Financial Expenses Research Articles

COVID-19 pandemic: mental health (distress as depression) in orthodontists

ABSTRACT Objectives For health professionals, pandemic conditions impacted all societal aspects, including economic, wellness, and mental health. This study analysed sociodemographic factors, post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms (PTSD), and depression levels caused by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in orthodontists. Materials and Methods A sociodemographic questionnaire, the Impact of Event Scale (IES), and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) were used. Following data collection, multiple statistical analyses were applied: scores were compared using the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests, followed by Dunnett's multiple comparisons. The association between variables was verified using Chi-square or likelihood ratio tests. Multiple logistic regression models were estimated after bivariate logistic regression tests (p < 0.10). The final models using the Stepwise backward selection method were assessed for variables at 5%. Results Of the respondents, 69.3% were women, and their mental health questionnaire scores were significantly higher (p < 0.001). The IES avoidance and PHQ-9 scores were statistically different between the age groups (p = 0.040 and p < 0.001, respectively). Subjective distress was associated with years of practice, monthly income, fear of contracting COVID-19 during dental care, transmitting COVID-19 to patients, and thinking about the future (p < 0.05). Depression was significantly associated with orthodontic practice type, self-confidence in providing dental care, pandemic impact on dental practice, remote care, monthly income, changes in financial expenses, fear of contracting COVID-19 and thinking about the future (p < 0.05). Conclusion Over half of the orthodontists experienced moderate-to-severe mental distress, and the same number suffered from mild-to-severe depression during the pandemic. Registration: Ethics and Research Committee (CEP) of the Faculty of Dentistry of the University of São Paulo (FOUSP): CAAE: 34223720.1.0000.0075 Protocol: 4.191.353

The Role of Government Health Expenditure in Driving Economic Growth: Evidence from OECD Countries

This study examines the influence of government health expenditure and life expectancy on economic growth. The study makes use of panel data analysis and utilizes data from the OECD nations between 2000 and 2021. The study applies panel data analysis using POLS, FEM and REM models and dynamic GMM models. The study also gauges the moderating role of life expectancy on the relationship between government health expenditure and economic growth. The results indicate that government expenditure on health hurts economic growth. A detrimental relationship between life expectancy and economic growth indicates that higher life expectancy could result in elevated healthcare and financial expenses. Nevertheless, the interactive regression model suggests that there is no significant moderation of the association between government expenditure on health and economic growth by life expectancy, implying that the influence of government health expenditure on economic growth is generally unaffected by demographic changes. These findings emphasize the significance of differentiating between the short-term and long-term economic consequences of healthcare expenditure. This study offers insights into the optimization of public spending in OECD nations to promote sustainable economic growth and enhance public health outcomes.

How much does it cost to retain antiretroviral therapy (ART) clients in their first year? Routine financial costs of retention interventions at Lighthouse Trustin Lilongwe, Malawi.

Introduction Antiretroviral therapy (ART) improves the health of people living with HIV (PLHIV). However, a high loss to follow-up, particularly in the first year after ART initiation, is problematic. The financial expenses related to client retention in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in sub-Saharan Africa are not well understood. This study aimed to comprehensively assess and quantify the financial costs associated with routine ART retention services for clients in their first 12 months in care at Lighthouse Trust's (LT) Martin Preuss Centre (MPC), a large, public ART clinic in Lilongwe, Malawi. Methods We performed activity-based microcosting using routine data to assess the expenses related to routine ART retention services at the MPC for 12 months, from January to December 2021. MPC provides an "ART Buddy" from ART initiation to 12 months. The MPC's Back-to-Care (B2C) program traces clients who miss ART visits by at least 14 days. Clients may be traced and return to care multiple times per year. We assessed client retention costs for the first 12 months of treatment with ART and conducted a sensitivity analysis. Results The total annual cost of ART retention interventions at MPC was $237,564. The proactive Buddy phase incurred $108,504; personnel costs contributed $97,764. In the reactive B2C phase, the total cost was $129,060, with personnel expenses remaining substantial at $73,778. The Buddy unit cost was $34 per client. The reactive B2C intervention was $17 per tracing event. On average, the unit cost for ART retention in the first year of ART averaged $22 per client. Conclusion This study sheds light on the financial dimensions of ART retention during the first year on ART among clients in a routine public setting. ART retention is both costly and critical for helping clients adhere to visits and remain in care. Continued investment in the human resources needed for both proactive and reactive retention efforts is critical to engaging and retaining patients on lifetime ART.

Optimized polycystic ovarian disease prognosis and classification using AI based computational approaches on multi-modality data

Polycystic Ovarian Disease or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is becoming increasingly communal among women, owing to poor lifestyle choices. According to the research conducted by National Institutes of Health, it has been observe that PCOS, an endocrine condition common in women of childbearing age, has become a significant contributing factor to infertility. Ovarian abnormalities brought on by PCOS carry a high risk of miscarriage, infertility, cardiac problems, diabetes, uterine cancer, etc. Ovarian cysts, obesity, menstrual irregularities, elevated amounts of male hormones, acne vulgaris, hair loss, and hirsutism are some of the symptoms of PCOS. It is not easy to determine PCOS because of its different combinations of symptoms in different women and various criteria needed for diagnosis. Taking biochemical tests and ovary scanning is a time-consuming process and the financial expenses have become a hardship to the patients. Thus, early prognosis of PCOS is crucial to avoid infertility. The goal of the proposed work is to analyse PCOS symptoms based on clinical data for early diagnosis and to classify into PCOS affected or not. To achieve this objective, clinical features dataset and ultrasound imaging dataset from Kaggle is utilized. Initially 541 instances of 45 clinical features such as testosterone, hirsutism, family history, BMI, fast food, menstrual disorder, risk etc. are considered and correlation-based feature extraction method is applied to this dataset which results in 17 features. The extracted features are applied to various machine learning algorithms such as Logistic Regression, Naïve Bayes and Support Vector Machine. The performance of each method is evaluated based on accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score and the result shows that among three models, Support Vector Machine model achieved high accuracy of 94.44%. In addition to this, 3856 ultrasound images are analysed by CNN based deep learning algorithm and VGG16 transfer learning algorithm. The performance of these models is evaluated using training accuracy, loss and validation accuracy, loss and the result depicts that VGG16 outperforms than CNN model with validation accuracy of 98.29%.

ACCOUNTING OF FINANCIAL RESULTS IN BANKS AND INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

Accounting of financial results in banks is very important to show their financial status and activity correctly. Financial accounting in banks involves measuring, recording and reporting financial transactions, assets, liabilities, equity, income and expenses. These reports provide stakeholders, including regulators, investors and management, with important insights into the financial health of the bank. The complexity of banking operations, along with regulatory requirements, makes it mandatory for banks to adhere to international accounting standards that ensure transparency, comparability and consistency across the industry.

Analysis Of Financial Performance Of Muhammadiyah Aisyiyah Hospital In Jakarta Before And After The Covid-19 Pandemic

This study aims to analyze differences in the financial performance of the Muhammadiyah-Aisyiyah Hospital (RSMA) in Jakarta before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Data was obtained from financial reports (2017Q1-2022Q4) which were analyzed using the ANOVA difference test. Based on the analysis and discussion, it was found that there was a significant difference in financial performance in the financial ratios of TATO and PBT, while the difference in DAR was not significant before and after the COVID-19 pandemic in the RSIJ Group. Apart from that, it was found that financial performance was better after the COVID-19 pandemic.This research provides practical insights for hospital managers and stakeholders in designing more effective policies for financial management during and after the pandemic. The increase in the Debt to Assets Ratio in several hospitals shows the need for better debt management strategies, while the decrease in the Total Assets Turnover Ratio emphasizes the importance of increasing the efficiency of assets use. The increase in Profit Before Tax in several hospitals indicates opportunities to increase profitability through appropriate management despite existing challenges. To improve the financial performance of Muhammadiyah private hospitals in DKI Jakarta, it is recommended to improve asset management to make it more effective, diversify income sources to reduce financial risks, improve revenue and operational expense management strategies, and invest in advanced health technology.

Adjunctive treatment of atopic dermatitis with novel at-home handheld narrow-band UVB phototherapy.

While conventional in-office phototherapy has long been utilized as a successful treatment for atopic dermatitis (AD), it is associated with potential barriers including inconvenience, poor adherence, time and financial expense. In this retrospective study, we examine the efficacy, adherence, and patient-satisfaction of using adjunctive at-home, self-administered phototherapy utilizing a novel handheld narrow-band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) device for the treatment of refractory mild to severe AD. Included AD patients were initially trained on proper use of the device. These patients treated involved areas three times per week for a period of 12weeks. Phototherapy dosing protocol was based on skin type. The cohort included 52 patients, who were aged 20-69 and represented all skin types. They were initially categorized by disease involvement as mild, moderate, and severe. Patients were also queried to self-score their disease severity and level of satisfaction. Compared to baseline, at 12weeks, 48% percent of patients indicated that at least one site was Clear/Almost Clear, 38% stated that more than 50% of body locations were Clear/Almost Clear, and 28% reported that 100% (all) treated sites were Clear/Almost Clear. After using at-home hand-held NB-UVB for the study duration, 67% (35/52) of patients experienced disease improvement. Mean overall satisfaction was extremely high at 4.43 on a 5-point scale. Skin type, age, gender, and disease severity at inception did not significantly affect patient satisfaction scores. Overall adherence rate among participants across all groups was 73%. In this small retrospective study, at-home handheld NB-UVB phototherapy was found to be an effective, well-tolerated, adjunctive treatment method for patients with refractory AD, which was associated with a high level of patient satisfaction and adherence.

Trends in poisoning associated with the use of insecticides for bed bug infestations: a 20-year retrospective study in France

Bed bugs are pervasive global pests that have reemerged in the last 20 years as a significant public health concern, especially in densely populated urban areas. Beyond financial losses, expenses, inconvenience, and psychological distress, bed bug infestations often necessitate chemical management, posing poisoning risks to those with an infestation. The French Poison Control Centers recorded 1056 cases of exposure to bed bug insecticide products between 1999 and 2021. This study followed cases over 2007–2021, with a notable surge in reports of adverse reactions from 2016 onwards. Data revealed an increased recurrent misuse of insecticides, including substances banned or not approved for this use. Our findings underscore the growing public reliance on chemical insecticides for home bed bug management. With this is the concern of increased poisoning risks, and potential long-term health consequences from non-professional efforts by the public to manage bed bugs in their homes. This escalating trend emphasizes the need for safer and more sustainable pest management strategies in urban environments.

Impact of technological advancement and greener energy on sustainable agriculture in Asia: Evidence from selected Asian countries

AbstractRegardless of major advancements in food production, Asia continues to confront severe food security challenges. Sustainable agriculture presents entirely new prospects by prioritizing the productive worth of human, social, and natural capital—all of which are abundant in Asian nations or can be replenished at a relatively low financial expense. This paper sets out to explore the role of technological innovation, renewable energy use, financial development, globalization, and institutional quality on the environmental sustainability of agriculture, measured by the greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector for top 10 agricultural economies of Asia from 1990 to 2019. To attain the above objective, we employ a variety of econometric models capable of accounting for cross‐sectional dependence, including the CS‐ARDL model and the Dumitrescu‐Hurlin Panel Granger Causality tests. The result indicates that technological innovation as well as the use of renewable energy can reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector and thus contribute towards enhancing environmental performance of this sector in short and long run. Although globalization result is revealed to be positive, it turns out to be insignificant in both short and long run. Financial development exerts positive and significant effects on agricultural emissions while the institutional quality is found to be increasing the agricultural environmental performance. Finally, we provide policy recommendations based on the results of the study.

Cancer cost-related subjective financial distress among breast cancer: a scoping review.

This article provided a comprehensive scoping review, synthesizing existing literature on the financial distress faced by breast cancer patients. It examined the factors contributing to financial distress, the impact on patients, coping mechanisms employed, and potential alleviation methods. The goalwas to organize existing evidence and highlight possible directions for future research. We followed the scoping review framework proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) to synthesize and report evidence. We searched electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane Library, for relevant literature. We included English articles that met the following criteria: (a) the research topic was financial distress or financial toxicity, (b) the research subjects were adult breast cancer patients, and (c) the article type was quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods research. We then extracted and integrated relevant information for reporting. After removing duplicates, 5459 articles were retrieved, and 43 articles were included based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The articles addressed four main themes related to financial distress: factors associated with financial distress, impact on breast cancer patients, coping mechanisms, and potential methods for alleviation. The impact of financial distress on patients was observed in six dimensions: financial expenses, financial resources, social-psychological reactions, support seeking, coping care, and coping lifestyle. While some studies reported potential methods for alleviation, few discussed the feasibility of these solutions. Breast cancer patients experience significant financial distress with multidimensional impacts. Comprehensive consideration of possible confounding factors is essential when measuring financial distress. Future research should focus on exploring and validating methods to alleviate or resolve this issue.

The potential of public organizations in creating conditions of healthy aging for sustainable demographic development of the Russian regions

The article considers issues of potential of public organizations to develop conditions for healthy aging in order to ensure sustainable development of Russian regions differing in their socio-economic, socio-cultural and demographic characteristics. It is established that individual approach is to be applied in developing and implementing measures, since elderly Russians constitute very heterogeneous social demographic group, characterizing by differences in age, health condition, social, economic and professional status, life motivation, family/single/nursing type of residence, etc. It is indicated that work will require time, financial expenses and labor costs. The achievement of sustainable development of Russian regions depends on ability and readiness of regional and municipal authorities, public and commercial organizations and entire population. It is determined that age-related stigmatization and ageism can not be overcame through decisions made by persons of power. No less significant is public opinion, determining position of employers, physicians, teachers and other specialists on whom healthy longevity of population depends. The conclusion is made that present demographic changes are a predictor of development of position of state authorities and public opinion that needed attention is to be paid to promoting of healthy aging, to expending necessary financial, infrastructural, informational and human resources. Only in this case Russian regions can count on social dividends that will follow preliminary comprehensive investments into developing conditions for healthy aging of local residents.

Pengaruh Pembelajaran Akuntansi, Literasi Keuangan dan Kontrol Diri terhadap Perilaku Keuangan Mahasiswa Akuntansi

Financial behavior is the actions a person takes in processing, managing and using financial from existing sources. Individuals who have financial behavior tend to have an effective attitude in using the finances they obtain. Someone who is good at financial management, the process of managing financial expenses and income as well as using financial resources from existing resources. Therefore this research aims to determine the influence of accounting learning, financial literacy and self-control on the financial behavior of individual students majoring in accounting at universities in Banjarmasin. The population in this study were students majoring in accounting from several universities in the city of Banjarmasin, especially STIE Indonesia Banjarmasin, STIE Nasional, STIE Pancasetia and Lambung Mangkurat university. The sampling technique in this research used purposive sampling. The number of samples obtained was 100 respondents. The data collection technique used was a questionnaire. This research uses mulitiple linear regression analiysis. The results of the research show that the variabels of accounting learning and financial literacy have a positive and significant effect on the individual financial behavior of students majoring in accounting at universities in Banjarmasin, while self-control has no effect on individual financial behavior of students majoring in accounting at a university in Banjarmasin.

The Prognostic Value of Proliferative Activity in Cutaneous Melanoma: A Pilot Study Evaluating the Mitotic Rate and Ki67 Index to Predict Patient Outcomes.

Proliferative activity in cutaneous melanomas can be appreciated both histopathologically by counting mitotic figures and immunohistochemically through the Ki67 index, but the prognostic value of each method is still a matter of debate. In this context, we performed a retrospective study on 33 patients diagnosed with cutaneous melanomas between 2013 and 2018 in order to evaluate progression-free survival and overall survival. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression was performed by considering both clinical histopathological and immunohistochemical features. The mitotic rate was significantly independently associated with both outcomes, while the Ki67 index was not an independent prognostic factor. However, the Ki67 predictive accuracy could be improved by establishing both a cut-off value and a standardized protocol for evaluating its expression. Until these desiderata are met, the mitotic rate remains superior to the Ki67 index for predicting prognosis in cutaneous melanomas, as also has the advantage of being easily interpreted in a standard histopathological examination regardless of the pathologist's experience and with no further financial expenses. Importantly, this is one of very few articles that has shown perineural invasion to be an independent prognostic factor for both progression-free survival and overall survival in cutaneous melanomas. As a consequence, this parameter should become a mandatory feature in the histopathological evaluation of cutaneous melanomas as it can improve the identification of patients who are at high risk for disease progression.

Proposal for Promotion of the Solar Photovoltaic Power Industry in Korea

This paper focuses on the crucial role of solar power generation in addressing global warming. It examines South Korea's solar technology, which demonstrates high proficiency at approximately 90% (EU standard) and outperforms the EU in system operation and maintenance. Despite China's lower technological score (87.5%), its competitive pricing has led to an increase in the market share of Chinese products, eroding South Korea's competitiveness. The research identifies cost issues compared to coal and explores avenues for improvement, particularly in direct and indirect cost aspects. In the direct cost domain, proposals include establishing solar cell production facilities in countries with low labor costs and favorable tax incentives to reduce equipment costs. In the indirect cost domain, suggestions involve leveraging building-integrated solar and unused land to cut permit and financial expenses. The paper highlights reasons for the inadequate adoption of building-integrated solar in South Korea, such as mortgage issues, pricing constraints due to the System Marginal Price (SMP) system, and the limited deployment of microgrids. Emphasis is placed on the activation of microgrids, introducing new transaction methods and promoting efficient power transactions through infrastructure. These efforts are expected to lead to the sustained growth of the solar power generation industry in the future.

Marine Pollution and Waste Management

Water covers more than 70% of the surface of the globe. The ocean, which is amazing and significantly controls the world's climate, also has a hidden crisis, namely marine pollution. In the modern world, marine pollution is becoming a bigger issue. Article 1 (1) (4) of UNCLOS : says that “Pollution of the marine environment” means the introduction by man, directly or indirectly, of substances or energy into the marine environment, including estuaries, which results or is likely to result in such deleterious effects as harm to living resources and marine life, hazards to human health, a hindrance to marine activities, including fishing and other legitimate uses of the sea, impairment of quality for use of seawater and reduction of amenities”. Chemicals and garbage, most of which originate on land and are blown or carried into the water, are the two main components of marine pollution. Marine pollution, caused by human activities like improper disposal, shipping, and overfishing, harms ecology, health, and global economic institutions. Solutions include international agreements, sustainable fishing, improved waste disposal, and raising awareness. Education-based campaigns have the power to inspire citizens, groups, and governments to action. The legislative reforms and sustainable practices are significantly aided by environmental organizations and advocacy groups. The government has made several notable efforts, such as the plastic ban, marine protected areas, clean-up programs, and environmentally friendly fishing. Several countries have enacted plastic bags, which have significantly reduced the amount of plastic pollution, while the ocean may not be affected. Creating marine protected zones helps safeguard biodiversity and gives damaged ecosystems a place to recover. This article gives a general overview of the complex issue of marine pollution and shows how important it is to have efficient waste management plans. It investigates diverse marine pollution types and causes, emphasizing the dangers it poses, such as biodiversity loss, potential health hazards for humans, and significant financial expenses.

Pelatihan Singkat Servis Motor Bagi Siswa SMA Islam As Saadah Setu Tangerang Selatan

Motorized vehicles, especially motorbikes, have now become daily necessities, no longer classified as luxury goods. Due to the high level of need, almost every family has one motorbike, maybe even more than one. Motor vehicles are simple forms of transportation, can be driven in residential areas, both urban and rural, and the operational costs are relatively affordable for most groups. Current developments in motorbike design allow riders from young to old. Data shows that demand and use of motorbikes continues to increase. According to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), in 2022 the number of vehicles in Indonesia will reach 148,212,865. The number of private vehicles in Indonesia is still dominated by motorbikes with a figure of 125,267,349 units (almost 85% of which are dominated by motorbikes). With the rapid increase in the number of motorized vehicles, many workshops and repairs have emerged, both large and small, official and unofficial workshops. The problems that arise are due to busyness, laziness or lack of knowledge and skills, so motorbike servicing is carried out at a repair shop. Especially for young people and students, who only like riding motorbikes, don't care about the condition of the motorbike, and don't learn how to service it even to repair minor damage. This will benefit the workshop. In fact, you should be able to save money if you can repair it yourself. It can even be detrimental if it is serviced by an irresponsible illegal workshop. From the results of surveys and observations at the Assa'adah Islamic Boarding School, South Tangerang, almost all students are unable to service their motorbikes themselves. Therefore, the team of Mechanical Engineering Lecturers at Pamulang University offers motorbike service training for students with the aim of giving them knowledge and skills in servicing motorbikes. Armed with this knowledge and skills, it is hoped that motorbike maintenance and if damage occurs, you can do it yourself, you don't need to take it to a repair shop. At least with this knowledge and skills, you can save financial expenses, and even the knowledge and skills obtained can become provisions for opening a motorbike service business in the future. The training offered is packaged in the form of Community Service (PKM) as one of the elements of the Tridharma of Higher Education. A short training method will be given in theory about motorbike service and maintenance, and practical motorbike service and maintenance will be carried out.

South African flag sign: A Red Flag in ECG

A method is developed to allow cardiologists to find changes in the blood flow rate in larger coronary arteries, caused by the appearance of their pathological tortuosity, and a hemodynamic significance of those changes based on the data taken from the appropriate coronarographies only. This method is based on replacement of blood flows in the originally healthy and subsequently pathologically tortuous artery with the corresponding averaged ones, and subsequent calculation of flow characteristics of interest in terms of the corresponding averaged flow characteristics. It allows one not to take account of a number of identical factors for the originally healthy and subsequently pathologically tortuous segment of the investigated artery, and gives one the possibility to determine the flow parameters of concern at any time after carrying out a coronarography. In addition, it is not associated with solving complicated technical problems, and does not require special facility to be used, special professional training and significant financial and temporal expenses. The method was successfully tested in-vitro and then applied to appropriate patients. It was found that the hemodynamic significance of the tortuosity generally increases/decreases as the number of the tortuosity arcs increases/decreases. Also, strong correlation between fundamental geometric and hemodynamic characteristics of the tortuosity and basic clinical indicators of the corresponding patients was established. This suggests a strong independent influence of the tortuosity on the clinical symptoms of the corresponding patients. The critical values for the number of the tortuosity arcs, the relative blood flow rate loss and the rate of angina.

The Impact of Financial Technology Expenditures on Attracting Deposits and Investing Funds: An Applied Study on Jordanian Islamic Banks

Purpose: The study aims to demonstrate the impact of financial technology expenses on attracting deposits and utilizing funds within Jordanian Islamic banks. Method/design/approach: To achieve this, the researchers used a descriptive-analytical approach to describe the phenomenon of financial technology expenses from 2016 to 2022, and to analyze its effect on deposit attraction and fund utilization in the relevant banks. Results and conclusion: The study's results indicated a tangible and positive impact of financial technology expenses on deposit attraction in Jordanian Islamic banks during the studied period. Additionally, the results also demonstrate a positive effect of financial technology expenses on the volume of funding and investment in Jordanian Islamic banks during the studied period. Statistical analysis revealed that these results have statistical significance, suggesting that financial technology expenses have a strong and tangible impact on deposit attraction and fund utilization in Jordanian Islamic banks. Research implications: The study results suggest that upcoming research could delve into the policy implications, for bodies to back fin.tech integration in Jordan's banking industry. Subsequent inquiries could examine customer behavior risk management approaches and the lasting viability of fin.tech investments. Moreover conducting studies across regions and pinpointing future research avenues are essential to enhance comprehension of how fin.tech influences deposit attraction and fund utilization, in Islamic banks. Originality/value: The Significance of this research lie, in its investigation of the effects of fintech spending on banks in Jordan shedding light on the merging realms of Islamic finance and contemporary technology. The results offer advice for decision makers, banking leaders and scholars striving to boost the efficiency and competitiveness of banking, in Jordan and other regions.

Evaluation of historical rainfall series for rainwater capture in the city of Teófilo Otoni/MG

This study aimed to evaluate the linear correlation between data from four rainfall stations for the design of a rainwater harvesting system for non-potable purposes in a municipal public school in Teófilo Otoni, MG. First, a cartographic study was carried out using a geographic information system environment in order to generate a map with the rainfall stations and the school where the collection system was designed. Next, an attempt was made to assess the availability of data present at the stations and compare them using linear regression. Finally, the design of the rainwater harvesting system for the school was carried out. The results of the linear correlation indicate that the four stations can be used in the sizing of the system. Finally, the implementation of the system can contribute to the reduction of water consumption and, consequently, financial expenses.

Hierarchical-stochastic model predictive control for a grid-interactive multi-zone residential building with distributed energy resources

Using Model Predictive Control (MPC) is a promising method for enabling grid-interactive efficient buildings. Since MPC relies on a building model and the forecasts of external disturbances to derive optimal inputs, the uncertainties due to forecast errors and model inaccuracies can deteriorate the control performance. Most existing MPC studies for the built environment are deterministic MPC without consideration of uncertainties even though several different methods (e.g., stochastic MPC) are available in the literature to deal with them. Even studies that consider forecast uncertainties often neglect model inaccuracies. Hence, in the present paper, a novel hierarchical-stochastic MPC is proposed considering forecast uncertainties and model inaccuracies, and its performance is compared with deterministic, stochastic, and hierarchical MPC for power management in a residential building with distributed energy resources. The control objective is the cost-optimal scheduling of a heat pump, a battery for energy storage, and a rooftop photovoltaic system. Measurement data is used to identify the building model. The results for one-week simulation in winter show that (1) the deterministic MPC results in an unacceptable level of temperature constraint violations in two out of five rooms; (2) the hierarchical MPC can reduce the temperature constraint violations to an acceptable level at the expense of increased cost; (3) the stochastic MPC achieves the same reduction in temperature constraint violations as the hierarchical MPC but at slightly lower costs; and (4) the new proposed hierarchical-stochastic MPC results in both lower temperature constraint violations and lower financial expenses than the use of stochastic or hierarchical MPC individually.