High Level Of Utilization Research Articles

Use of an Opt-Out vs Opt-In Strategy Increases Use of Residency Mental Health Services.

Background Residents report high levels of distress but low utilization of mental health services. Prior research has shown several barriers that prevent residents from opting into available mental health services. Objective To determine the impact of a mental health initiative centered around an opt-out versus an opt-in approach to help-seeking, on the use of psychotherapy. Methods Resident use of psychotherapy was compared between 2 time frames. During the first time frame (July 1, 2020 to January 31, 2021), residents were offered access to therapy that they could self-initiate by calling to schedule an appointment (opt-in). The second time frame (February 1, 2021 to April 30, 2021) involved the switch to an opt-out structure, during which the same residents were scheduled for a session but could choose to cancel. Additional changes were implemented to reduce stigma and minimize barriers. The outcome was psychotherapy use by residents. Results Of the 114 residents, 7 (6%) self-initiated therapy during the opt-in period. When these same residents were placed in an opt-out context, 59 of the remaining 107 residents (55%) kept their initial appointment, and 23 (39%) self-initiated additional sessions. Altogether, across both phases, a total of 30 of the 114 residents initiated therapy (ie, 7 during the opt-in and 23 during the opt-out). The differences in therapy use between the 2 phases are statistically significant (P<.001 by McNemar's test). Conclusions There was a substantial increase in residents' use of psychotherapy after the opt-out initiative that included efforts to reduce stigma and encourage mental health services.

ANALISIS PEMANFAATAN DIGITAL MARKETING SEBAGAI MEDIA PEMASARAN PRODUK (STUDI PADA USAHA KULINER YANG BERMITRA DENGAN APLIKASI JASA TRANSPORTASI ONLINE DI KOTA KENDARI)

This study aims to analyze the extent to which digital marketing is utilized and its correlation with business characteristics and actors in the culinary industry that partner with online transportation service providers in Kendari City. The study population consists of 220 culinary businesses that partner with the Grab online transportation service application in Kendari City. The sample was selected using a simple random sampling technique. The sample size of 42 was determined using the Slovin formula with an error rate of 15%. The study employed a quantitative approach, and data analysis was conducted using descriptive analysis, Chi Square test, and contingency correlation test. The study revealed that only 30 culinary businesses in Kendari City, which partnered with online transportation service applications, utilized digital marketing as a marketing medium. Among them, only 12 businesses had a high level of utilization. The Chi Square analysis results indicate a weak relationship between the level of utilization of digital marketing and turnover characteristics of business. Business characteristics and business actors were found to have a relationship with the level of utilization of digital marketing.

The Influence of Resources on Competitive Advantage through Clustering in Printing Companies in JABODETABEK

Flexible packaging is the most widely consumed packaging material in the Indonesian packaging industry, estimated to reach 43.8% by 2024. This research aims to present a conceptual framework and understanding for MSME printing companies in Jabodetabek to achieve competitive advantage through clustering using limited assets capacity, intellectual capital, and innovative capabilities based on a review of relevant literature and integrated through existing theory. The analysis results are based on 32 questionnaires collected from MSME printing companies in Jabodetabek. This research was tested using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test the conceptual framework empirically. The research results show that capacity-constrained assets have a direct effect on clustering and do not affect competitive advantage but indirectly affect competitive advantage mediated by clustering. Intellectual capital does not directly influence competitive advantage and clustering, but indirectly influences competitive advantage mediated by clustering. Innovative capability has a direct effect on competitive advantage and clustering but indirectly has no effect on competitive advantage mediated by clustering. Clustering directly affects competitive advantage. Therefore, with the emergence of many new printing machines, ease of interaction with printers receiving print processing services, and the high level of utilization of business services from the internet, clustering can be implemented so that MSME printing companies in Jabodetabek can achieve competitive profits.

Acceptability and Perceived Utility of Virtual Reality Among People Who Are Incarcerated Who Use Drugs.

People who are incarcerated are at heightened risk of overdose upon community reentry. Virtual reality (VR) may provide an innovative tool for overdose prevention intervention in corrections facilities. This mixed methods study sought to understand incarcerated individuals' perspectives on VR for overdose prevention and explore physiological arousal associated with use of VR equipment. Study participants were 20 individuals, stratified by gender, with an opioid use disorder at a county jail. Qualitative interviews assessed acceptability and perceived utility of VR in the jail setting. Thematic analysis indicated high levels of acceptability and potential utility in the following areas: (a) mental health and substance use interventions, (b) community reentry skills training, and (c) communication and conflict resolution skills. Heart rate variability (HRV) data were collected continuously during the interview and during VR exposure to explore whether exposure to the VR environment provoked arousal. Physiological data analyses showed a significant decrease in heart rate (HR) [b = -3.14, t(18) = -3.85, p < .01] and no arousal as measured by root mean square of successive RR interval differences (RMSSD) [b = -0.06, t(18) = -1.06, p = .30] and high frequency-HRV (HF-HRV) [b = -0.21, t(18) = -1.71, p = .10]. This study demonstrated high acceptability and decreased HR response of VR among incarcerated people who use drugs.

Choosing Wisely: Applying Value-Based Economic Principles to Population Science Research Investment.

Scientific research requires a substantial investment of time, effort, and money by researchers and funders. The funding that would be needed for all meritorious proposals far exceeds available resources. Major funding organizations use a multistep process for allocating research dollars that follows and extends beyond scientific peer review with considerations including mission priority, budget, and potential duplication of past or ongoing research activities. At the level of programmatic review, the process tends to be less proscribed than scientific review, but considerations relate to and are akin to basic value-driven economic principles. We propose a framework that encompasses the elements of programmatic review and provide examples of how the economic principles of opportunity costs, diminishing marginal productivity, sunk costs, economic optimization, return on investment, and option value apply to both research planning and funding decisions. Examples use cancer control population science research, as the nature of observational and interventional research involves large population studies (large sample size, recruitment, and often long-duration follow-up costs) which demand a high level of resource utilization; the same principles can be applied throughout medical and population health research. Awareness of the aspects of programmatic review and context to focus discussion regarding funding decisions may help guide research planning, decision-making, and increase transparency of the overall review process.

Smart performance optimization of energy‐aware scheduling model for resource sharing in 5G green communication systems

AbstractThis paper presents an analysis of the performance of the Energy Aware Scheduling Algorithm (EASA) in a 5G green communication system. 5G green communication systems rely on EASA to manage resource sharing. The aim of the proposed model is to improve the efficiency and energy consumption of resource sharing in 5G green communication systems. The main objective is to address the challenges of achieving optimal resource utilization and minimizing energy consumption in these systems. To achieve this goal, the study proposes a novel energy‐aware scheduling model that takes into consideration the specific characteristics of 5G green communication systems. This model incorporates intelligent techniques for optimizing resource allocation and scheduling decisions, while also considering energy consumption constraints. The methodology used involves a combination of mathematical analysis and simulation studies. The mathematical analysis is used to formulate the optimization problem and design the scheduling model, while the simulations are used to evaluate its performance in various scenarios. The proposed EASM reached a 91.58% false discovery rate, a 64.33% false omission rate, a 90.62% prevalence threshold, and a 91.23% critical success index. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed model in terms of reducing energy consumption while maintaining a high level of resource utilization.

Investigation of the Current Situations Desired Conditions, and Essential Requirements for Participation in the Quality Assurance Processes of Small Schools Under the Office of the Basic Education Commission

The objective of this study is twofold: 1) To examine the current situations, desired conditions, and requirements for participation in quality assurance efforts of small schools under the Office of the Basic Education Commission. 2) To explore developmental guidelines for enhancing the quality assurance practices of these educational institutions. The research methodology involved: 1) surveying to assess the current situations, desired conditions, and essential requirements; and 2) investigating development guidelines embedded in the working processes of three schools with the best educational assurance practices. The sample groups included 385 persons who were school administrators and teachers. Research tools included a survey form, interview forms, and an assessment form, which was verified and approved by nine qualified individuals. Data analysis involved content validation and factor analysis. The statistics also indicated the correctness, appropriateness, feasibility, and utility of the information. The statistical techniques used in the research included basic statistics and the analysis of essential requirements. The findings of the study revealed the following:&#x0D; &#x0D; 1) The current situation of the participation in educational quality assurance efforts of the small schools was rated at a moderate level, with the highest level of the desired conditions. An area of the requirements that was rated with the highest score of development priority was active participation in quality assurance.&#x0D; &#x0D; 2) The developmental guidelines for quality assurance practices in educational institutions encompassed five domains with a total of 16 strategies. The experts&amp;rsquo; evaluation of these domains indicated a high level of accuracy, while appropriateness, feasibility, and utility were scored at the highest level.

The Relationship of Utilization of Digital Payment and Customer Satisfaction among DepEd Employees in Digos City

The research explored the relationship between digital payment utilization and customer satisfaction among DepEd employees in Digos City, with a specific focus on GCash services. It employs a descriptive-correlational design, analyzing responses from 100 DepEd employees to understand this dynamic. The findings indicate a high level of digital payment utilization and customer satisfaction, suggesting that digital payment methods are well-integrated and appreciated by the employees. A significant correlation exists between the frequency of digital payment use and customer satisfaction levels. This emphasizes the need for improved digital payment systems to enhance user experience and security. For instance, simplifying the transactional procedures, enhancing technical protection measures, and increasing the extent of digital payment use are identified as significant predictors of customer satisfaction, highlighting areas for potential improvement to increase satisfaction. The study underscores the importance of continuous innovation in digital payment systems to meet user needs and enhance satisfaction. The implications are particularly relevant for educational institutions transitioning to digital payments, as they can benefit from a more streamlined and secure payment process. The research recommends focusing on transactional efficiency, technical protection, and perceived benefits to improve user satisfaction and adoption rates. By addressing these areas, institutions can ensure that their digital payment systems are more user-friendly and secure, thereby increasing overall satisfaction and adoption. This study highlights the critical role of digital payment systems in modernizing financial transactions within educational institutions. Continuous improvement and innovation in these systems are essential to maintain high levels of user satisfaction and to support the broader adoption of digital payments.

ASSESSMENT OF BROADCAST JOURNALISTS’ KNOWLEDGE AND UTILIZATION OF DIGITAL BROADCAST EQUIPMENT: A CASE STUDY OF DELTA BROADCASTING SERVICE, ASABA

In November 2017, the Delta State government commissioned the digital radio and TV studio of the Delta Broadcasting Service in Asaba. The implication of this is that the analogue equipment in the station will have to gradually give way to the digital ones. Although the government of Delta State has not provided sufficient digital broadcast facilities for the broadcast journalists, it is expected that practicing journalists will become knowledgeable and key into the new development by learning the use of the digital broadcast equipment, regardless of the government provisions. Hence, the study interrogated the level of knowledge and utilization of digital broadcast equipment and also the challenges facing the use of digital broadcast equipment among broadcast journalists in Delta State Broadcasting Service. Four major variables, namely, knowledge, utilization, challenges, and solutions, were placed under scrutiny using the census sampling procedure of a survey to examine 100 respondents spread across two departments in DBS, Asaba. The study found, amongst many other things, that there is a high level of knowledge and utilization among journalists in DBS, Asaba, as regards digital broadcast equipment, while inadequate skilled manpower, funds, training, and equipment were the major challenges facing the use of digital equipment in the station. The study therefore recommended that there is a need to intensify training and retraining of digital broadcast journalists and that the government and well-meaning people of Delta prioritize the funding of digital equipment at the station.

Users’ Access, Utilization, and Satisfaction with Library Resources, Services, and Facilities in a Selected Academic Library

The study sought to evaluate the status of access, utilization, and satisfaction with the library resources, services, and facilities. Likewise, it ascertained if utilization has a significant relationship with satisfaction. A sample size of 351, representing 20% of the population, was selected through random sampling. The respondents were the 31 faculty members and 320 students who have visited the library. An online survey using a Google Form questionnaire was used. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean score, and Pearson's r. The study results showed that almost all faculty and student respondents have accessed the library's resources, services, and facilities. This effort resulted in a very high utilization and satisfaction level. Notedly, faculty members visit the library, avail varied services, and utilize resources in various formats as their primary tool, particularly in developing their course outline, preparing lectures, searching a topic for giving assignments/projects, preparing handouts for students, looking for supplementary reading material and knowing the variety of material available in the library to guide students. The library's high utilization and satisfaction rating create an excellent reputation attributed to its good service philosophy, relevant and appropriate physical set-up, and sufficient collection in quantity, depth, diversity, format, and currency to support the research and teaching mission of the institution.

JIRIAF: JLAB Integrated Research Infrastructure Across Facilities

The JIRIAF project aims to combine geographically diverse computing facilities into an integrated science infrastructure. This project starts by dynamically evaluating temporarily unallocated or idled compute resources from multiple providers. These resources are integrated to handle additional workloads without affecting local running jobs. This paper describes our approach to launch best-effort batch tasks that exploit these underutilized resources. Our system measures the real-time behavior of jobs running on a machine and learns to distinguish typical performance from outliers. Unsupervised ML techniques are used to analyze hardware-level performance measures, followed by a real-time crosscorrelation analysis to determine which applications cause performance degradation. We then facilitate bad behavior by throttling these processes. We demonstrate that problematic performance interference can be detected and acted on, which makes it possible to continue to share resources between applications and simultaneously maintain high utilization levels in a computing cluster. For a case study, we relocated the CLAS12 data processing workflow to a remote data processing facility, preventing file migration and temporal data persistency.

Understanding How Anion Exchange Membranes and Cationic Polymer/Catalyst Interactions Behave with Time in Alkaline Electrolysis

We are leveraging our existing success with anion exchange membranes (AEM) to develop new highly stable and highly conductive membranes and ionomers for AEM electrolysis. Our novel and scalable tri-block co-polymers ABA or BAB, where the A block can be functionalized with an advanced chemically stable cation and the B block is an unsaturated polymer that when hydrogenated results in high anion conduction membranes with exceptional mechanical strength and durability analogous to polyethylene (PE). We have also developed a novel immobilization technology for processable catalyst inks. Synergistically the A and B block lengths and chemistries are tuned to achieve all the properties desirable for an anion exchange membrane for electrolyzer applications. Random polymers of the same A and B chemistries can also be formulated for additional fidelity in chemically compatible ionomers for the membrane electrode assemblies (MEA). These systems are unique in that they achieve very high dissociation of anions beyond OH-, giving CO3 2- σ<100 mS cm-1 ca. 60°C and enhanced chemical stability as the water is separated from the high MW polyethylene backbone that additionally gives the materials unprecedented strength. This will allow us to fabricate thinner membranes for long durability pressure differentiated operation. Because of the unusual and exceptional CO3 2- conductivity that we have designed into our membrane, we are able to optimize these for a carbonate electrolyte electrolyzer. While we lose a 100 mV in activity compared to operation in OH-, the advantages including high current densities enabled by our novel membrane outweigh that disadvantage. Chemical stability of the membrane is not a concern, and the system is less complicated as we do not need to use expensive components to protect against caustic corrosion or protect the hydroxide electrolyte from carbon dioxide present in air to avoid its inevitable conversion to CO3 2-.Not all proposed AEM polymer chemistries are scalable, many involve too many synthetic steps, suffer from low overall yields, and are highly exothermic reactions (thus only safely executed on a small scale), or do not produce sufficiently high molecular weight for film formation. The polymer systems proposed here have already been demonstrated on the 1 kg scale. This novel AEM intellectual property, jointly invented by Mines and UMass, has been licensed to Spark Ionix who are commercializing an early version of this polymer technology. The next generation of tailored polymers proposed are increasingly robust, scalable, efficient and more amenable to high volume manufacture to produce inexpensive hydrocarbon polymer membranes for use in electrolyzers. The block lengths, overall molecular weight and chemistries are completely tunable to fabricate AEMs with all desired properties or compatible ionomer chemistries that allow high levels of catalyst utilization, through both ionic conductivity and chemical transport. We have been investigating this polymer system in 1M K2CO3 at 50°C with great success and have shown good performance and durability in 5cm2cells. We are developing the system for >60°C and 25 cm2 cells. We have begun to understand the science behind ionomer catalyst interactions and initially used a commercial Ag nano-catalyst as a model system. Few ave studied the effect of ionomer chemistry and catalyst or catalyst type and loadings on performance. We have shown durability of > 600 h at 0.5 A cm-2 and continue to see improvements. It should be noted that the voltage is dropping in theses tests, at end of test at –ve 60 µV h-1 is achieved, while this may be interpreted as evidence of membrane thinning when the cell was dissembled the membrane thickness was ca. the same as at the beginning of test (80 µm), indicating slow, but long term conditioning, the cell did not reach the point at which a +ve degradation rate was observed. Further investigation of cell conditioning indicated that these cells currently take 40-50 hs under load to reach steady state operation (this break in time will be understood and significantly shortened) giving 400MV improvement at 1 A cm-2. With a MnO2 catalyst the voltage at 0.5 A cm-2drops to 1.5 V indicating that the target of 2 A cm-2 at 1.8 V will be easily achieved with further investigation.

Prescription medication use during pregnancy in the United States from 2011 to 2020: trends and safety evidence

Medication use during pregnancy has increased in the United States despite the lack of safety data for many medications. This study aimed to inform research priorities by examining trends in medication use during pregnancy and identifying gaps in safety information on the most commonly prescribed medications. We identified population-based cohorts of commercially (MarketScan 2011-2020) and publicly (Medicaid Analytic eXtract/Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System Analytic Files 2011-2018) insured pregnancies ending in live birth from 2 health care utilization databases. Medication use was based on filled prescriptions between the date of last menstrual period through delivery, as well as the period before the last menstrual period and during specific trimesters. We also included a cross-sectional representative sample of pregnancies ascertained by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2011-2020), with information on prescription medication use during the preceding month obtained through maternal interviews. Teratogen Information System was used to classify the available evidence on teratogenic risk. Among over 3 million pregnancies, the medications most commonly dispensed at any time during pregnancy were analgesics, antibiotics, and antiemetics. The top medications were ondansetron (16.8%), amoxicillin (13.5%), and azithromycin (12.4%) in MarketScan, nitrofurantoin (22.2%), acetaminophen (21.3%; mostly as part of acetaminophen-hydrocodone products), and ondansetron (19.5%) in Medicaid Analytic eXtract/Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System Analytic Files, and levothyroxine (5.0%), sertraline (2.9%), and insulin (2.9%) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey group. The most commonly dispensed suspected teratogens during the first trimester were antithyroid medications. The use of antidiabetic and psychotropic medications has continued to increase in the United States during the last decade, opioid dispensation has decreased by half, and antibiotics and antiemetics continue to be common. For one-quarter of medications, there is insufficient evidence available to characterize their safety profile in pregnancy. There is a need for more drug research in pregnant patients. Future research should focus on anti-infectives with high utilization and limited level of evidence on safety for use during pregnancy. Although lack of evidence is not evidence of safety concerns, it does not indicate risk either. In many instances, the benefits outweigh the risks when these medications are used clinically, and some of the medications with no proven safety may be necessary to treat patients.

The Position of the Archipelagic Sea Lanes in the Makassar Strait Interregional Zoning Plan Policy

Objective: This study aims to analyze the position of archipelagic sea lanes in the Makassar Strait RZKAW. Theoritical Framework: Archipelagic sea lanes are waters that exist only in island states and are used for ship transport. Island countries that have ratified UNCLOS 1982 are required to implement their archipelagic sea lanes in legislation in order to determine the sea lanes that ships can pass through and flight routes over the sea by determining the axes to be included on maps and reported to the International Maritime Organization, so that they can be used for ships passing through the country's jurisdiction. The RZKAW is used to create plans for the use of marine space in inter-regional areas. Methods: This study uses a qualitative approach and emphasizes more on normative and empirical aspects. Results and Conclusion: The results of the study show that the responsibility of the State of Indonesia in utilizing archipelagic sea lanes with the existence of RZKAW refers to the provisions of previous legislation. RZKAW will provide space for the community to access state assets based on permits granted by the government and synchronized with development. In the future it will become an important water area, due to the high level of space utilization and multisectoral interests. There are different interests in the Makassar Strait, the regulations used for sea space are different. Similarly, agencies that conduct surveillance on marine space are also different. In order to anticipate conflicts of authority and disharmony in marine space regulations at RZKAW, the Maritime Security Agency (Bakamla) can take on the role of coordinator of security and safety patrols at sea. The study recommends integrated supervision in the utilization of archipelagic sea lanes in Indonesia's Makassar Strait. Imlication of the research: If Indonesia's capital city moves to East Kalimantan, the Makassar Strait will become an important water area, with higher space utilization and more multi-sectoral interests, necessitating effective and efficient supervision of AlKI II.

Gap between awareness and practices of cosmeceuticals among young adults of Panjab University

Background: Cosmeceuticals are cosmetic products that contain bioactive ingredients with pharmaceutical properties. These products are designed to improve skin health and appearance by providing functional benefits beyond traditional cosmetics. However, there exists a noticeable gap between the awareness of these specialized formulations and their practical application by consumers. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted among 171 students. The data was collected by conducting personal interviews using an interview /survey schedule designed specifically for this study. Descriptive and analytical statistics were utilized to get the necessary results. Results: The study included 171 participants, with (24.6%) males and (75.4%) females. Notably, a high level of awareness (100%) and utilization (60.8%) was observed for essential skincare products where females tend to use cosmeceuticals more frequently. Also, the cleansers (100%), moisturizers (100%), and sunscreen (100%) were most valued and were daily incorporated into skincare routines. Conclusions: The findings revealed the prevalence of cosmeceutical awareness and usage, with cleansers, moisturizers, and sunscreen being the most recognized and adopted products. However, a notable gender discrepancy in the usage of certain products suggests variations in preferences and concerns among males and females. Overall, this research contributes to the understanding of cosmeceutical usage patterns, and knowledge gaps. Future efforts should focus on exploring these gaps and promoting responsible and well-informed consumer practices, ultimately fostering a healthier approach to skincare and cosmeceutical products.

Fundamental Study for High-level Utilization of Concrete Blocks Made from Fresh Ready-mixed Concrete Waste

Fundamental Study for High-level Utilization of Concrete Blocks Made from Fresh Ready-mixed Concrete Waste

Elucidating the impact of bacterial lipases, human serum albumin, and FASII inhibition on the utilization of exogenous fatty acids by Staphylococcus aureus.

Incorporation of host-derived exogenous fatty acids (eFAs), particularly unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), by Staphylococcus aureus could affect the bacterial membrane fluidity and susceptibility to antimicrobials. In this work, we found that glycerol ester hydrolase (Geh) is the primary lipase hydrolyzing cholesteryl esters and, to a lesser extent, triglycerides and that human serum albumin (HSA) could serve as a buffer of eFAs, where low levels of HSA facilitate the utilization of eFAs but high levels of HSA inhibit it. The fact that the type II fatty acid synthesis (FASII) inhibitor, AFN-1252, leads to an increase in UFA content even in the absence of eFA suggests that membrane property modulation is part of its mechanism of action. Thus, Geh and/or the FASII system look to be promising targets to enhance S. aureus killing in a host environment by restricting eFA utilization or modulating membrane properties, respectively.

Assessing the Utilization and User Satisfaction of Health Information Management and Record Systems in Saudi Health Centers

Health information management and record systems have become increasingly digitized and integrated across healthcare settings globally. However, implementation and adoption of these systems varies between countries and regions. This study aimed to assess the utilization and user satisfaction of existing health information management and record systems within primary healthcare centers in Saudi Arabia. An electronic survey was distributed to physicians, nurses and administrative staff at 10 randomly selected primary health centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The survey collected data on demographics, frequency and purpose of system use, perceived ease of use, usefulness and overall satisfaction. A total of 145 surveys were completed. Results showed moderate to high levels of utilization across job roles for administrative and clinical tasks. Ease of use, usefulness and overall satisfaction scores were moderately positive. Areas for improvement were also identified. This study provides valuable insight into adoption rates and user perceptions of digital health systems in Saudi primary care that can inform future optimization and implementation efforts.

The Greater Midlands—A Mid-Elevation Centre of Floristic Endemism in Summer-Rainfall Eastern South Africa

The Midlands region of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Province in South Africa was hitherto a putative centre of floristic endemism (CFE) based on conjecture. The aim of this study was to empirically explore this concept by delineating unambiguous boundaries for this CFE and documenting the endemic spermatophytes within a conservation framework. The Greater Midlands Centre of Floristic Endemism (GMCFE), a more expanded study area than the parochial Midlands region of KZN, is formally described as southern Africa’s 20th CFE. It is a mid-elevation region occupying the greater Midlands of KZN, with extensions of contiguous grasslands extending northwards into southern Mpumalanga and southwards into north-eastern Eastern Cape. This “foothills” CFE covers ca. 77,000 km2 of predominantly mesic C4 grassland, ranging in elevation from ca. 700–2200 m a.s.l. It is congruent with the “sub-escarpment ecoregion,” essentially a composite of the Sub-escarpment Grassland and Savanna Bioregions and the sub-escarpment grasslands of southern Mpumalanga and northern KZN. The GMCFE hosts at least 220 endemic spermatophytes, of which almost a fifth belong to the family Apocynaceae. Families Asteraceae, Asphodelaceae, Fabaceae, and Iridaceae also contribute significantly. Genera Ceropegia, Aloe, Dierama, Kniphofia, Helichrysum, and Streptocarpus contribute the most endemics. More than half are forbs, and almost three-quarters are confined to the Grassland Biome. Endemic radiations are attributed to geodiversity and geological complexity (especially the strong lithological influence of dolerite); physiographic heterogeneity (particularly elevation gradients and variable terrain units); strategic proximity to hyper-diverse temperate and subtropical “border floras”; and localized pollinator-driven adaptive radiations. Of alarming concern is the high number of threatened plant taxa, with ca. 60% of the endemic flora Red Listed in threat categories (CE, E, and VU) or considered “rare”. Extremely low levels of formal protection and poor ecological connectivity, coupled with high levels of land transformation and intensive utilization, render the GMCFE one of the most imperilled CFE in South Africa. Urgent conservation action is required to safeguard this unique and highly threatened “rangeland flora” and stem the biodiversity crisis gripping the region.

Optimizing Algerian Company’s Delivery Fleet with Agent_Based Model in Anylogic

Abstract The utilization of simulation modelling in supply chain management has proven to be a valuable tool for logistics service providers, enabling them to optimize their operations and meet customer demands efficiently. AnyLogic, with its diverse capabilities in discrete event simulation, system dynamics, and agent-based simulation, stands out as a powerful software solution for tackling complex supply chain challenges. This paper significantly contributes by demonstrating the practical implementation of AnyLogic in the modelling and simulation of agro-food product distribution network, particularly vegetable oils from the Cevital group. Additionally, the study integrates an optimization experiment to ascertain the optimal number of vehicles required to meet a specific customer demand while ensuring a high level of fleet utilization. The obtained results are very encouraging and demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of our approach.