Cost Method Research Articles

An insight into the electrochemical performance of nanostructured V2O5 in aqueous neutral electrolytes and fabrication of 2V, high energy density, symmetric supercapacitor

The exceptional redox characteristics, simple methods of synthesis, low cost and wide range of oxidation states of transition metal oxides like V2O5 have made them highly sought after electrode materials for supercapacitors. In the present study, V2O5 nanostructures prepared via a facile microwave-assisted method is used as the electrode material. The electrochemical performances of this electrode material is analysed in four different aqueous neutral electrolytes. The nature of the ions present in the electrolytes are found to have a significant influence on the performance of the electrode, achieving the highest specific capacitance values in KCl electrolyte while highest potential window and stability in Na2SO4 electrolyte. The symmetric supercapacitor fabricated using the Na2SO4 electrolyte exhibits a specific capacitance value of 82.35 F g-1 and a specific energy of 45.75 Wh kg-1 at a specific power of 1000 W kg-1. Moreover, the device retains 70 % of its initial capacitance even after 10,000 charge-discharge cycles at a current density of 5 A g-1. An asymmetric supercapacitor is also fabricated using KCl electrolyte after optimizing the mass-ratio of positive and negative electrodes using Ragone plot simulator. The asymmetric supercapacitor exhibits a specific capacitance of 34 F g-1 with an energy density and power density of 11 Wh kg-1 and 775 W kg-1 respectively. The present study summarizes the effect of different neutral electrolytes on the electrochemical performance of V2O5 nanostructured electrodes. The physiochemical properties of ions such as solvation, diffusion and mobility, and their influence on the electrochemical behaviour are also taken in to account to explain the observed electrode performance.

Effect of deposition potential and KOH concentration on ethanol oxidation reaction with Pd nanoparticles electrodeposited on glassy carbon from reline

Pd nanoparticles (PdNPs) are deposited electrochemically on the glassy carbon electrode surface using PdCl2 dissolved in a deep eutectic solvent composed of choline chloride and urea (reline). The morphology and particle size of the PdNPs are determined from SEM exhibiting a homogeneous distribution with potential deposition depending on particle size. The particles display a core-shell morphology, consisting of Pd(0) as the core and Pd(OH)2 as the shell. The ethanol oxidation reaction, EOR, is evaluated at different KOH concentrations. The electrocatalyst with the highest mass activity is achieved at −750 mV potential deposition and 1 M KOH, exhibiting 3126 ± 606 mAmgPd−1. However, when 0.1 M KOH is used the mass activity decreases to one-third the value obtained at 1 M KOH. Notwithstanding, the mass activity displayed by these PdNPs is superior to that reported for other Pd-based nanoparticles synthesized using more complex, time-consuming and costly methods reported in the literature.

Evaluating the factors influencing consumer preferences for home delivery versus collection points in Gauteng, South Africa: a systematic literature review

With the rapid growth of online shopping and evolving consumer behaviours, understanding their preferences is important for retailers and logistics providers. The study employs the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) as theoretical frameworks to analyse how perceived usefulness, convenience, cost, innovation, and loyalty impact consumer choices delivery methods. Through a PRISMA-compliant methodology, relevant studies from 2005 to 2023 were reviewed, highlighting delivery time, cost-effectiveness, technological innovations, and consumer loyalty as critical determinants. Retailers should prioritise enhancing delivery time and convenience by investing in advanced real-time tracking systems and offering flexible delivery schedules that cater to the needs of consumers. The study has developed a conceptual framework to analyse the determinants of consumer preferences in adopting delivery methods, thus providing a valuable information for guiding future research in logistics management.

Equal Incremental Cost Method with Adjustable Gamma Control to Solve Generator Scheduling

Generator scheduling remains an intriguing issue within the energy industry. It relates to the optimization of production costs, where system operators must select the optimal combination of available resources to minimize production costs. This paper proposes an enhancement to the Equal Incremental Cost (EIC) Method using Adjustable Gamma Control (AGC) in generator scheduling. Iterations begin with an initial lambda value, then gradually increase with the application of the factor until power demand is met. A variable of 10% is used as an adjustment step in the optimization method. The proposed method is capable of achieving convergence with 100% accuracy, where the power generated by all generators precisely matches the load demand (2,650 MW), at a cost of USD 32,289.03. EIC-AGC ranks second-best after VLIM, albeit with the consequence of consuming 195 seconds. This method is expected to have a significant impact on designing highly accurate economic dispatch techniques. Thus, generator scheduling will lead to a reduction in operational costs compared to current practices.

( General Student Poster Award Winner, 2nd Place) Template-Assisted Fabrication of Transparent SERS Sensor with Uniform Au-Ag Nanoparticle Electrodeposition

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a very powerful tool for analyzing molecular interactions and provides unique spectral fingerprint information about chemical bondings.[1] SERS enhances weak Raman scattering signals through surface-localized plasmon resonance (LSPR) of the plasmonic metal nanoparticles. Arbitrarily distribution of plasmonic metal nanoparticles can result in a non-uniform SERS enhancement effect (EF) and low reproducibility, which hinders the practical application of this ultra-sensitive analysis technology.[2] The development of a cost-effective, highly reliable, and highly reproducible SERS sensor with precisely controlled nanoparticle size and distribution is still a challenge.[3] Electron beam lithography (EBL) is commonly used to achieve well-controlled nanoscale patterns, which can be used as a top-down SERS sensor fabrication technique.[2] However, the time-consuming and extremely costly method makes the SERS sensor not easily accessible.In this research, we propose a template-assisted fabrication process by electrodepositing nanoparticles into nanoarrays on a transparent ITO surface. This method precisely controls the surface morphology and provides high reproducibility without relying on EBL techniques. For the fabrication process, first, a layer of sol-gel SiO2 solution was spin-coated onto the ITO surface, and an array of nano-pillars was used to imprint the nanopattern to the sol-gel solution layer, to realize the nano-ordered uniformly distributed nanoarrays. (Fig.1) For the plasmonic material, Au-Ag alloy was deposited into the nanoarray due to its high durability and high SERS EF.[4] The use of a pulse current deposition, additives, and self-assembled monolayer (SAM) was also discussed from the perspective of altering the surface property of the ITO surface, to achieve dense and smooth filling of deposits in the nanoarray. The SERS sensor fabricated was tested with Janus Green B (JGB) and demonstrated a good SERS EF and good signal uniformity. We believe this sensor is widely applicable for different systems, further optimization and application of this sensor can bring us one step closer to the quantitative analysis by SERS. The fabricated sensor should be especially useful in electrochemical reaction analysis and biomolecular sensing.[1] Fleishmann et al., Phys. Lett., 26, 163(1974)[2] Lee et al., Chemical Society reviews., 48, 731(2019)[3] Shi et al., 66, 6525(2018)[4] B. Liu et al., 55 , 117104(2016) Figure 1

Electroactive Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Nanoparticles (eMIPs) for Label-free Detection of Glucose: Toward Wearable Monitoring.

The diagnosis of diabetes mellitus (DM) affecting 537 million adults worldwiderelies on invasive and costly enzymatic methods that have limited stability. Electroactive polypyrrole (PPy)-based molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles (eMIPs) have been developed that rival the affinity of enzymes whilst being low-cost, highly robust, and facile to produce. By drop-casting eMIPs onto low-cost disposable screen-printed electrodes (SPEs), sensors have been manufactured that can electrochemically detect glucose in a wide dynamic range (1 µm-10mm) with a limit of detection (LOD) of 26nm. The eMIPs sensors exhibit no cross reactivity to similar compoundsand negligible glucose binding tonon-imprinted polymeric nanoparticles (eNIPs). Measurements of serum samples of diabetic patients demonstrate excellent correlation (>0.93) between these eMIPs sensor and the current gold standard Roche blood analyzer test. Finally, the eMIPs sensors are highly durable and reproducible (storage >12 months), showcasing excellent robustness and thermal and chemical stability. Proof-of-application is provided via measuring glucose using these eMIPs sensor in a two-electrode configurationin spiked artificial interstitial fluid (AISF), highlighting its potential for non-invasive wearable monitoring. Due to the versatility of the eMIPs that can be adapted to virtually any target, this platform technology holds high promise for sustainable healthcare applications via providing rapid detection, low-cost, and inherent robustness.

Cost of hemophilia A in Brazil: a microcosting study

BackgroundPatients with Hemophilia are continually monitored at treatment centers to avoid and control bleeding episodes. This study estimated the direct and indirect costs per patient with hemophilia A in Brazil and evaluated the cost variability across different age groups.MethodsA prospective observational research was conducted with retrospective data collection of patients assisted at three referral blood centers in Brazil. Time-driven Activity-based Costing method was used to analyze direct costs, while indirect costs were estimated based on interviews with family and caregivers. Cost per patient was analyzed according to age categories, stratified into 3 groups (0–11;12–18 or older than 19 years old). The non-parametric Mann-Whitney test was used to confirm the differences in costs across groups.ResultsData from 140 hemophilia A patients were analyzed; 53 were 0–11 years, 29 were 12–18 years, and the remaining were older than 19 years. The median cost per patient per year was R$450,831 (IQR R$219,842; R$785,149; $174,566), being possible to confirm age as a cost driver: older patients had higher costs than younger’s (p = 0.001; median cost: 0–11 yrs R$299,320; 12–18 yrs R$521,936; ≥19 yrs R$718,969).ConclusionThis study is innovative in providing cost information for hemophilia A using a microcosting technique. The variation in costs across patient age groups can sustain more accurate health policies driven to increase access to cutting-edge technologies and reduce the burden of the disease.

CPM Analysis on Boarding House Construction Projects in Samarinda City

Population growth increases the need for practical and affordable housing, so boarding houses become the main choice. Boarding house construction projects need to be managed through good project management. This research discusses the use of the Critical Path Method (CPM) in the boarding house project on Jl. Mangkupalas Gg. Padai in Samarinda City. The CPM method is used to determine project duration and optimize costs, with information on work, costs and time for each stage. The results show the critical activity path A – B – C – E – F – G – H – I – K, reducing the project duration from 210 days to 173 days, 37 days faster. Using the CPM method saves IDR 19,050,000 from the initial project cost of IDR 298,939,000 to IDR 279,889,000. This research supports the CPM method for cost and time efficiency in development projects and the results of this research are in accordance with previous studies which also discusses the CPM method of project management.

Approaches to determining the cost of laboratory tests

Background. Determining the cost of laboratory tests is a significant factor in the context of economic analysis and management of clinical diagnostic laboratories. Information about costs allows medical organizations to plan operational activities more efficiently, optimize resource utilization, and exercise control over expenditures. These measures are aimed at improving the financial position and enhancing the operational efficiency of the laboratories.Objective: to review various methods for calculating the cost of laboratory tests.Material and methods. The study included the collection and analysis of publications on calculating cost of laboratory tests, determining their prime cost in PubMed/MEDLINE and Google Scholar databases, as well as in Google and Yandex search engines for similar “cost laboratory test” query. The regulatory documents of the Russian Federation in this area were considered.Results. For calculating the prime cost of laboratory tests such methods as direct costing, regulatory prime costing, total prime costing, activity-based costing (ABC), standard costing, costing for base service, department costing, cost-volume analysis are used. The ABC and standard cost methods provide the most accurate assessment of the impact of various factors.Conclusion. The approaches established by regulatory documents do not contradict each other and represent the implementation of total costing method. At the same time, a medical organization may use other methods for calculating the cost of laboratory tests, depending on the objectives of the analysis, the specifics of the laboratory and the cost accounting method adopted in accounting policy, the management accounting system.

Highly precise strategy of polygalacturonic acid microcarriers functionalized with zwitterions and specific peptides for MSC screening

Microcarriers for large-scale cell culture have a broader prospect in cell screening compared with the traditional high cost, low efficiency, and cell damaging methods. However, the equal biological affinity to cells has hindered its application. Therefore, based on the antifouling strategy of zwitterionic polymer, we developed a cell-specific microcarrier (CSMC) for shielding non-target cells and capturing mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which has characteristics of high biocompatibility, low background noise and high precision. Briefly, [2-(methacryloyloxy) ethyl] dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl) ammonium hydroxide and glycidyl methacrylate were grafted onto polygalacturonic acid, respectively. The former built a hydration layer through solvation to provide an excellent antifouling surface, while the latter provided active sites for the click reaction with sulfhydryl-modified cell-specific peptides, resulting in rapid immobilization of peptides. This method is applicable to the vast majority of polysaccharide materials. The accurate capture ratio of MSCs by CSMC in a mixed multicellular environment is >95 % and the proliferation rate of MSCs on microcarriers is satisfactory. In summary, this grafting strategy of bioactive components lays a foundation for the application of polysaccharide materials in the biomedical field, and the specific adhesive microcarriers also open up new ideas for the development of stem cell screening as well.

Cost and efficiency analysis in Iranian primary health centers: a micro costing and data envelopment analysis

BackgroundHealth Complex Model was implemented to provide primary health care services in urban, especially in slum areas. As a pilot at a provincial level, Chamran Health Complex offers healthcare for more than 57,000 residents of Tabriz. Despite the necessity of cost information in healthcare decision-making, there was limited knowledge about the unit cost of services. This study aims to analyze the cost and efficiency of health centers.MethodsActivity-Based Costing method with direct and step-down allocation methods was adopted. We estimated unit costs in a hypothetical scenario according to national standards to quantify the gap between current and standard practice. Input-oriented Data Envelopment Analysis was administered to measure the efficiency of health centers.ResultsThe total cost of the complex was $2,841,897, of which 67% ($1910373) and 33% ($931523) were accounted for direct and indirect costs, respectively. The vaccination center had the lowest ($9), and the occupational health center had the highest average unit cost ($76). The average technical efficiency of the health centers was 0.519, where the HC1 and HC3 showed the best performance.ConclusionThere is remarkable variability in service costs across health centers, which must be addressed in performance management and contracting practices. Although we found a gap between current and standard practice in terms of staff and facilities according to national standards, Chamran Health Complex has an untouched capacity that can be utilized with better planning and without incurring additional costs. It raises the need for revising national standards by the Iran Ministry of Health.

Low-dispersive silicon nitride waveguide resonators by nanoimprint lithography

In this study, we demonstrate the fabrication of waveguide resonators using nanoimprint technology. Without relying on traditionally costly lithography methods, such as electron-beam lithography or stepper lithography, silicon nitride (Si3N4) resonators with high-quality factors up to the order of 105 can be realized at C-band by nanoimprint lithography. In addition, by properly designing the waveguide geometry, a low-dispersive waveguide can be achieved with waveguide dispersion at around −35 ps/nm/km in the normal dispersion regime, and the waveguide dispersion can be further tuned to be 29 ps/nm/km in the anomalous dispersion regime with the polymer cladding. The tunability of nanoimprinted devices is demonstrated by the aid of microheaters, realizing on-chip optical functionalities. This work offers the potential to fabricate low-dispersive waveguide resonators for integrated modulators and filters in a significantly cost-effective and process-friendly scheme.

Ambient noise tomography of an iron-oxide copper–gold (IOCG) deposit under thick cover

As most outcropping and shallow mineral deposits have been found, new technology is imperative to finding the hidden critical mineral deposits required for the renewable energy transition. One such seismic technique, called ambient noise tomography (ANT), has shown promise in recent years as a low cost and low environmental impact passive method of three-dimensional (3D) imaging of shear-wave velocity structure of the Earth. Over the last twenty years the method has been well-established in academia to image crustal and regional scale geological features but has seldom been used at the mineral exploration deposit-scale. In this paper we show the application of seismic ANT at an IOCG deposit in South Australia under more than 750 m of sedimentary cover. A 100-site survey in a 10 by 10 grid with site spacing of 1 km, using 3-component nodal seismometers with a natural-frequency of 5 Hz, was conducted over a two-week period. Data were inverted to generate a 3D velocity model to a depth of 2 km. When compared to drillholes in the survey area, the tomographic model delineates cover sequence lithologies and the depth of crystalline basement. A velocity anomaly in the basement has characteristics of a potential IOCG deposit and is aligned with a gravity anomaly due to brecciated haematite. The results of the paper indicate that ANT is a useful tool for deep cover mineral exploration that can potentially expedite the discovery of new deposits.

Distribution Cost Optimization Using Average Opportunity Cost Method and Average Total Opportunity Cost Method

Distribution Cost Optimization Using Average Opportunity Cost Method and Average Total Opportunity Cost Method

Design of 2-DOF Thrust vector control system for Rockets and Missiles

This paper outlines the development and implementation of a Thrust Vector Control (TVC) system tailored specifically for solid propellant rocket engines, aimed at enhancing the portability of hybrid and liquid propellant rocket systems. The proposed system ensures trajectory stability and rapid response to flight emergencies by effectively addressing external perturbations like wind. Key components are Gyroscopic (GYRO) sensors, good micro-controller, and Servo motors, collectively referred to as Thrust vectoring components, which dynamically adjust thrust direction opposite to the rocket's trajectory to maintain stability. Drawing from an extensive literature review analyzing existing TVC system designs, with a focus on thrust characteristics and engine combustion timings, the design integrates considerations of geometric properties, kinematics, forces, energy requirements, safety, cost, and control methods, aligning with both mechanical and avionic design principles. The anticipated outcome is an advancement in rocket propulsion technology, characterized by improved angular speed control, trajectory linearity, and rapid response capabilities.

Coordination of interests between upstream and downstream governments in water source areas

Exploration of establishing a robust intergovernmental benefit compensation mechanism for water source areas holds significant importance in promoting regional coordinated development. Taking the Guanting Reservoir basin, a water source area in Beijing, China, as an example, we established an ecological location model with urban water sources as the core by drawing on the concept of spatial circle structure in traditional location theory. Based on this, we proposed the theory of ecological cost of water source land level difference and analyzed the basic composition of ecological cost of water source land. Finally, the differential ecological costs method was used to estimate the ideal horizontal eco-compensation funds between the downstream city of the water source (Beijing) and the upstream city (Zhangjiakou). The results are as follows: (1) the closer to the water source reservoir area and the higher the protection zone level, the greater the contribution of the ecological product value realization and the ecological protection costs to the protection of water resources in the reservoir area. (2) The compensation funds for water source areas are jointly composed of the increment of ecological product value and protection costs. (3) In 2021, the value addition of ecological products in the upstream region was 3.075 billion yuan, and the protection cost was 6.702 billion yuan. After multiplying by the differential adjustment coefficient, the horizontal eco-compensation amount that the upstream cities should receive in 2021 is 4.194 billion yuan. This study theoretically addresses the shortcomings of traditional ecological compensation, which overlooked differences in resource and environmental costs due to variations in ecological functional location. It provides a new perspective for further exploring the role of location theory in addressing inter-governmental interest coordination issues in cross-border water source areas.

Efficiency and Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Manual and Intelligent Venous Blood Sampling in Outpatient Area of Hospital.

To evaluate the efficiency and cost-benefit of the manual and intelligent venous blood sampling in outpatient area. The hospital selected had two branches with the outpatient area in Branch A using manual venous blood sampling as the control group and the outpatient area in Branch B using intelligent venous blood sampling as the experimental group. Analyze the differences between the two groups in operation time, cost-benefit, and service efficiency through on-site investigation and project cost methods. Compared with manual venous blood sampling, intelligent venous blood sampling project is more optimized with shorter operation time and higher nursing service efficiency. But both groups have negative returns. The intelligent venous blood sampling process is more optimized, combined with dynamic job implementation, resulting in lower labor costs and higher job service efficiency compared to manual venous blood sampling.

Economic Valuation of Kelapa Island Tourism Area Bima Regency 2024

This study aims to analyze the economic value of Kelapa Island tourism area using the Travel Cost Method and Contingent Valuation Method approaches and identify factors that influence the frequency of tourist visits in the Kelapa Island tourism area, Lambu, Bima Regency. The type of research used is quantitative by determining 90 respondents who traveled to Kelapa Island. This research was conducted in the Kelapa Island tourist area, Lambu District, Bima Regency, West Nusa Tenggara. The sampling method used was purposive sampling. The data used in this study are primary data collected through interviews, observations, and documentation with data collection tools in the form of questionnaires. The analytical tool used is SPSS 16 with data analysis using multiple linear regression. The findings revealed that the economic value of the Kelapa Island area using the Travel Cost Method approach amounted to IDR 212,911,666, while the economic value of conservation and development of the Kelapa Island area using the Contingent Valuation Method approach amounted to IDR 10,894,000. Factors that influence the frequency of visits are travel costs, age, income, and facilities.

Quantifying the effect of pulse-like ground motions on the seismic design of SMA restrained isolation bridges using probabilistic repair cost method

The shape memory alloy (SMA) restrainer serves as an effective but expensive bridge restraining device. However, the impact of pulse effect on SMA design approach under pulse-like ground motions (PLGM) has not been fully quantified in previous studies, which hinders its application in near-fault regions. Therefore, based on the risk probability assessment method throughout the entire life cycle, by accounting for the comprehensive repair cost of each component damage, this paper introduces a parameter design method for SMA restrainer of near-fault bridges that considers structural parameters, pulse parameters, and economic indicators. Firstly, the repair cost ratio (RCR) of bridge system, which means the expenses for repairs expressed as a proportion of bridge replacement costs, was regarded as the life-time optimization goal and overall performance indicator. Secondly, by accounting for near-fault effects, the relationship between RCR and SMA design parameters was established by convolution algorithm of probabilistic seismic hazard analysis, demand analysis and capacity analysis. A novel probabilistic seismic demand model was utilized to quickly determine the RCR of the bridge system under PLGM. Finally, the influence of pulse period on the rational design parameter of SMA restrainer was comprehensively investigated by RCR-based method. A seismic isolation arch bridge was selected as the illustrated case in this article. The results indicate that the rational design parameters of SMA exhibit a pattern of initially rising, then falling as the pulse period increases, reaching the peak value when the pulse period approaches bridge fundamental period. Moreover, the price parameter of SMA significantly affect the optimal design parameters, and the effective range is also recommended.

Integrating non-invasive VIS-NIR and bioimpedance spectroscopies for stress classification of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) with machine learning

Plant stress diagnosis is essential for efficient crop management and productivity increase. Under stress, plants undergo physiological and compositional changes. Vegetation indices obtained from leaf reflectance spectra and bioimpedance spectroscopy provide information about the external and internal aspects of plant responses, respectively. In this study, bioimpedance and vegetation indices were noninvasively acquired from sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) leaves exposed to three types of stress (drought, salinity, and chilling). Integrating the vegetation index, a novel approach, contains information about the surface of plants and bioimpedance data, which indicates the internal changes of plants. The fusion of these two datasets was examined to classify the types and severity of stress. Among the eight supervised machine learning models (three linear and five non-linear), the support vector machine (SVM) exhibited the highest accuracy in classifying stress types. Bioimpedance spectroscopy alone exhibited an accuracy of 0.86 and improved to 0.90 when fused with vegetation indices. Additionally, for drought and salinity stresses, it was possible to classify the early stage of stress with accuracies of 0.95 and 0.93, respectively. This study will allow us to classify the different types and severity of plant stress, prescribe appropriate treatment methods for efficient cost and time management of crop production, and potentially apply them to low-cost field measurement systems.