Evaluation Of Economic Impact Research Articles

Food waste reduction and its environmental consequences: a quasi-experimental study in a campus canteen

BackgroundFood waste is the third-largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, which has severe environmental and economic effects. This study presents a two-level intervention to estimate the quantity and environmental consequences of food waste at a campus canteen, offering innovative solutions to reduce food waste and its environmental footprint.MethodologyThis study involved 300 students and consisted of three main stages: initial food waste assessment, environmental and economic impact evaluation, and qualitative exploration of the causes of food waste through interviews with students. The assessment included direct measures and weighing of leftover food, and the environmental and economic impact was calculated. A two-level intervention was implemented for students and staff, and a re-assessment of food waste was conducted to evaluate the intervention’s impact. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS.ResultsThe study monitored 26 meals, finding that the total amount of food waste in the university canteens was (mean = 60.65 g/person), and the intervention reduced food waste by 16.35% per meal (50.73 g/person). Moreover, after the intervention, the amount of food waste costs and total water waste were reduced by 30.14% and 16.66%, respectively. Grey water was reduced significantly by 12.5% (p = 0.033). Interviews with students identified low-quality meals, unpleasant taste, large portions, and a limited menu as the main causes of food waste.ConclusionsIt is possible to tackle food waste effectively with educational intervention, decreasing portion size, and improving the quality and variety of food.

Managing Trade-Offs Between Communities’ Welfare and Nature Conservation: The Case of Wildlife Management Systems in and Outside Protected Areas in Africa

Successfully analyzing and managing trade-offs between community welfare and wildlife conservation are complex tasks that require a multidisciplinary approach and consideration of various factors. Bioeconomic modeling provides a structured quantitative framework for understanding and evaluating the complex interactions between biological systems and economic activities, aiding in the crafting of more effective and sustainable conservation and rural development strategies. Combined with results from other methods such as economic valuation, institutional analysis, impact evaluation, and framed-field experiments, they can provide guidance on reaching the social planner's optimum. The literature suggests significant roles for comanagement, benefit-sharing, and sustainable financing of conservation as the key ingredients for managing the trade-offs between communities’ welfare and nature conservation in Africa. However, comprehensive research tackling multiple problems simultaneously is required to fully understand and manage the trade-offs. Further, mainstreaming gender and climate change in studies of the trade-offs is increasingly becoming an obligation.

Real-world implications of IMACS malignancy screening guidelines for idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: An evaluation of compliance and economic impact at a tertiary referral center.

An inaugural set of consensus guidelines for malignancy screening in idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) were recently published by an international working group. These guidelines propose different investigation strategies based on "high", "intermediate" or "standard" malignancy risk groups. This study compares current malignancy screening practices at an Australian tertiary referral center with the recommendations outlined in these guidelines. We conducted a retrospective analysis of newly diagnosed IIM patients. Relevant demographic and clinical data regarding malignancy screening were recorded. Existing practice was compared with the guidelines using descriptive statistics; costs were calculated using the Australian Medicare Benefit Schedule. Of the 47 patients identified (66% female, median age: 63 years [IQR: 55.5-70], median disease duration: 4 years [IQR: 3-6]), only one had a screening-detected malignancy. Twenty patients (43%) were at high risk, while 20 (43%) were at intermediate risk; the remaining seven (15%) had IBM, for which the proposed guidelines do not recommend screening. Only three (6%) patients underwent screening fully compatible with International Myositis Assessment and Clinical Studies recommendations. The majority (N = 39, 83%) were under-screened; the remaining five (11%) overscreened patients had IBM. The main reason for guideline non-compliance was the lack of repeated annual screening in the 3 years post-diagnosis for high-risk individuals (0% compliance). The mean cost of screening was substantially lower than those projected by following the guidelines ($481.52 [SD 423.53] vs $1341 [SD 935.67] per patient), with the highest disparity observed in high-risk female patients ($2314.29/patient). Implementation of the proposed guidelines will significantly impact clinical practice and result in a potentially substantial additional economic burden.

A linkage analysis of the mining sector in the top five carbon emitter economies

This article conducts an environmental and economic impact evaluation of the mining and quarrying sector in the top five carbon‐emitting nations. By applying the hypothetical extraction method, we investigate both the demand and the supply side of the carbon dioxide emission of each industry in China, the United States, India, Russia, and Japan. The results show that inter‐sector linkages are similar between countries. We identify the priority sectors associated with the mining industry, which deserve more consideration in formulating mitigation policies to reduce the carbon footprint. Among these sectors, electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, and manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products hold special responsibility toward the environment.

Economic and budgetary impact evaluation of isavuconazole (Cresemba®) versus voriconazole (Vfend®) for the treatment of patients with possible invasive aspergillosis from the perspective of the Brazilian supplementary health system.

This study aims to evaluate the cost-utility and the budgetary impact of isavuconazole compared to voriconazole in patients with suspected invasive aspergillosis (IA) from the perspective of the Brazilian supplementary health system (SHS). In this model, a decision tree was developed and included patients with possible IA. Efficacy parameters were extracted from the clinical studies. Drug acquisition, hospitalization costs and adverse events were also collected. Alternative 3- and 10-year time horizon scenarios were used. In addition, deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were simulated. A budget impact analysis of isavuconazole versus voriconazole was performed, assuming a time horizon of 5 years. In addition, sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the robustness of the model. Results are reported in Brazilian Real (BRL), year values 2022. The economic analysis of the base case showed that isavuconazole is associated with a saving of 95,174.00 BRL per patient compared to voriconazole. All other simulated scenarios showed that isavuconazole is dominant versus comparators when considering a willingness to pay 40,688.00 BRL/Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALY). The results were considered robust by the sensitivity analyses. The budget impact analysis showed that the incorporation of isavuconazole generates savings to the SHS, compared to voriconazole, of approximately 20.5 million BRL in the first year. This reaches about 54 million BRL in the fifth incorporation year, considering the market penetration of 20% in the first year, and 50% in the fifth year. Compared with voriconazole, isavuconazole is regarded as a dominant treatment strategy for patients with suspected IA and generates savings for the SHS.

Comparison of Indocyanine Green with conventional tracers for sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer: A multidisciplinary evaluation of clinical effectiveness, safety, organizational and economic impact.

Breast cancer is a global health problem, and sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is the standard procedure for early-stage breast cancer. Technetium-99 (TC-99), alone or combined with blue dye (BD) are conventional tracers for SLNB, but they have safety, availability, and cost limitations. Indocyanine green (ICG) is an alternative tracer that has been gaining acceptance among healthcare professionals. This study aimed at assessing the clinical and economic value of ICG in hospital settings, using the health technology assessment (HTA) framework. We conducted a comprehensive evaluation of ICG for SLNB, based on literature sources and data collected from two Italian hospitals that switched from TC-99 to ICG. We analyzed ICG's technical attributes through technology documentation and relevant databases. We performed a systematic literature review of 36 studies to assess the clinical effectiveness and safety of ICG. We obtained organizational insights from clinicians and the clinical engineer involved in the study. We applied Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing (TDABC) and Budget Impact Analysis (BIA) to estimate the economic impact of ICG. The ethical, legal, and social implications of ICG were considered through clinicians' inputs and technology documentation. Our results showed that ICG had equivalent or superior clinical effectiveness compared to TC-99 and BD, with minimal adverse events. ICG simplified the surgical pathways, by streamlining procedures, reducing waiting times, and increasing flexibility in scheduling surgeries. Moreover, the TDABC analysis showed significant cost reductions by avoiding the need for pre-operative lymphoscintigraphy and hospitalization, with average savings per single care pathway of around 18% for ICG compared to TC-99. Finally, ICG improved patient experience, and proved regulatory compliance. This study provided strong evidence for ICG's clinical and economic value for SLNB in breast cancer. It ascertained ICG as a valuable alternative to conventional tracers, ensuring clinical effectiveness along with economic and organizational benefits.

Social Accounting Matrices: Challenges and Prospects of Use in Macroeconomic Statistics

The paper presents results of the first stage of research on the construction of social accounting matrices (SAMs) for the Russian Federation as part of the HSE University study on statistical assessment of households’ economic behaviour. The author analyses the methodological foun- dations of SAM compilation, their connection with the System of National Accounts (SNA) and their use in macroeconomic analysis. Special attention is paid to the application of SAM in evaluating exogenous impacts, including multiplier effects, arising in all spheres of the national economy at governing decision-making and implementation of economic policy projects.The paper reviews aggregated social accounting matrices for the Russian Federation for the year 2020 that were compiled according to the SNA methodology and based on the G. Pyatt and A. Roe modified model. The author proposes the scheme of accounts partial trans- formation enhancing the reflection of direct income flows between institutional sectors. The properties of SAM as a static economic impact evaluation model are reviewed, and for illustration purposes, results of experimental computation of the effect of changed demand from the Rest of the World are considered.Analysis of areas of SAM application and its development as a tool for macroeconomic research highlights the importance of development methods of a detailed representation of the structure of household incomes and expenditures in social accounting matrices. It will foster solutions to poverty, inequality and connected social problems. It is noted that, with increased attention to the social aspects of macroeconomic accounting, SAM can become a major tool for measuring well-being and household income formation and distribution processes in macroeconomic statistics.

Economic and Clinical Impact Evaluation of AI-Aided Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) in the Management of Early-Stage Joint Damage in Hemophilia

Background: In previous studies, we reported that regular semi-annual POCUS over three years led to modifications in prophylaxis, contributing to the disappearance of synovitis, improvement in the annual bleeding rate, and joint function in hemophilia patients. Most modifications involved increasing doses, shortening intervals, and changing to new drugs. With ongoing AI technology development to offer accurate POCUS delivery, often dubbed as provider-dependent, we foresee active modifications of prophylaxis in clinical settings as AI-enabled ultrasound becomes prevalent. Such interventions could improve patient joint prognosis through early synovitis treatment but may also lead to increased consumption of therapeutic drugs. Objective: To compare the ‘improvement in prognosis’ with ‘increased costs’ from a health economic perspective, primarily from an insurer's viewpoint. Method: Patient states were defined to create a state transition model as follows: No bleeding: Normal state with no bleeding or synovitis.Bleeding present: State of having 1-2 bleeding episodes in six months.Synovitis: Chronic bleeding-prone state due to synovitis. This state worsens at a certain rate, necessitating modification of regular replacement therapy.Joint destruction: An irreversible state of terminal arthritis where the cartilage and bone are destroyed.Death: Regardless of the association with hemophilia. Transition probabilities were set based on prior studies, and the state transition model is depicted in Figure 1. We assumed all patients were receiving regular replacement therapy. We obtained the distribution of age, compliance rate, and the number of intra-articular bleedings from the transition model and optimized the transition probabilities to minimize the difference between the obtained distribution and the distribution from prior studies. The treatment cost for each state was referenced from the standard cost ascertainable in Japan. The model assumes the perfect sensitivity of the AI technology in identifying patients who require modifications in their therapy. We also assume that there would be no false negatives when a physician's judgement is involved, and the model does not consider the AI's specificity. In the scenario where a physician disagrees with the AI's judgement, we assume that the physician would maintain their decision. Results: The comparison of Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) with or without POCUS, when the post-therapeutic modification drug cost increases by 1.25 times, is shown in Figure 2. With the cost increase at 1.25 times, the ICER is below 5 million yen, a threshold value suggested by guidelines that indicates superior cost-effectiveness. However, if the cost increase is twofold, the ICER becomes 6.04 million yen, indicating poorer cost-effectiveness with POCUS. The result implies that diagnostic AI-POCUS proves superior in terms of cost-effectiveness when the ‘cost increase ratio’ is below or equal to 1.85. In evaluating the cost-effectiveness of POCUS, the ‘drug cost increase ratio’ was a significant factor influencing ICER, while the costs, sensitivity, and specificity of POCUS had a smaller impact. Limitation: Our model assumes the ‘additional cost is uniformly fixed for all patients’, which may not reflect the reality of clinical practice. Additionally, we have not considered the possible clinical benefits and quality of life improvements that can occur regardless of the cost implications. Conclusion: This preliminary study suggests that AI-aided POCUS is cost-effective compared to regular POCUS management in treating early-stage joint damage in hemophilia patients when the increase in medication costs remains below a 1.85 multiplier, from an insurer's perspective. The study focuses on the improvement of underdiagnoses by evaluators through AI technology. Further studies are required to refine these estimates, validate our model in a real-world clinical setting, and to fully understand the sensitivity and specificity of the AI system. Figure1: The transition model of patients states Figure2: Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio with and without AI-POCUS in Response to a 1.25 Fold Increase in Post-Therapeutic Modification Drug Cost

Impact of climate change on household development resilience: Evidence from rural China

The adverse impacts of climate change have emerged as one of the primary threats to human development; however, the climate change economic impact evaluation literature has mostly estimated effects under an assumption of full certainty. This article aims to estimate the long-run impact of climate change on household development resilience. To do so, we use the China Health and Nutrition Survey, which contains detailed longitudinal socioeconomic information from 1989 to 2015, and matches them to weather data. We find that climate change negatively impacts household development resilience. This negative impact stems from both a decline in upward mobility of households and an increase in downside risks. In other words, the rise in temperatures not only reduces the pace of household economic growth but also amplifies economic volatility, elevating consumption risk for households. The effects are driven by the decrease in agricultural production output and the risk of off-farm income. However, longer-run adaptation has offset 22.09% of the short-run effects of climate change on household development resilience. In contrast, climate adaptation mitigates household welfare loss to a greater extent through agricultural input adjustments and income diversification in the long run.

Evaluation of Economic Impact of Renewable Energy Sources in Multi-period Optimal Operation of Power Systems

Abstract: In order to operate the electrical network economically and effectively, generation from various sources must be appropriately scheduled. Integrated systems are more common today because of the increase in the cost of fossil fuels and the technological advancements made in the field of renewable energy Resources. To be able to determine the best settings, the optimal power flow problem is posed with all relevant system characteristics, including generator outputs. The network might include conventional fossil fuel generators and renewable energy sources like wind power generators and solar photovoltaic. The classic problem of optimal power flow is a complex non-linear problem with non-linear constraints. In this research, it is suggested how thermal plants with wind and solar integration operate economically using General Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS) software's which has used Non-linear programming to resolve the Dynamic Economic Dispatch (DED) which is a part of optimal power flow problem. The impact of wind and solar integration on the cost-effective operation of thermal units while taking into considering IEEE-24 bus test system has been researched. In this paper, the reduction of a thermal plant's fuel consumption with the integration of wind and solar power is the primary focus of study.

Social and Economic Impact Evaluation of Gender Based Community Empowerment

Social and economic impact measurement is an activity that cannot be separated from corporate social responsibility programs. Measuring socioeconomic impacts has a variety of approaches, one of which is the community satisfaction index. This study aims to measure the social and economic impact of the Kelompok Wanita Tani: Kartini Kalongan program, a CSR program that targets women as beneficiaries. This research uses mix methodes with quantitative as the main method and qualitative as the supporting method. The results of the study stated that the KWT CSR program: Kartini Kalongan as one of the gender-based empowerment programs has a very good level of fissibility. The program is able to answer the needs, potentials and problems faced by beneficiaries and is supported by the company's commitment to contribute to the development of the welfare of the surrounding community

Evaluation of Clinical and Economic Efficiency and Impact of Mass Fluorography Screening on Tuberculosis Epidemiological Rates in Four Federal Districts of the Russian Federation with Different Levels of Population Coverage with Mass Fluorography Screening

The objective: analysis of clinical cases of tuberculous spondylitis in HIV-infected patients with the detection of HIV RNA in the focus of vertebral bodies destruction.Subjects and Methods. Medical records of 2 HIV-infected patients who underwent surgery for verified tuberculous spondylitis were analyzed. Parts of the vertebral bodies collected during surgery were examined (PCR, microbiological and histological tests), those were parts with destruction and fragments of healthy iliac bone necessary to fill the implant during corporodesis.Results. RNA HIV was detected in the foci of bone destructionas as well as M. tuberculosis DNA. The viral load in the fragments of healthy iliac bone and peripheral blood of these patients was undetectable.

Evaluation of Clinical and Economic Efficiency and Impact of Mass Fluorography Screening on Tuberculosis Epidemiological Rates in Four Federal Districts of the Russian Federation with Different Levels of Population Coverage with Mass Fluorography Screening

The objective: to evaluate the clinical and economic efficiency and impact of mass fluorography screening of the population on tuberculosis mortality and rates of timely tuberculosis detection in four federal districts of the Russian Federation with different levels of tuberculosis detection and coverage of the population with fluorography mass screening.Subjects and Methods. Analytical materials of the Federal Center for Monitoring of Tuberculosis Transmission Control in the Russian Federation posted on official websites were used. The rates were analyzed by applied statistics methods. All statistical calculations were performed with 0.95 significance.Results. A correlation analysis was performed between the coverage, effectiveness of tuberculosis detection by mass fluorography screening of the population and main rates reflecting the epidemic situation and timeliness of tuberculosis detection in the Russian Federation and its four federal districts. There was no correlation between the detection effectiveness and main markers of timeliness of tuberculosis detection. It was found out that against the background of increased costs for mass fluorography screening, its implementation did not provide significant positive results in reducing tuberculosis incidence and mortality which indicated their low clinical and economic efficiency.

Selective recovery of lithium from spent LiFePO4 battery via a self-catalytic air oxidation method

To achieve the long-term healthy development of new energy vehicles and energy storage industries, the recycling of spent lithium-ion batteries is extremely significant. Air oxidation leaching at room temperature can achieve the efficient recovery of lithium from LFP scrap (generated in LiFePO4 material production), but this method is unsuitable for the treatment of cathode materials from spent LFP batteries. In this work, cyclic voltammetry measurements were first innovatively employed to clarify the reasons for the ineffective leaching of lithium from spent LFP materials via air oxidation leaching and provide the theoretical basis for intensified leaching. Subsequently, a novel method of self-catalytic air pressure leaching was proposed to selectively recover lithium from spent LFP batteries, which ingeniously employs green and cost-free air as the oxidant and self-owned Fe in the LiFePO4 as the O2 deliverer and catalyst. 98.9% Li and only 0.41% Fe, and 3.01% P were leached from spent LFP materials under 0.4 MPa of air pressure, n (H2SO4)/n (Li) ratio of 0.5, liquid to solid ratio of 20 mL/g, 90 °C, and 5 h. The leaching kinetic study was performed and it indicated that the leaching kinetics of Li was controlled by chemical reaction. By combining the results of the thermodynamic analysis and various characterization methods, the reaction course of this self-catalytic air pressure leaching was clarified. In particular, AC-TEM and SEM-EDS analysis showed that the dispersed carbon bands covered on the LiFePO4 particles have been destroyed during the oxidation leaching, which significantly promotes the lithium recovery rate. Finally, the economic feasibility and environmental impact evaluations demonstrated that the proposed method has the advantages of high recycling profits, environmental friendliness, and low carbon emissions.

Evaluation of health economic impact of initial diagnostic modality selection for colorectal cancer liver metastases in suspected patients in China, Japan and the USA

AimsTo compare cost offsets and contributing factors (false-negative rates and confirmatory imaging requirements, potentially leading to longer waiting times for diagnosis) as well as long-term cost effectiveness associated with the diagnostic and treatment pathways for colorectal cancer liver metastases (CRCLM) in the US, Japan, and China according to initial imaging modality used. Gadoxetate disodium (ethoxylbenzyl-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (EOB-MRI) was compared to multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), extracellular contrast media enhanced-MRI (ECCM-MRI) (the US and China only) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS).Materials and methodsDecision tree models were developed to simulate the clinical pathway, from first diagnostic test to initial treatment decision, based on local clinical guidelines and validated by experts. Input data were derived from the literature (up to 31st December 2020) as well as from interviews with local experts. A Markov model extension was built to evaluate the number of false-negative patients and associated costs, over a lifetime horizon.ResultsThe decision-tree models showed that, increasing proportionate use of initial EOB-MRI resulted in a cost-offset per patient (excluding false-negative patients) in all countries (USD 201 for the US, JPY 6,284 for Japan and CNY 446 for China) driven by reductions in follow-on diagnostic procedures and unnecessary treatment. The use of EOB-MRI was also associated with a shorter average waiting time to a final diagnosis and treatment decision compared to MDCT, ECCM-MRI and CEUS. The Markov model showed that with an increase in EOB-MRI use, there are fewer false-negative diagnoses over a lifetime horizon. In all three countries, the incremental cost-effectivenes ratio (ICER) was below standard willingness-to-pay thresholds.ConclusionThe findings of these models demonstrate that use of EOB-MRI early in the diagnostic pathway for CRCLM results in short-term cost savings, as well as being cost effective in the long term.

THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF CULTURE: STUDIES AND EXPERIENCE IN LATVIA

The first economic impact studies in Latvia were done 10 years after the iconic research by John Myerscough [Myerscough 1988]; we lag behind not only in time, but also in the content of such researches. Cultural managers and cultural institutions still do not consider economic impact valuation relevant. The present paper analyses why it is so and whether there any options for stimulating economic impact evaluation practices in Latvia. The paper evaluates the motivation for performing economic impact research and arguments against such studies together with the general research trends and experiences of foreign researchers. The study shows that currently custom designed calculators with guidelines available in the form of web pages are a successful and useful tool for calculating the economic impact of cultural events. The paper notes that the economic impact of various cultural phenomena, infrastructure buildings, and the whole field has been analysed by R. Karnīte, R. Ķīlis, I. Strode, I. Rozenberga, K. Goppers, the alumni of the Latvian Academy of Culture, and others. Mostly these studies are detached and accidental, moreover, each study uses a different methodology; consequently, the economic impact studies in the field of culture in Latvia are not regular and constant, and usually they are fuelled by the private interest of the event organizers or researchers. The author has created a template for a calculator, which is adapted to the economic situation of Latvia. It could promote popularity and regularity of the economic impact analysis studies in Latvia.

P.117 Collection of real-world evidence of nusinersen treatment for SMA patients through a national registry: description of the paediatric cohort in the UK

Nusinersen is one of three drug treatments currently available to children and adults with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) in England. The use of nusinersen is conditional to a managed access agreement (MAA) since July 2019. This study aims to describe the characteristics of the paediatric patients in the nusinersen MAA. Retrospective data from July 2019 to March 2022 was extracted from the SMA research and clinical hub UK (SMA REACH UK) registry which includes fifteen centres in England. Patients hold a minimum of 2 data entries yearly for each mandated field after the initial baseline assessment. The data report includes, gender, SMA type, SMN2 copy number, date of nusinersen first dose, and mandatory collection fields for medical and physiotherapy data. Medical data collection includes mortality; respiratory function (FVC and PCF, ventilation type and estimation of hours of ventilation); presence of scoliosis, spinal surgery, and Thoracolumbar support (TLSO) use and presence of fractures. The motor function measures include CHOP-INTEND, HINE, RHS, RULM and summary of contractures. 231 patients (129 males, 102 females) with SMA (Type 1=93, Type 2=85, type 3=50, pre-symptomatic=3) are receiving nusinersen via the MAA. The mean age of enrolment is 5.5 years (age range=10days-17years and 9months). There have been four deaths. During the COVID-19 pandemic structured remote assessments were agreed among the network to ensure continued collection of data, however the pandemic impacted functional outcomes collection. The SMA REACH UK registry provides a robust system to collect information on patients to address clinical uncertainties originally identified by the national institute of clinical excellence (NICE). It serves as a systematic model for longer term real-world data collection to evaluate clinical effectiveness of drugs, as well as potential evaluation of economic impact. The SMA reach UK registry has recently expanded to include adult centres. SMA reach UK is part of the international SMA registry (ISMAR) which includes registries in Italy and the US.

Evaluation of the health economic impact of initial diagnostic modality selection in patients suspected of having HCC in China and the USA

Aims To compare relative costs associated with the diagnostic pathways for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the US and China according to the initial imaging modality used. Gadoxetate disodium (ethoxylbenzyl-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (EOB-MRI) was compared to contrast-enhanced multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), extracellular contrast media enhanced-MRI (ECCM-MRI) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). Materials and methods Decision tree models were developed to simulate the clinical pathway, based on local clinical guidelines, and validated by experts. Input data were derived from the literature (up to 31 December 2020) as well as from interviews with local experts. Results The models showed that compared to alternative initial imaging modalities, EOB-MRI was associated with higher diagnostic accuracy (fewer false-positive and fewer false-negative results). Increasing proportionate use of EOB-MRI resulted in a cost offset per patient (excluding false-negative patients) in both the US (USD 337) and China (CNY 1,443), driven by reductions in scan costs and unnecessary treatment costs. The use of EOB-MRI was also associated with a shorter average waiting time for a final diagnosis and treatment decision for patients compared to MDCT, ECCM-MRI, and CEUS. Conclusion The findings of these models demonstrate that EOB-MRI is the most accurate and rapid imaging modality for the diagnosis of HCC in the US and China, resulting in cost offsets that may benefit the healthcare system.

Overview of Social Assessment Methods for the Economic Analysis of Cultural Heritage Investments

This paper provides an overview of methods for assessing social impacts, their achievements, and possibilities of application in everyday practice for assessing the worth of investments in cultural heritage conservation, as well as its sustainable use. It gives an overview of available methods for social assessment and points to a set of interdisciplinary indicators by which those impacts can be evaluated. Possibilities to use social impact analysis in the assessment of cultural heritage are presented in this paper through two case studies in the Republic of Croatia: the implementation of social evaluation management plan for the old town of Buzet and the evaluation of social effects of investing in the museum Ivana’s House of Fairy Tales. Some qualitative indicators of the collected surveys related to social effects are described, while the analysis of the availability of such indicators and the scientific basis of the collected answers are provided. In conclusion, the contribution of the methodological tools used and social impact assessments in the evaluation of cultural heritage interventions are presented, while suggestions are made for various decision- makers on those broader methods and benefits compared with the use of only financial and economic impact evaluations.

Extreme Flood Disasters: Comprehensive Impact and Assessment

Evaluating extreme flood disasters is a prerequisite for decision making in flood management. Existing extreme flood disaster assessments fail to either consider or evaluate comprehensive impacts from social, economic, and environmental aspects. This study first analyzes the causes of extreme flood disasters and subsequently the potential flood consequences in depth. On the basis of this comprehensive analysis, an extreme flood disaster indicator system is developed by taking into account social, economic, and environmental consequences. To assess the comprehensive impacts, we propose a refined social and economic impact evaluation method and a semi-quantitative environmental impact evaluation method, which are applied to Jingjiang Flood Diversion District (JFDD) located in the Yangtze River Basin, and analyze two extreme flood scenarios. The results show that almost all of the JFDD area is flooded with inundation areas of 901.36 km2 and 879.49 km2, respectively. The corresponding affected populations are 0.51 million and 0.5 million. The direct economic losses are 18.83 billion and 14.33 billion, respectively. Moreover, 5 potential pollutant sources and 11 protected areas are inundated under two scenarios. Extreme floods have relatively serious impacts on local ecology and the environment. The proposed methodology can provide effective support for decision makers.