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In present study, the thermal modeling and multi-objective optimization of shell and tube heat exchangers (STHE) with a diamond-shaped turbulator has been investigated. To obtain the Correlation relationship between the Nusselt number and the friction factor for a diamond-shaped turbulator, a CFD analysis with acceptable accuracy has been done. Two factors of total cost and maximum thermal effectiveness are chosen as two objective functions. Nine optimal design variables for the present study are arrangement, diameter, step ratio, length and number of tube, distance ratio and cut ratio of baffle, turbulator step ratio and turbulator internal rod diameter. The ε-NTU procedure is employed for thermal modeling STHE and the Bell-Delaware technique is applied to evaluate the coefficient of heat transfer and pressure drop of the shell side. Also NSGA-II is used to acquire two objective functions. Comparison of the obtained results of the optimal Pareto optimal solutions showed that the use of diamond-shaped turbulator DST on the tube side improves thermal performance and lower overall costs STHE compared to the non-use state. Using turbulator inside the tube and the impact of important design parameters clearly contributed to the difference between effectiveness and overall cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence (AI) has enabled several optimization techniques for structural design, including machine learning, evolutionary algorithms, as in the case of genetic algorithms, reinforced learning, deep learning, etc. Although the use of AI for weight optimization in steel and concrete buildings has been extensively studied in recent decades, multi-objective optimization for reinforced concrete (RC) and steel buildings remains challenging due to the difficulty in establishing independent objective functions and obtaining Pareto fronts. The well-known Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) is an efficient genetic algorithm approach for multi-objective optimization. In this work, the NSGA-II approach is considered for the multi-objective structural optimization of three-dimensional RC buildings subjected to earthquakes. For the objective of this study, two function objectives are considered: minimizing total cost and the probability of structural failure, which are obtained via several nonlinear seismic analyses of the RC buildings. Beams and columns' cross-sectional dimensions are selected as design variables, and the Mexican Building Code (MBC) specifications are imposed as design constraints. Pareto fronts are obtained for two RC-framed buildings located in Mexico City (soft soil sites), which demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of NSGA-II for structural optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In recent years, the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) with Building Energy Modeling (BEM) has become the primary research focus for reducing the energy consumption of buildings in the planning and operational phases. The combination of BIM and BEM offers advantages for the various phases of a construction project. However, there are currently very few studies that can integrate multi-objective optimization algorithms into the BIM-BEM process to achieve automatic optimization and effectively manage many aspects of building development. In this study, an EnergyPlus integrated multi-objective jellyfish search (EP-MOJSO) system was developed, utilizing an optimization algorithm to find the best thermal insulation layers for an Aluminum composite material (ACM) wall. The goal is to reduce the energy consumption and total cost in a BIM-BEM environment. In the case study, the authors successfully applied the system to a real building, resulting in a 10.7% reduction in total cost and a 65 kWh/m2/year reduction in EUI. It is expected that the results of the study will open up new ways of using algorithms for multi-criteria optimization in BIM models to optimize various project factors such as energy and total cost and thus make an important contribution to sustainable building design.

In recent years, the use of Building Information Modeling (BIM) with Building Energy Modeling (BEM) has become the primary research focus for reducing the energy consumption of buildings in the planning and operational phases. The combination of BIM and BEM offers advantages for the various phases of a construction project. However, there are currently very few studies that can integrate multi-objective optimization algorithms into the BIM-BEM process to achieve automatic optimization and effectively manage many aspects of building development. In this study, an EnergyPlus integrated multi-objective jellyfish search (EP-MOJSO) system was developed, utilizing an optimization algorithm to find the best thermal insulation layers for an Aluminum composite material (ACM) wall. The goal is to reduce the energy consumption and total cost in a BIM-BEM environment. In the case study, the authors successfully applied the system to a real building, resulting in a 10.7% reduction in total cost and a 65 kWh/m2/year reduction in EUI. It is expected that the results of the study will open up new ways of using algorithms for multi-criteria optimization in BIM models to optimize various project factors such as energy and total cost and thus make an important contribution to sustainable building design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural disasters, which are the major causes of large-scale power outages, have become far more common in recent decades. Therefore, this study evaluates the importance and relevance of optimal Tie-line construction in improving the service restoration performance of power distribution systems following high-impact, low-probability occurrences. In doing so, an improved genetic algorithm (GA) is developed to find the optimal locations for the construction of new Tie-lines in distribution systems. In particular, the restoration process of distribution systems, including fault isolation and system reconfiguration, is planned to deploy Tie-lines in the most appropriate locations to improve distribution system resilience and reliability according to considerations related to the costs of constructing new Tie-lines. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed model, it is tested and verified on the RBTS standard network and the results of the proposed approach have been compared with other optimization algorithms such as particle swarm optimization, gravitational search (GS) and shuffled frog leaping. Examining the simulation results shows the efficiency of the proposed performance compared to other evolutionary methods. For instance, the value of the total cost function resulting from the proposed GA in the first and third scenarios has decreased by about $1589 and $946, compared to the GS method, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on the economic design of group chain sampling plans (GChSP) for the Weibull distribution using Bayesian methodology. The GChSP is a technique to accept or reject a product based on a sample from a lot. The study addresses situations where destructive testing is costly and utilizes the Bayesian approach to make informed decisions. The research outlines the methodology of developing GChSP including the stages of construction, performance evaluation, and cost estimation. The study compares the proposed plans with an existing one and demonstrates that the Bayesian approach generally yields lower costs. We will provide tables, figures, and calculations related to various aspects of the proposed plans and their comparison with existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The paper focuses on the economic design of group chain sampling plans (GChSP) for the Weibull distribution using Bayesian methodology. The GChSP is a technique to accept or reject a product based on a sample from a lot. The study addresses situations where destructive testing is costly and utilizes the Bayesian approach to make informed decisions. The research outlines the methodology of developing GChSP including the stages of construction, performance evaluation, and cost estimation. The study compares the proposed plans with an existing one and demonstrates that the Bayesian approach generally yields lower costs. We will provide tables, figures, and calculations related to various aspects of the proposed plans and their comparison with existing methods.

As global concerns about climate change and environmental sustainability escalate, the construction industry is shifting significantly towards eco-resilient and sustainable building practices. This paper comprehensively explores integrating Building Information Modelling (BIM) with eco-resilient principles to create a framework for designing and constructing sustainable buildings. This research introduced a practical approach for evaluating the embodied carbon from building construction, drawing insights from a residential building in Yangon City, Myanmar. The method developed in this study aims to assess the carbon footprints associated with distinct stages of the construction process, including raw material production and material transportation. Additionally, the proposed method compares the material embodied carbon, transportation embodied carbon, and total cost in the residential building, considering two cases of traditional and low-carbon materials. The results indicate that material embodied carbon contributes merely 84% to the overall, while material transportation makes up the remaining 16% for both cases. Utilising low-carbon materials yields remarkable reductions, with a 40% decrease in material embodied carbon and a 39% decrease in transportation carbon footprint compared to conventional materials. However, adopting low-carbon materials incurs a modest increase of approximately 6.7% in total cost. This study underscores the imperative of integrating low-carbon materials into the design of future passive buildings, advancing the pursuit of a net-zero strategy. This research underlines the potential for BIM-driven eco-resilient practices in mitigating carbon emissions and the need for continued innovation and collaboration in sustainable building design and construction.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has enabled several optimization techniques for structural design, including machine learning, evolutionary algorithms, as in the case of genetic algorithms, reinforced learning, deep learning, etc. Although the use of AI for weight optimization in steel and concrete buildings has been extensively studied in recent decades, multi-objective optimization for reinforced concrete (RC) and steel buildings remains challenging due to the difficulty in establishing independent objective functions and obtaining Pareto fronts. The well-known Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) is an efficient genetic algorithm approach for multi-objective optimization. In this work, the NSGA-II approach is considered for the multi-objective structural optimization of three-dimensional RC buildings subjected to earthquakes. For the objective of this study, two function objectives are considered: minimizing total cost and the probability of structural failure, which are obtained via several nonlinear seismic analyses of the RC buildings. Beams and columns’ cross-sectional dimensions are selected as design variables, and the Mexican Building Code (MBC) specifications are imposed as design constraints. Pareto fronts are obtained for two RC-framed buildings located in Mexico City (soft soil sites), which demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of NSGA-II for structural optimization.

This study mainly focuses on tractor maintenance and replacement strategies to assess the impact of various parameters on the economic life of tractors in order to improve the value of a profitable management choice on selected tractor samples. Considering the preventive replacement policy, the total annual costs were estimated taking into account the repair and depreciation costs. At a 95% level of confidence for each approach, the statistical analysis program "IBM SPSS Statistics 26" was used. An empirical relation based on multiple regression analysis has been generated to predict the economic operational life of a tractor using per-unit repair cost and annual usage (hours). From the analysis, John Dear 333, SAME 130, New Holland 80, and Massy Ferguson 150 are not supposed to be used economically in the field after the fifth, seventh, sixth, and eighth years respectively at Wonji Shoa Sugar Factory due to increasing maintenance cost in present condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study mainly focuses on tractor maintenance and replacement strategies to assess the impact of various parameters on the economic life of tractors in order to improve the value of a profitable management choice on selected tractor samples. Considering the preventive replacement policy, the total annual costs were estimated taking account into the repair cost and depreciation costs. At a 95 % level of confidence for each approach, the statistical analysis program "IBM SPSS Statistics 26" was used. An empirical relation based on multiple regression analysis has been generated to predict the economic operational life of a tractor using per-unit repair cost and annual usage (hours). From the analysis, John Deere (9330R), SAME (SAME130), New Holland (NH 80), and Massey Ferguson (MF150) are not supposed to be economical to use in the field after the fifth, seventh, sixth, and eighth years respectively at Wonji Shoa sugar factory due to increasing maintenance cost in present condition.

In order to promote low-carbon fuels such as hydrogen to decarbonize the maritime sector, it is crucial to promote clean fuels and zero-emission propulsion systems in demonstrative projects and to showcase innovative technologies such as fuel cells in vessels operating in local public transport that could increase general audience acceptability thanks to their showcase potential. In this study, a short sea journey ferry used in the port of Genova as a public transport vehicle is analyzed to evaluate a "zero emission propulsion" retrofitting process. In the paper, different types of solutions (batteries, proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC)) and fuels (hydrogen, ammonia, natural gas, and methanol) are investigated to identify the most feasible technology to be implemented onboard according to different aspects: ferry daily journey and scheduling, available volumes and spaces, propulsion power needs, energy storage/fuel tank capacity needed, economics, etc. The paper presents a multi-aspect analysis that resulted in the identification of the hydrogen-powered PEMFC as the best clean power system to guarantee, for this specific case study, a suitable retrofitting of the vessel that could guarantee a zero-emission journey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tobacco is a major cause of preventable morbidity and mortality, with a considerable economic burden. The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize the evidence on the economic burden of tobacco use by searching national and international databases so as to generate useful information about the costs of tobacco use globally. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in Scopus, PubMed, EMBASE, ProQuest, and Web of Science (ISI) databases to identify relevant studies from 1990 to June 2021 using keywords like burden, productivity, indirect cost, direct cost, economic, monetary, expenditure, tobacco, smoking, and cigarettes. Cost estimates were converted into 2020 international dollars per adult. Findings: A total of 1,781 articles were identified, of which 361 were deemed to be eligible for inclusion. Eventually, 23 articles were found eligible. In most studies, cost estimates were provided using a prevalence-based approach. The highest total cost, as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP), was reported for South Korea (1.19%). Noteworthy, in all studies, indirect costs accounted for the highest proportion of all costs. The mean total cost amounted to 5,866 million dollars. The direct costs ranged from 179 million dollars in South Korea to 8,156 million dollars in Israel. Meanwhile, the indirect costs ranged from 289 million dollars in Hong Kong to 9,808 million dollars in India. Conclusion: The evidence demonstrated the considerable economic burden of tobacco use in various countries, ranging from 0.33 to 1.19% of the GDP of the investigated countries, indicating the necessity of taking immediate measures. Hence, policies are needed to address the economic burden of smoking.

Due to introduction of the 5G NR standard, an estimation of the total cost of ownership for 5G networks is required, as well as expenses optimization. This paper provides a comparative analysis of the total cost of ownership for 5G networks of various architectures. Various deployment scenarios for D-RAN (Distributed RAN), C-RAN (Centralized RAN) and Open RAN of the radio access network provided by this standard are considered. The results of the work were obtained using mathematical modeling in the Matlab environment.

Renewable energies are clean alternatives to the highly polluting fossil fuels that are still used in the power generation sector. The goal of this research was to look into replacing a Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) thermal power plant in Limbe, southwest Cameroon, with a hybrid photovoltaic (PV) and wind power plant combined with a storage system. Lithium batteries and hydrogen associated with fuel cells make up this storage system. The total cost (TC) of the project over its lifetime was minimized in order to achieve the optimal sizing of the hybrid power plant components. To ensure the reliability of the new hybrid power plant, a criterion measuring the loss of power supply probability (LPSP) was implemented as a constraint. Moth Flame Optimization (MFO), Improved Grey Wolf Optimizer (I-GWO), Multi-Verse Optimizer (MVO), and African Vulture Optimization Algorithm (AVOA) were used to solve this single-objective optimization problem. The optimization techniques entailed the development of mathematical models of the components, with hourly weather data for the selected site and the output of the replaced thermal power plant serving as input data. All four algorithms produced acceptable and reasonably comparable results. However, in terms of proportion, the total cost obtained with the MFO algorithm was 0.32%, 0.40%, and 0.63% lower than the total costs obtained with the I-GWO, MVO, and AVOA algorithms, respectively. Finally, the effect of the type of storage coupled to the PV and wind systems on the overall project cost was assessed. The MFO meta-heuristic was used to compare the results for the PV–Wind–Hydrogen–Lithium Battery, PV–Wind–Hydrogen, and PV–Wind–Lithium Battery scenarios. The scenario of the PV–Wind–Hydrogen–Lithium Battery had the lowest total cost. This scenario's total cost was 2.40% and 18% lower than the PV–Wind–Hydrogen and PV–Wind–Lithium Battery scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The usage of CFC and HCFC gases, which are extensively used in ship refrigeration and air conditioning systems, has been restricted due to harmful effects on the ozone layer and global warming. Thus, the use of alternative refrigerants becomes a possible solution. In this study, the performance parameters, environmental and economic effects of the system for various refrigerants were analyzed comparatively for marine refrigeration systems. For this purpose, the refrigerants R407C, R1234yf, R245fa, R152a, R513a, R450a, R161, R453a, and R717 are investigated as alternatives to the most commonly used R22 and R134a refrigerants on board ships. The results show that the best alternatives -in terms of performance, environment and economy-for R22 are R717 (new) and R453A (drop-in) and for R134a are R717 (new) and R152a (drop-in). In addition, drop-in, retrofit or new system suitability of the analyzed refrigerants for replacement of R22 and R134a are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Diabetes has emerged as one of the most serious health issues of the twenty-first century. Diabetes and its complications expose individuals and their families to catastrophic healthcare costs, which have a severe impact on the country's economy. Though the prevalence of diabetes is rising quicker in Ethiopia, little is known about its economic impact. Hence, this study aimed to determine the total cost of diabetic mellitus and associated factors among patients attending hospitals in Southwest Shewa zone, Central Ethiopia. Methods The study was conducted among diabetes patients who were on care and treatment from September to October 2020. Direct costs were calculated using the micro-costing technique, while indirect costs were calculated using the human capital approach. The statistical significance of cost difference between the groups of patient characteristics was determined using Wilcoxon and Kruskal-Wallis mean rank sum tests, and the factors associated with a total cost of illness were identified with Generalized Linear Model (GLM). Results Out of the planned patients, 398 have responded and were included in the analysis; making a response rate of 98.5%. The mean monthly total cost of diabetic mellitus was US$ 37.7(95% CI, 23.45–51.95). Direct and indirect costs constituted 76.2% and 23.8% of the total cost, respectively. The mean direct and indirect cost of diabetic mellitus per patient per month was US$ 28.73(95% CI, 17.17–40.29) and US$ 9.50 (95% CI, 1.99–16.99) respectively. Statistical mean cost differences were observed by gender, age groups, family size, and comorbidities. The total cost of illness was associated with residence (p=0.007), family size (p=0.001), presence of co-morbidities (p=0.04), and history of ever-stopping treatments (p

Simple Summary: In order to capture the complexity and dynamics of bovine mastitis, which has multiple effects, such as milk losses, increased risk of culling, or a higher likelihood of reproductive failure, a simulation model was developed. The economic evaluation of the mastitis control was performed considering different interventions combining a basic control plan with either segregation or culling of chronically infected cows. Changes in transmission probability, milk price, and strategies efficacy were evaluated. Several economic parameters in the model could be adjusted to represent farm-specific situations. This is a flexible tool that may support the decision-making of producers and veterinarians. The economic evaluation of mastitis control is challenging. The objective of this study was to perform the economic evaluation of mastitis control, under different intervention scenarios, quantifying the total cost of mastitis caused by S. aureus in Holstein cows in Argentina. A model was set for a dairy herd of Holstein cows endemically infected with S. aureus. A basic mastitis control plan including proper milking procedures, milking machine test, dry cow therapy, and treatment for clinical mastitis, was compared against other more complex and costly interventions, such as segregation and culling of chronically infected cows. Sensitivity analysis was performed by modifying the intramammary infection transition probabilities, economic parameters, and efficacy of treatment strategies. The basic mastitis control plan showed a median total cost of USD88.6/cow per year, which was close to the infected cows culling scenarios outputs. However, the segregation scenario was the most efficient, in which the total cost was reduced by about 50%. Such cost was more sensitive to probabilities and efficacy than the economic parameters. The model is flexible and can be customized by producers and veterinarians according to different control and herd settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tobacco is a major cause of preventable morbidity and mortality, with a considerable economic burden. The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize the evidence on the economic burden of tobacco use by searching national and international databases so as to generate useful information about the costs of tobacco use globally. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in Scopus, PubMed, EMBASE, ProQuest, and Web of Science (ISI) databases to identify relevant studies from 1990 to June 2021 using keywords like burden, productivity, indirect cost, direct cost, economic, monetary, expenditure, tobacco, smoking, and cigarettes. Cost estimates were converted into 2020 international dollars per adult. Findings: A total of 1,781 articles were identified, of which 361 were deemed to be eligible for inclusion. Eventually, 23 articles were found eligible. In most studies, cost estimates were provided using a prevalence-based approach. The highest total cost, as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP), was reported for South Korea (1.19%). Noteworthy, in all studies, indirect costs accounted for the highest proportion of all costs. The mean total cost amounted to 5,866 million dollars. The direct costs ranged from 179 million dollars in South Korea to 8,156 million dollars in Israel. Meanwhile, the indirect costs ranged from 289 million dollars in Hong Kong to 9,808 million dollars in India. Conclusion: The evidence demonstrated the considerable economic burden of tobacco use in various countries, ranging from 0.33 to 1.19% of the GDP of the investigated countries, indicating the necessity of taking immediate measures. Hence, policies are needed to address the economic burden of smoking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents the results of economic and environmental analysis for two types of zero-emission ships (ZESs) that are receiving more attention to meet strengthened environmental regulations. One of the two types of ZES is the ZES using only the energy storage system (All-ESS), and the other is the ZES with fuel cell and ESS hybrid system (FC–ESS). The target ship is a tug operating in South Korea, and the main parameters are based on the specific circumstances of South Korea. The optimal capacity of the ESS for each proposed system is determined using an optimization tool. The total cost for a ship's lifetime is calculated using economic analysis. The greenhouse gas (GHG) emission for the fuel's lifecycle (well-to-wake) is calculated using environmental analysis. The results reveal that the proposed ZESs are 1.7–3.4 times more expensive than the conventional marine gas oil (MGO)-fueled ship; however, it could be reduced by 1.3–2.4 times if the carbon price is considered. The proposed ZESs have 58.7–74.3% lower lifecycle GHG emissions than the one from the conventional ship. The results also highlight that the electricity- or hydrogen-based ZESs should reduce GHG emissions from the upstream phase (well-to-tank) to realize genuine ZESs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Purpose Shipping is pivotal for global commerce, yet its externalities are not yet fully set into context, especially with reference to environmental impact. Shipping is a practise developed from the dawn of history. Its manifestation requires the introduction of relevant supporting industries as well, such as port, cargo, and logistics operations. The holistic shipping system has been growing with its main parameter pertaining to accounting cost minimisation. Yet, the shipping ecosystem has been able to exacerbate environmental, social, and health costs that in the end may prove that shipping, in the way that it is conducted, may not be as profitable as it may seem. Method This paper introduces a framework for the total cost of ownership in shipping, which includes a holistic approach as to the true costs associated with shipping practises. Through a structured literature review the relevant costs are identified and assessed, providing a complete framework as to the actual cost of shipping. Findings Shipping may appear to be profitable in some cases, but the bulk of its profit is based on practises that incur a plethora of costs that are externalised. This paper provides a clearer understanding of the total cost of shipping and the subsequent need of a paradigm shift, so that shipping may be able to portray its potential with reference to societal and environmental benefits. Conclusion Through frameworks such as the one presented in this work, activities and practises may be assessed as to their true impact and footprint and claim sustainability through a solid prism of holistic analysis and true profit for humanity, rather than focusing on accounting cost and turning a blind eye at other social, environmental, and health costs.

Ensuring the safe production of food and oil crops in soils with elevated cadmium (Cd) content in karst regions is crucial. We tested a field experiment to examine the long-term remediation effects of compound microorganisms (CM), strong anion exchange adsorbent (SAX), processed oyster shell (POS), and composite humic acids (CHA) on Cd contamination in paddy fields under a rice-oilseed rape rotation system. In comparison to the control group (CK), the application of amendments significantly increased soil pH, cation exchange capacity (CEC), and soil organic matter (SOM) content while markedly decreasing the content of available Cd (ACd). During the rice cultivation season, Cd was predominantly concentrated in the roots. Relative to the control (CK), the Cd content in each organ was significantly reduced. The Cd content in brown rice decreased by 19.18–85.45%. The Cd content in brown rice following different treatments exhibited the order of CM > POS > CHA > SAX, which was lower than the Chinese Food Safety Standard (GB 2762–2017) (0.20 mg/kg). Intriguingly, during the oilseed rape cultivation season, we discovered that oilseed rape possesses potential phytoremediation capabilities, with Cd mainly accumulating in roots and stems. Notably, CHA treatment alone significantly decreased the Cd content in oilseed rape grains to 0.156 mg/kg. CHA treatment also maintained soil pH and SOM content, consistently reduced soil ACd content, and stabilized Cd content in RSF within the rice-oilseed rape rotation system. Importantly, CHA treatment not only enhances crop production but also has a low total cost (1255.230 US$/hm2). Our research demonstrated that CHA provides a consistent and stable remediation effect on Cd-contaminated rice fields within the crop rotation system, as evidenced by the analysis of Cd reduction efficiency, crop yield, soil environmental change, and total cost. These findings offer valuable guidance for sustainable soil utilization and safe production of grain and oil crops in the context of high Cd concentrations in karst mountainous regions.

Access to inexpensive, clean energy is a key factor in a country's ability to grow sustainably The production of electricity using fossil fuels contributes significantly to global warming and is becoming less and less profitable nowadays. This work therefore proposes to study the different possible scenarios for the replacement of light fuel oil (LFO) thermal power plants connected to the electrical network in northern Cameroon by renewable energy plants. Several scenarios such as the combination of solar photovoltaic (PV) with a pumped hydro storage system (PHSS), Wind and PHSS and PV-Wind-PHSS have been studied. The selected scenarios are evaluated based on two factors such as the system's total cost (TC) and the loss of load probability (LOLP). To achieve the results, metaheuristics such the non-dominated sorting whale optimization algorithm (NSWOA) and non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II) have been applied under MATLAB software. The optimal sizing of the components was done using hourly meteorological data and the hourly power generated by the thermal power plants connected to the electrical grid. Both algorithms provided satisfactory results. However, the total cost in the PV-PHSS, Wind-PHSS, and PV-Wind-PHSS scenarios with NSWOA is, respectively, 1%, 6%, and 0.2% lower than with NSGA-II. According to NSWOA results, the total cost for the PV-Wind-PHSS scenario at LOLP 0% is 4.6% and 17% less than the Wind-PHS and PV-PHSS scenarios, respectively. The profitability study of all three scenarios showed that the project is profitable regardless of the scenario considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to introduction of the 5G NR standard, an estimation of the total cost of ownership for 5G networks is required, as well as expenses optimization. This paper provides a comparative analysis of the total cost of ownership for 5G networks of various architectures. Various deployment scenarios for D-RAN (Distributed RAN), C-RAN (Centralized RAN) and Open RAN of the radio access network provided by this standard are considered. The results of the work were obtained using mathematical modeling in the Matlab environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In order to promote low-carbon fuels such as hydrogen to decarbonize the maritime sector, it is crucial to promote clean fuels and zero-emission propulsion systems in demonstrative projects and to showcase innovative technologies such as fuel cells in vessels operating in local public transport that could increase general audience acceptability thanks to their showcase potential. In this study, a short sea journey ferry used in the port of Genova as a public transport vehicle is analyzed to evaluate a ”zero emission propulsion” retrofitting process. In the paper, different types of solutions (batteries, proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC)) and fuels (hydrogen, ammonia, natural gas, and methanol) are investigated to identify the most feasible technology to be implemented onboard according to different aspects: ferry daily journey and scheduling, available volumes and spaces, propulsion power needs, energy storage/fuel tank capacity needed, economics, etc. The paper presents a multi-aspect analysis that resulted in the identification of the hydrogen-powered PEMFC as the best clean power system to guarantee, for this specific case study, a suitable retrofitting of the vessel that could guarantee a zero-emission journey.

In this work, the refrigerant R1233zd(E) (A1 ASHRAE safety code) is investigated for the possible substitution of refrigerant R161 (A2 ASHRAE safety code) in a cascade refrigeration system. The high-temperature circuit refrigerant R1233zd(E) is evaluated with the low-temperature circuit refrigerants R41 and R170 for thermo-economic consideration. A comparative analysis of the refrigerant combination R41-R1233zd(E) and R170-R1233zd(E) presents exergy efficiency and total plant cost as evaluation criteria. Pareto solutions are obtained for the thermo-economic objectives for each pair of refrigerants. A decision-making method is adopted to identify the best result from the Pareto solutions obtained. The effects of operating variables such as evaporator temperature, condenser temperature, LTC condensing temperature, and temperature difference of cascade condenser are evaluated. The sensitivity of the operating variables on thermo-economic objectives is also evaluated. The comparative results reveal that for the same total cost rate of the system (68,615 $/year), the exergy efficiencies of the CRS are 63.08% (R170-R161), 64.04% (R41-R161), 64.93% (R170-R1233zd(E)), and 65.81% (R41-R1233zd(E)). Also, the R1233zd(E) based CRS operates with a lower total cost rate than the R161-based system.

Background: Diabetes has emerged as one of the most serious health issues of the twenty-first century. Diabetes and its complications expose individuals and their families to catastrophic healthcare costs, which have a severe impact on the country's economy. Though the prevalence of diabetes is rising quicker in Ethiopia, little is known about its economic impact. Hence, this study aimed to determine the total cost of diabetic mellitus and associated factors among patients attending hospitals in Southwest Shewa zone, Central Ethiopia.Methods: The study was conducted among diabetes patients who were on care and treatment from September to October 2020. Direct costs were calculated using the micro-costing technique, while indirect costs were calculated using the human capital approach. The statistical significance of cost difference between the groups of patient characteristics was determined using Wilcoxon and Kruskal-Wallis mean rank sum tests, and the factors associated with a total cost of illness were identified with Generalized Linear Model (GLM).Results: Out of the planned patients, 398 have responded and were included in the analysis; making a response rate of 98.5%. The mean monthly total cost of diabetic mellitus was US$ 37.7(95% CI, 23.45-51.95). Direct and indirect costs constituted 76.2% and 23.8% of the total cost, respectively. The mean direct and indirect cost of diabetic mellitus per patient per month was US$ 28.73(95% CI, 17.17-40.29) and US$ 9.50 (95% CI, 1.99-16.99) respectively. Statistical mean cost differences were observed by gender, age groups, family size, and comorbidities. The total cost of illness was associated with residence (p=0.007), family size (p=0.001), presence of co-morbidities (p=0.04), and history of ever-stopping treatments (p<0.0001).Conclusions: The total cost of diabetes condition was relatively high compared to other related literatures. The medical expenditures accounted for most direct costs for diabetic patients. As a result, the government should provide sufficient resources to safeguard patients against catastrophic medical costs. Efforts should be made to enhance access to diabetes care, and the supply of diabetic medications at all levels of health facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Palliative care involves providing symptomatic relief from the pain and stress of a severe illness to markedly improve the quality of life for both the patients and their families. It imposes high indirect costs on the patients. The study was conducted at SGPGIMS, which caters to 500 head-and-neck cancer patients annually. Out of these, 30--40% of cases require dedicated palliative care. Unfortunately, often, when patients reach the stage of palliative care, they have exhausted their all financial reserves. Therefore, a cost analysis of total cost incurred (including out-of-pocket expenditure and social cost) during palliative care in cases of head-and-neck cancer at a Government Regional Cancer Centre was undertaken. Material and Methods: The study is a descriptive study and the study sample consisted of (a) patients who had undergone surgery, chemotherapy, or radiotherapy and had recurred/relapsed and were now candidates for palliative care and (b) patients who presented de novo to the Regional Cancer Centre, SGPGIMS with advanced-stage disease, where the cure was not possible. The expenditure incurred was obtained retrospectively and prospectively from the study samples. Results: The out-of-pocket expenditure per patient per day was INR 2044.21. The social cost per patient per day was INR 518.21. Out of the total expenditure of INR 2562.42/patient/day, 80% of the cost was out-of-pocket expenditure and the remaining 20% was social cost borne by the patient. Conclusion: The study thus added to perspective on the average expenditure on out-of-pocket expenses and social costs being incurred as of date, while getting palliative care for head-and-neck cancer at a Regional Cancer Centre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has added a massive economic burden on health care systems worldwide. Saudi Arabia is one of the numerous countries that have been economically affected by this pandemic. The objective of this study was to provide real-world data on the health economic burden of COVID-19 on the Saudi health sector and assess the direct medical costs associated with the management of COVID-19.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted based on data collected from patients hospitalized with COVID-19 across 10 institutions in eight different regions in Saudi Arabia. The study calculated the direct medical costs of all cases during the study period by using SAS statistical analysis software. These costs included costs directly related to medical services, such as the health care treatment, hospital stays, laboratory investigations, treatment, outcome, and other related care.ResultsA total of 5,286 adult patients admitted with COVID-19 during the study period were included in the study. The average age of the patients was 54 years, and the majority were male (79%). Among the COVID-19 patients hospitalized in a general ward, the median hospital length of stay was 5.5 days (mean: 9.18 days), while the ICU stay was 4.2 days (mean: 7.94 days). The total medical costs for general ward and ICU patients were US$ 38,895 and US$ 24,207,296.9, respectively. The total laboratory investigations ranked as the highest-cost services US$ 588,975 followed by treatment US$ 3,886,509.8. Overall, the total cost of all medical services for patients hospitalized with COVID-19 was US$ 51,572,393.4.ConclusionThis national study found that COVID-19 was not only a serious concern for patients but also a serious economic burden on the health care system in Saudi Arabia.

The research aimed to check whether investment fund managers maintain costs similarly from period to period. The research verified the hypothesis that managers maintain costs in the subsequent periods at a similar level. The study used a method based on contingency tables which are used to analyse the persistence of performance. In this study, we replaced performance with costs, assuming that managers also control these values. Costs were defined as: (1) total costs, (2) total costs minus management fees and (3) active management costs (expressed as the active expense ratio). Based on the results obtained, it should be stated that managers maintain costs at a similar level from period to period in the case of the split using the median. On the other hand, the results indicate that the costs were not maintained at a similar level in subsequent periods when broken down into quartiles. Considering the detailed results for funds divided into quartiles, it is clearly visible that most managers keep the costs close to the average value. Less frequently, costs from period to period are changed to be allocated to the extreme quartiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Shipping is pivotal for global commerce, yet its externalities are not yet fully set into context, especially with reference to environmental impact. Shipping is a practise developed from the dawn of history. Its manifestation requires the introduction of relevant supporting industries as well, such as port, cargo, and logistics operations. The holistic shipping system has been growing with its main parameter pertaining to accounting cost minimisation. Yet, the shipping ecosystem has been able to exacerbate environmental, social, and health costs that in the end may prove that shipping, in the way that it is conducted, may not be as profitable as it may seem. Method: This paper introduces a framework for the total cost of ownership in shipping, which includes a holistic approach as to the true costs associated with shipping practises. Through a structured literature review the relevant costs are identified and assessed, providing a complete framework as to the actual cost of shipping. Findings: Shipping may appear to be profitable in some cases, but the bulk of its profit is based on practises that incur a plethora of costs that are externalised. This paper provides a clearer understanding of the total cost of shipping and the subsequent need of a paradigm shift, so that shipping may be able to portray its potential with reference to societal and environmental benefits. Conclusion: Through frameworks such as the one presented in this work, activities and practises may be assessed as to their true impact and footprint and claim sustainability through a solid prism of holistic analysis and true profit for humanity, rather than focusing on accounting cost and turning a blind eye at other social, environmental, and health costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the behavior of the factors of production when changing their price as well as the total cost for a Cobb-Douglas production function.

Addisu Bogale Zawudie, 1 Teferi Daba Lemma, 2 Dawit Wolde Daka 2 1Pathfinder International Ethiopia, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; 2Faculty of Public Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, Jimma University, Jimma, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Dawit Wolde DakaJimma University, P.O.Box=378, Jimma, EthiopiaTel +251-966763913 Email dave86520@gmail.comBackground: Hypertension is a common vascular disease and the main risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Since the incidence of hypertension is rising in Ethiopia, one may expect that the household’s cost of healthcare services related to the disease will increase in the near future. Yet the cost associated with the disease is not known. We aimed to estimate the total cost of hypertension illness and identify associated factors among patients attending hospitals in Southwest Shewa zone, Oromia regional state, Ethiopia.Patients and Methods: An institution-based cross-sectional study design was employed to conduct the study from 13 August to 2 September 2018. All hypertensive patients aged 18 years and older who were on follow-up were eligible for this study. The total cost of hypertension illness was estimated by summing the direct and indirect costs. Bivariate and multivariate linear regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with hypertension costs of illnesses.Results: A total of 349 patients participated in the study. The mean monthly total cost of hypertension illness was US$ 22.3 (95% CI, 21.3– 23.3). Direct and indirect costs constitute 51% and 49% of the total cost, respectively. The mean direct cost of hypertension illness per patient per month was US US$ 11.39 (95% CI, 10.6– 12.1). Out of these, drugs comprised higher cost (31%), followed by food (25%). The mean indirect cost per patient per month was US$ 10.89 (95% CI,10.4– 11.4). In this study, the primary educational status, family size (4– 6 and > 6), distance from hospital (≥ 10 km), the presence of a companion and stage of hypertension (stage two) of patients were identified as the predictors of the cost of hypertension illnesses.Conclusion: The cost of hypertension illness was very high when compared to the monthly income of households, exposing patients to catastrophic costs. Hence, the government should give due attention to protect patients from catastrophic health expenditures. Keywords: cost of illness, direct cost, indirect cost, total cost, Ethiopia

Decision-making in construction bidding represents a complex process due to the present risk. Risk or uncertainty cannot be ignored and should be treated as a constituent of decision-making. The paper aims to emphasize the importance of probability theory by comparing insufficiently applicable methods in practical bidding. The triangular distribution and the PERT method belong to three-point estimate techniques, while payoff matrices represent a multi-criteria approach. Also, selected methods belong to quantitative techniques for risk cost analysis. Still, the risk costs determination of the unit costs and the total costs of bids is often based on an intuitive approach. Therefore, compared results of the triangular distribution, PERT method, and payoff matrix techniques (minimin, minimax, expected monetary value, and expected opportunity loss) indicate the significance of risk costs estimating in tendering. The analysis of the results showed some overlaps in risk costs values obtained by the PERT method and expected monetary value technique. Those are due to the specificity of the chosen practical example and cannot be adopted as a rule. This means that selected methods and techniques are very useful for all bid estimation. The paper proved the complexity of decision-making, where the primary goal is to award a contract.

Background: Pre-hospital care plays an important role in managing patients who require emergency services and preserving human life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost of completed public pre-hospital emergency missions according to the activity-based costing model and to compare it with the cost of private pre-hospital emergency services in Mashhad in 2016. Methods: In this applied and descriptive cross-sectional study, the data were collected using a researcher-made form 4 major groups of costs were identified to estimate the total costs: 1- Personnel salaries, 2- Current expenses 3- Medical consumables 4- Depreciation. The cost of providing pre-hospital services was calculated based on the activity-based costing. Eventually, the cost of pre-hospital emergency services was compared between the public and private sectors. To investigate the cost-effective factors for missions, multiple regression analysis, Breusch-Pagan, Ramsey RESET, Swilk, and Linktest diagnostic tests were used by Stata 11.0 software. Results: The average cost of each mission was equal to 2114337 ± 217786 thousand Rials in 58 emergency medical centers of Mashhad in 2016. Of this cost, 78.51 %, (1660129 ± 1578445 Rials) was related to employees' salaries, 19.24 % (406842 ± 375083 Rials) was related to the current costs of each center, 0.23 % (4796 ± 4476 Rials) was related to depreciation, and 2/02 % (42761 ± 42822 Rials) was related to medical consumables in each pre-hospital emergency mission. The value of contract with an emergency pre-hospital emergency was 1104000 Rials for each mission in 2016, which is almost half of the cost related to the public pre-hospital. Results of the regression model estimation also showed that among the variables of the model, the fuel cost variable was identified as an effective variable on the cost of each mission (p = 0.0001). Conclusion: The private sector provides pre-hospital emergency services at a lower cost. Moreover, before establishing a pre-hospital pre-service center, the cost-effectiveness of establishing a center in each region should be checked.

In this paper production inventory (EPQ) model by means of incorporate cost diminution release strategy is considered. Production and demand both are simultaneous process in the real world Production and demand rate are considered to be time- linked. Two models (i) production inventory and (ii) manufacture inventory model in the midst of amalgamating cost decline delivery procedure are discussed. Mathematical formulations are provided to find optimal solution for both models. The objective of this study is to obtain optimal order measure to examine the outcome of lessening for cost release plan in the EPQ model. Best possible fabrication lot size model is developed that diminishes total cost. The sensitivity analysis is discussed for variation of different parameters.

Studies on the traditional support vector machine (SVM) implicitly assume that the costs of different types of mistakes are the same and minimize the error rate. On the one hand, it is not enough for many practical applications to rely solely on the error rate, which reflects only the average classification ability of a classifier. It is also of great significance to consider the performance of classifiers from the perspective of each sample. On the other hand, many real-world problems, such as credit card fraud detection, intrusion detection, oil-spill detection and cancer diagnosis, usually involve substantially unequal misclassification costs. To solve this problem, many works on the cost-sensitive SVM (CS-SVM) have emerged. The misclassification costs for this model are generally provided by domain experts. Inspired by the concept of the CS-SVM, we propose a new SVM with sample-based misclassification cost invariance with the aim of constructing a relatively reliable classifier. The relatively reliable classifier is defined as the one with low probabilities of finding a classifier that correctly classifies each misclassified sample. Note that the cost is determined by the inherent characteristics of each sample rather than being subjectively assigned, so we denote the proposed classifier as the objective-cost-sensitive SVM (OCS-SVM). The experimental results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method compared with nine other commonly used classifiers.

Small-scale fisheries (SSF) is a local and community-based activity that can be traced back to ancient times, and thus, closely related to the history of humankind. However, large-scale fisheries have grown tremendously, approaching an industrial sector in the last century, due to their socio-economic and political properties, including both national and international aspects. This progress towards industrial-scale fisheries led to the involvement of scientific research, first aiming to improve production efficiency, and then, to protect ecosystems as resources exploited for fisheries activity, by mitigating their adverse impacts. During this evolutionary progress, SSF was usually neglected because of their limited production ability, and thus minimal economic contribution, until the later phase when the protection of ecosystem resources gained sufficient importance. As a result of this, many countries lack data on SSF, undermining efforts for the creation of proper policies for this type of fisheries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the productivity and the effects of some demographic characteristics, boat structures, and some cost (input) items on the net profit of SSF in the Black Sea. The eligible sample for this study consisted of 5575 small-scale fishing boats in the Black Sea. The number of fishers to be surveyed was determined as 315 using the "Simple Random Sampling" method, based on operators of boats < 12 m, i.e., boats in the SSF. Questionnaires were conducted face-to-face with fishers. In this study, it was tested if six parameters were investigated to determine whether they had a significant effect on net profit in SSF. These parameters were: (1) engine power; (2) number of fishing days; (3) boat length; (4) consumption of fuel in fishing; (5) education level of fishers; and (6) overall professional experience of fishers. To do so, Simple Linear Regression Analysis was performed to determine the effect of the data considered as independent variables when the net profit was set as the dependent variable. Atlantic bonito, Sarda sarda (Bloch, 1793); whiting, Merlangius merlangus (Linnaeus, 1758); rapa whelk, Rapana venosa (Valenciennes, 1846); and turbot, Scophthalmus maximus (Linnaeus, 1758) were the most important commercial fish species for small scale fishing. When catch per boat in SSF was evaluated, Kırklareli province ranked first with 97 007 kg, with Atlantic bonito (44 778 kg) being the most common species caught. Samsun had the second-largest catch per boat with 91 761 kg. The total net profit of 303 boats was calculated as €1 794 938 and the mean net profit per boat was €5924. The highest per boat mean net profit (€25 909) was in Kırklareli. According to the results of the study, the number of days at the sea, boat length, engine power, and fuel cost had a significant effect on the net profit while education level and professional experience were not important in productivity. The economically-fragile SSF sector may need some kind of supporting subsidy. It would be beneficial to provide support to the majority of fishers active in the SSF in terms of complementary alternative employment opportunities in the regions where they are located. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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It has been found in the article that information about total cost influences informed management decisions on assortment policy, pricing, marketing policy, but the lack of normative regulation of the formation of this indicator leads to discussions in the terminological field and the subjective nature of its calculation. It is proved that costs included in the total cost of production (works, services) should be divided into the following three groups: by way of attribution to cost (direct, indirect), by the degree of influence of production on the level of costs (fixed, variable), by relation to the economic process (main, overhead). It is argued that not all overhead costs are indirect, so it is advisable to use the term «indirect costs» when allocating costs that cannot be directly attributed to a particular cost object. It is proposed to allocate indirect costs in the scale of the following five steps: division of costs into direct and indirect costs; grouping indirect costs into homogeneous groups; setting a materiality threshold for indirect costs; allocation of indirect costs between cost centers; selection of distribution bases and allocation of indirect costs between types of products (works, services). It is recommended to establish indirect cost allocation bases according to the following procedures: 1) identify those cost groups for which the selection of the allocation base is obvious or clearly recommended by experts; 2) to allocate those groups of costs, the magnitude of which is insignificant and there is no obvious distribution base. In this case, the most objective of the allocation base is to choose the amount of direct costs, taking into account the costs of maintenance and operation of the equipment; 3) if the magnitude of a specific group of indirect costs accounts for a large proportion of the total indirect costs and there is no apparent logical factor affecting their change, then it is appropriate to use correlation-regression analysis. As a result of validation of the calculation of the full cost of the proposed steps and rules, the possibility of obtaining the most correct value of its value, while optimizing the resources expended to perform the relevant calculations, was proved.