System Cost Research Articles

Assessing the Impacts of Emission Reduction Targets on Electricity Pricing and Carbon Mitigation Cost in the BIMSTEC Region

The power sector is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, making the decarbonization of power grids a critical step toward achieving the commitments outlined in the Paris Agreement. In the BIMSTEC region—comprising India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Sri Lanka—countries face significant challenges due to the uneven distribution of energy resources and rapidly increasing energy demands. This study aims to explore strategies for decarbonizing the power grids of these member states through energy cooperation and the adoption of advanced technologies such as clean hydrogen and carbon capture and storage (CCS). A spatially disaggregated capacity expansion model, utilizing IBM CPLEX Optimization Studio, is developed to minimize total power system costs up to 2050. The model incorporates various policy scenarios to identify optimal pathways. Simulation results indicate that renewable energy sources such as wind, hydro, solar PV, and nuclear will dominate the energy mix, substantially reducing reliance on coal and natural gas under carbon regulation policies. Furthermore, hydrogen storage technology emerges as a crucial solution for addressing resource deficits and maintaining grid stability over both short and long-time horizons. The study also determines appropriate carbon tax rates per tonne of CO2 to support emission reduction targets across different scenarios.

The application of project management theory in hospital management: Bibliometric analysis based on web of science database

This investigation analyzes the incorporation of theoretical frameworks in project management within the context of hospital administration through a bibliometric evaluation of publications in the Web of Science from 2014 to 2024 using CiteSpace. An analysis of contributions by 7,020 researchers in 96 countries across 426 publications identified Jeffrey Braithwaite as one of the notable contributors, while the top institutions in this field included Harvard University and the University of London. Findings reflect an evolution in methods in project management from conventional waterfall methods to agile and mixed methods. Keyword analysis emphasized an increased focus on improving quality, implementation, and evidence-based practice, indicating a greater emphasis on leadership and evidence-based practice between 2020 and 2024 compared to systems and management themes from 2014 to 2018. Highly cited publications included JAMA and BMC Health Services Research. Conclusion: Project management in hospital contexts has immense potential for optimizing resources, improving service provision, and enhancing patient outcomes while reducing organizational costs in complex healthcare systems. Practical Implications: Findings reflect an emerging interdisciplinary framework that integrates aspects of nursing, public policy in healthcare, nursing management, and patient safety with value-based healthcare programs focusing on improving quality, efficiency, and outcomes as core objectives.

Nano-ionic Solid Electrolyte FET-Based Reservoir Computing for Efficient Temporal Data Classification and Forecasting.

Physical dynamic reservoirs are well-suited for edge systems, as they can efficiently process temporal input at a low training cost by utilizing the short-term memory of the device for in-memory computation. However, the short-term memory of two-terminal memristor-based reservoirs limits the duration of the temporal inputs, resulting in more reservoir outputs per sample for classification. Additionally, forecasting requires multiple devices (20-25) for the prediction of a single time step, and long-term forecasting requires the reintroduction of forecasted data as new input, increasing system complexity and costs. Here, we report an efficient reservoir computing system based on a three-terminal nano-ionic solid electrolyte FET (SE-FET), whose drain current can be regulated via gate and drain voltages to extend the short-term memory, thereby increasing the duration and length of the temporal input. Moreover, the use of a separate control terminal for read and write operation simplifies the design, enhancing reservoir efficiency compared to that in two-terminal devices. Using this approach, we demonstrate a longer mask length or bit sequence, which gives an accuracy of 95.41% for the classification of handwritten digits. Furthermore, this accuracy is achieved using 51% fewer reservoir outputs per image sample, which significantly reduces the hardware and training cost without sacrificing the accuracy of classification. We also demonstrate long-term forecasting by using 50 previous data steps generated by an SE-FET-based reservoir consisting of four devices to predict the next 50 time steps without any feedback loop. This approach results in a low root-mean-square error of 0.06 in the task of chaotic time-series forecasting, which outperforms the standard linear regression machine learning algorithm by 53%.

Factors influencing prosthesis selection and variation: a survey of orthopaedic surgeons in Australia

BackgroundThere is increasing demand for knee and hip arthroplasty with considerable health system cost implications. Despite the high surgical costs relating to the prosthesis used, little is known about which...

Multi-Criteria Optimization of a Hybrid Renewable Energy System Using Particle Swarm Optimization for Optimal Sizing and Performance Evaluation

The major challenges in designing a Hybrid Renewable Energy System (HRES) include selecting appropriate renewable energy sources and storage systems, accurately sizing each component, and defining suitable optimization criteria. This study addresses these challenges by employing Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) within a multi-criteria optimization framework to design an HRES in Kern County, USA. The proposed system integrates wind turbines (WTS), photovoltaic (PV) panels, Biomass Gasifiers (BMGs), batteries, electrolyzers (ELs), and fuel cells (FCs), aiming to minimize Annual System Cost (ASC), minimize Loss of Power Supply Probability (LPSP), and maximize renewable energy fraction (REF). Results demonstrate that the PSO-optimized system achieves an ASC of USD6,336,303, an LPSP of 0.01%, and a REF of 90.01%, all of which are reached after 25 iterations. When compared to the Genetic Algorithm (GA) and hybrid GA-PSO, PSO improved cost-effectiveness by 3.4% over GA and reduced ASC by 1.09% compared to GAPSO. In terms of REF, PSO outperformed GA by 1.22% and GAPSO by 0.99%. The PSO-optimized configuration includes WT (4669 kW), solar PV (10,623 kW), BMG (2174 kW), battery (8000 kWh), FC (2305 kW), and EL (6806 kW). Sensitivity analysis highlights the flexibility of the optimization framework under varying weight distributions. These results highlight the dependability, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability for the proposed system, offering valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners transitioning to renewable energy systems.

FEATURES OF DESIGNING HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS BASED ON MODULAR HYDRAULIC EQUIPMENT

Modular hydraulic equipment consists of a set of interchangeable components that can be easily integrated into existing systems or used to create new ones. Modular hydraulic equipment not only simplifies the design and installation process of hydraulic systems but also significantly reduces maintenance and modernization time for drives, allowing for lower operational costs of hydraulic systems. The aim of this article is to summarize data on modern modular hydraulic equipment, enabling specialists to design various hydraulic drives while finding optimal layout solutions for specific operating conditions. Modular hydraulic equipment not only possesses all the advantages of conventional block-type hydraulic equipment but also allows for the creation of lightweight, compact, and convenient hydraulic drives for installation and operation without connecting pipelines. This facilitates the connection of hydraulic units and their installation on plates, providing convenient and compact assembly of the most common standard hydraulic drive configurations. The simplest form of connection for modular and block-mounted equipment is its installation on a single mounting plate and the connection of plates to each other using pipelines. Multi-seat mounting plates, combined with the modular principle (vertical connections), enable compact placement of hydraulic equipment for multiple consumers. In this setup, connecting pipelines is unnecessary, and only a few points need to be sealed, specifically the joint surfaces and holes for threaded fittings. Multi-seat plates serve as the basic element of the hydraulic system for connecting up to ten control elements in a vertical configuration (mounting "sandwich" plates and valves). Modular mounting equipment in hydraulic drives is an effective solution for modern manufacturing processes. It provides flexibility, ease of maintenance, cost savings, and the ability to integrate with new technologies, making modular hydraulic equipment an attractive option for many enterprises.

Hybrid optical-digital design for cost-effective standoff Raman detection system utilizing a night-vision intensified spectrometer

This study presents the development and prototyping of a cost-effective standoff Raman detection system employing a custom night-vision (NV) intensified spectrometer, enabled by an integrated optical-digital design strategy. The optical design and simulation were focused on maximizing light throughput and achieving low-noise signal collection, while digital post-processing employed a non-blind deconvolution algorithm to restore spectral resolution degraded by the NV intensifier. The system was constructed using commercial off-the-shelf components and 3D-printed parts, ensuring flexibility and modular assembly. Standoff Raman detection was successfully demonstrated for explosive-like compounds containing urea (CO(NH2)2), nitrate (NO3-), and sulfate (SO42-) functional groups, achieving a high signal-to-noise ratio of ∼102 at distances at least 60 m. Furthermore, the system demonstrated a uniform spectral resolution of approximately 1 nm, sufficient to differentiate the nitrate group in similar compounds. This hybrid approach enables efficient utilization of the NV-intensified spectrometer, significantly reducing both the cost and complexity of a standoff Raman detection system while providing reliable long-range detection capabilities.

Joint Task Offloading and Resource Scheduling in Low Earth Orbit Satellite Edge Computing Networks

In view of the future of the Internet of Things (IoT), the number of edge devices and the amount of sensing data and communication data are expected to increase exponentially. With the emergence of new computing-intensive tasks and delay-sensitive application scenarios, terminal devices need to offload new business computing tasks to the cloud for processing. This paper proposes a joint transmission and offloading task scheduling strategy for the edge computing-enabled low Earth orbit satellite networks, aiming to minimize system costs. The proposed system model incorporates both data service transmission and computational task scheduling, which is framed as a long-term cost function minimization problem with constraints. The simulation results demonstrate that the proposed strategy can significantly reduce the average system cost, queue length, energy consumption, and task completion rate, compared to baseline strategies, thus highlighting the strategy’s effectiveness and efficiency.

Comparative Analysis of Formwork Systems: Cost Efficiency and Time Management in Construction Projects

Formwork systems are essential for achieving efficiency and sustainability in multi-story construction. This study compares the cost and time efficiency of multiplex and aluminum formwork systems for constructing beams and slabs on the 6th to 13th floors. Field observations and a literature review were employed to gather data using a mixed-methods approach. This study adopts a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods. The findings reveal that aluminum formwork requires 60 days to complete, compared to 112 days for multiplex formwork, saving 52 days. Regarding cost, aluminum formwork amounts to IDR 1,805,910,198, offering savings of IDR 159,540,423 compared to multiplex formwork at IDR 1,965,450,621. Graphical analysis highlights the advantages of aluminum formwork in optimizing project workflows and reducing delays. These results demonstrate aluminum formwork potential to enhance efficiency, minimize material waste, and support sustainable construction practices. Future research is encouraged to explore alternative materials and labor strategies to further advance sustainability in the construction industry.

Customizable Life Cycle Cost Methodology for Ammonia Fuel Storage: Enhancing Adoptability Across Diverse Onboard Arrangements

While ammonia offers several benefits as an alternative fuel, its adoption poses significant technical and economic challenges, particularly with respect to onboard storage and handling. To facilitate the large-scale deployment of ammonia in marine applications, there is a critical need to develop a robust methodology for assessing the life cycle costs of ammonia storage systems on vessels, either new-build and retrofit installations. With a robust life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) methodology, the maritime industry can better evaluate the feasibility of onboard ammonia storage systems, paving the way for their large-scale adoption and supporting global efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Given that ammonia is a relatively new marine fuel, this work addresses the current gap in knowledge by offering a structured approach to evaluating the costs across the entire life cycle of an onboard ammonia storage system, including design, construction, operation, maintenance, and end-of-life decommissioning. This methodology was developed with a high degree of flexibility to accommodate uncertainties in both technological alternatives and cost estimation. This work offers significant contributions to both academia and industry by establishing a replicable and adaptable LCCA framework for assessing storage solutions.

Knowledge-distillation-inspired semi-supervised equalizer in high-speed IMDD systems

In this Letter, a knowledge-distillation-inspired cascaded multi-modulus algorithm-based deep neural network (KD-CMMA-DNN) scheme is proposed to achieve a high-performance semi-supervised equalizer in intensity-modulation and direct detection (IMDD) systems. In this scheme, a pretrained teacher model is utilized to assist the CMMA model by a specially designed distillation loss function, enabling the model to exhibit superior performance compared to a typical blind CMMA equalizer. The proposed KD-CMMA-DNN equalizer demonstrates significant effectiveness in the O-band PAM-4 IMDD system. We experimentally verified that the use of a KD-CMMA-DNN equalizer enabled the O-band 50-Gb/s PAM-4 transmission over a 25-km standard single-mode fiber to reach the 7% hard-decision forward error correction threshold. Meanwhile, the proposed scheme can eliminate the need for labeled data, significantly reducing system costs without performance degradation in comparison with the supervised DNN equalizer.

Trade-offs between system cost and supply security in municipal energy system design: An analysis considering spatio-temporal disparities in the Value of Lost Load

Trade-offs between system cost and supply security in municipal energy system design: An analysis considering spatio-temporal disparities in the Value of Lost Load

Optimizing replacement times and Total Expected Discounted Costs in coherent systems using Geometric Point Process

Optimizing replacement times and Total Expected Discounted Costs in coherent systems using Geometric Point Process

Discovering solutions of economic load dispatch problem by war strategy optimization algorithm

This paper suggested two methods, called war strategy optimization algorithm (WSO) and tunicate swarm algorithm (TSA), to find solutions for economic load dispatch problem (ELD). Various test systems with complex restrictions and discontinuous objective functions are used to assess the efficacy and resilience of the applied methods. The test cases are ranked from the simplest to the most complicated ones, in which the last with load demands are changed from the minimum power to the maximum power of total power of all units. The result comparison indicated that WSO can always reach the best cost for all test systems, but TSA cannot achieve similar values. Namely, WSO can reduced smaller cost than TSA by $ 0.565 and $ 121,325 for the first and second test systems, respectively. In comparison to other previous methods, the results found by WSO are equal to or better than those from others; however, the searchability of WSO is faster. Consequently, WSO is highly effective for handling ELD problem and can be considered for applying different problems in the engineering domain.

36th International Conference on efficiency, cost, optimization, simulation and environmental impact of energy systems (ECOS 2023) – Advancing sustainable energy systems

36th International Conference on efficiency, cost, optimization, simulation and environmental impact of energy systems (ECOS 2023) – Advancing sustainable energy systems

Techno-Economic Feasibility and Optimal Design Approach of Grid-Connected Hybrid Power Generation Systems for Electric Vehicle Battery Swapping Station

Fossil fuel depletion, environmental concerns, and energy efficiency initiatives drive the rapid growth in the use of electric vehicles. However, lengthy battery charging times significantly hinder their widespread use. One proposed solution is implementing battery swapping stations, where depleted electric vehicle batteries are quickly exchanged for fully charged ones in a short time. This paper evaluates the techno-economic feasibility and optimal design of a grid-connected hybrid wind–photovoltaic power system for electric vehicle battery swapping stations. The aim is to evaluate the viability of this hybrid power supply system as an alternative energy source, focusing on its cost-effectiveness. An optimal control model is developed to minimize the total life cycle cost of the proposed system while reducing the reliance on the utility grid and maximizing system reliability, measured by loss of power supply probability. This model is solved using mixed-integer linear programming to determine key decision variables such as the power drawn from the utility grid and the number of wind turbines and solar photovoltaic panels. A case study validates the effectiveness of this approach. The simulation results indicate that the optimal configuration comprises 64 wind turbines and 402 solar panels, with a total life cycle cost of ZAR 1,963,520.12. These results lead to an estimated energy cost savings of 41.58%. A life cycle cost analysis, incorporating initial investment, maintenance, and operational expenses, estimates a payback period of 5 years and 6 months. These findings confirm that the proposed hybrid power supply system is technically and economically viable for electric vehicle battery swapping stations.

The benefits of sustaining high factor VIII levels in people with hemophilia A.

Hemophilia A is a bleeding disorder caused by a deficiency in clotting factor VIII (FVIII), leading to recurrent joint bleeds, musculoskeletal damage, and chronic pain. The World Federation of Hemophilia (WFH) recommends prophylactic FVIII replacement therapy to reduce bleeding risk, yet joint deterioration and pain persist. Maintaining high FVIII levels provides clinical benefits but requires awareness of best practices and managed care considerations. This publication examines the clinical and economic impact of hemophilia A, treatment goals, FDA-approved therapies, and managed care factors. People with hemophilia experience lower bone mineral density, increased osteoporosis risk, and significant effects on mental health, mobility, and quality of life. Treatment options-including standard and extended half-life FVIII therapies, non-factor therapies, and gene therapy-vary in sustaining FVIII levels and preventing bleeds. The high cost of care burdens patients and health systems, though prophylaxis reduces emergency visits and hospitalizations. Adherence challenges arise as patients transition to self-infusion, and insurance restrictions often limit access to comprehensive care. The WFH supports individualized, patient-centered management with pharmacokinetic-guided dosing, multidisciplinary care, and shared decision-making. Maximizing FVIII levels, rather than maintaining minimal thresholds, may improve long-term health. A holistic approach-combining early intervention, personalized prophylaxis, and strategies to address treatment barriers-is essential to better outcomes and achieving the WFH goal of zero bleeds.

Optimizing N applications increases maize yield and reduces environmental costs in a 12-year wheat-maize system

Optimizing N applications increases maize yield and reduces environmental costs in a 12-year wheat-maize system

Spatial atomic layer deposition: Transport-reaction modeling and experimental validation of film geometry

Spatial atomic layer deposition (SALD) is a powerful thin-film deposition technique to control surfaces and interfaces at the nanoscale. To further develop SALD technology, there is need to deepen our understanding of the effects that process parameters have on the deposited film uniformity. In this study, a 3D computational model that incorporates laminar-flow fluid mechanics and transport of diluted species is developed to provide insight into the velocity streamlines and partial-pressure distributions within the process region of a close-proximity atmospheric-pressure spatial atomic layer deposition (AP-SALD) system. The outputs of this transport model are used as the inputs to a surface reaction model that simulates the self-limiting chemical reactions. These coupled models allow for prediction of the film thickness profiles as they evolve in time, based on a relative depositor/substrate motion path. Experimental validation and model parameterization are performed using a mechatronic AP-SALD system, which enable the direct comparison of the simulated and experimentally measured geometry of deposited TiO2 films. Characteristic features in the film geometry are identified, and the model is used to reveal their physical and chemical origins. The influence of custom motion paths on the film geometry is also experimentally and computationally investigated. In the future, this digital twin will allow for the capability to rapidly simulate and predict SALD behavior, enabling a quantitative evaluation of the manufacturing trade-offs between film quality, throughput, cost, and sustainability for close-proximity AP-SALD systems.

Budget Impact Analysis of Intravitreal Injections Used to Treat Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Diabetic Macular Edema in the Dubai Healthcare System.

Budget Impact Analysis of Intravitreal Injections Used to Treat Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Diabetic Macular Edema in the Dubai Healthcare System.