Investment In Equipment Research Articles

Perceptions and feelings of nursing professionals in a hospital in Northern Brazil in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic

The covid-19 pandemic had a significant impact on nursing care processes in hospitals, due to the high transmissibility of the virus and the congestion of health care networks. This study sought to assess the perception and feelings of the nursing team in relation to coping with the covid-19 pandemic in a rear hospital in Boa Vista, Roraima, between March 2020 and March 2021. a sample of employees who worked in the care ward for patients with covid-19, using semi-structured questionnaires. The results showed that nursing professionals faced negative and challenging feelings at the beginning of the covid-19 pandemic, such as insecurity, fear, sadness and uncertainty. The lack of favorable investments in nursing care, especially PPE, was a major reported problem. It was found that the hospital's infrastructure and the underestimation of the risk of contagion by the new virus permeated the feelings of the evaluated employees. It is concluded that it is of vital importance to guarantee the safety and well-being of nursing professionals, through investments in protective equipment and adequate hospital infrastructure, thus offering greater quality in the assistance and protection of health workers. In addition, it is necessary to take care of workers' health in all circumstances, recognizing their importance in society and ensuring that they are prepared to face future challenges.

War at Sea: Burn Care Challenges—Past, Present and Future

Throughout history, seafarers have been exposed to potential thermal injuries during naval warfare; however, injury prevention, including advances in personal protective equipment, has saved lives. Thankfully, burn injuries have decreased over time, which has resulted in a significant clinical skills gap. Ships with only Role 1 (no surgical capability) assets have worse outcomes after burn injury compared to those with Role 2 (surgical capability) assets. To prepare for future burn care challenges during a war at sea, Military Medicine must re-learn the lessons of World War I and World War II. Burn injuries do not occur in isolation during war and are associated with concomitant traumatic injuries. To care for burn casualties at sea, there is an urgent need to increase the availability of whole blood and dried plasma, resuscitation fluids that were ubiquitous throughout the naval force during World War II for both hemorrhagic and burn shock resuscitation. Furthermore, those providing trauma care at sea require formal burn care training and skills sustainment experiences in the clinical management of Burn, Trauma, and Critical Care patients. While burn education, training, and experience must be improved, modern high-energy weapons systems and anti-ship ballistic missiles necessitate concurrent investments in prevention, countermeasures, and personal protective equipment to decrease the likelihood of burn injury and damage resulting from these attacks.

Unveiling the Pathways to Sustainable Lobster Industry Development: A Comprehensive Case Study of Sawarna Village, Banten Province

This research aims to analyze the challenges in implementing sustainable business practices at Lobstamasta, a lobster industry company in Sawarna village, Banten. This research uses a qualitative method approach by interview to analyze the challenges in implementing sustainable business practices at Lobstamasta. The interview method is used to obtain an in-depth understanding of stakeholders, while questionnaires are used to collect large amounts of data. The findings of this research show that there are various main obstacles, including lack of commitment, limited resources, and limited understanding. The implication of this research is the need for corrective measures, such as increasing employee awareness through education, better allocation of financial resources, and strengthening sustainability policies. Close collaboration between government, entrepreneurs and communities is also needed to create an environment that supports and accelerates the process of sustainable lobster cultivation, with a positive impact on the local economy and environment. Implications of this research include: 1) Improved Awareness and Education: Increasing employee awareness and understanding through education and training programs can increase commitment to sustainable practices; 2) Optimizing Financial Resource Allocation: Implementing wiser financial resource allocation strategies to support investments in sustainable technology and equipment; and 3) Government-Entrepreneur-Community Collaboration: Close collaboration between government, entrepreneurs and society is important to create support and implementation of sustainable practices.

Techno-economic analysis of type III and IV composite hydrogen storage tanks for fuel cell vehicles

The hydrogen gas storage tank market includes passenger cars and heavy-duty trucks. However, there is insufficient economic analysis of these tanks, which is the key element for achieving market expansion. Theoretical studies have investigated the cost of carbon composites in automotive and aerospace applications and hydrogen storage tanks. However, there is insufficient analysis based on actual technological and cost data. Moreover, there is limited analysis of the material, labor, and expense costs and equipment investments based on production quantities. The objective of this study is to analyze the costs related to hydrogen tanks in passenger cars and heavy-duty trucks on the basis of the manufacturing technologies, tank volume, type, and annual production. Furthermore, this study uses a cost – profit modeling approach to identify the cost, price, investment, and key cost drivers and provide target costs, effective manufacturing technologies, and strategies to meet the demands of the hydrogen tank market.

PRODUCTION OF ORGANIC GOODS OF THE RABBIT BREEDING AT DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES OF MAINTENANCE OF RABBITS

For the prospects of the rabbit breeding of present time optimal direction of development are individual and farmer economies, with the middle population of doe-rabbit. For the profitable conduct of the rabbit breeding except general principles of maintenance and growing, it is expedient to take into account the pedigree features of rabbits. Most distribution for the rabbit breeders of our country meat and hide of breed got: grey and white giants, butterfly, silvery, less popularity is used by the meat breeds of rabbits: New Zealand white and Californian.
 Main advantage of the rabbit breeding are an economy of areas and absence of capital apartments for growing of population of rabbits, in the modern rabbit breeding the systems of maintenance of rabbits are used in cages – outside, with the partial or complete process of mechanization: feeding and give to drink, moving away of wastes. At cellular maintenance of rabbits the most rational organization of works is provided on a supervision and reproduction. Cellular maintenance of rabbits gives an opportunity to carry out and control all processes and effectively to conduct veterinary and prophylactic measures. The table of contents of rabbits in cages provides a receipt from them of high-quality selfish products and carcass of kind fattened. For growing of different breeds of rabbits optimal economic indicators are the breeding of 30 female rabbits and more, at such population recoupment presents three years.
 The efficiency of management and high profitability of organic rabbit farms is ensured thanks to small capital investments in equipment and cages, early maturity and multi-fertility of rabbits, intensive growth of rabbits and rapid change of generations, obtaining products of high quality and quantity in a short time. The use of modern improved cage systems, high-quality feed and balanced rations for sexual age groups of rabbits allows to optimize the operating costs of the rabbit farm, and properly adjusted logistics of rabbit breeding products ensures constant profit at optimal profitability.

Reducing carbon emission in the goat farms by switching from conventional goat farming to green goat farm typology

The carbon footprint of goat farms associated with the management type and the income sacrifice to switch to green goat farms are still not precise in the literature. Therefore, the objectives of this study were 1) to assess the environmental impacts of goat farming associated with management typology in Türkiye and 2) to explore the link between farm-level income sacrifice and the amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction. Goat farm-level data were collected from randomly selected 284 goat farms through a questionnaire. Environmental impacts of goat farming associated with the management typology were examined using the life cycle assessment (LCA). The GHG emissions were calculated both for the whole goat farm associated with the management type and for individual goat products such as milk, meat, mohair, and replacement. The research results showed that Turkish goat farms emitted GHG emissions for the production of per kg of meat, milk, and mohair by 9.85 kg CO2-eq, 8 kg CO2-eq, and 0.28 kg CO2-eq, respectively. Goat farms in management type 1 emitted the highest GHG emission in a year, while that of goat farms in type 5 was the lowest. The research results also showed that the environmental impact and farm-level income sacrifice per kg GHG emission reduction to reach the level of environmentally friendly goat farms varied according to the management type of goat farms. Typical Turkish goat farms gained agricultural income by 2.47 USD per kg of GHG emission. The amount of agricultural income gained per kg GHG emission varied according to typology. Based on the research results, typical Turkish goat farms faced with an income sacrifice of 2.85 USD per kg GHG emission reduction to reach the level of environmentally friendly goat farms having minimum GHG emission in a year. Turkish goat farms emitted 0.49 kg CO2-eq per USD of agricultural production expenses. The study suggests switching from a conventional management type to environmentally friendly management type goat farms. Facilitating the accessibility of financial resources may enhance the switching process through benefiting investments in infrastructure, equipment, and research and development. Creating resource-efficient and environmentally friendly goat farms by subsidizing the goat farms may decrease GHG emissions.

Research on the Cultural Construction of Private University Laboratories Based on Cultural Education

University laboratories serve as crucial hubs for scientific and technological innovation and play a vital role in nurturing talents. As pivotal spaces for both teaching and scientific research, the development of laboratories necessitates not only investment in scientific research equipment and experimental facilities but also in cultural construction. This cultural aspect holds significant importance in promoting the comprehensive development of students and enhancing scientific research capabilities. This article concentrates on the strategies for cultivating laboratory culture in private universities, addressing six key dimensions: spiritual culture, institutional culture, scientific culture, innovation culture, safety culture, and shared culture.

Research on the Management and Countermeasures of CR Vanguard

Supermarkets, as a kind of commodity retail model, have been developing rapidly in our country in recent years. Therefore, whether they develop healthily or not has been closely related to residents' lives. Through the analysis of the problems existing in the warehouse of China Resources Vanguard, this paper finds that the enterprise has serious problems of brain drain, food safety and personnel safety. In view of these problems, suggestions are put forward to strengthen social supervision, strengthen capital and equipment investment, personnel education and social supervision.

Investigation of the Microstructure of Porous Tube-Shaped Elements Made of Ti-Powder Materials

The method of powder metallurgy for the manufacture of titanium products has the advantages of low cost of raw titanium, short technological process, low energy consumption, and less equipment investments. This allows to significantly reduce the total costs. The method is a potential technology to manufacture inexpensive products from titanium alloys. Due to its high strength, low specific weight and high corrosion resistance, titanium is widely used in aerospace and automotive industries and biomedicine. Among various applications of titanium, tube- and disc-shaped products from titanium powder are essential. The paper presents the results on the investigation of products made of titanium powder by the method of magneto-pulse pressing. Titanium powders with a particle size of 160-1000 mm produced by grinding titanium sponge and its powder compositions were used in the investigation. Investigation results on microstructure and porosity are also discussed. The mean porosity of the samples after sintering was 25-28% for products of 4-6 mm thick. With increasing thickness, the porosity increases to 35% and more, while it was non-uniform both over the cross-section of a tube-shaped product and along its length. The outer surface of the product was found to have a looser microstructure. This can be explained by the application of an intermediate fusible layer to the inner wall of the shell, which makes easier the removal of the shall after pressing. The studies generally confirm the possibility tof using the magneto-pulse pressing of titanium powders in shells to manufacturesmall product batches.

Research progresses on the effect of drying technology on α-glucosidase inhibitors in plants

Diabetes is a metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia. It is one of the chronic non-communicable diseases after tumor and cardiovascular diseases, which seriously threatens the life and health safety of human beings. Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors can reduce fasting blood glucose and postprandial blood glucose. Compared with traditional inhibitors, the hypoglycemic components extracted from plants have less side effects, have an integrated mechanism of action, and the advantage of mild and lasting effects. Drying technology plays the role of controlling insects, mildew and not easy to deteriorate, which is conducive to the storage, transportation and dispensing of plants, so drying has become the essential operation unit of plants processing. Recently, various drying methods have been applied to the processing of hypoglycemic plants. The choice of drying technology affects the content and activity of active substances in plants, as well as the energy consumption, equipment investment, and drying cost. Therefore, this article reviews the effects of commonly used drying methods on substances with glucosidase inhibitory activity in hypoglycemic plants.

Availability of mammographs in Mexico: Is it possible to expand coverage

Breast cancer screening coverage in Mexico is limited. It is necessary to configure the Mexican health system to make it capable of producing more mammograms, without neglecting quality and diagnostic opportunity. To project the coverage of breast cancer screening programs according to the mammographs availability in the Mexican Health System. An exploratory study was conducted correlating the number mammographs available in the Mexican Health System with women between 40 and 69 who are the target of screening programs in Mexico. The analysis consisted of calculating the coverage of breast cancer screening programs if each mammograph could perform 6336 screening mammograms per year. All the calculations were made with the information of the year 2020 as the most current data in terms of population density. It was determined that the number of mammographs is enough to raise the offer of screening studies to ≈50% at the national level. There are even states whose coverage capacity is projected above 70%. Some of them are Mexico City, Colima, Durango, Quintana Roo, Zacatecas, Baja California Sur and Coahuila. Also, it was observed that the distribution of mammographs is not equitable in the national territory, suggesting investment both in equipment and in screening strategies for breast cancer. Our data show that it is possible to advance in preventing breast cancer in Mexico, although the improvement of the management capacities of the Mexican Health System is required to improve both the coverage and quality of the breast cancer screening programs.

Performance analysis of a small lead-cooled fast reactor coupled with a copper-chloride cycle hydrogen production system

Hydrogen is widely acknowledged as a pivotal energy carrier in the global transition towards sustainable energy. One promising approach to hydrogen production is method copper-chlorine cycle powered by nuclear energy. This article presents an innovative integrated system for small lead-cooled fast reactors that are coupled with a copper-chlorine cycle. To assess the performance of the entire system with regards to energy, exergy, and economics, comprehensive modeling, simulation, and analysis are conducted using the simulation tool Simulink. Furthermore, a comprehensive examination of key operating parameters was conducted to explore their impact on the system. The obtained results demonstrate the energy efficiency of system is 21.3 % and the exergy efficiency of system is 40.9 %. The overall system based on the small LFR can produce high-pressure compressed hydrogen gas at a rate of 2.34 g/s and generate 53.9 kW of electricity. According to the study, the levelized cost of energy production is determined to be $0.04252/kW·h. The specific energy cost is primarily influenced by equipment investment, including the costs associated with operating and maintaining the system. Notably, the small lead-cooled fast reactor and the copper-chlorine cycle plant represent the major capital investments within the system. This study provides valuable insights and serves as a significant reference for the future engineering applications of lead-cooled fast reactors coupled with copper-chlorine cycle hydrogen systems.

Surge arrester allocation for lightning protection of VSC based HVDC prototype

High-voltage direct current (HVDC) systems, based on voltage source converters (VSC), enable asynchronous interconnection of grids with different frequencies and contribute to grid stability by controlling power quickly and precisely. Effective protection of these expensive systems, which must be in continuous operation, increases their lifetime. An overvoltage protection study is needed to ensure the proper protection of HVDC systems that contain multiple devices with varying insulation levels. In this study, lightning protection studies on a prototype VSC-based HVDC (VSC-HVDC) system are explained. In line with this, lightning impulses were modeled and applied to various points in the PSCAD model of the prototype VSC-HVDC, and the response of the system combined with the protection equipment was examined. All stages of protective equipment selection were explained step by step. The suitability of the selected protective equipment was verified based on the simulation results. After running dozens of scenarios, the protection coordination was optimized, and the critical points were determined instead of installing surge arresters at each connection point. In this way, a significant cost benefit was obtained for the investment in protective equipment. Finally, the results of the lightning impulse tests performed to verify the insulation of the VSC-HVDC prototype are reported.

Remote experiments for STEM education and engagement in rural schools: The case of project R3

Rural schools tend not to have enough laboratory and experimentation equipment, which can be an obstacle that hinders student learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) areas. Moreover, this loss of competencies can reduce their employment opportunities while society itself is deprived of that human capital. Remote laboratories have emerged as a way of countering the effects of insufficient investment in equipment or the inability to acquire the latter. By way of example, the goal of Project R3, which is presented in this article, is to reduce the absence or shortage of laboratories in the rural world via the use of remote experimentation. Specifically, this article presents the experience, the results, and the main conclusions of Project R3 during its first year of life. It is worth noting that Project R3 has been deployed not only in rural but also in urban environments, making it possible to compare learning results and satisfaction levels for students in both spheres and identify those experiments that provide the best learning experience and are most popular among pupils and teachers. The main objective is that from the local analysis (the Project has only been conducted in Spain) it might be possible to draw conclusions of a global nature that might be extrapolated to other countries in the European Union with similar socio-demographics. Initial results are in the direction of certifying that student achievement and satisfaction are higher in rural than in urban environments.

PROSPECTS OF GROWING MEDICINAL, ESSENTIAL OIL AND SPICY AROMATIC CULTURES

This work is devoted to the analysis of the most common issues faced by manufacturers of medicinal and essential oil raw materials — the market, the availability and availability of wild raw materials, agro-ecological conditions, the amount of manual labor, its cost, investments in quality seeds and equipment, post-harvest processing and the overall profitability of production. Cultivation of medicinal, essential oil and aromatic plants today is not only a promising alternative to the collection of wild raw materials, which allows preserving the natural biodiversity of plants with medicinal properties, including those species that have a protective status, but is also a powerful branch of the economy that provides high quality raw materials for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries. As a rule, medicinal and essential oil plants are considered by agricultural producers as secondary crops, as their cultivation is associated with certain problems. These problems are common to both small and powerful agricultural enterprises, both in Ukraine and abroad. They are related to both technological aspects of growing and plant identification, as well as market fluctuations and product prices. Consumers of medicinal and essential oil raw materials increasingly prefer cultivated products, because under such conditions it is easier to predict yield and ensure quality compared to wild-grown raw materials. During cultivation, false identification and unintentional falsification of raw materials are almost excluded, and the use of improved methods of cultivation and the use of modern varieties allows planning the harvest and costs. The profitability of growing medicinal and essential oil crops competes with traditional field crops, which have highly specialized equipment, a significant list of zoned varieties and hybrids, standard procedures for applying fertilizers and protective means, etc. In contrast to the cultivation of traditional crops, in order to ensure the profitability of the production of medicinal and essential oil raw materials, it is necessary to use methods with low production costs in order to be competitive on the international market and with the production of raw materials from natural groups. The work uses generalized material, both from our own many years of scientific and practical experience in the cultivation of medicinal and essential oil raw materials, as well as the experience of scientists and practitioners of foreign countries. On the example of the experience of foreign countries and domestic researchers and producers, the authors sought to prove that the cultivation of agricultural crops for obtaining essential oil and medicinal raw materials is a profitable business and can be considered as a variant of niche crops, be an attractive option for small farms and family farms. Within the scope of this review, it is impossible to consider all the problematic issues of the widespread introduction of medicinal and essential oil crops into the practice of agricultural production, since many more problems need to be solved, which can be the subject of future experiments and research.

Environmental and Economic Sustainability Impacts of Metal Additive Manufacturing: A Study in the Industrial Machinery and Aeronautical Sectors

Metal additive manufacturing has emerged as a promising alternative to conventional manufacturing in various industries, offering advantages like complex geometries and reduced material waste. However, there is a research gap in the form of comparative and industry-specific investigations and case studies to comprehensively assess the environmental and economic impact of metal additive manufacturing.This study focuses on two significant sectors, industrial machinery and aeronautics, to understand how metal additive manufacturing influences environmental and economic sustainability compared to conventional manufacturing. Therefore, taking a life cycle approach, the environmental and economic impacts of this technology are evaluated and compared to conventional manufacturing through representative case studies in the two sectors using life cycle assessment and life cycle cost methodologies.The economic evaluation reveals that metal additive manufacturing reduces the total cost for aeronautical components by 33.2 %, even considering several post-processing operations. While for industrial machinery parts, this cost increases by 79.3 % due to high machine and material cost. However, this technology reduces the potential environmental impact by more than 60 % for both sectors, mainly due to reduced material consumption. The use phase for aeronautical components further contributes to environmental and economic benefits, with significant fuel and CO2 emissions savings. The results emphasize the sector-dependent nature of metal additive manufacturing's environmental and economic impact and underscore the importance of a life cycle perspective for informed decision-making.Some critical points for sustainable adoption of metal additive manufacturing in each sector are equipment investment, the post-processing applied, the material selected or, for the aeronautical industry, the impact of the use phase. Nevertheless, future developments are needed to address powder reuse, optimization, certification, and the social impact of metal additive manufacturing.

Recommendations for embedding simulation in health services

Aspirations to achieve quality and safety goals in health services through simulation have led to significant investments in simulation equipment, space and faculty. However, the optimal governance and operational models through which these resources are expertly applied in health services are not known. There is growing evidence supporting ‘service’ models for simulation. In these models, simulation activities are co-designed and delivered by a team of simulation experts in partnership with health service units, specifically targeting quality and safety goals. Embedded simulation specialist teams working within these programs offer benefits not fully captured by traditional models of health education or by traditional systems for quality and safety.In this article, we explore broad and specific recommendations for establishing a simulation consultancy service within an Australian metropolitan health service. We base these recommendations on a review of current Australian practice and healthcare simulation literature, and on a specific example within a large outer metropolitan health service. The broad domains discussed include (1) governance and leadership; (2) human resources; (3) principles and planning; (4) operationalise and evaluate and (5) look to the future.The recommendations recognise that healthcare simulation is moving beyond solely addressing individual learning outcomes. The value of simulation addressing organisation and system objectives through various simulation modalities is increasingly being explored and demonstrating value. There is a growing demand for translational simulation in these contexts, and a consequent requirement for organisations to consider how simulation services can be successfully operationalised. Recommendations included in this paper are discussed and described with the intent of facilitating a deeper appreciation of the complexities associated with, and opportunities afforded by, a well-integrated simulation service.

Production Improvement Rate with Time Series Data on Standard Time at Manufacturing Sites

Amid the changes brought about by the 4th Industrial Revolution, numerous studies have been undertaken to develop smart factories, with a strong emphasis on knowledge-based manufacturing through smart factory construction. Advances in manufacturing data collection, fusion, and mining technologies have significantly bolstered the utilization of knowledge-based manufacturing. Data mining technology is widely employed for facility maintenance and failure prediction. Smart factory operations are pursuing automation and autonomization. Automation of production planning is also essential to achieve automation and autonomy in factory operations, from planning to execution. With the advancement of data mining technology, it is possible to automate production planning for the production planning and prediction of future production through information based on current conditions based on the past. The baseline information generated based on the current situation is suitable for automating short-term operational planning. If we generate time series reference information based on data from the past to the present, we can also automate long-term operation planning. By measuring the results of productivity improvements in mass-produced products from the past to the present and extrapolating them to future products, time series baseline information on production time is generated. If the baseline information is used for long-term planning, it can be used to predict future production capacity and facility shortages. This study presents a methodology and utilization method for calculating the rate of change in production time, which can be applied to production plan prediction and equipment investment capacity forecasting in future factory operations, using historical time series production time data.

Techno-economic feasibility and comparison of coal water slurry concentration on a coal to methanol plant with consideration of carbon capture and storage

ABSTRACT In this study, the effect of slurry concentration and carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) equipment on the techno-economic feasibility of a coal-to-methanol (CTM) process with coal water slurry (CWS) gasification are investigated, while the effective means to improve the economic benefit of methanol factory are proposed. The sensitive factors including production scale, coal price, and carbon tax are investigated, especially the CWS concentration is compared at 63% and 68% scenarios. A CTM plant with 180 × 104 t/a production scale shows that the saving cost could reach 29.20 × 106 US$ and the CO2 emission could be reduced by 0.65 × 106 t/a every year as the CWS concentration increases. The investment in CCS equipment would increase the production cost (PC) per methanol raising by 7–8%, while the CCS introduction would effectively alleviate the PC increment caused by the carbon tax. Note that as the carbon tax exceeded 9.42 US$/t, the benefit for CCS on the reduction of PC would be more significant. The outcomes of this study have suggested that increasing the CWS concentration is an effective method to reduce the PC and improve the economic benefit. The CCS technology could effectively reduce CO2 emissions and mitigate the raising of PC caused by carbon tax. The findings have manifested a well feasibility for environment benefit improvement by solid content increasing and CCS introduction in response to energy and environmental challenges for the cleaner production and sustainable development.

Communicating with Your Department Chair: A Primer on How to Advocate for Your IR Section.

Many interventional radiologists express concern about communicating their practice needs to their radiology department chairs. As a result, they may have difficulty getting support for hiring of additional physicians and staff, capital investments in equipment, and marketing of IR services. Some perceive that chairs have a preference for diagnostic radiology initiatives over interventional and want to know why. More importantly, they want to know how to approach their chair and succeed in their advocacy for IR. The key to success is understanding the perspective of the chair and the pressures and demands they face. That understanding allows the IR to propose their initiatives in a form that helps address some of the chair's needs and thus eases their path to success.