Transportation Costs Research Articles

Levelized cost of long-distance large-scale transportation of hydrogen in China

Hydrogen plays a crucial role in supporting the transition to clean energy systems, and effective hydrogen transportation technologies are essential for the development of the hydrogen economy. However, long-distance, large-scale hydrogen transportation costs in China, particularly for liquid hydrogen trucks (LH2 tank trucks) and gaseous hydrogen pipelines (GH2 pipelines), remain unknown. Using the latest data from the ongoing hydrogen project in China and a techno-economic model, this study estimates the delivery costs of hydrogen over long distances for LH2 tank trucks and GH2 pipelines, and compares them with those of GH2 trucks. Specifically, we analyze the levelized cost of hydrogen transportation (LCOT) for these different technologies at varying distances and conduct sensitivity analyses on how these LCOT would change with factors such as vehicle travel speed, electricity prices, and pipeline capacity. Results show that for short distances (<150 km), GH2 trucks are most cost-effective, with costs around 28.96–34.26 CNY/ton-km. For long distances (>200 km), GH2 pipelines and LH2 tank trucks are more suitable, with pipelines being more cost-effective at higher capacity utilization rates. Lower electricity prices further reduce the LCOT for LH2 tank trucks. Policy recommendations on promoting the development and application of hydrogen transportation technologies are also provided.

‘The national health insurance policy provides little to no benefit to young persons living with type 1 diabetes (T1D)’: a qualitative study of T1D management cost-burden in Southern Ghana

BackgroundType 1 diabetes (T1D) management exerts a considerable financial burden on patients, caregivers, and developing nations at large. In Ghana, a key governments effort to attenuate the financial burden of T1D on patients was to fashion safety-net mechanisms through financial risk pooling/sharing known as the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). However, there is limited research on patients and caregivers’ experiences with the cost of managing T1D within the NHIS in Ghana.ObjectiveThis study explored the cost of T1D management, and the impact of the NHIS policy on mitigating costs of care.MethodsA semi-structured interview guide was developed to collect qualitative data from 28 young people living with T1D (PLWD), 12 caregivers, 6 healthcare providers, and other stakeholders in Western, Central and the Greater Accra regions. Multiple data collection techniques including mystery client and in-depth interviews were used to collect data. Thematic content analysis was performed with QSR NVivo 14.ResultsFive key domains/themes which are: cost of T1D management supplies; cost of clinical care; cost of transportation; cost of diet; and NHIS were identified. The daily cost of blood glucose testing and insulin injection per day was between GHC 5–7 (US$ 0.6 to 1.0). The NHIS did not cover supplies such as strips, glucometers, HbA1c tests, and periodic medical tests. Even for those cost which were covered by the NHIS (mainly pre-mixed insulin), marked government delays in funds reimbursement to accredited NHIS facilities compelled providers to push the financial obligation onto patients and caregivers. Such cost obligations were fulfilled through out-of-pocket top-up or full payment of insulin of about GHC 15–25 (US$ 2–4), and GHC 25–50 (US$4–8) depending on the region and place of residence.ConclusionThe cost of managing T1D was a burden for patients and their caregivers. There was a commodification of life-saving insulin on the Ghanaian market, and the NHIS did not function well to ease the cost-burden of T1D management on patients and caregivers. The findings call for the need to scale up NHIS services to include simple supplies, particularly test strips, and always ensure the availability of life-saving insulin in healthcare facilities.

Adjustable robust optimization for integrated fleet sizing and vehicle routing problem with simultaneous delivery and pickup in closed-loop supply chain management

ABSTRACT The fleet sizing problem is a critical challenge in closed-loop supply chains because of the additional requirements of managing product returns. To tackle this challenge, this study addresses the integration of fleet sizing with vehicle routing problem in closed-loop supply chain management, considering simultaneous delivery and pickup under demand uncertainty. A mixed-integer linear programming model is proposed to minimize vehicle acquisition and shipment costs, and a multi-stage adjustable robust optimization formulation is employed to handle uncertainty. Prior studies have neglected to address this important problem due to a lack of efficient solving methods. Hence, three exact, heuristic, and metaheuristic algorithms are developed to solve the problem. The numerical experiments demonstrate that the proposed methods outperform the existing Hyper-box based Branch-and-Partition method, improving computational efficiency and solution quality. This study also helps practitioners make better fleet sizing decisions under uncertainty.

Field kinematics of intermittent swimming in bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus)—pelagic locomotion and littoral maneuverability

Abstract Objectives Locomotion is essential for the survival of animals. Fishes have evolved mechanisms to minimize the cost of transport. For example, Bluegill Sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) employ intermittent swimming, which involves swimming at relatively slow speeds with short propulsive bursts alternating with gliding episodes. This typically involves axial undulation powered by slow-twitch muscle, either with or without pectoral fin usage. The propulsive bursts are at higher tailbeat frequencies than observed for a given average speed with constant propulsion, and muscle physiology experiments show that the propulsive bursts produce relatively high power, while the glide reduces fatigue relative to continuous activity. However, Bluegill encounter complex 3D in-shore habitats, in which an intermittent swimming gait may enable successful capture of habitat-specific prey. Methods Field observations of Bluegill Sunfish were made via underwater videography in Lake Waban, Massachusetts. Key Findings In both pelagic and littoral habitats, Bluegill employed intermittent swimming. This provided the maneuverability and muscle activity needed to capture prey items suspended in the water column and enabled effective prey detection and maneuverability for feeding on sessile invertebrates in dense vegetation. Radio telemetry studies demonstrated that bluegill moved regularly between the pelagic and the littoral. Conclusion In both zones, intermittent swimming may provide both energetic and foraging advantages.

FINANCIAL INCLUSION AND THE INFORMAL SECTOR DURING AND POST-COVID 19 ERAS: STATUS, CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD

COVID 19 is one of the major disasters that significantly disrupted the socio-economic statuses of various businesses and nations at large. The purpose of the study was to explore the extent to which COVID 19 affected financial inclusion in Zimbabwe. The quantitative research methodology and the purposive sampling technique were employed. Data was collected using in-depth and focus discussion group interviews from 35 participants. Data was analysed using thematic data analysis approach. Barred people in rural areas from accessing financial services which directly and indirectly increased the magnitude of poverty among people running informal businesses. Financial inclusion, is a key driver to poverty reduction; hence the negative impact of on financial inclusion significantly propels poverty in societies. Digitalizing financial services is one of the strategies which can be utilized to promote financial inclusion in the post- era. Financial institutions should use technology in financial services, so that those in rural areas do not incur transport and logistical costs for accessing financial services. Digital finance and other various financial innovations should be used to achieve financial inclusion in rural areas. Policies that encourage the delivery of formal financial services in rural areas should be developed. Governments should consider granting subsidy to providers of financial services so that they can offer basic financial services at low cost to the excluded population. Thus, governments ought to commit themselves to the delivery of accessible, affordable, appropriate and cost-effective financial services to unserved or underserved households. The study provides managers of financial institutions with various techniques of providing financial services to the informal sector in the post- eras in rural areas. It also provides managers with information pertaining to the risks in providing financial services in post-pandemic era in rural areas. Managers of internet service providers has a role in making sure that the rural folk have access to the facility so that digital banking systems become realizable.

Sales expenses of trade and manufacturing organizations: Theoretical aspects and accounting considerations. Part 1

Subject. This article deals with the issues related to sales expenses as an object of accounting, conceptual framework, classification criteria, and particularities of analytical and synthetic accounting. Objectives. The article aims to conduct a comparative assessment of approaches to the concept of sales expenses of trade and manufacturing organizations, identify the classification criteria of sales expenses, consider options for reflecting sales expenses in analytical and synthetic accounting depending on the type of economic activity, and identify controversial issues in the distribution of sales expenses. Methods. For the study, we used the methods of comparative analysis, content analysis, systematization, and generalization. Results. The analysis of the conceptual framework in economic sources has revealed the ambiguity of approaches to the use of terms to designate sales costs. The article identifies the classification criteria of sales expenses typical for trade and manufacturing organizations, reveals the ambiguity of attribution of specific types of sales expenses to the relevant items of analytical accounting, shows options for accounting for sales expenses depending on the type of economic activity, and reveals the particularities of accounting for transportation costs in trade organizations. An analysis of regulatory documents shows that there is no specific methodology for allocating sales expenses for accounting purposes. Conclusions and Relevance. At the moment, all previously effective methodological recommendations, which contained a methodology for calculating the distribution of sales expenses in accounting, have been canceled. However, there are no newly adopted recommendations, so non-government regulatory bodies are invited to develop methodological tools for accounting for sales expenses and their distribution. The results obtained can be used both in the theory of accounting and in the practice of reflecting sales expenses.

Shippers/freight forwarders’ acceptance of dedicated rail freight corridors for freight mobility in India

This paper investigates the acceptance of a mega rail freight infrastructure as a sustainable alternative to road transport for domestic freight movements in India. The dedicated rail freight corridors (DFCs) are the freight-only rail corridors proposed by the Indian government to improve freight mobility from a sustainable outlook. A shipper/freight forwarder survey was conducted to gather information on mode attributes and their stated preferences toward DFCs. We employ discrete choice (binary logit) and machine learning algorithms (random forest and extreme gradient boosting) to analyse the choice behaviour. The machine learning methods exhibited higher prediction accuracy, while discrete choice models offered better interpretability. On-time performance and transport costs are crucial factors that influence mode choice. Large-scale companies are more willing to shift to DFCs compared to small and medium firms. The policy scenario analysis indicates that providing a better on-time performance can gain a substantial share of DFCs.

185 Effect of synchronized fixed-time AI and non-pregnant heifer delayed feedlot entry on reproductive performance and system economics

Abstract Heifer reproduction management research is being conducted at the NDSU–Dickinson Research Extension Center. Using crossbred heifers, the objective was to evaluate reproductive performance and economic efficiencies comparing a drylot synchronized fixed-time AI protocol with clean-up bulls to two grazing systems using a fixed-time AI protocol without clean-up bulls. Synchronization protocol:14-d CIDR-PG-GnRH (TAI 66 h ± 2 h). Fixed-time AI treatments: 1) Drylot Control (DLOT) with clean-up bulls, 2) Integrated diverse crop-heifer annual forage grazing (IAF, no clean-up bulls), and 3) Native range grazing (NR, no clean-up bulls). Following pregnancy ultrasound on d 85, non-pregnant heifers continued to bale-graze until late November, when they were transferred to the University of Wyoming SAREC feedlot, finished, harvested at Cargill Meat Solutions packing plant, Ft. Morgan, CO, and grid marketed. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Year 1 and 2 grazing days were 121, and 149, respectively. Synchronized TAI pregnancy rates yr 1 and 2 for DLOT, IAF, and NR were 59.4, 43.8, and 62.5%; 68.8, 46.9, and 34.4%, respectively. Total DLOT control pregnancy rates yr 1 and 2 were 90.6 and 100%. Grazing heifer feedlot performance Yr 1 did not differ for starting body weight (BW; 452 vs 436 kg, P = 0.29), ending BW (610 vs 600 kg, P = 0.74), gain (157 vs 164 kg, P = 0.69), average daily gain (ADG; 1.42 vs 1.48 kg, P = 0.70), dry matter (DM) feed intake (15.0 vs 14.7 kg, P = 0.73), F:G (4.81 vs 4.56 kg, P = 0.42), daily feed cost ($7.45 vs $9.47, P = 0.73), feed cost/kg BW gain ($3.11 vs $2.95, P = 0.51), and feed and yardage cost ($3.41 vs $3.24, P = 0.55). Year 2 grazing heifer feedlot performance for the IAF and NR were starting BW (501 vs 456 kg, P = 0.007), ending BW (670 vs 604 kg, P = 0.004), feedlot finishing gain (143 vs 123 kg, P = 0.05), ADG (1.08 vs 0.93 kg/day, P = 0.06), daily DM feed intake (20.1 vs 20.1 kg/d, P = 0.98), feed to gain ratio (7.13 vs 8.22 kg/d, P = 0.11), daily feed cost ($9.61 vs $9.54/d, P = 0.94), feed cost/kg BW gain ($4.05 vs $4.67/kg, P = 0.11), and feed and yardage cost/kg gain ($4.45 vs $5.13/kg, P = 0.092). IAF and NR Yr 1 HCW (P = 0.83), dressing % (P = 0.69), marbling score (P = 0.78) did not differ. Year 2, except for hot carcass weight (HCW; 379 vs 341 kg, P = 0.004), dressing pct (P = 0.99), fat depth (P = 0.29), marbling score (P = 0.94) did not differ. Systems 2-yr mean net return for DLOT, IAF, and NR were $592, $296, $379, respectively. Systems net return profitability was very good for all management comparisons, but reduced for IAF and NR due to IAF farming, finishing, and transportation costs, and NR finishing and transportation costs.

Characterization and processing of kaolin from southern Brazil for potential strategic application in the porcelain stoneware tiles manufacturing

The ceramic industry in the productive hub of Santa Catarina needs some raw materials with specific characteristics such as kaolin to manufacture its products. This clay mineral with a naturally variable chemical composition in relation to its geolocation (in extraction area composed by rock and combined with sediment materials), attributes significant increases in transport costs due to its distance from the main productive areas in southern Brazil. Thus, as a strategic alternative, the improvement of kaolin with a high quartz content (69.9%) from the northern region of the state of Santa Catarina (∼400 km from ceramic hub in the south of the state), more precisely from the municipality of Garuva, was sought. Unit processing operations by classifying this mineral for suitability for use in industry, resulted in an increase in the concentration of kaolinite. The results indicated that the proposed method reduced the amount of quartz and consequently increased the kaolinite content, resulting in an aluminum oxide content of approximately 28.20%, a value higher than the normal natural content of ∼19%.

Critical Steps for Determining Capacity to Refuse Emergency Medical Services Transport: A Modified Delphi Study

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVES Emergency physicians without specialized Emergency Medical Services (EMS) training are often required to provide online medical oversight. One common ethical question faced by these physicians is the assessment for decision-making capacity in a patient who does not accept EMS transport to the hospital. We sought expert consensus for a standardized set of guiding questions and recommendations to ensure a rigorous and feasible capacity assessment. METHODS A modified Delphi method approach was used to achieve group consensus among expert individuals. Nineteen physician experts were recruited from across the country, representing populations totaling over 22 million and a variety of urban, suburban, and rural practice environments. Experts completed a Round 1 survey that included 19 questions surrounding best practices for capacity evaluation among patients refusing transport. The threshold for consensus was predefined as 80% agreement. Participants gathered virtually meeting where the results from the first round were shared with the group. Discussion generated new items and refined the language of existing items. Following the virtual meeting, a Round 2 survey was conducted, and voted on by the panel for the items that did not meet consensus in Round 1. RESULTS After the first round, 15 of 19 items reached consensus. Three of the items that met consensus were universally noted to require language modification for clarification. A large portion of the discussion involved the proper method of integrating patient concerns around ambulance transport (e.g., cost of transport, financial concerns, social barriers) into the capacity assessment and whether alternate care options should be discussed. After the second round of voting, one additional item was reversed to meet consensus, resulting in a total of 16 items. CONCLUSIONS A consensus expert panel was able to agree upon 16 standardized steps to guide best practices and assist emergency physicians in real-time evaluation of patients that refuse EMS transport.

Developmental stage shapes the realized energy landscape for a flight specialist.

The heterogeneity of the physical environment determines the cost of transport for animals, shaping their energy landscape. Animals respond to this energy landscape by adjusting their distribution and movement to maximize gains and reduce costs. Much of our knowledge about energy landscape dynamics focuses on factors external to the animal, particularly the spatio-temporal variations of the environment. However, an animal's internal state can significantly impact its ability to perceive and utilize available energy, creating a distinction between the 'fundamental' and the 'realized' energy landscapes. Here, we show that the realized energy landscape varies along the ontogenetic axis. Locomotor and cognitive capabilities of individuals change over time, especially during the early life stages. We investigate the development of the realized energy landscape in the Central European Alpine population of the golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos, a large predator that requires negotiating the atmospheric environment to achieve energy-efficient soaring flight. We quantified weekly energy landscapes using environmental features for 55 juvenile golden eagles, demonstrating that energetic costs of traversing the landscape decreased with age. Consequently, the potentially flyable area within the Alpine region increased 2170-fold during their first three years of independence. Our work contributes to a predictive understanding of animal movement by presenting ontogeny as a mechanism shaping the realized energy landscape.

Investigation of Markovian Process in Server Break-down

In day to day life goods produced at a number of places are consumed at different locations and then the problem faced by producer or dealer is to transfer goods from numerous places of origin to various places of consumption such that cost of transportation, time required, damages to the product etc. are optimum. This is called classical transportation problem. In this study we have studied transportation problem solve by Markov Decision Process. Introduction to the operations research is made along with over view of optimization techniques of single objective transportation problem. For literature review in the subject of multi objective fractional as well as linear multi objective transportation problems. In basic concepts of Markov Decision Process are given for further usage in the thesis work. We have stated algorithms for solving different types of multi objective programming problems. In entire work we have used basically linear membership functions, hyperbolic membership function and exponential membership function. These membership functions are Markov Decision Process. In case of linear membership function weighted arithmetic mean, weighted quadratic mean, geometric mean is used to find compromise solution. Almost everywhere we have found that the compromise solutions are fairly close to optimal solution when the problem is solved as single objective function. We have solution procedure for multi objective linear transportation is given using Markov Decision Process. Introduction to fractional programming is made and solutions of multi objective linear fractional programming problems are discussed. We have solutions of multi objective linear fractional transportation problem. In this topic fractional objective functions are approximated as linear functions using Taylor’s theorem and then applied method to solve the multi objective linear transportation problem discussed earlier. We focus on solution to fractional transportation problem with Markov Process coefficients. To multi objective fractional transportation problem with goal programming approach. We deal with general integer programming problem along with fractional transportation problems. The main result of this thesis is a characterization of increasing Marko processes satisfying certain conditions. At the end bibliography and research papers published by authors are given. Keywords: Markov Process, Transportation, Queen analyses Server system.

Integrated optimization of logistics routing problem considering chance preference

PurposeThis study aims to examine the impact of the decision makers’ risk preference on logistics routing problem, contributing to logistics behavior analysis and route integration optimization under uncertain environment. Due to the unexpected events and complex environment in modern logistics operations, the logistics process is full of uncertainty. Based on the chance function of satisfying the transportation time and cost requirements, this paper focuses on the fourth party logistics routing integrated optimization problem considering the chance preference of decision makers from the perspective of satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachThis study used the quantitative method to investigate the relationship between route decision making and human behavior. The cumulative prospect theory is used to describe the loss, gain and utility function based on confidence levels. A mathematical model and an improved ant colony algorithm are employed to solve the problems. Numerical examples show the effectiveness of the proposed model and algorithm.FindingsThe study’s findings reveal that the dual-population improvement strategy enhances the algorithm’s global search capability and the improved algorithm can solve the risk model quickly, verifying the effectiveness of the improvement method. Moreover, the decision-maker is more sensitive to losses, and the utility obtained when considering decision-makers' risk attitudes is greater than that obtained when the decision-maker exhibits risk neutrality.Practical implicationsIn an uncertain environment, the logistics decision maker’s risk preference directly affects decision making. Different parameter combinations in the proposed model could be set for decision-makers with different risk attitudes to fit their needs more accurately. This could help managers design effective transportation plans and improve service levels. In addition, the improved algorithm can solve the proposed problem quickly, stably and effectively, so as to help the decision maker to make the logistics path decision quickly according to the required confidence level.Originality/valueConsidering the uncertainty in logistics and the risk behavior of decision makers, this paper studies integrated routing problem from the perspective of opportunity preference. Based on the chance function of satisfying the transportation time and cost requirements, a fourth party logistics routing integrated optimization problem model considering the chance preference of decision makers is established. According to the characteristics of the problem, an improved dual-population ant colony algorithm is designed to solve the proposed model. Numerical examples show the effectiveness the proposed methods.

A Telemedicine System Using the Remote Diagnostic Imaging App "Join" for Emergency Medicine Throughout Wakayama Prefecture in Japan.

Background Telemedicine is expected to play an increasingly important role in building universal emergency medical systems without geographical disparities in the future. To eliminate healthcare disparities between regions, Wakayama Prefecture in Japan has been promoting telemedicine for closer inter-hospital coordination with secondary and tertiary emergency medical care hospitals. The "Join" diagnostic image-sharing app has been used since November 2018 for operating a remote emergency support system that shares medical images of emergency patients between 13 secondary and tertiary emergency medical care hospitals in Wakayama Prefecture. In this study, we investigated the effects of remote emergency medicine between hospitals after the introduction of Join. Methodology Four medical specialties use the remote emergency support system, namely, cardiovascular medicine, cardiovascular surgery, neurosurgery, and emergency care medicine. We investigated the results from 497 cases for which the system was used between November 2018 and February 2023. Results Of the 497 cases, treatment for 148 (29.8%) patients was continued in the same hospital, without a transfer. Emergency medicine was the group with the largest number of uses, in 232 cases. Of the 211 patients in the neurosurgery group, 88 (41.7%) were not transferred, the statistically significantly largest number of patients among the usage group (p < 0.01). An estimated transportation cost of 6,973,900 yen was saved due to 148 patients not being transferred. Tertiary emergency medical care hospitals were most frequently consulted, but secondary emergency medical care hospitals located long distances from tertiary emergency medical care hospitals also received large numbers of consultations from neighboring rural hospitals. Conclusions The Wakayama Prefecture remote emergency support system using Join has made it possible to communicate accurate information quickly between hospitals. This has contributed to fewer non-essential transfers to tertiary medical centers, reduced medical transport costs, and more effective distribution of medical resources to secondary medical institutions because ambulance transport was not necessary.

Drug supply management at first-level public health facilities: Case of Pyay District, Myanmar.

First-level public health facilities (PHFs) serve as primary providers of essential medicines, necessitating critical attention to drug availability and quality assurance. This study aimed to examine the status of functional areas within the drug supply chain management framework and assess the overall capability maturity at first-level PHFs. The cross-sectional study was conducted among 183 drug store sites from six townships of Pyay District. Only situational analysis was exercised to determine the existing situations. The overall capability maturity was determined according to the definitions of levels of the Capability Maturity Module Tool. 58.47% lacked formal drug supply management training, with 23.5% not undergoing performance reviews. Drug forecasting predominantly relied on a pen-paper system (91.6%) and factors like patient load (87.39%), drug consumption (85.71%), and disease prevalence (64.71%). Store site analysis revealed that 65.03% exhibited marginal capability, lacking standardized drugstores and employing unstandardized procedures. Storage practices varied, with 48.69% storing drugs conveniently and others categorizing them by drug type (32.79%) or using the first-expired-first-out system (40.98%). Approximately 42.69% reported having expired drugs. Concerning transportation costs, 37.16% incurred expenses exceeding 20,000 Kyats per time, with management staff often covering the costs. Waste management methods included burial pits (49.18%), incineration (62.84%), and sharp pits (55.19%). A majority (78.14%) used safety boxes, and 57.38% implemented a color-coded system for waste bins. The logistics management information system was entirely paper-based (100%). On average, assessments of drug quality conditions and physical damages scored 46.51% and 48.20%, respectively. The overall supply chain maturity at first-level public health facilities is at a marginal capability level (36.35%). While some basic drug supply chain management procedures were in place, they were not consistently followed, and many systems remain manual. The findings underscored significant inconsistencies in the management functions of supplied drugs, with poor adherence to Standard Operating Procedure guidelines.

Lessons learned from spatiotemporal effect of COVID on the population density in the CBD

Alonso in 1964 developed the land use and transport interaction theory based on the bid and rent concept. It tells that the central core part of urban areas has the highest housing rental prices, and it gradually decays as it is further away from the centre. The city’s district is divided based on the distribution of land prices according to distance from the city centre. This fundamental relationship provides a basic insight into how people behave rationally subject to their living budgets. Based on this relationship, this paper aims to investigate the temporal and spatial changes in the de facto population of Seoul caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The de facto population has declined significantly since 2020. A major decrease has been found in areas within 2.5 km of travel distance from the city centre. The de facto population decreased the most during the night hours (18:00–24:00) on weekdays and the daytime (10:00–18:00) on weekends. These findings could be postulated to foresee how people might select their housing locations in terms of transport costs in the post–COVID-19 era.

Vibration Propulsion in Untethered Insect-Scale Robots with Piezoelectric Bimorphs and 3D-Printed Legs

This research presents the development and evaluation of a miniature autonomous robot inspired by insect locomotion, capable of bidirectional movement. The robot incorporates two piezoelectric bimorph resonators, 3D-printed legs, an electronic power circuit, and a battery-operated microcontroller. Each piezoelectric motor features ceramic plates measuring 15 × 1.5 × 0.6 mm3 and weighing 0.1 g, with an optimized electrode layout. The bimorphs vibrate at two flexural modes with resonant frequencies of approximately 70 and 100 kHz. The strategic placement of the 3D-printed legs converts out-of-plane motion into effective forward or backward propulsion, depending on the vibration mode. A differential drive configuration, using the two parallel piezoelectric motors and calibrated excitation signals from the microcontroller, allows for arbitrary path navigation. The fully assembled robot measures 29 × 17 × 18 mm3 and weighs 7.4 g. The robot was tested on a glass surface, reaching a maximum speed of 70 mm/s and a rotational speed of up to 190 deg./s, with power consumption of 50 mW, a cost of transport of 10, and an estimated continuous operation time of approximately 6.7 h. The robot successfully followed pre-programmed paths, demonstrating its precise control and agility in navigating complex environments, marking a significant advancement in insect-scale autonomous robotics.

Electrohydraulic musculoskeletal robotic leg for agile, adaptive, yet energy-efficient locomotion

Robotic locomotion in unstructured terrain demands an agile, adaptive, and energy-efficient architecture. To traverse such terrains, legged robots use rigid electromagnetic motors and sensorized drivetrains to adapt to the environment actively. These systems struggle to compete with animals that excel through their agile and effortless motion in natural environments. We propose a bio-inspired musculoskeletal leg architecture driven by antagonistic pairs of electrohydraulic artificial muscles. Our leg is mounted on a boom arm and can adaptively hop on varying terrain in an energy-efficient yet agile manner. It can also detect obstacles through capacitive self-sensing. The leg performs powerful and agile gait motions beyond 5 Hz and high jumps up to 40 % of the leg height. Our leg’s tunable stiffness and inherent adaptability allow it to hop over grass, sand, gravel, pebbles, and large rocks using only open-loop force control. The electrohydraulic leg features a low cost of transport (0.73), and while squatting, it consumes only a fraction of the energy (1.2 %) compared to its conventional electromagnetic counterpart. Its agile, adaptive, and energy-efficient properties would open a roadmap toward a new class of musculoskeletal robots for versatile locomotion and operation in unstructured natural environments.

The selection of hospital sites and adaptive medical resource planning in the post-COVID era: navigating public health crises in China?

Urban management and planning during public health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, are critical. This article examines hospital site selection in Yinzhou, Ningbo, China, using geographical data analysis. It evaluates travel costs and referral patterns between hospitals and community health facilities to establish a sustainable hierarchical diagnosis and treatment system. The results reveal that existing medical facilities, particularly in rural areas, are inadequate during public health emergencies. The article proposes considering total transportation costs in allocating the sites of new hospitals and suggests adopting a ‘permanent + temporary’ facility planning approach to ease financial burdens. Addressing these issues can mitigate the inequitable distribution of urban and rural medical resources. This article was published open access under a CC BY licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ .

Tuberculosis patients’ satisfaction with directly observed treatment short course strategy and associated factors in Southern Ethiopia: a mixed method study

AabstractBackgroundTuberculosis (TB) is a second major global public health problem and the leading infectious cause of death in Ethiopia. Patients under directly observed treatment short-courses (DOTs) have a higher treatment success rate and reduced drug resistance. A successful treatment outcome and adherence to the treatment are related to patient satisfaction with the DOT strategy. Client satisfaction is one of the indicators of the quality of care. In this perspective, there were limited studies in Ethiopia related to patient satisfaction with the DOTs strategy in the prevention and control of TB to achieve the ‘’END TB Strategy.’’ Therefore, this study was aimed at identifying the TB patients’ satisfaction with the DOTs strategy and associated factors in Gamo Zone, Southern Ethiopia.MethodsAn institutional-based cross-sectional study design for quantitative data and a phenomenological approach were employed for qualitative data. The calculated sample size was 374. A systematic random sampling method was used to select study participants. A pre-tested structured interviewer-administered questionnaire for quantitative data and focus group discussions (FGDs) for qualitative data were used for data collection. Bivariable and multivariable analyses were used. The determinants with a p-value < 0.05 were declared to have a significant association with the outcome variable, and an adjusted odd ratio with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was used.ResultsA total of 358 patients participated in the study, with a response rate of 95.72%. The majority of study participants’ ages ranged between 25 and 34 years. The tuberculosis DOT satisfaction rate was 61.17% [56.10-66.25%, 95%CI]. The TB patients who took treatment for 20 weeks or more were 3.97 times [AOR = 3.97; 95% CI (1.55–10.16)] more likely to be satisfied with the DOTs service provided. However, the participants who perceived transport costs as high were 79% [AOR = 0.21; 95% CI (0.06–0.71)] less likely to be satisfied with DOTs. Qualitatively, the participants reported that there was a major problem with laboratory services, which resulted in delays and long appointments to get the results in addition to lack of clean toilets and safe water to swallow medications.ConclusionThe satisfaction rate for tuberculosis DOTs observed in this study appears to be relatively lower in comparison to other studies. Availing DOTs service nearby patients to enhance the accessibility of the service is crucial to improving patients’ satisfaction with DOTs service. Reducing laboratory result delays by improving laboratory service is essential to enhancing patients’ satisfaction with DOTs. Moreover, improving toilet services, and availing safe water to swallow medications is recommended to enhancing patients’ satisfaction with DOTs service.