP unit cost is of US$2-4 it would be lower/similar cost than conventional strategy with sputum smear microscopy (US$ 119 million/year). Using BMT (with unit cost of US$2-4) would cost US$70-121 million/year and be lower/comparable cost than conventional diagnostics. Using TT with TPP characteristics (unit cost of US$1-2) followed by Xpert would reduce diagnostic costs up to US$36 million/year. Costs of using different novel DST strategies for the diagnosis of drug resistance would be higher compared with conventional diagnosis. Introducing a TT or a biomarker test with optimal characteristics would be affordable from a cost and affordability perspective at the current available funding for tuberculosis. Additional domestic or donor funding would be needed in most countries to achieve affordability for other new diagnostic tests. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Impact of air pollution control costs on the cost and spatial arrangement of cellulosic biofuel production in the U.S.

PubMed

Murphy, Colin W; Parker, Nathan C

2014-02-18

Air pollution emissions regulation can affect the location, size, and technology choice of potential biofuel production facilities. Difficulty in obtaining air pollutant emission permits and the cost of air pollution control devices have been cited by some fuel producers as barriers to development. This paper expands on the Geospatial Bioenergy Systems Model (GBSM) to evaluate the effect of air pollution control costs on the availability, cost, and distribution of U.S. biofuel production by subjecting potential facility locations within U.S. Clean Air Act nonattainment areas, which exceed thresholds for healthy air quality, to additional costs. This paper compares three scenarios: one with air quality costs included, one without air quality costs, and one in which conversion facilities were prohibited in Clean Air Act nonattainment areas. While air quality regulation may substantially affect local decisions regarding siting or technology choices, their effect on the system as a whole is small. Most biofuel facilities are expected to be sited near to feedstock supplies, which are seldom in nonattainment areas. The average cost per unit of produced energy is less than 1% higher in the scenarios with air quality compliance costs than in scenarios without such costs. When facility construction is prohibited in nonattainment areas, the costs increase by slightly over 1%, due to increases in the distance feedstock is transported to facilities in attainment areas.

The rise of biosimilars: How they got here and where they are going.

PubMed

Patel, Dhiren; Gillis, Colin; Naggar, Joseph; Mistry, Amee; Mantzoros, Christos S

2017-10-01

Biosimilars have become a subject of great interest in the past few years. The European Union and the United States are seeing an increasing number of biosimilar applications and approvals. The development of a biosimilar is significantly more complex and costly than a small molecule generic product. In the European Union, there has been a wider use of these medications compared to the United States. More biosimilars are gaining approval in the United States, and these products will likely alter the healthcare system in highly impactful ways. Understanding the regulatory process, the risks, and benefits will enable clinicians to be prepared and maximize the utility of these medications when they enter the market. This article introduces the concept of a biosimilar, discusses the regulatory process in the United States, and reviews the risks and benefits of these products. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Lean and Green Hand Surgery.

PubMed

Van Demark, Robert E; Smith, Vanessa J S; Fiegen, Anthony

2018-02-01

Health care in the United States is both expensive and wasteful. The cost of health care in the United States continues to increase every year. Health care spending for 2016 is estimated at $3.35 trillion. Per capita spending ($10,345 per person) is more than twice the average of other developed countries. The United States also leads the world in solid waste production (624,700 metric tons of waste in 2011). The health care industry is second only to the food industry in annual waste production. Each year, health care facilities in the United States produce 4 billion pounds of waste (660 tons per day), with as much as 70%, or around 2.8 billion pounds, produced directly by operating rooms. Waste disposal also accounts for up to 20% of a hospital's annual environmental services budget. Since 1992, waste production by hospitals has increased annually by a rate of at least 15%, due in part to the increased usage of disposables. Reduction in operating room waste would decrease both health care costs and potential environmental hazards. In 2015, the American Association for Hand Surgery along with the American Society for Surgery of the Hand, American Society for Peripheral Nerve Surgery, and the American Society of Reconstructive Microsurgery began the "Lean and Green" surgery project to reduce the amount of waste generated by hand surgery. We recently began our own "Lean and Green" project in our institution. Using "minor field sterility" surgical principles and Wide Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet (WALANT), both surgical costs and surgical waste were decreased while maintaining patient safety and satisfaction. As the current reimbursement model changes from quantity to quality, "Lean and Green" surgery will play a role in the future health care system. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Garment Production Methods. Part 1: Comparison of Cost and Production Between a Traditional Bundle System and a Unit Production System Installation

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-01-01

fixed sequence. What made the Eton System different was that I one could very quickly, via a mechanical keypad, reprogram the sequencing of each work...possible was that this group of five workers subconsciously decided that they would themselves fullfil the needs of the increased output because they did

Budget-impact model for colonoscopy cost calculation and comparison between 2 litre PEG+ASC and sodium picosulphate with magnesium citrate or sodium phosphate oral bowel cleansing agents.

PubMed

Gruss, H-J; Cockett, A; Leicester, R J

2012-01-01

With the availability of several bowel cleansing agents, physicians and hospitals performing colonoscopies will often base their choice of cleansing agent purely on acquisition cost. Therefore, an easy to use budget impact model has been developed and established as a tool to compare total colon preparation costs between different established bowel cleansing agents. The model was programmed in Excel and designed as a questionnaire evaluating information on treatment costs for a range of established bowel cleansing products. The sum of costs is based on National Health Service reference costs for bowel cleansing products. Estimations are made for savings achievable when using a 2-litre polyethylene glycol with ascorbate components solution (PEG+ASC) in place of other bowel cleansing solutions. Test data were entered into the model to confirm validity and sensitivity. The model was then applied to a set of audit cost data from a major hospital colonoscopy unit in the UK. Descriptive analysis of the test data showed that the main cost drivers in the colonoscopy process are the procedure costs and costs for bed days rather than drug acquisition costs, irrespective of the cleansing agent. Audit data from a colonoscopy unit in the UK confirmed the finding with a saving of £107,000 per year in favour of PEG+ASC when compared to sodium picosulphate with magnesium citrate solution (NaPic+MgCit). For every patient group the model calculated overall cost savings. This was irrespective of the higher drug expenditure associated with the use of PEG+ASC for bowel preparation. Savings were mainly realized through reduced costs for repeat colonoscopy procedures and associated costs, such as inpatient length of stay. The budget impact model demonstrated that the primary cost driver was the procedure cost for colonoscopy. Savings can be realized through the use of PEG+ASC despite higher drug acquisition costs relative to the comparator products. From a global hospital funding perspective, the acquisition costs of bowel preparations should not be used as the primary reason to select the preferred treatment agent, but should be part of the consideration, with an emphasis on the clinical outcome.

Biohydrogen production from waste bread in a continuous stirred tank reactor: A techno-economic analysis.

PubMed

Han, Wei; Hu, Yun Yi; Li, Shi Yi; Li, Fei Fei; Tang, Jun Hong

2016-12-01

Biohydrogen production from waste bread in a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) was techno-economically assessed. The treating capacity of the H 2 -producing plant was assumed to be 2 ton waste bread per day with lifetime of 10years. Aspen Plus was used to simulate the mass and energy balance of the plant. The total capital investment (TCI), total annual production cost (TAPC) and annual revenue of the plant were USD931020, USD299746/year and USD639920/year, respectively. The unit hydrogen production cost was USD1.34/m 3 H 2 (or USD14.89/kg H 2 ). The payback period and net present value (NPV) of the plant were 4.8years and USD1266654, respectively. Hydrogen price and operators cost were the most important variables on the NPV. It was concluded that biohydrogen production from waste bread in the CSTR was feasible for practical application. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Product-line selection and pricing with remanufacturing under availability constraints

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aras, Necati; Esenduran, G.÷k.‡e.; Altinel, I. Kuban

2004-12-01

Product line selection and pricing are two crucial decisions for the profitability of a manufacturing firm. Remanufacturing, on the other hand, may be a profitable strategy that captures the remaining value in used products. In this paper we develop a mixed-integer nonlinear programming model form the perspective of an original equipment manufacturer (OEM). The objective of the OEM is to select products to manufacture and remanufacture among a set of given alternatives and simultaneously determine their prices so as to maximize its profit. It is assumed that the probability a customer selects a product is proportional to its utility and inversely proportional to its price. The utility of a product is an increasing function of its perceived quality. In our base model, products are discriminated by their unit production costs and utilities. We also analyze a case where remanufacturing is limited by the available quantity of collected remanufacturable products. We show that the resulting problem is decomposed into the pricing and product line selection subproblems. Pricing problem is solved by a variant of the simplex search procedure which can also handle constraints, while complete enumeration and a genetic algorithm are used for the solution of the product line selection problem. A number of experiments are carried out to identify conditions under which it is economically viable for the firm to sell remanufactured products. We also determine the optimal utility and unit production cost values of a remanufactured product, which maximizes the total profit of the OEM.

Using cost-effectiveness analysis to support research and development portfolio prioritization for product innovations in measles vaccination.

PubMed

Garrison, Louis P; Bauch, Chris T; Bresnahan, Brian W; Hazlet, Tom K; Kadiyala, Srikanth; Veenstra, David L

2011-07-01

Several potential measles vaccine innovations are in development to address the shortcomings of the current vaccine. Funders need to prioritize their scarce research and development resources. This article demonstrates the usefulness of cost-effectiveness analysis to support these decisions. This study had 4 major components: (1) identifying potential innovations, (2) developing transmission models to assess mortality and morbidity impacts, (3) estimating the unit cost impacts, and (4) assessing aggregate cost-effectiveness in United Nations Children's Fund countries through 2049. Four promising technologies were evaluated: aerosol delivery, needle-free injection, inhalable dry powder, and early administration DNA vaccine. They are projected to have a small absolute impact in terms of reducing the number of measles cases in most scenarios because of already improving vaccine coverage. Three are projected to reduce unit cost per dose by $0.024 to $0.170 and would improve overall cost-effectiveness. Each will require additional investments to reach the market. Over the next 40 years, the aggregate cost savings could be substantial, ranging from $98.4 million to $689.4 million. Cost-effectiveness analysis can help to inform research and development portfolio prioritization decisions. Three new measles vaccination technologies under development hold promise to be cost-saving from a global perspective over the long-term, even after considering additional investment costs. © The Author 2011. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved.

Bid purchasing of radiopharmaceuticals and radiopaque contrast media

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

Swanson, D.P.; Jakubowski, D.L.; Shoup, L.K.

Use of product standardization and competitive-bid purchasing for radiopharmaceuticals and radiopaque contrast media in a 1000-bed teaching hospital is described. The hospital's use of radiopharmaceuticals was reviewed, and all agents were listed with their product specifications and order quantity or frequency. Manufacturers and wholesalers were asked to submit unit prices for each of their products. Similar procedures were followed for radiopaque contrast media; wholesalers and manufacturers were asked to submit unit prices that would be guaranteed for a 12-month contract period. A nuclear pharmacist and radiologists reviewed the submitted bids and awarded contracts, basing their decisions primarily on product acceptabilitymore » and selection criteria and then on relative costs of the agents. Annual costs were reduced 16% ($16,500) for radiopharmaceuticals and 21.3% ($66,500) for radiopaque contrast media. The program also resulted in decreased inventory of radiopaque contrast media and in faster and less expensive acquisition of emergency orders. Working with the radiology department to compile a standard list of radiopharmaceuticals and radiopaque contrast media and soliciting competitive bids by vendors of these products resulted in annual savings of more than $83,000.« less

NASA/BLM APT, phase 2. Volume 2: Technology demonstration. [Arizona

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

Techniques described include: (1) steps in the preprocessing of LANDSAT data; (2) the training of a classifier; (3) maximum likelihood classification and precision; (4) geometric correction; (5) class description; (6) digitizing; (7) digital terrain data; (8) an overview of sample design; (9) allocation and selection of primary sample units; (10) interpretation of secondary sample units; (11) data collection ground plots; (12) data reductions; (13) analysis for productivity estimation and map verification; (14) cost analysis; and (150) LANDSAT digital products. The evaluation of the pre-inventory planning for P.J. is included.

Secukinumab Significantly Reduces Psoriasis-Related Work Impairment and Indirect Costs Compared With Ustekinumab and Etanercept in the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Warren, R B; Halliday, A; Graham, C N; Gilloteau, I; Miles, L; McBride, D

2018-05-30

Psoriasis causes work productivity impairment that increases with disease severity. Whether differential treatment efficacy translates into differential indirect cost savings is unknown. To assess work hours lost and indirect costs associated with secukinumab versus ustekinumab and etanercept in the United Kingdom (UK). This was a post hoc analysis of work impairment data collected in the CLEAR study (secukinumab vs. ustekinumab) and applied to the FIXTURE study (secukinumab vs. etanercept). Weighted weekly and annual average indirect costs per patient per treatment were calculated from (1) overall work impairment derived from Work Productivity and Activity Impairment data collected in CLEAR at 16 and 52 weeks by Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) response level; (2) weekly/annual work productivity loss by PASI response level; (3) weekly and annual indirect costs by PASI response level, based on hours of work productivity loss; and (4) weighted average indirect costs for each treatment. In the primary analysis, work impairment data for employed patients in CLEAR at Week 16 were used to compare secukinumab and ustekinumab. Secondary analyses were conducted at different timepoints and with patient cohorts, including FIXTURE. In CLEAR, 452 patients (67%) were employed at baseline. At Week 16, percentages of weekly work impairment/mean hours lost decreased with higher PASI: PASI <50: 22.8%/7.60 hours; PASI 50-74: 13.3%/4.45 hours; PASI 75-89: 6.4%/2.14 hours; PASI ≥90: 4.9%/1.65 hours. Weighted mean weekly/annual work hours lost were significantly lower for secukinumab than ustekinumab (1.96/102.51 vs. 2.40/125.12; P=0.0006). Results were consistent for secukinumab versus etanercept (2.29/119.67 vs. 3.59/187.17; Ρ<0.0001). Average annual indirect cost savings with secukinumab were £355 versus ustekinumab and £1,061 versus etanercept. Results at 52 weeks were similar. Secukinumab significantly reduced work impairment and associated indirect costs of psoriasis compared with ustekinumab and etanercept at Week 16 through 52 in the UK. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Toll of Tobacco in the United States of America

MedlinePlus

... based on data in Behan, DF, et al., Economic Effects of Environmental Tobacco Smoke , Society of Actuaries, ... soa.org/Research/Research-Projects/Life- Insurance/research-economic-effect.aspx. Productivity costs. HHS, The Health Consequences ...

Implementation of a patient blood management monitoring and feedback program significantly reduces transfusions and costs.

PubMed

Mehra, Tarun; Seifert, Burkhardt; Bravo-Reiter, Silvina; Wanner, Guido; Dutkowski, Philipp; Holubec, Tomas; Moos, Rudolf M; Volbracht, Jörk; Manz, Markus G; Spahn, Donat R

2015-12-01

Patient blood management (PBM) measures have been shown to be effective in reducing transfusions while maintaining patient outcome. The issuance of transfusion guidelines is seen as being key to the success of PBM programs. As the introduction of guidelines alone did not visibly reduce transfusions in our center, a monitoring and feedback program was established. The aim of our study was to show the effectiveness of such measures in reducing transfusions and cost. We designed a prospective, interventional cohort study with a 3-year time frame (January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2014). In total, 101,794 patients aged 18 years or older were included. The PBM monitoring and feedback program was introduced on January 1, 2014, with the subsequent issuance of quarterly reporting. Within the first year of introduction, transfusion of all allogeneic blood products per 1000 patients was reduced by 27% (red blood cell units, -24%; platelet units, -25%; and fresh-frozen plasma units, -37%; all p < 0.001) leading to direct allogeneic blood product related savings of more than 2 million USD. The number of blood products transfused per case was significantly reduced from 9 ± 19 to 7 ± 14 (p < 0.001). With an odds ratio of 0.86 (95% confidence interval, 0.82-0.91), the introduction of our PBM monitoring and feedback program was a significant independent factor in the reduction of transfusion probability (p < 0.001). Our PBM monitoring and feedback program was highly efficacious in reducing the transfusion of allogeneic blood products and transfusion-related costs. © 2015 AABB.

[The evaluation of the self-financing capacity within the territorial compass of a primary care management].

PubMed

Clua Espuny, J L; Baucells Lluís, J; Mauri Roselló, J A

1999-05-15

The main objective of this study is to calculate the point of financial balance in the geographical setting of the Tortosa PC Area, to evaluate the business results, and to reflect on the side-effects and potential problems of self-management. Retrospective and descriptive study. The units studied were the seven base health districts operating during 1997. The products or services considered for the calculation of income are included in the Order of 29/9/97. The overall result meant a deficit of 0.019 milliards. Pharmaceutical prescription accounted for 58.45% of the total cost. 96.26% of the total activity was products or services undertaken in the PCC, where 95.95% of the income was obtained. All the points of balance, except for in-home activity of nursing personnel, were above the activity recorded. The products with greatest volume were the most profitable overall for the business. 1. The overall result meant a subsidy to running costs of 0.019 milliards. 2. If it did not occur otherwise, our systems for recording activity would have to be adapted to the products financed and accountancy information at the operational unit level. 3. Given that what is measured can be improved, we can identify problems and synergically involve the clinics in improving service efficiency and at the same time achieving a higher level of responsibility for services in a new context of self-management both for each operational unit and overall. 4. Defining the point of financial balance has to enable a framework of target incentives to be established by means of simultaneous information on cost and profit elements in the activity undertaken.

78 FR 17648 - Energy Conservation Program for Consumer Products: Representative Average Unit Costs of Energy

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-22

... electricity, natural gas, No. 2 heating oil, propane, and kerosene. DATES: The representative average unit... for electricity, natural gas, No. 2 heating oil, and propane are based on simulations used to produce... required by test procedure Electricity $35.46 12.1[cent]/kWh 2 3..... $0.121/kWh Natural Gas 10.87 $1.087...

Economic Studies in Colorectal Cancer: Challenges in Measuring and Comparing Costs

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Estimates of the costs associated with cancer care are essential both for assessing burden of disease at the population level and for conducting economic evaluations of interventions to prevent, detect, or treat cancer. Comparisons of cancer costs between health systems and across countries can improve understanding of the economic consequences of different health-care policies and programs. We conducted a structured review of the published literature on colorectal cancer (CRC) costs, including direct medical, direct nonmedical (ie, patient and caregiver time, travel), and productivity losses. We used MEDLINE to identify English language articles published between 2000 and 2010 and found 55 studies. The majority were conducted in the United States (52.7%), followed by France (12.7%), Canada (10.9%), the United Kingdom (9.1%), and other countries (9.1%). Almost 90% of studies estimated direct medical costs, but few studies estimated patient or caregiver time costs or productivity losses associated with CRC. Within a country, we found significant heterogeneity across the studies in populations examined, health-care delivery settings, methods for identifying incident and prevalent patients, types of medical services included, and analyses. Consequently, findings from studies with seemingly the same objective (eg, costs of chemotherapy in year following CRC diagnosis) are difficult to compare. Across countries, aggregate and patient-level estimates vary in so many respects that they are almost impossible to compare. Our findings suggest that valid cost comparisons should be based on studies with explicit standardization of populations, services, measures of costs, and methods with the goal of comparability within or between health systems or countries. Expected increases in CRC prevalence and costs in the future highlight the importance of such studies for informing health-care policy and program planning. PMID:23962510

Performance indicators and decision making for outsourcing public health laboratory services.

PubMed

Santos, Maria Angelica Borges dos; Moraes, Ricardo Montes de; Passos, Sonia Regina Lambert

2012-06-01

To develop performance indicators for outsourcing clinical laboratory services, based on information systems and public administrative records. In the municipality of Rio de Janeiro, Southern Brazil, the public health laboratory network comprised 33 laboratories with automated equipment (but no integrated information system), 90 primary care units (where sample collection was performed) and 983 employees. Information records were obtained from the administrative records of the Budget Information System for Public Health and the Outpatient and Hospital Information System of the Unified Health System. Performance indicators (production, productivity, usage and costs) were generated from data collected routinely from 2006 to 2008. The variations in production, costs and unit prices for tests were analyzed by Laspeyres and Paasche indices, which specifically measure laboratory activity, and by the Consumer Price Index from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. A total of 10,359,111 tests were performed in 2008 (10.6% increase over 2006), and the test/employee ratio grew by 8.6%. The costs of supplies, wages and providers increased by 2.3%, 45.4% and 18.3%, respectively. The laboratory tests per visit and hospitalizations increased by 10% and 20%, respectively. The direct costs totaled R$ 63.2 million in 2008, representing an increase of 22.2% in current values during the period analyzed. The direct costs deflated by the Brazilian National Consumer Price Index (9.5% for the period) showed an 11.6% increase in production volumes. The activity-specific volume index, which considers changes in the mix of tests, showed increases of 18.5% in the test price and 3.1% in the production volume. The performance indicators, particularly the specific indices for volume and price of activity, constitute a baseline of performance potential for monitoring private laboratories and contractors. The economic performance indicators demonstrated the need for network information system integration prior to an outsourcing decision.

The Cost-Effectiveness of Vedolizumab for Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Review of the Current Literature

PubMed Central

Saumoy, Monica; Cohen-Mekelburg, Shirley; Steinlauf, Adam F.; Scherl, Ellen J.

2016-01-01

The United States spends a greater share per gross domestic product on health care than any other developed country in the world. Cost-conscious, high-value care has an important role in the practice of medicine. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects 1.6 million people in the United States and is responsible for significant health care costs, with estimates as high as $31.6 billion annually, a large portion of which is attributable to the use of biologic therapies. As the number of therapeutic targets for IBD expands, gastroenterologists can anticipate the arrival of novel therapeutic agents on the market, and these may carry significant costs. Vedolizumab, a monoclonal antibody directed against the gut-selective integrin α4β7, is a novel biologic agent approved for the treatment of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Cost-effectiveness is an area of research that aims to assess the added value (in terms of both cost and utility) of diagnostic or therapeutic interventions. This article reviews the current literature evaluating the cost-effectiveness of vedolizumab for the treatment of IBD. PMID:27917076

Managing a closed-loop supply chain inventory system with learning effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jauhari, Wakhid Ahmad; Dwicahyani, Anindya Rachma; Hendaryani, Oktiviandri; Kurdhi, Nughthoh Arfawi

2018-02-01

In this paper, we propose a closed-loop supply chain model consisting of a retailer and a manufacturer. We intend to investigate the impact of learning in regular production, remanufacturing and reworking. The customer demand is assumed deterministic and will be satisfied from both regular production and remanufacturing process. The return rate of used items depends on quality. We propose a mathematical model with the objective is to maximize the joint total profit by simultaneously determining the length of ordering cycle for the retailer and the number of regular production and remanufacturing cycle. The algorithm is suggested for finding the optimal solution. A numerical example is presented to illustrate the application of using a proposed model. The results show that the integrated model performs better in reducing total cost compared to the independent model. The total cost is most affected by the changes in the values of unit production cost and acceptable quality level. In addition, the changes in the defective items proportion and the fraction of holding costs significantly influence the retailer's ordering period.

The United States’ Vulnerability to Coercion by China in the Rare Earths Market

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-14

a computer, is assembled in a third country. This has brought down the total cost of such products which has had very positive effects on the...world’s economy. When materials or resources can be obtained from multiple sources around the world, costs of procurement and manufacture are lower, which...results in the total cost of goods being overall less expensive. Sometimes there is the possibility of a very dangerous side effect from relying 2

Cost savings through implementation of an integrated home-based record: a case study in Vietnam.

PubMed

Aiga, Hirotsugu; Pham Huy, Tuan Kiet; Nguyen, Vinh Duc

2018-03-01

In Vietnam, there are three major home-based records (HBRs) for maternal and child health (MCH) that have been already nationally scaled up, i.e., Maternal and Child Health Handbook (MCH Handbook), Child Vaccination Handbook, and Child Growth Monitoring Chart. The MCH Handbook covers all the essential recording items that are included in the other two. This overlapping of recording items between the HBRs is likely to result in inefficient use of both financial and human resources. This study is aimed at estimating the magnitude of cost savings that are expected to be realized through implementing exclusively the MCH Handbook by terminating the other two. Secondary data collection and analyses on HBR production and distribution costs and health workers' opportunity costs. Through multiplying the unit costs by their respective quantity multipliers, recurrent costs of operations of three HBRs were estimated. Moreover, magnitude of cost savings likely to be realized was estimated, by calculating recurrent costs overlapping between the three HBRs. It was estimated that implementing exclusively the MCH Handbook would lead to cost savings of United States dollar 3.01 million per annum. The amount estimated is minimum cost savings because only recurrent cost elements (HBR production and distribution costs and health workers' opportunity costs) were incorporated into the estimation. Further indirect cost savings could be expected through reductions in health expenditures, as the use of the MCH Handbook would contribute to prevention of maternal and child illnesses by increasing antenatal care visits and breastfeeding practices. To avoid wasting financial and human resources, the MCH Handbook should be exclusively implemented by abolishing the other two HBRs. This study is globally an initial attempt to estimate cost savings to be realized through avoiding overlapping operations between multiple HBRs for MCH. Copyright © 2017 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sustainability evaluation of Sicily's lemon and orange production: an energy, economic and environmental analysis.

PubMed

Pergola, M; D'Amico, M; Celano, G; Palese, A M; Scuderi, A; Di Vita, G; Pappalardo, G; Inglese, P

2013-10-15

The island of Sicily has a long standing tradition in citrus growing. We evaluated the sustainability of orange and lemon orchards, under organic and conventional farming, using an energy, environmental and economic analysis of the whole production cycle by using a life cycle assessment approach. These orchard systems differ only in terms of a few of the inputs used and the duration of the various agricultural operations. The quantity of energy consumption in the production cycle was calculated by multiplying the quantity of inputs used by the energy conversion factors drawn from the literature. The production costs were calculated considering all internal costs, including equipment, materials, wages, and costs of working capital. The performance of the two systems (organic and conventional), was compared over a period of fifty years. The results, based on unit surface area (ha) production, prove the stronger sustainability of the organic over the conventional system, both in terms of energy consumption and environmental impact, especially for lemons. The sustainability of organic systems is mainly due to the use of environmentally friendly crop inputs (fertilizers, not use of synthetic products, etc.). In terms of production costs, the conventional management systems were more expensive, and both systems were heavily influenced by wages. In terms of kg of final product, the organic production system showed better environmental and energy performances. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Forecasting economic gains from intensive plantation management using unrealistic yield over input curves

Treesearch

David B. South; Curtis L. VanderSchaaf; Larry D. Teeter

2006-01-01

Some researchers claim that continuously increasing intensive plantation management will increase profits and reduce the unit cost of wood production while others believe in the law of diminishing returns. We developed four hypothetical production models where yield is a function of silvicultural effort. Models that produced unrealistic results were (1) an exponential...

Ethanol production from woody biomass: Silvicultural opportunities for suppressed western conifers

Treesearch

Andrew Youngblood; Junyong Zhu; C. Tim Scott

2010-01-01

The 2007 Energy Security and Independence Act (ESIA) requires 16 billion gallons of ethanol to be produced from lignocellulose biomass by 2022 in the United States. Forests can be a key source of renewable lignocellulose for ethanol production if cost and conversion efficiency barriers can be overcome. We explored opportunities for using woody biomass from thinning...

40 CFR 600.502-81 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... imports into the United States at the date of entry into Mexico. (2) Cost of production of a car line shall mean the aggregate of the products of: (i) The average U.S. dealer wholesale price for such car... (ii) The number of automobiles within the car line produced during the part of the model year that the...

Designing and Testing of Self-Cleaning Recirculating Zebrafish Tanks.

PubMed

Nema, Shubham; Bhargava, Yogesh

2016-08-01

Maintenance of large number of zebrafish in captive conditions is a daunting task. This can be eased by the use of recirculating racks with self-cleaning zebrafish tanks. Commercially available systems are costly, and compatibility of intercompany products has never been investigated. Although various cost-effective designs and methods of construction of custom-made recirculating zebrafish racks are available in literature, the design of self-cleaning zebrafish tanks is still not available. In this study, we report the design and method of construction of the self-cleaning unit, which can be fitted in any zebrafish tank. We validated the design by investigating sediment cleaning process in rectangular and cylindrical tank geometries using time lapse imaging. Our results suggest that for both tank geometries, the tanks fitted with self-cleaning unit provided superior sediment cleaning than the tanks fitted with overflow-drain unit. Although the self-cleaning unit could clean the sediment completely from both geometries over prolonged period, the cleaning of sediments was faster in the cylindrical tank than the rectangular tank. In conclusion, cost and efforts of zebrafish maintenance could be significantly reduced through the installation of our self-cleaning unit in any custom-made zebrafish tank.

Summary of the ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, and adsorbents project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colvin, C. M.; Roberts, R. C.; Williams, M. K.

1983-01-01

The design for a medium size (40 gal/min) ultrafiltration (UF) membrane unit includes a schematic diagram, capital and operating costs, a list and discussion of the radioisotopes tested and the results achieved, operating parameters, and characteristics of the available membrane configurations. The plant design for a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane unit includes a conceptual diagram, specifications for a RO unit producing 40 gal/min of permeated product, a list of radioisotopes tested on RO units and the rejections achieved, a discussion of the principal of RO, a discussion of the upper limits of cation and anion concentrations (there are no lower limits), a discussion of membrane configurations and porosities, a discussion of factors affecting membranes, a section on calculating the membrane area needed for a particular application, and capital and operating cost calculations. The design for an ion exchange pilot plant includes a schematic diagram; flow, resin, and column specifications; impurity limits; and operating and capital costs. A short theoretical discussion and process description are also included. The design retains flexibility so that application to a specific stream can be determined.

Newman Unit 1 advanced solar repowering advanced conceptual design. Final report

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

None

1982-04-01

The Newman Unit 1 solar repowering design is a water/steam central receiver concept supplying superheated steam. The work reported is to develop a refined baseline conceptual design that has potential for construction and operation by 1986, makes use of existing solar thermal technology, and provides the best economics for this application. Trade studies performed in the design effort are described, both for the conceptual design of the overall system and for the subsystem conceptual design. System-level functional requirements, design, operation, performance, cost, safety, environmental, institutional, and regulatory considerations are described. Subsystems described include the collector, receiver, fossil energy, electrical powermore » generating, and master control subsystems, site and site facilities. The conceptual design, cost, and performance of each subsystem is discussed at length. A detailed economic analysis of the repowered unit is made to realistically assess the economics of the first repowered unit using present cost data for a limited production level for solar hardware. Finally, a development plan is given, including the design, procurement, construction, checkout, startup, performance validation, and commercial operation. (LEW)« less

Technoeconomic analysis of large scale production of pre-emergent Pseudomonas fluorescens microbial bioherbicide in Canada.

PubMed

Mupondwa, Edmund; Li, Xue; Boyetchko, Susan; Hynes, Russell; Geissler, Jon

2015-01-01

The study presents an ex ante technoeconomic analysis of commercial production of Pseudomonas fluorescens BRG100 bioherbicide in Canada. An engineering economic model is designed in SuperPro Designer® to investigate capital investment scaling and profitability. Total capital investment for a stand-alone BRG100 fermentation plant at baseline capacity (two 33,000L fermenters; 3602tonnesannum(-1)) is $17.55million. Total annual operating cost is $14.76million. Raw materials account for 50% of operating cost. The fermentation plant is profitable over wide operating scale, evaluated over a range of BRG100 prices and costs of capital. Smaller plants require higher NPV breakeven prices. However, larger plants are more sensitive to changes in the cost of capital. Unit production costs decrease as plant capacity increases, indicating scale economies. A plant operating for less than one year approaches positive NPV for periods as low as 2months. These findings can support bioherbicide R&D investment and commercialization strategies. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optimal Operation System of the Integrated District Heating System with Multiple Regional Branches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Ui Sik; Park, Tae Chang; Kim, Lae-Hyun; Yeo, Yeong Koo

This paper presents an optimal production and distribution management for structural and operational optimization of the integrated district heating system (DHS) with multiple regional branches. A DHS consists of energy suppliers and consumers, district heating pipelines network and heat storage facilities in the covered region. In the optimal management system, production of heat and electric power, regional heat demand, electric power bidding and sales, transport and storage of heat at each regional DHS are taken into account. The optimal management system is formulated as a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) where the objectives is to minimize the overall cost of the integrated DHS while satisfying the operation constraints of heat units and networks as well as fulfilling heating demands from consumers. Piecewise linear formulation of the production cost function and stairwise formulation of the start-up cost function are used to compute nonlinear cost function approximately. Evaluation of the total overall cost is based on weekly operations at each district heat branches. Numerical simulations show the increase of energy efficiency due to the introduction of the present optimal management system.

Assessment of potential future hydrogen markets in the U.S.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kashani, A. K.

1980-01-01

Potential future hydrogen markets in the United States are assessed. Future hydrogen markets for various use sectors are projected, the probable range of hydrogen production costs from various alternatives is estimated, stimuli and barriers to the development of hydrogen markets are discussed, an overview of the status of technologies for the production and utilization of hydrogen is presented, and, finally, societal aspects of hydrogen production and utilization are discussed.

Process analysis and economics of drinking water production from coastal aquifers containing chromophoric dissolved organic matter and bromide using nanofiltration and ozonation.

PubMed

Sobhani, R; McVicker, R; Spangenberg, C; Rosso, D

2012-01-01

In regions characterized by water scarcity, such as coastal Southern California, groundwater containing chromophoric dissolved organic matter is a viable source of water supply. In the coastal aquifer of Orange County in California, seawater intrusion driven by coastal groundwater pumping increased the concentration of bromide in extracted groundwater from 0.4 mg l⁻¹ in 2000 to over 0.8 mg l⁻¹ in 2004. Bromide, a precursor to bromate formation is regulated by USEPA and the California Department of Health as a potential carcinogen and therefore must be reduced to a level below 10 μg l⁻¹. This paper compares two processes for treatment of highly coloured groundwater: nanofiltration and ozone injection coupled with biologically activated carbon. The requirement for bromate removal decreased the water production in the ozonation process to compensate for increased maintenance requirements, and required the adoption of catalytic carbon with associated increase in capital and operating costs per unit volume. However, due to the absence of oxidant addition in nanofiltration processes, this process is not affected by bromide. We performed a process analysis and a comparative economic analysis of capital and operating costs for both technologies. Our results show that for the case studied in coastal Southern California, nanofiltration has higher throughput and lower specific capital and operating cost, when compared to ozone injection with biologically activate carbon. Ozone injection with biologically activated carbon, compared to nanofiltration, has 14% higher capital cost and 12% higher operating costs per unit water produced while operating at the initial throughput. Due to reduced ozone concentration required to accommodate for bromate reduction, the ozonation process throughput is reduced and the actual cost increase (per unit water produced) is 68% higher for capital cost and 30% higher for operations. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Closing the gap between socioeconomic and financial implications of residential and community level hydrogen-based energy systems: Incentives needed for a bridge to the future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verduzco, Laura E.

The use of hydrogen as an energy carrier has the potential to decrease the amount of pollutants emitted to the atmosphere, significantly reduce our dependence on imported oil and resolve geopolitical issues related to energy consumption. The current status of hydrogen technology makes it prohibitive and financially risky for most investors to commit the money required for large-scale hydrogen production. Therefore, alternative strategies such as small and medium-scale hydrogen applications should be implemented during the early stages of the transition to the hydrogen economy in order to test potential markets and technology readiness. While many analysis tools have been built to estimate the requirements of the transition to a hydrogen economy, few have focused on small and medium-scale hydrogen production and none has paired financial with socioeconomic costs at the residential level. The computer-based tool (H2POWER) presented in this study calculates the capacity, cost and socioeconomic impact of the systems needed to meet the energy demands of a home or a community using home and neighborhood refueling units, which are systems that can provide electricity and heat to meet the energy demands of either (1) a home and automobile or (2) a cluster of homes and a number of automobiles. The financial costs of the production, processing and delivery sub-systems that conform the refueling units are calculated using cost data of existing technology and normalizing them to calculate capital and net present cost. The monetary value of the externalities (socioeconomic analysis) caused by each system is calculated by H2POWER through a statistical analysis of the cost associated to various externalities. Additionally, H2POWER calculates the financial impact of different penalties and incentives (such as net metering, low interest loans, fuel taxes, and emission penalties) on the cost of the system from the point of view of a developer and a homeowner. In order to assess the benefits and costs of hydrogen-based alternatives, H2POWER compares the financial and socioeconomic costs of home and neighborhood refueling units to a baseline of "conventional" sources of residential electricity, space heat, water heat, and vehicle fuel. The model can also calculate the "gap" between the financial cost of the technology and the environmental cost of the externalities that are generated using conventional energy sources. H2POWER is a flexible, user-friendly tool that allows the user to specify different production pathways, supplemental power sources (renewable and non-renewable), component characteristics, electricity mixes, and other analysis parameters in order to customize the results to specific projects. The model has also built-in default values for each of the input fields based on national averages, standard technology specifications and input from experts.

Cost-effectiveness analysis: adding value to assessment of animal health welfare and production.

PubMed

Babo Martins, S; Rushton, J

2014-12-01

Cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) has been extensively used in economic assessments in fields related to animal health, namely in human health where it provides a decision-making framework for choices about the allocation of healthcare resources. Conversely, in animal health, cost-benefit analysis has been the preferred tool for economic analysis. In this paper, the use of CEA in related areas and the role of this technique in assessments of animal health, welfare and production are reviewed. Cost-effectiveness analysis can add further value to these assessments, particularly in programmes targeting animal welfare or animal diseases with an impact on human health, where outcomes are best valued in natural effects rather than in monetary units. Importantly, CEA can be performed during programme implementation stages to assess alternative courses of action in real time.

Cancer insurance policies in Japan and the United States.

PubMed Central

Bennett, C L; Weinberg, P D; Lieberman, J J

1998-01-01

Cancer care in the United States often results in financial hardship for patients and their families. Standard health insurance covers most medical costs, but nonmedical costs (such as lost wages, deductibles, copayments, and travel to and from caregivers) are paid out of pocket. Over the course of treatment, these costs can become substantial. Insurance companies have addressed the burden of these out-of-pocket costs by offering supplemental cancer insurance policies that, upon diagnosis of cancer, pay cash benefits for items that usually require out-of-pocket expenditures and are distinct from reimbursements made by traditional health insurance. Limitations associated with managed care have fostered increased consumer awareness and interest in the United States for cancer insurance and its ability to defray treatment expenditures that usually require out-of-pocket payments. Marketing campaigns are becoming more aggressive, and the number of cancer insurance policies sold has been steadily rising. While cancer insurance is only recently gaining popularity in the United States, it has been a successful product in Japan for over twenty years. In Japan, approximately one-quarter of the population own cancer insurance, and ten-year retention rates are estimated at 75%. As a result, individuals are afforded good access to nonmedical cancer services. Understanding the factors that led to the success of cancer insurance in Japan may assist policymakers in evaluating cancer insurance policies as they become more prevalent in the United States. PMID:9448483

Cancer insurance policies in Japan and the United States.

PubMed

Bennett, C L; Weinberg, P D; Lieberman, J J

1998-01-01

Cancer care in the United States often results in financial hardship for patients and their families. Standard health insurance covers most medical costs, but nonmedical costs (such as lost wages, deductibles, copayments, and travel to and from caregivers) are paid out of pocket. Over the course of treatment, these costs can become substantial. Insurance companies have addressed the burden of these out-of-pocket costs by offering supplemental cancer insurance policies that, upon diagnosis of cancer, pay cash benefits for items that usually require out-of-pocket expenditures and are distinct from reimbursements made by traditional health insurance. Limitations associated with managed care have fostered increased consumer awareness and interest in the United States for cancer insurance and its ability to defray treatment expenditures that usually require out-of-pocket payments. Marketing campaigns are becoming more aggressive, and the number of cancer insurance policies sold has been steadily rising. While cancer insurance is only recently gaining popularity in the United States, it has been a successful product in Japan for over twenty years. In Japan, approximately one-quarter of the population own cancer insurance, and ten-year retention rates are estimated at 75%. As a result, individuals are afforded good access to nonmedical cancer services. Understanding the factors that led to the success of cancer insurance in Japan may assist policymakers in evaluating cancer insurance policies as they become more prevalent in the United States.

Determining optimal selling price and lot size with process reliability and partial backlogging considerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsieh, Tsu-Pang; Cheng, Mei-Chuan; Dye, Chung-Yuan; Ouyang, Liang-Yuh

2011-01-01

In this article, we extend the classical economic production quantity (EPQ) model by proposing imperfect production processes and quality-dependent unit production cost. The demand rate is described by any convex decreasing function of the selling price. In addition, we allow for shortages and a time-proportional backlogging rate. For any given selling price, we first prove that the optimal production schedule not only exists but also is unique. Next, we show that the total profit per unit time is a concave function of price when the production schedule is given. We then provide a simple algorithm to find the optimal selling price and production schedule for the proposed model. Finally, we use a couple of numerical examples to illustrate the algorithm and conclude this article with suggestions for possible future research.

Stochastic modeling of economic injury levels with respect to yearly trends in price commodity.

PubMed

Damos, Petros

2014-05-01

The economic injury level (EIL) concept integrates economics and biology and uses chemical applications in crop protection only when economic loss by pests is anticipated. The EIL is defined by five primary variables: the cost of management tactic per production unit, the price of commodity, the injury units per pest, the damage per unit injury, and the proportionate reduction of injury averted by the application of a tactic. The above variables are related according to the formula EIL = C/VIDK. The observable dynamic alteration of the EIL due to its different parameters is a major characteristic of its concept. In this study, the yearly effect of the economic variables is assessed, and in particular the influence of the parameter commodity value on the shape of the EIL function. In addition, to predict the effects of the economic variables on the EIL level, yearly commodity values were incorporated in the EIL formula and the generated outcomes were further modelled with stochastic linear autoregressive models having different orders. According to the AR(1) model, forecasts for the five-year period of 2010-2015 ranged from 2.33 to 2.41 specimens per sampling unit. These values represent a threshold that is in reasonable limits to justify future control actions. Management actions as related to productivity and price commodity significantly affect costs of crop production and thus define the adoption of IPM and sustainable crop production systems at local and international levels. This is an open access paper. We use the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license that permits unrestricted use, provided that the paper is properly attributed.

Reward and uncertainty in exploration programs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaufman, G. M.; Bradley, P. G.

1971-01-01

A set of variables which are crucial to the economic outcome of petroleum exploration are discussed. These are treated as random variables; the values they assume indicate the number of successes that occur in a drilling program and determine, for a particular discovery, the unit production cost and net economic return if that reservoir is developed. In specifying the joint probability law for those variables, extreme and probably unrealistic assumptions are made. In particular, the different random variables are assumed to be independently distributed. Using postulated probability functions and specified parameters, values are generated for selected random variables, such as reservoir size. From this set of values the economic magnitudes of interest, net return and unit production cost are computed. This constitutes a single trial, and the procedure is repeated many times. The resulting histograms approximate the probability density functions of the variables which describe the economic outcomes of an exploratory drilling program.

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.

Analysis of Tactical Automation Requirements for the Maneuver Functional Area.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-11-06

34Big 5" format for each alternative ("Big 5" format includes: development, production , military construction, fielding, and sustainment). 1-6...h a1 based upon recurring unit production costs per system and initial spares plus sustainment (i.e., materiel and labor) costs. (2) Figure 2-15...GRAND TOTALS: C 0 24 C C ’ IT-. SV -II-4 %#g Np MOE : .EVEL TE OF T ;TAA 92; 1-As IT E Th DESC-NATED 3-AR : (V 1) M)2 fViI ’ M.)’S 17 20 o,. D:v CAVALRY

Scale-up of Carbon/Carbon Bipolar Plates

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

David P. Haack

2009-04-08

This project was focused upon developing a unique material technology for use in PEM fuel cell bipolar plates. The carbon/carbon composite material developed in this program is uniquely suited for use in fuel cell systems, as it is lightweight, highly conductive and corrosion resistant. The project further focused upon developing the manufacturing methodology to cost-effectively produce this material for use in commercial fuel cell systems. United Technology Fuel Cells Corp., a leading fuel cell developer was a subcontractor to the project was interested in the performance and low-cost potential of the material. The accomplishments of the program included the developmentmore » and testing of a low-cost, fully molded, net-shape carbon-carbon bipolar plate. The process to cost-effectively manufacture these carbon-carbon bipolar plates was focused on extensively in this program. Key areas for cost-reduction that received attention in this program was net-shape molding of the detailed flow structures according to end-user design. Correlations between feature detail and process parameters were formed so that mold tooling could be accurately designed to meet a variety of flow field dimensions. A cost model was developed that predicted the cost of manufacture for the product in near-term volumes and long-term volumes (10+ million units per year). Because the roduct uses lowcost raw materials in quantities that are less than competitive tech, it was found that the cost of the product in high volume can be less than with other plate echnologies, and can meet the DOE goal of $4/kW for transportation applications. The excellent performance of the all-carbon plate in net shape was verified in fuel cell testing. Performance equivalent to much higher cost, fully machined graphite plates was found.« less

Identification of high payoff research for more efficient applicator helicopters in agriculture and forestry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Waters, K. T.

1979-01-01

The results of a study of the uses of helicopters in agriculture and forestry in the United States are discussed. Comparisons with agricultural airplanes are made in terms of costs of aerial application to the growers. An analysis of cost drivers and potential improvements to helicopters that will lower costs is presented. Future trends are discussed, and recommendations for research are outlined. Operational safety hazards and accident records are examined, and problem areas are identified. Areas where research and development are needed to provide opportunities for lowering costs while increasing productivity are analyzed.

Hospital costs of central line-associated bloodstream infections and cost-effectiveness of closed vs. open infusion containers. The case of Intensive Care Units in Italy

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Objectives The aim was to evaluate direct health care costs of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) and to calculate the cost-effectiveness ratio of closed fully collapsible plastic intravenous infusion containers vs. open (glass) infusion containers. Methods A two-year, prospective case-control study was undertaken in four intensive care units in an Italian teaching hospital. Patients with CLABSI (cases) and patients without CLABSI (controls) were matched for admission departments, gender, age, and average severity of illness score. Costs were estimated according to micro-costing approach. In the cost effectiveness analysis, the cost component was assessed as the difference between production costs while effectiveness was measured by CLABSI rate (number of CLABSI per 1000 central line days) associated with the two infusion containers. Results A total of 43 cases of CLABSI were compared with 97 matched controls. The mean age of cases and controls was 62.1 and 66.6 years, respectively (p = 0.143); 56% of the cases and 57% of the controls were females (p = 0.922). The mean length of stay of cases and controls was 17.41 and 8.55 days, respectively (p < 0.001). Overall, the mean total costs of patients with and without CLABSI were € 18,241 and € 9,087, respectively (p < 0.001). On average, the extra cost for drugs was € 843 (p < 0.001), for supplies € 133 (p = 0.116), for lab tests € 171 (p < 0.001), and for specialist visits € 15 (p = 0.019). The mean extra cost for hospital stay (overhead) was € 7,180 (p < 0.001). The closed infusion container was a dominant strategy. It resulted in lower CLABSI rates (3.5 vs. 8.2 CLABSIs per 1000 central line days for closed vs. open infusion container) without any significant difference in total production costs. The higher acquisition cost of the closed infusion container was offset by savings incurred in other phases of production, especially waste management. Conclusions CLABSI results in considerable and significant increase in utilization of hospital resources. Use of innovative technologies such as closed infusion containers can significantly reduce the incidence of healthcare acquired infection without posing additional burden on hospital budgets. PMID:20459753

Hospital costs of central line-associated bloodstream infections and cost-effectiveness of closed vs. open infusion containers. The case of Intensive Care Units in Italy.

PubMed

Tarricone, Rosanna; Torbica, Aleksandra; Franzetti, Fabio; Rosenthal, Victor D

2010-05-10

The aim was to evaluate direct health care costs of central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) and to calculate the cost-effectiveness ratio of closed fully collapsible plastic intravenous infusion containers vs. open (glass) infusion containers. A two-year, prospective case-control study was undertaken in four intensive care units in an Italian teaching hospital. Patients with CLABSI (cases) and patients without CLABSI (controls) were matched for admission departments, gender, age, and average severity of illness score. Costs were estimated according to micro-costing approach. In the cost effectiveness analysis, the cost component was assessed as the difference between production costs while effectiveness was measured by CLABSI rate (number of CLABSI per 1000 central line days) associated with the two infusion containers. A total of 43 cases of CLABSI were compared with 97 matched controls. The mean age of cases and controls was 62.1 and 66.6 years, respectively (p = 0.143); 56% of the cases and 57% of the controls were females (p = 0.922). The mean length of stay of cases and controls was 17.41 and 8.55 days, respectively (p < 0.001). Overall, the mean total costs of patients with and without CLABSI were euro 18,241 and euro 9,087, respectively (p < 0.001). On average, the extra cost for drugs was euro 843 (p < 0.001), for supplies euro 133 (p = 0.116), for lab tests euro 171 (p < 0.001), and for specialist visits euro 15 (p = 0.019). The mean extra cost for hospital stay (overhead) was euro 7,180 (p < 0.001). The closed infusion container was a dominant strategy. It resulted in lower CLABSI rates (3.5 vs. 8.2 CLABSIs per 1000 central line days for closed vs. open infusion container) without any significant difference in total production costs. The higher acquisition cost of the closed infusion container was offset by savings incurred in other phases of production, especially waste management. CLABSI results in considerable and significant increase in utilization of hospital resources. Use of innovative technologies such as closed infusion containers can significantly reduce the incidence of healthcare acquired infection without posing additional burden on hospital budgets.

Controlling supply expenses through capitated supply contracting.

PubMed

Kowalski, J C

1997-07-01

Some providers dealing with the financial challenges of managed care are attempting to control supply expenses through capitated supply contracting and similar risk/reward sharing arrangements. Under such arrangements, a supplier sells products and services to a provider for a fixed, prospective price in exchange for the provider's exclusive business. If expenses exceed the prospectively established amount, the supplier and provider share the loss. Conversely, if expenses are less than the fixed amount, they share the savings. For a capitated supply arrangement to be successful, providers must be able to identify and track supply expense drivers, such as clinical pathways, technology utilization, and product selection and utilization. Sophisticated information systems are needed to capture data, such as total and per-transaction product usage/volume; unit price per item; average and cost per item; average and total cost per transaction; and total cost per outcome. Providers also will need to establish mutually cooperative relationships with the suppliers with whom they contract.

Economies of scale and trends in the size of southern forest industries

Treesearch

James E. Granskog

1978-01-01

In each of the major southern forest industries, the trend has been toward achieving economies of scale, that is, to build larger production units to reduce unit costs. Current minimum efficient plant size estimated by survivor analysis is 1,000 tons per day capacity for sulfate pulping, 100 million square feet (3/8- inch basis) annual capacity for softwood plywood,...

Integration of photovoltaic units into electric utility grids: experiment information requirements and selected issues

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

Not Available

1980-09-01

A number of investigations, including those conducted by The Aerospace Corporation and other contractors, have led to the recognition of technical, economic, and institutional issues relating to the interface between solar electric technologies and electric utility systems. These issues derive from three attributes of solar electric power concepts, including (1) the variability and unpredictability of the solar resources, (2) the dispersed nature of those resources which suggests the feasible deployment of small dispersed power units, and (3) a high initial capital cost coupled with relatively low operating costs. It is imperative that these integration issues be pursued in parallel withmore » the development of each technology if the nation's electric utility systems are to effectively utilize these technologies in the near to intermediate term. Analyses of three of these issues are presented: utility information requirements, generation mix and production cost impacts, and rate structures in the context of photovoltaic units integrated into the utility system. (WHK)« less

Non-Heat Treatable Alloy Sheet Products

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

Hayden, H.W.; Barthold, G.W.; Das, S.K.

ALCAR is an innovative approach for conducting multi-company, pre-competitive research and development programs. ALCAR has been formed to crate a partnership of aluminum producers, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Center for Research and Technology Development (ASME/CRTD), the United States Department of Energy (USDOE), three USDOE National Laboratories, and a Technical Advisory Committee for conducting cooperative, pre-competitive research on the development of flower-cost, non-heat treated (NHT) aluminum alloys for automotive sheet applications with strength, formability and surface appearance similar to current heat treated (HT) aluminum alloys under consideration. The effort has been supported by the USDOE, Office of Transportation Technologymore » (OTT) through a three-year program with 50/50 cost share at a total program cost of $3 million. The program has led to the development of new and modified 5000 series aluminum ally compositions. Pilot production-size ingots have bee n melted, cast, hot rolled and cold rolled. Stamping trials on samples of rolled product for demonstrating production of typical automotive components have been successful.« less

Data Availability in Appliance Standards and Labeling Program Development and Evaluation

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

Romankiewicz, John; Khanna, Nina; Vine, Edward

2013-05-01

In this report, we describe the necessary data inputs for both standards development and program evaluation and perform an initial assessment of the availability and uncertainty of those data inputs in China. For standards development, we find that China and its standards and labeling program administrators currently has access to the basic market and technical data needed for conducting market and technology assessment and technological and economic analyses. Some data, such as shipments data, is readily available from the China Energy Label product registration database while the availability of other data, including average unit energy consumption, prices and design options,more » needs improvement. Unlike some other countries such as the United States, most of the necessary data for conducting standards development analyses are not publicly available or compiled in a consolidated data source. In addition, improved data on design and efficiency options as well as cost data (e.g., manufacturing costs, mark-ups, production and product use-phase costs) – key inputs to several technoeconomic analyses – are particularly in need given China’s unconsolidated manufacturing industry. For program evaluation, we find that while China can conduct simple savings evaluations on its incentive programs with the data it currently has available from the Ministry of Finance – the program administrator, the savings estimates produced by such an evaluation will carry high uncertainty. As such, China could benefit from an increase in surveying and metering in the next one to three years to decrease the uncertainty surrounding key data points such as unit energy savings and free ridership.« less

Performance prediction of optical image stabilizer using SVM for shaker-free production line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, HyungKwan; Lee, JungHyun; Hyun, JinWook; Lim, Haekeun; Kim, GyuYeol; Moon, HyukSoo

2016-04-01

Recent smartphones adapt the camera module with optical image stabilizer(OIS) to enhance imaging quality in handshaking conditions. However, compared to the non-OIS camera module, the cost for implementing the OIS module is still high. One reason is that the production line for the OIS camera module requires a highly precise shaker table in final test process, which increases the unit cost of the production. In this paper, we propose a framework for the OIS quality prediction that is trained with the support vector machine and following module characterizing features : noise spectral density of gyroscope, optically measured linearity and cross-axis movement of hall and actuator. The classifier was tested on an actual production line and resulted in 88% accuracy of recall rate.

A study of geothermal prospects in the western United States

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The commercial development potential of 13 underdeveloped geothermal prospects in the Western United States was examined, and the prospects were ranked in order of relative potential for development on the basis of investment considerations. The following were considered in the ranking: geotechnical and engineering data, energy market accessibility, administrative constraints, and environmental and socio-economic factors. The primary ranking criterion is the unit cost of energy production expected from each prospect. Secondary criteria are administrative constraints, environmental factors and the quality of the geotechnical data.

Forecasting the future of cardiovascular disease in the United States: a policy statement from the American Heart Association.

PubMed

Heidenreich, Paul A; Trogdon, Justin G; Khavjou, Olga A; Butler, Javed; Dracup, Kathleen; Ezekowitz, Michael D; Finkelstein, Eric Andrew; Hong, Yuling; Johnston, S Claiborne; Khera, Amit; Lloyd-Jones, Donald M; Nelson, Sue A; Nichol, Graham; Orenstein, Diane; Wilson, Peter W F; Woo, Y Joseph

2011-03-01

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States and is responsible for 17% of national health expenditures. As the population ages, these costs are expected to increase substantially. To prepare for future cardiovascular care needs, the American Heart Association developed methodology to project future costs of care for hypertension, coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, and all other CVD from 2010 to 2030. This methodology avoided double counting of costs for patients with multiple cardiovascular conditions. By 2030, 40.5% of the US population is projected to have some form of CVD. Between 2010 and 2030, real (2008$) total direct medical costs of CVD are projected to triple, from $273 billion to $818 billion. Real indirect costs (due to lost productivity) for all CVD are estimated to increase from $172 billion in 2010 to $276 billion in 2030, an increase of 61%. These findings indicate CVD prevalence and costs are projected to increase substantially. Effective prevention strategies are needed if we are to limit the growing burden of CVD.

Assessment of costs and benefits of flexible and alternative fuel use in the US transportation sector

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

None

1993-01-01

The primary objective of this report is to provide estimates of volumes and development costs of known nonassociated gas reserves in selected, potentially important supplier nations, using a standard set of costing algorithms and conventions. Estimates of undeveloped nonassociated gas reserves and the cost of drilling development wells, production equipment, gas processing facilities, and pipeline construction are made at the individual field level. A discounted cash-flow model of production, investment, and expenses is used to estimate the present value cost of developing each field on a per-thousand-cubic-foot (Mcf) basis. These gas resource cost estimates for individual accumulations (that is, fieldsmore » or groups of fields) then were aggregated into country-specific price-quantity curves. These curves represent the cost of developing and transporting natural gas to an export point suitable for tanker shipments or to a junction with a transmission line. The additional costs of LNG or methanol conversion are not included. A brief summary of the cost of conversion to methanol and transportation to the United States is contained in Appendix D: Implications of Gas Development Costs for Methanol Conversion.« less

3D engineered fiberboard : engineering analysis of a new building product

Treesearch

John F. Hunt; Jerrold E. Winandy

2003-01-01

In many forests across the United States, the high forest fuel loadings are contributing to our recent forest fire problems. Many fire-prone timber stands are generally far from traditional timber markets or the timber is not economically valuable enough to cover the costs of removal. To help address this problem, the USDA Forest Products Laboratory has developed a...

Break-even zones for cable yarding by log size

Treesearch

Chris B. LeDoux

1984-01-01

The use of cable logging to extract small pieces of residue wood may result in low rates of production and a high cost per unit of wood produced. However, the logging manager can improve yarding productivity and break-even in cable residue removal operations by using the proper planning techniques. In this study, break-even zones for specific young-growth stands were...

XTEN Nationwide EMS Proposal.

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-01-01

revenue producers.20 It is the co on carriers position to sell as much service as possible to users of the network while DCS is designed to provide...escalating costs in the United States Postal Service ( USPS ) (due to its labor intensive nature) and declining costs in the EMS industries (due to...Carrier Assoc. for Tele- communications (CCAT), GTE Service Corporation (GTE), Litton Micro- wave Cooking Products , Inc., Microband Corporation of American

Automated Decisional Model for Optimum Economic Order Quantity Determination Using Price Regressive Rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roşu, M. M.; Tarbă, C. I.; Neagu, C.

2016-11-01

The current models for inventory management are complementary, but together they offer a large pallet of elements for solving complex problems of companies when wanting to establish the optimum economic order quantity for unfinished products, row of materials, goods etc. The main objective of this paper is to elaborate an automated decisional model for the calculus of the economic order quantity taking into account the price regressive rates for the total order quantity. This model has two main objectives: first, to determine the periodicity when to be done the order n or the quantity order q; second, to determine the levels of stock: lighting control, security stock etc. In this way we can provide the answer to two fundamental questions: How much must be ordered? When to Order? In the current practice, the business relationships with its suppliers are based on regressive rates for price. This means that suppliers may grant discounts, from a certain level of quantities ordered. Thus, the unit price of the products is a variable which depends on the order size. So, the most important element for choosing the optimum for the economic order quantity is the total cost for ordering and this cost depends on the following elements: the medium price per units, the stock cost, the ordering cost etc.

Cost of high prevalence mental disorders: Findings from the 2007 Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing.

PubMed

Lee, Yu-Chen; Chatterton, Mary Lou; Magnus, Anne; Mohebbi, Mohammadreza; Le, Long Khanh-Dao; Mihalopoulos, Cathrine

2017-12-01

The aim of this project was to detail the costs associated with the high prevalence mental disorders (depression, anxiety-related and substance use) in Australia, using community-based, nationally representative survey data. Respondents diagnosed, within the preceding 12 months, with high prevalence mental disorders using the Confidentialised Unit Record Files of the 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing were analysed. The use of healthcare resources (hospitalisations, consultations and medications), productivity loss, income tax loss and welfare benefits were estimated. Unit costs of healthcare services were obtained from the Independent Hospital Pricing Authority, Medicare and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme. Labour participation rates and unemployment rates were determined from the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. Daily wage rates adjusted by age and sex were obtained from Australian Bureau of Statistics and used to estimate productivity losses. Income tax loss was estimated based on the Australian Taxation Office rates. The average cost of commonly received Government welfare benefits adjusted by age was used to estimate welfare payments. All estimates were expressed in 2013-2014 AUD and presented from multiple perspectives including public sector, individuals, private insurers, health sector and societal. The average annual treatment cost for people seeking treatment was AUD660 (public), AUD195 (individual), AUD1058 (private) and AUD845 from the health sector's perspective. The total annual healthcare cost was estimated at AUD974m, consisting of AUD700m to the public sector, AUD168m to individuals, and AUD107m to the private sector. The total annual productivity loss attributed to the population with high prevalence mental disorders was estimated at AUD11.8b, coupled with the yearly income tax loss at AUD1.23b and welfare payments at AUD12.9b. The population with high prevalence mental disorders not only incurs substantial cost to the Australian healthcare system but also large economic losses to society.

Effect of adalimumab on work productivity and indirect costs in moderate to severe Crohn’s disease: A meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Binion, David G; Louis, Edouard; Oldenburg, Bas; Mulani, Parvez; Bensimon, Arielle G; Yang, Mei; Chao, Jingdong

2011-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of adalimumab on work productivity and indirect costs in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) using a meta-analysis of clinical trials. METHODS: Study-level results were pooled from all clinical trials of adalimumab for moderate to severe CD in which work productivity outcomes were evaluated. Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire outcomes (absenteeism, presenteeism and total work productivity impairment [TWPI]) were extracted from adalimumab trials. Meta-analyses were used to estimate pooled averages and 95% CIs of one-year accumulated reductions in work productivity impairment with adalimumab. Pooled averages were multiplied by the 2008 United States national average annual salary ($44,101) to estimate per-patient indirect cost savings during the year following adalimumab initiation. RESULTS: The four included trials (ACCESS, CARE, CHOICE and EXTEND) represented a total of 1202 employed adalimumab-treated patients at baseline. Each study followed patients for a minimum of 20 weeks. Pooled estimates (95% CIs) of one-year accumulated work productivity improvements were as follows: −9% (−10% to −7%) for absenteeism; −22% (−26% to −18%) for presenteeism; and −25% (−30% to −20%) for TWPI. Reductions in absenteeism and TWPI translated into per-patient indirect cost savings (95% CI) of $3,856 ($3,183 to $4,529) and $10,964 ($8,833 to $13,096), respectively. CONCLUSION: Adalimumab provided clinically meaningful improvements in work productivity among patients with moderate to severe CD, which may translate into substantial indirect cost savings from an employer’s perspective. PMID:21912760

Improved outcomes and reduced costs associated with a health-system-wide patient blood management program: a retrospective observational study in four major adult tertiary-care hospitals.

PubMed

Leahy, Michael F; Hofmann, Axel; Towler, Simon; Trentino, Kevin M; Burrows, Sally A; Swain, Stuart G; Hamdorf, Jeffrey; Gallagher, Trudi; Koay, Audrey; Geelhoed, Gary C; Farmer, Shannon L

2017-06-01

Patient blood management (PBM) programs are associated with improved patient outcomes, reduced transfusions and costs. In 2008, the Western Australia Department of Health initiated a comprehensive health-system-wide PBM program. This study assesses program outcomes. This was a retrospective study of 605,046 patients admitted to four major adult tertiary-care hospitals between July 2008 and June 2014. Outcome measures were red blood cell (RBC), fresh-frozen plasma (FFP), and platelet units transfused; single-unit RBC transfusions; pretransfusion hemoglobin levels; elective surgery patients anemic at admission; product and activity-based costs of transfusion; in-hospital mortality; length of stay; 28-day all-cause emergency readmissions; and hospital-acquired complications. Comparing final year with baseline, units of RBCs, FFP, and platelets transfused per admission decreased 41% (p < 0.001), representing a saving of AU$18,507,092 (US$18,078,258) and between AU$80 million and AU$100 million (US$78 million and US$97 million) estimated activity-based savings. Mean pretransfusion hemoglobin levels decreased 7.9 g/dL to 7.3 g/dL (p < 0.001), and anemic elective surgery admissions decreased 20.8% to 14.4% (p = 0.001). Single-unit RBC transfusions increased from 33.3% to 63.7% (p < 0.001). There were risk-adjusted reductions in hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR], 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.67-0.77; p < 0.001), length of stay (incidence rate ratio, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.84-0.87; p < 0.001), hospital-acquired infections (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.73-0.86; p < 0.001), and acute myocardial infarction-stroke (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.58-0.82; p < 0.001). All-cause emergency readmissions increased (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.02-1.10; p = 0.001). Implementation of a unique, jurisdiction-wide PBM program was associated with improved patient outcomes, reduced blood product utilization, and product-related cost savings. © 2017 The Authors Transfusion published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of AABB.

Innovating affordable neonatal care equipment for use at scale.

PubMed

Sashi Kumar, V; Paul, V K; Sathasivam, K

2016-12-01

The care of small and sick neonates requires biomedical technologies, such as devices that can keep babies warm (radiant warmers and incubators), resuscitate (self-inflating bags), track growth (weighing scales), treat jaundice (phototherapy units) and provide oxygen or respiratory support (hoods, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices and ventilators). Until the 1990s, most of these products were procured through import at a high cost and with little maintenance support. Emerging demand and an informal collaboration of neonatologists, engineers and entrepreneurs has led to the production of good quality equipment of several high-volume categories at affordable cost in India. Radiant warmers, resuscitation bags, phototherapy units, weighing scales and other devices manufactured by Indian small-scale companies have enabled an expansion of neonatal care in the country, particularly in district hospitals, medical college hospitals and subdistrict facilities in the public sector as a part of the National Rural Health Mission. Indian products have acquired international quality standards and are even exported to developed nations. This paper captures this story of innovation and entrepreneurship in neonatal care.

Innovating affordable neonatal care equipment for use at scale

PubMed Central

Sashi Kumar, V; Paul, V K; Sathasivam, K

2016-01-01

The care of small and sick neonates requires biomedical technologies, such as devices that can keep babies warm (radiant warmers and incubators), resuscitate (self-inflating bags), track growth (weighing scales), treat jaundice (phototherapy units) and provide oxygen or respiratory support (hoods, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices and ventilators). Until the 1990s, most of these products were procured through import at a high cost and with little maintenance support. Emerging demand and an informal collaboration of neonatologists, engineers and entrepreneurs has led to the production of good quality equipment of several high-volume categories at affordable cost in India. Radiant warmers, resuscitation bags, phototherapy units, weighing scales and other devices manufactured by Indian small-scale companies have enabled an expansion of neonatal care in the country, particularly in district hospitals, medical college hospitals and subdistrict facilities in the public sector as a part of the National Rural Health Mission. Indian products have acquired international quality standards and are even exported to developed nations. This paper captures this story of innovation and entrepreneurship in neonatal care. PMID:27924105

Modelling utility-scale wind power plants. Part 1: Economics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milligan, Michael R.

1999-10-01

As the worldwide use of wind turbine generators continues to increase in utility-scale applications, it will become increasingly important to assess the economic and reliability impact of these intermittent resources. Although the utility industry in the United States appears to be moving towards a restructured environment, basic economic and reliability issues will continue to be relevant to companies involved with electricity generation. This article is the first of two which address modelling approaches and results obtained in several case studies and research projects at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). This first article addresses the basic economic issues associated with electricity production from several generators that include large-scale wind power plants. An important part of this discussion is the role of unit commitment and economic dispatch in production cost models. This paper includes overviews and comparisons of the prevalent production cost modelling methods, including several case studies applied to a variety of electric utilities. The second article discusses various methods of assessing capacity credit and results from several reliability-based studies performed at NREL.

Development of a Low Cost 10kW Tubular SOFC Power System

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

Bessette, Norman; Litka, Anthony; Rawson, Jolyon

The DOE program funded from 2003 through early 2013 has brought the Acumentrics SOFC program from an early stage R&D program to an entry level commercial product offering. The development work started as one of the main core teams under the DOE Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) program administered by the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) of the DOE. During the first phase of the program, lasting approximately 3-4 years, a 5kW machine was designed, manufactured and tested against the specification developed by NETL. This unit was also shipped to NETL for independent verification testing which validated all ofmore » the results achieved while in the laboratory at Acumentrics. The Acumentrics unit passed all criteria established from operational stability, efficiency, and cost projections. Passing of the SECA Phase I test allowed the program to move into Phase II of the program. During this phase, the overall objective was to further refine the unit meeting a higher level of performance stability as well as further cost reductions. During the first year of this new phase, the NETL SECA program was refocused towards larger size units and operation on coal gasification due to the severe rise in natural gas prices and refocus on the US supply of indigenous coal. At this point, the program was shifted to the U.S. DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) division located in Golden, Colorado. With this shift, the focus remained on smaller power units operational on gaseous fuels for a variety of applications including micro combined heat and power (mCHP). To achieve this goal, further enhancements in power, life expectancy and reductions in cost were necessary. The past 5 years have achieved these goals with machines that can now achieve over 40% electrical efficiency and field units that have now operated for close to a year and a half with minimal maintenance. The following report details not only the first phase while under the SECA program and the key achievements but also the results while under EERE’s leadership and the transition to an early commercial product offering.« less

Social/economic costs and health-related quality of life in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis in Europe.

PubMed

Kuhlmann, A; Schmidt, T; Treskova, M; López-Bastida, J; Linertová, R; Oliva-Moreno, J; Serrano-Aguilar, P; Posada-de-la-Paz, M; Kanavos, P; Taruscio, D; Schieppati, A; Iskrov, G; Péntek, M; Delgado, C; von der Schulenburg, J M; Persson, U; Chevreul, K; Fattore, G

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to determine the economic burden from a societal perspective and the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in Europe. We conducted a cross-sectional study of patients with JIA from Germany, Italy, Spain, France, the United Kingdom, Bulgaria, and Sweden. Data on demographic characteristics, healthcare resource utilization, informal care, labor productivity losses, and HRQOL were collected from the questionnaires completed by patients or their caregivers. HRQOL was measured with the EuroQol 5-domain (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaire. A total of 162 patients (67 Germany, 34 Sweden, 33 Italy, 23 United Kingdom, 4 France, and 1 Bulgaria) completed the questionnaire. Excluding Bulgarian results, due to small sample size, country-specific annual health care costs ranged from €18,913 to €36,396 (reference year: 2012). Estimated direct healthcare costs ranged from €11,068 to €22,138; direct non-healthcare costs ranged from €7837 to €14,155 and labor productivity losses ranged from €0 to €8715. Costs are also shown to differ between children and adults. The mean EQ-5D index score for JIA patients was estimated at between 0.44 and 0.88, and the mean EQ-5D visual analogue scale score was estimated at between 62 and 79. JIA patients incur considerable societal costs and experience substantial deterioration in HRQOL in some countries. Compared with previous studies, our results show a remarkable increase in annual healthcare costs for JIA patients. Reasons for the increase are the inclusion of non-professional caregiver costs, a wider use of biologics, and longer hospital stays.

Design and development of FZU-32/B bomb fuze initiator. Final report 23 Jun 72--15 Nov 73

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

Miazza, J.

1974-05-01

The primary objective of this program was to develop a cost effective, production engineered FZU-24/B Bomb Fuze Initiator. The initiator is an electric generating device which, when installed in the fuze charging well of general purpose bombs, is capable of deriving energy from the airstream passing the bomb in free fall and converting the energy into electric energy suitable for powering a bomb fuze. The objective was to be accomplished by means of a production engineering effort carried through the evolution of design, fabrication, assembly, test, and evaluation. The baseline for the design was Harry Diamond Laboratories' Drawing No. 11716160.more » A quantity of 60 units was fabricated and tested, in accordance with the production engineered design. After some additional redesign to correct identified deficiencies, 220 units were fabricated. These units were subjected to environmental, wind tunnel, and flight testing and performance requirements were met. The final unit design was designated the FZU-32/B Bomb Fuze Initiator.« less

Evaluation of target efficiencies for solid-liquid separation steps in biofuels production.

PubMed

Kochergin, Vadim; Miller, Keith

2011-01-01

Development of liquid biofuels has entered a new phase of large scale pilot demonstration. A number of plants that are in operation or under construction face the task of addressing the engineering challenges of creating a viable plant design, scaling up and optimizing various unit operations. It is well-known that separation technologies account for 50-70% of both capital and operating cost. Additionally, reduction of environmental impact creates technological challenges that increase project cost without adding to the bottom line. Different technologies vary in terms of selection of unit operations; however, solid-liquid separations are likely to be a major contributor to the overall project cost. Despite the differences in pretreatment approaches, similar challenges arise for solid-liquid separation unit operations. A typical process for ethanol production from biomass includes several solid-liquid separation steps, depending on which particular stream is targeted for downstream processing. The nature of biomass-derived materials makes it either difficult or uneconomical to accomplish complete separation in a single step. Therefore, setting realistic efficiency targets for solid-liquid separations is an important task that influences overall process recovery and economics. Experimental data will be presented showing typical characteristics for pretreated cane bagasse at various stages of processing into cellulosic ethanol. Results of generic material balance calculations will be presented to illustrate the influence of separation target efficiencies on overall process recoveries and characteristics of waste streams.

Cost of pain medication to treat adult patients with nonmalignant chronic pain in the United States.

PubMed

Rasu, Rafia S; Vouthy, Kiengkham; Crowl, Ashley N; Stegeman, Anne E; Fikru, Bithia; Bawa, Walter Agbor; Knell, Maureen E

2014-09-01

Nonmalignant chronic pain (NMCP) is a public health concern. Among primary care appointments, 22% focus on pain management. The American Academy of Pain Medicine guidelines for NMCP recommend combination medication therapy (including analgesics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs], opioids, antidepressants, and anticonvulsants) as a key component to effective treatment for many chronic pain diagnoses. However, there has been little evidence outlining the costs of pain medications in adult patients with NMCP in the United States, an area that necessitates further consideration as the nation moves toward value-based benefit design. To estimate the cost of pain medication attributable to treating adult patients with NMCP in the United States and to analyze the trend of outpatient pain visits. This cross-sectional study used the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) data from 2000-2007. The Division of Health Care Statistics, National Center for Health Statistics, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted the survey. The study included patients aged ≥18 years with chronic pain diagnoses (identified by the ICD-9-CM codes: primary, secondary, and tertiary). Patients prescribed at least 1 pain medication were included in the cost analysis. Pain-related prescription medications prescribed during ambulatory care visits were retrieved by using NAMCS drug codes/National Drug Code numbers. National pain prescription frequencies (weighted) were obtained from NAMCS data, using the statistical software STATA. We created pain therapy categories (drug classes) for cost analysis based on national pain guidelines. Drug classes used in this analysis were opioids/opioid-like agents, analgesics/NSAIDs, tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antirheumatics/immunologics, muscle relaxants, topical products, and corticosteroids. We calculated average prices based on the 3 lowest average wholesale prices reported in the Red Book 2009 for maximum recommended daily dose. Total pain medication costs were calculated in 2009 and 2013 dollar values. The study analyzed NMCP-related outpatient visit trends and used time series analysis to forecast visits using U.S. population data and statistics. The total costs of prescription medications prescribed for pain were $17.8 billion annually in the United States. Cost estimates were captured based on a total of 690,205,290 (~690 million) weighted outpatient visits made for chronic pain from 2000 to 2007 in the United States. Of those patients, 99% received a medication that could be used for NMCP. Among the patients, 29% reported taking ≥5 medications. A linear trend of pain visits is visible, reporting change (from 11% to 14%) from 2000 to 2007 in the United States. All agents except opioids/opioid-like agents and analgesics/NSAIDs were further categorized as adjuvant therapy to create 3 major drug class categories. The largest 3 categories of pain therapy for the United States (annually) were analgesics/NSAIDs ($1.9 billion), opioids ($3.6 billion), and adjuvants ($12.3 billion). Despite having the highest prescription frequency nationally, analgesics/NSAIDS accounted for about 11% of the overall pain medication costs. This study found that adjuvant therapy accounted for 69% of the total pain medication costs. Among adjuvants, 33.5% of the cost was contributed by antirheumatics/immunologics. Other adjuvants included muscle relaxants (4.4%), topical products (8.6%), and corticosteroids (9.4%). This study demonstrated national prescribing costs and use within various drug categories of pain medications in a large outpatient population over an 8-year period in the United States. Policymakers, stakeholders, and health plan decision makers may consider this cost analysis, since they need to know how drug costs are being allocated. Moreover, information about costs and use of pain medications is valuable for the practitioner making individual patient care decisions, as well as for those who make population based decisions. This study reported an increasing trend of outpatient pain visits in the United States. Therefore, policymakers and health plan decision makers may expect a growing number of pain-related outpatient visits in coming years and allocate resources accordingly to meet the need.

Study to establish cost predictions for the production of Redox chemicals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ammann, P. R.; Loreth, M.; Harvey, W. W.

1982-01-01

The chromium and iron chloride chemicals are significant first costs for NASA Redox energy storage systems. This study was performed to determine the lowest cost at which chromium and iron chlorides could be obtained for a complex of redox energy storage systems. In addition, since the solutions gradually become intermixed during the course of operation of Redox units, it was an objective to evaluate schemes for regeneration of the operating solutions. Three processes were evaluated for the production of chromium and iron chlorides. As a basis for the preliminary plant design and economic evaluation, it was assumed that the plant would produce about 25,000 tons of contained chromium as CrCl3 and an equivalent molar quantity of FeCl2. Preliminary plant designs, including materials and energy balances and sizing of major equipment, were prepared, and capital and operating costs were estimated.

[Preparation and administration of cytotoxic drugs: prickly innovation].

PubMed

Mullot, H; Simon, L; Payen, C; Gentes, P

2005-06-01

The requirement for safe and optimal administration of cytotoxic drugs led us to test a new product manufactured by Codan. The transfer set (CONNECT SET) and the administration set (CYTO-AD-SET) were assessed successively by pharmacist assistance within a centralized unit for cytotoxic drug preparation and by the nursing staff in an ambulatory unit. Transfer sets can be handled in the centralized units without using needles, but with an increased sterilization load and production cost. Assessment of the administration sets demonstrated time saving for the nursing staff. These materials require significant expenditures, careful training, and a change in treatment routine, but provide important time savings for the nursing staff and considerable improvement in the safety of handling cytotoxic drugs.

Economic Impact of Tobacco Price Increases Through Taxation: A Community Guide Systematic Review.

PubMed

Contreary, Kara A; Chattopadhyay, Sajal K; Hopkins, David P; Chaloupka, Frank J; Forster, Jean L; Grimshaw, Victoria; Holmes, Carissa B; Goetzel, Ron Z; Fielding, Jonathan E

2015-11-01

Tobacco use is a leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. and around the world. Increasing tobacco price through higher taxes is an effective intervention both to reduce tobacco use in the population and generate government revenues. The goal of this paper is to review evidence on the economic impact of tobacco price increases through taxation with a focus on the likely healthcare cost savings and improvements in employee productivity. The search covered studies published in English from January 2000 to July 2012 and included evaluations of national, state, and local policies to increase the price of any type of tobacco product by raising taxes in high-income countries. Economic review methods developed for The Guide to Community Preventive Services were used to screen and abstract included studies. Economic impact estimates were standardized to summarize the available evidence. Analyses were conducted in 2012. The review included eight modeling studies, with seven providing estimates of the impact on healthcare costs and three providing estimates of the value of productivity gains. Only one study provided an estimate of intervention costs. The economic merit of tobacco product price increases through taxation was determined from the overall body of evidence on per capita annual cost savings from a conservative 20% price increase. The evidence indicates that interventions that raise the unit price of tobacco products through taxes generate substantial healthcare cost savings and can generate additional gains from improved productivity in the workplace. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Pharmacy-based distribution system for enteral nutrition products.

PubMed

Craig, S A; Paulson, M F

1985-12-01

A hospital pharmacy department's implementation of enteral nutrition product distribution and its proposal for an enteral nutrition product admixture service are described. Responsibility for the distribution of enteral nutrition formulations was transferred from the central distribution department to the pharmacy after problems with inventory control, billing procedures, and inappropriate administration of enteral nutrition products were recognized by personnel from the central-distribution area and nutrition services. After additional problems were identified using a multi-disciplinary approach, the pharmacy department implemented an enteral nutrition product distribution system and developed an enteral nutrition product formulary. A proposal was developed for a pharmacy-based enteral nutrition admixture service, but implementation of this service was deferred because data from a cost-effectiveness evaluation and random bacteriologic monitoring did not justify adding the service. Pharmacy-based distribution and formulary control of enteral nutrition products alleviated problems with inaccurate patient charges and accumulation of stock on the nursing units. Pharmacists at this hospital hope to develop an enteral nutrition product admixture program that will result in cost savings for the institution.

Effect of Continued Medical Therapy on Productivity Costs for Refractory Chronic Rhinosinusitis.

PubMed

Rudmik, Luke; Soler, Zachary M; Smith, Timothy L; Mace, Jess C; Schlosser, Rodney J; DeConde, Adam S

2015-11-01

It is estimated that lost productivity related to chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) costs society in excess of $13 billion per year in the United States. Given this tremendous cost to society, it is important to evaluate the effect of current interventions on improving this productivity loss. To define the change in productivity costs in patients with refractory CRS who select continued medical therapy. Observational cohort study. Thirty-eight patients with a guideline-based diagnosis of CRS whose initial appropriate medical therapy failed were enrolled from 4 tertiary-level rhinology clinics. The study was conducted from December 6, 2010, to April 23, 2013, and data analysis was performed from December 6, 2010, to June 1, 2015. Continued medical therapy for CRS. The human capital approach was applied to quantify productivity costs. Absenteeism, presenteeism, and lost leisure time were quantified to define annual lost productive time, which was measured at enrollment (baseline) and at a minimum of 6 months after treatment. Lost productive time was monetized using the annual daily wage rates obtained from the 2012 US National Census and the 2013 US Department of Labor statistics. Thirty-eight patients with refractory CRS who selected continued medical therapy had a mean (SD) baseline annual productivity cost of $3464 ($4900) per patient. After continued medical therapy for a mean of 12.8 (4.8) months, productivity costs were $2730 ($3720) (before vs after continued medical therapy productivity cost, P = .74). Mean annual absenteeism was reduced from 5 (12) days to 2 (8) days (P = .02). Mean annual presenteeism (17 [27] days reduced to 15 [23] days; P = .93) and mean annual household days lost (7 [7] days reduced to 6 [6] days; P = .51) were maintained at baseline levels. There were no significant differences in productivity outcomes based on endoscopy, the 22-item Sinonasal Outcome Test score, age, or polyp status (all P ≥ .11). Patients with refractory CRS often make treatment decisions based on the degree of quality-of-life and productivity impairment. Outcomes from this study suggest that productivity in patients with refractory CRS who have minor reductions in baseline productivity can remain stable with continued medical therapy. Physicians can use this information to inform appropriate patients with CRS of their expected outcomes from continued medical therapy.

Laboratory evaluation of a warm asphalt technology for use in Virginia.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2008-01-01

Rising energy costs and increased environmental awareness have brought attention to the potential benefits of warm asphalt in the United States. Warm-mix asphalt (WMA) is produced by incorporating additives into asphalt mixtures to allow production a...

America's School Leftovers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Passmore, David L.

1991-01-01

Compared to other countries, the United States spends less for the transition from school to work of non-college-bound students. Costs of such training need to be viewed as an investment in productivity and competitiveness and in a better outlook for this forgotten group. (SK)

Roadmap for Bioenergy and Biobased Products in the United States

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-10-01

research breakthroughs are needed in a number of key areas including advances in plant science to improve the cost effectiveness of converting biomass...3.1.1 Plant Science, Genetics and Genomics...15 4.1.1 Plant Science Genetics

Cost of Stem Cell-Based Tissue-Engineered Airway Transplants in the United Kingdom: Case Series

PubMed Central

Culme-Seymour, Emily J.; Mason, Katrina; Vallejo-Torres, Laura; Carvalho, Carla; Partington, Leanne; Crowley, Claire; Hamilton, Nick J.; Toll, Ed C.; Butler, Colin R.; Elliott, Martin J.; Birchall, Martin A.; Lowdell, Mark W.

2016-01-01

Stem cell-based tissue-engineered tracheas are at an early stage in their product development cycle. Tens of patients have been treated worldwide in predominantly compassionate use settings, demonstrating significant promise. This potentially life-saving treatment is complex, and the cost and its implications for such treatments are yet to be fully understood. The costs are compounded by varying strategies for graft preparation and transplant, resulting in differing clinical and laboratory costs from different research groups. In this study, we present a detailed breakdown of the clinical and manufacturing costs for three of the United Kingdom (UK) patients treated with such transplants. All three patients were treated under Compassionate Use legislation, within the UK National Health Service (NHS) hospital setting. The total costs for the three UK patients treated ranged from $174,420 to $740,500. All three patients were in a state of poor health at time of treatment and had a number of complexities in addition to the restricted airway. This is the first time a cost analysis has been made for a tissue-engineered organ and provides a benchmark for future studies, as well as comparative data for use in reimbursement considerations. PMID:26559535

Cost of Stem Cell-Based Tissue-Engineered Airway Transplants in the United Kingdom: Case Series.

PubMed

Culme-Seymour, Emily J; Mason, Katrina; Vallejo-Torres, Laura; Carvalho, Carla; Partington, Leanne; Crowley, Claire; Hamilton, Nick J; Toll, Ed C; Butler, Colin R; Elliott, Martin J; Birchall, Martin A; Lowdell, Mark W; Mason, Chris

2016-02-01

Stem cell-based tissue-engineered tracheas are at an early stage in their product development cycle. Tens of patients have been treated worldwide in predominantly compassionate use settings, demonstrating significant promise. This potentially life-saving treatment is complex, and the cost and its implications for such treatments are yet to be fully understood. The costs are compounded by varying strategies for graft preparation and transplant, resulting in differing clinical and laboratory costs from different research groups. In this study, we present a detailed breakdown of the clinical and manufacturing costs for three of the United Kingdom (UK) patients treated with such transplants. All three patients were treated under Compassionate Use legislation, within the UK National Health Service (NHS) hospital setting. The total costs for the three UK patients treated ranged from $174,420 to $740,500. All three patients were in a state of poor health at time of treatment and had a number of complexities in addition to the restricted airway. This is the first time a cost analysis has been made for a tissue-engineered organ and provides a benchmark for future studies, as well as comparative data for use in reimbursement considerations.

Direct and indirect cost of managing alzheimer’s disease and related dementias in the United States

PubMed Central

Deb, Arijita; Thornton, James Douglas; Sambamoorthi, Usha; Innes, Kim

2017-01-01

Introduction Care of individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) poses special challenges. As the disease progresses, individuals with ADRD require increasing levels of medical care, caregiver support, and long-term care which can lead to substantial economic burden. Areas covered In this expert review, we synthesized findings from studies of costs of ADRD in the United States that were published between January 2006 and February 2017, highlighted major sources of variation in costs, identified knowledge gaps and briefly outlined directions for future research and implications for policy and program planning. Expert commentary A consistent finding of all studies comparing individuals with and without ADRD is that the average medical, non-medical, and indirect costs of individuals with ADRD are higher than those without ADRD, despite the differences in the methods of identifying ADRD, duration of the study, payer type and settings of study population. The economic burden of ADRD may be underestimated because many components such as direct non-medical costs for home safety modifications and adult day care services and indirect costs due to the adverse impact of ADRD on caregivers’ health and productivity are not included in cost estimates. PMID:28351177

Three essays in energy economics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Dae-Wook

Deregulation in electricity and natural gas market in an attempt to alleviate market power of privately owned utilities is widespread throughout the United States. Beginning with Gollop and Roberts (1979), a number of empirical studies have allowed the data to identify industry competition and marginal cost levels by estimating the firms' first order condition within a conjectural variations framework. The first chapter of my dissertation uses direct measures of marginal cost for the California electricity market to measure the extent to which estimated mark-ups and marginal costs are biased. My results suggest that the New Empirical Industrial Organization technique poorly estimates the level of mark-ups and the sensitivity of marginal cost to cost shifters. The second chapter takes advantage of the market structure of electricity and natural gas varies in the United States. The goal of the chapter is to analyze whether combined-billed residential households of electricity and natural gas firms face information costs associated with determining the portion of their monthly energy bill attributed to natural gas consumption and the portion attributed to electricity consumption. However, if households are unable to determine whether an increase in their energy bill is the result of an increase in the price of electricity or an increase in the price of natural gas, they act as if electricity and natural gas were complements. I find that own-price elasticities are smaller in absolute terms in combined-billed markets, while cross-price elasticities are more positive, compared to separate-billed markets; both of these results are consistent with the presence of information costs. In chapter 3, I provide an empirical evidence of the impact of variations in ownership, regulation and market structure on the electric and natural gas markets in the United States. My results suggest that the private firms in electricity markets are associated with higher prices than public firms. I further find that dual-product firms in the natural gas industry tend to charge less than single product firms. Finally, my results suggest that merger activities in natural gas markets are associated with higher rates after controlling cost and demand.

Economic aspects of severe sepsis: a review of intensive care unit costs, cost of illness and cost effectiveness of therapy.

PubMed

Burchardi, Hilmar; Schneider, Heinz

2004-01-01

Severe sepsis remains both an important clinical challenge and an economic burden in intensive care. An estimated 750,000 cases occur each year in the US alone (300 cases per 100,000 population). Lower numbers are estimated for most European countries (e.g. Germany and Austria: 54-116 cases per year per 100,000). Sepsis patients are generally treated in intensive care units (ICUs) where close supervision and intensive care treatment by a competent team with adequate equipment can be provided. Staffing costs represent from 40% to >60% of the total ICU budget. Because of the high proportion of fixed costs in ICU treatment, the total cost of ICU care is mainly dependent on the length of ICU stay (ICU-LOS). The average total cost per ICU day is estimated at approximately 1200 Euro for countries with a highly developed healthcare system (based on various studies conducted between 1989 and 2001 and converted at 2003 currency rates). Patients with infections and severe sepsis require a prolonged ICU-LOS, resulting in higher costs of treatment compared with other ICU patients. US cost-of-illness studies focusing on direct costs per sepsis patient have yielded estimates of 34,000 Euro, whereas European studies have given lower cost estimates, ranging from 23,000 Euro to 29,000 Euro. Direct costs, however, make up only about 20-30% of the cost of illness of severe sepsis. Indirect costs associated with severe sepsis account for 70-80% of costs and arise mainly from productivity losses due to mortality. Because of increasing healthcare cost pressures worldwide, economic issues have become important for the introduction of new innovations. This is evident when introducing new biotechnology products, such as drotrecogin-alpha (activated protein C), into specific therapy for severe sepsis. Data so far suggest that when drotrecogin-alpha treatment is targeted to those patients most likely to achieve the greatest benefit, the drug is cost effective by the standards of other well accepted life-saving interventions.

A Study on Cost Allocation in Nuclear Power Coupled with Desalination

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

Lee, ManKi; Kim, SeungSu; Moon, KeeHwan

As for a single-purpose desalination plant, there is no particular difficulty in computing the unit cost of the water, which is obtained by dividing the annual total costs by the output of fresh water. When it comes to a dual-purpose plant, cost allocation is needed between the two products. No cost allocation is needed in some cases where two alternatives producing the same water and electricity output are to be compared. In these cases, the consideration of the total cost is then sufficient. This study assumes MED (Multi-Effect Distillation) technology is adopted when nuclear power is coupled with desalination. Themore » total production cost of the two commodities in dual-purpose plant can easily be obtained by using costing methods, if the necessary raw data are available. However, it is not easy to calculate a separate cost for each product, because high-pressure steam plant costs cannot be allocated to one or the other without adopting arbitrary methods. Investigation on power credit method is carried out focusing on the cost allocation of combined benefits due to dual production, electricity and water. The illustrative calculation is taken from Preliminary Economic Feasibility Study of Nuclear Desalination in Madura Island, Indonesia. The study is being performed by BATAN (National Nuclear Energy Agency), KAERI (Korean Atomic Energy Research Institute) and under support of the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) started in the year 2002 in order to perform a preliminary economic feasibility in providing the Madurese with sufficient power and potable water for the public and to support industrialization and tourism in Madura Region. The SMART reactor coupled with MED is considered to be an option to produce electricity and potable water. This study indicates that the correct recognition of combined benefits attributable to dual production is important in carrying out economics of desalination coupled with nuclear power. (authors)« less

United States-Canada Trade and Economic Relationship: Prospects and Challenges

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-10

capita income gap has proven worrisome to Canadian policymakers as it raises questions about Canadian productivity and competitiveness (see box). In ...raised living standards in both the United States and Canada, and has strengthened the global competitiveness of producers on both sides of the border...economy, its automotive plants are among the most competitive in North America. Part of the cost advantage traditionally had been due to the weak

Site productivity and forest carbon stocks in the United States: Analysis and implications for forest offset project planning

Treesearch

Coeli M. Hoover; James E. Smith

2012-01-01

The documented role of United States forests in sequestering carbon, the relatively low cost of forest-based mitigation, and the many co-benefits of increasing forest carbon stocks all contribute to the ongoing trend in the establishment of forest-based carbon offset projects. We present a broad analysis of forest inventory data using site quality indicators to provide...

[Drug utilization and pharmaceutical cost-containment in germany-perspectives 1 year after enactment of the GMG].

PubMed

Schlander, Michael

2005-06-15

After 3 decades of health care cost containment in Germany, enactment of the most recent reform (Health Insurance Modernization Act, GMG) marks a watershed insofar as, apparently, the potential has been largely exhausted for further savings in pharmaceutical spending. Yet the new drugs segment maintains its role as a growth driver, owing to the continuing shift from older to new, and frequently more expensive, products. This observation holds true even after introducing phase 2 reference pricing, covering so-called me too products. Health economic analyses would be required to better differentiate pharmaceutical products based on their incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. However, the opportunity was missed with the GMG to introduce formal health-economic evaluations and thus overcome the counterproductive silo mentality associated with traditional German component management. International experience from Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom suggests that economic evaluations, while informing rational reimbursement decisions, may in fact contribute to increasing pharmaceutical expenditures. Further tightening of pharmaceutical component management in Germany may result in increasing inefficiencies due to underuse of effective products; furthermore, it appears conceivable that ("second order") dynamic inefficiencies and, hence, social costs might be the consequence of reduced pharmaceutical research and development expenditures.

Possibilities for the Production of Heavy Water in Argentina. Report No. 90; POSIBILIDADES ARGENTINAS PARA LA PRODUCCION DE AGUA PESADA. Informe No. 90

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

Silberman, E.; Cretella, R.F.

1963-01-01

As an introduction to the problems in the industrial production of heavy water, the industrial plants in operation are briefly described, and the causes determining their evolution are discussed. The industrial methods studied in England, France, Germandy, Sweden, Switzerland, India, Egypt, Japan, and O.E.C.E. for the production of D/sub 2/O are summarized. The market for heavy water is discussed. The factors considered in the selection of the production process to be developed for Argentina are given, and the cost of a H/sub 2/S-- H/sub 2/O exchange installation is determined. The cost of such a plant modified for Argentine needs ismore » then analyzed. It is concluded that the combination of the H/ sub 2/SH/sub 2/O process in a single unit with integral energy supply, coupled with the elimination of auxiliary installations, results in a considerable reduction in operation costs and plant investment, as compared with the cost of the process in the U.S. The plandt construction plan is summarized. (J.S.R.)« less

Allocation of nursing care hours in a combined ophthalmic nursing unit.

PubMed

Navarro, V B; Stout, W A; Tolley, F M

1995-04-01

Traditional service configuration with separate nursing units for outpatient and inpatient care is becoming ineffective for new patient care delivery models. With the new configuration of a combined nursing unit, it was necessary to rethink traditional reporting methodologies and calculation of hours of care. This project management plan is an initial attempt to develop a standard costing/productivity model for a combined unit. The methodology developed from this plan measures nursing care hours for each patient population to determine the number of full time equivalents (FTEs) for a combined unit and allocates FTEs based on inpatient (IP), outpatient (OP), and emergency room (ER) volumes.

In Brief: Hidden environment and health costs of energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showstack, Randy

2009-10-01

The hidden costs of energy production and use in the United States amounted to an estimated $120 billion in 2005, according to a 19 October report by the U.S. National Research Council. The report, “Hidden Costs of Energy: Unpriced Consequences of Energy Production and Use,” examines hidden costs, including the cost of air pollution damage to human health, which are not reflected in market prices of energy sources, electricity, or gasoline. The report found that in 2005, the total annual external damages from sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter created by coal-burning power plants that produced 95% of the nation's coal-generated electricity were about $62 billion, with nonclimate damages averaging about 3.2 cents for every kilowatt-hour of energy produced. It is estimated that by 2030, nonclimate damages will fall to 1.7 cents per kilowatt-hour. The 2030 figure assumes that new policies already slated for implementation are put in place.

Value-based purchasing of medical devices.

PubMed

Obremskey, William T; Dail, Teresa; Jahangir, A Alex

2012-04-01

Health care in the United States is known for its continued innovation and production of new devices and techniques. While the intention of these devices is to improve the delivery and outcome of patient care, they do not always achieve this goal. As new technologies enter the market, hospitals and physicians must determine which of these new devices to incorporate into practice, and it is important these devices bring value to patient care. We provide a model of a physician-engaged process to decrease cost and increase review of physician preference items. We describe the challenges, implementation, and outcomes of cost reduction and product stabilization of a value-based process for purchasing medical devices at a major academic medical center. We implemented a physician-driven committee that standardized and utilized evidence-based, clinically sound, and financially responsible methods for introducing or consolidating new supplies, devices, and technology for patient care. This committee worked with institutional finance and administrative leaders to accomplish its goals. Utilizing this physician-driven committee, we provided access to new products, standardized some products, decreased costs of physician preference items 11% to 26% across service lines, and achieved savings of greater than $8 million per year. The implementation of a facility-based technology assessment committee that critically evaluates new technology can decrease hospital costs on implants and standardize some product lines.

The effect of adopting new storage methods for extending product validity periods on manufacturers expected inventory costs.

PubMed

Chen, Po-Yu

2014-01-01

The validness of the expiration dates (validity period) that manufacturers provide on food product labels is a crucial food safety problem. Governments must study how to use their authority by implementing fair awards and punishments to prompt manufacturers into adopting rigorous considerations, such as the effect of adopting new storage methods for extending product validity periods on expected costs. Assuming that a manufacturer sells fresh food or drugs, this manufacturer must respond to current stochastic demands at each unit of time to determine the purchase amount of products for sale. If this decision maker is capable and an opportunity arises, new packaging methods (e.g., aluminum foil packaging, vacuum packaging, high-temperature sterilization after glass packaging, or packaging with various degrees of dryness) or storage methods (i.e., adding desiccants or various antioxidants) can be chosen to extend the validity periods of products. To minimize expected costs, this decision maker must be aware of the processing costs of new storage methods, inventory standards, inventory cycle lengths, and changes in relationships between factors such as stochastic demand functions in a cycle. Based on these changes in relationships, this study established a mathematical model as a basis for discussing the aforementioned topics.

Analysis of a Wave-Powered, Reverse-Osmosis System and its Economic Availability in the United States

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

Yu, Yi-Hsiang; Jenne, Dale S

A wave energy converter (WEC) system has the potential to convert the wave energy resource directly into the high-pressure flow that is needed by the desalination system to permeate saltwater through the reverse-osmosis membrane to generate clean water. In this study, a wave-to-water numerical model was developed to investigate the potential use of a wave-powered desalination system (WPDS) for water production in the United States. The model was developed by coupling a time-domain radiation-and-diffraction-method-based numerical tool (WEC-Sim) for predicting the hydrodynamic performance of WECs with a solution-diffusion model that was used to simulate the reverse-osmosis process. To evaluate the feasibilitymore » of the WPDS, the wave-to-water numerical model was applied to simulate a desalination system that used an oscillating surge WEC device to pump seawater through the system. The annual water production was estimated based on the wave resource at a reference site on the coast of northern California to investigate the potential cost of water in that area, where the cost of water and electricity is high compared to other regions. In the scenario evaluated, for a 100-unit utility-scale array, the estimated levelized cost of energy for these WECs is about 3-6 times the U.S.'s current, unsubsidized electricity rates. However, with clean water as an end product and by directly producing pressurized water with WECs, rather than electricity as an intermediary, it is presently only 12% greater than typical water cost in California. This study suggests that a WEC array that produces water may be a viable, near-term solution to the nation's water supply, and the niche application of the WPDS may also provide developers with new opportunities to further develop technologies that benefit both the electric and drinking water markets.« less

Analysis of a Wave-Powered, Reverse-Osmosis System and Its Economic Availability in the United States: Preprint

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

Yu, Yi-Hsiang; Jenne, Dale S

A wave energy converter (WEC) system has the potential to convert the wave energy resource directly into the high-pressure flow that is needed by the desalination system to permeate saltwater through the reverse-osmosis membrane to generate clean water. In this study, a wave-to-water numerical model was developed to investigate the potential use of a wave-powered desalination system (WPDS) for water production in the United States. The model was developed by coupling a time-domain radiation-and-diffraction-method-based numerical tool (WEC-Sim) for predicting the hydrodynamic performance of WECs with a solution-diffusion model that was used to simulate the reverse-osmosis process. To evaluate the feasibilitymore » of the WPDS, the wave-to-water numerical model was applied to simulate a desalination system that used an oscillating surge WEC device to pump seawater through the system. The annual water production was estimated based on the wave resource at a reference site on the coast of northern California to investigate the potential cost of water in that area, where the cost of water and electricity is high compared to other regions. In the scenario evaluated, for a 100-unit utility-scale electricity-producing array, the estimated levelized cost of energy for these WECs is about 3-6 times the U.S.'s current, unsubsidized electricity rates. However, with clean water as an end product and by directly producing pressurized water with WECs, rather than electricity as an intermediary, it is presently only 12 percent greater than typical water cost in California. This study suggests that a WEC array that produces water may be a viable, near-term solution to the nation's water supply, and the niche application of the WPDS may also provide developers with new opportunities to further develop technologies that benefit both the electric and drinking water markets.« less

Production costs and operative margins in electric energy generation from biogas. Full-scale case studies in Italy.

PubMed

Riva, C; Schievano, A; D'Imporzano, G; Adani, F

2014-08-01

The purpose of this study was to observe the economic sustainability of three different biogas full scale plants, fed with different organic matrices: energy crops (EC), manure, agro-industrial (Plants B and C) and organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) (Plant A). The plants were observed for one year and total annual biomass feeding, biomass composition and biomass cost (€ Mg(-1)), initial investment cost and plant electric power production were registered. The unit costs of biogas and electric energy (€ Sm(-3)biogas, € kWh(-1)EE) were differently distributed, depending on the type of feed and plant. Plant A showed high management/maintenance cost for OFMSW treatment (0.155 € Sm(-3)biogas, 45% of total cost), Plant B suffered high cost for EC supply (0.130 € Sm(-3)biogas, 49% of total cost) and Plant C showed higher impact on the total costs because of the depreciation charge (0.146 € Sm(-3)biogas, 41% of total costs). The breakeven point for the tariff of electric energy, calculated for the different cases, resulted in the range 120-170 € MWh(-1)EE, depending on fed materials and plant scale. EC had great impact on biomass supply costs and should be reduced, in favor of organic waste and residues; plant scale still heavily influences the production costs. The EU States should drive incentives in dependence of these factors, to further develop this still promising sector. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Effect of Weld Penetration on Blast Performance of Welded Panels

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-08-01

requirements of blast and ballistic protection, structural strength, fatigue resistance, unit mass and production cost. The testing described in this report...UNCLASSIFIED 7 TETRA S 20 9 3-G is an austenitic filler material often selected for welding high strength armour steels to control hydrogen induced...repeatability, lower cost, faster test turnaround and a reduced number of variables to control . Figure 30 is an illustration of the simplifications made

A Qualitative Study of Affordability: Virginia and San Antonio Class Programs

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

that actual costs and operational tempos resemble original assumptions is the most uncertain aspect of sustainment costs. Operators must respond to a...SSN 774 through SSN 787; this represents 47% of the total inventory, a typical variation for ships from the acquisition standard of 10%. Even... Goldberg , M., … MacKinnon, M. (1994). The U.S. submarine production base (MR-456-OSD). Santa Monica, CA: RAND. Blickstein, I. United States. Department

An Evaluation of the Latent Tuberculosis Control Program in the United States Military at Accession

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-10-15

and costs associated with lost productivity. Cost-of-illness estimates for the health outcomes will be obtained from the TRICARE management agency...National Collaborating Centre for Chronic Conditions. Tuberculosis: national clinical guidelines for diagnosis, management , prevention, and control...N, Ranganathan SC. A three- way comparison of tuberculin skin testing, QuantiFERON-TB gold and T-SPOT.TB in children. PLoS ONE. 2008;3(7):e2624

The Effects of Operational Parameters on a Mono-wire Cutting System: Efficiency in Marble Processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yilmazkaya, Emre; Ozcelik, Yilmaz

2016-02-01

Mono-wire block cutting machines that cut with a diamond wire can be used for squaring natural stone blocks and the slab-cutting process. The efficient use of these machines reduces operating costs by ensuring less diamond wire wear and longer wire life at high speeds. The high investment costs of these machines will lead to their efficient use and reduce production costs by increasing plant efficiency. Therefore, there is a need to investigate the cutting performance parameters of mono-wire cutting machines in terms of rock properties and operating parameters. This study aims to investigate the effects of the wire rotational speed (peripheral speed) and wire descending speed (cutting speed), which are the operating parameters of a mono-wire cutting machine, on unit wear and unit energy, which are the performance parameters in mono-wire cutting. By using the obtained results, cuttability charts for each natural stone were created on the basis of unit wear and unit energy values, cutting optimizations were performed, and the relationships between some physical and mechanical properties of rocks and the optimum cutting parameters obtained as a result of the optimization were investigated.

Lignocellulosic feedstock resource assessment

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

Rooney, T.

This report provides overall state and national information on the quantity, availability, and costs of current and potential feedstocks for ethanol production in the United States. It characterizes end uses and physical characteristics of feedstocks, and presents relevant information that affects the economic and technical feasibility of ethanol production from these feedstocks. The data can help researchers focus ethanol conversion research efforts on feedstocks that are compatible with the resource base.

Cable yarding residue after thinning young stands: a break-even simulation

Treesearch

Chris B. LeDoux

1984-01-01

The use of cable logging to extract small pieces of residue wood may result in low rates of production and a high cost per unit of wood produced. However, the logging manager can improve yarding productivity and break even in cable residue removal operations by using the proper planning techniques. In this study, breakeven zones for specific young-growth stands were...

Expanding Access to a New, More Affordable Levonorgestrel Intrauterine System in Kenya: Service Delivery Costs Compared With Other Contraceptive Methods and Perspectives of Key Opinion Leaders.

PubMed

Rademacher, Kate H; Solomon, Marsden; Brett, Tracey; Bratt, John H; Pascual, Claire; Njunguru, Jesse; Steiner, Markus J

2016-08-11

The levonorgestrel intrauterine system (LNG IUS) is one of the most effective forms of contraception and offers important non-contraceptive health benefits. However, it is not widely available in developing countries, largely due to the high price of existing products. Medicines360 plans to introduce its new, more affordable LNG IUS in Kenya. The public-sector transfer price will vary by volume between US$12 to US$16 per unit; for an order of 100,000 units, the public-sector transfer price will be approximately US$15 per unit. We calculated the direct service delivery cost per couple-years of protection (CYP) of various family planning methods. The model includes the costs of contraceptive commodities, consumable supplies, instruments per client visit, and direct labor for counseling, insertion, removal, and resupply, if required. The model does not include costs of demand creation or training. We conducted interviews with key opinion leaders in Kenya to identify considerations for scale-up of a new LNG IUS, including strategies to overcome barriers that have contributed to low uptake of the copper intrauterine device. The direct service delivery cost of Medicines360's LNG IUS per CYP compares favorably with other contraceptive methods commonly procured for public-sector distribution in Kenya. The cost is slightly lower than that of the 3-month contraceptive injectable, which is currently the most popular method in Kenya. Almost all key opinion leaders agreed that introducing a more affordable LNG IUS could increase demand and uptake of the method. They thought that women seeking the product's non-contraceptive health benefits would be a key market segment, and most agreed that the reduced menstrual bleeding associated with the method would likely be viewed as an advantage. The key opinion leaders indicated that myths and misconceptions among providers and clients about IUDs must be addressed, and that demand creation and provider training should be prioritized. Introducing a new, more affordable LNG IUS product could help expand choice for women in Kenya and increase use of long-acting reversible contraception. Further evaluation is needed to identify the full costs required for introduction-including the cost of demand creation-as well as research among potential and actual LNG IUS users, their partners, and health care providers to help inform scale-up of the method. © Rademacher et al.

Tree planters notes. Volume 43, Number 3, Summer 1992. Quarterly report

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

Mangold, R.; Nisley, R.; Karrfalt, R.

Contents: survival and growth of planted alaska-cedar seedling in southeast southeast alaska; propagation of loblolly, slash, and longleaf pine from needle fascicles; moisture determination on seeds of honeylocust and mimosa; performance of himalayan blue pine in the northeastern united states; advantages of an effective weed control program for populus hybrids; pales weevil: a serious threat to longleaf pine production; costs and cost component trends of trends of hand and machine planting in the southern united states (1952 to 1990); comparison of a drill-type seeder and a vacuum-drum precision seeder in a virginia loblolly pine nursery; missoula technology and development center'smore » nursery and reforestation programs.« less

Direct and indirect costs of surgically treated pelvic fractures.

PubMed

Aprato, Alessandro; Joeris, Alexander; Tosto, Ferdinando; Kalampoki, Vasiliki; Stucchi, Alessandro; Massè, Alessandro

2016-03-01

Pelvic fractures requiring surgical fixation are rare injuries but present a great societal impact in terms of disability, as well as economic resources. In the literature, there is no description of these costs. Main aim of this study is to describe the direct and indirect costs of these fractures. Secondary aims were to test if the type of fracture (pelvic ring injury or acetabular fracture) influences these costs (hospitalization, consultation, medication, physiotherapy sessions, job absenteeism). We performed a retrospective study on patients with surgically treated acetabular fractures or pelvic ring injuries. Medical records were reviewed in terms of demographic data, follow-up, diagnosis (according to Letournel and Tile classifications for acetabular and pelvic fractures, respectively) and type of surgical treatment. Patients were interviewed about hospitalization length, consultations after discharge, medications, physiotherapy sessions and absenteeism. The study comprised 203 patients, with a mean age of 49.1 ± 15.6 years, who had undergone surgery for an acetabular fracture or pelvic ring injury. The median treatment costs were 29.425 Euros per patient. Sixty percent of the total costs were attributed to health-related work absence. Median costs (in Euros) were 2.767 for hospitalization from trauma to definitive surgery, 4.530 for surgery, 3.018 for hospitalization in the surgical unit, 1.693 for hospitalization in the rehabilitation unit, 1.920 for physiotherapy after discharge and 402 for consultations after discharge. Total costs for treating pelvic ring injuries were higher than for acetabular fractures, mainly due to the significant higher costs of pelvic injuries regarding hospitalization from trauma to definitive surgery (p < 0.001) and hospitalization in the surgical unit (p = 0.008). Pelvic fractures are associated with both high direct costs and substantial productivity loss.

Laboratory manager's financial handbook. Cost accounting: the road map to financial success.

PubMed

Travers, E M

1996-01-01

Cost accounting is the most basic element of the laboratory's financial management structure. Historically, cost accounting in the nonmedical world referred to accumulating and assigning costs to units of production and departments, primarily for inventory valuation and income determination. In the health industry, microcost accounting is distinguishable from macrocost (management/internal) accounting and serves multiple purposes. Microcost accounting pertains to gathering and providing information for decision making. The range of decisions include managing recurring operations, making nonrecurring strategic decisions, and formulating major organizational policies. Macrocost accounting fulfills the legal requirements of reporting to stockholders, auditors, governmental agencies, and other external parties.

Distribution Grid Integration Unit Cost Database | Solar Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Unit Cost Database Distribution Grid Integration Unit Cost Database NREL's Distribution Grid Integration Unit Cost Database contains unit cost information for different components that may be used to associated with PV. It includes information from the California utility unit cost guides on traditional

British Micropublishing--A Survey 1975-76

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nash, Mary

1977-01-01

This survey covers production costs, determination of selling price, selection of a microfilming service, factors considered before beginning a new project, provision of hard copy, COM (Computer Output Microfilm) filming, future plans, and the effect of copyright on micropublications in the United Kingdom. (Author)

19 CFR 202.6 - Reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Reports. 202.6 Section 202.6 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION NONADJUDICATIVE INVESTIGATIONS INVESTIGATIONS OF COSTS OF PRODUCTION § 202.6 Reports. After the completion of its investigation, the Commission will incorporate its...

19 CFR 202.6 - Reports.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Reports. 202.6 Section 202.6 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION NONADJUDICATIVE INVESTIGATIONS INVESTIGATIONS OF COSTS OF PRODUCTION § 202.6 Reports. After the completion of its investigation, the Commission will incorporate its...

45 CFR 602.20 - Standards for financial management systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... Section 602.20 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) NATIONAL SCIENCE... subgrant. Financial information must be related to performance or productivity data, including the... agreement. If unit cost data are required, estimates based on available documentation will be accepted...

45 CFR 602.20 - Standards for financial management systems.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... Section 602.20 Public Welfare Regulations Relating to Public Welfare (Continued) NATIONAL SCIENCE... subgrant. Financial information must be related to performance or productivity data, including the... agreement. If unit cost data are required, estimates based on available documentation will be accepted...

Sustainable biofuel contributions to carbon mitigation and energy independence

DOE PAGES

Lippke, Bruce; Gustafson, Richard; Venditti, Richard; ...

2011-10-19

The growing interest in US biofuels has been motivated by two primary national policy goals, (1) to reduce carbon emissions and (2) to achieve energy independence. However, the current low cost of fossil fuels is a key barrier to investments in woody biofuel production capacity. The effectiveness of wood derived biofuels must consider not only the feedstock competition with low cost fossil fuels but also the wide range of wood products uses that displace different fossil intensive products. Alternative uses of wood result in substantially different unit processes and carbon impacts over product life cycles. We developed life cycle datamore » for new bioprocessing and feedstock collection models in order to make life cycle comparisons of effectiveness when biofuels displace gasoline and wood products displace fossil intensive building materials. Wood products and biofuels can be joint products from the same forestland. Furthermore, substantial differences in effectiveness measures are revealed as well as difficulties in valuing tradeoffs between carbon mitigation and energy independence.« less

A smart Monte Carlo procedure for production costing and uncertainty analysis

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

Parker, C.; Stremel, J.

1996-11-01

Electric utilities using chronological production costing models to decide whether to buy or sell power over the next week or next few weeks need to determine potential profits or losses under a number of uncertainties. A large amount of money can be at stake--often $100,000 a day or more--and one party of the sale must always take on the risk. In the case of fixed price ($/MWh) contracts, the seller accepts the risk. In the case of cost plus contracts, the buyer must accept the risk. So, modeling uncertainty and understanding the risk accurately can improve the competitive edge ofmore » the user. This paper investigates an efficient procedure for representing risks and costs from capacity outages. Typically, production costing models use an algorithm based on some form of random number generator to select resources as available or on outage. These algorithms allow experiments to be repeated and gains and losses to be observed in a short time. The authors perform several experiments to examine the capability of three unit outage selection methods and measures their results. Specifically, a brute force Monte Carlo procedure, a Monte Carlo procedure with Latin Hypercube sampling, and a Smart Monte Carlo procedure with cost stratification and directed sampling are examined.« less

Space-based solar power conversion and delivery systems study. Volume 5: Economic analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

Space-based solar power conversion and delivery systems are studied along with a variety of economic and programmatic issues relevant to their development and deployment. The costs, uncertainties and risks associated with the current photovoltaic Satellite Solar Power System (SSPS) configuration, and issues affecting the development of an economically viable SSPS development program are addressed. In particular, the desirability of low earth orbit (LEO) and geosynchronous (GEO) test satellites is examined and critical technology areas are identified. The development of SSPS unit production (nth item), and operation and maintenance cost models suitable for incorporation into a risk assessment (Monte Carlo) model (RAM) are reported. The RAM was then used to evaluate the current SSPS configuration expected costs and cost-risk associated with this configuration. By examining differential costs and cost-risk as a function of postulated technology developments, the critical technologies, that is, those which drive costs and/or cost-risk, are identified. It is shown that the key technology area deals with productivity in space, that is, the ability to fabricate and assemble large structures in space, not, as might be expected, with some hardware component technology.

Benefits of High-Intensity Intensive Care Unit Physician Staffing under the Affordable Care Act

PubMed Central

Logani, Sachin; Green, Adam; Gasperino, James

2011-01-01

The Affordable Care Act signed into law by President Obama, with its value-based purchasing program, is designed to link payment to quality processes and outcomes. Treatment of critically ill patients represents nearly 1% of the gross domestic product and 25% of a typical hospital budget. Data suggest that high-intensity staffing patterns in the intensive care unit (ICU) are associated with cost savings and improved outcomes. We evaluate the literature investigating the cost-effectiveness and clinical outcomes of high-intensity ICU physician staffing as recommended by The Leapfrog Group (a consortium of companies that purchase health care for their employees) and identify ways to overcome barriers to nationwide implementation of these standards. Hospitals that have implemented the Leapfrog initiative have demonstrated reductions in mortality and length of stay and increased cost savings. High-intensity staffing models appear to be an immediate cost-effective way for hospitals to meet the challenges of health care reform. PMID:22110908

Regenerative agriculture: merging farming and natural resource conservation profitably.

PubMed

LaCanne, Claire E; Lundgren, Jonathan G

2018-01-01

Most cropland in the United States is characterized by large monocultures, whose productivity is maintained through a strong reliance on costly tillage, external fertilizers, and pesticides (Schipanski et al., 2016). Despite this, farmers have developed a regenerative model of farm production that promotes soil health and biodiversity, while producing nutrient-dense farm products profitably. Little work has focused on the relative costs and benefits of novel regenerative farming operations, which necessitates studying in situ , farmer-defined best management practices. Here, we evaluate the relative effects of regenerative and conventional corn production systems on pest management services, soil conservation, and farmer profitability and productivity throughout the Northern Plains of the United States. Regenerative farming systems provided greater ecosystem services and profitability for farmers than an input-intensive model of corn production. Pests were 10-fold more abundant in insecticide-treated corn fields than on insecticide-free regenerative farms, indicating that farmers who proactively design pest-resilient food systems outperform farmers that react to pests chemically. Regenerative fields had 29% lower grain production but 78% higher profits over traditional corn production systems. Profit was positively correlated with the particulate organic matter of the soil, not yield. These results provide the basis for dialogue on ecologically based farming systems that could be used to simultaneously produce food while conserving our natural resource base: two factors that are pitted against one another in simplified food production systems. To attain this requires a systems-level shift on the farm; simply applying individual regenerative practices within the current production model will not likely produce the documented results.

Recovery Act. Advanced Building Insulation by the CO 2 Foaming Process

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

Yang, Arthur

In this project, ISTN proposed to develop a new "3rd" generation of insulation technology. The focus was a cost-effective foaming process that could be used to manufacture XPS and other extruded polymer foams using environmentally clean blowing agents, and ultimately achieve higher R-values than existing products while maintaining the same level of cost-efficiency. In the U.S., state-of-the-art products are primarily manufactured by two companies: Dow and Owens Corning. These products (i.e., STYROFOAM and FOAMULAR) have a starting thermal resistance of R-5.0/inch, which declines over the life of the product as the HFC blowing agents essential to high R-value exchange withmore » air in the environment. In the existing technologies, the substitution of CO2 for HFCs as the primary foaming agent results in a much lower starting R-value, as evidenced in CO2-foamed varieties of XPS in Europe with R-4.2/inch insulation value. The major overarching achievement from this project was ISTN's development of a new process that uses CO2 as a clean blowing agent to achieve up to R-5.2/inch at the manufacturing scale, with a production cost on a per unit basis that is less than the cost of Dow and Owens Corning XPS products.« less

Rotational Thromboelastometry or Conventional Coagulation Tests in Liver Transplantation: Comparing Blood Loss, Transfusions, and Cost.

PubMed

Smart, Laura; Mumtaz, Khalid; Scharpf, Danielle; Gray, Nicole O'Bleness; Traetow, Daniel; Black, Sylvester; Michaels, Anthony J; Elkhammas, Elmahdi; Kirkpatrick, Robert; Hanje, A James

Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) can be associated with significant bleeding requiring multiple blood product transfusions. Rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) is a point-of-care device that has been used to monitor coagulation during OLT. Whether it reduces blood loss/transfusions during OLT remains controversial. We aim to compare ROTEM with conventional coagulation tests (aPTT, PT, INR, platelet count, fibrinogen) to guide transfusion of platelets, cryoprecipitate, and fresh frozen plasma (FFP) during OLT over 3 years. Thirty-four patients who had transfusions guided by ROTEM were compared to 34 controls who received transfusions guided by conventional coagulation tests (CCT). Intraoperative blood loss, type/ amount of blood products transfused, and direct costs were compared between the two groups. The ROTEM group had significantly less intra-operative blood loss (2.0 vs. 3.0 L, p = 0.04) and fresh frozen plasma (FFP) transfusion (4 units vs. 6.5 units, p = 0.015) compared to the CCT group (2.0L vs. 3.0L, p = 0.04). However, total number of patients transfused cryoprecipitate was increased in ROTEM (n = 25;73%) as compared to CCT (n = 19; 56%), p = 0.033. The direct cost of blood products plus testing was reduced in the ROTEM group ($113,142.89 vs. $127,814.77). In conclusion implementation of a ROTEM-guided transfusion algorithm resulted in a reduction in intra-operative blood loss, FFP transfusion and a decrease in direct cost during OLT. ROTEM is a useful and safe point of care device in OLT setting.

Energy efficiency improvement and cost saving opportunities for the Corn Wet Milling Industry: An ENERGY STAR Guide for Energy and Plant Managers

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

Galitsky, Christina; Worrell, Ernst; Ruth, Michael

2003-07-01

Corn wet milling is the most energy intensive industry within the food and kindred products group (SIC 20), using 15 percent of the energy in the entire food industry. After corn, energy is the second largest operating cost for corn wet millers in the United States. A typical corn wet milling plant in the United States spends approximately $20 to $30 million per year on energy, making energy efficiency improvement an important way to reduce costs and increase predictable earnings, especially in times of high energy-price volatility. This report shows energy efficiency opportunities available for wet corn millers. It beginsmore » with descriptions of the trends, structure and production of the corn wet milling industry and the energy used in the milling and refining process. Specific primary energy savings for each energy efficiency measure based on case studies of plants and references to technical literature are provided. If available, typical payback periods are also listed. The report draws upon the experiences of corn, wheat and other starch processing plants worldwide for energy efficiency measures. The findings suggest that given available resources and technology, there are opportunities to reduce energy consumption cost-effectively in the corn wet milling industry while maintaining the quality of the products manufactured. Further research on the economics of the measures, as well as the applicability of these to different wet milling practices, is needed to assess the feasibility of implementation of selected technologies at individual plants.« less

Design for multipurpose use: an application of DfE concept in a developing economy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunmade, Israel

2004-12-01

Design for Environment (DfE) has been defined as the systematic integration of environmental considerations into product and process design. And it has been discovered that material and space can be saved when several functions are integrated into a single product by taking advantage of common components. In this design and development project, a multipurpose thresher was designed based on an integrated concept of design for modularity, disassembly, demanufacturing and remanufacturing. The machine can be used to thresh various types of farm produce such as rice, sorghum, cowpea and rye by changing the concave and the cylinder (threshing drum). The configuration of the machine enables access to most of the component parts without changing the tools needed for disassembly because the same type of fasteners was used. Furthermore, the functional units (the shelling unit, the separation unit and the grading unit) were assembled into modules such that only the faulty part needs to be replaced if necessary. The design was so simplified that the operator can make the changes for different uses without any difficulty. The machine has been successfully tested with a number of these products and it is scheduled for tests with other produce like corn and peanuts. The modularity of the functional unit will facilitate multi-lifecycle use of machine and/or its component parts. The uniformity of the liaisons and simplification of the configuration will reduce both the disassembly times and maintenance cost. By this integration, the material requirements for four different machines are conserved, environmental emissions that would be associated with the manufacture, transportation and disposal of four machines are eliminated while the capital requirements by farmers for machinery are reduced to about a quarter. Consequently the total lifecycle cost is kept minimum while the eco-efficiency is maximized.

A structured blood conservation programme reduces transfusions and costs in cardiac surgery.

PubMed

Ternström, Lisa; Hyllner, Monica; Backlund, Erika; Schersten, Henrik; Jeppsson, Anders

2014-11-01

Transfusions of blood products can be lifesaving, but they are also associated with considerable risks and adverse effects, including immune response and infections. In cardiac surgery, transfusions have also been associated with increased mortality. We prospectively studied the effects of a structured programme to reduce transfusions and transfusion-associated costs in cardiac surgery. The programme included: (i) education of all staff about the risks and benefits of blood transfusions; (ii) revised guidelines for transfusions; and (iii) a transfusion log where indication for transfusion, status of the patient and prescribing physician were registered. Transfusion prevalence, complications and costs for blood products were registered for all acute and elective cardiac operations during a 12-month period before (n = 1128) and after (n = 1034) the programme was started. The two time periods were compared. In addition, the prevalence of transfusions was registered for 2 more years after the programme was initiated. The first year after the programme was initiated the proportion of patients transfused with red blood cell concentrate decreased by 21.8% (from 58.2 to 45.5%, P <0.001), plasma by 37.4% (from 30.8 to 19.3%, P <0.001) and platelets by 21.0% (from 20.5 to 16.2%, P = 0.010). Reoperations for bleeding (5.8 vs 5.0%), early complication rate and 30-day mortality (2.5 vs 2.6%) were not significantly different before and after the start date. Based on the 2009 institutional prices for red blood cell concentrate (102 €/unit), plasma (35 €/unit) and platelets (290 €/unit), the savings on blood products were €161,623 during the first 12 months after the programme was launched. The proportion of patients transfused with any blood product was 60.9% before the programme was started and 48.3, 54.0 and 50.7% 1-3 years after its start (all P <0.001), respectively. A structured blood conservation programme reduces transfusions and costs for blood products in cardiac surgery, without any signs of compromised medical safety. The effects of introducing such a programme are maintained over at least 3 years. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

Redefining the survival of the fittest: communication disorders in the 21st century.

PubMed

Ruben, R J

2000-02-01

To determine the economic effect on the US economy of the cost of caring for people with communication disorders as well as the cost of lost or degraded employment opportunities for people with such disorders, including disorders of hearing, voice, speech, and language. Survey of available historical and contemporary governmental and scholarly data concerning work force distribution and the epidemiology of disorders of hearing, voice, speech, and language. Analysis of epidemiological and economic data for industrialized countries, North America, and the United States. Communication disorders are estimated to have a prevalence of 5% to 10%. People with communication disorders may be more economically disadvantaged than those with less severe disabilities The data suggest that people with severe speech disabilities are more often found to be unemployed or in a lower economic class than people with hearing loss or other disabilities. Communication disorders may cost the United States from $154 billion to $186 billion per year, which is equal to 2.5% to 3% of the Gross National Product. Communication disorders reduce the economic output of the United States, whose economy has become dependent on communication-based employment. This trend will increase during the next century. The economic cost and the prevalence rates of communication disorders in the United States indicate that they will be a major public health challenge for the 21st century.

Electricity from fossil fuels without CO2 emissions: assessing the costs of carbon dioxide capture and sequestration in U.S. electricity markets.

PubMed

Johnson, T L; Keith, D W

2001-10-01

The decoupling of fossil-fueled electricity production from atmospheric CO2 emissions via CO2 capture and sequestration (CCS) is increasingly regarded as an important means of mitigating climate change at a reasonable cost. Engineering analyses of CO2 mitigation typically compare the cost of electricity for a base generation technology to that for a similar plant with CO2 capture and then compute the carbon emissions mitigated per unit of cost. It can be hard to interpret mitigation cost estimates from this plant-level approach when a consistent base technology cannot be identified. In addition, neither engineering analyses nor general equilibrium models can capture the economics of plant dispatch. A realistic assessment of the costs of carbon sequestration as an emissions abatement strategy in the electric sector therefore requires a systems-level analysis. We discuss various frameworks for computing mitigation costs and introduce a simplified model of electric sector planning. Results from a "bottom-up" engineering-economic analysis for a representative U.S. North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) region illustrate how the penetration of CCS technologies and the dispatch of generating units vary with the price of carbon emissions and thereby determine the relationship between mitigation cost and emissions reduction.

Electricity from Fossil Fuels without CO2 Emissions: Assessing the Costs of Carbon Dioxide Capture and Sequestration in U.S. Electricity Markets.

PubMed

Johnson, Timothy L; Keith, David W

2001-10-01

The decoupling of fossil-fueled electricity production from atmospheric CO 2 emissions via CO 2 capture and sequestration (CCS) is increasingly regarded as an important means of mitigating climate change at a reasonable cost. Engineering analyses of CO 2 mitigation typically compare the cost of electricity for a base generation technology to that for a similar plant with CO 2 capture and then compute the carbon emissions mitigated per unit of cost. It can be hard to interpret mitigation cost estimates from this plant-level approach when a consistent base technology cannot be identified. In addition, neither engineering analyses nor general equilibrium models can capture the economics of plant dispatch. A realistic assessment of the costs of carbon sequestration as an emissions abatement strategy in the electric sector therefore requires a systems-level analysis. We discuss various frameworks for computing mitigation costs and introduce a simplified model of electric sector planning. Results from a "bottom-up" engineering-economic analysis for a representative U.S. North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) region illustrate how the penetration of CCS technologies and the dispatch of generating units vary with the price of carbon emissions and thereby determine the relationship between mitigation cost and emissions reduction.

[Cost of intensive care in a German hospital: cost-unit accounting based on the InEK matrix].

PubMed

Martin, J; Neurohr, C; Bauer, M; Weiss, M; Schleppers, A

2008-05-01

The aim of this study was to determine the actual cost per intensive care unit (ICU) day in Germany based on routine data from an electronic patient data management system as well as analysis of cost-driving factors. A differentiation between days with and without mechanical ventilation was performed. On the ICU of a German focused-care hospital (896 beds, 12 anesthesiology ICU beds), cost per treatment day was calculated with or without mechanical ventilation from the perspective of the hospital. Costs were derived retrospectively with respect to the period between January and October 2006 by cost-unit accounting based on routine data collected from the ICU patients. Patients with a length of stay of at least 2 days on the ICU were included. Demographic, clinical and economical data were analyzed for patient characterization. Data of 407 patients (217 male and 190 female) were included in the analysis, of which 159 patients (100 male, 59 female) were completely or partially mechanically ventilated. The mean simplified acute physiology (SAPS) II score at the onset of ICU stay was 28.2. Average cost per ICU day was 1,265 EUR and costs for ICU days with and without mechanical ventilation amounted to 1,426 EUR and 1,145 EUR, respectively. Personnel costs (50%) showed the largest cost share followed by drugs plus medicinal products (18%) and infrastructure (16%). For the first time, a cost analysis of intensive care in Germany was performed with routine data based on the matrix of the institute for reimbursement in hospitals (InEK). The results revealed a higher resource use on the ICU than previously expected. The large share of personnel costs on the ICU was evident but is comparable to other medical departments in the hospital. The need for mechanical ventilation increases the daily costs of resources by approximately 25%.

Local versus offshore production of ready-to-use therapeutic foods and small quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements.

PubMed

Segrè, Joel; Liu, Grace; Komrska, Jan

2017-10-01

Manufacturers on four continents currently produce ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF). Some produce locally, near their intended users, while others produce offshore and ship their product long distances. Small quantity lipid-based nutrient supplements (SQ-LNS) such as Nutriset's Enov'Nutributter are not yet in widespread production. There has been speculation whether RUTF and SQ-LNS should be produced primarily offshore, locally, or both. We analyzed The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Supply Division data, reviewed published literature, and interviewed local manufacturers to identify key benefits and challenges to local versus offshore manufacture of RUTF. Both prices and estimated costs for locally produced product have consistently been higher than offshore prices. Local manufacture faces challenges in taxation on imported ingredients, low factory utilization, high interest rates, long cash conversion cycle, and less convenient access to quality testing labs. Benefits to local economies are not likely to be significant. Although offshore manufacturers offer RUTF at lower cost, local production is getting closer to cost parity for RUTF. UNICEF, which buys the majority of RUTF globally, continues to support local production, and efforts are underway to narrow the cost gap further. Expansion of RUTF producers into the production of other ready-to-use foods, including SQ-LNS in order to reach a larger market and achieve a more sustainable scale, may further close the cost and price gap. Local production of both RUTF and SQ-LNS could be encouraged by a favorable tax environment, assistance in lending, consistent forecasts from buyers, investment in reliable input supply chains, and local laboratory testing. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effects of a prior high-intensity knee-extension exercise on muscle recruitment and energy cost: a combined local and global investigation in humans.

PubMed

Layec, Gwenael; Bringard, Aurélien; Le Fur, Yann; Vilmen, Christophe; Micallef, Jean-Paul; Perrey, Stéphane; Cozzone, Patrick J; Bendahan, David

2009-06-01

The effects of a priming exercise bout on both muscle energy production and the pattern of muscle fibre recruitment during a subsequent exercise bout are poorly understood. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether a prior exercise bout which is known to increase O(2) supply and to induce a residual acidosis could alter energy cost and muscle fibre recruitment during a subsequent heavy-intensity knee-extension exercise. Fifteen healthy subjects performed two 6 min bouts of heavy exercise separated by a 6 min resting period. Rates of oxidative and anaerobic ATP production, determined with (31)P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and breath-by-breath measurements of pulmonary oxygen uptake were obtained simultaneously. Changes in muscle oxygenation and muscle fibre recruitment occurring within the quadriceps were measured using near-infrared spectroscopy and surface electromyography. The priming heavy-intensity exercise increased motor unit recruitment (P < 0.05) in the early part of the subsequent exercise bout but did not alter muscle energy cost. We also observed a reduced deoxygenation time delay, whereas the deoxygenation amplitude was increased (P < 0.01). These changes were associated with an increased oxidative ATP cost after approximately 50 s (P < 0.05) and a slight reduction in the overall anaerobic rate of ATP production (0.11 +/- 0.04 mM min(-1) W(-1) for bout 1 and 0.06 +/- 0.11 mM min(-1) W(-1) for bout 2; P < 0.05). We showed that a priming bout of heavy exercise led to an increased recruitment of motor units in the early part of the second bout of heavy exercise. Considering the increased oxidative cost and the unaltered energy cost, one could suggest that our results illustrate a reduced metabolic strain per fibre.

Nanofiltration-Enabled In Situ Solvent and Reagent Recycle for Sustainable Continuous-Flow Synthesis.

PubMed

Fodi, Tamas; Didaskalou, Christos; Kupai, Jozsef; Balogh, Gyorgy T; Huszthy, Peter; Szekely, Gyorgy

2017-09-11

Solvent usage in the pharmaceutical sector accounts for as much as 90 % of the overall mass during manufacturing processes. Consequently, solvent consumption poses significant costs and environmental burdens. Continuous processing, in particular continuous-flow reactors, have great potential for the sustainable production of pharmaceuticals but subsequent downstream processing remains challenging. Separation processes for concentrating and purifying chemicals can account for as much as 80 % of the total manufacturing costs. In this work, a nanofiltration unit was coupled to a continuous-flow rector for in situ solvent and reagent recycling. The nanofiltration unit is straightforward to implement and simple to control during continuous operation. The hybrid process operated continuously over six weeks, recycling about 90 % of the solvent and reagent. Consequently, the E-factor and the carbon footprint were reduced by 91 % and 19 %, respectively. Moreover, the nanofiltration unit led to a solution of the product eleven times more concentrated than the reaction mixture and increased the purity from 52.4 % to 91.5 %. The boundaries for process conditions were investigated to facilitate implementation of the methodology by the pharmaceutical sector. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

GREEN CHEMISTRY FOR SELECTIRVE OXIDATION PROCESSES

EPA Science Inventory

The costs of handling, treating and disposing of wastes generated annually in the United States has reached to 2.2% of gross domestic product, and continued to rise. The chemical manufacturing industry generates more than 1.5 billion tons of hazardous waste and 9 billion tons of ...

An Analysis of the Maintenance Performance Measurement System for LAMPS MK III Helicopter Squadrons

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-12-01

effectiveness, efficiency, productivity, quality, budgetability, innovation and quality of work.life ), and determine the significance of AFM funds on... Balance .. Phase II - Unit Sustainment Manpower Cost Methodology, Management Consulting and Research, Falls Church, Virginia, 1981. McCutcheon, David A

78 FR 21116 - Superior Supplier Incentive Program

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-09

... (Quality of Product). Schedule. Cost Control. Management Responsiveness. Management of Key Personnel... unit can only be rated in either the goods or services category. In the event a contractor is within... will provide contractors with the greatest motivation to achieve SSS? 3. What contract terms and...

19 CFR 202.3 - Preliminary inquiry.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Preliminary inquiry. 202.3 Section 202.3 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION NONADJUDICATIVE INVESTIGATIONS INVESTIGATIONS OF COSTS OF PRODUCTION § 202.3 Preliminary inquiry. Upon the receipt of an application properly filed, the...

19 CFR 202.2 - Applications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Applications. 202.2 Section 202.2 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION NONADJUDICATIVE INVESTIGATIONS INVESTIGATIONS OF COSTS OF PRODUCTION § 202.2 Applications. (a) Who may file. Applications for an investigation to which this part 202...

19 CFR 202.2 - Applications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Applications. 202.2 Section 202.2 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION NONADJUDICATIVE INVESTIGATIONS INVESTIGATIONS OF COSTS OF PRODUCTION § 202.2 Applications. (a) Who may file. Applications for an investigation to which this part 202...

19 CFR 202.3 - Preliminary inquiry.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Preliminary inquiry. 202.3 Section 202.3 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION NONADJUDICATIVE INVESTIGATIONS INVESTIGATIONS OF COSTS OF PRODUCTION § 202.3 Preliminary inquiry. Upon the receipt of an application properly filed, the...

19 CFR 202.2 - Applications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Applications. 202.2 Section 202.2 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION NONADJUDICATIVE INVESTIGATIONS INVESTIGATIONS OF COSTS OF PRODUCTION § 202.2 Applications. (a) Who may file. Applications for an investigation to which this part 202...

19 CFR 202.3 - Preliminary inquiry.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Preliminary inquiry. 202.3 Section 202.3 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION NONADJUDICATIVE INVESTIGATIONS INVESTIGATIONS OF COSTS OF PRODUCTION § 202.3 Preliminary inquiry. Upon the receipt of an application properly filed, the...

19 CFR 202.3 - Preliminary inquiry.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Preliminary inquiry. 202.3 Section 202.3 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION NONADJUDICATIVE INVESTIGATIONS INVESTIGATIONS OF COSTS OF PRODUCTION § 202.3 Preliminary inquiry. Upon the receipt of an application properly filed, the...

19 CFR 202.2 - Applications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Applications. 202.2 Section 202.2 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION NONADJUDICATIVE INVESTIGATIONS INVESTIGATIONS OF COSTS OF PRODUCTION § 202.2 Applications. (a) Who may file. Applications for an investigation to which this part 202...

19 CFR 202.3 - Preliminary inquiry.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Preliminary inquiry. 202.3 Section 202.3 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION NONADJUDICATIVE INVESTIGATIONS INVESTIGATIONS OF COSTS OF PRODUCTION § 202.3 Preliminary inquiry. Upon the receipt of an application properly filed, the...

19 CFR 202.2 - Applications.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 19 Customs Duties 3 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Applications. 202.2 Section 202.2 Customs Duties UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION NONADJUDICATIVE INVESTIGATIONS INVESTIGATIONS OF COSTS OF PRODUCTION § 202.2 Applications. (a) Who may file. Applications for an investigation to which this part 202...

Estimating Highway Pavement Damage Costs Attributed to Truck Traffic

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-12-01

Kansas is one of the leaders in meat production in the United States. In the southwest Kansas region, there are more than three hundred feed yards and several of the biggest meat processing plants in the nation. Heavy trucks (e.g., tractor-trailers) ...

PROCEEDINGS: SYMPOSIUM ON FLUE GAS DESULFURIZATION HELD AT HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA, NOVEMBER 1977. VOLUME II

EPA Science Inventory

The proceedings document presentations made during the symposium, which dealt with the status of flue gas desulfurization technology in the United States and abroad. Subjects considered included: regenerable, non-regenerable, and advanced processes; process costs; and by-product ...

PROCEEDINGS: SYMPOSIUM ON FLUE GAS DESULFURIZATION HELD AT HOLLYWOOD, FLORIDA, NOVEMBER 1977. VOLUME I

EPA Science Inventory

The proceedings document presentations made during the symposium, which dealt with the status of flue gas desulfurization technology in the United States and abroad. Subjects considered included: regenerable, non-regenerable, and advanced processes; process costs; and by-product ...

Estimated cost of overactive bladder in Thailand.

PubMed

Prasopsanti, Kriangsak; Santi-Ngamkun, Apirak; Pornprasit, Kanokwan

2007-11-01

To estimate the annual direct and indirect costs of overactive bladder (OAB) in indigenous Thai people aged 18 years and over in the year 2005. Economically based models using diagnostic and treatment algorithms from clinical practice guidelines and current disease prevalence data were used to estimate direct and indirect costs of OAB. Prevalence and event probability estimates were obtained from the literature, national data sets, and expert opinion. Costs were estimated from a small survey using a cost questionnaire and from unit costs of King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. The annual cost of OAB in Thailand is estimated as 1.9 billion USD. It is estimated to consume 1.14% of national GDP The cost includes 0.33 billion USD for direct medical costs, 1.3 billion USD for direct, nonmedical costs and 0.29 billion USD for indirect costs of lost productivity. The largest costs category was direct treatment costs of comorbidities associated with OAB. Costs of OAB medication accountedfor 14% of the total costs ofOAB.

Competition and primary care in the United States: separating fact from fancy.

PubMed

Siminoff, L

1986-01-01

Competitive strategies have been advocated as the solution for the economic ills of the U.S. economy. During the 1980s many economists and health care practitioners are arguing that a competitive strategy will bring down health care costs; these plans emphasize the existence of perverse incentives which reward cost reducing behavior with less revenue. Competitive strategies assume the existence of a "health care marketplace." Historically, the United States health care sector has not conformed to the ideal of the competitive market because of the special characteristics involved in the production and consumption of health care. Consumers have the least power in the health care sector and yet most competitive proposals are explicitly directed at changing consumer behavior, especially in the area of primary care. Much evidence indicates that competitive plans inhibit consumers from using primary care services, increase long-term health care costs, and ultimately require more government regulatory action.

Linking crime guns: the impact of ballistics imaging technology on the productivity of the Boston Police Department's Ballistics Unit.

PubMed

Braga, Anthony A; Pierce, Glenn L

2004-07-01

Ballistics imaging technology has received national attention as a potent tool for moving the law enforcement response to violent gun criminals forward by linking multiple crime scenes to one firearm. This study examines the impact of ballistics imaging technology on the productivity of the Boston Police Department's Ballistics Unit. Using negative binomial regression models to analyze times series data on ballistics matches, we find that ballistics imaging technology was associated with a more than sixfold increase in the monthly number of ballistics matches made by the Boston Police Department's Ballistics Unit. Cost-effectiveness estimates and qualitative evidence also suggest that ballistics imaging technology allows law enforcement agencies to make hits that would not have been possible using traditional ballistics methods.

Evaluation of selected chemical processes for production of low-cost silicon, phase 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blocher, J. M., Jr.; Browning, M. F.; Seifert, D. A.

1981-01-01

A Process Development Unit (PDU), which consisted of the four major units of the process, was designed, installed, and experimentally operated. The PDU was sized to 50MT/Yr. The deposition took place in a fluidized bed reactor. As a consequences of the experiments, improvements in the design an operation of these units were undertaken and their experimental limitations were partially established. A parallel program of experimental work demonstrated that Zinc can be vaporized for introduction into the fluidized bed reactor, by direct induction-coupled r.f. energy. Residual zinc in the product can be removed by heat treatment below the melting point of silicon. Current efficiencies of 94 percent and above, and power efficiencies around 40 percent are achievable in the laboratory-scale electrolysis of ZnCl2.

Parabolic Trough Collector Cost Update for the System Advisor Model (SAM)

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

Kurup, Parthiv; Turchi, Craig S.

2015-11-01

This report updates the baseline cost for parabolic trough solar fields in the United States within NREL's System Advisor Model (SAM). SAM, available at no cost at https://sam.nrel.gov/, is a performance and financial model designed to facilitate decision making for people involved in the renewable energy industry. SAM is the primary tool used by NREL and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for estimating the performance and cost of concentrating solar power (CSP) technologies and projects. The study performed a bottom-up build and cost estimate for two state-of-the-art parabolic trough designs -- the SkyTrough and the Ultimate Trough. The SkyTroughmore » analysis estimated the potential installed cost for a solar field of 1500 SCAs as $170/m 2 +/- $6/m 2. The investigation found that SkyTrough installed costs were sensitive to factors such as raw aluminum alloy cost and production volume. For example, in the case of the SkyTrough, the installed cost would rise to nearly $210/m 2 if the aluminum alloy cost was $1.70/lb instead of $1.03/lb. Accordingly, one must be aware of fluctuations in the relevant commodities markets to track system cost over time. The estimated installed cost for the Ultimate Trough was only slightly higher at $178/m 2, which includes an assembly facility of $11.6 million amortized over the required production volume. Considering the size and overall cost of a 700 SCA Ultimate Trough solar field, two parallel production lines in a fully covered assembly facility, each with the specific torque box, module and mirror jigs, would be justified for a full CSP plant.« less

The economic burden of child sexual abuse in the United States.

PubMed

Letourneau, Elizabeth J; Brown, Derek S; Fang, Xiangming; Hassan, Ahmed; Mercy, James A

2018-05-01

The present study provides an estimate of the U.S. economic impact of child sexual abuse (CSA). Costs of CSA were measured from the societal perspective and include health care costs, productivity losses, child welfare costs, violence/crime costs, special education costs, and suicide death costs. We separately estimated quality-adjusted life year (QALY) losses. For each category, we used the best available secondary data to develop cost per case estimates. All costs were estimated in U.S. dollars and adjusted to the reference year 2015. Estimating 20 new cases of fatal and 40,387 new substantiated cases of nonfatal CSA that occurred in 2015, the lifetime economic burden of CSA is approximately $9.3 billion, the lifetime cost for victims of fatal CSA per female and male victim is on average $1,128,334 and $1,482,933, respectively, and the average lifetime cost for victims of nonfatal CSA is of $282,734 per female victim. For male victims of nonfatal CSA, there was insufficient information on productivity losses, contributing to a lower average estimated lifetime cost of $74,691 per male victim. If we included QALYs, these costs would increase by approximately $40,000 per victim. With the exception of male productivity losses, all estimates were based on robust, replicable incidence-based costing methods. The availability of accurate, up-to-date estimates should contribute to policy analysis, facilitate comparisons with other public health problems, and support future economic evaluations of CSA-specific policy and practice. In particular, we hope the availability of credible and contemporary estimates will support increased attention to primary prevention of CSA. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Economic burden of seasonal influenza in the United States.

PubMed

Putri, Wayan C W S; Muscatello, David J; Stockwell, Melissa S; Newall, Anthony T

2018-05-22

Seasonal influenza is responsible for a large disease and economic burden. Despite the expanding recommendation of influenza vaccination, influenza has continued to be a major public health concern in the United States (U.S.). To evaluate influenza prevention strategies it is important that policy makers have current estimates of the economic burden of influenza. To provide an updated estimate of the average annual economic burden of seasonal influenza in the U.S. population in the presence of vaccination efforts. We evaluated estimates of age-specific influenza-attributable outcomes (ill-non medically attended, office-based outpatient visit, emergency department visits, hospitalizations and death) and associated productivity loss. Health outcome rates were applied to the 2015 U.S. population and multiplied by the relevant estimated unit costs for each outcome. We evaluated both direct healthcare costs and indirect costs (absenteeism from paid employment) reporting results from both a healthcare system and societal perspective. Results were presented in five age groups (<5 years, 5-17 years, 18-49 years, 50-64 years and ≥65 years of age). The estimated average annual total economic burden of influenza to the healthcare system and society was $11.2 billion ($6.3-$25.3 billion). Direct medical costs were estimated to be $3.2 billion ($1.5-$11.7 billion) and indirect costs $8.0 billion ($4.8-$13.6 billion). These total costs were based on the estimated average numbers of (1) ill-non medically attended patients (21.6 million), (2) office-based outpatient visits (3.7 million), (3) emergency department visit (0.65 million) (4) hospitalizations (247.0 thousand), (5) deaths (36.3 thousand) and (6) days of productivity lost (20.1 million). This study provides an updated estimate of the total economic burden of influenza in the U.S. Although we found a lower total cost than previously estimated, our results confirm that influenza is responsible for a substantial economic burden in the U.S. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Staged Catalytic Partial Oxidation (SCPO) System - The State of Art Integrated Short Contact Time Hydrogen Generator

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

Ke Liu; Jin Ki Hong; Wei Wei

Research and development on hydrogen and syngas production have great potential in addressing the following challenges in energy arena: (1) produce more clean fuels to meet the increasing demands for clean liquid and gaseous fuels for transportation and electricity generation, (2) increase the efficiency of energy utilization for fuels and electricity production, and (3) eliminate the pollutants and decouple the link between energy utilization and greenhouse gas emissions in end-use systems [Song, 2006, Liu, Song & Subramani 2009]. In this project, GE Global Research (GEGR) collaborated with Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) and the University of Minnesota (UoMn), developed and demonstratedmore » a low cost, compact staged catalytic partial oxidation (SCPO) technology for distributed hydrogen generation. GEGR analyzed different reforming system designs, and developed the SCPO reforming system which is a unique technology staging and integrating 3 different short contact time catalysts in a single, compact reactor: catalytic partial oxidation (CPO), steam methane reforming (SMR) and water-gas shift (WGS). This integration is demonstrated via the fabrication of a prototype scale unit of each key technology. Approaches for key technical challenges of the program includes: · Analyzed different system designs · Designed the SCPO hydrogen production system · Developed highly active and sulfur tolerant CPO catalysts · Designed and built different pilot-scale reactors to demonstrate each key technology · Evaluated different operating conditions · Quantified the efficiency and cost of the system · Developed process design package (PDP) for 1500 kg H2/day distributed H2 production unit. SCPO met the Department of Energy (DOE) and GE’s cost and efficiency targets for distributed hydrogen production.« less

Availability and affordability of new medicines in Latin American countries where pivotal clinical trials were conducted.

PubMed

Homedes, Núria; Ugalde, Antonio

2015-10-01

To assess whether new pharmaceutical products approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2011 and 2012 were registered, commercialized and sold at affordable prices in the Latin American countries where they were tested. We obtained a list of new molecular entities (new pharmaceutical products) approved by the FDA in 2011 and 2012. FDA medical reviews indicated the countries where pivotal clinical trials had been conducted. The registration status of the products was obtained from pharmaceutical registers; pharmaceutical companies confirmed their availability in national markets and local pricing observatories provided the price of medicines in retail pharmacies. Affordability was assessed as the cost of a course of treatment as a proportion of monthly income. Information on safety and efficacy was gathered from independent drug bulletins. Of an expected 114 registrations, if the 33 products had been registered in all the countries where tested, only 68 (60%) were completed. Eight products were registered and commercialized in all countries but 10 had not been registered in any of the countries. With one exception, products for which we obtained pricing information ( n  = 18) cost more than the monthly minimum wage in all countries and 12 products cost at least five times the monthly minimum wage. Many pharmaceutical products tested in Latin America are unavailable and/or unaffordable to most of the population. Ethical review committees should consider the local affordability and therapeutic relevance of new products as additional criteria for the approval of clinical trials. Finally, clinical trials have opportunity costs that need to be assessed.

Implementing the Use of Chemical-Free Products in a Perinatal Unit.

PubMed

Brower, Anne; Trefz, Lisa; Burns, Catherine

2015-01-01

To develop a process to identify, adopt, and increase individual awareness of the use of chemical-free products in perinatal hospital units and to develop leadership skills of the fellow/mentor pair through the Sigma Theta Tau International Maternal-Child Health Nurse Leadership Academy (STTI MCHNLA). Pretest/posttest quality improvement project. Tertiary care 80-bed perinatal unit. Mothers and newborns on perinatal unit. The chemical hazard ratings of products currently in use and new products were examined and compared. Chemical-free products were selected and introduced to the hospital system, and education programs were provided for staff and patients. We implemented leadership tools taught at the STTI MCHNLA to facilitate project success. Pre- and postproject evaluations were used to determine interest in the use of chemical-free products and satisfaction with use of the new products. Cost savings were measured. Products currently in use contained potentially harmful chemicals. New, chemical-free products were identified and adopted into practice. Participants were interested in using chemical-free products. Once new products were available, 71% of participants were positive about using them. The fellow and mentor experienced valuable leadership growth throughout the project. The change to chemical-free products has positioned the organization and partner hospitals as community leaders that set a health standard to reduce environmental exposure for patients, families, and staff. The fellow and mentor learned new skills to assist in practice changes in a large organization by using the tools shared in the STTI MCHNLA. © 2015 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

Recombinant Phage Probes for Salmonella Typhimurium Detection

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-03-23

food safety analysis that are slower, labor-intensive, and cost-inefficient. Confirmation of presence in food products can take as long as 48 hours by conventional culture. Current rapid detection initiatives include biosensors that routinely incorporate antibodies as the biorecognition unit. Although sensitive and specific, antibodies are costly and may degrade under unfavorable environmental conditions. We believe that a stable, inexpensive substitute for antibodies is filamentous phage manipulated through phage display technique then affinity selected for specificity to

Air Brayton Solar Receiver, phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zimmerman, D. K.

1979-01-01

A six month analysis and conceptual design study of an open cycle Air Brayton Solar Receiver (ABSR) for use on a tracking, parabolic solar concentrator are discussed. The ABSR, which includes a buffer storage system, is designed to provide inlet air to a power conversion unit. Parametric analyses, conceptual design, interface requirements, and production cost estimates are described. The design features were optimized to yield a zero maintenance, low cost, high efficiency concept that will provide a 30 year operational life.

Monopolistic competition and the health care sector.

PubMed

Hilsenrath, P

1991-07-01

The model of monopolistic competition is appropriate for describing the behavior of the health care sector in the United States. Uncertainty about quality of medical and related services promotes product differentiation especially when consumers do not bear the full costs of care. New technologies can be used to signal quality even when their clinical usefulness is unproven. Recent cost containment measures may reduce employment of ineffective technologies but may also inhibit the adaptation of genuinely useful developments.

Producer-retailer integrated EMQ system with machine breakdown, rework failures, and a discontinuous inventory issuing policy.

PubMed

Chiu, Singa Wang; Chen, Shin-Wei; Chiu, Yuan-Shyi Peter; Li, Ting-Wei

2016-01-01

This study develops two extended economic manufacturing quantity (EMQ)-based models with a discontinuous product issuing policy, random machine breakdown, and rework failures. Various real conditions in production processes, end-product delivery, and intra-supply chains such as a producer-retailer integrated scheme are examined. The first model incorporates a discontinuous multi-delivery policy into a prior work (Chiu et al. in Proc Inst Mech Eng B J Eng 223:183-194, 2009) in lieu of their continuous policy. Such an enhanced model can address situations in supply chain environments, where finished products are transported to outside retail stores (or customers). The second model further combines retailer's stock holding costs into the first model. This extended EMQ model is applicable in situations in present-day manufacturing firms where finished products are distributed to company's own retail stores (or regional sales offices) and stocked there for sale. Two aforementioned extended EMQ models are investigated, respectively. Mathematical modeling along with iterative algorithms are employed to derive the optimal production run times that minimize the expected total system costs, including the costs incurred in production units, transportation, and retail stores, for these integrated EMQ systems. Numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the practical application of the research results.

Cost-effectiveness of motivational intervention with significant others for patients with alcohol misuse.

PubMed

Shepard, Donald S; Lwin, Aung K; Barnett, Nancy P; Mastroleo, Nadine; Colby, Suzanne M; Gwaltney, Chad; Monti, Peter M

2016-05-01

To estimate the incremental cost, cost-effectiveness and benefit-cost ratio of incorporating a significant other (SO) into motivational intervention for alcohol misuse. We obtained economic data from the one year with the intervention in full operation for patients in a recent randomized trial. The underlying trial took place at a major urban hospital in the United States. The trial randomized 406 (68.7% male) eligible hazardous drinkers (196 during the economic study) admitted to the emergency department or trauma unit. The motivational interview condition consisted of one in-person session featuring personalized normative feedback. The significant other motivational interview condition comprised one joint session with the participant and SO in which the SO's perspective and support were elicited. We ascertained activities across 445 representative time segments through work sampling (including staff idle time), calculated the incremental cost in per patient of incorporating an SO, expressed the results in 2014 US$, incorporated quality and mortality effects from a closely related trial and derived the cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained. From a health system perspective, the incremental cost per patient of adding an SO was $341.09 [95% confidence interval (CI) = $244.44-437.74]. The incremental cost per year per hazardous drinker averted was $3623 (CI = $1777-22,709), the cost per QALY gained $32,200 (CI = $15,800-201,700), and the benefit-cost ratio was 4.73 (95% CI = 0.7-9.66). If adding an SO into the intervention strategy were concentrated during the hours with highest risk or in a trauma unit, it would become even more cost-beneficial. Using criteria established by the World Health Organization (cost-effectiveness below the country's gross domestic product per capita), incorporating a significant other into a patient's motivational intervention for alcohol misuse is highly cost-effective. © 2015 Society for the Study of Addiction.

The future viability of algae-derived biodiesel under economic and technical uncertainties.

PubMed

Brownbridge, George; Azadi, Pooya; Smallbone, Andrew; Bhave, Amit; Taylor, Benjamin; Kraft, Markus

2014-01-01

This study presents a techno-economic assessment of algae-derived biodiesel under economic and technical uncertainties associated with the development of algal biorefineries. A global sensitivity analysis was performed using a High Dimensional Model Representation (HDMR) method. It was found that, considering reasonable ranges over which each parameter can vary, the sensitivity of the biodiesel production cost to the key input parameters decreases in the following order: algae oil content>algae annual productivity per unit area>plant production capacity>carbon price increase rate. It was also found that the Return on Investment (ROI) is highly sensitive to the algae oil content, and to a lesser extent to the algae annual productivity, crude oil price and price increase rate, plant production capacity, and carbon price increase rate. For a large scale plant (100,000 tonnes of biodiesel per year) the production cost of biodiesel is likely to be £0.8-1.6 per kg. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A process concept for the production of benzene-ethylene-SNG from coal using flash hydropyrolysis technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greene, M. I.; Ladelfa, C. J.; Bivacca, S. J.

1980-05-01

Flash hydropyrolysis (FHP) of coal is an emerging technology for the direct production of methane, ethane and BTX in a single-stage, high throughput reactor. The FHP technique involves the short residence time (1-2 seconds), rapid heatup of coal in a dilute-phase, transport reactor. When integrated into an overall, grass-roots conversion complex, the FHP technique can be utilized to generate a product consisting of SNG, ethylene/propylene, benzene and Fischer-Tropsch-based alcohols. This paper summarizes the process engineering and economics of conceptualized facility based on an FHP reactor operation with a lignitic coal. The plant is hypothetically sited near the extensive lignite fields located in the Texas region of the United States. Utilizing utility-financing methods for the costing of SNG, and selling the chemicals cogenerated at petrochemical market prices, the 20-year average SNG cost has been computed to vary between $3-4/MM Btu, depending upon the coal costs, interest rates, debt/equity ratio, coproduct chemicals prices, etc.

China’s Rise in South America: The Partner of Choice

DTIC Science & Technology

2018-03-01

insufficient amount of natural resources and agricultural production in Southeast Asia to maintain its economy and citizenry.6 This “win-win” financing...its agricultural products, as the U.S. government does through subsidies, therefore creating more cost-effective commodity trade for both countries.19...This makes trade much between China and South America much easier than the conflict-laden agricultural trade between the United States and South

Joint Land Attack Cruise Missile Defense Elevated Netted Sensor System Not Ready for Production Decision (REDACTED)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-07

Average Procurement Unit Cost CMDS Cruise Missile Defense Systems CPD Capability Production Document EMD Engineering and Manufacturing...Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics also determined that continuing test and evaluation of the two JLENS Engineering and Manufacturing...Program (Category ID) that was established in January 1996 and, during the audit, was in the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase of

78 FR 43974 - Energy and Water Use Labeling for Consumer Products Under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-23

...The Commission amends the Energy Labeling Rule (``Rule'') by updating comparability ranges and unit energy costs for many EnergyGuide labels. The Commission also issues a conditional exemption and amendments for modified refrigerator and clothes washer labels to help consumers compare the labels for these products after the implementation of upcoming changes to the Department of Energy (``DOE'') test procedures.

Coal gasification systems engineering and analysis. Appendix A: Coal gasification catalog

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The scope of work in preparing the Coal Gasification Data Catalog included the following subtasks: (1) candidate system subsystem definition, (2) raw materials analysis, (3) market analysis for by-products, (4) alternate products analysis, (5) preliminary integrated facility requirements. Definition of candidate systems/subsystems includes the identity of and alternates for each process unit, raw material requirements, and the cost and design drivers for each process design.

Small-scale non-industrial private forest ownership in the United States: rationale and implications for forest management

Treesearch

Yaoqi Zhang; Daowei Zhang; John Schelhas

2005-01-01

The transaction cost approach is used to explain why small non-industrial private forest (NIPF) ownerships are increasing in the U.S. We argue that the number of small NIPF owners have increased because: 1) a significant amount of forestland is no longer used economically if primarily for timber production, but rather for non-timber forest products and environmental...

[Quantitative analysis of drug expenditures variability in dermatology units].

PubMed

Moreno-Ramírez, David; Ferrándiz, Lara; Ramírez-Soto, Gabriel; Muñoyerro, M Dolores

2013-01-01

Variability in adjusted drug expenditures among clinical departments raises the possibility of difficult access to certain therapies at the time that avoidable expenditures may also exist. Nevertheless, drug expenditures are not usually applied to clinical practice variability analysis. To identify and quantify variability in drug expenditures in comparable dermatology department of the Servicio Andaluz de Salud. Comparative economic analysis regarding the drug expenditures adjusted to population and health care production in 18 dermatology departments of the Servicio Andaluz de Salud. The 2012 cost and production data (homogeneous production units -HPU-)were provided by Inforcoan, the cost accounting information system of the Servicio Andaluz de Salud. The observed drug expenditure ratio ranged from 0.97?/inh to 8.90?/inh and from 208.45?/HPU to 1,471.95?/ HPU. The Pearson correlation between drug expenditure and population was 0.25 and 0.35 for the correlation between expenditure and homogeneous production (p=0.32 and p=0,15, respectively), both Pearson coefficients confirming the lack of correlation and arelevant degree of variability in drug expenditures. The quantitative analysis of variability performed through Pearson correlation has confirmed the existence of drug expenditure variability among comparable dermatology departments. Copyright © 2013 SEFH. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Can CER be an effective tool for change in the development and assessment of new drugs and technologies?

PubMed

Brixner, Diana I; Watkins, John B

2012-06-01

Comparative effectiveness research (CER) has been proposed in the United States as a way to compare new drugs and technologies with established alternatives and determine not just whether a therapy works, but how well it works compared to other options. To define the current use of CER in the development of new drugs and technologies and explore what is needed for this research approach to reduce or stabilize health care costs in the United States. In 2010, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) was established by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) to coordinate federally funded CER and recommend research priorities. Hochman and McCormick's (2010) evaluation of 328 randomized trials, observational studies, and meta-analyses involving medications published between June 2008 and September 2009 in 6 key journals showed that most published research did not fulfill the criteria of CER (defined as comparison to active treatment) and that most study design is driven by FDA requirements rather than the need to develop evidence to facilitates election of the most effective therapy. Since PPACA provides alternative funding for CER, it could encourage funding more studies to help determine which treatment delivers the best value per unit of investment from clinical, humanistic, and economic perspectives. Manufacturers may avoid CER because it increases product development costs, but a drug proven more effective is more likely to be accepted by formulary committees, increasing the drug's market share, whereas payers may reject or limit use of a new drug that performs less effectively in comparative studies. CER may not directly reduce expenditures for drugs and medical technologies. The results may vary widely from case to case; however, despite often significantly higher prices for new drugs, it is important to look beyond product costs to the overall impact on health care costs, including medical cost offsets that may occur through improved health or decreased morbidity. To truly decrease cost and improve quality, cost-effectiveness will have to be integrated into CER with the objective of prioritizing efficient therapies in the real-world health care system. If the methods and output of CER improve, the resulting cost-effectiveness ratios will also be more useful to the payer. CER should ultimately, therefore, be a useful tool to help patients, providers, and decision makers provide the most effective and most cost-effective interventions.

Design, testing, and economics of a 430 W sub p photovoltaic concentrator array for non grid-connected applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maish, A. B.; Rios, M., Jr.; Togami, H.

A stand-alone 430 W/sub p/ photovoltaic (PV) concentrating system for low power, non grid-connected applications has been designed, fabricated, and tested at Sandia National Laboratories. The array consists of four passively cooled Fresnel lens concentrating modules on a newly developed polar axis tracking structure. Two axis tracking is provided using a self powered clock drive unit mounted on a single post foundation. Test results of tracking accuracy, array output power, parasitic power, performance in winds and array reliability are discussed. using a range of estimated production costs for small production volumes, the life-cycle energy costs have been calculated and compared to the equivalent energy costs of a 3 kW diesel electric generator set and of an equivalent flat panel PV system.

Crossbreeding: implications for dairy cow fertility and survival.

PubMed

Buckley, F; Lopez-Villalobos, N; Heins, B J

2014-05-01

In pasture-based seasonal calving systems, failure to become pregnant during the breeding season results in important economic losses as maximum profit is attained by minimising costs and increasing the proportion of grass in the diet of the lactating dairy cow. In the United States, dairy producers primarily strive to maximise production potential but are becoming increasingly aware of the economic consequences of sub-optimal cow fertility and survival. For this reason, interest in crossbreeding is emerging. The objective of this paper is to review the fertility and survival outcomes reported from recent research studies and data analyses in Ireland, New Zealand and the United States. Research conducted in Ireland during the early 2000s concluded that of three 'alternative' dairy breeds the Norwegian Red was most suited to seasonal grass-based production. A key finding was favourable fertility and survival. A follow-up study confirmed a fertility advantage with Norwegian Red×Holstein-Friesian compared with Holstein-Friesian: proportion pregnant to first service; +0.08 and in-calf after 6 weeks breeding; +0.11. Another study found higher fertility with Jersey crossbreds: pregnant to first service; +0.21, and in-calf after 6 weeks breeding; +0.19. Studies conducted in Northern Ireland also found superior fertility performance with Jersey crossbred cows offered low and moderate concentrate diets. In New Zealand, crossbred dairy cattle (primarily Jersey×Friesian) are achieving similar rates of genetic gain for farm profit as the purebred populations, but creating additional gain derived from economic heterosis. In the United States, analysis of commercial data from California showed higher first-service conception rates for Scandinavian Red×Holstein (+6 percentage units) and Montbeliarde×Holstein (+10 percentage units) compared with Holstein (23%). They also exhibited fewer days open and greater survival. At Penn State University, Brown Swiss×Holstein cows had 17 fewer days open than Holstein cows during first lactation, and numerically fewer in second (12 days) and third lactation (6 days). At the University of Minnesota, crossbred cows had 21 percentage units higher first-service conception rates, 41 fewer days open and 12 percentage units higher in-calf rates compared with pure Holstein cows. They also had greater survival to second (+13 percentage units), third (+24 percentage units), fourth (+25 percentage units) and fifth (+17 percentage units) lactation. The literature clearly illustrates favourable animal performance benefits from crossbreeding, using a range of modern breeds, and within the context of both grass-based and high-input confinement production environments. Economic analyses generally indicate profitable performance owing to lower replacement cost and higher herd productivity.

Optimisation of a cheap and residential small-scale production of edible crickets with local by-products as an alternative protein-rich human food source in Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia.

PubMed

Caparros Megido, Rudy; Alabi, Taofic; Nieus, Clément; Blecker, Christophe; Danthine, Sabine; Bogaert, Jan; Haubruge, Éric; Francis, Frédéric

2016-01-30

The health status of the indigenous people of Ratanakiri Province, Cambodia, is significantly lower compared with that of the rest of the nation. The domestication and mass production of insects may represent a sustainable, cost effective and high quality alternative source of protein to traditional livestock. This study aimed to optimise a cheap and residential cricket breeding system based on unused wild resources. The development of crickets, Teleogryllus testaceus (Walker), under seven diets composed of taro aerial parts, young cassava leaves, young cashew leaves and brown rice flour (with or without banana slices), versus a traditionally used broiler feed diet was studied. Cricket mortality was low in all diets, except the two cashew-based diets. Total biomass was significantly higher under the broiler feed, in addition to the two diets containing a combination of cassava leaf powder and brown rice. Yet, crickets fed with the taro diet had the highest percentage of protein. Concerning the breeding system cost, units using cassava leaves were the cheapest. Diets based on cassava leaves seem to be the most promising. Nevertheless, to produce crickets with a high body mass and a high protein level, a new experiments must be devised in which cassava leaf maturity will be adapted to fit with the cricket growth stage. Moreover, to reduce the cost of the breeding units, handmade local products should be used instead of purchased components. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Cataract surgery in Southern Ethiopia: distribution, rates and determinants of service provision.

PubMed

Habtamu, Esmael; Eshete, Zebiba; Burton, Matthew J

2013-11-19

Cataract is the leading cause of blindness worldwide, with the greatest burden found in low-income countries. Cataract surgery is a curative and cost-effective intervention. Despite major non-governmental organization (NGO) support, the cataract surgery performed in Southern Region, Ethiopia is currently insufficient to address the need. We analyzed the distribution, productivity, cost and determinants of cataract surgery services. Confidential interviews were conducted with all eye surgeons (Ophthalmologists & Non-Physician Cataract Surgeons [NPCS]) in Southern Region using semi-structured questionnaires. Eye care project managers were interviewed using open-ended qualitative questionnaires. All eye units were visited. Information on resources, costs, and the rates and determinants of surgical output were collected. Cataract surgery provision is uneven across Southern Region: 66% of the units are within 200 km of the regional capital. Surgeon to population ratios varied widely from 1:70,000 in the capital to no service provision in areas containing 7 million people. The Cataract Surgical Rate (CSR) in 2010 was 406 operations/million/year with zonal CSRs ranging between 204 and 1349. Average number of surgeries performed was 374 operations/surgeon/year. Ophthalmologists and NPCS performed a mean of 682 and 280 cataract operations/surgeon/year, respectively (p = 0.03). Resources are underutilized, at 56% of capacity. Community awareness programs were associated with increased activity (p = 0.009). Several factors were associated with increased surgeon productivity (p < 0.05): working for >2 years, working in a NGO/private clinic, working in an urban unit, having a unit manger, conducting outreach programs and a satisfactory work environment. The average cost of cataract surgery in 2010 was US$141.6 (Range: US$37.6-312.6). Units received >70% of their consumables from NGOs. Mangers identified poor staff motivation, community awareness and limited government support as major challenges. The uneven distribution of infrastructure and personnel, underutilization by the community and inadequate attention and support from the government are limiting cataract surgery service delivery in Southern Ethiopia. Improved human resource management and implementing community-oriented strategies may help increase surgical output and achieve the "Vision 2020: The Right to Sight" targets for treating avoidable blindness.

Feasibility study of a solar domestic hot water system for Oliver Hall, the University of Kansas

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

Shen, J.C.W.

1985-01-01

Solar water heating represents a low-temperature use of solar energy. It has been proven cost effective in residential applications with renewable energy tax credits. However, tax credits for solar application are not available for state owned buildings, which incur higher system costs and may not economically justify solar energy. The purpose of this project was to design a site assembled solar hot water heating system to reduce system costs. Oliver Hall, a dormitory building at the University of Kansas, was chosen for this research project. The optimum size of the solar system was determined via several different methods to bemore » approximately 1800 square feet. The site chosen for the location of solar arrays was a ground-mounting on the west side of the dormitory due to the adjacency to the mechanical room, ease of maintenance, and lower initial cost. System components and equipment were chosen as the product of performance, cost, maintenance and product life. After completion of the system design, the unit cost data for each component was collected and the initial system cost was estimated to be $49,244 which translates into a payback period of 16 years.« less

A preliminary analysis of the reduction of chemotherapy waste in the treatment of cancer with centralization of drug preparation.

PubMed

Hyeda, Adriano; Costa, Elide Sbardellotto Mariano da

2015-08-01

chemotherapy is essential to treat most types of cancer. Often, there is chemotherapy waste in the preparation of drugs prescribed to the patient. Leftover doses result in toxic waste production. the aim of the study was to analyze chemotherapy waste reduction at a centralized drug preparation unit. the study was cross-sectional, observational and descriptive, conducted between 2010 and 2012. The data were obtained from chemotherapy prescriptions made by oncologists linked to a health insurance plan in Curitiba, capital of the state of Paraná, in southern Brazil. Dose and the cost of chemotherapy waste were calculated in each application, considering the dose prescribed by the doctor and the drug dosages available for sale. The variables were then calculated considering a hypothetical centralized drug preparation unit. there were 176 patients with a cancer diagnosis, 106 of which underwent treatment with intravenous chemotherapy. There were 1,284 applications for intravenous anticancer medications. There was a total of 63,824mg in chemotherapy waste, the cost of which was BRL 448,397.00. The average cost of chemotherapy waste per patient was BRL 4,607.00. In the centralized model, there was 971.80mg of chemotherapy waste, costing BRL 13,991.64. The average cost of chemotherapy waste per patient was BRL 132.00. the use of centralized drug preparation units may be a strategy to reduce chemotherapy waste.

Multi-tasking computer control of video related equipment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Molina, Rod; Gilbert, Bob

1989-01-01

The flexibility, cost-effectiveness and widespread availability of personal computers now makes it possible to completely integrate the previously separate elements of video post-production into a single device. Specifically, a personal computer, such as the Commodore-Amiga, can perform multiple and simultaneous tasks from an individual unit. Relatively low cost, minimal space requirements and user-friendliness, provides the most favorable environment for the many phases of video post-production. Computers are well known for their basic abilities to process numbers, text and graphics and to reliably perform repetitive and tedious functions efficiently. These capabilities can now apply as either additions or alternatives to existing video post-production methods. A present example of computer-based video post-production technology is the RGB CVC (Computer and Video Creations) WorkSystem. A wide variety of integrated functions are made possible with an Amiga computer existing at the heart of the system.

Pricing strategy in a dual-channel and remanufacturing supply chain system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Chengzhi; Xu, Feng; Sheng, Zhaohan

2010-07-01

This article addresses the pricing strategy problems in a supply chain system where the manufacturer sells original products and remanufactured products via indirect retailer channels and direct Internet channels. Due to the complexity of that system, agent technologies that provide a new way for analysing complex systems are used for modelling. Meanwhile, in order to reduce the computational load of searching procedure for optimal prices and profits, a learning search algorithm is designed and implemented within the multi-agent supply chain model. The simulation results show that the proposed model can find out optimal prices of original products and remanufactured products in both channels, which lead to optimal profits of the manufacturer and the retailer. It is also found that the optimal profits are increased by introducing direct channel and remanufacturing. Furthermore, the effect of customer preference, direct channel cost and remanufactured unit cost on optimal prices and profits are examined.

Study 2.6 operations analysis mission characterization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wolfe, R. R.

1973-01-01

An analysis of the current operations concepts of NASA and DoD is presented to determine if alternatives exist which may improve the utilization of resources. The final product is intended to show how sensitive these ground rules and design approaches are relative to the total cost of doing business. The results are comparative in nature, and assess one concept against another as opposed to establishing an absolute cost value for program requirements. An assessment of the mission characteristics is explained to clarify the intent, scope, and direction of this effort to improve the understanding of what is to be accomplished. The characterization of missions is oriented toward grouping missions which may offer potential economic benefits by reducing overall program costs. Program costs include design, development, testing, and engineering, recurring unit costs for logistic vehicles, payload costs. and direct operating costs.