ancillary benefit modeling: Topics by WorldWideScience.org

Sample records for ancillary benefit modeling

Ancillary benefits of climate policy in a small open economy: The case of Sweden

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krook Riekkola, Anna; Ahlgren, Erik O.; Soederholm, Patrik

2011-01-01

It is increasingly recognised that GHG reduction policies can have important ancillary benefits in the form of positive local and regional environmental impacts. The purpose of this paper is to estimate the domestic ancillary pollution benefits of climate policy in Sweden, and investigate how these are affected by different climate policy designs. The latter differ primarily in terms of how the country chooses to meet a specific target and where the necessary emission reductions take place. The analysis relies on simulations within the energy system optimisation model TIMES-Sweden, and focuses on four non-GHG pollutants: Nitrogen Oxides (NO X ), Non Methane Volatile Organic Compounds (NMVOC), inhalable particles (PM 2.5 ), and Sulphur dioxide (SO 2 ). The simulations permit detailed assessments of the respective technology and fuel choices that underlie any net changes in the estimated ancillary effects. The results indicate that the ancillary benefits constitute a far from insignificant share of total system costs, and this share appears to be highest in the scenarios that entail the largest emission reductions domestically. This result reflects the fact that carbon dioxide emission reductions abroad also implies a lost opportunity of achieving substantial domestic welfare gain from the reductions of regional and local environmental pollutants. - Highlights: → We estimate the domestic ancillary pollution benefits of climate policy in Sweden. → These constitute a sizeable share of total system costs. → The ancillary benefits are highest in the policy scenarios that entail the largest emission reductions domestically.
CO{sub 2} mitigation costs and ancillary benefits in the Nordic countries, the UK and Ireland: A survey

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kverndokk, Snorre; Rosendahl, Knut Einar

2000-07-01

This paper provides a survey of top-down modelling studies on mitigation costs and ancillary benefits in the Nordic countries, the UK and Ireland. Special emphasis is put on results concerning revenue recycling, double dividend, distributional effects and ancillary benefits. According to the papers surveyed, modest emissions restrictions as those given by the Kyoto Protocol, can be met without substantial costs for the countries studied. (Author)
Exploring the ancillary benefits of the Kyoto Protocol for air pollution in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vuuren, D.P. van; Cofala, J.; Eerens, H.E.; Oostenrijk, R.; Heyes, C.; Klimont, Z.; Elzen, M.G.J. den; Amann, M.

2006-01-01

An integrated approach to climate change and regional air pollution can harvest considerable ancillary benefits in terms of environmental impacts and costs. This is because both problems are caused to a large extent by the same activity (fossil fuel combustion). Substantial ancillary benefits were found for regional air pollution (SO 2 , NO x , VOC and particulate matter) of implementing the Kyoto Protocol (intended to control greenhouse gas emissions) in Europe. For instance, while three different scenarios on Kyoto implementation were found to reduce European CO 2 emissions by 4-7%, they also reduced European emissions of SO 2 by 5-14% compared with a no Kyoto policies case. The magnitude of ancillary benefits depends on how flexible mechanisms and surplus emission allowances are used in meeting the Kyoto targets. The total cost savings for implementing current policies for regional air pollution of the Kyoto Protocol are of an order of 2.5-7 billion Euro. In all cases, this is in the order of half the costs of the climate policy (4-12 billion Euro). Using flexible mechanisms reduces emissions of air pollutants for Europe as a whole even further than domestic implementation (e.g. 10-14% versus 5% for SO 2 emissions), but the reductions are shifted from Western Europe to Central and Eastern Europe and Russia. The use of surplus emission allowances to achieve the Kyoto targets decreases the ancillary benefits, in particular for the latter group of countries (e.g. unprotected area against acidification increases from 1.3 to 1.7 million ha)
Ancillary effects of selected acid deposition control policies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moe, R.J.; Lyke, A.J.; Nesse, R.J.

1986-08-01

NAPAP is examining a number of potential ways to reduce the precursors (sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides) to acid deposition. However, the policies to reduce acid deposition will have other physical, biological and economic effects unrelated to acid deposition. For example, control policies that reduce sulfur dioxide emissions may also increase visibility. The effects of an acid deposition policy that are unrelated to acid deposition are referred to as ''ancillary'' effects. This reserch identifies and characterizes the principle physical and economic ancillary effects associated with acid deposition control and mitigation policies. In this study the ancillary benefits associated with four specific acid deposition policy options were investigated. The four policy options investigated are: (1) flue gas desulfurization, (2) coal blending or switching, (3) reductions in automobile emissions of NO/sub x/, and (4) lake liming. Potential ancillary benefits of each option were identified and characterized. Particular attention was paid to the literature on economic valuation of potential ancillary effects.
Climate policy and ancillary benefits. A survey and integration into the modelling of international negotiations on climate change

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pittel, Karen; Ruebbelke, Dirk T.G.

2008-01-01

Currently informal and formal international negotiations on climate change take place in an intensive way since the Kyoto Protocol expires already in 2012. A post-Kyoto regulation to combat global warming is not yet stipulated. Due to rapidly increasing greenhouse-gas emission levels, industrialized countries urge major polluters from the developing world like China and India to participate in a future agreement. Whether these developing countries will do so, depends on the prevailing incentives to participate in international climate protection efforts. This paper identifies ancillary benefits of climate policy to provide important incentives to attend a new international protocol and to positively affect the likelihood of accomplishing a post-Kyoto agreement which includes commitments of developing countries. (author)
Ancillary health effects of climate mitigation scenarios as drivers of policy uptake: a review of air quality, transportation and diet co-benefits modeling studies

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Kelly M.; Hess, Jeremy J.; Balbus, John M.; Buonocore, Jonathan J.; Cleveland, David A.; Grabow, Maggie L.; Neff, Roni; Saari, Rebecca K.; Tessum, Christopher W.; Wilkinson, Paul; Woodward, Alistair; Ebi, Kristie L.

2017-11-01

Background: Significant mitigation efforts beyond the Nationally Determined Commitments (NDCs) coming out of the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement are required to avoid warming of 2 °C above pre-industrial temperatures. Health co-benefits represent selected near term, positive consequences of climate policies that can offset mitigation costs in the short term before the beneficial impacts of those policies on the magnitude of climate change are evident. The diversity of approaches to modeling mitigation options and their health effects inhibits meta-analyses and syntheses of results useful in policy-making. Methods/Design: We evaluated the range of methods and choices in modeling health co-benefits of climate mitigation to identify opportunities for increased consistency and collaboration that could better inform policy-making. We reviewed studies quantifying the health co-benefits of climate change mitigation related to air quality, transportation, and diet published since the 2009 Lancet Commission ‘Managing the health effects of climate change’ through January 2017. We documented approaches, methods, scenarios, health-related exposures, and health outcomes. Results/Synthesis: Forty-two studies met the inclusion criteria. Air quality, transportation, and diet scenarios ranged from specific policy proposals to hypothetical scenarios, and from global recommendations to stakeholder-informed local guidance. Geographic and temporal scope as well as validity of scenarios determined policy relevance. More recent studies tended to use more sophisticated methods to address complexity in the relevant policy system. Discussion: Most studies indicated significant, nearer term, local ancillary health benefits providing impetus for policy uptake and net cost savings. However, studies were more suited to describing the interaction of climate policy and health and the magnitude of potential outcomes than to providing specific accurate estimates of health co-benefits. Modeling
Ethics of Ancillary Care in Clinical Trials in Low Income Countries: A ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

AJRH Managing Editor

income countries where HIV incidence is high, but the benefits of research are ... provision of ancillary care – medical care provided to clinical trial participants during a ... to or use of quality delivery services is an issue of ... with drastically reduced costs, questions arise over .... The 'partial entrustment' model differentiates.
Ancillary Services Provided from DER

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Campbell, J.B.

2005-12-21

Distributed energy resources (DER) are quickly making their way to industry primarily as backup generation. They are effective at starting and then producing full-load power within a few seconds. The distribution system is aging and transmission system development has not kept up with the growth in load and generation. The nation's transmission system is stressed with heavy power flows over long distances, and many areas are experiencing problems in providing the power quality needed to satisfy customers. Thus, a new market for DER is beginning to emerge. DER can alleviate the burden on the distribution system by providing ancillary services while providing a cost adjustment for the DER owner. This report describes 10 types of ancillary services that distributed generation (DG) can provide to the distribution system. Of these 10 services the feasibility, control strategy, effectiveness, and cost benefits are all analyzed as in the context of a future utility-power market. In this market, services will be provided at a local level that will benefit the customer, the distribution utility, and the transmission company.
From a bundled energy-capacity pricing model to an energy-capacity-ancillary services pricing model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raineri, Ricardo; Arce, Raul; Rios, Sebastian; Salamanca, Carlos

2008-01-01

In this paper, we extend the Chilean power generation pricing mechanism, with capacity and energy payments, to one where ancillary services (AS), as frequency regulation and voltage control, are explicitly recognized. Adequacy and security attributes of the electric system and the public good characteristics of AS are set within the payment structure to distribute the financing of AS among those who benefit from their provision. The contribution to finance the provision of AS is determined assessing the value assigned to the system security by each agent, following what's an efficient pricing mechanism in the presence of public goods
Reconsidering the measurement of ancillary service performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffin, D T; Rauscher, J A

1987-08-01

Prospective payment reimbursement systems have forced hospitals to review their costs more carefully. The result of the increased emphasis on costs is that many hospitals use costs, rather than margin, to judge the performance of ancillary services. However, arbitrary selection of performance measures for ancillary services can result in managerial decisions contrary to hospital objectives. Managerial accounting systems provide models which assist in the development of performance measures for ancillary services. Selection of appropriate performance measures provides managers with the incentive to pursue goals congruent with those of the hospital overall. This article reviews the design and implementation of managerial accounting systems, and considers the impact of prospective payment systems and proposed changes in capital reimbursement on this process.
Creating competitive markets for ancillary services

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hirst, E.; Kirby, B.

1997-10-01

This report describes the structure of, and results from, a spreadsheet model. The model simulates markets for seven services: losses, regulation, spinning reserve, supplemental reserve,load following, energy imbalance, and voltage support. For completeness, the model also calculates costs for system control, although this service will continue to be provided solely the the system operator under cost-based prices. This computer model demonstrated the likely complexity of markets for energy and ancillary services. This complexity arises because these markets are highly interdependent. Because these markets are interactive, the costs and therefore the prices of these services will vary considerably as functions of system load and the current spot price of energy. The price of ancillary services in aggregate is highly correlated with the price of energy. A base-case utility was developed for use with the model and included in the report.
An integrated pan-European ancillary services market for frequency control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scherer, Marc; Zima, Marek; Andersson, Göran

2013-01-01

Real-time balancing of mismatches between consumption and production is one of the key elements for the secure operation of power systems. This takes place within the framework of ancillary services managed by respective national transmission system operating companies. The objective of this paper is to investigate the option of one integrated pan-European ancillary services market. Our contribution is twofold: quantifying the potential benefit of such an option and outlining a possible approach to such an option highlighting its positive properties as well as risks and challenges. In several recently published considerations of pan-European electricity supply models this topic has not been adequately addressed, but we believe it is one of the crucial subjects in shaping the future electricity supply in Europe. -- Author-Highlights: •We investigated the option of a one-area market for frequency control in Continental Europe. •For the current situation a centralised approach may lead to a significant reduction of control reserves. •In the long run it is a possibility to avoid a tremendous increase of needed control reserves. •The implementation of an integrated market is not to be underestimated
18 CFR 35.40 - Ancillary services.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 18 Conservation of Power and Water Resources 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Ancillary services. 35.40 Section 35.40 Conservation of Power and Water Resources FEDERAL ENERGY REGULATORY COMMISSION... Sales of Electric Energy, Capacity and Ancillary Services at Market-Based Rates § 35.40 Ancillary...
Ancillary service provision from distributed generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

This report summarises the findings of a study undertaken to investigate the potential for establishing ancillary service markets at the distribution level in the UK. Existing arrangements for ancillary service markets globally, the design of these markets, regulatory and legislative changes that may be required, different forms of distributed generation (DG), and prospects of increasing the connection to the distributed network are examined along with commercial frameworks and technical procedures, infrastructure requirements, and the effects on different market participants. The scope for new ancillary services at the distribution level, ancillary services from DG, the prospects for DG, commercial and technical aspects, and impact assessments are reviewed
Ancillary service provision from distributed generation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2004-07-01

This report summarises the findings of a study undertaken to investigate the potential for establishing ancillary service markets at the distribution level in the UK. Existing arrangements for ancillary service markets globally, the design of these markets, regulatory and legislative changes that may be required, different forms of distributed generation (DG), and prospects of increasing the connection to the distributed network are examined along with commercial frameworks and technical procedures, infrastructure requirements, and the effects on different market participants. The scope for new ancillary services at the distribution level, ancillary services from DG, the prospects for DG, commercial and technical aspects, and impact assessments are reviewed.
A Conceptual Framework of Ancillary Benefit Modeling in Context of Climate Change in Korea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Joh, Seung Hun; Nam, Yun Mi [Korea Environment Institute, Seoul (Korea)

1999-12-01

A climate change requires a prudent and general policy since its effect is expected to be very extensive on ecosystem, agricultural production, bio diversity, human health, damage on buildings due to the temperature and sea level increase. Korea is facing to establish and implement a greenhouse gas reduction policy for UNFCCC, established to prevent a climate change. In this study, it recommended to establish a concept for measuring a incidental benefit by reducing greenhouse gas and suggested a framework for establishing a model development suitable to Korea. 43 refs., 7 figs., 33 tabs.
The Forgotten Benefits of Climate Change Mitigation. Innovation, Technological Leapfrogging, Employment, and Sustainable Development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jochem, E. [Fraunhofer-Institut fuer Systemtechnik und Innovationsforschung ISI, Karlsruhe (Germany); Madlener, R. [Centre for Energy Policy and Economics CEPE, ETH Zentrum, WEC, Zuerich (Switzerland)

2003-07-01

Traditional concepts for ancillary benefit/co-benefit frameworks reflect a macro and welfare economics perspective. They are often designed to serve certain modelling requirements, and typically focus primarily on avoided environmental damages and/or on induced net employment. This paper presents a conceptual framework that is extended to non-environmental and non-climate-change externalities. It not only includes the net ancillary and co-benefits that accrue from the dynamics of technological innovation and market diffusion, but also those from spillover effects that arise from global trade, communications, and technology transfer, which can all have important impacts on both the business economics and the macroeconomic level. We show that multi-functionality of energy-efficient technologies at the useful energy level, in contrast to mono-functionality of energy conversion technologies, leads to net ancillary benefits/co-benefits of GHG mitigation that may go far beyond fossil energy savings and emission mitigation, and that are in many cases not (or at least not sufficiently) accounted for in investment decision-making and policy-making processes. Several illustrative examples are provided to underline the points that are made.
Modelling Aṣṭādhyāyī: An Approach Based on the Methodology of Ancillary Disciplines (Vedāṅga)

Science.gov (United States)

Mishra, Anand

This article proposes a general model based on the common methodological approach of the ancillary disciplines (Vedāṅga) associated with the Vedas taking examples from Śikṣā, Chandas, Vyākaraṇa and Prātiśā khya texts. It develops and elaborates this model further to represent the contents and processes of Aṣṭādhyāyī. Certain key features are added to my earlier modelling of Pāṇinian system of Sanskrit grammar. This includes broader coverage of the Pāṇinian meta-language, mechanism for automatic application of rules and positioning the grammatical system within the procedural complexes of ancillary disciplines.
77 FR 25105 - Reporting of Ancillary Airline Passenger Revenues

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-27

...This document announces a public meeting on a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) issued on July 15, 2011. The NPRM proposed changes regarding reporting of airline ancillary passenger revenues, computation of mishandled baggage rates, and collection of separate statistics for mishandled wheelchairs and scooters used by passengers with disabilities. During the public meeting, DOT staff will provide a summary of the proposals in the NPRM and seek input on costs and benefits associated with the implementation of the proposals.
Transactive Control and Coordination of Distributed Assets for Ancillary Services

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Subbarao, Krishnappa [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Fuller, Jason C. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Kalsi, Karanjit [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Somani, Abhishek [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Pratt, Robert G. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Widergren, Steven E. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Chassin, David P. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2013-09-18

The need to diversify energy supplies, the need to mitigate energy-related environmental impact, and the entry of electric vehicles in large numbers present challenges and opportunities to power system professionals. Wind and solar power provide many benefits, and to reap the benefits the resulting increased variability—forecasted as well as unforecasted—should be addressed. A majority of states and the District of Columbia, representing over half of the total load, have passed renewable portfolio standards. California’s plans call for 33% renewable energy by 2020. For grid balancing and for meeting reliability standards, ancillary services are needed. The needs for these services are poised to increase significantly. Demand resources are receiving increasing attention as one means of providing the ancillary services. Control and coordination of a large number (~millions) of distributed smart grid assets requires innovative approaches. One such approach is transactive control and coordination (TC2)—a distributed, hierarchical, agent-based incentive and control system. The TC2 paradigm is to create a market-like control system in which participation is voluntary and the participant sets the price for participation. For transactions that are frequent, automation of bids and responses is necessary. Such an approach has been developed and demonstrated at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The devices, typically thermostatically controlled heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) loads, send their bids—the quantity of energy they need and, based on the consumer preferences encoded in a simple user interface, the price they are willing to pay. The typical bid period is 5 minutes. By aggregating all the bids, a demand curve is generated by the aggregating entity, and matched with a supply curve or supply constraint. The aggregator transmits the clearing price to the devices. The winning devices proceed to consume the energy they bid for and won

Application of microgrids in providing ancillary services to the utility grid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Majzoobi, Alireza; Khodaei, Amin

2017-01-01

A microgrid optimal scheduling model is developed in this paper to demonstrate microgrid's capability in offering ancillary services to the utility grid. The application of localized ancillary services is of significant importance to grid operators as the growing proliferation of distributed renewable energy resources, mainly solar generation, is causing major technical challenges in supply-load balance. The proposed microgrid optimal scheduling model coordinates the microgrid net load with the aggregated consumers/prosumers net load in its connected distribution feeder to capture both inter-hour and intra-hour net load variations. In particular, net load variations for three various time resolutions are considered, including hourly ramping, 10-min based load following, and 1-min based frequency regulation. Numerical simulations on a test distribution feeder with one microgrid and several consumers/prosumers indicate the effectiveness of the proposed model and the viability of the microgrid application in supporting grid operation. - Highlights: • Microgrid optimal scheduling for providing ancillary services to the utility grid. • Local management and mitigation of distribution net load variations. • Offering various support services: ramping, load following, frequency regulation. • Proven effectiveness and accuracy in capturing net load variations.
Power system studies of new ancillary services

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Anca Daniela; Altin, Müfit

The objective of this report is to illustrate and analyse, by means of simulation test cases, the impact of wind power advanced ancillary services, like inertial response (IR), power oscillation damping (POD) and synchronising power (SP) on the power system. Generic models for wind turbine, wind...... power plant and power system are used in the investigation....
Ancillary Services 4.0: A Top-To-Bottom Control-Based Approach for Solving Ancillary Services Problems in Smart Grids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

De Zotti, Giulia; Pourmousavi, S. Ali; Madsen, Henrik

2018-01-01

of AS are not able to benefit from the flexible energy resources. They also cannot cope with the new level of stochasticity, non-linearity, and dynamics of generation and flexibility. To overcome such issues and exploit the potential of flexibility resources, a new strategy is required. In this paper......Power systems are experiencing a large amount of renewable generation with highly stochastic and partly unpredictable characteristics. This change in energy production implies significant consequences related to the provision of ancillary services (AS). Current markets dedicated to the provision......, by capitalizing on flexibility resources' potential, AS 4.0 approach is proposed, which offers a comprehensive solution for the AS provision in the smart grid era....
AX Tank Farm ancillary equipment study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

SKELLY, W.A.

1999-01-01

This report examines the feasibility of remediating ancillary equipment associated with the 241-AX Tank Farm at the Hanford Site. Ancillary equipment includes surface structures and equipment, process waste piping, ventilation components, wells, and pits, boxes, sumps, and tanks used to make waste transfers to/from the AX tanks and adjoining tank farms. Two remedial alternatives are considered: (1) excavation and removal of all ancillary equipment items, and (2) in-situ stabilization by grout filling, the 241-AX Tank Farm is being employed as a strawman in engineering studies evaluating clean and landfill closure options for Hanford single-shell tanks. This is one of several reports being prepared for use by the Hanford Tanks Initiative Project to explore potential closure options and to develop retrieval performance evaluation criteria for tank farms
The evolving design of RTO ancillary service markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isemonger, Alan G.

2009-01-01

Although the markets for ancillary services at the North American Independent System Operators are often structured in quite different ways there is an emerging set of core design elements that represent a rough consensus as to what the optimal design configuration for ancillary services should be, albeit with some regional variation. This paper looks back at how the design of ancillary services markets has recently evolved to put this development in context. Thereafter it examines the methods by which ancillary services are procured by highlighting the procurement practices at a number of different Independent System Operators, principally those in California, New York, New England, Texas and the PJM Interconnection, in an attempt to tease out the remaining reasons why the ancillary service markets are still so different. This is important as there are many innovations that are not rooted in regional differences but reflect genuine technical advances and economic efficiency gains and can be replicated across other ISOs to produce more efficient designs, greater reliability and lower costs. (author)
39 CFR 122.1 - Ancillary special services.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Ancillary special services. 122.1 Section 122.1 Postal Service UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE POST OFFICE SERVICES [DOMESTIC MAIL] SERVICE STANDARDS FOR MARKET-DOMINANT SPECIAL SERVICES PRODUCTS § 122.1 Ancillary special services. (a) For the market-dominant...
42 CFR 414.40 - Coding and ancillary policies.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Coding and ancillary policies. 414.40 Section 414.40 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES... Practitioners § 414.40 Coding and ancillary policies. (a) General rule. CMS establishes uniform national...
Redefining Requirements of Ancillary Services for Technology Agnostic Sources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bondy, Daniel Esteban Morales; MacDonald, Jason; Kara, Emre Can

2018-01-01

New sources for ancillary services are needed, yet the requirements for service provision in most countries are explicitly formulated for traditional generators. This leads to waste of the potential for new technologies to deliver ancillary services. In order to harness this potential, we propose...... to parameterize the requirements of ancillary services so that reserves can be built by combining the advantageous properties of different technologies. The proposal is exemplified through a laboratory test where it shown that the system needs can be covered through cheaper and smaller reserves....
Options for pricing ancillary services in a deregulated power system

Science.gov (United States)

Yamin, Hatim Yahya

2001-07-01

GENCOs in restructured systems are compensated for selling energy in the market. In a restructured market, a mechanism is required to entice participants in the market to provide ancillary services and to ensure adequate compensation that would guarantee its economic viability. The ISO controls the dispatch of generation, manages the reliability of the transmission grid, provides open access to the transmission, buys and provides ancillary services as required, coordinates day-ahead, hour-ahead schedules and performs real time balancing of load and generation, settles real time imbalances and ancillary services sales and purchases. The ISO, also, administers congestion management protocols for the transmission grid. Since the ISO does not own any generating units it must ensure that there is enough reserves for maintaining reliability according to FERC regulations, and sufficient unloaded generating capacity for balancing services in a real-time market. The ISO could meet these requirements by creating a competitive market for ancillary services, which are metered and remain unbundled to provide an accurate compensation for each supplier and cost to each consumer, In this study, we give an overview for restructuring and ancillary services in a restructured power marketplace. Also, we discuss the effect of GENCOs' actions in the competitive energy and ancillary service markets. In addition, we propose an auction market design for hedging ancillary service costs in California market. Furthermore, we show how to include the n-1 and voltage contingencies in security constrained unit commitment. Finally, we present two approaches for GENCOs' unit commitment in a restructured power market; one is based on game theory and the other is based on market price forecasting. In each of the two GENCOs' unit commitment approaches, we discuss the GENCOs' optimal bidding strategies in energy and ancillary service markets to maximize the GENCOs' profit.
26 CFR 1.411(d)-4 - Section 411(d)(6) protected benefits.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

...: (1) Ancillary life insurance protection; (2) Accident or health insurance benefits; (3) Social... availability of the optional form of benefit. Other aspects of an optional form of benefit may not be modified...
30 CFR 250.207 - What ancillary activities may I conduct?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... surveys; or (c) Studies that model potential oil and hazardous substance spills, drilling muds and... 30 Mineral Resources 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What ancillary activities may I conduct? 250.207 Section 250.207 Mineral Resources MINERALS MANAGEMENT SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OFFSHORE...
Integration of Flexible Consumers in the Ancillary Service Markets

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Biegel, Benjamin; Westenholz, Mikkel; Hansen, Lars Henrik

2014-01-01

services. In this work we present a simple method based on the existing ancillary service markets that resolves these issues via increased information and communication technology. The method allows an aggregator to continuously utilize the markets for slower ancillary service to ensure that its portfolio...
16 CFR 1.62 - Ancillary court orders pending review.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 16 Commercial Practices 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Ancillary court orders pending review. 1.62 Section 1.62 Commercial Practices FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION ORGANIZATION, PROCEDURES AND RULES OF PRACTICE GENERAL PROCEDURES Injunctive and Condemnation Proceedings § 1.62 Ancillary court orders pending review...
Urology Group Compensation and Ancillary Service Models in an Era of Value-based Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Shore, Neal D; Jacoby, Dana

2016-01-01

Changes involving the health care economic landscape have affected physicians' workflow, productivity, compensation structures, and culture. Ongoing Federal legislation regarding regulatory documentation and imminent payment-changing methodologies have encouraged physician consolidation into larger practices, creating affiliations with hospitals, multidisciplinary medical specialties, and integrated delivery networks. As subspecialization and evolution of care models have accelerated, independent medical groups have broadened ancillary service lines by investing in enterprises that compete with hospital-based (academic and nonacademic) entities, as well as non-physician- owned multispecialty enterprises, for both outpatient and inpatient services. The looming and dramatic shift from volume- to value-based health care compensation will assuredly affect urology group compensation arrangements and productivity formulae. For groups that can implement change rapidly, efficiently, and harmoniously, there will be opportunities to achieve the Triple Aim goals of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, while maintaining a successful medical-financial practice. In summary, implementing new payment algorithms alongside comprehensive care coordination will assist urology groups in addressing the health economic cost and quality challenges that have been historically encountered with fee-for-service systems. Urology group leadership and stakeholders will need to adjust internal processes, methods of care coordination, cultural dependency, and organizational structures in order to create better systems of care and management. In response, ancillary services and patient throughput will need to evolve in order to adequately align quality measurement and reporting systems across provider footprints and patient populations.
Provision of enhanced ancillary services from wind power plants - Examples and challenges

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Anca Daniela; Altin, Müfit; Iov, Florin

2016-01-01

Emphasis in this article is on the power system impact of wind power plants capability to provide enhanced ancillary services, i.e. temporary frequency response (TFR) and power oscillation damping (POD). The main objective of the article is to analyze and justify the challenges in the use of TFR...... and POD from wind power plants (WPPs). The study is conducted with an aggregated wind power plant model which is integrated into a generic power system model, specifically designed to assess the targeted ancillary services in a relatively simple, but still relevant environment. Various case studies...... with different wind power penetration levels are considered. The study shows that WPPs can provide additional control features such as TFR and POD to enhance the stability of power systems with large share of wind power. Nevertheless, the results illustrate that the power system stability can be potentially...
Impact of advanced wind power ancillary services on power system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Anca Daniela; Altin, Müfit

The objective of this report is to illustrate and analyse, by means of simulation test cases, the impact of wind power advanced ancillary services, like inertial response (IR), power oscillation damping (POD) and synchronising power (SP) on the power system. Generic models for wind turbine, wind...... power plant and power system are used in the investigation....
Long-term pavement performance ancillary information management system (AIMS) reference guide.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-01

This document provides information on the Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) program ancillary information. : Ancillary information includes data, images, reference materials, resource documents, and other information that : support and extend the...
Allocation of reactive power support, active loss balancing and demand interruption ancillary services in MicroGrids

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gomes, Mario Helder [Departamento de Engenharia Electrotecnica, Instituto Politecnico de Tomar, Quinta do Contador, Estrada da Serra, 2300 Tomar (Portugal); Saraiva, Joao Tome [INESC Porto and Faculdade de Engenharia da Universidade do Porto, Campus da FEUP, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200 - 465 Porto (Portugal)

2010-10-15

MicroGrids represent a new paradigm for the operation of distribution systems and there are several advantages as well as challenges regarding their development. One of the advantages is related with the participation of MicroGrid agents in electricity markets and in the provision of ancillary services. This paper describes two optimization models to allocate three ancillary services among MicroGrid agents - reactive power/voltage control, active loss balancing and demand interruption. These models assume that MicroGrid agents participate in the day-ahead market sending their bids to the MicroGrid Central Controller, MGCC, that acts as an interface with the Market Operator. Once the Market Operator returns the economic dispatch of the MicroGrid agents, the MGCC checks its technical feasibility (namely voltage magnitude and branch flow limits) and activates an adjustment market to change the initial schedule and to allocate these three ancillary services. One of the models has crisp nature considering that voltage and branch flow limits are rigid while the second one admits that voltage and branch flow limits are modeled in a soft way using Fuzzy Set concepts. Finally, the paper illustrates the application of these models with a Case Study using a 55 node MV/LV network. (author)
New developments in segment ancillary logic for FASTBUS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walz, H.V.; Bertolucci, B.

1983-01-01

Segment Ancillary Logic hardware for FASTBUS systems provides logical functions required in common by all devices attached to a segment. It controls the execution of arbitration cycles, and geographical address cycles, and generates the system handshake responses for broadcast operations. The mandatory requirements for Segment Ancillary Logic in the FASTBUS specifications are reviewed. A detailed implementation based on ECL logic is described, and the hardware to be used on an ECL cable segment for an experimental FASTBUS system at SLAC is shown
Review of Standby and Ancillary Services in the Context of Behind-the-Meter Photovoltaics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gagnon, Pieter J [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Holm, Alison [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2018-04-25

The New Mexico Public Regulatory Commission (NMPRC) requested information on the following topics: Overview of ancillary and standby services. Examples of how ancillary and standby services are defined, used, and analyzed in other jurisdictions. Considerations regarding how ancillary and standby services may be economically valued. Background information on how ancillary and standby services differ from fixed costs to serve owners of behind-the-meter solar photovoltaic (BTM PV) systems.

Optimal generator bidding strategies for power and ancillary services

Science.gov (United States)

Morinec, Allen G.

As the electric power industry transitions to a deregulated market, power transactions are made upon price rather than cost. Generator companies are interested in maximizing their profits rather than overall system efficiency. A method to equitably compensate generation providers for real power, and ancillary services such as reactive power and spinning reserve, will ensure a competitive market with an adequate number of suppliers. Optimizing the generation product mix during bidding is necessary to maximize a generator company's profits. The objective of this research work is to determine and formulate appropriate optimal bidding strategies for a generation company in both the energy and ancillary services markets. These strategies should incorporate the capability curves of their generators as constraints to define the optimal product mix and price offered in the day-ahead and real time spot markets. In order to achieve such a goal, a two-player model was composed to simulate market auctions for power generation. A dynamic game methodology was developed to identify Nash Equilibria and Mixed-Strategy Nash Equilibria solutions as optimal generation bidding strategies for two-player non-cooperative variable-sum matrix games with incomplete information. These games integrated the generation product mix of real power, reactive power, and spinning reserve with the generators's capability curves as constraints. The research includes simulations of market auctions, where strategies were tested for generators with different unit constraints, costs, types of competitors, strategies, and demand levels. Studies on the capability of large hydrogen cooled synchronous generators were utilized to derive useful equations that define the exact shape of the capability curve from the intersections of the arcs defined by the centers and radial vectors of the rotor, stator, and steady-state stability limits. The available reactive reserve and spinning reserve were calculated given a
Ancillary Frequency Control of Direct Drive Full-Scale Converter Based Wind Power Plants

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hu, Weihao; Su, Chi; Fang, Jiakun

2013-01-01

This paper presents a simulation model of a wind power plant based on a MW-level variable speed wind turbine with a full-scale back-to-back power converter developed in the simulation tool of DIgSILENT Power Factory. Three different kinds of ancillary frequency control strategies, namely inertia...... control strategies are effective means for providing ancillary frequency control of variable speed wind turbines with full-scale back-to-back power converters....... emulation, primary frequency control and secondary frequency control, are proposed in order to improve the frequency stability of power systems. The modified IEEE 39-bus test system with a large-scale wind power penetration is chosen as the studied power system. Simulation results show that the proposed...
An analysis of ongoing trends in airline ancillary revenues

OpenAIRE

Warnock-Smith, David; O'Connell, John F.; Maleki, Mahnaz

2017-01-01

This paper examines the performance of the two core classifications of airline ancillary revenues, which are unbundled products and commission based income. It also investigates the willingness of passengers to pay (WTP) for these services together with what type of ancillary items are acceptable at a particular price point. The study found that passengers value a narrow range of perceived ‘necessity’ products and services such as food and drink, checked baggage and seat assignment as opposed...
Colombian ancillary services and international connections: Current weaknesses and policy challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carvajal, S.X.; Serrano, J.; Arango, S.

2013-01-01

Ancillary services are required to maintain the unity, stability, and quality of power systems. In Colombia these services are required to operate the national power system and the international connections with the neighboring countries. The system is influenced by factors ranging from system's topology to social and political aspects, such as the large number of terrorist attacks. In light of these particularities, we consider Colombia as a learning lab for ancillary services in the region. Colombia's power system relies on three ancillary services for its operation, namely frequency regulation, voltage control, and blackstart service. From 2010 Special Protection Systems were also added. In this paper we first analyze the technical aspects, operational restrictions, financial management, and the most relevant regulatory conditions of these ancillary services of the SIN. We also take into consideration the main regulatory characteristics and statistical data related to energy exchanges that have taken place between Colombia and Venezuela and Ecuador. Thereafter, we depict the main weaknesses and policy challenges that Colombia must address in order to increase the effectiveness and coverage of ancillary services in both the SIN and in the international interconnections. Finally, we propose new market oriented regulations to encourage investments and new tools for international connections. - Highlights: ► Blackout of 2007 forces Colombian regulator to improve security of power system. ► Four ancillary services are currently used for secure operation of Colombian system. ► Special Protection Systems service added in 2010. ► Frequency control is the only remunerated service in Colombia. ► Legislation should exist for remuneration of voltage control and black start services.
Exploiting ancillary services from distributed generation - perspectives for the Danish power system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nyeng, Preben; Pedersen, Knud Ole Helgesen; Østergaard, Jacob

2007-01-01

The share of the electric power production originating from distributed energy resources has rapidly increased during the recent past. However when it comes to ancillary services necessary to ensure the stability and appropriate operation of the power system, the distributed energy resources take...... a very passive role. This paper outlines suggestions on how to activate the potential of ancillary services from distributed energy resources, thereby exploiting their ability to contribute to power system operation. Furthermore, methods for integrating the ancillary service delivery into a deregulated...
Utilization of Ancillary Data Sets for Conceptual SMAP Mission Algorithm Development and Product Generation

Science.gov (United States)

O'Neill, P.; Podest, E.

2011-01-01

The planned Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission is one of the first Earth observation satellites being developed by NASA in response to the National Research Council's Decadal Survey, Earth Science and Applications from Space: National Imperatives for the Next Decade and Beyond [1]. Scheduled to launch late in 2014, the proposed SMAP mission would provide high resolution and frequent revisit global mapping of soil moisture and freeze/thaw state, utilizing enhanced Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) mitigation approaches to collect new measurements of the hydrological condition of the Earth's surface. The SMAP instrument design incorporates an L-band radar (3 km) and an L band radiometer (40 km) sharing a single 6-meter rotating mesh antenna to provide measurements of soil moisture and landscape freeze/thaw state [2]. These observations would (1) improve our understanding of linkages between the Earth's water, energy, and carbon cycles, (2) benefit many application areas including numerical weather and climate prediction, flood and drought monitoring, agricultural productivity, human health, and national security, (3) help to address priority questions on climate change, and (4) potentially provide continuity with brightness temperature and soil moisture measurements from ESA's SMOS (Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity) and NASA's Aquarius missions. In the planned SMAP mission prelaunch time frame, baseline algorithms are being developed for generating (1) soil moisture products both from radiometer measurements on a 36 km grid and from combined radar/radiometer measurements on a 9 km grid, and (2) freeze/thaw products from radar measurements on a 3 km grid. These retrieval algorithms need a variety of global ancillary data, both static and dynamic, to run the retrieval models, constrain the retrievals, and provide flags for indicating retrieval quality. The choice of which ancillary dataset to use for a particular SMAP product would be based on a number of factors
Loads Providing Ancillary Services: Review of International Experience

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heffner, Grayson; Goldman, Charles; Kintner-Meyer, Michael

2007-05-01

In this study, we examine the arrangements for and experiences of end-use loads providing ancillary services (AS) in five electricity markets: Australia, the United Kingdom (UK), the Nordic market, and the ERCOT and PJM markets in the United States. Our objective in undertaking this review of international experience was to identify specific approaches or market designs that have enabled customer loads to effectively deliver various ancillary services (AS) products. We hope that this report will contribute to the ongoing discussion in the U.S. and elsewhere regarding what institutional and technical developments are needed to ensure that customer loads can meaningfully participate in all wholesale electricity markets.
Ancillary services and optimal household energy management with photovoltaic production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clastres, C.; Ha Pham, T.T.; Wurtz, F.; Bacha, S.

2010-01-01

This article presents a project designed to increase the monetary value of photovoltaic (PV) solar production for residential applications. To contribute to developing new functionalities for this type of PV system and an efficient control system for optimising its operation, this article explains how the proposed system could contract to provide ancillary services, particularly the supply of active power services. This provision of service by a PV-based system for domestic applications, not currently available, has prompted a market design proposal related to the distribution system. The mathematical model for calculating the system's optimal operation (sources, load and exchanges of power with the grid) results in a linear mix integer optimisation problem in which the objective is to maximise the profits achieved by taking part in the electricity market. Our approach is illustrated in a case study. PV producers could gain by taking part in the markets for balancing power or ancillary services despite the negative impact on profit of several types of uncertainty, notably the intermittent nature of the PV source.
An assessment of market and policy barriers for demand response providing ancillary services in U.S. electricity markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cappers, Peter; MacDonald, Jason; Goldman, Charles; Ma, Ookie

2013-01-01

An impact of increased variable renewable generation is the need for balancing authorities to procure more ancillary services. While demand response resources are technically capable of providing these services, current experience across the U.S. illustrates they are relatively minor players in most regions. Accessing demand response resources for ancillary services may require a number of changes to policies and common practices at multiple levels. Regional reliability councils must first define ancillary services such that demand response resources may provide them. Once the opportunity exists, balancing authorities define and promulgate rules that set the infrastructure investments and performance attributes of a resource wishing to provide such services. These rules also dictate expected revenue streams which reveal the cost effectiveness of these resources. The regulatory compact between utility and state regulators, along with other statutes and decisions by state policymakers, may impact the interest of demand response program providers to pursue these resources as ancillary service providers. This paper identifies within these broad categories specific market and policy barriers to demand response providing ancillary services in different wholesale and retail environments, with emphasis on smaller customers who must be aggregated through a program provider to meet minimum size requirements for wholesale transactions. - Highlights: • We identify barriers keeping demand response from providing ancillary services. • Institutional, financial and program provider business model barriers exist. • Product definitions and rules do not always accommodate demand response well. • Expected revenues are uncertain and may not exceed required investments costs. • Regulatory compact and state statutes limit opportunities for program providers
Trends in OSHA Compliance Monitoring Data 1979-2011: Statistical Modeling of Ancillary Information across 77 Chemicals.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarazin, Philippe; Burstyn, Igor; Kincl, Laurel; Lavoué, Jérôme

2016-05-01

The Integrated Management Information System (IMIS) is the largest multi-industry source of exposure measurements available in North America. However, many have suspected that the criteria through which worksites are selected for inspection are related to exposure levels. We investigated associations between exposure levels and ancillary variables in IMIS in order to understand the predictors of high exposure within an enforcement context. We analyzed the association between nine variables (reason for inspection, establishment size, total amount of penalty, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) plan, OSHA region, union status, inspection scope, year, and industry) and exposure levels in IMIS using multimodel inference for 77 agents. For each agent, we used two different types of models: (i) logistic models were used for the odds ratio (OR) of exposure being above the threshold limit value (TLV) and (ii) linear models were used for exposure concentrations restricted to detected results to estimate percent increase in exposure level, i.e. relative index of exposure (RIE). Meta-analytic methods were used to combine results for each variable across agents. A total of 511,047 exposure measurements were modeled for logistic models and 299,791 for linear models. Higher exposures were measured during follow-up inspections than planned inspections [meta-OR = 1.61, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.44-1.81; meta-RIE = 1.06, 95% CI: 1.03-1.09]. Lower exposures were observed for measurements collected under state OSHA plans compared to measurements collected under federal OSHA (meta-OR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.73-0.92; meta-RIE = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.81-0.91). A 'high' total historical amount of penalty relative to none was associated with higher exposures (meta-OR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.40-1.71; meta-RIE = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.13-1.23). The relationships observed between exposure levels and ancillary variables across a vast majority of agents suggest that certain elements of OSHA
The Nordic approach to market-based provision of ancillary services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kristiansen, Tarjei

2007-01-01

This paper presents an overview of the markets for ancillary services, which are regulated and traded differently within and across borders in the Nordic countries. We describe the services provided and their characteristics in terms of definition, participation, contracting approach and duration, selection of offers, and dispatch criteria. Further, we assess the costs, specify the payments, and discuss cost allocation, and we conclude with a policy discussion of ancillary services in the Nordic countries. (author)
Simulated annealing to handle energy and ancillary services joint management considering electric vehicles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sousa, Tiago M; Soares, Tiago; Morais, Hugo

2016-01-01

The massive use of distributed generation and electric vehicles will lead to a more complex management of the power system, requiring new approaches to be used in the optimal resource scheduling field. Electric vehicles with vehicle-to-grid capability can be useful for the aggregator players...... in the mitigation of renewable sources intermittency and in the ancillary services procurement. In this paper, an energy and ancillary services joint management model is proposed. A simulated annealing approach is used to solve the joint management for the following day, considering the minimization...... of the aggregator total operation costs. The case study considers a distribution network with 33-bus, 66 distributed generation and 2000 electric vehicles. The proposed simulated annealing is matched with a deterministic approach allowing an effective and efficient comparison. The simulated annealing presents...
77 FR 40413 - Third-Party Provision of Ancillary Services; Accounting and Financial Reporting for New Electric...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-09

... Ancillary Services; Accounting and Financial Reporting for New Electric Storage Technologies AGENCY: Federal... Ancillary Services; Accounting and Financial Reporting for New Electric Storage Technologies, 135 FERC ] 61... Commission 18 CFR Parts 35, 37, and 101 Third-Party Provision of Ancillary Services; Accounting and Financial...
Use of Ancillary Tests When Determining Brain Death in Pediatric Patients in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Ariane; Adams, Nellie; Chopra, Arun; Kirschen, Matthew P

2017-10-01

Although pediatric brain death guidelines stipulate when ancillary testing should be used during brain death determination, little is known about the way these recommendations are implemented in clinical practice. We conducted a survey of pediatric intensivists and neurologists in the United States on the use of ancillary testing. Although most respondents noted they only performed an ancillary test if the clinical examination and apnea test could not be completed, 20% of 195 respondents performed an ancillary test for other reasons, including (1) to convince a family that objected to the brain death determination that a patient is truly dead (n = 21), (2) personal preference (n = 14), and (3) institutional requirement (n = 5). Our findings suggest that pediatricians use ancillary tests for a variety of reasons during brain death determination. Medical societies and governmental regulatory bodies must reinforce the need for homogeneity in practice.
Resource and revenue potential of California residential load participation in ancillary services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mathieu, Johanna L.; Dyson, Mark E.H.; Callaway, Duncan S.

2015-01-01

Increasing penetrations of intermittent renewable energy resources will require additional power system services. California recently adopted an energy storage mandate to support its renewable portfolio standard, which requires 33% of delivered energy from renewables by 2020. The objective of this paper is to estimate the amount of energy storage that could be provided by residential thermostatically controlled loads, such as refrigerators and air conditioners, and the amount of revenue that could be earned by loads participating in ancillary services markets. We model load aggregations as virtual energy storage, and use simple dynamical system models and publicly available data to generate our resource and revenue estimates. We find that the resource potential is large: 10–40 GW/8–12 GWh, which is significantly more than that required by the mandate. We also find that regulation and spinning/non-spinning reserve revenues vary significantly depending upon type of load and, for heat pumps and air conditioners, climate zone. For example, mean regulation revenues for refrigerators are $11/year, for electric water heaters are $24/year, for air conditioners are $0-32/year, and for heat pumps are $22–56/year. Both consumer choices, such as appliance settings, and policy, such as the design of ancillary service compensation and appliance standards, could increase revenue potentials. - Highlights: • California's energy storage mandate requires 1.325 GW of energy storage by 2020. • Residential loads such as refrigerators have thermal energy storage. • California's residential loads could provide 10-40 GW/8-12 GWh of storage. • Loads participating in ancillary services markets could earn up to $56/load/year. • Consumer choices and policy mechanisms could increase revenue potentials
Business Process Modeling: Perceived Benefits

Science.gov (United States)

Indulska, Marta; Green, Peter; Recker, Jan; Rosemann, Michael

The process-centered design of organizations and information systems is globally seen as an appropriate response to the increased economic pressure on organizations. At the methodological core of process-centered management is process modeling. However, business process modeling in large initiatives can be a time-consuming and costly exercise, making it potentially difficult to convince executive management of its benefits. To date, and despite substantial interest and research in the area of process modeling, the understanding of the actual benefits of process modeling in academia and practice is limited. To address this gap, this paper explores the perception of benefits derived from process modeling initiatives, as reported through a global Delphi study. The study incorporates the views of three groups of stakeholders - academics, practitioners and vendors. Our findings lead to the first identification and ranking of 19 unique benefits associated with process modeling. The study in particular found that process modeling benefits vary significantly between practitioners and academics. We argue that the variations may point to a disconnect between research projects and practical demands.
75 FR 14342 - Market-Based Rates for Wholesale Sales of Electric Energy, Capacity and Ancillary Services by...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-25

...; Order No. 697-D] Market-Based Rates for Wholesale Sales of Electric Energy, Capacity and Ancillary... affiliates.\\3\\ \\1\\ Market-Based Rates for Wholesale Sales of Electric Energy, Capacity and Ancillary Services...\\ Market-Based Rates for Wholesale Sales of Electric Energy, Capacity and Ancillary Services by Public...
Ancillary obligations as an additional obligation of a limited liability company's member

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marjanski Vladimir Ž.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Ancillary obligation can be defined as an obligation of a limited liability company's member undertaken through the instrument of incorporation, which can take the form of monetary or non-monetary obligation (usually it is an obligation of a non-monetary character, which has a certain financial value and can be the object of a legally valid obligation. Ancillary obligations, as a contribution to activities of the company, are not regulated in the Law on Companies. The legal nature of this obligation is different from the obligation to make a contribution in money or in kind to a company's assets, to make additional pay-ins or from the landing of funds to the company. Ancillary obligation is an optional and additional obligation of a limited liability company's member and the obligation itself and its contents is defined in the instrument of incorporation. When a limited liability company's member undertakes an ancillary obligation this creates a distinctive relationship between the member and the company, concerning their respective obligations and the legal status of the company, as well as certain consequences derived from those obligations.
Prediction of spatial soil property information from ancillary sensor data using ordinary linear regression: Model derivations, residual assumptions and model validation tests

Science.gov (United States)

Geospatial measurements of ancillary sensor data, such as bulk soil electrical conductivity or remotely sensed imagery data, are commonly used to characterize spatial variation in soil or crop properties. Geostatistical techniques like kriging with external drift or regression kriging are often use...
VOLTTRON-Based System for Providing Ancillary Services with Residential Building Loads

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jin, Xin

2016-07-01

Ancillary services entail controlled modulation of building equipment to maintain a stable balance of generation and load in the power system. Ancillary services include frequency regulation and contingency reserves, whose acting time ranges from several seconds to several minutes. Many pilot studies have been implemented to use industrial loads to provide ancillary services, and some have explored services from commercial building loads or electric vehicle charging loads. Residential loads, such as space conditioning and water heating, represent a largely untapped resource for providing ancillary services. The residential building sector accounts for a significant fraction of the total electricity use in the United States. Many loads in residential buildings are flexible and could potentially be curtailed or shifted at the request of the grid. However, there are many barriers that prevent residential loads being widely used for ancillary services. One of the major technical barriers is the lack of communication capabilities between end-use devices and the grid. End-use devices need to be able to receive the automatic generation control (AGC) signal from the grid operator and supply certain types of telemetry to verify response. With the advance of consumer electronics, communication-enabled, or 'connected,' residential equipment has emerged to overcome the communication barrier. However, these end-use devices have introduced a new interoperability challenge due to the existence of numerous standards and communication protocols among different end devices. In this paper, we present a VOLTTRON-based system that overcomes these technical challenges and provides ancillary services with residential loads. VOLTTRON is an open-source control and sensing platform for building energy management, facilitating interoperability solutions for end devices. We have developed drivers to communicate and control different types of end devices through standard

New alternatives for reference evapotranspiration estimation in West Africa using limited weather data and ancillary data supply strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Landeras, Gorka; Bekoe, Emmanuel; Ampofo, Joseph; Logah, Frederick; Diop, Mbaye; Cisse, Madiama; Shiri, Jalal

2018-05-01

Accurate estimation of reference evapotranspiration ( ET 0 ) is essential for the computation of crop water requirements, irrigation scheduling, and water resources management. In this context, having a battery of alternative local calibrated ET 0 estimation methods is of great interest for any irrigation advisory service. The development of irrigation advisory services will be a major breakthrough for West African agriculture. In the case of many West African countries, the high number of meteorological inputs required by the Penman-Monteith equation has been indicated as constraining. The present paper investigates for the first time in Ghana, the estimation ability of artificial intelligence-based models (Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) and Gene Expression Programing (GEPs)), and ancillary/external approaches for modeling reference evapotranspiration ( ET 0 ) using limited weather data. According to the results of this study, GEPs have emerged as a very interesting alternative for ET 0 estimation at all the locations of Ghana which have been evaluated in this study under different scenarios of meteorological data availability. The adoption of ancillary/external approaches has been also successful, moreover in the southern locations. The interesting results obtained in this study using GEPs and some ancillary approaches could be a reference for future studies about ET 0 estimation in West Africa.
A Study of the Social Effects of International GHG Emission Reduction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yoo, Seung Jick [Korea Energy Economics Institute, Euiwang (Korea)

2000-12-01

and application of the methods. In conclusion, it is necessary to take action to collect basic database of the pollutants and health, for example, morbidity and mortality rate for the estimation and the analysis of ancillary benefits of greenhouse gas mitigation policies using a economic- environmental model. (author). 44 refs., 4 figs., 16 tabs.
Exogam with Vamos, Tiara and other ancillary detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewitowicz, M.; Olivier, L.; Savajols, H.; Catford, W.; Raine, B.; Oliveira, F. de; Perru, O.; Podolyak, Z.; Redon, N.; Bouchez, E.; Simenel, C.; Stanoiu, M.; Lemmon, R.; Rubio, B.; Obertelli, A.; Cederwall, B.; Chapman, R.; Korten, W.; Rubio Barroso, B.

2003-01-01

The aim of this workshop was to discuss the status of experiments at GANIL facility using Exogam with Vamos, Tiara and other ancillary detectors. This document gathers most of the slides that were presented at the workshop, it concerns 8 presentations: 1) the status of Spiral and Spiral-II, 2) the status of Tiara (Tiara array is used for the study of nuclear transfer reactions with radioactive beams in inverse kinematics), 3) data acquisition for the ancillary detectors, 4) the identification of gamma-ray in nuclei around Sm 130 : probing the maximally deformed light rare earth region, 5) the Coulomb excitation of radioactive krypton beams (Kr 76 , Kr 74 ), 6) the influence of weakly bound neutrons on fusion around the Coulomb barrier, 7) single particle transfer on doubly-magic Ni 56 , and 8) the study of N=16 for neutron rich nuclei with Ne 26 (d,p)Ne 27 transfer reaction
Strategies for carbon dioxide emissions reductions: Residential natural gas efficiency, economic, and ancillary health impacts in Maryland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruth, Matthias; Blohm, Andrew; Mauer, Joanna; Gabriel, Steven A.; Kesana, Vijay G.; Chen Yihsu; Hobbs, Benjamin F.; Irani, Daraius

2010-01-01

As part of its commitments to the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the State of Maryland, USA, auctions emission permits to electric utilities, creating revenue that can be used to benefit consumers and the environment. This paper explores the CO 2 emissions reductions that may be possible by allocating some of that revenue to foster efficiency improvements in the residential sector's use of natural gas. Since these improvements will require changes to the capital stock of houses and end use equipment, efficiency improvements may be accompanied by economic and ancillary health impacts, both of which are quantified in this paper.
Capabilities and costs for ancillary services provision by wind power plants. Deliverable D 3.1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Faiella, Mariano; Hennig, Tobias; Cutululis, Nicolaos Antonio

This report is the deliverable of the third work package of the REserviceS project and describes the technical options and related costs for the provision of ancillary services specifically from wind energy technologies. It is focused on the set of ancillary services defined in the previous work...
Technical and economic aspects of ancillary services markets in the electric power industry: an international comparison

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raineri, R.; Rios, S.; Schiele, D.

2006-01-01

We present a comparative analysis of technical and economic aspects of ancillary services on the markets of England and Wales, Nordic Countries, California, Argentina, Australia and Spain, comparing the services of voltage control, frequency regulation and system restoration. All the analyzed markets rely on the existence of an administrator of ancillary services, function that leads to the figure of the system operator. Among the services analyzed, the mandatory nature of voltage control and primary frequency regulation stands out, being both the ancillary services with the higher market price and the shortest period of time requirements. In general, the recognized costs of the services correspond to investments operation, maintenance, and opportunity costs. In the provision of these ancillary services, there are no clear preferences for a particular resource allocation mechanism, where mandatory provision, auctions, competitive offers and different time length bilateral contracts are combined
78 FR 46177 - Third-Party Provision of Ancillary Services; Accounting and Financial Reporting for New Electric...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-30

...-Party Provision of Ancillary Services; Accounting and Financial Reporting for New Electric Storage... Financial Reporting for New Electric Storage Technologies, Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, FERC Stats. & Regs... Commission 18 CFR Parts 35 and 101 Third-Party Provision of Ancillary Services; Accounting and Financial...
Reduced risks and improved economic operation of ancillary services

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bosch, van den P.P.J.; Jokic, A.; Hermans, R.M.; Frunt, J.; Kling, W.L.; Nobel, Frank; Boonekamp, P.; Boer, de W.W.

2010-01-01

Present arrangements and regulation for ancillary services for power balance in power systems cannot cope with future developments in power systems as the participants do not receive proper incentives for required behaviour. This paper analyzes the consequences of current arrangements for system
Regulatory issues associated with closure of the Hanford AX Tank Farm ancillary equipment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becker, D.L.

1998-01-01

Liquid mixed, high-level radioactive waste has been stored in underground single-shell tanks at the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) Hanford Site. After retrieval of the waste from the single-shell tanks, the DOE will proceed with closure of the tank farm. The 241-AX Tank Farm includes four one-million gallon single-shell tanks in addition to sluice lines, transfer lines, ventilation headers, risers, pits, cribs, catch tanks, buildings, well and associated buried piping. This equipment is classified as ancillary equipment. This document addresses the requirements for regulatory close of the ancillary equipment in the Hanford Site 241-AX Tank Farm. The options identified for physical closure of the ancillary equipment include disposal in place, disposal in place after treatment, excavation and disposal on site in an empty single-shell tank, and excavation and disposal outside the AX Tank Farm. The document addresses the background of the Hanford Site and ancillary equipment in the AX Tank Farm, regulations for decontamination and decommissioning of radioactively contaminated equipment, requirements for the cleanup and disposal of radioactive wastes, cleanup and disposal requirements governing hazardous and mixed waste, and regulatory requirements and issues associated with each of the four physical closure options. This investigation was conducted by the Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico, during Fiscal Year 1998 for the Hanford Tanks Initiative Project
Mixed integer non-linear programming and Artificial Neural Network based approach to ancillary services dispatch in competitive electricity markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Canizes, Bruno; Soares, João; Faria, Pedro; Vale, Zita

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Ancillary services market management. • Ancillary services requirements forecast based on Artificial Neural Network. • Ancillary services clearing mechanisms without complex bids and with complex bids. - Abstract: Ancillary services represent a good business opportunity that must be considered by market players. This paper presents a new methodology for ancillary services market dispatch. The method considers the bids submitted to the market and includes a market clearing mechanism based on deterministic optimization. An Artificial Neural Network is used for day-ahead prediction of Regulation Down, regulation-up, Spin Reserve and Non-Spin Reserve requirements. Two test cases based on California Independent System Operator data concerning dispatch of Regulation Down, Regulation Up, Spin Reserve and Non-Spin Reserve services are included in this paper to illustrate the application of the proposed method: (1) dispatch considering simple bids; (2) dispatch considering complex bids
Pricing Energy and Ancillary Services in a Day-Ahead Market for a Price-Taker Hydro Generating Company Using a Risk-Constrained Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Perica Ilak

2014-04-01

Full Text Available This paper analyzes a price-taker hydro generating company which participates simultaneously in day-ahead energy and ancillary services markets. An approach for deriving marginal cost curves for energy and ancillary services is proposed, taking into consideration price uncertainty and opportunity cost of water, which can later be used to determine hourly bid curves. The proposed approach combines an hourly conditional value-at-risk, probability of occurrence of automatic generation control states and an opportunity cost of water to determine energy and ancillary services marginal cost curves. The proposed approach is in a linear constraint form and is easy to implement in optimization problems. A stochastic model of the hydro-economic river basin is presented, based on the actual Vinodol hydropower system in Croatia, with a complex three-dimensional relationship between the power produced, the discharged water, and the head of associated reservoir.
Industrial Demand Management Providing Ancillary Services to the Distribution Grid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rahnama, Samira; Green, Torben; Lyhne, Casper

2017-01-01

A prominent feature of the future smart grid is the active participation of the consumer side in ancillary service provision. Grid operators procure ancillary services, including regulating power, voltage control, frequency control, and so on, to ensure safe, reliable, and high-quality electricity...... delivery. Consumers' involvement requires new entities and infrastructure. A so-called aggregator has been introduced as a new player to manage the services that are offered by the consumption units. This paper describes an industrial scale experimental setup for evaluating a particular type of aggregator....... The aggregator aims to provide a distribution grid service from industrial thermal loads through a direct control policy. Our specific case studies are a supermarket refrigeration system and an HVac chiller in conjunction with an ice storage, which are virtually connected to the aggregator. Practical results...
Loads Providing Ancillary Services: Review of InternationalExperience-- Technical Appendix: Market Descriptions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grayson Heffner, Charles Goldman, Kintner-Meyer, M; Kirby, Brendan

2007-05-01

In this study, we examine the arrangements for andexperiences of end-use loads providing ancillary services (AS) in fiveelectricity markets: Australia, the United Kingdom (UK), the Nordicmarket, and the ERCOT and PJM markets in the United States. Our objectivein undertaking this review of international experience was to identifyspecific approaches or market designs that have enabled customer loads toeffectively deliver various ancillary services (AS) products. We hopethat this report will contribute to the ongoing discussion in the U.S.and elsewhere regarding what institutional and technical developments areneeded to ensure that customer loads can meaningfully participate in allwholesale electricity markets.
The State of Cell Blocks and Ancillary Testing: Past, Present, and Future.

Science.gov (United States)

Saqi, Anjali

2016-12-01

Cell blocks are an integral part of cytology, but their utility is recognized probably more now than ever before, largely owing to the significant role they play in ancillary testing, particularly molecular diagnostics. Modifications to improve the cell block method initially introduced more than a century ago have been made over the years. Though their value is acknowledged and they are widely used across laboratories, cell block preparations are not standardized and results of ancillary testing performed on them are inconsistent. This article reviews the state of cell blocks-summarizes the more common, currently available and used methods and their corresponding advantages and shortcomings, outlines the role of alternative techniques (eg, smears), and proposes methods to optimize results.
Ancillary services provided by PV power plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio PIERNO

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Renewable energy sources are widely utilized in distributed generation systems, and, recently, they are also considered for providing ancillary services. The paper is focused on PV plants, a survey of the most interesting papers published in the literature in the last decade is reported and the main characteristics of the technical proposals, with their advantages and limits, are evidenced. The results are schematically shown in a table that immediately gives the opportunity to be aware of what was already done, representing a reference tool.
Potential of vehicle-to-grid ancillary services considering the uncertainties in plug-in electric vehicle availability and service/localization limitations in distribution grids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarabi, Siyamak; Davigny, Arnaud; Courtecuisse, Vincent; Riffonneau, Yann; Robyns, Benoît

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The availability uncertainty of PEVs are modelled using Gaussian mixture model. • Interdependency of stochastic variables are modelled using copula function. • V2G bidding capacity is calculated using Free Pattern search optimization method. • Localization limitation is considered for V2G service potential assessment. • Competitive services for fleet of V2G-enabled PEVs are identified using fuzzy sets. - Abstract: The aim of the paper is to propose an approach for statistical assessment of the potential of plug-in electric vehicles (PEV) for vehicle-to-grid (V2G) ancillary services, where it focuses on PEVs doing daily home-work commuting. In this approach, the possible ancillary services (A/S) for each PEV fleet in terms of its available V2G power (AVP) and flexible intervals are identified. The flexible interval is calculated using a powerful stochastic global optimization technique so-called “Free Pattern Search” (FPS). A probabilistic method is also proposed to quantify the impacts of PEV’s availability uncertainty using the Gaussian mixture model (GMM), and interdependency of stochastic variables on AVP of each fleet thanks to a multivariate modeling with Copula function. Each fleet is analyzed based on its aggregated PEV numbers at different level of distribution grid, in order to satisfy the ancillary services localization limitation. A case study using the proposed approach evaluates the real potential in Niort, a city in west of France. In fact, by using the proposed approach an aggregator can analyze the V2G potential of PEVs under its contract.
Optimal bidding strategy for microgrids in joint energy and ancillary service markets considering flexible ramping products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Jianxiao; Zhong, Haiwang; Tang, Wenyuan; Rajagopal, Ram; Xia, Qing; Kang, Chongqing; Wang, Yi

2017-01-01

Highlights: •Flexible ramping products are modelled in the framework of a microgrid. •Microgrids’ optimal bidding model is proposed in energy and ancillary service markets. •A hybrid stochastic and robust optimization approach is adopted. •The effectiveness of the proposed bidding model is verified based on real-world data. -- Abstract: Due to the volatile nature of wind and photovoltaic power, wind farms and solar stations are generally thought of as the consumers of ramping services. However, a microgrid (MG) is able to strategically integrate various distributed energy resources (DERs) to provide both energy and ancillary services (ASs) for the bulk power system. To evaluate the ramping capabilities of an MG in the joint energy and AS markets, an optimal bidding strategy is developed in this paper considering flexible ramping products (FRPs). By aggregating and coordinating various DERs, including wind turbines (WTs), photovoltaic systems (PVs), micro-turbines (MTs) and energy storage systems (ESSs), the MG is able to optimally allocate the capacities for energy, spinning reserve and ramping. Taking advantage of the synergy among DERs, the MG can maximize its revenues from different markets. Moreover, the flexibility of the MG for the bulk power system can be fully explored. To address the uncertainties introduced by renewable generation and market prices, a hybrid stochastic/robust optimization (RO) approach is adopted. Case studies based on a real-world MG with various DERs demonstrate the market behavior of the MG using the proposed bidding model.
Analysis of the Impact of Wind Power Participating in Both Energy and Ancillary Services Markets – The Danish Case

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Soares, Tiago; Morais, Hugo; Pinson, Pierre

2014-01-01

The impact of a high penetration of wind power generation in power systems motivates need for an assessment of its inte raction with electricity markets. With the continuous evolution of wind turbines technology, wind farms have today the ability to provide certain ancillary services...... with appropriate levels of security and reliability . The participation of wind f arms i n ancillary service market s ought to rely on market designs and offering strategies that satisfy power system needs, as well as their operating characteristics . Here we evaluate the system impact of different offering...... strategies that wind farms employ on ene rgy and ancillary service market. A lready proposed Proportional Wind Reserve Strategy (PWRS) and a Continuo us Wind Reserve Strategy (CWRS) are used to determine the amount of available power for ancillary services. A case study based on real and recent dat...
System design specification for the 1/4-scale tank and ancillary equipment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bamberger, J.A.; Bates, J.M.; Waters, E.D.; Heimberger, D.T.

1993-09-01

The Fluid Dynamic Test Facility (FDTF) is located in the 336 Building at the 300 Area of the Hanford Site. The FDTF will contain tanks that model the average internal diameter and height of a 3875 m 3 (1-million-gal) double-shell tank at both 1/12- and 1/4-scale, as well as ancillary equipment required to store, mix, and transport waste simulants. Experiments to be conducted in this facility will include investigations of sludge mobilization, slurry uniformity, aerosol generation, sludge washing, and instrumentation development to support start-up of the Hanford Waste Vitrification Project. This facility will also be used to model concepts and mitigating strategies to be used in the resolution of tank safety issues and the retrieval of waste from watch-list tanks
Operational Benefits of Meeting California's Energy Storage Targets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eichman, Josh [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Denholm, Paul [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Jorgenson, Jennie [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Helman, Udi [Helman Analytics, San Francisco, CA (United States)

2015-12-18

In October 2013, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) finalized procurement targets and other requirements to its jurisdictional utilities for a minimum of 1,325 MW of 'viable and cost-effective' energy storage systems by 2020. The goal of this study is to explore several aspects of grid operations in California and the Western Interconnection resulting from meeting the CPUC storage targets. We perform this analysis using a set of databases and grid simulation tools developed and implemented by the CPUC, the California Independent System Operator (CAISO), and the California Energy Commission (CEC) for the CPUC's Long-term Procurement Plan (LTPP). The 2014 version of this database contains information about generators, storage, transmission, and electrical demand, for California in the year 2024 for both 33% and 40% renewable energy portfolios. We examine the value of various services provided by energy storage in these scenarios. Sensitivities were performed relating to the services energy storage can provide, the capacity and duration of storage devices, export limitations, and negative price floor variations. Results show that a storage portfolio, as outlined by the CPUC, can reduce curtailment and system-wide production costs for 33% and 40% renewable scenarios. A storage device that can participate in energy and ancillary service markets provides the grid with the greatest benefit; the mandated storage requirement of 1,325 MW was estimated to reduce the total cost of production by about 78 million per year in the 33% scenario and 144 million per year in the 40% scenario. Much of this value is derived from the avoided start and stop costs of thermal generators and provision of ancillary services. A device on the 2024 California grid and participating in only ancillary service markets can provide the system with over 90% of the value as the energy and ancillary service device. The analysis points to the challenge of new storage

29 CFR 2550.408b-6 - Statutory exemption for ancillary services by a bank or similar financial institution.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

....408b-6 Statutory exemption for ancillary services by a bank or similar financial institution. (a) In... service is consistent with sound banking and financial practice, as determined by Federal or State... 29 Labor 9 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Statutory exemption for ancillary services by a bank or...
Crisis in our hospital kitchens: ancillary staffing levels during an outbreak of food poisoning in a long stay hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Pollock, A M; Whitty, P M

1990-02-10

An investigation into an outbreak of food poisoning caused by Clostridium perfringens showed evidence of poor food handling by catering staff. The reasons behind this were explored by interviewing catering staff, analysing shifts and rotas, and looking at staff vacancies. Morale was low because of staff shortages resulting from a long term recruitment problem. In consequence staff were working double shifts and often for weeks on end without a day off. The reasons for the recruitment problem included the difficulty of recruiting semiskilled labour from a middle class area, low wages, lack of management support, and the poor image of the hospital as a place of work. Similar factors affect the recruitment and retention of ancillary staff nationally. The NHS has a poor record as an employer of ancillary staff, paying lower wages than other organisations for equivalent posts. Competitive tendering has further worsened the position of ancillary staff, with the result that good quality of care and service has often not been achieved. The NHS Review, with its emphasis on quality of care, makes no mention of ancillary staff. Yet high standards of ancillary provision are essential if further outbreaks of food poisoning in hospitals are to be prevented.
Ocean Surface Topography Mission (OSTM) /Jason-2: Ancillary Files (NODC Accession 0044982)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This accession contains the data descriptions for the OSTM/Jason-2 Ancillary data files, which is served through the NOAA/NESDIS Comprehensive Large Array-data...
The TIGRESS Integrated Plunger ancillary systems for electromagnetic transition rate studies at TRIUMF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voss, P.; Henderson, R.; Andreoiu, C.; Ashley, R.; Austin, R.A.E.; Ball, G.C.; Bender, P.C.; Bey, A.; Cheeseman, A.; Chester, A.; Cross, D.S.; Drake, T.E.; Garnsworthy, A.B.; Hackman, G.; Holland, R.; Ketelhut, S.; Kowalski, P.; Krücken, R.; Laffoley, A.T.; Leach, K.G.

2014-01-01

The TIGRESS Integrated Plunger device is a new experimental tool for nuclear structure investigations via gamma-ray spectroscopy with post-accelerated beams from the ISAC-II facility at TRIUMF. Several ancillary detection systems integral to the device's capabilities for charged-particle tagging and light-ion identification following a variety of nuclear reaction mechanisms have been constructed and characterized. In particular, a silicon PIN diode wall, an annular silicon segmented detector, and a CsI(Tl) scintillator wall have together enabled particle-gamma correlations for reaction channel selectivity and precision kinematic reconstruction in recent measurements. We highlight the construction, characteristics, and implementation of the device's ancillary detectors as they enable a rich set of electromagnetic transition rate measurements via Doppler-shift lifetime techniques and low-energy Coulomb excitation
An examination of ongoing trends in airline ancillary revenues

OpenAIRE

Warnock-Smith, David; O'Connell, John Frankie; Maleki, Mahnaz

2015-01-01

The airline industry seems permanently embedded in producing thin margins and continuously combatting downward pressure on yields. To perpetuate the problem, the industry remains eclipsed with high cost structures and low barriers to entry. However, a new sizzling concept continues to counterbalance these effects in the form of ancillary revenues. Globally, these revenues have increased by 121% from 2010 to 2014 – and the trend is set to continue as carriers are quickly implementing structura...
Survey of U.S. Ancillary Services Markets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Zhi; Levin, Todd; Conzelmann, Guenter

2016-06-01

In addition to providing energy to end-consumers, power system operators are also responsible for ensuring system reliability. To this end, power markets maintain an array of ancillary services to ensure that it is always possible to balance the supply and demand for energy in real-time. A subset of these ancillary services are commonly procured through market-based mechanisms: namely, Regulation, Spinning, and Non-spinning Reserves. Regulation Reserves are maintained to respond to supply/demand imbalances over short time frames, typically on the order of several seconds to one minute. Resources that provide Regulation Reserves adjust their generation or load levels in response to automatic generation control (AGC) signals provided by the system operator. Contingency reserves are maintained to provide additional generation capacity in the event that load increases substantially or supply side resources reduce their output or are taken offline. The reserves are typically segmented into two categories, 1) Spinning or Synchronized Reserves that are provided by generation units that are actively generating and have the ability to increase or decrease their output, 2) Non-spinning or Non-synchronized Reserves that are provided by generation resources that are not actively generating, but are able to start up and provide generation within a specified timeframe. Contingency reserves typically have response times on the order of ten to 30 minutes and can also be provided by demand-side resources that are capable of reducing their load. There are seven distinct power markets in the United States, each operated by a Regional Transmission Operator (RTO) or Independent System Operator (ISO) that operates the transmission system in its territory, operates markets for energy and ancillary services, and maintains system reliability. Each power market offers its own set of ancillary services, and precise definitions, requirements, and market mechanisms differ between markets
Influence of Wind Plant Ancillary Voltage Control on System Small Signal Stability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Su, Chi; Chen, Zhe

2012-01-01

As a common tendency, large-scale wind farms are increasingly connected to the transmission system of modern power grids. This introduces some new challenges to the connected power systems, and the transmission system operators (TSOs) have to put some new requirements as part of the grid codes...... on the integration of wind farms. One common requirement to wind farms is the function of system voltage control which can be implemented in the grid-side convertor controller of a variable speed wind turbine. This ancillary voltage control provided by wind farms could have some influence on the system small signal...... stability. This paper implements an ancillary voltage control strategy on a direct-drive-full-convertor-based wind farm and studies its influence on the damping ratio values of the dominant oscillation mode within the connected power system. All the calculations and simulations are conducted in DIg...
Coordinated Control Scheme for Ancillary Services from Offshore Wind Power Plants to AC and DC Grids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sakamuri, Jayachandra N.; Altin, Müfit; Hansen, Anca Daniela

2016-01-01

This paper proposes a new approach of providing ancillary services to AC and DC grids from offshore wind power plants (OWPPs), connected through multi-terminal HVDC network. A coordinated control scheme where OWPP’s AC grid frequency modulated according to DC grid voltage variations is used...... to detect and provide the ancillary service requirements of both AC and DC grids, is proposed in this paper. In particular, control strategies for onshore frequency control, fault ridethrough support in the onshore grid, and DC grid voltage control are considered. The proposed control scheme involves only...
EX1606 Dive05 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1606: CAPSTONE Wake Island...
EX1606 Dive04 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1606: CAPSTONE Wake Island...
EX1606 Dive13 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1606: CAPSTONE Wake Island...
EX1606 Dive09 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1606: CAPSTONE Wake Island...
EX1606 Dive10 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1606: CAPSTONE Wake Island...
Trace Metal and Ancillary Data in Puget Sound, 1980 - 1986 (NODC Accession 9100153)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — In first of three data reports on the trace metal and ancillary data in Puget Sound and its watershed (Paulson et al., 1991a), all water column, sediment, and...
Evaluation of three ancillary treatments in the management of equine grass sickness.

Science.gov (United States)

Fintl, C; McGorum, B C

2002-09-28

Brotizolam, acetylcysteine and aloe vera gel were evaluated as ancillary treatments for 29 cases of equine grass sickness. None of the treatments had any significant beneficial effect on the survival of the horses. However, 11 of 13 horses with mild chronic grass sickness survived solely with intensive nursing care.
Management of Ovarian Cysts by Laparoscopic Extracorporeal Approach Using Single Ancillary Trocar

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Metin Capar

2009-12-01

Conclusion: This technique does not require the use of two or more ancillary trocars or widening of the trocar incision. The duration of surgery can be shortened considerably and complete excision of the cystic capsule can be performed. Homeostasis was achieved using 3-0 polyglactin sutures. No electrocoagulation was required.
Benefits of rebuilding global marine fisheries outweigh costs.

Science.gov (United States)

Sumaila, Ussif Rashid; Cheung, William; Dyck, Andrew; Gueye, Kamal; Huang, Ling; Lam, Vicky; Pauly, Daniel; Srinivasan, Thara; Swartz, Wilf; Watson, Reginald; Zeller, Dirk

2012-01-01

Global marine fisheries are currently underperforming, largely due to overfishing. An analysis of global databases finds that resource rent net of subsidies from rebuilt world fisheries could increase from the current negative US$13 billion to positive US$54 billion per year, resulting in a net gain of US$600 to US$1,400 billion in present value over fifty years after rebuilding. To realize this gain, governments need to implement a rebuilding program at a cost of about US$203 (US$130-US$292) billion in present value. We estimate that it would take just 12 years after rebuilding begins for the benefits to surpass the cost. Even without accounting for the potential boost to recreational fisheries, and ignoring ancillary and non-market values that would likely increase, the potential benefits of rebuilding global fisheries far outweigh the costs.
The SPICE concept - An approach to providing geometric and other ancillary information needed for interpretation of data returned from space science instruments

Science.gov (United States)

Acton, Charles H., Jr.

1990-01-01

The Navigation Ancillary Information Facility (NAIF), acting under the direction of NASA's Office of Space Science and Applications, and with substantial participation of the planetary science community, is designing and implementing an ancillary data system - called SPICE - to assist scientists in planning and interpreting scientific observations taken from spaceborne instruments. The principal objective of the implemented SPICE system is that it will hold the essential geometric and related ancillary information needed to recover the full value of science instrument data, and that it will facilitate correlations of individual instrument datasets with data obtained from other instruments on the same or other spacecraft.
The impact of communication barriers on diagnostic confidence and ancillary testing in the emergency department.

Science.gov (United States)

Garra, Gregory; Albino, Hiram; Chapman, Heather; Singer, Adam J; Thode, Henry C

2010-06-01

Communication barriers (CBs) compromise the diagnostic power of the medical interview and may result in increased reliance on diagnostic tests or incorrect test ordering. The prevalence and degree to which these barriers affect diagnosis, testing, and treatment are unknown. To quantify and characterize CBs encountered in the Emergency Department (ED), and assess the effect of CBs on initial diagnosis and perceived reliance on ancillary testing. This was a prospective survey completed by emergency physicians after initial adult patient encounters. CB severity, diagnostic confidence, and reliance on ancillary testing were quantified on a 100-mm Visual Analog Scale (VAS) from least (0) to most (100). Data were collected on 417 ED patient encounters. CBs were reported in 46%; with a mean severity of 50 mm on a 100-mm VAS with endpoints of "perfect communication and "no communication." Language was the most commonly reported form of CB (28%). More than one CB was identified in 6%. The 100-mm VAS rating of diagnostic confidence was lower in patients with perceived CBs (64 mm) vs. those without CBs (80 mm), p Communication barriers in our ED setting were common, and resulted in lower diagnostic confidence and increased perception that ancillary tests are needed to narrow the diagnosis. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Smart microgrid hierarchical frequency control ancillary service provision based on virtual inertia concept: An integrated demand response and droop controlled distributed generation framework

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rezaei, Navid; Kalantar, Mohsen

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Detailed formulation of the microgrid static and dynamic securities based on droop control and virtual inertia concepts. • Constructing a novel objective function using frequency excursion and rate of change of frequency profiles. • Ensuring the microgrid security subject to the microgrid economic and environmental policies. • Coordinated management of demand response and droop controlled distributed generation resources. • Precise scheduling of day-ahead hierarchical frequency control ancillary services using a scenario based stochastic programming. - Abstract: Low inertia stack, high penetration levels of renewable energy source and great ratio of power deviations in a small power delivery system put microgrid frequency at risk of instability. On the basis of the close coupling between the microgrid frequency and system security requirements, procurement of adequate ancillary services from cost-effective and environmental friendly resources is a great challenge requests an efficient energy management system. Motivated by this need, this paper presents a novel energy management system that is aimed to coordinately manage the demand response and distributed generation resources. The proposed approach is carried out by constructing a hierarchical frequency control structure in which the frequency dependent control functions of the microgrid components are modeled comprehensively. On the basis of the derived modeling, both the static and dynamic frequency securities of an islanded microgrid are provided in primary and secondary control levels. Besides, to cope with the low inertia stack of islanded microgrids, novel virtual inertia concept is devised based on the precise modeling of droop controlled distributed generation resources. The proposed approach is applied to typical test microgrid. Energy and hierarchical reserve resource are scheduled precisely using a scenario-based stochastic programming methodology. Moreover, analyzing the

seawaveQ: an R package providing a model and utilities for analyzing trends in chemical concentrations in streams with a seasonal wave (seawave) and adjustment for streamflow (Q) and other ancillary variables

Science.gov (United States)

Ryberg, Karen R.; Vecchia, Aldo V.

2013-01-01

The seawaveQ R package fits a parametric regression model (seawaveQ) to pesticide concentration data from streamwater samples to assess variability and trends. The model incorporates the strong seasonality and high degree of censoring common in pesticide data and users can incorporate numerous ancillary variables, such as streamflow anomalies. The model is fitted to pesticide data using maximum likelihood methods for censored data and is robust in terms of pesticide, stream location, and degree of censoring of the concentration data. This R package standardizes this methodology for trend analysis, documents the code, and provides help and tutorial information, as well as providing additional utility functions for plotting pesticide and other chemical concentration data.
Secure provision of reactive power ancillary services in competitive electricity markets

Science.gov (United States)

El-Samahy, Ismael

The research work presented in this thesis discusses various complex issues associated with reactive power management and pricing in the context of new operating paradigms in deregulated power systems, proposing appropriate policy solutions. An integrated two-level framework for reactive power management is set forth, which is both suitable for a competitive market and ensures a secure and reliable operation of the associated power system. The framework is generic in nature and can be adopted for any electricity market structure. The proposed hierarchical reactive power market structure comprises two stages: procurement of reactive power resources on a seasonal basis, and real-time reactive power dispatch. The main objective of the proposed framework is to provide appropriate reactive power support from service providers at least cost, while ensuring a secure operation of the power system. The proposed procurement procedure is based on a two-step optimization model. First, the marginal benefits of reactive power supply from each provider, with respect to system security, are obtained by solving a loadability-maximization problem subject to transmission security constraints imposed by voltage and thermal limits. Second, the selected set of generators is determined by solving an optimal power flow (OPF)-based auction. This auction maximizes a societal advantage function comprising generators' offers and their corresponding marginal benefits with respect to system security, and considering all transmission system constraints. The proposed procedure yields the selected set of generators and zonal price components, which would form the basis for seasonal contracts between the system operator and the selected reactive power service providers. The main objective of the proposed reactive power dispatch model is to minimize the total payment burden on the Independent System Operator (ISO), which is associated with reactive power dispatch. The real power generation is
Morphology combined with ancillary techniques: An algorithm approach for thyroid nodules.

Science.gov (United States)

Rossi, E D; Martini, M; Capodimonti, S; Cenci, T; Bilotta, M; Pierconti, F; Pontecorvi, A; Lombardi, C P; Fadda, G; Larocca, L M

2018-04-23

Several authors have underlined the limits of morphological analysis mostly in the diagnosis of follicular neoplasms (FN). The application of ancillary techniques, including immunocytochemistry (ICC) and molecular testing, contributes to a better definition of the risk of malignancy (ROM) and management of FN. According to literature, the application of models, including the evaluation of ICC, somatic mutations (ie, BRAF V 600E ), micro RNA analysis is proposed for FNs. This study discusses the validation of a diagnostic algorithm in FN with a special focus on the role of morphology then followed by ancillary techniques. From June 2014 to January 2016, we enrolled 37 FNs with histological follow-up. In the same reference period, 20 benign nodules and 20 positive for malignancy were selected as control. ICC, BRAF V 600E mutation and miR-375 were carried out on LBC. The 37 FNs included 14 atypia of undetermined significance/follicular lesion of undetermined significance and 23 FN. Specifically, atypia of undetermined significance/follicular lesion of undetermined significance resulted in three goitres, 10 follicular adenomas and one NIFTP whereas FN/suspicious for FN by seven follicular adenomas and 16 malignancies (nine non-invasive follicular thyroid neoplasms with papillary-like nuclear features, two invasive follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma [PTC] and five PTC). The 20 positive for malignancy samples included two invasive follicular variant of PTC, 16 PTCs and two medullary carcinomas. The morphological features of BRAF V 600E mutation (nuclear features of PTC and moderate/abundant eosinophilic cytoplasms) were associated with 100% ROM. In the wild type cases, ROM was 83.3% in presence of a concordant positive ICC panel whilst significantly lower (10.5%) in a negative concordant ICC. High expression values of MirR-375 provided 100% ROM. The adoption of an algorithm might represent the best choice for the correct diagnosis of FNs. The morphological
Ancillary procedure for early diagnosis of brain damage in children

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sumi, Masatoshi; Sha, Tenei; Ryo, Fukko; Kagawa, Kotaro.

1979-01-01

CT scan of the head was performed on 14 patients with cerebral palsy, 16 with central coordination disorders, and 16 controls, and findings showing cerebral atrophy and enlargement of the cerebral ventricle were obtained in cases both of cerebral palsy and of central coordination disorders. To objectify these findings, 10 items were selected and evaluated according to 4 grades (0 - 3) and were compared. As a result, it was concluded that CT scan is an excellent ancillary procedure for early diagnosis of brain damages. (Tsunoda, M.)
EX1605L3 Dive05 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1605L3: CAPSTONE CNMI &...
EX1605L3 Dive02 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1605L3: CAPSTONE CNMI &...
EX1605L3 Dive07 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1605L3: CAPSTONE CNMI &...
EX1605L3 Dive19 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1605L3: CAPSTONE CNMI &...
EX1605L3 Dive12 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1605L3: CAPSTONE CNMI &...
EX1605L3 Dive01 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1605L3: CAPSTONE CNMI &...
EX1605L3 Dive13 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1605L3: CAPSTONE CNMI &...
EX1605L3 Dive20 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1605L3: CAPSTONE CNMI &...
Benefit Estimation Model for Tourist Spaceflights

Science.gov (United States)

Goehlich, Robert A.

2003-01-01

It is believed that the only potential means for significant reduction of the recurrent launch cost, which results in a stimulation of human space colonization, is to make the launcher reusable, to increase its reliability, and to make it suitable for new markets such as mass space tourism. But such space projects, that have long range aspects are very difficult to finance, because even politicians would like to see a reasonable benefit during their term in office, because they want to be able to explain this investment to the taxpayer. This forces planners to use benefit models instead of intuitive judgement to convince sceptical decision-makers to support new investments in space. Benefit models provide insights into complex relationships and force a better definition of goals. A new approach is introduced in the paper that allows to estimate the benefits to be expected from a new space venture. The main objective why humans should explore space is determined in this study to ``improve the quality of life''. This main objective is broken down in sub objectives, which can be analysed with respect to different interest groups. Such interest groups are the operator of a space transportation system, the passenger, and the government. For example, the operator is strongly interested in profit, while the passenger is mainly interested in amusement, while the government is primarily interested in self-esteem and prestige. This leads to different individual satisfactory levels, which are usable for the optimisation process of reusable launch vehicles.
Market and policy barriers for demand response providing ancillary services in U.S. markets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cappers, Peter [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); MacDonald, Jason [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Goldman, Charles [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2013-03-01

This study provides an examination of various market and policy barriers to demand response providing ancillary services in both ISO/RTO and non-ISO/RTO regions, especially at the program provider level. It is useful to classify barriers in order to create a holistic understanding and identify parties that could be responsible for their removal. This study develops a typology of barriers focusing on smaller customers that must rely on a program provider (i.e., electric investor owned utility or IOU, ARC) to create an aggregated DR resource in order to bring ancillary services to the balancing authority. The barriers were identified through examinations of regulatory structures, market environments, and product offerings; and discussions with industry stakeholders and regulators. In order to help illustrate the differences in barriers among various wholesale market designs and their constituent retail environments, four regions were chosen to use as case studies: Colorado, Texas, Wisconsin, and New Jersey.
Climate change benefits and energy supply benefits as determinants of acceptance of nuclear power stations: Investigating an explanatory model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Visschers, Vivianne H.M.; Keller, Carmen; Siegrist, Michael

2011-01-01

Several countries are currently discussing whether they will rebuild their nuclear power stations in order to continue this type of energy production in the future. The public, with its own opinion about nuclear power stations, has an influential voice in this discussion. As a result, policy makers and nuclear scientists are interested in the public's perception of nuclear power and in what determines this perception. We therefore examined an explanatory model of the public's acceptance of nuclear power based on a telephone survey among a representative sample in Switzerland. The model included such factors as risk perception, benefit perception, affective feelings, and social trust. Moreover, we distinguished between two types of benefit perception: benefit for the climate and a secure energy supply. The model fitted very well to our data and explained acceptance very well. Acceptance was mainly influenced by perceived benefits for a secure energy supply and, to a lesser extent, both by perceived benefits for the climate and by risk perception. Affective feelings about nuclear power appeared to be a central factor in the model. Implications for communication about nuclear power stations and for further research are discussed. - Highlights: → Explanatory model of determinants of nuclear power acceptance was studied in the representative survey. → Perceived benefits for a secure energy supply had the largest influence on acceptance. → Perceived benefits for the climate seemed less influential on acceptance. → Affect had a central role in the explanatory model. → Implications for communication about nuclear power plants are discussed.
Climate change benefits and energy supply benefits as determinants of acceptance of nuclear power stations: Investigating an explanatory model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Visschers, Vivianne H.M., E-mail: vvisschers@ethz.ch [ETH Zurich, Institute for Environmental Decisions (IED), Consumer Behavior, Universitaetsstrasse 22 CHN J 75.2, 8092 Zurich (Switzerland); Keller, Carmen; Siegrist, Michael [ETH Zurich, Institute for Environmental Decisions (IED), Consumer Behavior, Universitaetsstrasse 22 CHN J 75.2, 8092 Zurich (Switzerland)

2011-06-15

Several countries are currently discussing whether they will rebuild their nuclear power stations in order to continue this type of energy production in the future. The public, with its own opinion about nuclear power stations, has an influential voice in this discussion. As a result, policy makers and nuclear scientists are interested in the public's perception of nuclear power and in what determines this perception. We therefore examined an explanatory model of the public's acceptance of nuclear power based on a telephone survey among a representative sample in Switzerland. The model included such factors as risk perception, benefit perception, affective feelings, and social trust. Moreover, we distinguished between two types of benefit perception: benefit for the climate and a secure energy supply. The model fitted very well to our data and explained acceptance very well. Acceptance was mainly influenced by perceived benefits for a secure energy supply and, to a lesser extent, both by perceived benefits for the climate and by risk perception. Affective feelings about nuclear power appeared to be a central factor in the model. Implications for communication about nuclear power stations and for further research are discussed. - Highlights: > Explanatory model of determinants of nuclear power acceptance was studied in the representative survey. > Perceived benefits for a secure energy supply had the largest influence on acceptance. > Perceived benefits for the climate seemed less influential on acceptance. > Affect had a central role in the explanatory model. > Implications for communication about nuclear power plants are discussed.
Breaking through the hydrogen cost barrier by using electrolysis loads to access ancillary services and demand response programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilson, D.; McGillivray, R.

2009-01-01

This presentation described the use of hydrogen electrolysis as a load resource for handling grid instability resulting from the increased penetration of intermittent renewable power. In particular, it focused on Hydrogenics, the leading global supplier of industrial scale electrolysis equipment and fuel cells. The presentation included an overview of the current incentive and market value of ancillary services provided by the company and demand responses in a number of grids around the world. There is a link between the amount of ancillary services required by the grid and the penetration level of renewable energy power such as wind and solar. The ability of hydrogen generation from electrolysis to satisfy all the requirements of ancillary services markets was also demonstrated. The economic analysis of hydrogen generation was discussed with particular reference to the cost of hydrogen fully loading all capital, energy and operating costs. The resulting reduction in the cost of hydrogen was compared to the existing markets for hydrogen, including use of hydrogen as a fuel for municipal bus fleets relative to the existing cost of fossil fuel fleets. Current industrial hydrogen merchant and bulk market prices were also compared
Short-Term Output Variations in Wind Farms--Implications for Ancillary Services in the United States: Preprint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cadogan, J. [U.S. Department of Energy (US); Milligan, M. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (US); Wan, Y. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (US); Kirby, B. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory (US)

2001-09-21

With the advent of competition in the electric power marketplace, this paper reviews changes that affect wind and other renewable energy technologies, and discusses the role of federal and state policies in the recent wind installations in the United States. In particular, it reviews the implications of ancillary service requirements on a wind farm and presents initial operating results of monitoring one Midwest wind farm. Under federal energy policy, each generator must purchase, or otherwise provide for, ancillary services, such as dispatch, regulation, operation reserve, voltage regulation, and scheduling required to move power to load. As a renewable technology that depends on the forces of nature, short-term output variations are inherently greater for a wind farm than for a gas-fired combined cycle or a supercritical coal-fired unit.
Status of the segment interconnect, cable segment ancillary logic, and the cable segment hybrid driver projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swoboda, C.; Barsotti, E.; Chappa, S.; Downing, R.; Goeransson, G.; Lensy, D.; Moore, G.; Rotolo, C.; Urish, J.

1985-01-01

The FASTBUS Segment Interconnect (SI) provides a communication path between two otherwise independent, asynchronous bus segments. In particular, the Segment Interconnect links a backplane crate segment to a cable segment. All standard FASTBUS address and data transactions can be passed through the SI or any number of SIs and segments in a path. Thus systems of arbitrary connection complexity can be formed, allowing simultaneous independent processing, yet still permitting devices associated with one segment to be accessed from others. The model S1 Segment Interconnect and the Cable Segment Ancillary Logic covered in this report comply with all the mandatory features stated in the FASTBUS specification document DOE/ER-0189. A block diagram of the SI is shown
EX1504L2 Dive09 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L2: Campaign to Address...

EX1504L4 Dive08 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L4: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L4 Dive01 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L4: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L2 Dive04 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L2: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L2 Dive02 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L2: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L4 Dive10 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L4: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L3 Dive02 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L3: CAPSTONE Leg III:...
EX1504L4 Dive07 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L4: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L2 Dive07 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L2: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L3 Dive06 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L3: CAPSTONE Leg III:...
EX1504L4 Dive05 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L4: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L4 Dive13 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L4: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L4 Dive04 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L4: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L2 Dive13 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L2: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L2 Dive12 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L2: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L3 Dive07 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L3: CAPSTONE Leg III:...
EX1504L2 Dive17 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L2: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L2 Dive11 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L2: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L4 Dive03 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L4: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L2 Dive03 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L2: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L2 Dive14 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L2: Campaign to Address...

EX1504L2 Dive18 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L2: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L3 Dive04 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L3: CAPSTONE Leg III:...
EX1504L2 Dive08 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L2: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L4 Dive02 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L4: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L2 Dive05 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L2: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L4 Dive11 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L4: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L2 Dive15 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L2: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L4 Dive12 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L4: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L2 Dive06 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L2: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L4 Dive09 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L4: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L2 Dive10 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L2: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L4 Dive06 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L4: Campaign to Address...
EX1504L3 Dive03 Ancillary Data Collection including reports, kmls, spreadsheets, images and data

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Standard suite of ancillary data files generated through a scripting process following an ROV dive on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer during EX1504L3: CAPSTONE Leg III:...
Histopathological diagnostic discrepancies in soft tissue tumours referred to a specialist centre: reassessment in the era of ancillary molecular diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Thway, Khin; Wang, Jayson; Mubako, Taka; Fisher, Cyril

2014-01-01

Introduction. Soft tissue tumour pathology is a highly specialised area of surgical pathology, but soft tissue neoplasms can occur at virtually all sites and are therefore encountered by a wide population of surgical pathologists. Potential sarcomas require referral to specialist centres for review by pathologists who see a large number of soft tissue lesions and where appropriate ancillary investigations can be performed. We have previously assessed the types of diagnostic discrepancies between referring and final diagnosis for soft tissue lesions referred to our tertiary centre. We now reaudit this 6 years later, assessing changes in discrepancy patterns, particularly in relation to the now widespread use of ancillary molecular diagnostic techniques which were not prevalent in our original study. Materials and Methods. We compared the sarcoma unit's histopathology reports with referring reports on 348 specimens from 286 patients with suspected or proven soft tissue tumours in a one-year period. Results. Diagnostic agreement was seen in 250 cases (71.8%), with 57 (16.4%) major and 41 (11.8%) minor discrepancies. There were 23 cases of benign/malignant discrepancies (23.5% of all discrepancies). 50 ancillary molecular tests were performed, 33 for aiding diagnosis and 17 mutational analyses for gastrointestinal stromal tumour to guide therapy. Findings from ancillary techniques contributed to 3 major and 4 minor discrepancies. While the results were broadly similar to those of the previous study, there was an increase in frequency of major discrepancies. Conclusion. Six years following our previous study and notably now in an era of widespread ancillary molecular diagnosis, the overall discrepancy rate between referral and tertiary centre diagnosis remains similar, but there is an increase in frequency of major discrepancies likely to alter patient management. A possible reason for the increase in major discrepancies is the increasing lack of exposure to soft tissue
Prevalence of influenza vaccination among nurses and ancillary workers in Italy: systematic review and meta analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

La Torre, Giuseppe; Mannocci, Alice; Ursillo, Paolo; Bontempi, Claudio; Firenze, Alberto; Panico, Maria Grazia; Sferrazza, Antonella; Ronga, Chiara; D'Anna, Adele; Amodio, Emanuele; Romano, Nino; Boccia, Antonio

2011-07-01

Italian Ministry of Health, recommends vaccination for seasonal influenza to all healthcare workers (HCW), particularly to nurses who have an important interaction with patients. The aim of this study is to conduct a systematic review in order to estimate the pooled prevalence of influenza vaccinations among nurses and ancillary workers in Italy and analyse the enhancing and hindering factors. The review was performed using 15 articles, six containing the prevalence of vaccination for nurses and ancillary workers, while the others qualitative analysis. In all the selected articles the score calculation has been carried out by using a protocol for observational studies. The nurses and ancillary workers pooled proportion of influenza vaccination was respectively 13.47% (95%CI 9.58-17.90%) and 12.52% (95%CI 9.97-15.31%). The Italian mean of influenza vaccination prevalence appear low if compared to other European countries, ranging from 15% to 29% in Countries such as UK, Germany, France. This situation of weakness should be seen as an opportunity to improve the vaccination rate for seasonal influenza significantly This should be done by intervening on the category which affirms caring less. In fact, this category has a priority to receive vaccination, due to their numbers and closer contact to patients. Research was conducted using medical database Scopus, PubMed, the search engine Google Scholar and ISI web of knowledge, and was concluded February 1st 2011.
Removal Action Work Plan for 105-DR and 105-F Building Interim Safe Storage Projects and Ancillary Buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morton, M.R.

2000-01-01

This document contains the removal action work plan for the 105-DR and 105-F Reactor buildings and ancillary facilities. These buildings and facilities are located in the 100-D/DR and 100-F Areas of the Hanford Site, which is owned and operated by the US Department of Energy (DOE), in Benton County, Washington. The 100 Areas (including the 100-D/DR and 100-F Areas) of the Hanford Site were placed on the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA's) National Priorities List under the ''Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980'' (CERCLA). The DOE has determined that hazardous substances in the 105-DR and 105-F Reactor buildings and four ancillary facilities present a potential threat to human health or the environment. The DOE has also determined that a non-time critical removal action is warranted at these facilities. Alternatives for conducting a non-time critical removal action were evaluated in the ''Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis for the 105-DR and 105-F Reactor Facilities and Ancillary Facilities'' (DOE-RL 1998a). The engineering evaluation/cost analysis (EE/CA) resulted in the recommendation to decontaminate and demolish the contaminated reactor buildings (except for the reactor blocks) and the ancillary facilities and to construct a safe storage enclosure (SSE) over the reactor blocks. The recommendation was approved in an action memorandum (Ecology et al. 1998) signed by the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology), EPA, and DOE. The DOE is the agency responsible for implementing the removal actions in the 105-D/DR and 105-F Areas. Ecology is the lead regulatory agency for facilities in the 100-D/DR Area, and EPA is the lead regulatory agency for facilities in the 100-F Area. The term ''lead regulator agency'' hereinafter, refers to these authorities. This removal action work plan supports implementation of the non-time critical removal action
Impact of prenatal care provider on the use of ancillary health services during pregnancy

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Recent declines in the provision of prenatal care by family physicians and the integration of midwives into the Canadian health care system have led to a shift in the pattern of prenatal care provision; however it is unknown if this also impacts use of other health services during pregnancy. This study aimed to assess the impact of the type of prenatal care provider on the self-reported use of ancillary services during pregnancy. Methods Data for this study was obtained from the All Our Babies study, a community-based prospective cohort study of women’s experiences during pregnancy and the post-partum period. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were used to assess the association between type of prenatal care provider and use of ancillary health services in pregnancy. Results During pregnancy, 85.8% of women reported accessing ancillary health services. Compared to women who received prenatal care from a family physician, women who saw a midwife were less likely to call a nurse telephone advice line (OR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.18-0.50) and visit the emergency department (OR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.24-0.89), but were more likely receive chiropractic care (OR = 4.07, 95% CI: 2.49-6.67). Women who received their prenatal care from an obstetrician were more likely to visit a walk-in clinic (OR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.11-2.05) than those who were cared for by a family physician. Conclusions Prenatal care is a complex entity and referral pathways between care providers and services are not always clear. This can lead to the provision of fragmented care and create opportunities for errors and loss of information. All types of care providers have a role in addressing the full range of health needs that pregnant women experience. PMID:23497179
Market and Policy Barriers for Demand Response Providing Ancillary Services in U.S. Markets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cappers, Peter [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); MacDonald, Jason [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Goldman, Charles [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2013-03-01

In this study, we attempt to provide a comprehensive examination of various market and policy barriers to demand response providing ancillary services in both ISO/RTO and non-ISO/RTO regions, especially at the program provider level. It is useful to classify barriers in order to create a holistic understanding and identify parties that could be responsible for their removal. This study develops a typology of barriers focusing on smaller customers that must rely on a program provider (i.e., electric investor owned utility or IOU, ARC) to create an aggregated DR resource in order to bring ancillary services to the balancing authority.ii The barriers were identified through examinations of regulatory structures, market environments, and product offerings; and discussions with industry stakeholders and regulators. In order to help illustrate the differences in barriers among various wholesale market designs and their constituent retail environments, four regions were chosen to use as case studies: Colorado, Texas, Wisconsin, and New Jersey. We highlight the experience in each area as it relates to the identified barriers.
47 CFR 25.149 - Application requirements for ancillary terrestrial components in the mobile-satellite service...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Application requirements for ancillary terrestrial components in the mobile-satellite service networks operating in the 1.5./1.6 GHz, 1.6/2.4 GHz and 2 GHz mobile-satellite service. 25.149 Section 25.149 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS...
A Total Cost of Ownership Model for Low Temperature PEM Fuel Cells in Combined Heat and Power and Backup Power Applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

University of California, Berkeley; Wei, Max; Lipman, Timothy; Mayyas, Ahmad; Chien, Joshua; Chan, Shuk Han; Gosselin, David; Breunig, Hanna; Stadler, Michael; McKone, Thomas; Beattie, Paul; Chong, Patricia; Colella, Whitney; James, Brian

2014-06-23

A total cost of ownership model is described for low temperature proton exchange membrane stationary fuel cell systems for combined heat and power (CHP) applications from 1-250kW and backup power applications from 1-50kW. System designs and functional specifications for these two applications were developed across the range of system power levels. Bottom-up cost estimates were made for balance of plant costs, and detailed direct cost estimates for key fuel cell stack components were derived using design-for-manufacturing-and-assembly techniques. The development of high throughput, automated processes achieving high yield are projected to reduce the cost for fuel cell stacks to the $300/kW level at an annual production volume of 100 MW. Several promising combinations of building types and geographical location in the U.S. were identified for installation of fuel cell CHP systems based on the LBNL modelling tool DER CAM. Life-cycle modelling and externality assessment were done for hotels and hospitals. Reduced electricity demand charges, heating credits and carbon credits can reduce the effective cost of electricity ($/kWhe) by 26-44percent in locations such as Minneapolis, where high carbon intensity electricity from the grid is displaces by a fuel cell system operating on reformate fuel. This project extends the scope of existing cost studies to include externalities and ancillary financial benefits and thus provides a more comprehensive picture of fuel cell system benefits, consistent with a policy and incentive environment that increasingly values these ancillary benefits. The project provides a critical, new modelling capacity and should aid a broad range of policy makers in assessing the integrated costs and benefits of fuel cell systems versus other distributed generation technologies.

Measuring the value of nonwage employee benefits: building a model of the relation between benefit satisfaction and value.

Science.gov (United States)

Weathington, Bart L; Jones, Allan P

2006-11-01

Researchers have commonly assumed benefits that employees view as more valuable have a greater influence on their attitudes and behaviors. Researchers have used 2 common methods to measure benefit value: attaching a monetary value to benefits and using self-reports of benefit importance. The present authors propose that the 2 approaches are conceptually distinct and have different implications. They use a social exchange perspective to justify this distinction and integrate both approaches and benefit satisfaction into a more comprehensive model of benefit perception. Results suggest that both measures have practical applications depending on the nature of the exchange relationship between the organization and employees. However, this relationship depends on the specific benefit and on employee satisfaction with that benefit. Some benefits lend themselves to a monetary estimate, whereas others lend themselves more to a nonmonetary valuation.
Optimal Sizing and Allocation of Residential Photovoltaic Panels in a Distribution Network for Ancillary Services Application

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kordheili, Reza Ahmadi; Pourmousavi, Ali; Pillai, Jayakrishnan Radhakrishna

2014-01-01

requirements, such as voltage and current limits. This paper proposes an optimization method for determining the number of photovoltaic (PV) panels together with their arrangement in the grid in order to maximize ancillary service, without violating grid operation limits. The proposed optimization method...
State of the Art of Cost and Benefit Models for Digital Curation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kejser, Ulla Bøgvad; Davidson, Joy; Wang, David

2014-01-01

, to support decision-making and for selecting the most efficient processes – all of which are critical for ensuring sustainability of digital curation investment. The evaluation revealed that the most prominent challenges are associated with the models’ usability, their inability to model quality and benefits......This paper presents the results of an evaluation carried out by the EU 4C project to assess how well current digital curation cost and benefit models meet a range of stakeholders’ needs. This work aims to elicit a means of modelling that enables comparing financial information across organisations...... of curation, and the lack of a clear terminology and conceptual description of costs and benefits. The paper provides recommendations on how these gaps in cost and benefit modelling can be bridged....
76 FR 36400 - Third-Party Provision of Ancillary Services; Accounting and Financial Reporting for New Electric...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-22

...-000 and AD10-13-000] Third-Party Provision of Ancillary Services; Accounting and Financial Reporting... Commission's accounting and financial reporting requirements currently do not contain specific accounting \\12... financial reporting requirements \\41\\ for public utilities \\42\\ are designed to provide information about a...
A framework for quantifying net benefits of alternative prognostic models

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rapsomaniki, Eleni; White, Ian R; Wood, Angela M

2012-01-01

New prognostic models are traditionally evaluated using measures of discrimination and risk reclassification, but these do not take full account of the clinical and health economic context. We propose a framework for comparing prognostic models by quantifying the public health impact (net benefit......) of the treatment decisions they support, assuming a set of predetermined clinical treatment guidelines. The change in net benefit is more clinically interpretable than changes in traditional measures and can be used in full health economic evaluations of prognostic models used for screening and allocating risk...... reduction interventions. We extend previous work in this area by quantifying net benefits in life years, thus linking prognostic performance to health economic measures; by taking full account of the occurrence of events over time; and by considering estimation and cross-validation in a multiple...
Model for investigating the benefits of clinical supervision in psychiatric nursing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gonge, Henrik; Buus, Niels

2011-01-01

with the effectiveness of clinical supervision, as measured by the Manchester Clinical Supervision Scale (MCSS). Furthermore, MCSS scores were associated with benefits, such as increased job satisfaction, vitality, rational coping and less stress, emotional exhaustion, and depersonalization. Multivariate analyses......The objective of this study was to test a model for analysing the possible benefits of clinical supervision. The model suggested a pathway from participation to effectiveness to benefits of clinical supervision, and included possible influences of individual and workplace factors. The study sample...
A framework for quantifying net benefits of alternative prognostic models

OpenAIRE

Rapsomaniki, E.; White, I.R.; Wood, A.M.; Thompson, S.G.; Ford, I.

2012-01-01

New prognostic models are traditionally evaluated using measures of discrimination and risk reclassification, but these do not take full account of the clinical and health economic context. We propose a framework for comparing prognostic models by quantifying the public health impact (net benefit) of the treatment decisions they support, assuming a set of predetermined clinical treatment guidelines. The change in net benefit is more clinically interpretable than changes in traditional measure...
The development of a model of community garden benefits to wellbeing.

Science.gov (United States)

Egli, Victoria; Oliver, Melody; Tautolo, El-Shadan

2016-06-01

Community gardens contribute to community wellbeing by influencing the nutritional and social environment. The aim of this research was to develop a model that communicates the many benefits of community garden participation as described in the academic literature, to a diverse audience of laypersons. This model is an example of effective knowledge translation because the information is able to be more than simply understood but also practically applied. From April to August 2015, a model depicting the many benefits of community garden participation was prepared based on a global, critical literature review. The wellbeing benefits from community garden participation have been grouped into factors influencing the nutritional health environment and factors influencing the social environment. The graphic chosen to form the basis of the model is a fractal tree of life. In October 2015, to test the models comprehension and to obtain stakeholder feedback this model was presented to a diverse group of community members, leaders and workers from the Tāmaki region of Auckland, New Zealand. The model we present here effectively and clearly translates knowledge obtained from the academic literature on the benefits to wellbeing from community garden participation into a tool that can be used, adapted and developed by community groups, government agencies and health promoters.
Enhancing the Role of Electric Vehicles in the Power Grid: Field Validation of Multiple Ancillary Services

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Knezovic, Katarina; Martinenas, Sergejus; Andersen, Peter Bach

2016-01-01

essentially means it is applicable to any EV complying with IEC 61851 and SAE J1772 standards. The field test validation is conducted in a real Danish distribution grid with a Nissan Leaf providing three ancillary services through unidirectional AC charging, namely congestion management, local voltage support...
Pipe stress analysis on HCCR-TBS ancillary systems in conceptual design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahn, Mu-Young; Cho, Seungyon; Lee, Eo Hwak; Park, Yi-Hyun; Lee, Youngmin

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Pipe stress is performed on Korean HCCR-TBS for the load combinations including seismic events. • The resultant stress meets the requirement of the design code & standard except one position where modification is needed. • The results gives useful information for the design evolution in the next desgin phase. - Abstract: Korean Helium Cooled Ceramic Reflector (HCCR) Test Blanket System (TBS) will be tested in ITER to demonstrate feasibility of the breeding blanket concept. The HCCR-TBS comprises Test Blanket Module (TBM) with associated shield, and ancillary systems located in various positions of ITER building. Currently, conceptual design for the HCCR-TBS is in progress. This paper presents pipe stress analysis results for the HCCR-TBS ancillary systems. The pipe stress analysis was performed in accordance with ASME B31.3 for major pipes of the Helium Cooling System (HCS) and the Coolant Purification System (CPS), which are operated in high pressure and temperature. The pipe stress for various load cases and load combinations were calculated. Operational pressure and temperature during plasma operation are applied as pressure load and thermal load, respectively. In addition seismic events were combined to investigate the code compliance for sustained load case and occasional load case. It was confirmed that the resultant stress meets the requirements of ASME B31.3 except one position in which it needs modification. These results give useful information for the next design phase, for example, nozzle loads for the component selection, the support design parameters, etc.
Pipe stress analysis on HCCR-TBS ancillary systems in conceptual design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahn, Mu-Young, E-mail: myahn74@nfri.re.kr [National Fusion Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Cho, Seungyon [National Fusion Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Eo Hwak [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Park, Yi-Hyun; Lee, Youngmin [National Fusion Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-11-01

Highlights: • Pipe stress is performed on Korean HCCR-TBS for the load combinations including seismic events. • The resultant stress meets the requirement of the design code & standard except one position where modification is needed. • The results gives useful information for the design evolution in the next desgin phase. - Abstract: Korean Helium Cooled Ceramic Reflector (HCCR) Test Blanket System (TBS) will be tested in ITER to demonstrate feasibility of the breeding blanket concept. The HCCR-TBS comprises Test Blanket Module (TBM) with associated shield, and ancillary systems located in various positions of ITER building. Currently, conceptual design for the HCCR-TBS is in progress. This paper presents pipe stress analysis results for the HCCR-TBS ancillary systems. The pipe stress analysis was performed in accordance with ASME B31.3 for major pipes of the Helium Cooling System (HCS) and the Coolant Purification System (CPS), which are operated in high pressure and temperature. The pipe stress for various load cases and load combinations were calculated. Operational pressure and temperature during plasma operation are applied as pressure load and thermal load, respectively. In addition seismic events were combined to investigate the code compliance for sustained load case and occasional load case. It was confirmed that the resultant stress meets the requirements of ASME B31.3 except one position in which it needs modification. These results give useful information for the next design phase, for example, nozzle loads for the component selection, the support design parameters, etc.
Ancillary care in public health intervention research in low-resource settings: researchers' practices and decision-making.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Holly A; Merritt, Maria W; Mullany, Luke C

2011-09-01

Little is known about researchers' practices regarding the provision of ancillary care (AC) in public health intervention studies they have conducted and the factors that influence their decisions about whether to provide ancillary care in low-resource settings. We conducted 52 in-person in-depth interviews with public health researchers. Data analysis was iterative and led to the identification of themes and patterns among themes. We found that researchers who conduct their research in the community setting are more likely to identify and plan for the AC needs of potential research subjects before a study begins, whereas those affiliated with a permanent facility are more likely to deliver AC to research subjects on an ad hoc basis. Our findings suggest that on the whole, at least for public health intervention research in low-resource settings, researchers conducting research in the community setting confront more complex ethical and operational challenges in their decision-making about AC than do researchers conducting facility-based studies.
A framework for cost-based pricing of transmission and ancillary services in competitive electric power markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zobian, A.; Ilic, M.D.

1995-01-01

In this paper the authors propose a framework for accurate cost determination and pricing of transmission and ancillary services in competitive electric power markets. The proposed framework is based on their anticipation of the evolving environment and industry structure. They envision the future as a competitive energy market with a centralized control entity that coordinates system activities, prices transmission and ancillary services and controls various system resources. This control entity has control over a certain (pre-defined) geographical area. It is proposed that the system operation and control be kept as they are currently done in control centers, no major change in these functions is required for the proposed pricing strategy. The pricing strategy is divided into two main classes based on time scale separation and firmness, short and long term, firm and interruptible contracts. The approach is based on superposition of different transaction on the network, and a three-part tariff design. The charges are directly related to the impact of each transaction on the system
Do recommender systems benefit users? a modeling approach

Science.gov (United States)

Yeung, Chi Ho

2016-04-01

Recommender systems are present in many web applications to guide purchase choices. They increase sales and benefit sellers, but whether they benefit customers by providing relevant products remains less explored. While in many cases the recommended products are relevant to users, in other cases customers may be tempted to purchase the products only because they are recommended. Here we introduce a model to examine the benefit of recommender systems for users, and find that recommendations from the system can be equivalent to random draws if one always follows the recommendations and seldom purchases according to his or her own preference. Nevertheless, with sufficient information about user preferences, recommendations become accurate and an abrupt transition to this accurate regime is observed for some of the studied algorithms. On the other hand, we find that high estimated accuracy indicated by common accuracy metrics is not necessarily equivalent to high real accuracy in matching users with products. This disagreement between estimated and real accuracy serves as an alarm for operators and researchers who evaluate recommender systems merely with accuracy metrics. We tested our model with a real dataset and observed similar behaviors. Finally, a recommendation approach with improved accuracy is suggested. These results imply that recommender systems can benefit users, but the more frequently a user purchases the recommended products, the less relevant the recommended products are in matching user taste.
Vertical Keiretsu and International Market Entry: The Case of the Japanese Automobile Ancillary Industry

OpenAIRE

Kunal Banerji; Rakesh B Sambharya

1996-01-01

This study investigated whether small Japanese automobile ancillary firms followed the major Japanese automakers in setting up production facilities in the United States. Based on Dunning's eclectic theory of foreign direct investment and resource dependence theory, hypotheses were generated to explain the determinants of foreign investment of Japanese suppliers. It was hypothesized that mutual dependencies between the major Japanese automobile firms and their suppliers, firm-specific ownersh...
Exogam with its ancillary detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Theisen, Ch.

2004-01-01

The goal of the meeting was to discuss the status of experiments using Exogam and its ancillary detectors. Presentations include details of experiments already run and those in preparation. This document gathers most of the slides presented at the meeting. The results of 7 experiments are described. There are 9 contributions as it follows: 1) presentation of the Vamos spectrometer p.1-15, 2) the Clara (detector) and Prisma (spectrometer) setup: status and perspectives p.16-33, 3) experiment E344aS: shape coexistence near the N=Z line and collective properties of Kr isotopes investigated by low-energy Coulomb excitation p.34-56, 4) experiment E389: study of effective charges at Sm 100 via the nuclear lifetime measurements in Pd 96 and Cd 98 p.57-68, 5) experiment E375: spectroscopy of trans-fermium nuclei p.69-91, 6) experiment E408S: He 8 on Pb 208 and Bi 209 p.92-102, 7) experiment E462: very neutron rich calcium isotopes at N=32, structure of magic Ca 54 studied by gamma-spectroscopy with deep inelastic reactions p.103-115, 8) experiment E451: searching for T=D pairing and a new coupling scheme in Pd 92 and Ru 88 p.116-141, and 9) experiment E404aS: identification of gamma rays in nuclei around the drip-line nucleus Sm 130 , probing the maximally deformed light rare earth region
MR imaging diagnosis of posterior cruciate ligament injury: importance of ancillary findings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Kang Ik; Lee, Jong Hwa; Kim, Young Sun; Lee, Jung Hwoi; Ki, Tae Sung; Park, Jong Oag

1997-01-01

To evaluate the importance of two ancillary findings of anterior tibial plateau bruise/fracture and popliteus muscle strain on MR diagnosis of posterior cruicate ligament injury. We retrospectively evaluated 48 patients with confirmed posterior cruciate ligament tear. We studied the incidence of anterior tibial plateau injury and popliteus muscle strain, and the specificity of popliteus muscle strain with or without bony injury. A complete tear of the posterior cruciate ligament was noted in 37 cases, a partial tear in 11. Anterior tibial plateau lesion was found in 21 of 48 cases (44%); This total was made up of 17/37 PCL complete tears (46%) and 4/11 partial tears (36%). The difference in the incidence of complete and partial tears is not statistically significant. Popliteus muscle injury was found in 20 of 48 cases (42%), the total consisted of 19/37 PCL complete tears (51%) and 1/11 partial tears (10%). The incidence of 42% is relatively high, approximating that of bony injury. The difference in the incidence of complete and partial tears is statistically significant (p < 0.006). Specificity for posterior cruciate ligament tear is 69%(20/29), and when concomitant with anterior tibial plateau injury is 94%(16/17). As in the case of anterior cruciate ligament injury, these documented ancillary findings of anterior tibial plateau and popliteus muscle injuries are very helpful when MR diagnosis of posterior cruciate ligament injury itself and differentiation of partial and complete rupture are doubtful
Open Automated Demand Response Communications in Demand Response for Wholesale Ancillary Services

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kiliccote, Sila; Piette, Mary Ann; Ghatikar, Girish; Koch, Ed; Hennage, Dan; Hernandez, John; Chiu, Albert; Sezgen, Osman; Goodin, John

2009-11-06

The Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is conducting a pilot program to investigate the technical feasibility of bidding certain demand response (DR) resources into the California Independent System Operator's (CAISO) day-ahead market for ancillary services nonspinning reserve. Three facilities, a retail store, a local government office building, and a bakery, are recruited into the pilot program. For each facility, hourly demand, and load curtailment potential are forecasted two days ahead and submitted to the CAISO the day before the operation as an available resource. These DR resources are optimized against all other generation resources in the CAISO ancillary service. Each facility is equipped with four-second real time telemetry equipment to ensure resource accountability and visibility to CAISO operators. When CAISO requests DR resources, PG&E's OpenADR (Open Automated DR) communications infrastructure is utilized to deliver DR signals to the facilities energy management and control systems (EMCS). The pre-programmed DR strategies are triggered without a human in the loop. This paper describes the automated system architecture and the flow of information to trigger and monitor the performance of the DR events. We outline the DR strategies at each of the participating facilities. At one site a real time electric measurement feedback loop is implemented to assure the delivery of CAISO dispatched demand reductions. Finally, we present results from each of the facilities and discuss findings.
The Aviation System Analysis Capability Air Carrier Cost-Benefit Model

Science.gov (United States)

Gaier, Eric M.; Edlich, Alexander; Santmire, Tara S.; Wingrove, Earl R.., III

1999-01-01

To meet its objective of assisting the U.S. aviation industry with the technological challenges of the future, NASA must identify research areas that have the greatest potential for improving the operation of the air transportation system. Therefore, NASA is developing the ability to evaluate the potential impact of various advanced technologies. By thoroughly understanding the economic impact of advanced aviation technologies and by evaluating how the new technologies will be used in the integrated aviation system, NASA aims to balance its aeronautical research program and help speed the introduction of high-leverage technologies. To meet these objectives, NASA is building the Aviation System Analysis Capability (ASAC). NASA envisions ASAC primarily as a process for understanding and evaluating the impact of advanced aviation technologies on the U.S. economy. ASAC consists of a diverse collection of models and databases used by analysts and other individuals from the public and private sectors brought together to work on issues of common interest to organizations in the aviation community. ASAC also will be a resource available to the aviation community to analyze; inform; and assist scientists, engineers, analysts, and program managers in their daily work. The ASAC differs from previous NASA modeling efforts in that the economic behavior of buyers and sellers in the air transportation and aviation industries is central to its conception. Commercial air carriers, in particular, are an important stakeholder in this community. Therefore, to fully evaluate the implications of advanced aviation technologies, ASAC requires a flexible financial analysis tool that credibly links the technology of flight with the financial performance of commercial air carriers. By linking technical and financial information, NASA ensures that its technology programs will continue to benefit the user community. In addition, the analysis tool must be capable of being incorporated into the
Removal Action Workplan for the 105-DR and 105-F Building Interim Safe Storage Projects and Ancillary Buildings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodovsky, T. J.

1999-01-01

This document is the removal action workplan (RAW) for the 105-DR and 105-F Reactor Buildings and ancillary facilities. These buildings and facilities are located in the 100-D/DR and 100-F Areas of the Hanford Site in Benton County, Washington, which is owned and operated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The 100 Areas (including 100-D/DR and 100-F Areas) of the Hanford Site were placed on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Priorities List under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation,and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). DOE has determined that hazardous substances in the 105-DR and 105-F Reactor Buildings and four ancillary facilities present a potential threat to human health or the environment DOE has also determined that a non-time critical removal action is warranted at these facilities

A hybrid PSO technique for procuring VAR ancillary service in the deregulated electricity markets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

El-Araby, E.E. [Department of Electrical Engineering, Suez Canal University (Egypt); Yorino, Naoto [Department of Artificial Complex Systems Engineering, Hiroshima University (Japan)

2010-07-15

This paper develops a new market-based technique for acquiring VAR ancillary service in the electricity market. The main objective of the developed market is to enable transmission operator ''TO'' to procure VAR service in a long term contract from the critical VAR providers that satisfy minimum VAR service payment while maintaining system security. Reactive power control problem for voltage stability is introduced into the VAR market problem in an explicit manner for normal and emergency states. An integration of particle swarm optimization ''PSO'' is presented with successive linear programming ''SLP'' for dealing with the VAR ancillary service problem. The problem is formulated as a large-scale nonlinear constrained optimization problem with a non-differentiable objective function representing VAR payment and operational costs. This type of problem is hard to be treated straightforwardly by the classical optimization methods. Therefore, we propose here a two-layer hybrid PSO/SLP approach, which is suited for carrying out the difficulties associated with non-differentiable and discontinuous objective functions. The proposed method has been examined on the standard IEEE 57 bus-system and compared with GA/SLP method to demonstrate its capability. (author)
Plants status monitor: Modelling techniques and inherent benefits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Breeding, R.J.; Lainoff, S.M.; Rees, D.C.; Prather, W.A.; Fickiessen, K.O.E.

1987-01-01

The Plant Status Monitor (PSM) is designed to provide plant personnel with information on the operational status of the plant and compliance with the plant technical specifications. The PSM software evaluates system models using a 'distributed processing' technique in which detailed models of individual systems are processed rather than by evaluating a single, plant-level model. In addition, development of the system models for PSM provides inherent benefits to the plant by forcing detailed reviews of the technical specifications, system design and operating procedures, and plant documentation. (orig.)
Finisher hog production in the Southeastern United States: Ancillary measurements derived from the National Air Emissions Monitoring Study (NAEMS)

Science.gov (United States)

Robarge, W. P.; Lee, S.; Walker, J. T.

2010-12-01

Measurements of emissions of gases and fine particulate matter from swine animal feeding operations (AFOs) in the southeastern US have typically been confined to relatively short periods (days to several weeks) and have generally focused on waste lagoons. Access to swine animal housing units and other ancillary information has been limited. The National Air Emissions Monitoring Study (NAEMS) provided a unique opportunity to characterize emissions from swine housing units for an extended period of time (~ 2 years), and allowed access to ancillary measurements regarding nutrient flows (feed amounts and composition), manure dynamics, animal inventories, water usage and farm management. Presented here is a summary of the observations made for a NAEMS finisher site (NC3B) selected as being representative of swine production in the southeastern US. Finisher hogs are raised in rotations (~ 140 days) with a target market weight of 123 kg/hog. Among the population during a rotation (700-800 hogs/barn) the actual growth rate varies with a series of “grade-outs” of market-weight hogs starting ~ 110 days from initial load-in. Derivation of the standing live-weight in the barns during a rotation therefore requires use of a growth model and summation over several different “populations” of hogs within a single barn. Up to 5 different feed formulations are fed during a rotation with %N content ranging from (3.4 to 2.2% N; total feed consumed 181,000 kg/barn). Across 4 complete rotations, N consumed was ~50 g N per hog/day. Of this amount, we estimate ~ 60% is excreted as fecal matter and urine. The TAN (NH3 + NH4+) content of the shallow pits is consistently higher (1880 ±390 mg TAN/L) than that found in the anaerobic lagoon (800 ±70 mg TAN/L), except immediately after recharge following pit-pull (pH of the two liquids was similar). The presence of a recalcitrant layer of sludge in the shallow pits (liquid height = 20 cm; sludge depth = 5-10 cm; TAN = 2500 mg N/L; total
The proposed 'concordance-statistic for benefit' provided a useful metric when modeling heterogeneous treatment effects.

Science.gov (United States)

van Klaveren, David; Steyerberg, Ewout W; Serruys, Patrick W; Kent, David M

2018-02-01

Clinical prediction models that support treatment decisions are usually evaluated for their ability to predict the risk of an outcome rather than treatment benefit-the difference between outcome risk with vs. without therapy. We aimed to define performance metrics for a model's ability to predict treatment benefit. We analyzed data of the Synergy between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Taxus and Cardiac Surgery (SYNTAX) trial and of three recombinant tissue plasminogen activator trials. We assessed alternative prediction models with a conventional risk concordance-statistic (c-statistic) and a novel c-statistic for benefit. We defined observed treatment benefit by the outcomes in pairs of patients matched on predicted benefit but discordant for treatment assignment. The 'c-for-benefit' represents the probability that from two randomly chosen matched patient pairs with unequal observed benefit, the pair with greater observed benefit also has a higher predicted benefit. Compared to a model without treatment interactions, the SYNTAX score II had improved ability to discriminate treatment benefit (c-for-benefit 0.590 vs. 0.552), despite having similar risk discrimination (c-statistic 0.725 vs. 0.719). However, for the simplified stroke-thrombolytic predictive instrument (TPI) vs. the original stroke-TPI, the c-for-benefit (0.584 vs. 0.578) was similar. The proposed methodology has the potential to measure a model's ability to predict treatment benefit not captured with conventional performance metrics. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
The Benefit of Ambiguity in Understanding Goals in Requirements Modelling

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paay, Jeni; Pedell, Sonja; Sterling, Leon

2011-01-01

This paper examines the benefit of ambiguity in describing goals in requirements modelling for the design of socio-technical systems using concepts from Agent-Oriented Software Engineering (AOSE) and ethnographic and cultural probe methods from Human Computer Interaction (HCI). The authors’ aim...... ambiguity in the process of elicitation and analysis through the use of empirically informed quality goals attached to functional goals. The authors demonstrate the benefit of articulating a quality goal without turning it into a functional goal. Their study shows that quality goals kept at a high level...... of abstraction, ambiguous and open for conversations through the modelling process add richness to goal models, and communicate quality attributes of the interaction being modelled to the design phase, where this ambiguity is regarded as a resource for design....
Evaluation of Contribution for Voltage Control Ancillary Services Based on Social Surplus

Science.gov (United States)

Ueki, Yuji; Hara, Ryoichi; Kita, Hiroyuki; Hasegawa, Jun

Reactive power supply plays an important role in active power supply with adequate system voltages. Various pricing mechanism for reactive power supply have been developed and some of them are adopted in some power systems, however they are in a trial stage. The authors also focus on development of a pricing method for reactive power ancillary services. This problem involves two technical issues: rational estimation of the cost associated with reactive power supply and fair and transparent allocation of the estimated cost among the market participants. This paper proposes methods for evaluating the contribution of generators and demands.
Optimal Sizing of a Solar-Plus-Storage System For Utility Bill Savings and Resiliency Benefits: Preprint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simpkins, Travis; Anderson, Kate; Cutler, Dylan; Olis, Dan

2016-11-01

Solar-plus-storage systems can achieve significant utility savings in behind-the-meter deployments in buildings, campuses, or industrial sites. Common applications include demand charge reduction, energy arbitrage, time-shifting of excess photovoltaic (PV) production, and selling ancillary services to the utility grid. These systems can also offer some energy resiliency during grid outages. It is often difficult to quantify the amount of resiliency that these systems can provide, however, and this benefit is often undervalued or omitted during the design process. We propose a method for estimating the resiliency that a solar-plus-storage system can provide at a given location. We then present an optimization model that can optimally size the system components to minimize the lifecycle cost of electricity to the site, including the costs incurred during grid outages. The results show that including the value of resiliency during the feasibility stage can result in larger systems and increased resiliency.
Bayesian joint modelling of benefit and risk in drug development.

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, Maria J; Drury, Thomas

2018-05-01

To gain regulatory approval, a new medicine must demonstrate that its benefits outweigh any potential risks, ie, that the benefit-risk balance is favourable towards the new medicine. For transparency and clarity of the decision, a structured and consistent approach to benefit-risk assessment that quantifies uncertainties and accounts for underlying dependencies is desirable. This paper proposes two approaches to benefit-risk evaluation, both based on the idea of joint modelling of mixed outcomes that are potentially dependent at the subject level. Using Bayesian inference, the two approaches offer interpretability and efficiency to enhance qualitative frameworks. Simulation studies show that accounting for correlation leads to a more accurate assessment of the strength of evidence to support benefit-risk profiles of interest. Several graphical approaches are proposed that can be used to communicate the benefit-risk balance to project teams. Finally, the two approaches are illustrated in a case study using real clinical trial data. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Three-Part Electricity Price Mechanism for Photovoltaic-Battery Energy Storage Power Plants Considering the Power Quality and Ancillary Service

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yajing Gao

2017-08-01

Full Text Available To solve the problem of solar abandoning, which is accompanied by the rapid development of photovoltaic (PV power generation, a demonstration of a photovoltaic-battery energy storage system (PV-BESS power plant has been constructed in Qinghai province in China. However, it is difficult for the PV-BESS power plant to survive and develop with the current electricity price mechanism and subsidy policy. In this paper, a three-part electricity price mechanism is proposed based on a deep analysis of the construction and operation costs and economic income. The on-grid electricity price is divided into three parts: the capacity price, graded electricity price, and ancillary service price. First, to ensure that the investment of the PV-BESS power plant would achieve the industry benchmark income, the capacity price and benchmark electricity price are calculated using the discounted cash flow method. Then, the graded electricity price is calculated according to the grade of the quality of grid-connected power. Finally, the ancillary service price is calculated based on the graded electricity price and ancillary service compensation. The case studies verify the validity of the three-part electricity price mechanism. The verification shows that the three-part electricity price mechanism can help PV-BESS power plants to obtain good economic returns, which can promote the development of PV-BESS power plants.
A framework for quantifying net benefits of alternative prognostic models.

Science.gov (United States)

Rapsomaniki, Eleni; White, Ian R; Wood, Angela M; Thompson, Simon G

2012-01-30

New prognostic models are traditionally evaluated using measures of discrimination and risk reclassification, but these do not take full account of the clinical and health economic context. We propose a framework for comparing prognostic models by quantifying the public health impact (net benefit) of the treatment decisions they support, assuming a set of predetermined clinical treatment guidelines. The change in net benefit is more clinically interpretable than changes in traditional measures and can be used in full health economic evaluations of prognostic models used for screening and allocating risk reduction interventions. We extend previous work in this area by quantifying net benefits in life years, thus linking prognostic performance to health economic measures; by taking full account of the occurrence of events over time; and by considering estimation and cross-validation in a multiple-study setting. The method is illustrated in the context of cardiovascular disease risk prediction using an individual participant data meta-analysis. We estimate the number of cardiovascular-disease-free life years gained when statin treatment is allocated based on a risk prediction model with five established risk factors instead of a model with just age, gender and region. We explore methodological issues associated with the multistudy design and show that cost-effectiveness comparisons based on the proposed methodology are robust against a range of modelling assumptions, including adjusting for competing risks. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Planck intermediate results XXIII. Galactic plane emission components derived from Planck with ancillary data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ade, P. A. R.; Aghanim, N.; Arnaud, M.

2015-01-01

Planck data when combined with ancillary data provide a unique opportunity to separate the diuse emission components of the inner Galaxy.The purpose of the paper is to elucidate the morphology of the various emission components in the strong star-formation region lying inside thesolar radius and ...
Benefits of Demand Side Response in Providing Frequency Response Service in the Future GB Power System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fei eTeng

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The demand for ancillary service is expected to increase significantly in the future GB electricity system due to high penetration of wind. In particular, the need for frequency response, required to deal with sudden frequency drops following a loss of generator, will increase because of the limited inertia capability of wind plants. This paper quantifies the requirements for primary frequency response and analyses the benefits of frequency response provision from DSR. The results show dramatic changes in frequency response requirements driven by high penetration of wind. Case studies carried out by using an advanced stochastic generation scheduling model suggest that the provision of frequency response from DSR could greatly reduce the system operation cost, wind curtailment and carbon emissions in the future GB system characterised by high penetration of wind. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that the benefit of DSR shows significant diurnal and seasonal variation, whereas an even more rapid (instant delivery of frequency response from DSR could provide significant additional value. Our studies also indicate that the competing technologies to DSR, namely battery storage and more flexible generation could potentially reduce its value by up to 35%, still leaving significant room to deploy DSR as frequency response provider.
Benefits of Demand-Side Response in Providing Frequency Response Service in the Future GB Power System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teng, Fei, E-mail: fei.teng09@imperial.ac.uk; Aunedi, Marko; Pudjianto, Danny; Strbac, Goran [Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Imperial College London, London (United Kingdom)

2015-08-18

The demand for ancillary service is expected to increase significantly in the future Great Britain (GB) electricity system due to high penetration of wind. In particular, the need for frequency response, required to deal with sudden frequency drops following a loss of generator, will increase because of the limited inertia capability of wind plants. This paper quantifies the requirements for primary frequency response and analyses the benefits of frequency response provision from demand-side response (DSR). The results show dramatic changes in frequency response requirements driven by high penetration of wind. Case studies carried out by using an advanced stochastic generation scheduling model suggest that the provision of frequency response from DSR could greatly reduce the system operation cost, wind curtailment, and carbon emissions in the future GB system characterized by high penetration of wind. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that the benefit of DSR shows significant diurnal and seasonal variation, whereas an even more rapid (instant) delivery of frequency response from DSR could provide significant additional value. Our studies also indicate that the competing technologies to DSR, namely battery storage, and more flexible generation could potentially reduce its value by up to 35%, still leaving significant room to deploy DSR as frequency response provider.
Benefits of Demand-Side Response in Providing Frequency Response Service in the Future GB Power System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teng, Fei; Aunedi, Marko; Pudjianto, Danny; Strbac, Goran

2015-01-01

The demand for ancillary service is expected to increase significantly in the future Great Britain (GB) electricity system due to high penetration of wind. In particular, the need for frequency response, required to deal with sudden frequency drops following a loss of generator, will increase because of the limited inertia capability of wind plants. This paper quantifies the requirements for primary frequency response and analyses the benefits of frequency response provision from demand-side response (DSR). The results show dramatic changes in frequency response requirements driven by high penetration of wind. Case studies carried out by using an advanced stochastic generation scheduling model suggest that the provision of frequency response from DSR could greatly reduce the system operation cost, wind curtailment, and carbon emissions in the future GB system characterized by high penetration of wind. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that the benefit of DSR shows significant diurnal and seasonal variation, whereas an even more rapid (instant) delivery of frequency response from DSR could provide significant additional value. Our studies also indicate that the competing technologies to DSR, namely battery storage, and more flexible generation could potentially reduce its value by up to 35%, still leaving significant room to deploy DSR as frequency response provider.
A framework for quantifying net benefits of alternative prognostic models

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rapsomaniki, E.; White, I.R.; Wood, A.M.; Thompson, S.G.; Feskens, E.J.M.; Kromhout, D.

2012-01-01

New prognostic models are traditionally evaluated using measures of discrimination and risk reclassification, but these do not take full account of the clinical and health economic context. We propose a framework for comparing prognostic models by quantifying the public health impact (net benefit)
International Society of Gynecological Pathologists (ISGyP) Endometrial Cancer Project: Guidelines From the Special Techniques and Ancillary Studies Group.

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Kathleen R; Cooper, Kumarasen; Croce, Sabrina; Djordevic, Bojana; Herrington, Simon; Howitt, Brooke; Hui, Pei; Ip, Philip; Koebel, Martin; Lax, Sigurd; Quade, Bradley J; Shaw, Patricia; Vidal, August; Yemelyanova, Anna; Clarke, Blaise; Hedrick Ellenson, Lora; Longacre, Teri A; Shih, Ie-Ming; McCluggage, W Glenn; Malpica, Anais; Oliva, Esther; Parkash, Vinita; Matias-Guiu, Xavier

2018-04-11

The aim of this article is to propose guidelines and recommendations in problematic areas in pathologic reporting of endometrial carcinoma (EC) regarding special techniques and ancillary studies. An organizing committee designed a comprehensive survey with different questions related to pathologic features, diagnosis, and prognosis of EC that was sent to all members of the International Society of Gynecological Pathologists. The special techniques/ancillary studies group received 4 different questions to be addressed. Five members of the group reviewed the literature and came up with recommendations and an accompanying text which were discussed and agreed upon by all members of the group. Twelve different recommendations are made. They address the value of immunohistochemistry, ploidy, and molecular analysis for assessing prognosis in EC, the value of steroid hormone receptor analysis to predict response to hormone therapy, and parameters regarding applying immunohistochemistry and molecular tests for assessing mismatch deficiency in EC.
Island operation capability in the Colombian electrical market: a promising ancillary service of distributed energy resources

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Marín-Jiménez, Juan D.; Carvajal-Quintero, Sandra; Guerrero, Josep M.

2018-01-01

is presented. Subsequently, an existing electrical distribution system with small hydropower plants is considered as a study case in order to identify the technical requirements set out for both, the distribution system and the generation source. Finally, taking into account the current Law and regulations......, a proposal is outlined for the implementation of the island operation capability ancillary service in the Colombian electrical system....
Energy and ancillary service dispatch through dynamic optimal power flow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costa, A.L.; Costa, A. Simoes

2007-01-01

This paper presents an approach based on dynamic optimal power flow (DOPF) to clear both energy and spinning reserve day-ahead markets. A competitive environment is assumed, where agents can offer active power for both demand supply and ancillary services. The DOPF jointly determines the optimal solutions for both energy dispatch and reserve allocation. A non-linear representation for the electrical network is employed, which is able to take transmission losses and power flow limits into account. An attractive feature of the proposed approach is that the final optimal solution will automatically meet physical constraints such as generating limits and ramp rate restrictions. In addition, the proposed framework allows the definition of multiple zones in the network for each time interval, in order to ensure a more adequate distribution of reserves throughout the power system. (author)
47 CFR 25.254 - Special requirements for ancillary terrestrial components operating in the 1610-1626.5 MHz/2483.5...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 47 Telecommunication 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Special requirements for ancillary terrestrial components operating in the 1610-1626.5 MHz/2483.5-2500 MHz bands. 25.254 Section 25.254 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS Technical...
A model for evaluating the environmental benefits of elementary school facilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Ji, Changyoon; Hong, Taehoon; Jeong, Kwangbok; Leigh, Seung-Bok

2014-01-01

In this study, a model that is capable of evaluating the environmental benefits of a new elementary school facility was developed. The model is composed of three steps: (i) retrieval of elementary school facilities having similar characteristics as the new elementary school facility using case-based reasoning; (ii) creation of energy consumption and material data for the benchmark elementary school facility using the retrieved similar elementary school facilities; and (iii) evaluation of the environmental benefits of the new elementary school facility by assessing and comparing the environmental impact of the new and created benchmark elementary school facility using life cycle assessment. The developed model can present the environmental benefits of a new elementary school facility in terms of monetary values using Environmental Priority Strategy 2000, a damage-oriented life cycle impact assessment method. The developed model can be used for the following: (i) as criteria for a green-building rating system; (ii) as criteria for setting the support plan and size, such as the government's incentives for promoting green-building projects; and (iii) as criteria for determining the feasibility of green building projects in key business sectors. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investment in Electricity Transmission and Ancillary Environmental Benefits

OpenAIRE

Burtraw, Dallas; Bharvirkar, Ranjit; Bloyd, Cary

2002-01-01

Planning of the electricity transmission system generally focuses on the pros and cons of providing generation close to the source of the power demand versus remote generation linked via the transmission system. Recent electricity supply problems in the western United States have renewed interest in the role of transmission in assuring the reliability of electricity supply. Recently, the Western Governors’ Association led the development of a planning exercise that examined the tradeoffs over...
Co-benefits of global and regional greenhouse gas mitigation for US air quality in 2050

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Yuqiang; Bowden, Jared H.; Adelman, Zachariah; Naik, Vaishali; Horowitz, Larry W.; Smith, Steven J.; West, J. Jason

2016-08-01

Policies to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions will not only slow climate change but can also have ancillary benefits of improved air quality. Here we examine the co-benefits of both global and regional GHG mitigation for US air quality in 2050 at fine resolution, using dynamical downscaling methods, building on a previous global co-benefits study (West et al., 2013). The co-benefits for US air quality are quantified via two mechanisms: through reductions in co-emitted air pollutants from the same sources and by slowing climate change and its influence on air quality, following West et al. (2013). Additionally, we separate the total co-benefits into contributions from domestic GHG mitigation vs. mitigation in foreign countries. We use the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to dynamically downscale future global climate to the regional scale and the Sparse Matrix Operator Kernel Emissions (SMOKE) program to directly process global anthropogenic emissions to the regional domain, and we provide dynamical boundary conditions from global simulations to the regional Community Multi-scale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. The total co-benefits of global GHG mitigation from the RCP4.5 scenario compared with its reference are estimated to be higher in the eastern US (ranging from 0.6 to 1.0 µg m^-3) than the west (0–0.4 µg m^-3) for fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), with an average of 0.47 µg m^-3 over the US; for O₃, the total co-benefits are more uniform at 2–5 ppb, with a US average of 3.55 ppb. Comparing the two mechanisms of co-benefits, we find that reductions in co-emitted air pollutants have a much greater influence on both PM_2.5 (96 % of the total co-benefits) and O₃ (89 % of the total) than the second co-benefits mechanism via slowing climate change, consistent with West et al. (2013). GHG mitigation from foreign countries contributes more to the US O₃ reduction
Informing climate policy given incommensurable benefits estimates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacoby, H.D.

2003-01-01

framework for assessing climate benefits, and not a particular estimation method. The objective might have been the development of a single estimation procedure, perhaps one that came as close as possible to a measure directly comparable to cost estimates, with all benefits converted to a common monetary unit. Unfortunately, the complexities of the climate issue combine to rule against the formulation of a single, widely accepted measure of this type. Inevitably, governments will be confronted with sets of benefits estimates that are incommensurable, i.e. they will share no common basis for comparison. To deal with this difficulty, it is recommended here that the OECD support the development of a portfolio of benefits measures, structured to provide transparency when viewing alternative estimates. The development of such a portfolio is a research task, and an effort is made below to outline the work needed. To limit the scope of this discussion several important issues are laid aside. Most important, the benefits considered here are limited to the damage caused by climate change (net of any positive effects) that could be prevented by emissions mitigation. The accounting for adaptation costs, which arises mainly in the context of monetary estimates, are not treated in detail, as they are dealt with in other parts of this OECD project. It is simply assumed that estimates of climate damage (or the benefits of avoiding it) include the effects and costs of economic adaptation. Secondary or ancillary benefits of mitigation actions also are not considered. This last omission is an important one, for many of the issues raised about (net) climate damage apply as well to ancillary benefits and costs. And, although distributional issues will emerge, the discussion does not pretend to cover the range of concerns of developing countries or of sustainable development more broadly. Again, these issues are important, but they as well only add more dimensions to the problem of
The Benefits and Limitations of Hydraulic Modeling for Ordinary High Water Mark Delineation

Science.gov (United States)

2016-02-01

between two cross sections, the HEC-RAS model will not show it. If there is a sudden drop in the channel, such as a waterfall or steep rapids, the...ER D C/ CR RE L TR -1 6- 1 Wetland Regulatory Assistance Program (WRAP) The Benefits and Limitations of Hydraulic Modeling for Ordinary...client/default. Wetland Regulatory Assistance Program (WRAP) ERDC/CRREL TR-16-1 February 2016 The Benefits and Limitations of Hydraulic Modeling
Business Cases for Microgrids: Modeling Interactions of Technology Choice, Reliability, Cost, and Benefit

Science.gov (United States)

Hanna, Ryan

Distributed energy resources (DERs), and increasingly microgrids, are becoming an integral part of modern distribution systems. Interest in microgrids--which are insular and autonomous power networks embedded within the bulk grid--stems largely from the vast array of flexibilities and benefits they can offer stakeholders. Managed well, they can improve grid reliability and resiliency, increase end-use energy efficiency by coupling electric and thermal loads, reduce transmission losses by generating power locally, and may reduce system-wide emissions, among many others. Whether these public benefits are realized, however, depends on whether private firms see a "business case", or private value, in investing. To this end, firms need models that evaluate costs, benefits, risks, and assumptions that underlie decisions to invest. The objectives of this dissertation are to assess the business case for microgrids that provide what industry analysts forecast as two primary drivers of market growth--that of providing energy services (similar to an electric utility) as well as reliability service to customers within. Prototypical first adopters are modeled--using an existing model to analyze energy services and a new model that couples that analysis with one of reliability--to explore interactions between technology choice, reliability, costs, and benefits. The new model has a bi-level hierarchy; it uses heuristic optimization to select and size DERs and analytical optimization to schedule them. It further embeds Monte Carlo simulation to evaluate reliability as well as regression models for customer damage functions to monetize reliability. It provides least-cost microgrid configurations for utility customers who seek to reduce interruption and operating costs. Lastly, the model is used to explore the impact of such adoption on system-wide greenhouse gas emissions in California. Results indicate that there are, at present, co-benefits for emissions reductions when customers
Compilation, quality control, analysis, and summary of discrete suspended-sediment and ancillary data in the United States, 1901-2010

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Casey J.; Glysson, G. Douglas

2013-01-01

Human-induced and natural changes to the transport of sediment and sediment-associated constituents can degrade aquatic ecosystems and limit human uses of streams and rivers. The lack of a dedicated, easily accessible, quality-controlled database of sediment and ancillary data has made it difficult to identify sediment-related water-quality impairments and has limited understanding of how human actions affect suspended-sediment concentrations and transport. The purpose of this report is to describe the creation of a quality-controlled U.S. Geological Survey suspended-sediment database, provide guidance for its use, and summarize characteristics of suspended-sediment data through 2010. The database is provided as an online application at http://cida.usgs.gov/sediment to allow users to view, filter, and retrieve available suspended-sediment and ancillary data. A data recovery, filtration, and quality-control process was performed to expand the availability, representativeness, and utility of existing suspended-sediment data collected by the U.S. Geological Survey in the United States before January 1, 2011. Information on streamflow condition, sediment grain size, and upstream landscape condition were matched to sediment data and sediment-sampling sites to place data in context with factors that may influence sediment transport. Suspended-sediment and selected ancillary data are presented from across the United States with respect to time, streamflow, and landscape condition. Examples of potential uses of this database for identifying sediment-related impairments, assessing trends, and designing new data collection activities are provided. This report and database can support local and national-level decision making, project planning, and data mining activities related to the transport of suspended-sediment and sediment-associated constituents.
Workshop on environmental assessment. [Regulation of applications of nuclear energy and related ancillary systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Watson, E.C. (comp.)

1982-07-01

Objectives of the workshop were: to review and evaluate the state-of-the-art of environmental impact assessments as applied to the regulation of applications of nuclear energy and related ancillary systems; to identify areas where existing technology allows establishing acceptable methods or standard practices that will meet the requirements of the NRC regulations, standards and guides for both normal operations and off-standard conditions including accident considerations; to illuminate topics where existing models or analytical methods are deficient because of unverified assumptions, a paucity of empirical data, conflicting results reported in the literature or a need for observation of operation systems; to compile, analyze and synthesize a prioritized set of research needs to advance the state-of-the-art to the level which will meet all of the requirements of the Commission's regulations, standards and guides; and to develop bases for maintaining the core of regulatory guidance at the optimum level balancing technical capabilities with practical considerations of cost and value to the regulatory process. The discussion held in small group sessions on aquatic, atmospheric, and terrestrial pathways are presented. The following research needs were identified as common to all three groups: validation of models; characterization of source terms; development of screening techniques; basis for de minimis levels of contamination; and updating of objectives for environmental monitoring programs.
Preliminary Results of Ancillary Safety Analyses Supporting TREAT LEU Conversion Activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brunett, A. J. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Fei, T. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Strons, P. S. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Papadias, D. D. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Hoffman, E. A. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Kontogeorgakos, D. C. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Connaway, H. M. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Wright, A. E. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

2015-10-01

The Transient Reactor Test Facility (TREAT), located at Idaho National Laboratory (INL), is a test facility designed to evaluate the performance of reactor fuels and materials under transient accident conditions. The facility, an air-cooled, graphite-moderated reactor designed to utilize fuel containing high-enriched uranium (HEU), has been in non-operational standby status since 1994. Currently, in support of the missions of the Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Material Management and Minimization (M3) Reactor Conversion Program, a new core design is being developed for TREAT that will utilize low-enriched uranium (LEU). The primary objective of this conversion effort is to design an LEU core that is capable of meeting the performance characteristics of the existing HEU core. Minimal, if any, changes are anticipated for the supporting systems (e.g. reactor trip system, filtration/cooling system, etc.); therefore, the LEU core must also be able to function with the existing supporting systems, and must also satisfy acceptable safety limits. In support of the LEU conversion effort, a range of ancillary safety analyses are required to evaluate the LEU core operation relative to that of the existing facility. These analyses cover neutronics, shielding, and thermal hydraulic topics that have been identified as having the potential to have reduced safety margins due to conversion to LEU fuel, or are required to support the required safety analyses documentation. The majority of these ancillary tasks have been identified in [1] and [2]. The purpose of this report is to document the ancillary safety analyses that have been performed at Argonne National Laboratory during the early stages of the LEU design effort, and to describe ongoing and anticipated analyses. For all analyses presented in this report, methodologies are utilized that are consistent with, or improved from, those used in analyses for the HEU Final Safety Analysis
Air Quality and Health Benefits of China's Recent Stringent Environmental Policy

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Y.; Xue, T.; Zhang, Q.; Geng, G.; He, K.

2016-12-01

Aggressive emission control measures were taken by China's central and local governments after the promulgation of the "Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan" in 2013. We evaluated the air quality and health benefits of this ever most stringent air pollution control policy during 2013-2015 by utilizing a two-stage data fusion model and newly-developed cause-specific integrated exposure-response functions (IER) developed for the Global Burden of Disease (GBD). The two-stage data fusion model predicts spatiotemporal continuous PM2.5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm) concentrations by integrating satellite-derived aerosol optical depth (AOD) measurements, PM2.5 concentrations from measurement and air quality model, and other ancillary information. During the years of analysis, PM2.5 concentration dropped significantly on national average and over heavily polluted regions as identified by Mann-Kendall analysis. The national PM2.5-attributable mortality decreased by 72.8 (95% CI: 59.4, 85.2) thousand (6%) from 1.23 (95% CI: 1.06, 1.39) million in 2013 to 1.15 (95% CI: 0.98, 1.31) million in 2015 due to considerable reduction (i.e. 18%) of population-weighted PM2.5 from 61.4 to 50.5 µg/m3. Meteorological variations between 2013 and 2015 were estimated to raise the PM2.5 levels by 0.24 µg/m3 and national mortality by 2.1 (95% CI: 1.6, 2.6) thousand through sensitivity tests, which implies the dominant role of anthropogenic impacts on PM2.5 abatement and attributable mortality reduction. Our study affirms the effectiveness of China's recent air quality policy, however, due to the possible supralinear shape of C-R functions, health benefits induced by air quality improvement in these years are limited. We therefore appeal for continuous implementation of current policies and further stringent measures from both air quality improvement and public health protection perspectives.
Vehicle Ancillary Load Reduction Project Close-Out Report: An Overview of the Task and a Compilation of the Research Results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rugh, J.; Farrington, R.

2008-01-01

The amount of fuel used for climate control in U.S. vehicles reduces the fuel economy of more than 200 million light-duty conventional vehicles and thus affects U.S. energy security. Researchers at the DOE National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimated that the United States consumes about 7 billion gallons of fuel per year for air-conditioning (A/C) light-duty vehicles. Using a variety of tools, NREL researchers developed innovative techniques and technologies to reduce the amount of fuel needed for these vehicles' ancillary loads. For example, they found that the A/C cooling capacity of 5.7 kW in a Cadillac STS could be reduced by 30% while maintaining a cooldown performance of 30 minutes. A simulation showed that reducing the A/C load by 30% decreased A/C fuel consumption by 26%. Other simulations supported the great potential for improving fuel economy by using new technologies and techniques developed to reduce ancillary loads.
The Generalized Roy Model and the Cost-Benefit Analysis of Social Programs*

Science.gov (United States)

Eisenhauer, Philipp; Heckman, James J.; Vytlacil, Edward

2015-01-01

The literature on treatment effects focuses on gross benefits from program participation. We extend this literature by developing conditions under which it is possible to identify parameters measuring the cost and net surplus from program participation. Using the generalized Roy model, we nonparametrically identify the cost, benefit, and net surplus of selection into treatment without requiring the analyst to have direct information on the cost. We apply our methodology to estimate the gross benefit and net surplus of attending college. PMID:26709315
The Generalized Roy Model and the Cost-Benefit Analysis of Social Programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Eisenhauer, Philipp; Heckman, James J; Vytlacil, Edward

2015-04-01

The literature on treatment effects focuses on gross benefits from program participation. We extend this literature by developing conditions under which it is possible to identify parameters measuring the cost and net surplus from program participation. Using the generalized Roy model, we nonparametrically identify the cost, benefit, and net surplus of selection into treatment without requiring the analyst to have direct information on the cost. We apply our methodology to estimate the gross benefit and net surplus of attending college.
Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis for the 100-N Area Ancillary Facilities and Integration Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mukherjee, B.

1997-09-01

This document presents the results of an engineering evaluation/cost analysis (EE/CA) that was conducted to evaluate alternatives for addressing final disposition of contaminated buildings and structures in the 100-N Area of the Hanford Site. The Hanford Site is located in southeastern Washington State and is owned by the U.S. Government and operated by the U.S. Department of Energy, Richland Operations Office (RL). In November 1989, the 100 Area of the Hanford Site (as well as the 200, 300, and 1100 Areas) was placed on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Priorities List (NPL) under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980. The 100 Area NPL includes the 100-N Area, which is in various stages of the remediation process. It has been determined by RL that hazardous substances in the 100-N Area ancillary facilities may present a potential threat to human health or the environment, and that a non-time critical removal action at these facilities is warranted. To help determine the most appropriate action, RL, in cooperation with the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) and the EPA, has prepared this EE/CA. The scope of the evaluation includes the inactive contaminated ancillary facilities in the 100-N Area, the facilities residing in the buffer zone, and the Hanford Generating Plant (HGP) and the solid waste management units (SWMUs) inside HGP support facilities. The 105-N Reactor and 109-N Heat Exchange facilities are excluded from this EE/CA evaluation
Development of modified rational buyer auction for procurement of ancillary services utilizing participation matrix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jamalzadeh, R.; Ardehali, M.M.; Rashidinejad, M.

2008-01-01

The rational buyer auction is based on a simultaneous auction that is the redesigned auction mechanism for ancillary services by the California independent system operator (CAISO). The incentive for the rational buyer auction is CAISO's intent to adopt a common sense rule of substituting higher-quality lower-cost services for lower-quality higher-cost services, when it results in reduced total procurement cost. For the purposes of designing a desirable auction where the minimum cost for the objective function as well as prevention of price reversal are achieved, either the payment cost in marginal pricing auction must be lowered or price reversal in rational buyer auction must be avoided. The objectives of this study are (a) to develop a newly proposed 'modified rational buyer' auction that does not allow price reversal and (b) to propose and validate a solution procedure that is based on participation matrix and discrete programming. The validation of the proposed solution procedure is accomplished through examination of two case studies available in the literature. Based on the first case study data, it is shown that the newly developed modified rational buyer auction avoids price reversal occurrence, while the total payment of ISO is increased by 5.8%, as compared with rational buyer auction. Also in comparison with marginal pricing auction, the ISO payment is lowered by 38.8%, when the newly developed modified rational buyer auction is utilized. For future work, it is recommended that the application of the modified rational buyer auction to joint dispatch of energy and ancillary services is investigated
Applying the chronic care model to an employee benefits program: a qualitative inquiry.

Science.gov (United States)

Schauer, Gillian L; Wilson, Mark; Barrett, Barbara; Honeycutt, Sally; Hermstad, April K; Kegler, Michelle C

2013-12-01

To assess how employee benefits programs may strengthen and/or complement elements of the chronic care model (CCM), a framework used by health systems to improve chronic illness care. A qualitative inquiry consisting of semi-structured interviews with employee benefit administrators and partners from a self-insured, self-administered employee health benefits program was conducted at a large family-owned business in southwest Georgia. Results indicate that the employer adapted and used many health system-related elements of the CCM in the design of their benefit program. Data also suggest that the employee benefits program contributed to self-management skills and to informing and activating patients to interact with the health system. Findings suggest that employee benefits programs can use aspects of the CCM in their own benefit design, and can structure their benefits to contribute to patient-related elements from the CCM.
The benefits of 3D modelling and animation in medical teaching.

Science.gov (United States)

Vernon, Tim; Peckham, Daniel

2002-12-01

Three-dimensional models created using materials such as wax, bronze and ivory, have been used in the teaching of medicine for many centuries. Today, computer technology allows medical illustrators to create virtual three-dimensional medical models. This paper considers the benefits of using still and animated output from computer-generated models in the teaching of medicine, and examines how three-dimensional models are made.
Ancillary services and the integration of substantial quantities of wind power

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østergaard, Poul Alberg

2006-01-01

. Ballerup: Elkraft System; 2004]. At the same time, Denmark has other forms of distributed generation, e.g., extensive cogeneration of heat and power (CHP) plants for district heating or for covering industrial heat demands. This results in a high fuel-efficiency but also in a technically complex energy......Denmark has the World’s highest penetration of grid connected wind power in electricity generation with a share of 15.0% of total domestic demand in 2002 [Danish Energy Authority. Rapport fra arbejdsgruppen om kraftvarme- og VE-elektricitet. Bilagsrapport. Copenhagen: Danish Energy Authority; 2001...... as the potential impact of heat pumps used for district heating and installed for integration purposes. The analyses are made with particular focus on grid stability and delivery of ancillary services (required to control voltage and frequency) and demonstrate that it is possible to accommodate 50% or more wind...
A Benefit/Cost/Deficit (BCD) model for learning from human errors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vanderhaegen, Frederic; Zieba, Stephane; Enjalbert, Simon; Polet, Philippe

2011-01-01

This paper proposes an original model for interpreting human errors, mainly violations, in terms of benefits, costs and potential deficits. This BCD model is then used as an input framework to learn from human errors, and two systems based on this model are developed: a case-based reasoning system and an artificial neural network system. These systems are used to predict a specific human car driving violation: not respecting the priority-to-the-right rule, which is a decision to remove a barrier. Both prediction systems learn from previous violation occurrences, using the BCD model and four criteria: safety, for identifying the deficit or the danger; and opportunity for action, driver comfort, and time spent; for identifying the benefits or the costs. The application of learning systems to predict car driving violations gives a rate over 80% of correct prediction after 10 iterations. These results are validated for the non-respect of priority-to-the-right rule.
On combining multi-normalization and ancillary measures for the optimal score level fusion of fingerprint and voice biometrics

Science.gov (United States)

Mohammed Anzar, Sharafudeen Thaha; Sathidevi, Puthumangalathu Savithri

2014-12-01

In this paper, we have considered the utility of multi-normalization and ancillary measures, for the optimal score level fusion of fingerprint and voice biometrics. An efficient matching score preprocessing technique based on multi-normalization is employed for improving the performance of the multimodal system, under various noise conditions. Ancillary measures derived from the feature space and the score space are used in addition to the matching score vectors, for weighing the modalities, based on their relative degradation. Reliability (dispersion) and the separability (inter-/intra-class distance and d-prime statistics) measures under various noise conditions are estimated from the individual modalities, during the training/validation stage. The `best integration weights' are then computed by algebraically combining these measures using the weighted sum rule. The computed integration weights are then optimized against the recognition accuracy using techniques such as grid search, genetic algorithm and particle swarm optimization. The experimental results show that, the proposed biometric solution leads to considerable improvement in the recognition performance even under low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) conditions and reduces the false acceptance rate (FAR) and false rejection rate (FRR), making the system useful for security as well as forensic applications.
Photocatalytic Conversion of CO2 to CO using Rhenium Bipyridine Platforms Containing Ancillary Phenyl or BODIPY Moieties

Science.gov (United States)

Andrade, Gabriel A.; Pistner, Allen J.; Yap, Glenn P.A.; Lutterman, Daniel A.; Rosenthal, Joel

2013-01-01

Harnessing of solar energy to drive the reduction of carbon dioxide to fuels requires the development of efficient catalysts that absorb sunlight. In this work, we detail the synthesis, electrochemistry and photophysical properties of a set of homologous fac-ReI(CO)3 complexes containing either an ancillary phenyl (8) or BODIPY (12) substituent. These studies demonstrate that both the electronic properties of the rhenium center and BODIPY chromophore are maintained for these complexes. Photolysis studies demonstrate that both assemblies 8 and 12 are competent catalysts for the photochemical reduction of CO2 to CO in DMF using triethanolamine (TEOA) as a sacrificial reductant. Both compounds 8 and 12 display TOFs for photocatalytic CO production upon irradiation with light (λex ≥ 400 nm) of ~5 hr−1 with TON values of approximately 20. Although structural and photophysical measurements demonstrate that electronic coupling between the BODIPY and fac-ReI(CO)3 units is limited for complex 12, this work clearly shows that the photoactive BODIPY moiety is tolerated during catalysis and does not interfere with the observed photochemistry. When taken together, these results provide a clear roadmap for the development of advanced rhenium bipyridine complexes bearing ancillary BODIPY groups for the efficient photocatalytic reduction of CO2 using visible light. PMID:24015374

Modelling of wind power plant controller, wind speed time series, aggregation and sample results

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Anca Daniela; Altin, Müfit; Cutululis, Nicolaos Antonio

This report describes the modelling of a wind power plant (WPP) including its controller. Several ancillary services like inertial response (IR), power oscillation damping (POD) and synchronising power (SP) are implemented. The focus in this document is on the performance of the WPP output...... and not the impact of the WPP on the power system. By means of simulation tests, the capability of the implemented wind power plant model to deliver ancillary services is investigated....
77 FR 41985 - Use of Influenza Disease Models To Quantitatively Evaluate the Benefits and Risks of Vaccines: A...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-07-17

... models to generate quantitative estimates of the benefits and risks of influenza vaccination. The public...] Use of Influenza Disease Models To Quantitatively Evaluate the Benefits and Risks of Vaccines: A... Influenza Disease Models to Quantitatively Evaluate the Benefits and Risks of Vaccines: A Technical Workshop...
Profile of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis in Sri Lankans: Is There an Increased Risk of Ancillary Pathologies in Hashimoto's Thyroiditis?

OpenAIRE

Siriweera, Eranga Himalee; Ratnatunga, Neelakanthi Vajira Illangakoon

2010-01-01

Hashimoto's thyroiditis has been reported to be associated with many neoplastic and nonneoplastic thyroid pathologies. This retrospective study aims to determine the demographic profile of Hashimoto's thyroiditis in Sri Lankans, document ancillary pathologies in Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and determine whether there is an increased risk of occurrence of malignancies, benign neoplasms, and nonneoplastic benign lesions in Hashimoto's thyroiditis by comparing with thyroids showing multinodular goi...
A fully automatic tool to perform accurate flood mapping by merging remote sensing imagery and ancillary data

Science.gov (United States)

D'Addabbo, Annarita; Refice, Alberto; Lovergine, Francesco; Pasquariello, Guido

2016-04-01

Flooding is one of the most frequent and expansive natural hazard. High-resolution flood mapping is an essential step in the monitoring and prevention of inundation hazard, both to gain insight into the processes involved in the generation of flooding events, and from the practical point of view of the precise assessment of inundated areas. Remote sensing data are recognized to be useful in this respect, thanks to the high resolution and regular revisit schedules of state-of-the-art satellites, moreover offering a synoptic overview of the extent of flooding. In particular, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data present several favorable characteristics for flood mapping, such as their relative insensitivity to the meteorological conditions during acquisitions, as well as the possibility of acquiring independently of solar illumination, thanks to the active nature of the radar sensors [1]. However, flood scenarios are typical examples of complex situations in which different factors have to be considered to provide accurate and robust interpretation of the situation on the ground: the presence of many land cover types, each one with a particular signature in presence of flood, requires modelling the behavior of different objects in the scene in order to associate them to flood or no flood conditions [2]. Generally, the fusion of multi-temporal, multi-sensor, multi-resolution and/or multi-platform Earth observation image data, together with other ancillary information, seems to have a key role in the pursuit of a consistent interpretation of complex scenes. In the case of flooding, distance from the river, terrain elevation, hydrologic information or some combination thereof can add useful information to remote sensing data. Suitable methods, able to manage and merge different kind of data, are so particularly needed. In this work, a fully automatic tool, based on Bayesian Networks (BNs) [3] and able to perform data fusion, is presented. It supplies flood maps
The invaluable benefits of modeling and simulation in our lives

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lorencez, C., E-mail: carlos.lorencez@opg.com [Ontario Power Generation, Nuclear Safety Div., Pickering, Ontario (Canada)

2015-07-01

'Full text:' In general terms, we associate the words 'modeling and simulation' with semi-ideal mathematical models reproducing complex Engineering problems. However, the use of modeling and simulation is much more extensive than that: it is applied on a daily basis in almost every front of Science, from sociology and biology to climate change, medicine, robotics, war strategies, etc. It is also being applied by our frontal lobe when we make decisions. The results of these exercises on modeling and simulation have had invaluable benefits on our well being, and we are just at the beginning. (author)
The invaluable benefits of modeling and simulation in our lives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lorencez, C.

2015-01-01

'Full text:' In general terms, we associate the words 'modeling and simulation' with semi-ideal mathematical models reproducing complex Engineering problems. However, the use of modeling and simulation is much more extensive than that: it is applied on a daily basis in almost every front of Science, from sociology and biology to climate change, medicine, robotics, war strategies, etc. It is also being applied by our frontal lobe when we make decisions. The results of these exercises on modeling and simulation have had invaluable benefits on our well being, and we are just at the beginning. (author)
Model for investigating the benefits of clinical supervision in psychiatric nursing: a survey study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gonge, Henrik; Buus, Niels

2011-04-01

The objective of this study was to test a model for analysing the possible benefits of clinical supervision. The model suggested a pathway from participation to effectiveness to benefits of clinical supervision, and included possible influences of individual and workplace factors. The study sample was 136 nursing staff members in permanent employment on nine general psychiatric wards and at four community mental health centres at a Danish psychiatric university hospital. Data were collected by means of a set of questionnaires. Participation in clinical supervision was associated with the effectiveness of clinical supervision, as measured by the Manchester Clinical Supervision Scale (MCSS). Furthermore, MCSS scores were associated with benefits, such as increased job satisfaction, vitality, rational coping and less stress, emotional exhaustion, and depersonalization. Multivariate analyses indicated that certain individual and workplace factors were related to subscales of the MCSS, as well as some of the benefits. The study supported the suggested model, but methodological limitations apply. © 2011 The Authors. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing © 2011 Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Inc.
Prosomeric map of the lamprey forebrain based on calretinin immunocytochemistry, Nissl stain, and ancillary markers.

Science.gov (United States)

Pombal, M A; Puelles, L

1999-11-22

The structural organization of the lamprey extratelencephalic forebrain is re-examined from the perspective of the prosomeric segmental paradigm. The question asked was whether the prosomeric forebrain model used for gnathostomes is of material advantage for interpreting subdivisions in the lamprey forebrain. To this aim, the main longitudinal and transverse landmarks recognized by the prosomeric model in other vertebrates were identified in Nissl-stained lamprey material. Lines of cytoarchitectural discontinuity and contours of migrated neuronal groups were mapped in a two-dimensional sagittal representation and were also classified according to their radial position. Immunocytochemical mapping of calretinin expression in adjacent sections served to define particular structural units better, in particular, the dorsal thalamus. These data were complemented by numerous other chemoarchitectonic observations obtained with ancillary markers, which identified additional specific formations, subdivisions, or boundaries. Emphasis was placed on studying whether such chemically defined neuronal groups showed boundaries aligned with the postulated inter- or intraprosomeric boundaries. The course of diverse axonal tracts was studied also with regard to their prosomeric topography. This analysis showed that the full prosomeric model applies straightforwardly to the lamprey forebrain. This finding implies that a common segmental and longitudinal organization of the neural tube may be primitive for all vertebrates. Interesting novel aspects appear in the interpretation of the lamprey pretectum, the dorsal and ventral thalami, and the hypothalamus. The topologic continuity of the prosomeric forebrain regions with evaginated or non-evaginated portions of the telencephalon was also examined. Copyright 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Quit Benefits Model: a Markov model for assessing the health benefits and health care cost savings of quitting smoking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hurley Susan F

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In response to the lack of comprehensive information about the health and economic benefits of quitting smoking for Australians, we developed the Quit Benefits Model (QBM. Methods The QBM is a Markov model, programmed in TreeAge, that assesses the consequences of quitting in terms of cases avoided of the four most common smoking-associated diseases, deaths avoided, and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs and health care costs saved (in Australian dollars, A$. Quitting outcomes can be assessed for males and females in 14 five year age-groups from 15–19 to 80–84 years. Exponential models, based on data from large case-control and cohort studies, were developed to estimate the decline over time after quitting in the risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI, stroke, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, and death. Australian data for the year 2001 were sourced for disease incidence and mortality and health care costs. Utility of life estimates were sourced from an international registry and a meta analysis. In this paper, outcomes are reported for simulated subjects followed up for ten years after quitting smoking. Life-years, QALYs and costs were estimated with 0%, 3% and 5% per annum discount rates. Summary results are presented for a group of 1,000 simulated quitters chosen at random from the Australian population of smokers aged between 15 and 74. Results For every 1,000 males chosen at random from the reference population who quit smoking, there is a an average saving in the first ten years following quitting of A$408,000 in health care costs associated with AMI, COPD, lung cancer and stroke, and a corresponding saving of A$328,000 for every 1,000 female quitters. The average saving per 1,000 random quitters is A$373,000. Overall 40 of these quitters will be spared a diagnosis of AMI, COPD, lung cancer and stroke in the first ten years following quitting, with an estimated saving of 47 life-years and
Commercial Building Loads Providing Ancillary Services in PJM

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

MacDonald, Jason; Kiliccote, Sila; Boch, Jim; Chen, Jonathan; Nawy, Robert

2014-06-27

The adoption of low carbon energy technologies such as variable renewable energy and electric vehicles, coupled with the efficacy of energy efficiency to reduce traditional base load has increased the uncertainty inherent in the net load shape. Handling this variability with slower, traditional resources leads to inefficient system dispatch, and in some cases may compromise reliability. Grid operators are looking to future energy technologies, such as automated demand response (DR), to provide capacity-based reliability services as the need for these services increase. While DR resources are expected to have the flexibility characteristics operators are looking for, demonstrations are necessary to build confidence in their capabilities. Additionally, building owners are uncertain of the monetary value and operational burden of providing these services. To address this, the present study demonstrates the ability of demand response resources providing two ancillary services in the PJM territory, synchronous reserve and regulation, using an OpenADR 2.0b signaling architecture. The loads under control include HVAC and lighting at a big box retail store and variable frequency fan loads. The study examines performance characteristics of the resource: the speed of response, communications latencies in the architecture, and accuracy of response. It also examines the frequency and duration of events and the value in the marketplace which can be used to examine if the opportunity is sufficient to entice building owners to participate.
An Excel Spreadsheet Model for States and Districts to Assess the Cost-Benefit of School Nursing Services.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Li Yan; O'Brien, Mary Jane; Maughan, Erin D

2016-11-01

This paper describes a user-friendly, Excel spreadsheet model and two data collection instruments constructed by the authors to help states and districts perform cost-benefit analyses of school nursing services delivered by full-time school nurses. Prior to applying the model, states or districts need to collect data using two forms: "Daily Nurse Data Collection Form" and the "Teacher Survey." The former is used to record daily nursing activities, including number of student health encounters, number of medications administered, number of student early dismissals, and number of medical procedures performed. The latter is used to obtain estimates for the time teachers spend addressing student health issues. Once inputs are entered in the model, outputs are automatically calculated, including program costs, total benefits, net benefits, and benefit-cost ratio. The spreadsheet model, data collection tools, and instructions are available at the NASN website ( http://www.nasn.org/The/CostBenefitAnalysis ).
Opportunities for ice storage to provide ancillary services to power grids incorporating wind turbine generation

Science.gov (United States)

Finley, Christopher

Power generation using wind turbines increases the electrical system balancing, regulation and ramp rate requirements due to the minute to minute variability in wind speed and the difficulty in accurately forecasting wind speeds. The addition of thermal energy storage, such as ice storage, to a building's space cooling equipment increases the operational flexibility of the equipment by allowing the owner to choose when the chiller is run. The ability of the building owner to increase the power demand from the chiller (e.g. make ice) or to decrease the power demand (e.g. melt ice) to provide electrical system ancillary services was evaluated.
Exploring the energy benefits of advanced water metering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berger, Michael A. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Hans, Liesel [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Piscopo, Kate [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States); Sohn, Michael D. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2016-08-01

Recent improvements to advanced water metering and communications technologies have the potential to improve the management of water resources and utility infrastructure, benefiting both utilities and ratepayers. The highly granular, near-real-time data and opportunity for automated control provided by these advanced systems may yield operational benefits similar to those afforded by similar technologies in the energy sector. While significant progress has been made in quantifying the water-related benefits of these technologies, the research on quantifying the energy benefits of improved water metering is underdeveloped. Some studies have quantified the embedded energy in water in California, however these findings are based on data more than a decade old, and unanimously assert that more research is needed to further explore how topography, climate, water source, and other factors impact their findings. In this report, we show how water-related advanced metering systems may present a broader and more significant set of energy-related benefits. We review the open literature of water-related advanced metering technologies and their applications, discuss common themes with a series of water and energy experts, and perform a preliminary scoping analysis of advanced water metering deployment and use in California. We find that the open literature provides very little discussion of the energy savings potential of advanced water metering, despite the substantial energy necessary for water’s extraction, conveyance, treatment, distribution, and eventual end use. We also find that water AMI has the potential to provide water-energy co-efficiencies through improved water systems management, with benefits including improved customer education, automated leak detection, water measurement and verification, optimized system operation, and inherent water and energy conservation. Our findings also suggest that the adoption of these technologies in the water sector has been slow
Costs and benefits of controlling quarantine diseases : a bio-economic modeling approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Breukers, M.L.H.; Mourits, M.C.M.; Werf, van der W.; Oude Lansink, A.G.J.M.

2008-01-01

This article describes a bio-economic model to quantify the costs and benefits of controlling plant quarantine diseases. The model integrates the epidemiology and economic consequences of a quarantine disease. It allows for ex ante evaluation of control scenarios for their cost-effectiveness, taking
Co-benefits of global, domestic, and sectoral greenhouse gas mitigation for US air quality and human health in 2050

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Yuqiang; Smith, Steven J.; Bowden, Jared H.; Adelman, Zachariah; West, J. Jason

2017-11-01

Policies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions can bring ancillary benefits of improved air quality and reduced premature mortality, in addition to slowing climate change. Here we study the co-benefits of global and domestic GHG mitigation on US air quality and human health in 2050 at fine resolution using dynamical downscaling, and quantify for the first time the co-benefits from foreign GHG mitigation. Relative to a reference scenario, global GHG reductions in RCP4.5 avoid 16000 PM2.5-related all-cause deaths yr-1 (90% confidence interval, 11700-20300), and 8000 (3600-12400) O3-related respiratory deaths yr-1 in the US in 2050. Foreign GHG mitigation avoids 15% and 62% of PM2.5- and O3-related total avoided deaths, highlighting the importance of foreign GHG mitigation on US human health benefits. GHG mitigation in the US residential sector brings the largest co-benefits for PM2.5-related deaths (21% of total domestic co-benefits), and industry for O3 (17%). Monetized benefits, for avoided deaths from ozone, PM2.5, and heat stress from a related study, are $148 ($96-201) per ton CO2 at high valuation and $49 ($32-67) at low valuation, of which 36% are from foreign GHG reductions. These benefits likely exceed the marginal cost of GHG reductions in 2050. The US gains significantly greater co-benefits when coordinating GHG reductions with foreign countries. Similarly, previous studies estimating co-benefits locally or regionally may greatly underestimate the full co-benefits of coordinated global actions.
Benefits of a Unified LaSRS++ Simulation for NAS-Wide and High-Fidelity Modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Glaab, Patricia; Madden, Michael

2014-01-01

The LaSRS++ high-fidelity vehicle simulation was extended in 2012 to support a NAS-wide simulation mode. Since the initial proof-of-concept, the LaSRS++ NAS-wide simulation is maturing into a research-ready tool. A primary benefit of this new capability is the consolidation of the two modeling paradigms under a single framework to save cost, facilitate iterative concept testing between the two tools, and to promote communication and model sharing between user communities at Langley. Specific benefits of each type of modeling are discussed along with the expected benefits of the unified framework. Current capability details of the LaSRS++ NAS-wide simulations are provided, including the visualization tool, live data interface, trajectory generators, terminal routing for arrivals and departures, maneuvering, re-routing, navigation, winds, and turbulence. The plan for future development is also described.
Integrating socio-economical dimensions in the ICRP cost-benefit model (a theoretical approach)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lochard, Jacques.

1981-09-01

This report aims at analysing, from a methodological point of view, the main problems associated with the integration of socio-economical dimensions in the cost-benefit model recommended by the ICRP in its publication no. 26. After recalling the basic principles of cost-benefit analysis, the elements to be retained in the objective function characterizing the analysis, and the question of the social benefit definitions are discussed. The theory of social surplus with an illustration taken from the radiological protection field is presented [fr
Identification of Conflicts between Transmission and Distribution System Operators when Acquiring Ancillary Services from Electric Vehicles

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zecchino, Antonio; Knezovic, Katarina; Marinelli, Mattia

2017-01-01

ancillary services from flexible units. The investigation is carried out considering a 3-area power system which allows to take into account local constraints as well as system-wide needs. As outcome, this paper identifies the conflicts from both a theoretical and a practical point of view, by means...... products according to requests coming from both distribution and transmission system operators. The goal of this paper is to provide an identification procedure that is able to detect, identify and catalogue possible conflicts among the involved stakeholders that take place when requesting and/or acquiring...
Molecular Structure Laboratory. Fourier Transform Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (FTNMR) Spectrometer and Ancillary Instrumentation at SUNY Geneseo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Geiger, David K [State Univ. of New York (SUNY), Geneseo, NY (United States)

2015-12-31

An Agilent 400-MR nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer and ancillary equipment were purchased, which are being used for molecular structure elucidation. The instrumentation is housed in a pre-existing facility designed specifically for its use. This instrument package is being used to expand the research and educational efforts of the faculty and students at SUNY-Geneseo and is made available to neighboring educational institutions and business concerns. Funds were also used for training of College personnel, maintenance of the instrumentation, and installation of the equipment.
Development of multicriteria models to classify energy efficiency alternatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neves, Luis Pires; Antunes, Carlos Henggeler; Dias, Luis Candido; Martins, Antonio Gomes

2005-01-01

This paper aims at describing a novel constructive approach to develop decision support models to classify energy efficiency initiatives, including traditional Demand-Side Management and Market Transformation initiatives, overcoming the limitations and drawbacks of Cost-Benefit Analysis. A multicriteria approach based on the ELECTRE-TRI method is used, focusing on four perspectives: - an independent Agency with the aim of promoting energy efficiency; - Distribution-only utilities under a regulated framework; - the Regulator; - Supply companies in a competitive liberalized market. These perspectives were chosen after a system analysis of the decision situation regarding the implementation of energy efficiency initiatives, looking for the main roles and power relations, with the purpose of structuring the decision problem by identifying the actors, the decision makers, the decision paradigm, and the relevant criteria. The multicriteria models developed allow considering different kinds of impacts, but avoiding difficult measurements and unit conversions due to the nature of the multicriteria method chosen. The decision is then based on all the significant effects of the initiative, both positive and negative ones, including ancillary effects often forgotten in cost-benefit analysis. The ELECTRE-TRI, as most multicriteria methods, provides to the Decision Maker the ability of controlling the relevance each impact can have on the final decision. The decision support process encompasses a robustness analysis, which, together with a good documentation of the parameters supplied into the model, should support sound decisions. The models were tested with a set of real-world initiatives and compared with possible decisions based on Cost-Benefit analysis

SU-F-I-72: Evaluation of the Ancillary Lead Shielding for Optimizing Radiation Protection in the Interventional Radiology Department

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tonkopi, E; Lightfoot, C [Dalhousie University, Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Ctr, Halifax, NS (Canada); LeBlanc, E [Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Ctr, Halifax, NS (Canada)

2016-06-15

Purpose: The rising complexity of interventional fluoroscopic procedures has resulted in an increase of occupational radiation exposures in the interventional radiology (IR) department. This study assessed the impact of ancillary shielding on optimizing radiation protection for the IR staff. Methods: Scattered radiation measurements were performed in two IR suites equipped with Axiom Artis systems (Siemens Healthcare, Erlangen, Germany) installed in 2006 and 2010. Both rooms had suspended ceiling-mounted lead-acrylic shields of 75×60 cm (Mavig, Munich, Germany) with lead equivalency of 0.5 mm, and under-table drapes of 70×116 cm and 65×70 cm in the newer and the older room respectively. The larger skirt can be wrapped around the table’s corner and in addition the newer suite had two upper shields of 25×55 cm and 25×35 cm. The patient was simulated by 30 cm of acrylic, air kerma rate (AKR) was measured with the 180cc ionization chamber (AccuPro Radcal Corporation, Monrovia, CA, USA) at different positions. The ancillary shields, x-ray tube, image detector, and table height were adjusted by the IR radiologist to simulate various clinical setups. The same exposure parameters were used for all acquisitions. AKR measurements were made at different positions relative to the operator. Results: The AKR measurements demonstrated 91–99% x-ray attenuation by the drapes in both suites. The smaller size of the under-table skirt and absence of the side-drapes in the older room resulted in a 20–50 fold increase of scattered radiation to the operator. The mobile suspended lead-acrylic shield reduced AKR by 90–94% measured at 150–170 cm height. The recommendations were made to replace the smaller under-table skirt and to use the ceiling-mounted shields for all IR procedures. Conclusion: The ancillary shielding may significantly affect radiation exposure to the IR staff. The use of suspended ceiling-mounted shields is especially important for reduction of
Assessing the Benefits of Global Climate Stabilization Within an Integrated Modeling Framework

Science.gov (United States)

Beach, R. H.

2015-12-01

Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, higher temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and other climate change impacts have already begun to affect US agriculture and forestry, with impacts expected to become more substantial in the future. There have been a number of studies of climate change impacts on agriculture or forestry. However, relatively few studies explore climate change impacts on both agriculture and forests simultaneously, including the interactions between alternative land uses and implications for market outcomes. Additionally, there is a lack of detailed analyses of the effects of stabilization scenarios relative to unabated emissions scenarios. Such analyses are important for developing estimates of the benefits of those stabilization scenarios, which can play a vital role in assessing tradeoffs associated with allocating resources across alternative mitigation and adaptation activities. We provide an analysis of the potential benefits of global climate change mitigation for US agriculture and forestry through 2100, accounting for landowner decisions regarding land use, crop mix, and management practices. The analytic approach involves a combination of climate models, a crop process model (EPIC), a dynamic vegetation model used for forests (MC1), and an economic model of the US forestry and agricultural sector (FASOM-GHG). We find substantial impacts on productivity, commodity markets, and consumer and producer welfare for the stabilization scenario relative to unabated climate change, though the magnitude and direction of impacts vary across regions and commodities. Although there is variability in welfare impacts across climate simulations, we find positive net benefits from stabilization in all cases, with cumulative impacts ranging from 32.7 billion to 54.5 billion over the period 2015-2100. Our estimates contribute to the literature on potential benefits of GHG mitigation and can help inform policy decisions weighing alternative
A novel insight into the cost-benefit model for the evolution of botanical carnivory.

Science.gov (United States)

Pavlovič, Andrej; Saganová, Michaela

2015-06-01

The cost-benefit model for the evolution of botanical carnivory provides a conceptual framework for interpreting a wide range of comparative and experimental studies on carnivorous plants. This model assumes that the modified leaves called traps represent a significant cost for the plant, and this cost is outweighed by the benefits from increased nutrient uptake from prey, in terms of enhancing the rate of photosynthesis per unit leaf mass or area (AN) in the microsites inhabited by carnivorous plants. This review summarizes results from the classical interpretation of the cost-benefit model for evolution of botanical carnivory and highlights the costs and benefits of active trapping mechanisms, including water pumping, electrical signalling and accumulation of jasmonates. Novel alternative sequestration strategies (utilization of leaf litter and faeces) in carnivorous plants are also discussed in the context of the cost-benefit model. Traps of carnivorous plants have lower AN than leaves, and the leaves have higher AN after feeding. Prey digestion, water pumping and electrical signalling represent a significant carbon cost (as an increased rate of respiration, RD) for carnivorous plants. On the other hand, jasmonate accumulation during the digestive period and reprogramming of gene expression from growth and photosynthesis to prey digestion optimizes enzyme production in comparison with constitutive secretion. This inducibility may have evolved as a cost-saving strategy beneficial for carnivorous plants. The similarities between plant defence mechanisms and botanical carnivory are highlighted. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
A distribution benefits model for improved information on worldwide crop production. Volume 1: Model structure and application to wheat

Science.gov (United States)

Andrews, J.

1976-01-01

The improved model is suitable for the study of benefits of worldwide information on a variety of crops. Application to the previously studied case of worldwide wheat production shows that about $108 million per year of distribution benefits to the United States would be achieved by a satellite-based wheat information system meeting the goals of LACIE. The model also indicates that improved information alone will not change world stock levels unless production itself is stabilized. The United States benefits mentioned above are associated with the reduction of price fluctuations within the year and the more effective use of international trade to balance supply and demand. Price fluctuations from year to year would be reduced only if production variability were itself reduced.
Economic benefits of safety-engineered sharp devices in Belgium - a budget impact model.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanmore, Emma; Maclaine, Grant; Garin, Fiona; Alonso, Alexander; Leroy, Nicolas; Ruff, Lewis

2013-11-25

rates, and broadening the scope of the model to include ancillary measures for hospital conversion to SED usage, outpatient and paramedic device use, and transmission of other blood-borne diseases, would strengthen the model.
Balancing the benefits and costs of antibiotic drugs: the TREAT model.

Science.gov (United States)

Leibovici, L; Paul, M; Andreassen, S

2010-12-01

TREAT is a computerized decision support system aimed at improving empirical antibiotic treatment of inpatients with suspected bacterial infections. It contains a model that balances, for each antibiotic choice (including 'no antibiotics'), expected benefit and expected costs. The main benefit afforded by appropriate, empirical, early antibiotic treatment in moderate to severe infections is a better chance of survival. Each antibiotic drug was consigned three cost components: cost of the drug and administration; cost of side effects; and costs of future resistance. 'No treatment' incurs no costs. The model worked well for decision support. Its analysis showed, yet again, that for moderate to severe infections, a model that does not include costs of resistance to future patients will always return maximum antibiotic treatment. Two major moral decisions are hidden in the model: how to take into account the limited life-expectancy and limited quality of life of old or very sick patients; and how to assign a value for a life-year of a future, unnamed patient vs. the present, individual patient. © 2010 The Authors. Clinical Microbiology and Infection © 2010 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases.
Estimating Next Primary Productivity using Satellite and Ancillary Data

Science.gov (United States)

Choudhury, B. J.

The net primary productivity (C) or annual rate of carbon accumulation per unit ground area by terrestrial plant communities is the difference of the rate of gross photosynthesis (Ag) and autotrophic respiration (R) per unit ground area. Although available observations show that R is a large and variable fraction of Ag, viz., 0.3 to 0.7, it is generally recognized that much uncertainties exist in this fraction due to difficulties associated with the needed measurements. Additional uncertainties arise when these measurements are extrapolated to regional or global land surface using empirical equations, for example, using regression equations relating C to mean annual precipitation and air temperature. Here, a process- based approach has been taken to calculate Ag and R using satellite and ancillary data. Ag has been expressed as a product of radiation use efficiency, magnitude of intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), and normalized by stresses due to soil water shortage and air temperature away from the optimum range. A biophysical model has been used to determine the radiation use efficiency from the maximum rate of carbon assimilation by a leaf, foliage temperature, and the fraction of diffuse PAR incident on a canopy. All meteorological data (PAR, air temperature, precipitation, etc.) needed for the calculation are derived from satellite observations, while a land use, land cover data (based on satellite and ground measurements) have been used to assess the maximum rate of carbon assimilation by a leaf of varied cover type based on field measurements. R has been calculated as the sum of maintenance and growth components. The maintenance respiration of foliage and live fine roots at a standard temperature of different land cover has been determined from their nitrogen content using field and satellite measurements, while that of living fraction of woody stem (viz., sapwood) from the seasonal maximum leaf area index as determined from satellite
VALUING BENEFITS FROM WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENTS USING KUHN TUCKER MODEL - A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS ON UTILITY FUNCTIONAL FORMS-

Science.gov (United States)

Okuyama, Tadahiro

Kuhn-Tucker model, which has studied in recent years, is a benefit valuation technique using the revealed-preference data, and the feature is to treatvarious patterns of corner solutions flexibly. It is widely known for the benefit calculation using the revealed-preference data that a value of a benefit changes depending on a functional form. However, there are little studies which examine relationship between utility functions and values of benefits in Kuhn-Tucker model. The purpose of this study is to analysis an influence of the functional form to the value of a benefit. Six types of utility functions are employed for benefit calculations. The data of the recreational activity of 26 beaches of Miyagi Prefecture were employed. Calculation results indicated that Phaneuf and Siderelis (2003) and Whitehead et al.(2010)'s functional forms are useful for benefit calculations.
Intron retention in mRNA encoding ancillary subunit of insect voltage-gated sodium channel modulates channel expression, gating regulation and drug sensitivity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Céline M Bourdin

Full Text Available Insect voltage-gated sodium (Nav channels are formed by a well-known pore-forming α-subunit encoded by para-like gene and ancillary subunits related to TipE from the mutation "temperature-induced-paralysis locus E." The role of these ancillary subunits in the modulation of biophysical and pharmacological properties of Na(+ currents are not enough documented. The unique neuronal ancillary subunit TipE-homologous protein 1 of Drosophila melanogaster (DmTEH1 strongly enhances the expression of insect Nav channels when heterologously expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Here we report the cloning and functional expression of two neuronal DmTEH1-homologs of the cockroach, Periplaneta americana, PaTEH1A and PaTEH1B, encoded by a single bicistronic gene. In PaTEH1B, the second exon encoding the last 11-amino-acid residues of PaTEH1A is shifted to 3'UTR by the retention of a 96-bp intron-containing coding-message, thus generating a new C-terminal end. We investigated the gating and pharmacological properties of the Drosophila Nav channel variant (DmNav1-1 co-expressed with DmTEH1, PaTEH1A, PaTEH1B or a truncated mutant PaTEH1Δ(270-280 in Xenopus oocytes. PaTEH1B caused a 2.2-fold current density decrease, concomitant with an equivalent α-subunit incorporation decrease in the plasma membrane, compared to PaTEH1A and PaTEH1Δ(270-280. PaTEH1B positively shifted the voltage-dependences of activation and slow inactivation of DmNav1-1 channels to more positive potentials compared to PaTEH1A, suggesting that the C-terminal end of both proteins may influence the function of the voltage-sensor and the pore of Nav channel. Interestingly, our findings showed that the sensitivity of DmNav1-1 channels to lidocaine and to the pyrazoline-type insecticide metabolite DCJW depends on associated TEH1-like subunits. In conclusion, our work demonstrates for the first time that density, gating and pharmacological properties of Nav channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes can be
Approaches to Enable Demand Response by Industrial Loads for Ancillary Services Provision

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiao

Demand response has gained significant attention in recent years as it demonstrates potentials to enhance the power system's operational flexibility in a cost-effective way. Industrial loads such as aluminum smelters, steel manufacturers, and cement plants demonstrate advantages in supporting power system operation through demand response programs, because of their intensive power consumption, already existing advanced monitoring and control infrastructure, and the strong economic incentive due to the high energy costs. In this thesis, we study approaches to efficiently integrate each of these types of manufacturing processes as demand response resources. The aluminum smelting process is able to change its power consumption both accurately and quickly by controlling the pots' DC voltage, without affecting the production quality. Hence, an aluminum smelter has both the motivation and the ability to participate in demand response. First, we focus on determining the optimal regulation capacity that such a manufacturing plant should provide. Next, we focus on determining its optimal bidding strategy in the day-ahead energy and ancillary services markets. Electric arc furnaces (EAFs) in steel manufacturing consume a large amount of electric energy. However, a steel plant can take advantage of time-based electricity prices by optimally arranging energy-consuming activities to avoid peak hours. We first propose scheduling methods that incorporate the EAFs' flexibilities to reduce the electricity cost. We then propose methods to make the computations more tractable. Finally, we extend the scheduling formulations to enable the provision of spinning reserve. Cement plants are able to quickly adjust their power consumption rate by switching on/off the crushers. However, switching on/off the loading units only achieves discrete power changes, which restricts the load from offering valuable ancillary services such as regulation and load following, as continuous power changes
Effects of Introducing Methoxy Groups into the Ancillary Ligands in Bis(diimine Copper(I Dyes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Annika Büttner

2018-04-01

Full Text Available A systematic investigation of four heteroleptic bis(diimine copper(I dyes in n-type Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs is presented. The dyes are assembled using a stepwise, on-surface assembly. The dyes contain a phosphonic acid-functionalized 2,2′-bipyridine (bpy anchoring domain (5 and ancillary bpy ligands that bear peripheral phenyl (1, 4-methoxyphenyl (2, 3,5-dimethoxyphenyl (3, or 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl (4 substituents. In masked DSSCs, the best overall photoconversion efficiency was obtained with the dye [Cu(5(4]+ (1.96% versus 5.79% for N719. Values of JSC for both [Cu(5(2]+ (in which the 4-MeO group is electron releasing and [Cu(5(4]+ (which combines electron-releasing and electron-withdrawing effects of the 4- and 3,5-substituents and are enhanced with respect to [Cu(5(1]+. DSSCs with [Cu(5(3]+ show the lowest JSC. Solid-state absorption spectra and external quantum efficiency spectra reveal that [Cu(5(4]+ benefits from an extended spectral range at higher energies. Values of VOC are in the order [Cu(5(4]+ > [Cu(5(1]+ > [Cu(5(2]+ > [Cu(5(3]+. Density functional theory calculations suggest that methoxyphenyl character in MOs within the HOMO manifold in [Cu(5(2]+ and [Cu(5(4]+ may contribute to the enhanced performances of these dyes with respect to [Cu(5(1]+.
On the economic benefit of utility based estimation of a volatility model

OpenAIRE

Adam Clements; Annastiina Silvennoinen

2009-01-01

Forecasts of asset return volatility are necessary for many financial applications, including portfolio allocation. Traditionally, the parameters of econometric models used to generate volatility forecasts are estimated in a statistical setting and subsequently used in an economic setting such as portfolio allocation. Differences in the criteria under which the model is estimated and applied may inhibit reduce the overall economic benefit of a model in the context of portfolio allocation. Thi...
Engineering evaluation/cost analysis for the 105-DR and 105-F Reactor facilities and ancillary facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coenenberg, E.T.

1998-01-01

This document presents the results of an engineering evaluation/cost analysis (EE/CA) that was conducted to evaluate alternatives to address final disposition of the 105-DR and 105-F Reactor Buildings (subsequently referred to as facilities), including the fuel storage basins (FSB) and below-grade portions of the reactors, excluding the reactor blocks. The reactor blocks will remain in a safe storage mode for up to 75 years as identified in the Record the Decision (ROD) (58 FR 48509) for the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), Decommissioning of Eight Surplus Production Reactors at the Hanford Site, Richland, Washington (DOE 1992a). This EE/CA also addresses final disposition of four ancillary facilities: 116-D and 116-DR Exhaust Air Stacks, 117-DR Exhaust Filter Building, and 119-DR Exhaust Air Sample Building. The 105-DR and 105-F facilities are located in the 100-D and 100-F Areas of the Hanford Site. In November 1989, the 100 Area of the Hanford Site was placed on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) National Priorities List (NPL) under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 (CERCLA). The 100 Area NPL includes the 100-D Area (which includes the 100-DR site) and the 100-F Area, which are in various stages of the remediation process. It has been determined by DOE that hazardous substances in the 105-DR, 105-F, and the four ancillary facilities may present a potential threat to human health or the environment, and that a non-time critical removal action at these facilities is warranted. To help determine the most appropriate action, DOE, in cooperation with the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) and the EPA, has prepared this EE/CA. The scope of the evaluation includes the 105-DR and 105-F facilities and the four ancillary facilities. The 116-DR and 117-DR facilities are located within the boundaries of the 105-DR Large Sodium Fire Facility Treatment, Storage, and Disposal (TSD) unit, which is
Stochastic scheduling of aggregators of plug-in electric vehicles for participation in energy and ancillary service markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alipour, Manijeh; Mohammadi-Ivatloo, Behnam; Moradi-Dalvand, Mohammad; Zare, Kazem

2017-01-01

Plug-in electric vehicles are expected to play a major role in the transportation system as the environmental problems and energy crisis are being more and more urgent recently. Implementing a large number of vehicles with proper control could bring an opportunity of large storage and flexibility for power systems. The plug-in electric vehicle aggregator is responsible for providing power and controlling the charging pattern of the plug-in electric vehicles under its contracted area. This paper deals with the problem of optimal scheduling problem of plug-in electric vehicle aggregators in electricity market considering the uncertainties of market prices, availability of vehicles and status of being called by the ISO in the reserve market. The impact of the market price and reserve market uncertainties on the electric vehicle scheduling problem is characterized through a stochastic programming framework. The objective of the aggregator is to maximize its profit by charging the plug-in electric vehicles on the low price time intervals as well as participating in ancillary service markets. The operational constraints of plug-in electric vehicles and constraints of vehicle to grid are modeled in the proposed framework. An illustrative example is provided to confirm the performance of the proposed model. - Highlights: • Optimal scheduling of vehicle aggregators in electricity market has been addressed. • The operational constraints of plug-in vehicle to grid are considered. • The uncertainties of calling status in reserve market and market prices are modeled. • Vehicles' driving patterns and availability uncertainty are modeled. • The effect of risk measure weight in the vehicle to grid model has been studied.
8 CFR 1240.11 - Ancillary matters, applications.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... to apply for any of the benefits enumerated in this chapter and shall afford the alien an opportunity..., in accordance with the provisions of section 213A of the Act and 8 CFR part 213a. (3) In exercising... burden of establishing that he or she is eligible for any requested benefit or privilege and that it...
An Experimental Study of Energy Consumption in Buildings Providing Ancillary Services

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Yashen [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Afshari, Sina [University of Michigan; Wolfe, John [University of Michigan; Nazir, Md Salman [University of Michigan; Hiskens, Ian A. [University of Michigan; Johnson, Jeremiah X. [University of Michigan; Mathieu, Johanna L. [University of Michigan; Barnes, Arthur K. [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Geller, Drew A. [Los Alamos National Laboratory; Backhaus, Scott N. [Los Alamos National Laboratory

2017-10-03

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in commercial buildings can provide ancillary services (AS) to the power grid, but by providing AS their energy consumption may increase. This inefficiency is evaluated using round-trip efficiency (RTE), which is defined as the ratio between the decrease and the increase in the HVAC system's energy consumption compared to the baseline consumption as a result of providing AS. This paper evaluates the RTE of a 30,000 m2 commercial building providing AS. We propose two methods to estimate the HVAC system's settling time after an AS event based on temperature and the air flow measurements from the building. Experimental data gathered over a 4-month period are used to calculate the RTE for AS signals of various waveforms, magnitudes, durations, and polarities. The results indicate that the settling time estimation algorithm based on the air flow measurements obtains more accurate results compared to the temperature-based algorithm. Further, we study the impact of the AS signal shape parameters on the RTE and discuss the practical implications of our findings.
Disassembly of JT-60 tokamak device and ancillary facilities for JT-60 tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okano, Fuminori; Ichige, Hisashi; Miyo, Yasuhiko; Kaminaga, Atsushi; Sasajima, Tadayuki; Nishiyama, Tomokazu; Yagyu, Jun-ichi; Ishige, Youichi; Suzuki, Hiroaki; Komuro, Kenichi; Sakasai, Akira; Ikeda, Yoshitaka

2014-03-01

The disassembly of JT-60 tokamak device and its peripheral equipments, where the total weight was about 5400 tons, started in 2009 and accomplished in October 2012. This disassembly was required process for JT-60SA project, which is the Satellite Tokamak project under Japan-EU international corroboration to modify the JT-60 to the superconducting tokamak. This work was the first experience of disassembling a large radioactive fusion device based on Radiation Hazard Prevention Act in Japan. The cutting was one of the main problems in this disassembly, such as to cut the welded parts together with toroidal field coils, and to cut the vacuum vessel into two. After solving these problems, the disassembly completed without disaster and accident. This report presents the outline of the JT-60 disassembly, especially tokamak device and ancillary facilities for tokamak device. (author)
"Just-In-Time" Simulation Training Using 3-D Printed Cardiac Models After Congenital Cardiac Surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Olivieri, Laura J; Su, Lillian; Hynes, Conor F; Krieger, Axel; Alfares, Fahad A; Ramakrishnan, Karthik; Zurakowski, David; Marshall, M Blair; Kim, Peter C W; Jonas, Richard A; Nath, Dilip S

2016-03-01

High-fidelity simulation using patient-specific three-dimensional (3D) models may be effective in facilitating pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PCICU) provider training for clinical management of congenital cardiac surgery patients. The 3D-printed heart models were rendered from preoperative cross-sectional cardiac imaging for 10 patients undergoing congenital cardiac surgery. Immediately following surgical repair, a congenital cardiac surgeon and an intensive care physician conducted a simulation training session regarding postoperative care utilizing the patient-specific 3D model for the PCICU team. After the simulation, Likert-type 0 to 10 scale questionnaire assessed participant perception of impact of the training session. Seventy clinicians participated in training sessions, including 22 physicians, 38 nurses, and 10 ancillary care providers. Average response to whether 3D models were more helpful than standard hand off was 8.4 of 10. Questions regarding enhancement of understanding and clinical ability received average responses of 9.0 or greater, and 90% of participants scored 8 of 10 or higher. Nurses scored significantly higher than other clinicians on self-reported familiarity with the surgery (7.1 vs. 5.8; P = .04), clinical management ability (8.6 vs. 7.7; P = .02), and ability enhancement (9.5 vs. 8.7; P = .02). Compared to physicians, nurses and ancillary providers were more likely to consider 3D models more helpful than standard hand off (8.7 vs. 7.7; P = .05). Higher case complexity predicted greater enhancement of understanding of surgery (P = .04). The 3D heart models can be used to enhance congenital cardiac critical care via simulation training of multidisciplinary intensive care teams. Benefit may be dependent on provider type and case complexity. © The Author(s) 2016.
Engineering Task Plan for the Integrity Assessment Examination of Double-Contained Receiver Tanks (DCRT), Catch Tanks and Ancillary facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

BECKER, D.L.

2000-01-01

This Engineering Task Plan (ETP) presents the integrity assessment examination of three DCRTs, seven catch tanks, and two ancillary facilities located in the 200 East and West Areas of the Hanford Site. The integrity assessment examinations, as described in this ETP, will provide the necessary information to enable the independently qualified registered professional engineer (IQRPE) to assess the condition and integrity of these facilities. The plan is consistent with the Double-Shell Tank Waste Transfer Facilities Integrity Assessment Plan
Comparative benefit of malaria chemoprophylaxis modelled in United Kingdom travellers.

Science.gov (United States)

Toovey, Stephen; Nieforth, Keith; Smith, Patrick; Schlagenhauf, Patricia; Adamcova, Miriam; Tatt, Iain; Tomianovic, Danitza; Schnetzler, Gabriel

2014-01-01

Chemoprophylaxis against falciparum malaria is recommended for travellers from non-endemic countries to malarious destinations, but debate continues on benefit, especially with regard to mefloquine. Quantification of benefit for travellers from the United Kingdom (UK) was modelled to assist clinical and public health decision making. The model was constructed utilising: World Tourism Organization data showing total number of arrivals from the UK in countries with moderate or high malaria risk; data from a retrospective UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) drug utilisation study; additional information on chemoprophylaxis, case fatality and tolerability were derived from the travel medicine literature. Chemoprophylaxis with the following agents was considered: atovaquone-proguanil (AP), chloroquine with and without proguanil (C ± P), doxycycline (Dx), mefloquine (Mq). The model was validated for the most recent year with temporally matched datasets for UK travel destinations and imported malaria (2007) against UK Health Protection Agency data on imported malaria. The median (mean) duration of chemoprophylaxis for each agent in weeks (CPRD) was: AP 3.3 (3.5), C ± P 9 (12.1), Dx 8 (10.3), Mq 9 (12.3): the maximum duration of use of all regimens was 52 weeks. The model correctly predicted falciparum malaria deaths and gave a robust estimate of total cases--model: 5 deaths from 1118 cases; UK Health Protection Agency: 5 deaths from 1153 cases. The number needed to take chemoprophylaxis (NNP) to prevent a case of malaria considered against the 'background' reported incidence in non-users of chemoprophylaxis deemed in need of chemoprophylaxis was: C ± P 272, Dx 269, Mq 260, AP 252; the NNP to prevent a UK traveller malaria death was: C ± P 62613, Dx 61923, Mq 59973, AP 58059; increasing the 'background' rate by 50% yielded NNPs of: C ± P 176, Dx 175, Mq 171, AP 168. The impact of substituting atovaquone-proguanil for all mefloquine usage resulted in a 2

An Assessment Model for Energy Efficiency Program Planning in Electric Utilities: Case of the Pacific of Northwest U.S.A

Science.gov (United States)

Iskin, Ibrahim

efficiency programs. Market dissemination potential and program development and implementation potential are the second and third most important, whereas ancillary benefits potential is the least important program management consideration. The results imply that program value considerations, comprised of energy savings potential and ancillary benefits potential; and program feasibility considerations, comprised of program development and implementation potential and market dissemination potential, have almost equal impacts on assessment of emerging energy efficiency programs. Considering the overwhelming number of value-focused studies and the few feasibility-focused studies in the literature, this finding clearly shows that feasibility-focused studies are greatly understudied. The hierarchical decision model developed in this dissertation is generalizable. Thus, other utilities or power systems can adopt the research steps employed in this study as guidelines and conduct similar assessment studies on emerging energy efficiency programs of their interest.
Impact of Market Behavior, Fleet Composition, and Ancillary Services on Revenue Sufficiency

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Frew, Bethany [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Gallo, Giulia [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Brinkman, Gregory [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Milligan, Michael [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Clark, Kara [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Bloom, Aaron [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2016-06-01

Revenue insufficiency, or the missing money problem, occurs when the revenues that generators earn from the market are not sufficient to cover both fixed and variable costs to remain in the market and/or justify investments in new capacity, which may be needed for reliability. The near-zero marginal cost of variable renewable generators further exacerbates these revenue challenges. Estimating the extent of the missing money problem in current electricity markets is an important, nontrivial task that requires representing both how the power system operates and how market participants behave. This paper explores the missing money problem using a production cost model that represented a simplified version of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) energy-only market for the years 2012-2014. We evaluate how various market structures -- including market behavior, ancillary services, and changing fleet compositions -- affect net revenues in this ERCOT-like system. In most production cost modeling exercises, resources are assumed to offer their marginal capabilities at marginal costs. Although this assumption is reasonable for feasibility studies and long-term planning, it does not adequately consider the market behaviors that impact revenue sufficiency. In this work, we simulate a limited set of market participant strategic bidding behaviors by means of different sets of markups; these markups are applied to the true production costs of all gas generators, which are the most prominent generators in ERCOT. Results show that markups can help generators increase their net revenues overall, although net revenues may increase or decrease depending on the technology and the year under study. Results also confirm that conventional, variable-cost-based production cost simulations do not capture prices accurately, and this particular feature calls for proxies for strategic behaviors (e.g., markups) and more accurate representations of how electricity markets work. The
Does Head Start differentially benefit children with risks targeted by the program's service model?

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Elizabeth B; Farkas, George; Duncan, Greg J

Data from the Head Start Impact Study ( N = 3540) were used to test for differential benefits of Head Start after one program year and after kindergarten on pre-academic and behavior outcomes for children at risk in the domains targeted by the program's comprehensive services. Although random assignment to Head Start produced positive treatment main effects on children's pre-academic skills and behavior problems, residualized growth models showed that random assignment to Head Start did not differentially benefit the pre-academic skills of children with risk factors targeted by the Head Start service model. The models showed detrimental impacts of Head Start for maternal-reported behavior problems of high-risk children, but slightly more positive impacts for teacher-reported behavior. Policy implications for Head Start are discussed.
Human Behaviour Analysis of Barrier Deviations Using a Benefit-Cost-Deficit Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Philippe Polet

2009-01-01

Full Text Available A Benefit-Cost-Deficit (BCD model is proposed for analyzing such intentional human errors as barrier removal, the deliberate nonrespect of the rules and instructions governing use of a given system. The proposed BCD model attempts to explain and predict barrier removal in terms of the benefits, costs, and potential deficits associated with this human behaviour. The results of an experimental study conducted on a railway simulator (TRANSPAL are used to illustrate the advantages of the BCD model. In this study, human operators were faced with barriers that they could choose to deactivate, or not. Their decisions were analyzed in an attempt to explain and predict their choices. The analysis highlights that operators make their decisions using a balance between several criteria. Though barriers are safety-related elements, the decision to remove them is not guided only by the safety criterion; it is also motivated by such criteria as productivity, workload, and quality. Results of prediction supported by the BCD demonstrate the predictability of barrier violation
Stress and sleep: Results from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmela Alcántara

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Hispanics/Latinos face specific sociocultural stressors associated with their marginalized status in the United States. While stress is known to cause poor sleep, the differential effects of the specific stressors faced by Hispanics/Latinos have not been evaluated. Using cross-sectional data from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study, we conducted weighted generalized linear models to evaluate the associations of acculturation stress, ethnic discrimination, and chronic moderate/severe stress with self-reported sleep outcomes (insomnia symptoms, daytime sleepiness, sleep duration in individual and aggregate models adjusted for site, socio-demographics, behavioral, and medical conditions. Participants included 5313 Hispanic/Latino adults; 43.5% ≥ age 45, 54.8% female, and 22.0% US-born. Chronic moderate/severe stress, ethnic discrimination, and acculturation stress were each positively associated with sleep. In the adjusted aggregate model, only chronic moderate/severe stress was associated with insomnia symptoms (exp(b = 1.07 for each additional stressor, 95% CI = 1.05, 1.09. Both acculturation stress (exp(b = 1.05 for each additional SD, 95% CI = 1.02, 1.10 and ethnic discrimination (exp(b = 1.05 for each additional SD, 95% CI = 1.01, 1.08 were associated with daytime sleepiness. Each SD increase in ethnic discrimination related to a 16% and 13% increased prevalence of short ( 9 h (RRR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.00, 1.27, respectively. These associations were consistent across sex. Acculturation stress and ethnic discrimination are associated with poor sleep in Hispanics/Latinos. Future research should explore whether behavioral sleep interventions minimize the impact of sociocultural stressors on sleep.
Critical Joints in Large Composite Primary Aircraft Structures. Volume 3: Ancillary Test Results

Science.gov (United States)

Bunin, Bruce L.; Sagui, R. L.

1985-01-01

A program was conducted to develop the technology for critical structural joints for composite wing structure that meets all the design requirements of a 1990 commercial transport aircraft. The results of a comprehensive ancillary test program are summarized, consisting of single-bolt composite joint specimens tested in a variety of configurations. These tests were conducted to characterize the strength and load deflection properties that are required for multirow joint analysis. The composite material was Toray 300 fiber and Ciba-Geigy 914 resin, in the form of 0.005 and 0.01 inch thick unidirectional tape. Tests were conducted in single and double shear for loaded and unloaded hole configurations under both tensile and compressive loading. Two different layup patterns were examined. All tests were conducted at room temperature. In addition, the results of NASA Standard Toughness Test (NASA RP 1092) are reported, which were conducted for several material systems.
Ancillary testing, diagnostic/classification criteria and severity grading in Behçet disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Okada, Annabelle A; Stanford, Miles; Tabbara, Khalid

2012-12-01

Since there is no pathognomonic clinical sign or laboratory test to distinguish Behçet disease from other uveitic entities, the diagnosis must be made based on characteristic ocular and systemic findings in the absence of evidence of other disease that can explain the findings. Ancillary tests, including ocular and brain imaging studies, are used to assess the severity of intraocular inflammation and systemic manifestations of Behçet disease, to identify latent infections and other medical conditions that might worsen with systemic treatment, and to monitor for adverse effects of drugs used. There are two diagnostic or classification criteria in general use by the uveitis community, one from Japan and one from an international group; both rely on a minimum number and/or combination of clinical findings to identify Behçet disease. Finally, several grading schemes have been proposed to assess severity of ocular disease and response to treatment.
Benefits of incorporating spatial organisation of catchments for a semi-distributed hydrological model

Science.gov (United States)

Schumann, Andreas; Oppel, Henning

2017-04-01

To represent the hydrological behaviour of catchments a model should reproduce/reflect the hydrologically most relevant catchment characteristics. These are heterogeneously distributed within a watershed but often interrelated and subject of a certain spatial organisation. Since common models are mostly based on fundamental assumptions about hydrological processes, the reduction of variance of catchment properties as well as the incorporation of the spatial organisation of the catchment is desirable. We have developed a method that combines the idea of the width-function used for determination of the geomorphologic unit hydrograph with information about soil or topography. With this method we are able to assess the spatial organisation of selected catchment characteristics. An algorithm was developed that structures a watershed into sub-basins and other spatial units to minimise its heterogeneity. The outcomes of this algorithm are used for the spatial setup of a semi-distributed model. Since the spatial organisation of a catchment is not bound to a single characteristic, we have to embed information of multiple catchment properties. For this purpose we applied a fuzzy-based method to combine the spatial setup for multiple single characteristics into a union, optimal spatial differentiation. Utilizing this method, we are able to propose a spatial structure for a semi-distributed hydrological model, comprising the definition of sub-basins and a zonal classification within each sub-basin. Besides the improved spatial structuring, the performed analysis ameliorates modelling in another way. The spatial variability of catchment characteristics, which is considered by a minimum of heterogeneity in the zones, can be considered in a parameter constrained calibration scheme in a case study both options were used to explore the benefits of incorporating the spatial organisation and derived parameter constraints for the parametrisation of a HBV-96 model. We use two benchmark
How to Decide on Modeling Details: Risk and Benefit Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Özilgen, Mustafa

Mathematical models based on thermodynamic, kinetic, heat, and mass transfer analysis are central to this chapter. Microbial growth, death, enzyme inactivation models, and the modeling of material properties, including those pertinent to conduction and convection heating, mass transfer, such as diffusion and convective mass transfer, and thermodynamic properties, such as specific heat, enthalpy, and Gibbs free energy of formation and specific chemical exergy are also needed in this task. The origins, simplifying assumptions, and uses of model equations are discussed in this chapter, together with their benefits. The simplified forms of these models are sometimes referred to as "laws," such as "the first law of thermodynamics" or "Fick's second law." Starting to modeling a study with such "laws" without considering the conditions under which they are valid runs the risk of ending up with erronous conclusions. On the other hand, models started with fundamental concepts and simplified with appropriate considerations may offer explanations for the phenomena which may not be obtained just with measurements or unprocessed experimental data. The discussion presented here is strengthened with case studies and references to the literature.
Estimating Net Primary Productivity Using Satellite and Ancillary Data

Science.gov (United States)

Choudhury, Bhaskar J.

2002-01-01

The net primary productivity (C) or the annual rate of carbon accumulation per unit ground area by terrestrial plant communities is the difference of gross photosynthesis (A(sub g)) and respiration (R) per unit ground area. Available field observations show that R is a large and variable fraction of A(sub g), although it is generally recognized that there are considerable difficulties in determining these fluxes, and thus pose challenge in assessing the accuracy. Further uncertainties arise in extrapolating field measurements (which are acquired over a hectare or so area) to regional scale. Here, an approach is presented for determining these fluxes using satellite and ancillary data to be representative of regional scale and allow assessment of interannual variation. A, has been expressed as the product of radiation use efficiency for gross photosynthesis by an unstressed canopy and intercepted photosynthetically active radiation, which is then adjusted for stresses due to soil water shortage and temperature away from optimum. R has been calculated as the sum of growth and maintenance components (respectively, R(sub g) and R(sub m)).The R(sub m) has been determined from nitrogen content of plant tissue per unit ground area, while R(sub g) has been obtained as a fraction of the difference of A(sub g) and R(sub m). Results for five consecutive years (1986-1990) are presented for the Amazon-Tocontins, Mississippi, and Ob River basins.
Predictive modelling of wetland occurrence in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jens Hiestermann

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The global trend of transformation and loss of wetlands through conversion to other land uses has deleterious effects on surrounding ecosystems, and there is a resultant increasing need for the conservation and preservation of wetlands. Improved mapping of wetland locations is critical to achieving objective regional conservation goals, which depends on accurate spatial knowledge. Current approaches to mapping wetlands through the classification of satellite imagery typically under-represents actual wetland area; the importance of ancillary data in improving accuracy in mapping wetlands is therefore recognised. In this study, we compared two approaches Bayesian networks and logistic regression to predict the likelihood of wetland occurrence in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Both approaches were developed using the same data set of environmental surrogate predictors. We compared and verified model outputs using an independent test data set, with analyses including receiver operating characteristic curves and area under the curve (AUC. Both models performed similarly (AUC>0.84, indicating the suitability of a likelihood approach for ancillary data for wetland mapping. Results indicated that high wetland probability areas in the final model outputs correlated well with known wetland systems and wetland-rich areas in KwaZulu-Natal. We conclude that predictive models have the potential to improve the accuracy of wetland mapping in South Africa by serving as valuable ancillary data.
Quantifying private benefits of control from a structural model of block trades

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Albuquerque, R.; Schroth, E.

2009-01-01

We study the determinants of private benefits of control in negotiated block transactions. We estimate the block pricing model in Burkart, Gromb, and Panunzi (2000) explicitly accounting for both block premia and block discounts in the data. The evidence suggests that the occurrence of a block
Mesenteric vascular occlusion: Comparison of ancillary CT findings between arterial and venous occlusions and independent CT findings suggesting life-threatening events

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong, Yon Cheong; Wu, Cheng Hsien; Wang, Li Jen; Chen, Huan Wu; Lin, Being Chuan; Huang, Chen Chih

2013-01-01

To compare the ancillary CT findings between superior mesenteric artery thromboembolism (SMAT) and superior mesenteric vein thrombosis (SMVT), and to determine the independent CT findings of life-threatening mesenteric occlusion. Our study was approved by the institution review board. We included 43 patients (21 SMAT and 22 SMVT between 1999 and 2008) of their median age of 60.0 years, and retrospectively analyzed their CT scans. Medical records were reviewed for demographics, management, surgical pathology diagnosis, and outcome. We compared CT findings between SMAT and SMVT groups. Multivariate analysis was conducted to determine the independent CT findings of life-threatening mesenteric occlusion. Of 43 patients, 24 had life-threatening mesenteric occlusion. Death related to mesenteric occlusion was 32.6%. A thick bowel wall (p < 0.001), mesenteric edema (p < 0.001), and ascites (p = 0.009) were more frequently associated with SMVT, whereas diminished bowel enhancement (p = 0.003) and paralytic ileus (p = 0.039) were more frequent in SMAT. Diminished bowel enhancement (OR = 20; p = 0.007) and paralytic ileus (OR = 16; p = 0.033) were independent findings suggesting life-threatening mesenteric occlusion. The ancillary CT findings occur with different frequencies in SMAT and SMVT. However, the independent findings indicating life-threatening mesenteric occlusion are diminished bowel wall enhancement and paralytic ileus.
Ancillary Services for the European Grid with High Shares of Wind and Solar Power

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Van Hulle, Frans; Holttinen, Hannele; Kiviluoma, Juha

2012-01-01

to be better understood. This relates both to the technical capabilities of the plants for delivering specific services and to the quantification of the needs. The paper presents the approach of the European IEE project REserviceS, aiming at establishing reference guidance for the ongoing developments......With significantly increasing share of variable renewable power generation like wind and solar PV, the need in the power system for ancillary services supporting the network frequency, voltage, etc. changes. Turning this issue around, market opportunities will emerge for wind and solar PV...... technology to deliver such grid services. In the European power system, adequate market mechanisms need to be developed to ensure that there will be an efficient trading of these services. For that purpose a range of (economic) characteristics of wind (and solar) power as providers of grid services need...
Global health benefits of mitigating ozone pollution with methane emission controls.

Science.gov (United States)

West, J Jason; Fiore, Arlene M; Horowitz, Larry W; Mauzerall, Denise L

2006-03-14

Methane (CH(4)) contributes to the growing global background concentration of tropospheric ozone (O(3)), an air pollutant associated with premature mortality. Methane and ozone are also important greenhouse gases. Reducing methane emissions therefore decreases surface ozone everywhere while slowing climate warming, but although methane mitigation has been considered to address climate change, it has not for air quality. Here we show that global decreases in surface ozone concentrations, due to methane mitigation, result in substantial and widespread decreases in premature human mortality. Reducing global anthropogenic methane emissions by 20% beginning in 2010 would decrease the average daily maximum 8-h surface ozone by approximately 1 part per billion by volume globally. By using epidemiologic ozone-mortality relationships, this ozone reduction is estimated to prevent approximately 30,000 premature all-cause mortalities globally in 2030, and approximately 370,000 between 2010 and 2030. If only cardiovascular and respiratory mortalities are considered, approximately 17,000 global mortalities can be avoided in 2030. The marginal cost-effectiveness of this 20% methane reduction is estimated to be approximately 420,000 US dollars per avoided mortality. If avoided mortalities are valued at 1 US dollars million each, the benefit is approximately 240 US dollars per tone of CH(4) ( approximately 12 US dollars per tone of CO(2) equivalent), which exceeds the marginal cost of the methane reduction. These estimated air pollution ancillary benefits of climate-motivated methane emission reductions are comparable with those estimated previously for CO(2). Methane mitigation offers a unique opportunity to improve air quality globally and can be a cost-effective component of international ozone management, bringing multiple benefits for air quality, public health, agriculture, climate, and energy.
A multi-model assessment of the co-benefits of climate mitigation for global air quality

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rao, Shilpa; Klimont, Zbigniew; Leitao, Joana; Riahi, Keywan; van Dingenen, Rita; Aleluia Reis, Lara; Calvin, Katherine; Dentener, Frank; Drouet, Laurent; Fujimori, Shinichiro; Harmsen, Mathijs; Luderer, Gunnar; Heyes, Chris; Strefler, Jessica; Tavoni, Massimo; van Vuuren, Detlef P.

2016-01-01

We present a model comparison study that combines multiple integrated assessment models with a reduced-form global air quality model to assess the potential co-benefits of global climate mitigation policies in relation to the World Health Organization (WHO) goals on air quality and health. We
Animal models of pain and migraine in drug discovery

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Munro, Gordon; Jansen-Olesen, Inger; Olesen, Jes

2017-01-01

of the most commonly used models and methods employed within 'pain and migraine' drug development will be presented. Recent advances within these disciplines suggest that, with the addition of a few extra carefully chosen ancillary models and/or endpoints, the relative value in terms of resources used...
The role of liquid-based cytology and ancillary techniques in pleural and pericardic effusions: an institutional experience.

Science.gov (United States)

Rossi, Esther Diana; Bizzarro, Tommaso; Schmitt, Fernando; Longatto-Filho, Adhemar

2015-04-01

Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of serous membrane effusions may fulfil a challenging role in the diagnostic analysis of both primary and metastatic disease. From this perspective, liquid-based cytology (LBC) represents a feasible and reliable method for empowering the performance of ancillary techniques (ie, immunocytochemistry and molecular testing) with high diagnostic accuracy. In total, 3171 LBC pleural and pericardic effusions were appraised between January 2000 and December 2013. They were classified as negative for malignancy (NM), suspicious for malignancy (SM), or positive for malignancy (PM). The cytologic diagnoses included 2721 NM effusions (2505 pleural and 216 pericardic), 104 SM effusions (93 pleural and 11 pericardic), and 346 PM effusions (321 pleural and 25 pericardic). The malignant pleural series included 76 unknown malignancies (36 SM and 40 PM effusions), 174 metastatic lesions (85 SM and 89 PM effusions), 14 lymphomas (3 SM and 11 PM effusions), 16 mesotheliomas (5 SM and 11 SM effusions), and 3 myelomas (all SM effusions). The malignant pericardic category included 20 unknown malignancies (5 SM and 15 PM effusions), 15 metastatic lesions (1 SM and 14 PM effusions), and 1 lymphoma (1 PM effusion). There were 411 conclusive immunocytochemical analyses and 47 molecular analyses, and the authors documented 88% sensitivity, 100% specificity, 98% diagnostic accuracy, 98% negative predictive value, and 100% positive predictive value for FNAC. FNAC represents a primary diagnostic tool for effusions and a reliable approach with which to determine the correct follow-up. Furthermore, LBC is useful for ancillary techniques, such as immunocytochemistry and molecular analysis, with feasible diagnostic and predictive utility. © 2015 American Cancer Society.
Employment of Lithuanian Statistical Data Into Tax-Benefit Micro-Simulation Models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viginta Ivaškaitė-Tamošiūnė

2012-07-01

Full Text Available In this study, we aim to assess the “best fit” of the existing Lithuanian micro-datasets for constructing a national micro-simulation model. Specifically, we compare and evaluate the potential of two (state level representative micro-data surveys in terms of their potential to simulate Lithuanian (direct taxes, social contributions and social benefits. Both selected datasets contain rich information on the socio-economic and demographical conditions of the country: the Household Budget Survey (HBS for the years 2004 and 2005 and the European Community Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC in Lithuania for the year 2005. The selected databases offer the most comprehensive range of income and other socio-demographic attributes, needed for simulation of tax and contributions’ payers/amounts and benefits’ recipients/amounts. The evaluation of the dataset capacity to simulate these measures is done by a comparative statistical analysis. Among the comparative categories are definitions (of households, incomes, survey collection modes, level of aggregation of various variables, demographic and incomes variables and corresponding numbers (amounts.The comparative analysis of the HBS and EU-SILC datasets shows, that despite embedded differences and shortages regarding simulation capacities of both surveys, these datasets contain valuable and sufficient information for the purpose of simulation of Lithuanian tax-benefit policies.In general a conclusion could be drawn, that HBS offers higher possibilities of simulating the Lithuanian tax-benefit system. This dataset contains more detailed national income categories (i.e. recipients of maternity/paternity insurance, diverse pensions, etc.— information on which is not available in the EU-SILC. The latter dataset does not contain national policy system specific components, but offer information on income aggregates, such all old-age pensions, social exclusion benefits, etc. Additionally
The Economics of Vaccinating or Dosing Cattle against Disease: A Simple Linear Cost-Benefit Model with Modifications

OpenAIRE

Tisdell, Clem; Ramsay, Gavin

1995-01-01

Outlines a simple linear cost-benefit model for determining whether it is economic at the farm-level to vaccinate or dose a batch of livestock against a disease. This model assumes that total benefits and costs are proportional to the number of animals vaccinated. This model is then modified to allow for the possibility of programmes of vaccination or disease prevention involving start-up costs which increase, but at a decreasing rate with batch size or with the size of the herd to be vaccina...

Assessing the Cooling Benefits of Tree Shade by an Outdoor Urban Physical Scale Model at Tempe, AZ

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qunshan Zhao

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Urban green infrastructure, especially shade trees, offers benefits to the urban residential environment by mitigating direct incoming solar radiation on building facades, particularly in hot settings. Understanding the impact of different tree locations and arrangements around residential properties has the potential to maximize cooling and can ultimately guide urban planners, designers, and homeowners on how to create the most sustainable urban environment. This research measures the cooling effect of tree shade on building facades through an outdoor urban physical scale model. The physical scale model is a simulated neighborhood consisting of an array of concrete cubes to represent houses with identical artificial trees. We tested and compared 10 different tree densities, locations, and arrangement scenarios in the physical scale model. The experimental results show that a single tree located at the southeast of the building can provide up to 2.3 °C hourly cooling benefits to east facade of the building. A two-tree cluster arrangement provides more cooling benefits (up to 6.6 °C hourly cooling benefits to the central facade when trees are located near the south and southeast sides of the building. The research results confirm the cooling benefits of tree shade and the importance of wisely designing tree locations and arrangements in the built environment.
A multi-model assessment of the co-benefits of climate mitigation for global air quality

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rao, Shilpa; Klimont, Zbigniew; Leitao, Joana; Riahi, Keywan; van Dingenen, Rita; Reis, Lara Aleluia; Calvin, Katherine; Dentener, Frank; Drouet, Laurent; Fujimori, Shinichiro; Harmsen, Mathijs; Luderer, Gunnar; Heyes, Chris; Strefler, Jessica; Tavoni, Massimo; van Vuuren, Detlef P.

2016-12-01

The recent International Panel on Climate change (IPCC) report identifies significant co-benefits from climate policies on near-term ambient air pollution and related human health outcomes [1]. This is increasingly relevant for policy making as the health impacts of air pollution are a major global concern- the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study identifies outdoor air pollution as the sixth major cause of death globally [2]. Integrated assessment models (IAMs) are an effective tool to evaluate future air pollution outcomes across a wide range of assumptions on socio-economic development and policy regimes. The Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) [3] were the first set of long-term global scenarios developed across multiple integrated assessment models that provided detailed estimates of a number of air pollutants until 2100. However these scenarios were primarily designed to cover a defined range of radiative forcing outcomes and thus did not specifically focus on the interactions of long-term climate goals on near-term air pollution impacts. More recently, [4] used the RCP4.5 scenario to evaluate the co-benefits of global GHG reductions on air quality and human health in 2030. [5-7] have further examined the interactions of more diverse pollution control regimes with climate policies. This paper extends the listed studies in a number of ways. Firstly it uses multiple IAMs to look into the co-benefits of a global climate policy for ambient air pollution under harmonized assumptions on near-term air pollution control. Multi-model frameworks have been extensively used in the analysis of climate change mitigation pathways, and the structural uncertainties regarding the underlying mechanisms (see for example [8-10]. This is to our knowledge the first time that a multi-model evaluation has been specifically designed and applied to analyze the co-benefits of climate change policy on ambient air quality, thus enabling a better understanding of at a detailed
The multifactorial role of the 3Rs in shifting the harm-benefit analysis in animal models of disease

Science.gov (United States)

Graham, Melanie L.; Prescott, Mark J.

2015-01-01

Ethics on animal use in science in Western society is based on utilitarianism, weighing the harms and benefits to the animals involved against those of the intended human beneficiaries. The 3Rs concept (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) is both a robust framework for minimizing animal use and suffering (addressing the harms to animals) and a means of supporting high quality science and translation (addressing the benefits). The ambiguity of basic research performed early in the research continuum can sometimes make harm-benefit analysis more difficult since anticipated benefit is often an incremental contribution to a field of knowledge. On the other hand, benefit is much more evident in translational research aimed at developing treatments for direct application in humans or animals suffering from disease. Though benefit may be easier to define, it should certainly not be considered automatic. Issues related to model validity seriously compromise experiments and have been implicated as a major impediment in translation, especially in complex disease models where harms to animals can be intensified. Increased investment and activity in the 3Rs is delivering new research models, tools and approaches with reduced reliance on animal use, improved animal welfare, and improved scientific and predictive value. PMID:25823812
Comparative cost-benefit analysis of tele-homecare for community-dwelling elderly in Japan: Non-Government versus Government Supported Funding Models.

Science.gov (United States)

Akiyama, Miki; Abraham, Chon

2017-08-01

Tele-homecare is gaining prominence as a viable care alternative, as evidenced by the increase in financial support from international governments to fund initiatives in their respective countries. The primary reason for the funding is to support efforts to reduce lags and increase capacity in access to care as well as to promote preventive measures that can avert costly emergent issues from arising. These efforts are especially important to super-aged and aging societies such as in Japan, many European countries, and the United States (US). However, to date and to our knowledge, a direct comparison of non-government vs. government-supported funding models for tele-homecare is particularly lacking in Japan. The aim of this study is to compare these operational models (i.e., non-government vs. government-supported funding) from a cost-benefit perspective. This simulation study applies to a Japanese hypothetical cohort with implications for other super-aged and aging societies abroad. We performed a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) on two operational models for enabling tele-homecare for elderly community-dwelling cohorts based on a decision tree model, which we created with parameters from published literature. The two models examined are (a) Model 1-non-government-supported funding that includes monthly fixed charges paid by users for a portion of the operating costs, and (b) Model 2-government-supported funding that includes startup and installation costs only (i.e., no operating costs) and no monthly user charges. We performed base case cost-benefit analysis and probabilistic cost-benefit analysis with a Monte Carlo simulation. We calculated net benefit and benefit-to-cost ratios (BCRs) from the societal perspective with a five-year time horizon applying a 3% discount rate for both cost and benefit values. The cost of tele-homecare included (a) the startup system expense, averaged over a five-year depreciation period, and (b) operation expenses (i.e., labor and non
Resource allocation decision modeling for a Louisiana Public Benefit Fund program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaiser, Mark J.; Pulsipher, Allan G.

2003-01-01

A simulation model is developed to value energy efficiency improvement programs in Louisiana proposed to be delivered through a Public Benefits Fund. A uniform 1 mill/kW h non-bypassable surcharge on the electric rates of all electricity users is proposed to be distributed for low-income bill assistance, low-income weatherization, and energy efficiency programs across the residential and commercial sector of Louisiana. The economic and environmental impact of the energy improvement programs is coupled to a stochastic linear program to specify the resource allocation subject to policy and system constraints. The model is illustrated through a realistic policy scenario. (Author)
National Water Model: Providing the Nation with Actionable Water Intelligence

Science.gov (United States)

Aggett, G. R.; Bates, B.

2017-12-01

The National Water Model (NWM) provides national, street-level detail of water movement through time and space. Operating hourly, this flood of information offers enormous benefits in the form of water resource management, natural disaster preparedness, and the protection of life and property. The Geo-Intelligence Division at the NOAA National Water Center supplies forecasters and decision-makers with timely, actionable water intelligence through the processing of billions of NWM data points every hour. These datasets include current streamflow estimates, short and medium range streamflow forecasts, and many other ancillary datasets. The sheer amount of NWM data produced yields a dataset too large to allow for direct human comprehension. As such, it is necessary to undergo model data post-processing, filtering, and data ingestion by visualization web apps that make use of cartographic techniques to bring attention to the areas of highest urgency. This poster illustrates NWM output post-processing and cartographic visualization techniques being developed and employed by the Geo-Intelligence Division at the NOAA National Water Center to provide national actionable water intelligence.
The Role of Liquid Based Cytology and Ancillary Techniques in the Peritoneal Washing Analysis: Our Institutional Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Rossi, Esther; Bizzarro, Tommaso; Martini, Maurizio; Longatto-Filho, Adhemar; Schmitt, Fernando; Fagotti, Anna; Scambia, Giovanni; Zannoni, Gian Franco

2017-01-01

Background The cytological analysis of peritoneal effusions serves as a diagnostic and prognostic aid for either primary or metastatic diseases. Among the different cytological preparations, liquid based cytology (LBC) represents a feasible and reliable method ensuring also the application of ancillary techniques (i.e immunocytochemistry-ICC and molecular testing). Methods We recorded 10348 LBC peritoneal effusions between January 2000 and December 2014. They were classified as non-diagnostic (ND), negative for malignancy-NM, atypical-suspicious for malignancy-SM and positive for malignancy-PM. Results The cytological diagnosis included 218 ND, 9.035 NM, 213 SM and 882 PM. A total of 8048 (7228 NM, 115SM, 705 PM) cases with histological follow-up were included. Our NM included 21 malignant and 7207 benign histological diagnoses. Our 820 SMs+PMs were diagnosed as 107 unknown malignancies (30SM and 77PM), 691 metastatic lesions (81SM and 610PM), 9 lymphomas (2SM and 7PM), 9 mesotheliomas (1SM and 8SM), 4 sarcomas (1SM and 3PM). Primary gynecological cancers contributed with 64% of the cases. We documented 97.4% sensitivity, 99.9% specificity, 98% diagnostic accuracy, 99.7% negative predictive value (NPV) and 99.7% positive predictive value (PPV). Furthermore, the morphological diagnoses were supported by either 173 conclusive ICC results or 50 molecular analyses. Specifically the molecular testing was performed for the EGFR and KRAS mutational analysis based on the previous or contemporary diagnoses of Non Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) and colon carcinomas. We identified 10 EGFR in NSCCL and 7 KRAS mutations on LBC stored material. Conclusions Peritoneal cytology is an adjunctive tool in the surgical management of tumors mostly gynecological cancers. LBC maximizes the application of ancillary techniques such as ICC and molecular analysis with feasible diagnostic and predictive yields also in controversial cases. PMID:28099523
Model developments for quantitative estimates of the benefits of the signals on nuclear power plant availability and economics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seong, Poong Hyun

1993-01-01

A novel framework for quantitative estimates of the benefits of signals on nuclear power plant availability and economics has been developed in this work. The models developed in this work quantify how the perfect signals affect the human operator's success in restoring the power plant to the desired state when it enters undesirable transients. Also, the models quantify the economic benefits of these perfect signals. The models have been applied to the condensate feedwater system of the nuclear power plant for demonstration. (Author)
Risk-constrained dynamic self-scheduling of a pumped-storage plant in the energy and ancillary service markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kazempour, S. Jalal; Moghaddam, M. Parsa; Haghifam, M.R.; Yousefi, G.R.

2009-01-01

This work addresses a new framework for self-scheduling of an individual price-taker pumped-storage plant in a day-ahead (DA) market. The goal is achieving the best trade-off between the expected profit and the risks when the plant participates in DA energy, spinning reserve and regulation markets. In this paper, a set of uncertainties including price forecasting errors and also the uncertainty of power delivery requests in the ancillary service markets are contemplated. Considering these uncertainties, a new approach is proposed which is called dynamic self-scheduling (DSS). This risk-constrained dynamic self-scheduling problem is therefore formulated and solved as a mixed integer programming (MIP) problem. Numerical results for a case study are discussed. (author)
Optimizing Cardiovascular Benefits of Exercise: A Review of Rodent Models

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Brittany; Moriguchi, Takeshi; Sumpio, Bauer

2013-01-01

Although research unanimously maintains that exercise can ward off cardiovascular disease (CVD), the optimal type, duration, intensity, and combination of forms are yet not clear. In our review of existing rodent-based studies on exercise and cardiovascular health, we attempt to find the optimal forms, intensities, and durations of exercise. Using Scopus and Medline, a literature review of English language comparative journal studies of cardiovascular benefits and exercise was performed. This review examines the existing literature on rodent models of aerobic, anaerobic, and power exercise and compares the benefits of various training forms, intensities, and durations. The rodent studies reviewed in this article correlate with reports on human subjects that suggest regular aerobic exercise can improve cardiac and vascular structure and function, as well as lipid profiles, and reduce the risk of CVD. Findings demonstrate an abundance of rodent-based aerobic studies, but a lack of anaerobic and power forms of exercise, as well as comparisons of these three components of exercise. Thus, further studies must be conducted to determine a truly optimal regimen for cardiovascular health. PMID:24436579
A state-of-the-art multi-criteria model for drug benefit-risk analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tervonen, T.; Hillege, H.L.; Buskens, E.; Postmus, D.

2010-01-01

Drug benefit-risk analysis is based on firm clinical evidence related to various safety and efficacy outcomes, such as tolerability, treatment response, and adverse events. In this paper, we propose a new approach for constructing a supporting multi-criteria model that fully takes into account this
Peer-to-Peer Consultations: Ancillary Services Peer Exchange with India: Experience from South Africa, Europe & the United States (Fact Sheet)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2014-05-01

In support of national and subnational decision makers, the 21st Century Power Partnership regularly works with country partners to organize peer-to-peer consultations on critical issues. In March 2014, 21CPP collaborated with the Regulatory Assistance Project - India to host two peer-to-peer exchanges among experts from India, South Africa, Europe, and the United States to discuss the provision of ancillary services, particularly in the context of added variability and uncertainty from renewable energy. This factsheet provides a high level summary of the peer-to-peer consultation.
Technical and governance considerations for advanced metering infrastructure/smart meters: Technology, security, uncertainty, costs, benefits, and risks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McHenry, Mark P.

2013-01-01

The fundamental role of policymakers when considering Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), or ‘smart meters for energy and water infrastructure is to investigate a broad range of complex interrelated issues. These include alternative technical and non-technical options and deployment needs, the cost and benefits of the infrastructure (risks and mitigation measures), and the impact of a number of stakeholders: consumers, distributors, retailers, competitive market operators, competing technology companies, etc. The scale and number of potential variables in the AMI space is an almost unprecedented challenge to policymakers, with the anticipation of new ancillary products and services, associated market contestability, related regulatory and policy amendments, and the adequacy of consumer protection, education, and safety considerations requiring utmost due-diligence. Embarking on AMI investment entails significant technical, implementation, and strategic risk for governments and administering bodies, and an active effort is required to ensure AMI governance and planning maximises the potential benefits, and minimise uncertainties, costs, and risks to stakeholders. This work seeks to clarify AMI fundamentals and discusses the technical and related governance considerations from a dispassionate perspective, yet acknowledges many stakeholders tend to dichotomise debate, and obfuscate both advantages and benefits, and the converse. - Highlights: • AMI presents an almost unprecedented technical and governance policy challenge. • AMI enables vertical integration of electricity, gas, water, IT, and telco entities • AMI investments involve major technical, implementation, and strategic decisions. • Adequacy of consumer education, safety, privacy, and protection is paramount. • Policy must maximise AMI benefits and minimise uncertainties, costs, and risks
26 CFR 1.401(a)(4)-0 - Table of contents.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... ownership plans. (14) Section 401(h) benefits. (15) Definitions. (16) Effective dates and fresh-start rules...) Definitions. (2) Rules of application. (3) Optional rules. (4) Examples. (e) Compensation rules. (1) In... unpredictable contingent event benefits. (e) Definitions. (1) Optional form of benefit. (2) Ancillary benefit...
Economic Modeling of Compressed Air Energy Storage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rui Bo

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Due to the variable nature of wind resources, the increasing penetration level of wind power will have a significant impact on the operation and planning of the electric power system. Energy storage systems are considered an effective way to compensate for the variability of wind generation. This paper presents a detailed production cost simulation model to evaluate the economic value of compressed air energy storage (CAES in systems with large-scale wind power generation. The co-optimization of energy and ancillary services markets is implemented in order to analyze the impacts of CAES, not only on energy supply, but also on system operating reserves. Both hourly and 5-minute simulations are considered to capture the economic performance of CAES in the day-ahead (DA and real-time (RT markets. The generalized network flow formulation is used to model the characteristics of CAES in detail. The proposed model is applied on a modified IEEE 24-bus reliability test system. The numerical example shows that besides the economic benefits gained through energy arbitrage in the DA market, CAES can also generate significant profits by providing reserves, compensating for wind forecast errors and intra-hour fluctuation, and participating in the RT market.
Estimating commercial property prices: an application of cokriging with housing prices as ancillary information

Science.gov (United States)

Montero-Lorenzo, José-María; Larraz-Iribas, Beatriz; Páez, Antonio

2009-12-01

A vast majority of the recent literature on spatial hedonic analysis has been concerned with residential property values, with only very few examples of studies focused on commercial property prices. The dearth of studies can be attributed to some of the challenges faced in the analysis of commercial properties, in particular the scarcity of information compared to residential transactions. In order to address this issue, in this paper we propose the use of cokriging and housing prices as ancillary information to estimate commercial property prices. Cokriging takes into account the spatial autocorrelation structure of property prices, and the use of more abundant information on housing prices helps to improve the accuracy of property value estimates. A case study of Toledo in Spain, a city for which commercial activity stemming from tourism is one of the key elements of the economy in the city, demonstrates that substantial accuracy and precision gains can be obtained from the use of cokriging.
FASTBUS simulation models in VHDL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Appelquist, G.

1992-11-01

Four hardware simulation models implementing the FASTBUS protocol are described. The models are written in the VHDL hardware description language to obtain portability, i.e. without relations to any specific simulator. They include two complete FASTBUS devices, a full-duplex segment interconnect and ancillary logic for the segment. In addition, master and slave models using a high level interface to describe FASTBUS operations, are presented. With these models different configurations of FASTBUS systems can be evaluated and the FASTBUS transactions of new devices can be verified. (au)
Climate policy in developing countries and conditional transfers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruebbelke, Dirk T.G.

2006-01-01

This paper analyzes the role international transfers may play in international climate policy in consideration of the policy's ancillary benefits, such as air quality improvements. Ancillary benefits are especially important in many developing countries, while climate protection benefits or primary benefits play a minor role on the political agenda of these countries. In contrast, industrialized countries have a strong interest in combating climate change. These often neglected asymmetries between the developing and industrialized world affect the impacts of transfers. Interestingly, as we will show, the cost differentials between different environmental technologies among countries are the crucial prerequisite for the functioning of a transfer scheme and not the cost differentials in the execution of climate policy. This result has been overlooked by standard pure public good approaches
Evaluating the Potential Business Benefits of Ecodesign Implementation: A Logic Model Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vinícius P. Rodrigues

2018-06-01

Full Text Available The business benefits attained from ecodesign programs in manufacturing companies have been regularly documented by several studies from both the academic and corporate spheres. However, there are still significant challenges for adopting ecodesign, especially regarding the evaluation of these potential business benefits prior to the actual ecodesign implementation. To address such gap, this study proposes an exploratory and theory-driven framework based on logic models to support the development of business cases for ecodesign implementation. The objective is to offer an outlook into how ecodesign implementation can potentially affect key corporate performance outcomes. This paper is based on a three-stage research methodology with six steps. Two full systematic literature reviews were performed, along with two thematic analyses and a grounded theory approach with the aim of developing the business case framework, which was then evaluated by seven industry experts. This research contributes to the literature of ecodesign especially by laying out an ecodesign-instantiated logic model, which is readily available to be adapted and customized for further test and use in practice. Discussions on the usefulness and applicability of the framework and directions for future research are presented.
Review of the WECC EDT phase 2 EIM benefits analysis and results report.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Veselka, T.D.; Poch, L.A.; Botterud, A. (Decision and Information Sciences)

2012-04-05

A region-wide Energy Imbalance Market (EIM) was recently proposed by the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC). In order for the Western Area Power Administration (Western) to make more informed decisions regarding its involvement in the EIM, Western asked Argonne National Laboratory (Argonne) to review the EIM benefits study (the October 2011 revision) performed by Energy and Environmental Economics, Inc. (E3). Key components of the E3 analysis made use of results from a study conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL); therefore, we also reviewed the NREL work. This report examines E3 and NREL methods and models used in the EIM study. Estimating EIM benefits is very challenging because of the complex nature of the Western Interconnection (WI), the variability and uncertainty of renewable energy resources, and the complex decisions and potentially strategic bidding of market participants. Furthermore, methodologies used for some of the more challenging aspects of the EIM have not yet matured. This review is complimentary of several components of the EIM study. Analysts and modelers clearly took great care when conducting detailed simulations of the WI using well-established industry tools under stringent time and budget constraints. However, it is our opinion that the following aspects of the study and the interpretation of model results could be improved upon in future analyses. The hurdle rate methodology used to estimate current market inefficiencies does not directly model the underlying causes of sub-optimal dispatch and power flows. It assumes that differences between historical flows and modeled flows can be attributed solely to market inefficiencies. However, flow differences between model results and historical data can be attributed to numerous simplifying assumptions used in the model and in the input data. We suggest that alternative approaches be explored in order to better estimate the benefits of introducing market

The nightmare of indeterminate follicular proliferations: when liquid-based cytology and ancillary techniques are not a moon landing but a realistic plan.

Science.gov (United States)

Rossi, Esther Diana; Fadda, Guido; Schmitt, Fernando

2014-01-01

Thyroid nodules are a common finding in the general population, including both nonneoplastic and neoplastic entities. Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is the first tool for evaluating thyroid nodules. In spite of its high diagnostic accuracy, 25% of nodules result in the category of follicular neoplasms (FN), with varying risk of malignancy and different management strategies. The use of ancillary techniques is reshaping the practice of FNAC. These tools can significantly empower the morphological diagnosis and prognosis of thyroid nodules, allowing a more accurate prediction of the nature of the lesion. Several studies have underlined the role of single or multiple testing for the category of FN as strong indicators of cancer. Every cytological preparation can be used for the application of ancillary techniques but the introduction of liquid-based cytology (LBC) might facilitate the application. Our experience involving an immunocytochemical panel made up of HBME-1 and galectin-3 pointed to an 81% overall diagnostic accuracy in discriminating between low and high risk of malignancy in FN. The application of these techniques on LBC represents an adjunct to the morphological evaluation of FN. They represent a critical and challenging, but also a feasible, tool in the preoperative diagnoses, allowing specific prognostic and predictive details regardless of the cytological preparation. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel.
Compliance with technical codes becomes obligatory for receipt of feed-in tariff and ancillary services bonus for wind power plants in Germany

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boemer, Jens. C. [Ecofys Germany GmbH, Berlin (Germany). Power Systems and Markets Group; Delft Univ. of Technology (Netherlands). Electrical Power Systems Group; Burges, Karsten [Ecofys Germany GmbH, Berlin (Germany). Power Systems and Markets Group; Kumm, Thomas [VDE, Network Technology and Operation Forum (FNN), Berlin (Germany); Poeller, Markus [DIgSILENT GmbH, Gomaringen (Germany)

2009-07-01

The German government aims at a share of electricity generation based on renewable sources (RES-E) of more than 30% by 2020. A major part of this share will be reached by the use of wind power plants (WPP). Therefore, when amending the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) in June 2008, the German government acknowledged the importance of enhanced technical requirements for WPP and announced the development of a respective technical ordinance. For all WPP that go into operation after June 2010, full grid code-compliance becomes a precondition for privileged network access, receipt of feed-in tariff, and extra payments (''ancillary services bonus''). The basis for the technical requirements in the EEG has been laid down by Medium-Voltage (MV)-Directive 2008 and the TransmissionCode 2007. However, the work of the authors - consulting the German government during the development of the technical ordinance - showed that the TransmissionCode 2007 needed careful review and some clarifying specifications were proposed. Eventually, the so called ''Ancillary Services Ordinance'' for wind power plants went into power in July 2009. The interrelation between all three grid codes as well as their specifications and implications for renewable energy sources generators, with special regard to wind power plants, are presented in this paper. (orig.)
Does Head Start differentially benefit children with risks targeted by the program’s service model?☆

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Elizabeth B.; Farkas, George; Duncan, Greg J.

2015-01-01

Data from the Head Start Impact Study (N = 3540) were used to test for differential benefits of Head Start after one program year and after kindergarten on pre-academic and behavior outcomes for children at risk in the domains targeted by the program’s comprehensive services. Although random assignment to Head Start produced positive treatment main effects on children’s pre-academic skills and behavior problems, residualized growth models showed that random assignment to Head Start did not differentially benefit the pre-academic skills of children with risk factors targeted by the Head Start service model. The models showed detrimental impacts of Head Start for maternal-reported behavior problems of high-risk children, but slightly more positive impacts for teacher-reported behavior. Policy implications for Head Start are discussed. PMID:26379369
The influence of different cyclometalated ligand substituents and ancillary ligand on the phosphorescent properties of iridium(III) complexes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Qing; Li, Yuanyuan; Wang, Xin; Wang, Li, E-mail: chemwangl@henu.edu.cn; Zhang, Jinglai, E-mail: zhangjinglai@henu.edu.cn

2016-07-01

Four iridium(III) complexes, (dfpmpy){sub 2}Ir(pic), (1), (dfpmpy){sub 2}Ir(EO{sub 2}-pic) (2), (dfpmpy){sub 2}Ir(pic-N-O) (3), and (dfpmpy){sub 2}Ir(EO{sub 2}-pic-N-O) (4) (dfpmpy = 2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)-4-methylpyridine, pic = picolinic acid, EO{sub 2}-pic = 4-(2-ethoxyethoxy) picolinic acid, pic-N-O = picolinic acid N-oxide, and EO{sub 2}-pic-N-O = 4-(2-ethoxyethoxy) picolinic acid N-oxide) are investigated by means of the density functional theory/time-dependent density functional theory (DFT/TD-DFT) to explore the influence of the ancillary ligand on the electronic structures, phosphorescent properties, and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) performance. Employing pic-N-O and EO{sub 2}-pic-N-O as the ancillary ligands would decrease the vertical energy and result in the red-shifted wavelength. Then, other four iridium(III) complexes (2a-2d) (See Scheme 1) are designed by introduction of the phenyl and −CHO substituents on the pyridine ring and phenyl ring of complex 2, respectively. As compared with complex 2, theoretical results show that newly designed complexes 2a-2c might be potential candidates for blue-emitting phosphors with better/comparable quantum yield and Δλ. Moreover, the performance of complexes 2a and 2c, i.e., introducing phenyl on the para-position of pyridine ring and phenyl ring in dfpmpy ligand, are better than that of 2b. - Highlights: • The structure-property relationship of Ir(III) complexes are investigated. • The effect of different substituents/positions on properties is explored. • Do the emissions follow the Kasha or non-Kasha scenario? • Newly possible blue-emitting Ir(III) complexes are theoretically designed.
Electric industry restructuring, ancillary services, and the potential impact on wind

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kirby, B.; Hirst, E. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States); Parsons, B.; Porter, K. [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)] [and others

1997-12-31

The new competitive electric power environment raises increased challenges for wind power. The DOE and EPRI wind programs have dealt extensively with the traditional vertically integrated utility planning and operating environment in which the host utility owns the generation (or purchases the power) and provides dispatch and transmission services. Under this traditional environment, 1794 MW of wind power, principally in California, have been successfully integrated into the U.S. electric power system. Another 4200 MW are installed elsewhere in the world. As issues have arisen, such as intermittency and voltage regulation, they have been successfully addressed with accepted power system procedures and practices. For an intermittent, non-dispatchable resource such as wind, new regulatory rules affecting power transmission services, raise questions about which ancillary services wind plants will be able to sell, which they will be required to purchase, and what the economic impacts will be on individual wind projects. This paper begins to look at issues of concern to wind in a restructured electric industry. The paper first briefly looks at the range of unbundled services and comments on their unique significance to wind. To illustrate the concerns that arise with restructuring, the paper then takes a more detailed look at a single service: regulation. Finally, the paper takes a brief look at technologies and strategies that could improve the competitive position of wind.
Thermal ice loads on dams and ancillary structures: A brief review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerard, R.

1989-01-01

A major consideration in the design of low to medium head dams in cold regions is the thrust exerted by thermal expansion of a solid ice sheet. Such loads are also of concern in the design of gates, intakes and other ancillary structures. Such loads can be greater than 300-400 kilo Newtons per meter, and are of greatest concern when ice is unshielded by snow from temperature fluctuations. Details are presented of calculation of thermal ice loads, and field measurements of thermal ice forces. Past structural failures, field and laboratory investigations, and analyses, all confirm that thermal ice loads on wide structures such as dams, and isolated structures such as bridge piers and water intakes, can be much more significant than is suggested by the loads currently specified in various North American design guidelines for hydraulic structures. While some guidelines for thermal ice loads are excessively conservative, particularly for protected situations such as gates set between piers, in other more common situations they are dangerously low. Three useful approaches that would yield information for improving thermal ice load specification are: hindcast upper bounds on thermal ice loads by assessing the ice regime and load bearing capacity of existing structures; field measurement of thermal ice loads and stresses using modern instrumentation; and measurement and analysis of the formation and movement of lake and reservoir ice covers. 23 refs., 4 figs
Innovative Models of Dental Care Delivery and Coverage: Patient-Centric Dental Benefits Based on Digital Oral Health Risk Assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, John; Mills, Shannon; Foley, Mary E

2018-04-01

Innovative models of dental care delivery and coverage are emerging across oral health care systems causing changes to treatment and benefit plans. A novel addition to these models is digital risk assessment, which offers a promising new approach that incorporates the use of a cloud-based technology platform to assess an individual patient's risk for oral disease. Risk assessment changes treatment by including risk as a modifier of treatment and as a determinant of preventive services. Benefit plans are being developed to use risk assessment to predetermine preventive benefits for patients identified at elevated risk for oral disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
An analysis of the benefits of ethnography design methods for product modelling

Science.gov (United States)

Butlewski, M.; Misztal, A.; Belu, N.

2016-08-01

application of ethnography design methodology in product design and to analyse the benefits of its use. The analysis is based on effects of its application with the support of product design from various industries, along with a discussion of the method's limitations. Among benefits of ethnography design, the greatest proved to be providing knowledge of nonspecific user behaviour previously unknown to designers, which when rendered by models allowed to develop innovative solutions.
A cost-benefit model comparing the California Milk Cell Test and Milk Electrical Resistance Test.

Science.gov (United States)

Petzer, Inge-Marie; Karzis, Joanne; Meyer, Isabel A; van der Schans, Theodorus J

2013-04-24

The indirect effects of mastitis treatment are often overlooked in cost-benefit analyses, but it may be beneficial for the dairy industry to consider them. The cost of mastitis treatment may increase when the duration of intra-mammary infections are prolonged due to misdiagnosis of host-adapted mastitis. Laboratory diagnosis of mastitis can be costly and time consuming, therefore cow-side tests such as the California Milk Cell Test (CMCT) and Milk Electrical Resistance (MER) need to be utilised to their full potential. The aim of this study was to determine the relative benefit of using these two tests separately and in parallel. This was done using a partial-budget analysis and a cost-benefit model to estimate the benefits and costs of each respective test and the parallel combination thereof. Quarter milk samples (n= 1860) were taken from eight different dairy herds in South Africa. Milk samples were evaluated by means of the CMCT, hand-held MER meter and cyto-microbiological laboratory analysis. After determining the most appropriate cut-off points for the two cow-side tests, the sensitivity and specificity of the CMCT (Se= 1.00, Sp= 0.66), MER (Se= 0.92, Sp= 0.62) and the tests done in parallel (Se= 1.00, Sp= 0.87) were calculated. The input data that were used for partial-budget analysis and in the cost-benefit model were based on South African figures at the time of the study, and on literature. The total estimated financial benefit of correct diagnosis of host-adapted mastitis per cow for the CMCT, MER and the tests done in parallel was R898.73, R518.70 and R1064.67 respectively. This involved taking the expected benefit of a correct test result per cow, the expected cost of an error per cow and the cost of the test into account. The CMCT was shown to be 11%more beneficial than the MER test, whilst using the tests in parallel was shown to be the most beneficial method for evaluating the mastitis-control programme. Therefore, it is recommended that the
Organizational Infrastructure in the Collegiate Athletic Training Setting, Part III: Benefits of and Barriers in the Medical and Academic Models.

Science.gov (United States)

Eason, Christianne M; Mazerolle, Stephanie M; Goodman, Ashley

2017-01-01

Academic and medical models are emerging as alternatives to the athletics model, which is the more predominant model in the collegiate athletic training setting. Little is known about athletic trainers' (ATs') perceptions of these models. To investigate the perceived benefits of and barriers in the medical and academic models. Qualitative study. National Collegiate Athletic Association Divisions I, II, and III. A total of 16 full-time ATs (10 men, 6 women; age = 32 ± 6 years, experience = 10 ± 6 years) working in the medical (n = 8) or academic (n = 8) models. We conducted semistructured telephone interviews and evaluated the qualitative data using a general inductive approach. Multiple-analyst triangulation and peer review were completed to satisfy data credibility. In the medical model, role congruency and work-life balance emerged as benefits, whereas role conflict, specifically intersender conflict with coaches, was a barrier. In the academic model, role congruency emerged as a benefit, and barriers were role strain and work-life conflict. Subscales of role strain included role conflict and role ambiguity for new employees. Role conflict stemmed from intersender conflict with coaches and athletics administrative personnel and interrole conflict with fulfilling multiple overlapping roles (academic, clinical, administrative). The infrastructure in which ATs provide medical care needs to be evaluated. We found that the medical model can support better alignment for both patient care and the wellbeing of ATs. Whereas the academic model has perceived benefits, role incongruence exists, mostly because of the role complexity associated with balancing teaching, patient-care, and administrative duties.
A stochastic multicriteria model for evidence-based decision making in drug benefit-risk analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tervonen, Tommi; van Valkenhoef, Gert; Buskens, Erik; Hillege, Hans L.; Postmus, Douwe

2011-01-01

Drug benefit-risk (BR) analysis is based on firm clinical evidence regarding various safety and efficacy outcomes. In this paper, we propose a new and more formal approach for constructing a supporting multicriteria model that fully takes into account the evidence on efficacy and adverse drug
Confounding of three binary-variables counterfactual model

OpenAIRE

Liu, Jingwei; Hu, Shuang

2011-01-01

Confounding of three binary-variables counterfactual model is discussed in this paper. According to the effect between the control variable and the covariate variable, we investigate three counterfactual models: the control variable is independent of the covariate variable, the control variable has the effect on the covariate variable and the covariate variable affects the control variable. Using the ancillary information based on conditional independence hypotheses, the sufficient conditions...
Awakening consumer stewardship of health benefits: prevalence and differentiation of new health plan models.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenthal, Meredith; Milstein, Arnold

2004-08-01

Despite widespread publicity of consumer-directed health plans, little is known about their prevalence and the extent to which their designs adequately reflect and support consumerism. We examined three types of consumer-directed health plans: health reimbursement accounts (HRAs), premium-tiered, and point-of-care tiered benefit plans. We sought to measure the extent to which these plans had diffused, as well as to provide a critical look at the ways in which these plans support consumerism. Consumerism in this context refers to efforts to enable informed consumer choice and consumers' involvement in managing their health. We also wished to determine whether mainstream health plans-health maintenance organization (HMO), point of service (POS), and preferred provider organization (PPO) models-were being influenced by consumerism. Our study uses national survey data collected by Mercer Human Resource Consulting from 680 national and regional commercial health benefit plans on HMO, PPO, POS, and consumer-directed products. We defined consumer-directed products as health benefit plans that provided (1) consumer incentives to select more economical health care options, including self-care and no care, and (2) information and support to inform such selections. We asked health plans that offered consumer-directed products about 2003 enrollment, basic design features, and the availability of decision support. We also asked mainstream health plans about their activities that supported consumerism (e.g., proactive outreach to inform or influence enrollee behavior, such as self-management or preventive care, reminders sent to patients with identified medical conditions.) We analyzed survey responses for all four product lines in order to identify those plans that offer health reimbursement accounts (HRAs), premium-tiered, or point-of-care tiered models as well as efforts of mainstream health plans to engage informed consumer decision making. The majority of enrollees in
[Economic benefits of overlapping induction: investigation using a computer simulation model].

Science.gov (United States)

Hunziker, S; Baumgart, A; Denz, C; Schüpfer, G

2009-06-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential economic benefit of overlapping anaesthesia induction given that all patient diagnosis-related groups (AP DRG) are used as the model for hospital reimbursement. A computer simulation model was used for this purpose. Due to the resource-intensive production process, the operating room (OR) environment is the most expensive part of the supply chain for surgical disciplines. The economical benefit of a parallel production process (additional personnel, adaptation of the process) as compared to a conventional serial layout was assessed. A computer-based simulation method was used with commercially available simulation software. Assumptions for revenues were made by reimbursement based on AP DRG. Based on a system analysis a model for the computer simulation was designed on a step-by-step abstraction process. In the model two operating rooms were used for parallel processing and two operating rooms for a serial production process. Six different types of surgical procedures based on historical case durations were investigated. The contribution margin was calculated based on the increased revenues minus the cost for the additional anaesthesia personnel. Over a period of 5 weeks 41 additional surgical cases were operated under the assumption of duration of surgery of 89+/-4 min (mean+/-SD). The additional contribution margin was CHF 104,588. In the case of longer surgical procedures with 103+/-25 min duration (mean+/-SD), an increase of 36 cases was possible in the same time period and the contribution margin was increased by CHF 384,836. When surgical cases with a mean procedural time of 243+/-55 min were simulated, 15 additional cases were possible. Therefore, the additional contribution margin was CHF 321,278. Although costs increased in this simulation when a serial production process was changed to a parallel system layout due to more personnel, an increase of the contribution margin was possible, especially with
Investigating the Impact of Climate Change on Hydroelectric Generation and Ancillary Services in California

Science.gov (United States)

Forrest, K.; Tarroja, B.; AghaKouchak, A.; Chiang, F.; Samuelsen, S.

2017-12-01

Spatial and temporal shifts in hydrological regimes predicted under climate change conditions have implications for the management of reservoirs and hydropower contributions to generation and ancillary services. California relies on large hydropower plants to provide flexible electricity generation, which will be increasingly important for supporting renewable resources. This study examines the impact of climate change on large hydropower generation in California. Four climate models for Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 4.5 and RCP 8.5 are utilized to evaluate the impact of the climate change conditions on (1) the magnitude and profile of hydropower generation and (2) the ability of hydropower to provide spinning reserve. Under both RCP scenarios, impacts are regionally dependent, with precipitation projected to increase in northern California and decrease in southern California for the ten-year period investigated (2046-2055). The overall result is a net increase in inflow into large hydropower units as a majority of the hydropower plants studied are located in the northern part of the state. Increased inflow is primarily driven by increased runoff during the winter and does not necessarily result in increased generation, as extreme events yield greater overall spillage, up to 45% of total inflow. Increased winter hydropower generation paired with increased reservoir constraints in summer result in an 11 to 18% decrease in spinning reserve potential across the year. Under high inflow conditions there is a decreased flexibility for choosing generation versus spinning reserve as water needs to be released, regardless. During summer, hydropower units providing spinning reserve experienced decreased inflow and lower reservoir levels compared to the historical baseline, resulting in decreased spinning reserve bidding potential. Decreased bidding, especially during summer periods at peak electricity demand, can result in greater demand for other dispatchable
Can modeling of health outcomes facilitate regulatory decision making? The benefit-risk tradeoff for rosiglitazone in 1999 vs. 2007.

Science.gov (United States)

Cross, J T; Veenstra, D L; Gardner, J S; Garrison, L P

2011-03-01

Rosiglitazone was initially approved for type 2 diabetes monotherapy. We tested health-outcomes modeling as an aid to regulatory decision making by quantifying the incremental net benefit (INB) value of rosiglitazone (relative to a comparator), both at the time of first approval (1999) and at the FDA advisory committee review (2007). Using 1999 data, rosiglitazone was projected to provide an additional 0.639 years of life (0.373 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs)) relative to placebo but a loss of 0.312 years (0.173 QALYs) relative to glyburide, with uncertainty in reduction of hemoglobin A(1c) (HbA(1c)) level having the greatest impact on the benefit-risk profile. By 2007, rosiglitazone was projected to provide an additional 0.222 years (0.091 QALYs) vs. glyburide and 0.026 years vs. metformin (0.009 QALYs). Modeling suggested that the use of rosiglitazone as monotherapy was not initially warranted, given the uncertainty with regard to benefit. Despite similar net benefit (NB) as metformin shown in postmarketing data, residual cardiovascular (CV) concerns did not support the use of rosiglitazone as first-line therapy. We adapted a mathematical diabetes model to estimate NB and uncertainty of diabetes monotherapy.
Organizational Infrastructure in the Collegiate Athletic Training Setting, Part III: Benefits of and Barriers in the Medical and Academic Models

Science.gov (United States)

Eason, Christianne M.; Mazerolle, Stephanie M.; Goodman, Ashley

2017-01-01

Context: Academic and medical models are emerging as alternatives to the athletics model, which is the more predominant model in the collegiate athletic training setting. Little is known about athletic trainers' (ATs') perceptions of these models. Objective: To investigate the perceived benefits of and barriers in the medical and academic models. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: National Collegiate Athletic Association Divisions I, II, and III. Patients or Other Participants: A total of 16 full-time ATs (10 men, 6 women; age = 32 ± 6 years, experience = 10 ± 6 years) working in the medical (n = 8) or academic (n = 8) models. Data Collection and Analysis: We conducted semistructured telephone interviews and evaluated the qualitative data using a general inductive approach. Multiple-analyst triangulation and peer review were completed to satisfy data credibility. Results: In the medical model, role congruency and work-life balance emerged as benefits, whereas role conflict, specifically intersender conflict with coaches, was a barrier. In the academic model, role congruency emerged as a benefit, and barriers were role strain and work-life conflict. Subscales of role strain included role conflict and role ambiguity for new employees. Role conflict stemmed from intersender conflict with coaches and athletics administrative personnel and interrole conflict with fulfilling multiple overlapping roles (academic, clinical, administrative). Conclusions: The infrastructure in which ATs provide medical care needs to be evaluated. We found that the medical model can support better alignment for both patient care and the wellbeing of ATs. Whereas the academic model has perceived benefits, role incongruence exists, mostly because of the role complexity associated with balancing teaching, patient-care, and administrative duties. PMID:27977302
Employment of Lithuanian Statistical Data Into Tax-Benefit Micro-Simulation Models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viginta Ivaškaitė-Tamošiūnė

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In this study, we aim to assess the “best fit” of the existing Lithuanian micro-datasets for constructing a national micro-simulation model. Specifically, we compare and evaluate the potential of two (state level representative micro-data surveys in terms of their potential to simulate Lithuanian (direct taxes, social contributions and social benefits. Both selected datasets contain rich information on the socio-economic and demographical conditions of the country: the Household Budget Survey (HBS for the years 2004 and 2005 and the European Community Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC in Lithuania for the year 2005. The selected databases offer the most comprehensive range of income and other socio-demographic attributes, needed for simulation of tax and contributions’ payers/amounts and benefits’ recipients/amounts. The evaluation of the dataset capacity to simulate these measures is done by a comparative statistical analysis. Among the comparative categories are definitions (of households, incomes, survey collection modes, level of aggregation of various variables, demographic and incomes variables and corresponding numbers (amounts. The comparative analysis of the HBS and EU-SILC datasets shows, that despite embedded differences and shortages regarding simulation capacities of both surveys, these datasets contain valuable and sufficient information for the purpose of simulation of Lithuanian tax-benefit policies. In general a conclusion could be drawn, that HBS offers higher possibilities of simulating the Lithuanian tax-benefit system. This dataset contains more detailed national income categories (i.e. recipients of maternity/paternity insurance, diverse pensions, etc.— information on which is not available in the EU-SILC. The latter dataset does not contain national policy system specific components, but offer information on income aggregates, such all old-age pensions, social exclusion benefits, etc
Development of an Asset Value Map for Disaster Risk Assessment in China by Spatial Disaggregation Using Ancillary Remote Sensing Data.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jidong; Li, Ying; Li, Ning; Shi, Peijun

2018-01-01

The extent of economic losses due to a natural hazard and disaster depends largely on the spatial distribution of asset values in relation to the hazard intensity distribution within the affected area. Given that statistical data on asset value are collected by administrative units in China, generating spatially explicit asset exposure maps remains a key challenge for rapid postdisaster economic loss assessment. The goal of this study is to introduce a top-down (or downscaling) approach to disaggregate administrative-unit level asset value to grid-cell level. To do so, finding the highly correlated "surrogate" indicators is the key. A combination of three data sets-nighttime light grid, LandScan population grid, and road density grid, is used as ancillary asset density distribution information for spatializing the asset value. As a result, a high spatial resolution asset value map of China for 2015 is generated. The spatial data set contains aggregated economic value at risk at 30 arc-second spatial resolution. Accuracy of the spatial disaggregation reflects redistribution errors introduced by the disaggregation process as well as errors from the original ancillary data sets. The overall accuracy of the results proves to be promising. The example of using the developed disaggregated asset value map in exposure assessment of watersheds demonstrates that the data set offers immense analytical flexibility for overlay analysis according to the hazard extent. This product will help current efforts to analyze spatial characteristics of exposure and to uncover the contributions of both physical and social drivers of natural hazard and disaster across space and time. © 2017 Society for Risk Analysis.
Assuring benefits from advanced mathematical modeling of fossil power stations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Divakaruni, S.M.; Hottenstine, R.D.

1990-01-01

Although the capability to model power plants and power plant control systems has progressed rapidly during the last two decades, the quality of control found in the best controlled stations of the 1960's and 1970's has not been improved to any great extent as a result of the improved hardware and the systems presently being installed. This paper presents a review of the probable reasons for the limited success in transferring good dynamic modeling technology into useful benefits for the power industry. The authors suggest that a major reason for this lack of success is a lack of understanding of the needs and the present capabilities of the power industry by the modeling community. They establish a state-of-the-art power plant control to assist investigators in directing their efforts toward true needs and to assist them in judging the potential for improvement through their efforts to utilize improved dynamic analysis methods. The United States has already initiated an effort to improve the transfer of technology into beneficial use in the utility industry and it is suggested that the methods they have developed can be used for improvement on an international scale

Health co-benefits from air pollution and mitigation costs of the Paris Agreement: a modelling study.

Science.gov (United States)

Markandya, Anil; Sampedro, Jon; Smith, Steven J; Van Dingenen, Rita; Pizarro-Irizar, Cristina; Arto, Iñaki; González-Eguino, Mikel

2018-03-01

Although the co-benefits from addressing problems related to both climate change and air pollution have been recognised, there is not much evidence comparing the mitigation costs and economic benefits of air pollution reduction for alternative approaches to meeting greenhouse gas targets. We analysed the extent to which health co-benefits would compensate the mitigation cost of achieving the targets of the Paris climate agreement (2°C and 1·5°C) under different scenarios in which the emissions abatement effort is shared between countries in accordance with three established equity criteria. Our study had three stages. First, we used an integrated assessment model, the Global Change Assessment Model (GCAM), to investigate the emission (greenhouse gases and air pollutants) pathways and abatement costs of a set of scenarios with varying temperature objectives (nationally determined contributions, 2°C, or 1·5°C) and approaches to the distribution of climate change methods (capability, constant emission ratios, and equal per capita). The resulting emissions pathways were transferred to an air quality model (TM5-FASST) to estimate the concentrations of particulate matter and ozone in the atmosphere and the resulting associated premature deaths and morbidity. We then applied a monetary value to these health impacts by use of a term called the value of statistical life and compared these values with those of the mitigation costs calculated from GCAM, both globally and regionally. Our analysis looked forward to 2050 in accordance with the socioeconomic narrative Shared Socioeconomic Pathways 2. The health co-benefits substantially outweighed the policy cost of achieving the target for all of the scenarios that we analysed. In some of the mitigation strategies, the median co-benefits were double the median costs at a global level. The ratio of health co-benefit to mitigation cost ranged from 1·4 to 2·45, depending on the scenario. At the regional level, the costs of
Fundamental role for the KCNE4 ancillary subunit in Kv7.4 regulation of arterial tone

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jepps, Thomas A; Carr, Georgina; Lundegaard, Pia R

2015-01-01

tone by Kv7 channels. In HEK cells expressing Kv7.4, co-expression of KCNE4 increased the membrane expression of Kv7.4 and significantly altered Kv7.4 current properties. Quantitative PCR analysis of different rat arteries found that the KCNE4 isoform predominated and proximity ligation experiments...... leads to reduced Kv7.4 membrane abundance, a depolarized membrane potential and an augmented response to vasoconstrictors. KCNE4 is a key regulator of the function and expression of Kv7.4 in vascular smooth muscle. ABSTRACT: The KCNE ancillary subunits (KCNE1-5) significantly alter the expression...... to reduced Kv7.4 membrane abundance, a depolarized membrane potential and an augmented response to vasoconstrictors. The present study is the first to demonstrate an integral role of KCNE4 in regulating the function and expression of Kv7.4 in vascular smooth muscle....
Community benefits from offshore renewables: The relationship between different understandings of impact, community, and benefit

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rudolph, David Philipp; Haggett, Claire; Aitken, Mhairi

2018-01-01

This paper presents the findings of a research project evaluating community benefit models for offshore renewables. We identify and analyse UK and international case studies of different forms of community benefit, and provide evidence of how such benefits are delivered. In particular we consider......, and impact are understood is crucial in determining whether or how benefits should be apportioned and delivered; and that these definitions are closely connected to each other. We develop a new series of typologies as a way to understand this. Finally, we assess different mechanisms and schemes of community...
A cost-benefit model comparing the California Milk Cell Test and Milk Electrical Resistance Test

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Inge-Marie Petzer

2013-04-01

Full Text Available The indirect effects of mastitis treatment are often overlooked in cost-benefit analyses, but it may be beneficial for the dairy industry to consider them. The cost of mastitis treatment may increase when the duration of intra-mammary infections are prolonged due to misdiagnosis of host-adapted mastitis. Laboratory diagnosis of mastitis can be costly and time consuming, therefore cow-side tests such as the California Milk Cell Test (CMCT and Milk Electrical Resistance (MER need to be utilised to their full potential. The aim of this study was to determine the relative benefit of using these two tests separately and in parallel. This was done using a partial-budget analysis and a cost-benefit model to estimate the benefits and costs of each respective test and the parallel combination thereof. Quarter milk samples (n= 1860 were taken from eight different dairy herds in South Africa. Milk samples were evaluated by means of the CMCT, hand-held MER meter and cyto-microbiological laboratory analysis. After determining the most appropriate cut-off points for the two cow-side tests, the sensitivity and specificity of the CMCT (Se= 1.00, Sp= 0.66, MER (Se= 0.92, Sp= 0.62 and the tests done in parallel (Se= 1.00, Sp= 0.87 were calculated. The input data that were used for partial-budget analysis and in the cost-benefit model were based on South African figures at the time of the study, and on literature. The total estimated financial benefit of correct diagnosis of host-adapted mastitis per cow for the CMCT, MER and the tests done in parallel was R898.73, R518.70 and R1064.67 respectively. This involved taking the expected benefit of a correct test result per cow, the expected cost of an error per cow and the cost of the test into account. The CMCT was shown to be 11%more beneficial than the MER test, whilst using the tests in parallel was shown to be the most beneficial method for evaluating the mastitis-control programme. Therefore
Will high-resolution global ocean models benefit coupled predictions on short-range to climate timescales?

Science.gov (United States)

Hewitt, Helene T.; Bell, Michael J.; Chassignet, Eric P.; Czaja, Arnaud; Ferreira, David; Griffies, Stephen M.; Hyder, Pat; McClean, Julie L.; New, Adrian L.; Roberts, Malcolm J.

2017-12-01

As the importance of the ocean in the weather and climate system is increasingly recognised, operational systems are now moving towards coupled prediction not only for seasonal to climate timescales but also for short-range forecasts. A three-way tension exists between the allocation of computing resources to refine model resolution, the expansion of model complexity/capability, and the increase of ensemble size. Here we review evidence for the benefits of increased ocean resolution in global coupled models, where the ocean component explicitly represents transient mesoscale eddies and narrow boundary currents. We consider lessons learned from forced ocean/sea-ice simulations; from studies concerning the SST resolution required to impact atmospheric simulations; and from coupled predictions. Impacts of the mesoscale ocean in western boundary current regions on the large-scale atmospheric state have been identified. Understanding of air-sea feedback in western boundary currents is modifying our view of the dynamics in these key regions. It remains unclear whether variability associated with open ocean mesoscale eddies is equally important to the large-scale atmospheric state. We include a discussion of what processes can presently be parameterised in coupled models with coarse resolution non-eddying ocean models, and where parameterizations may fall short. We discuss the benefits of resolution and identify gaps in the current literature that leave important questions unanswered.
Mid-term fire danger index based on satellite imagery and ancillary geographic data

Science.gov (United States)

Stefanidou, A.; Dragozi, E.; Tompoulidou, M.; Stepanidou, L.; Grigoriadis, D.; Katagis, T.; Stavrakoudis, D.; Gitas, I.

2017-09-01

Fire danger forecast constitutes one of the most important components of integrated fire management since it provides crucial information for efficient pre-fire planning, alertness and timely response to a possible fire event. The aim of this work is to develop an index that has the capability of predicting accurately fire danger on a mid-term basis. The methodology that is currently under development is based on an innovative approach that employs dry fuel spatial connectivity as well as biophysical and topological variables for the reliable prediction of fire danger. More specifically, the estimation of the dry fuel connectivity is based on a previously proposed automated procedure implemented in R software that uses Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) time series data. Dry fuel connectivity estimates are then combined with other ancillary data such as fuel type and proximity to roads in order to result in the generation of the proposed mid-term fire danger index. The innovation of the proposed index—which will be evaluated by comparison to historical fire data—lies in the fact that its calculation is almost solely affected by the availability of satellite data. Finally, it should be noted that the index is developed within the framework of the National Observatory of Forest Fires (NOFFi) project.
A methodology for assessing the market benefits of alternative motor fuels: The Alternative Fuels Trade Model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leiby, P.N.

1993-09-01

This report describes a modeling methodology for examining the prospective economic benefits of displacing motor gasoline use by alternative fuels. The approach is based on the Alternative Fuels Trade Model (AFTM). AFTM development was undertaken by the US Department of Energy (DOE) as part of a longer term study of alternative fuels issues. The AFTM is intended to assist with evaluating how alternative fuels may be promoted effectively, and what the consequences of substantial alternative fuels use might be. Such an evaluation of policies and consequences of an alternative fuels program is being undertaken by DOE as required by Section 502(b) of the Energy Policy Act of 1992. Interest in alternative fuels is based on the prospective economic, environmental and energy security benefits from the substitution of these fuels for conventional transportation fuels. The transportation sector is heavily dependent on oil. Increased oil use implies increased petroleum imports, with much of the increase coming from OPEC countries. Conversely, displacement of gasoline has the potential to reduce US petroleum imports, thereby reducing reliance on OPEC oil and possibly weakening OPEC`s ability to extract monopoly profits. The magnitude of US petroleum import reduction, the attendant fuel price changes, and the resulting US benefits, depend upon the nature of oil-gas substitution and the supply and demand behavior of other world regions. The methodology applies an integrated model of fuel market interactions to characterize these effects.
Valuing the Environmental Benefits of Urban WaterConservation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coughlin, Katie M.; Bolduc, Chris A.; Chan, Peter T.; Dunham-Whitehead, C.; Van Buskirk, R.D.

2007-05-01

This report documents a project undertaken for theCalifornia Urban Water Conservation Council (the Council) to create a newmethod of accounting for the diverse environmental benefits of raw watersavings. The environmental benefits (EB) model was designed to providewater utilities with a practical tool that they can use to assign amonetary value to the benefits that may accrue from implementing any ofthe Council-recommended Best Management Practices. The model treats onlyenvironmental services associated directly with water, and is intended tocover miscellaneous impacts that are not currently accounted for in anyother cost-benefit analysis.
Health effects of unemployment benefit program generosity.

Science.gov (United States)

Cylus, Jonathan; Glymour, M Maria; Avendano, Mauricio

2015-02-01

We assessed the impact of unemployment benefit programs on the health of the unemployed. We linked US state law data on maximum allowable unemployment benefit levels between 1985 and 2008 to individual self-rated health for heads of households in the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and implemented state and year fixed-effect models. Unemployment was associated with increased risk of reporting poor health among men in both linear probability (b=0.0794; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.0623, 0.0965) and logistic models (odds ratio=2.777; 95% CI=2.294, 3.362), but this effect is lower when the generosity of state unemployment benefits is high (b for interaction between unemployment and benefits=-0.124; 95% CI=-0.197, -0.0523). A 63% increase in benefits completely offsets the impact of unemployment on self-reported health. Results suggest that unemployment benefits may significantly alleviate the adverse health effects of unemployment among men.
Assessing the economic potential of electric vehicles to provide ancillary services. The case of Germany

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schuller, Alexander; Rieger, Fabian [Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe (Germany)

2013-09-15

The Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) concept is a promising possibility for the integration of electric vehicles (EVs) into the power grid. This article presents an economic evaluation of EVs participating in the ancillary service market (primary, secondary and tertiary regulation) for the case of Germany, based on a price data set from 2011 and 2012. We examine the economic potential of nine general options to participate in the regulation market based on real-life EV specifications, connection powers and regulation energy prices. Results show that in the most profitable case a maximum average yearly profit of 730.31 Euro per vehicle is possible for negative regulation with payment direction TSO to provider in the secondary regulation market. Furthermore a sensitivity analysis is performed for all of the analyzed participation scenarios in order to identify crucial parameters for a possible V2G implementation. Major parameters for the successful implementation of V2G are the provided power per vehicle, the time an EV is available to the grid and the variable energy storage costs it incurs.
A quality assurance program for ancillary high technology devices on a dual-energy accelerator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klein, Eric E.; Low, Daniel A.; Maag, Derek; Purdy, James A.

1996-01-01

Our facility has added high-technology ancillary devices to our dual-energy linear accelerator. After commissioning and acceptance testing of dual asymmetric jaws, dynamic wedge, portal imaging, and multileaf collimation (MLC), quality assurance programs were instituted. The programs were designed to be both periodic and patient specific when required. In addition, when dosimetric aspects were affected by these technologies, additional quality assurance checks were added. Positional accuracy checks (light and radiation) are done for both asymmetric jaws and MLC. Each patient MLC field is checked against the original simulation or digitally reconstructed radiographs. Off-axis factors and output checks are performed for asymmetric fields. Dynamic wedge transmission factors and profiles are checked periodically, and a patient diode check is performed for every new dynamic wedge portal. On-line imaging checks encompass safety checks along with periodic measurement of contrast and spatial resolution. The most important quality assurance activity is the annual review of proper operation and procedures for each device. Our programs have been successful in avoiding patient-related errors or device malfunctions. The programs are a team effort involving physicists, maintenance engineers, and therapists
Extensive Green Roof Ecological Benefits in Latvia

OpenAIRE

Rušenieks, Rihards; Kamenders, Agris

2013-01-01

Extensive green roof ecological benefits are studiedin this paper. The research contains a brief explanation aboutgreen roof technology and green roof ecological benefits. Greenroof capability to retain rainwater runoff by accumulating it instorage layers and conducting it back into the atmospherethrough evapotranspiration is studied and modeled. Modeling isdone in Stormwater Management Model 5.0 software. The modelis based on an existing warehouse-type building located in Rigaand hourly Riga...
Environmental cost benefit analysis for a coal-fired power plant. An application of dispersion modelling coupled with GIS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oguz, M.; Balta, T.

1998-01-01

In this study, local air quality impacts of a proposed conventional coal-fired power at Icel region has been investigated using numerical dispersion modeling studies coupled with a GIS application. Within the impact area of the facility, Industrial Source Complex Short Term (ISCST2) dispersion model has been used to estimate ground level concentrations of air pollutants originating from the power plant. For the same impact area, GIS applications have been utilized to determine the agricultural yield distribution. For this purpose, relevant satellite images were digitized, classified and statistically analyzed. Based on the predicted ground level pollutant concentrations and sensitivity of the agricultural crops to those, agricultural yield loss was estimated for the impact area. The results have been quantified and validated in monetary terms for the purpose of performing an environmental cost benefit analysis. Comparison of the conventional cost benefit analysis with the environmental cost benefit analysis showed the significance of the external cost of the proposed facility, resulting from the environmental damages. 6 refs
MODELING ECONOMIC AND ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF POST-FIRE REVEGETATION IN THE GREAT BASIN

OpenAIRE

Niell, Rebecca; Englin, Jeffrey E.; Nalle, Darek

2004-01-01

This study employs a Markov chain model of vegetation dynamics to examine the economic and ecological benefits of post-fire revegetation in the Great Basin sagebrush steppe. The analysis is important because synergies between wildland fire and invasive weeds in this ecosystem are likely to result in the loss of native biodiversity, less predictable forage availability for livestock and wildlife, reduced watershed stability and water quality, and increased costs and risk associated with firefi...
[An integrative model of the psychological benefits of gardening in older adults].

Science.gov (United States)

Tournier, Isabelle; Postal, Virginie

2014-12-01

This review of the literature tackles the question of the psychological benefits linked to gardening in older adults. First, the current data on these benefits are reviewed, and the findings reveal that gardening is linked to feelings of accomplishment, well-being and peace, a decrease of depressive symptoms, a protective effect on cognitive functions as well as to the development of social links for community living older adults. In institutionalized older adults, gardening promotes internal locus of control and well-being, and is related to a decrease of sadness and anxiety. Second, several explanatory theories are discussed. All of them postulate an action on the cognitive and/or emotional spheres, which were included into a integrated model that must be tested in future research. In conclusion, gardening appears to be a beneficial activity for promoting older adults' functioning but the current knowledge still has to be extended to understand the specific mechanisms of action. This deeper understanding is necessary in order to improve the future actions depending on this activity.
"A small cog in a large wheel": an exploratory study into the experiences of porters, ward clerks and domestics working in an English Cancer Centre.

Science.gov (United States)

Mack, Hazel; Froggatt, Katherine; McClinton, Pam

2003-09-01

The effect of working in an oncology environment on nurses has been widely researched but the experiences of non-clinical staff such as ancillary workers in the oncology environment have rarely been examined. This exploratory study had three aims: to explore ancillary workers' understandings of cancer, their experiences of working in a Cancer Centre and their training and support needs. Working within a naturalistic paradigm, a descriptive exploratory design was utilised employing in-depth interviews and drawing on aspects of grounded theory for data analysis. Findings indicated that these ancillary workers lacked an in-depth understanding of cancer. The experience of working in a Cancer Centre appeared to bring both costs and benefits to these ancillary workers. These ancillary workers enjoyed the level of contact they have with patients in a Cancer Centre and subsequently ascribed great value to their jobs. However, they felt that health-care professional colleagues did not always value their contribution to the care of patients. There are implications for nurses and other health-care staff working in oncology alongside these ancillary staff in terms of valuing and supporting them in the work that they do.
Benefit-cost analysis framework for evaluating inter-city transit investment.

Science.gov (United States)

2008-10-01

This report describes the development and application of a benefit/cost analysis (BCA) model to support the evaluation of investment decisions for intercity bus services. The model recognizes two principle types of intercity bus benefits: benefits th...
Modeling the costs and benefits of temporary recommendations for poliovirus exporting countries to vaccinate international travelers.

Science.gov (United States)

Duintjer Tebbens, Radboud J; Thompson, Kimberly M

2017-07-05

Recognizing that infectious agents readily cross international borders, the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee issues Temporary Recommendations (TRs) that include vaccination of travelers from countries affected by public health emergencies, including serotype 1 wild polioviruses (WPV1s). This analysis estimates the costs and benefits of TRs implemented by countries with reported WPV1 during 2014-2016 while accounting for numerous uncertainties. We estimate the TR costs based on programmatic data and prior economic analyses and TR benefits by simulating potential WPV1 outbreaks in the absence of the TRs using the rate and extent of WPV1 importation outbreaks per reported WPV1 case during 2004-2013 and the number of reported WPV1 cases that occurred in countries with active TRs. The benefits of TRs outweigh the costs in 77% of model iterations, resulting in expected incremental net economic benefits of $210 million. Inclusion of indirect costs increases the costs by 13%, the expected savings from prevented outbreaks by 4%, and the expected incremental net benefits by 3%. Despite the considerable costs of implementing TRs, this study provides health and economic justification for these investments in the context of managing a disease in advanced stages of its global eradication. Copyright © 2017 The Auhors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
48 CFR 1652.204-71 - Coordination of Benefits.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... payment of benefits under this contract with the payment of benefits under Medicare, other group health benefits coverages, and the payment of medical and hospital costs under no-fault or other automobile... precedence established by the NAIC Model Guidelines for Coordination of Benefits (COB) as specified by OPM...
Impact of Transport Zone Number in Simulation Models on Cost-Benefit Analysis Results in Transport Investments

Science.gov (United States)

Chmielewski, Jacek

2017-10-01

Nowadays, feasibility studies need to be prepared for all planned transport investments, mainly those co-financed with UE grants. One of the fundamental aspect of feasibility study is the economic justification of an investment, evaluated in an area of so called cost-benefit analysis (CBA). The main goal of CBA calculation is to prove that a transport investment is really important for the society and should be implemented as economically efficient one. It can be said that the number of hours (PH - passengers hours) in trips and travelled kilometres (PK - passengers kilometres) are the most important for CBA results. The differences between PH and PK calculated for particular investment scenarios are the base for benefits calculation. Typically, transport simulation models are the best source for such data. Transport simulation models are one of the most powerful tools for transport network planning. They make it possible to evaluate forecast traffic volume and passenger flows in a public transport system for defined scenarios of transport and area development. There are many different transport models. Their construction is often similar, and they mainly differ in the level of their accuracy. Even models for the same area may differ in this matter. Typically, such differences come from the accuracy of supply side representation: road and public transport network representation. In many cases only main roads and a public transport network are represented, while local and service roads are eliminated as a way of reality simplification. This also enables a faster and more effective calculation process. On the other hand, the description of demand part of these models based on transport zones is often stable. Difficulties with data collection, mainly data on land use, resulted in the lack of changes in the analysed land division into so called transport zones. In this paper the author presents an influence of land division on the results of traffic analyses, and hence

Child Benefit Payments and Household Wealth Accumulation

OpenAIRE

Melvin Stephens Jr.; Takashi Unayama

2014-01-01

Using the life-cycle/permanent income hypothesis, we theoretically and empirically assess the impact of child benefit payments on household wealth accumulation. Consistent with the predictions of the model, we find that higher cumulative benefits received increase current assets, higher future benefit payments lower asset holding, and that these effects systematically vary over the life-cycle. We find different wealth responses to child benefit payments for liquidity constrained and unconstra...
Modeling the development and utilization of bioenergy and exploring the environmental economic benefits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Song, Junnian; Yang, Wei; Higano, Yoshiro; Wang, Xian’en

2015-01-01

Highlights: • A complete bioenergy flow is schemed to industrialize bioenergy utilization. • An input–output optimization simulation model is developed. • Energy supply and demand and bioenergy industries’ development are optimized. • Carbon tax and subsidies are endogenously derived by the model. • Environmental economic benefits of bioenergy utilization are explored dynamically. - Abstract: This paper outlines a complete bioenergy flow incorporating bioresource procurement, feedstock supply, conversion technologies and energy consumption to industrialize the development and utilization of bioenergy. An input–output optimization simulation model is developed to introduce bioenergy industries into the regional socioeconomy and energy production and consumption system and dynamically explore the economic, energy and environmental benefits. 16-term simulation from 2010 to 2025 is performed in scenarios preset based on bioenergy industries, carbon tax-subsidization policy and distinct levels of greenhouse gas emission constraints. An empirical study is conducted to validate and apply the model. In the optimal scenario, both industrial development and energy supply and demand are optimized contributing to a 8.41% average gross regional product growth rate and a 39.9% reduction in accumulative greenhouse gas emission compared with the base scenario. By 2025 the consumption ratio of bioenergy in total primary energy could be increased from 0.5% to 8.2%. Energy self-sufficiency rate could be increased from 57.7% to 77.9%. A dynamic carbon tax rate and the extent to which bioenergy industrial development could be promoted are also elaborated. Regional economic development and greenhouse gas mitigation can be potentially promoted simultaneously by bioenergy utilization and a proper greenhouse gas emission constraint. The methodology presented is capable of introducing new industries or policies related to energy planning and detecting the best tradeoffs of
Model-based mean square error estimators for k-nearest neighbour predictions and applications using remotely sensed data for forest inventories

Science.gov (United States)

Steen Magnussen; Ronald E. McRoberts; Erkki O. Tomppo

2009-01-01

New model-based estimators of the uncertainty of pixel-level and areal k-nearest neighbour (knn) predictions of attribute Y from remotely-sensed ancillary data X are presented. Non-parametric functions predict Y from scalar 'Single Index Model' transformations of X. Variance functions generated...
Benefits from flywheel energy storage for area regulation in California - demonstration results : a study for the DOE Energy Storage Systems program.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eyer, James M. (Distributed Utility Associates, Livermore, CA)

2009-10-01

This report documents a high-level analysis of the benefit and cost for flywheel energy storage used to provide area regulation for the electricity supply and transmission system in California. Area regulation is an 'ancillary service' needed for a reliable and stable regional electricity grid. The analysis was based on results from a demonstration, in California, of flywheel energy storage developed by Beacon Power Corporation (the system's manufacturer). Demonstrated was flywheel storage systems ability to provide 'rapid-response' regulation. Flywheel storage output can be varied much more rapidly than the output from conventional regulation sources, making flywheels more attractive than conventional regulation resources. The performance of the flywheel storage system demonstrated was generally consistent with requirements for a possible new class of regulation resources - 'rapid-response' energy-storage-based regulation - in California. In short, it was demonstrated that Beacon Power Corporation's flywheel system follows a rapidly changing control signal (the ACE, which changes every four seconds). Based on the results and on expected plant cost and performance, the Beacon Power flywheel storage system has a good chance of being a financially viable regulation resource. Results indicate a benefit/cost ratio of 1.5 to 1.8 using what may be somewhat conservative assumptions. A benefit/cost ratio of one indicates that, based on the financial assumptions used, the investment's financial returns just meet the investors target.
Cost-benefit analysis of 3D conformal radiation therapy. Treatment of prostate cancer as a model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cho, K.H.; Khan, F.M.; Levitt, S.H.

1999-01-01

Three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D-CRT) is a promising new treatment technique based on the principle that improved precision in both tumor definition and dose delivery will enhance outcomes by maximizing dose to the tumor area while minimizing dose to normal tissue. Using a cost-benefit analysis, in terms of outcomes, we first examined the overall risks and benefits of 3D-CRT. We then used the treatment of prostate cancer as a model to compare actual clinical outcomes reported between 3D-CRT and standard radiation therapy (SRT). Our analysis shows that application of 3D-CRT to the clinical setting remains difficult because of the continual difficulties of target definition, and that dose escalation cannot yet be justified on the basis of the lack of benefit found, and suggested increased late toxicity, in most of the dose escalation series compared with SRT. (orig.)
Economic Benefits, Conservation and Wildlife Tourism

OpenAIRE

Tisdell, Clement A.

2012-01-01

Different economic methods are being used to estimate the economic benefits generated by nature (wildlife) tourism. The most prominent of these are economic valuation analysis and economic impact analysis. These methods often provide divergent and conflicting estimates of the economic benefits obtained from wildlife tourism, as is demonstrated in this article by the use of a microeconomic model. Tourism Research Australia has estimated the economic benefits to Australia of nature tourism base...
Wages, Welfare Benefits and Migration.

Science.gov (United States)

Kennan, John; Walker, James R

2010-05-01

Differences in economic opportunities give rise to strong migration incentives, across regions within countries, and across countries. In this paper we focus on responses to differences in welfare benefits across States. We apply the model developed in Kennan and Walker (2008), which emphasizes that migration decisions are often reversed, and that many alternative locations must be considered. We model individual decisions to migrate as a job search problem. A worker starts the life-cycle in some home location and must determine the optimal sequence of moves before settling down. The model is sparsely parameterized. We estimate the model using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (1979). Our main finding is that income differences do help explain the migration decisions of young welfare-eligible women, but large differences in benefit levels provide surprisingly weak migration incentives.
Pathways and impacts of nitrogen in water bodies: establishing a framework for integrated assessment modelling of management benefits

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Mikael Skou; Kronvang, Brian; Carstensen, Jacob

Monetization of environmental benefits has become relevant as an element of proportionality tests required for justifications under the EU’s Water Framework Directive article 4 (relating to benefits andcosts of measures). This study extends an impact pathway approach to analysis of aquatic...... the study demonstrates how state-of-the-art environmental modelling can be linked with valuation to provide an adequate cross-media assessment framework relevant to integrated water quality management. The results must be regarded as illustrative and more research is required in several areas to consolidate...... relationships relating to exposures. The findings nevertheless suggest the significance of health effects for overall monetary benefits related to ecological quality objectives for water....
Correlation dynamics and international diversification benefits

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christoffersen, Peter; Errunza, Vihang; Jacobs, Kris

2014-01-01

that it is possible to model co-movements for many countries simultaneously using BEKK, DCC, and DECO models. Empirically, we find that correlations have trended upward significantly for both DMs and EMs. Based on a time-varying measure of diversification benefits, we find that it is not possible to circumvent...... the increasing correlations in a long-only portfolio by adjusting the portfolio weights over time. However, we do find some evidence that adding EMs to a DM-only portfolio increases diversification benefits....
Correlation Dynamics and International Diversification Benefits

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christoffersen, Peter; Errunza, Vihang R.; Jacobs, Kris

that it is possible to model co-movements for many countries simultaneously using BEKK, DCC, and DECO models. Empirically, we find that correlations have significantly trended upward for both DMs and EMs. Based on a time-varying measure of diversification benefit, we find that it is not possible in a long......-only portfolio to circumvent the increasing correlations by adjusting the portfolio weights over time. However, we do find some evidence that adding EMs to a DM-only portfolio increases diversification benefits....
Obtaining natural-like flow releases in diverted river reaches from simple riparian benefit economic models.

Science.gov (United States)

Perona, Paolo; Dürrenmatt, David J; Characklis, Gregory W

2013-03-30

We propose a theoretical river modeling framework for generating variable flow patterns in diverted-streams (i.e., no reservoir). Using a simple economic model and the principle of equal marginal utility in an inverse fashion we first quantify the benefit of the water that goes to the environment in relation to that of the anthropic activity. Then, we obtain exact expressions for optimal water allocation rules between the two competing uses, as well as the related statistical distributions. These rules are applied using both synthetic and observed streamflow data, to demonstrate that this approach may be useful in 1) generating more natural flow patterns in the river reach downstream of the diversion, thus reducing the ecodeficit; 2) obtaining a more enlightened economic interpretation of Minimum Flow Release (MFR) strategies, and; 3) comparing the long-term costs and benefits of variable versus MFR policies and showing the greater ecological sustainability of this new approach. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
An updated PREDICT breast cancer prognostication and treatment benefit prediction model with independent validation.

Science.gov (United States)

Candido Dos Reis, Francisco J; Wishart, Gordon C; Dicks, Ed M; Greenberg, David; Rashbass, Jem; Schmidt, Marjanka K; van den Broek, Alexandra J; Ellis, Ian O; Green, Andrew; Rakha, Emad; Maishman, Tom; Eccles, Diana M; Pharoah, Paul D P

2017-05-22

PREDICT is a breast cancer prognostic and treatment benefit model implemented online. The overall fit of the model has been good in multiple independent case series, but PREDICT has been shown to underestimate breast cancer specific mortality in women diagnosed under the age of 40. Another limitation is the use of discrete categories for tumour size and node status resulting in 'step' changes in risk estimates on moving between categories. We have refitted the PREDICT prognostic model using the original cohort of cases from East Anglia with updated survival time in order to take into account age at diagnosis and to smooth out the survival function for tumour size and node status. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to fit separate models for ER negative and ER positive disease. Continuous variables were fitted using fractional polynomials and a smoothed baseline hazard was obtained by regressing the baseline cumulative hazard for each patients against time using fractional polynomials. The fit of the prognostic models were then tested in three independent data sets that had also been used to validate the original version of PREDICT. In the model fitting data, after adjusting for other prognostic variables, there is an increase in risk of breast cancer specific mortality in younger and older patients with ER positive disease, with a substantial increase in risk for women diagnosed before the age of 35. In ER negative disease the risk increases slightly with age. The association between breast cancer specific mortality and both tumour size and number of positive nodes was non-linear with a more marked increase in risk with increasing size and increasing number of nodes in ER positive disease. The overall calibration and discrimination of the new version of PREDICT (v2) was good and comparable to that of the previous version in both model development and validation data sets. However, the calibration of v2 improved over v1 in patients diagnosed under the age
Cost-benefit analysis model: A tool for area-wide fruit fly management. Procedures manual

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Enkerlin, W.; Mumford, J.; Leach, A.

2007-03-01

The Generic Fruit Fly Cost-Benefit Analysis Model assists in economic decision making associated with area-wide fruit fly control options. The FRUIT FLY COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS PROGRAM (available on 1 CD-ROM from the Joint FAO/IAEA Programme of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture) is an Excel 2000 Windows based program, for which all standard Windows and Excel conventions apply. The Model is user friendly and thus largely self-explanatory. Nevertheless, it includes a procedures manual that has been prepared to guide the user, and thus should be used together with the software. Please note that the table presenting the pest management options in the Introductory Page of the model is controlled by spin buttons and click boxes. These controls are linked to macros that hide non relevant tables and boxes. N.B. it is important that the medium level of security is selected from the Tools menu of Excel, to do this go to Tools|Macros|Security| and select Medium. When the file is opened a form will appear containing three buttons, click on the middle button, 'Enable Macros', so that the macros may be used. Ideally the model should be used as a support tool by working groups aiming at assessing the economic returns of different fruit fly control options (suppression, eradication, containment and prevention). The working group should include professionals in agriculture with experience in area-wide implementation of integrated pest management programmes, an economist or at least someone with basic knowledge in economics, and if relevant, an entomologist with some background in the application of the sterile insect technique (SIT)
Organizational support and volunteering benefits for older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Fengyan; Choi, Eunhee; Morrow-Howell, Nancy

2010-10-01

This study tested a theoretical model of volunteering benefits and examined the mechanism through which volunteering benefits older adults. This is a 2-wave study of 253 older adult volunteers serving in 10 volunteer programs. Older volunteers completed the mailed surveys in 2005 and 2006. Structural equation modeling was used to define the latent variables and to test direct and indirect relationships among organizational support, socioemotional benefits, and self-reported health. Organizational support (measured by choice of volunteer activity, training, and ongoing support) had significant direct associations with 2 latent factors of socioemotional benefits, that is, perceived contribution and personal benefits. Perceived contribution was significantly related to mental health. Additionally, older volunteers with lower socioeconomic status (SES) committed more hours and perceived more personal benefits than higher SES peers. These findings suggest that volunteer programs can provide various organizational supports to older volunteers, especially to low-SES volunteers, in order to promote the socioemotional and health benefits of volunteering to older adults. Psychological well-being of older adults can be improved through engagement in meaningful volunteer activities and contribution to others.
Application of the Malaria Management Model to the Analysis of Costs and Benefits of DDT versus Non-DDT Malaria Control

Science.gov (United States)

Pedercini, Matteo; Movilla Blanco, Santiago; Kopainsky, Birgit

2011-01-01

Introduction DDT is considered to be the most cost-effective insecticide for combating malaria. However, it is also the most environmentally persistent and can pose risks to human health when sprayed indoors. Therefore, the use of DDT for vector control remains controversial. Methods In this paper we develop a computer-based simulation model to assess some of the costs and benefits of the continued use of DDT for Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) versus its rapid phase out. We apply the prototype model to the aggregated sub Saharan African region. For putting the question about the continued use of DDT for IRS versus its rapid phase out into perspective we calculate the same costs and benefits for alternative combinations of integrated vector management interventions. Results Our simulation results confirm that the current mix of integrated vector management interventions with DDT as the main insecticide is cheaper than the same mix with alternative insecticides when only direct costs are considered. However, combinations with a stronger focus on insecticide-treated bed nets and environmental management show higher levels of cost-effectiveness than interventions with a focus on IRS. Thus, this focus would also allow phasing out DDT in a cost-effective manner. Although a rapid phase out of DDT for IRS is the most expensive of the tested intervention combinations it can have important economic benefits in addition to health and environmental impacts that are difficult to assess in monetary terms. Those economic benefits captured by the model include the avoided risk of losses in agricultural exports. Conclusions The prototype simulation model illustrates how a computer-based scenario analysis tool can inform debates on malaria control policies in general and on the continued use of DDT for IRS versus its rapid phase out in specific. Simulation models create systematic mechanisms for analyzing alternative interventions and making informed trade offs. PMID:22140467
Application of the malaria management model to the analysis of costs and benefits of DDT versus non-DDT malaria control.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matteo Pedercini

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: DDT is considered to be the most cost-effective insecticide for combating malaria. However, it is also the most environmentally persistent and can pose risks to human health when sprayed indoors. Therefore, the use of DDT for vector control remains controversial. METHODS: In this paper we develop a computer-based simulation model to assess some of the costs and benefits of the continued use of DDT for Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS versus its rapid phase out. We apply the prototype model to the aggregated sub Saharan African region. For putting the question about the continued use of DDT for IRS versus its rapid phase out into perspective we calculate the same costs and benefits for alternative combinations of integrated vector management interventions. RESULTS: Our simulation results confirm that the current mix of integrated vector management interventions with DDT as the main insecticide is cheaper than the same mix with alternative insecticides when only direct costs are considered. However, combinations with a stronger focus on insecticide-treated bed nets and environmental management show higher levels of cost-effectiveness than interventions with a focus on IRS. Thus, this focus would also allow phasing out DDT in a cost-effective manner. Although a rapid phase out of DDT for IRS is the most expensive of the tested intervention combinations it can have important economic benefits in addition to health and environmental impacts that are difficult to assess in monetary terms. Those economic benefits captured by the model include the avoided risk of losses in agricultural exports. CONCLUSIONS: The prototype simulation model illustrates how a computer-based scenario analysis tool can inform debates on malaria control policies in general and on the continued use of DDT for IRS versus its rapid phase out in specific. Simulation models create systematic mechanisms for analyzing alternative interventions and making informed trade
Assessing Orchestrated Simulation Through Modeling to Quantify the Benefits of Unmanned-Teaming in a Tactical ASW Scenario

Science.gov (United States)

2018-03-01

be used by the model to create pseudo- random behavior for agents. This process is a critical aspect of the simulation because it allows for the...ORCHESTRATED SIMULATION THROUGH MODELING TO QUANTIFY THE BENEFITS OF UNMANNED–MANNED TEAMING IN A TACTICAL ASW SCENARIO by Preston T. Tilus March...Leave blank) 2. REPORT DATE March 2018 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED Master’s thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE ASSESSING ORCHESTRATED SIMULATION
Modelling the benefits of flood emergency management measures in reducing damages: a case study on Sondrio, Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Molinari

2013-08-01

Full Text Available The European "Floods Directive" 2007/60/EU has produced an important shift from a traditional approach to flood risk management centred only on hazard analysis and forecast to a newer one which encompasses other aspects relevant to decision-making and which reflect recent research advances in both hydraulic engineering and social studies on disaster risk. This paper accordingly proposes a way of modelling the benefits of flood emergency management interventions calculating the possible damages by taking into account exposure, vulnerability, and expected damage reduction. The results of this model can be used to inform decisions and choices for the implementation of flood emergency management measures. A central role is played by expected damages, which are the direct and indirect consequence of the occurrence of floods in exposed and vulnerable urban systems. How damages should be defined and measured is a key question that this paper tries to address. The Floods Directive suggests that mitigation measures taken to reduce flood impact need to be evaluated also by means of a cost–benefit analysis. The paper presents a methodology for assessing the effectiveness of early warning for flash floods, considering its potential impact in reducing direct physical damage, and it assesses the general benefit in regard to other types of damages and losses compared with the emergency management costs. The methodology is applied to the case study area of the city of Sondrio in the northern Alpine region of Italy. A critical discussion follows the application. Its purpose is to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of available models for quantifying direct physical damage and of the general model proposed, given the current state of the art in damage and loss assessment.
Health Benefits of Particle Filtration

OpenAIRE

Fisk, William J.

2013-01-01

The evidence of health benefits of particle filtration in homes and commercial buildings is reviewed. Prior reviews of papers published before 2000 are summarized. The results of 16 more recent intervention studies are compiled and analyzed. Also reviewed are four studies that modeled health benefits of using filtration to reduce indoor exposures to particles from outdoors. Prior reviews generally concluded that particle filtration is, at best, a source of small improvements in allergy and as...
Optimal allocation of energy storage in a co-optimized electricity market: Benefits assessment and deriving indicators for economic storage ventures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krishnan, Venkat; Das, Trishna

2015-01-01

This paper presents a framework for optimally allocating storage technologies in a power system. This decision support tool helps in quantitatively answering the questions on “where to and how much to install” considering the profits from arbitrage opportunities in a co-optimized electricity market. The developed framework is illustrated on a modified IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 24 bus RTS (Reliability Test System), and the framework finds the optimal allocation solution and the revenues storage earns at each of these locations. Bulk energy storage, CAES (compressed air energy storage) is used as the representative storage technology, and the benefits of optimally allocated storage integration onto the grid are compared with transmission expansion solution. The paper also discusses about system-level indicators to identify candidate locations for economical storage ventures, which are derived based on the optimal storage allocation solution; and applies the market price based storage venture indicators on MISO (Mid-continental Independent System Operator) and PJM (Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland Interconnection) electricity markets. - Highlights: • Storage optimal allocation framework based on high-fidelity storage dispatch model. • Storage with transmission addresses energy and ancillary issues under high renewables. • Bulk storage earns higher revenues from co-optimization (∼10× energy only market). • Grid offers distributed opportunities for investing in a strategic mix of storage. • Storage opportunities depend on cross-arbitrage, as seen from MISO (Mid-continental Independent System Operator) and PJM (Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland Interconnection) markets

The Effect of Private Benefits of Control on Minority Shareholders: A Theoretical Model and Empirical Evidence from State Ownership

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kerry Liu

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of private benefits of control on minority shareholders. Design/methodology/approach: A theoretical model is established. The empirical analysis includes hand-collected data from a wide range of data sources. OLS and 2SLS regression analysis are applied with Huber-White standard errors. Findings: The theoretical model shows that, while private benefits are generally harmful to minority shareholders, the overall effect depends on the size of large shareholder ownership. The empirical evidence from government ownership is consistent with theoretical analysis. Research limitations/implications: The empirical evidence is based on a small number of hand-collected data sets of government ownership. Further studies can be expanded to other types of ownership, such as family ownership and financial institutional ownership. Originality/value: This study is the first to theoretically analyse and empirically test the effect of private benefits. In general, this study significantly contributes to the understanding of the effect of large shareholder and corporate governance.
Development and Application of a Probabilistic Risk-Benefit Assessment Model for Infant Feeding Integrating Microbiological, Nutritional, and Chemical Components.

Science.gov (United States)

Boué, Géraldine; Cummins, Enda; Guillou, Sandrine; Antignac, Jean-Philippe; Le Bizec, Bruno; Membré, Jeanne-Marie

2017-12-01

A probabilistic and interdisciplinary risk-benefit assessment (RBA) model integrating microbiological, nutritional, and chemical components was developed for infant milk, with the objective of predicting the health impact of different scenarios of consumption. Infant feeding is a particular concern of interest in RBA as breast milk and powder infant formula have both been associated with risks and benefits related to chemicals, bacteria, and nutrients, hence the model considers these three facets. Cronobacter sakazakii, dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCB), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were three risk/benefit factors selected as key issues in microbiology, chemistry, and nutrition, respectively. The present model was probabilistic with variability and uncertainty separated using a second-order Monte Carlo simulation process. In this study, advantages and limitations of undertaking probabilistic and interdisciplinary RBA are discussed. In particular, the probabilistic technique was found to be powerful in dealing with missing data and to translate assumptions into quantitative inputs while taking uncertainty into account. In addition, separation of variability and uncertainty strengthened the interpretation of the model outputs by enabling better consideration and distinction of natural heterogeneity from lack of knowledge. Interdisciplinary RBA is necessary to give more structured conclusions and avoid contradictory messages to policymakers and also to consumers, leading to more decisive food recommendations. This assessment provides a conceptual development of the RBA methodology and is a robust basis on which to build upon. © 2017 Society for Risk Analysis.
QUANTIFYING BENEFITS FOR COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS

OpenAIRE

Attila GYORGY; Nicoleta VINTILA; Florian GAMAN

2014-01-01

Cost Benefit Analysis is one of the most widely used financial tools to select future investment projects in public and private sector. This method is based on comparing costs and benefits in terms of constant prices. While costs are easier to predict and monetize, the benefits should be identified not only in direct relation with the investment, but also widening the sphere of analysis to indirect benefits experienced by the community from the neighbourhood or the whole society. During finan...
Improving fleet performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramjist, S.

2015-01-01

Use Fleet Initiatives to Improve Overall Fleet Performance . Tightly Integrated with Business Planning (Cause & Effect) . Leverage Strength of Broader Organization - Converge on Standard Business Practices . Ancillary Benefit of Improved Agility.
Improving fleet performance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ramjist, S. [Ontario Power Generation, Toronto, ON (Canada)

2015-07-01

Use Fleet Initiatives to Improve Overall Fleet Performance . Tightly Integrated with Business Planning (Cause & Effect) . Leverage Strength of Broader Organization - Converge on Standard Business Practices . Ancillary Benefit of Improved Agility.
Subjective health complaints, functional ability, fear avoidance beliefs, and days on sickness benefits after work rehabilitation - a mediation model.

Science.gov (United States)

Øyeflaten, Irene; Opsahl, Jon; Eriksen, Hege R; Braathen, Tore Norendal; Lie, Stein Atle; Brage, Søren; Ihlebæk, Camilla M; Breivik, Kyrre

2016-05-23

Long-term sick leave and withdrawal from working life is a concern in western countries. In Norway, comprehensive inpatient work rehabilitation may be offered to sick listed individuals at risk of long-term absence from work. Knowledge about prognostic factors for work outcomes after long-term sick leave and work rehabilitation is still limited. The aim of this study was to test a mediation model for various hypothesized biopsychosocial predictors of continued sick leave after inpatient work rehabilitation. One thousand one hundred fifty-five participants on long-term sick leave from eight different work rehabilitation clinics answered comprehensive questionnaires at arrival to the clinic, and were followed with official register data on sickness benefits for 3 years. Structural equation models were conducted, with days on sickness benefits after work rehabilitation as the outcome. Fear avoidance beliefs for work mediated the relation between both musculoskeletal complaints and education on days on sickness benefits after work rehabilitation. The relation between musculoskeletal complaints and fear avoidance beliefs for work was furthermore fully mediated by poor physical function. Previous sick leave had a strong independent effect on continued sick leave after work rehabilitation. Fear avoidance beliefs for work did not mediate the small effect of pseudoneurological complaints on continued sick leave. Poor coping/interaction ability was neither related to continued sick leave nor fear avoidance beliefs for work. The mediation model was partly supported by the data, and provides some possible new insight into how fear avoidance beliefs for work and functional ability may intervene with subjective health complaints and days on sickness benefits after work rehabilitation.
Internalisation of external cost in the power generation sector: Analysis with Global Multi-regional MARKAL model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rafaj, Peter; Kypreos, Socrates

2007-01-01

The Global MARKAL-Model (GMM), a multi-regional 'bottom-up' partial equilibrium model of the global energy system with endogenous technological learning, is used to address impacts of internalisation of external costs from power production. This modelling approach imposes additional charges on electricity generation, which reflect the costs of environmental and health damages from local pollutants (SO 2 , NO x ) and climate change, wastes, occupational health, risk of accidents, noise and other burdens. Technologies allowing abatement of pollutants emitted from power plants are rapidly introduced into the energy system, for example, desulphurisation, NO x removal, and CO 2 scrubbers. The modelling results indicate substantial changes in the electricity production system in favour of natural gas combined cycle, nuclear power and renewables induced by internalisation of external costs and also efficiency loss due to the use of scrubbers. Structural changes and fuel switching in the electricity sector result in significant reduction of emissions of both local pollution and CO 2 over the modelled time period. Strong decarbonisation impact of internalising local externalities suggests that ancillary benefits can be expected from policies directly addressing other issues then CO 2 mitigation. Finally, the detailed analysis of the total generation cost of different technologies points out that inclusion of external cost in the price of electricity increases competitiveness of non-fossil generation sources and fossil power plants with emission control
Productivity benefits of industrial energy efficiency measures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Worrell, Ernst; Laitner, John A.; Michael, Ruth; Finman, Hodayah

2004-08-30

We review the relationship between energy efficiency improvement measures and productivity in industry. We review over 70 industrial case studies from widely available published databases, followed by an analysis of the representation of productivity benefits in energy modeling. We propose a method to include productivity benefits in the economic assessment of the potential for energy efficiency improvement. The case-study review suggests that energy efficiency investments can provide a significant boost to overall productivity within industry. If this relationship holds, the description of energy-efficient technologies as opportunities for larger productivity improvements has significant implications for conventional economic assessments. The paper explores the implications this change in perspective on the evaluation of energy-efficient technologies for a study of the iron and steel industry in the US. This examination shows that including productivity benefits explicitly in the modeling parameters would double the cost-effective potential for energy efficiency improvement, compared to an analysis excluding those benefits. We provide suggestions for future research in this important area.
The Benefit of 3D Laser Scanning Technology in the Generation and Calibration of FEM Models for Health Assessment of Concrete Structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hao Yang

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Terrestrial laser scanning technology (TLS is a new technique for quickly getting three-dimensional information. In this paper we research the health assessment of concrete structures with a Finite Element Method (FEM model based on TLS. The goal focuses on the benefits of 3D TLS in the generation and calibration of FEM models, in order to build a convenient, efficient and intelligent model which can be widely used for the detection and assessment of bridges, buildings, subways and other objects. After comparing the finite element simulation with surface-based measurement data from TLS, the FEM model is determined to be acceptable with an error of less than 5%. The benefit of TLS lies mainly in the possibility of a surface-based validation of results predicted by the FEM model.
The benefit of 3D laser scanning technology in the generation and calibration of FEM models for health assessment of concrete structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Hao; Xu, Xiangyang; Neumann, Ingo

2014-11-19

Terrestrial laser scanning technology (TLS) is a new technique for quickly getting three-dimensional information. In this paper we research the health assessment of concrete structures with a Finite Element Method (FEM) model based on TLS. The goal focuses on the benefits of 3D TLS in the generation and calibration of FEM models, in order to build a convenient, efficient and intelligent model which can be widely used for the detection and assessment of bridges, buildings, subways and other objects. After comparing the finite element simulation with surface-based measurement data from TLS, the FEM model is determined to be acceptable with an error of less than 5%. The benefit of TLS lies mainly in the possibility of a surface-based validation of results predicted by the FEM model.
Counterfactual simulations applied to SHRP2 crashes: The effect of driver behavior models on safety benefit estimations of intelligent safety systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Bärgman, Jonas; Boda, Christian-Nils; Dozza, Marco

2017-05-01

As the development and deployment of in-vehicle intelligent safety systems (ISS) for crash avoidance and mitigation have rapidly increased in the last decades, the need to evaluate their prospective safety benefits before introduction has never been higher. Counterfactual simulations using relevant mathematical models (for vehicle dynamics, sensors, the environment, ISS algorithms, and models of driver behavior) have been identified as having high potential. However, although most of these models are relatively mature, models of driver behavior in the critical seconds before a crash are still relatively immature. There are also large conceptual differences between different driver models. The objective of this paper is, firstly, to demonstrate the importance of the choice of driver model when counterfactual simulations are used to evaluate two ISS: Forward collision warning (FCW), and autonomous emergency braking (AEB). Secondly, the paper demonstrates how counterfactual simulations can be used to perform sensitivity analyses on parameter settings, both for driver behavior and ISS algorithms. Finally, the paper evaluates the effect of the choice of glance distribution in the driver behavior model on the safety benefit estimation. The paper uses pre-crash kinematics and driver behavior from 34 rear-end crashes from the SHRP2 naturalistic driving study for the demonstrations. The results for FCW show a large difference in the percent of avoided crashes between conceptually different models of driver behavior, while differences were small for conceptually similar models. As expected, the choice of model of driver behavior did not affect AEB benefit much. Based on our results, researchers and others who aim to evaluate ISS with the driver in the loop through counterfactual simulations should be sure to make deliberate and well-grounded choices of driver models: the choice of model matters. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Assistance in chemistry and chemical processes related to primary, secondary and ancillary systems of nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chocron, Mauricio A.; Becquart, Elena T.; Iglesias, Alberto M.; La Gamma, Ana M.; Villegas, Marina

2003-01-01

Argentina is currently running two nuclear power plants: Atucha I (CNA I) and Embalse (CNE) operated by Nucleoelectrica Argentina (NASA) whereas the National Atomic Energy Commission (CNEA), among other activities, is responsible for research and development in the nuclear field, operates research reactors and carries out projects related to them. In particular, the Reactor Chemistry Section personnel (currently part of the Chemistry Dept.) has been working on the field of reactor water chemistry for more than 25 years, on research and support to the NPPs chemistry department. Though the most relevant tasks have been connected to primary and secondary circuits chemistry, ancillary systems show along the time unexpected problems or feasible improvements originated in the undergoing operating time as well as in phenomena not foreseen by the constructors. In the present paper are presented the tasks performed in relation to the following systems of Embalse NPP: 1) Heavy water upgrade column preliminary water treatment; 2) Liquid waste system preliminary water treatment; and 3) Primary heat transport system coolant crud composition. (author)
The Nature of Unintended Benefits in Health Information Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kuziemsky, Craig E.; Borycki, Elizabeth; Nøhr, Christian

2012-01-01

of healthcare delivery. This paper uses several case studies of HIS implementation to develop a model of unintended benefits of HIS usage with three categories of benefits: patient, service delivery and administrative. We also discuss the implications of these benefits on the design and evaluation of HISs....
A Cost Benefit Analysis of an Active Travel Intervention with Health and Carbon Emission Reduction Benefits

Science.gov (United States)

Grams, Mark; Witten, Karen; Woodward, Alistair

2018-01-01

Active travel (walking and cycling) is beneficial for people’s health and has many co-benefits, such as reducing motor vehicle congestion and pollution in urban areas. There have been few robust evaluations of active travel, and very few studies have valued health and emissions outcomes. The ACTIVE before-and-after quasi-experimental study estimated the net benefits of health and other outcomes from New Zealand’s Model Communities Programme using an empirical analysis comparing two intervention cities with two control cities. The Programme funded investment in cycle paths, other walking and cycling facilities, cycle parking, ‘shared spaces’, media campaigns and events, such as ‘Share the Road’, and cycle-skills training. Using the modified Integrated Transport and Health Impacts Model, the Programme’s net economic benefits were estimated from the changes in use of active travel modes. Annual benefits for health in the intervention cities were estimated at 34.4 disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) and two lives saved due to reductions in cardiac disease, diabetes, cancer, and respiratory disease. Reductions in transport-related carbon emissions were also estimated and valued. Using a discount rate of 3.5%, the estimated benefit/cost ratio was 11:1 and was robust to sensitivity testing. It is concluded that when concerted investment is made in active travel in a city, there is likely to be a measurable, positive return on investment. PMID:29751618
A cost-benefit analysis of The National Map

Science.gov (United States)

Halsing, David L.; Theissen, Kevin; Bernknopf, Richard

2003-01-01

The Geography Discipline of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has conducted this cost-benefit analysis (CBA) of The National Map. This analysis is an evaluation of the proposed Geography Discipline initiative to provide the Nation with a mechanism to access current and consistent digital geospatial data. This CBA is a supporting document to accompany the Exhibit 300 Capital Asset Plan and Business Case of The National Map Reengineering Program. The framework for estimating the benefits is based on expected improvements in processing information to perform any of the possible applications of spatial data. This analysis does not attempt to determine the benefits and costs of performing geospatial-data applications. Rather, it estimates the change in the differences between those benefits and costs with The National Map and the current situation without it. The estimates of total costs and benefits of The National Map were based on the projected implementation time, development and maintenance costs, rates of data inclusion and integration, expected usage levels over time, and a benefits estimation model. The National Map provides data that are current, integrated, consistent, complete, and more accessible in order to decrease the cost of implementing spatial-data applications and (or) improve the outcome of those applications. The efficiency gains in per-application improvements are greater than the cost to develop and maintain The National Map, meaning that the program would bring a positive net benefit to the Nation. The average improvement in the net benefit of performing a spatial data application was multiplied by a simulated number of application implementations across the country. The numbers of users, existing applications, and rates of application implementation increase over time as The National Map is developed and accessed by spatial data users around the country. Results from the 'most likely' estimates of model parameters and data inputs indicate that
A Diffusion Model Incorporating Product Benefits, Price, Income and Information

OpenAIRE

Dan Horsky

1990-01-01

We start by assuming that a major benefit of many new durable products such as dishwashers and microwave ovens is time savings. Others, such as VCRs, also enhance the value of our leisure time. Using a household production framework we demonstrate that a utility maximizing individual will have a reservation price for the product which is a function of the product benefits and his wage rate. By assuming that the wage rate has an extreme value distribution across the population, we are able to ...
Analysis of the Effects of a Flexible Ramping Ancillary Service Product on Power System Operations: Preprint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krad, Ibrahim; Ibanez, Eduardo; Ela, Erik

2015-10-19

The recent increased interest in utilizing variable generation (VG) resources such as wind and solar in power systems has motivated investigations into new operating procedures. Although these resources provide desirable value to a system (e.g., no fuel costs or emissions), interconnecting them provides unique challenges. Their variable, non-controllable nature in particular requires significant attention, because it directly results in increased power system variability and uncertainty. One way to handle this is via new operating reserve schemes. Operating reserves provide upward and downward generation and ramping capacity to counteract uncertainty and variability prior to their realization. For instance, uncertainty and variability in real-time dispatch can be accounted for in the hour-ahead unit commitment. New operating reserve methodologies that specifically account for the increased variability and uncertainty caused by VG are currently being investigated and developed by academia and industry. This paper examines one method inspired by the new operating reserve product being proposed by the California Independent System Operator. The method is based on examining the potential ramping requirements at any given time and enforcing those requirements via a reserve demand curve in the market-clearing optimization as an additional ancillary service product.
A stochastic multicriteria model for evidence-based decision making in drug benefit-risk analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Tervonen, Tommi; van Valkenhoef, Gert; Buskens, Erik; Hillege, Hans L; Postmus, Douwe

2011-05-30

Drug benefit-risk (BR) analysis is based on firm clinical evidence regarding various safety and efficacy outcomes. In this paper, we propose a new and more formal approach for constructing a supporting multi-criteria model that fully takes into account the evidence on efficacy and adverse drug reactions. Our approach is based on the stochastic multi-criteria acceptability analysis methodology, which allows us to compute the typical value judgments that support a decision, to quantify decision uncertainty, and to compute a comprehensive BR profile. We construct a multi-criteria model for the therapeutic group of second-generation antidepressants. We assess fluoxetine and venlafaxine together with placebo according to incidence of treatment response and three common adverse drug reactions by using data from a published study. Our model shows that there are clear trade-offs among the treatment alternatives. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Controllable Grid Interface for Testing Ancillary Service Controls and Fault Performance of Utility-Scale Wind Power Generation: Preprint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gevorgian, Vahan; Koralewicz, Przemyslaw; Wallen, Robb; Muljadi, Eduard

2017-02-01

The rapid expansion of wind power has led many transmission system operators to demand modern wind power plants to comply with strict interconnection requirements. Such requirements involve various aspects of wind power plant operation, including fault ride-through and power quality performance as well as the provision of ancillary services to enhance grid reliability. During recent years, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) of the U.S. Department of Energy has developed a new, groundbreaking testing apparatus and methodology to test and demonstrate many existing and future advanced controls for wind generation (and other renewable generation technologies) on the multimegawatt scale and medium-voltage levels. This paper describes the capabilities and control features of NREL's 7-MVA power electronic grid simulator (also called a controllable grid interface, or CGI) that enables testing many active and reactive power control features of modern wind turbine generators -- including inertial response, primary and secondary frequency responses, and voltage regulation -- under a controlled, medium-voltage grid environment. In particular, this paper focuses on the specifics of testing the balanced and unbalanced fault ride-through characteristics of wind turbine generators under simulated strong and weak medium-voltage grid conditions. In addition, this paper provides insights on the power hardware-in-the-loop feature implemented in the CGI to emulate (in real time) the conditions that might exist in various types of electric power systems under normal operations and/or contingency scenarios. Using actual test examples and simulation results, this paper describes the value of CGI as an ultimate modeling validation tool for all types of 'grid-friendly' controls by wind generation.
Applying quantitative adiposity feature analysis models to predict benefit of bevacizumab-based chemotherapy in ovarian cancer patients

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yunzhi; Qiu, Yuchen; Thai, Theresa; More, Kathleen; Ding, Kai; Liu, Hong; Zheng, Bin

2016-03-01

How to rationally identify epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) patients who will benefit from bevacizumab or other antiangiogenic therapies is a critical issue in EOC treatments. The motivation of this study is to quantitatively measure adiposity features from CT images and investigate the feasibility of predicting potential benefit of EOC patients with or without receiving bevacizumab-based chemotherapy treatment using multivariate statistical models built based on quantitative adiposity image features. A dataset involving CT images from 59 advanced EOC patients were included. Among them, 32 patients received maintenance bevacizumab after primary chemotherapy and the remaining 27 patients did not. We developed a computer-aided detection (CAD) scheme to automatically segment subcutaneous fat areas (VFA) and visceral fat areas (SFA) and then extracted 7 adiposity-related quantitative features. Three multivariate data analysis models (linear regression, logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression) were performed respectively to investigate the potential association between the model-generated prediction results and the patients' progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The results show that using all 3 statistical models, a statistically significant association was detected between the model-generated results and both of the two clinical outcomes in the group of patients receiving maintenance bevacizumab (p<0.01), while there were no significant association for both PFS and OS in the group of patients without receiving maintenance bevacizumab. Therefore, this study demonstrated the feasibility of using quantitative adiposity-related CT image features based statistical prediction models to generate a new clinical marker and predict the clinical outcome of EOC patients receiving maintenance bevacizumab-based chemotherapy.

Senior Benefits

Science.gov (United States)

Information Medicaid Public Health Centers Temporary "Cash" Assistance Senior Benefits Program GovDelivery Skip Navigation Links Health and Social Services > Public Assistance > Senior Benefits Page Content Senior Benefits Senior Benefits Logo Senior Benefits Fact Sheet - June, 2016 Reduction Information
Benefits of multidisciplinary collaboration for earthquake casualty estimation models: recent case studies

Science.gov (United States)

So, E.

2010-12-01

the field surveys with experiments would also be advantageous as it is not always be possible to validate theories and models with actual earthquake data. In addition, colleagues in other disciplines will benefit from being introduced to the loss algorithms, methodologies and advances familiar to the engineering community, to help dissemination in earthquake mitigation and preparedness programs. It follows that new approaches to loss estimation must include a progressive assessment of what contributes to the final casualty value. In analyzing recent earthquakes, testing common hypotheses, talking to local and international researchers in the field, interviewing search and rescue and medical personnel, and comparing notes with colleagues who have visited other events, the author has developed a list of contributory factors to formulate fatality rates for use in earthquake loss estimation models. In this presentation, we will first look at the current state of data collection and assessment in casualty loss estimation. Then, the analyses of recent earthquake field data, which provide important insights to the contributory factors of fatalities in earthquakes, will be explored. The benefits of a multi-disciplinary approach in deriving fatality rates for masonry buildings will then be examined in detail.
The Resource Benefits Evaluation Model on Remanufacturing Processes of End-of-Life Construction Machinery under the Uncertainty in Recycling Price

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qian-wang Deng

2017-02-01

Full Text Available In the process of end-of-life construction machinery remanufacturing, the existence of uncertainties in all aspects of the remanufacturing process increase the difficulty and complexity of resource benefits evaluation for them. To quantify the effects of those uncertainty factors, this paper makes a mathematical analysis of the recycling and remanufacturing processes, building a resource benefits evaluation model for the end-of-life construction machinery. The recycling price and the profits of remanufacturers can thereby be obtained with a maximum remanufacturing resource benefit. The study investigates the change regularity of the resource benefits, recycling price, and profits of remanufacturers when the recycling price, quality fluctuation coefficient, demand coefficient, and the reusing ratio of products or parts are varying. In the numerical experiment, we explore the effects of uncertainties on the remanufacturing decisions and the total expected costs. The simulated analysis shows when the quality fluctuation coefficient is approaching to 1, the values of the profits of remanufacturer, the maximal resource benefits and recycling price grade into constants.
Hierarchical Markov Model in Life Insurance and Social Benefit Schemes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiwook Jang

2018-06-01

Full Text Available We explored the effect of the jump-diffusion process on a social benefit scheme consisting of life insurance, unemployment/disability benefits, and retirement benefits. To do so, we used a four-state Markov chain with multiple decrements. Assuming independent state-wise intensities taking the form of a jump-diffusion process and deterministic interest rates, we evaluated the prospective reserves for this scheme in which the individual is employed at inception. We then numerically demonstrated the state of the reserves for the scheme under jump-diffusion and non-jump-diffusion settings. By decomposing the reserve equation into five components, our numerical illustration indicated that an extension of the retirement age has a spillover effect that would increase government expenses for other social insurance programs. We also conducted sensitivity analyses and examined the total-reserves components by changing the relevant parameters of the transition intensities, which are the average jump-size parameter, average jump frequency, and diffusion parameters of the chosen states, with figures provided. Our computation revealed that the total reserve is most sensitive to changes in average jump frequency.
The benefits of reduced morbidity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krupnick, A; Hood, C; Harrison, K

1994-07-01

Morbidity benefits refer to increases in utility arising from reductions in incidents of acute health impairments and from increases in the probability of developing chronic diseases. The impairments would run the gamut from a cough-day to a bed-disability-day, while the chronic diseases include classic pollution-related diseases, such as cancer, to in utero effects and learning disabilities. As with mortality benefits, there could be benefits to oneself and family and friends as well as benefits based on altruism. A major difference between the mortality and morbidity valuation literatures is that while estimates of the former are always based on risk (one is never trying to obtain values for avoiding certain death), estimates of the latter generally are not. That is, most of the theory and empirical estimates are based on models where the effect to be avoided is certain. This assumption holds reasonably well for estimating common acute effects, for example, the willingness to pay (WTP) for one less cough-day. It works less well, if at all, for chronic illness endpoints, where benefits seem to be appropriately expressed in terms of reduced risk of developing a disease or impairment.
The benefits of reduced morbidity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krupnick, A.; Hood, C.; Harrison, K.

1994-01-01

Morbidity benefits refer to increases in utility arising from reductions in incidents of acute health impairments and from increases in the probability of developing chronic diseases. The impairments would run the gamut from a cough-day to a bed-disability-day, while the chronic diseases include classic pollution-related diseases, such as cancer, to in utero effects and learning disabilities. As with mortality benefits, there could be benefits to oneself and family and friends as well as benefits based on altruism. A major difference between the mortality and morbidity valuation literatures is that while estimates of the former are always based on risk (one is never trying to obtain values for avoiding certain death), estimates of the latter generally are not. That is, most of the theory and empirical estimates are based on models where the effect to be avoided is certain. This assumption holds reasonably well for estimating common acute effects, for example, the willingness to pay (WTP) for one less cough-day. It works less well, if at all, for chronic illness endpoints, where benefits seem to be appropriately expressed in terms of reduced risk of developing a disease or impairment
Grid Frequency Support by Single-Phase Electric Vehicles: Fast Primary Control Enhanced by a Stabilizer Algorithm

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zecchino, Antonio; Rezkalla, Michel M.N.; Marinelli, Mattia

2016-01-01

Electric vehicles are growing in popularity as a zero emission and efficient mode of transport against traditional internal combustion engine-based vehicles. Considerable as flexible distributed energy storage systems, by adjusting the battery charging process they can potentially provide different...... ancillary services for supporting the power grid. This paper presents modeling and analysis of the benefits of primary frequency regulation by electric vehicles in a microgrid. An innovative control logic algorithm is introduced, with the purpose of curtailing the number of current set-point variations...
The validation of corrosion inhibitors for ancillary cooling systems at Sizewell B PWR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allan, S.J.; Garnsey, R.; Lawson, W.F.

1994-01-01

Sizewell B has several low temperature ancillary cooling circuits for removing low grade heat. One of the principal circuits is the Component Cooling Water System (CCWS) primarily constructed from carbon steel pipework but also containing stainless steel, titanium, copper and cupronickel components. Linked to the CCWS is another carbon steel system namely the Reserve Ultimate Heat Sink (RUHS) a system unique to Sizewell B providing an independent heat removal capability for the CCWS as a safety back-up. Both systems utilize demineralized water with the addition of an inhibitor to prevent corrosion. The vendor recommended inhibitor namely potassium chromate is highly toxic to marine life and initial discussions with the regulatory authorities indicated that it would be extremely difficult to obtain a discharge consent to cover leakage or potential system purges and dumps associated with maintenance operations. Thus an alternative was sought. Sodium nitrite (anhydrous NaN0 2 )/borax (Na 2 B 4 0 7 1OH 2 0) inhibitor solutions have been used for many years in the power industry for preservation of carbon steel plant and several proprietary formulations are based on this mixture. There has been extensive test work in the UK on this inhibitor for secondary side boiler storage on gas reactors and therefore it was considered a prime candidate for use at Sizewell B. Starting in 1985 a programme of work sponsored by Nuclear Electric plc has been completed by NNC Ltd to compare nitrite/borax with other suitable inhibitors and validate its use for Sizewell B. (authors). 5 figs., 1 tab
Lifetime income inequality with taxation and public benefits

OpenAIRE

Kemptner, Daniel; Haan, Peter; Prowse, Victoria

2016-01-01

In this paper, we show how taxation, unemployment insurance, welfare, disability benefits and public pensions affect the inequality of lifetime income. Using results from a dynamic life-cycle model estimated using German panel data, we show that taxation and public benefits combined reduce the inequality of lifetime income, measured by the Gini coefficient, by 22\\%. Pensions only slightly reduce inequality in lifetime income. Welfare benefits, meanwhile, make persistent transfers to individua...
Association of Childhood Economic Hardship with Adult Height and Adult Adiposity among Hispanics/Latinos. The HCHS/SOL Socio-Cultural Ancillary Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Isasi, Carmen R; Jung, Molly; Parrinello, Christina M; Kaplan, Robert C; Kim, Ryung; Crespo, Noe C; Gonzalez, Patricia; Gouskova, Natalia A; Penedo, Frank J; Perreira, Krista M; Perrino, Tatiana; Sotres-Alvarez, Daniela; Van Horn, Linda; Gallo, Linda C

2016-01-01

The study examined the association of childhood and current economic hardship with anthropometric indices in Hispanic/Latino adults, using data from the HCHS/SOL Socio-cultural ancillary study (N = 5,084), a community-based study of Hispanic/Latinos living in four urban areas (Bronx, NY, Chicago, IL, Miami, FL, and San Diego, CA). Childhood economic hardship was defined as having experienced a period of time when one's family had trouble paying for basic needs (e.g., food, housing), and when this economic hardship occurred: between 0-12, 13-18 years old, or throughout both of those times. Current economic hardship was defined as experiencing trouble paying for basic needs during the past 12 months. Anthropometry included height, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and percentage body fat (%BF). Complex survey linear regression models were used to test the associations of childhood economic hardship with adult anthropometric indices, adjusting for potential confounders (e.g., age, sex, Hispanic background). Childhood economic hardship varied by Hispanic background, place of birth, and adult socio-economic status. Childhood economic hardship during both periods, childhood and adolescence, was associated with shorter height. Childhood economic hardship was associated with greater adiposity among US born individuals only. Current economic hardship was significantly associated with all three measures of adiposity (BMI, WC, %BF). These findings suggest that previous periods of childhood economic hardship appear to influence adult height more than adiposity, whereas current economic hardship may be a better determinant of adult adiposity in Hispanics.
Response Surface Model (RSM)-based Benefit Per Ton Estimates

Science.gov (United States)

The tables below are updated versions of the tables appearing in The influence of location, source, and emission type in estimates of the human health benefits of reducing a ton of air pollution (Fann, Fulcher and Hubbell 2009).
42 CFR 411.204 - Medicare benefits secondary to LGHP benefits.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Medicare benefits secondary to LGHP benefits. 411... benefits secondary to LGHP benefits. (a) Medicare benefits are secondary to benefits payable by an LGHP for services furnished during any month in which the individual— (1) Is entitled to Medicare Part A benefits...
Analysis of Strategic Wind Power Participation in Energy Market using MASCEM simulator

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Soares, Tiago; Santos, Gabriel; Pinto, Tiago

2015-01-01

offering strategy for wind power plants to participate in both energy and ancillary services markets. MASCEM (Multi-Agent System for Competitive Electricity Markets) is used to simulate and validate the impact of wind power plants in market equilibrium. A case study based on real and recent data...... technology, suggests that wind power plants may participate in both energy and ancillary services markets with strategic behavior to improve their benefits. Thus, wind power generation with strategic behavior may have impact on market equilibrium and pricing. This paper evaluates the impact of a proportional...
The business of medicine: how to overcome financial obstacles and secure financing for your private practice and ancillary services business.

Science.gov (United States)

Nayor, David

2012-01-01

Doctors across the country who operate private medical practices are facing increasing financial obstacles, namely shrinking income as a result of rising costs and lower reimbursements. In addition, as hospitals have become overburdened many physicians have opened up private surgical centers; magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography and positron emission tomography scanning facilities; pathology labs; colonoscopy/endoscopy suites; lithotripsy centers; and other medical businesses typically performed within the hospital. Moreover, many doctors seek loans to purchase existing practices or for their capital contribution in medical partnerships. The past decade has thus seen a significant increase in the number of doctors taking out small business loans. Indeed, banks view the healthcare industry as a large growth market. This article includes practical information, advice, and resources to help doctors to secure bank financing for their practices, ancillary services business, real estate, and equipment on the best possible market terms.
The regional costs and benefits of acid rain control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berkman, M.P.

1991-01-01

Congress recently enacted acid rain control legislation as part of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments following a decade-long debate among disparate regional interests. Although Congress succeeded in drafting a law acceptable to all regions, the regional costs and benefits of the legislation remain uncertain. The research presented here attempts to estimate the regional costs and benefits and the economic impacts of acid rain controls. These estimates are made using a modeling system composed of econometric, linear programming and input-output models. The econometric and linear programming components describe markets for electricity and coal. The outputs of these components including capital investment, electricity demand, and coal production are taken as exogenous inputs by a multiregional input-output model. The input-output model produces estimates of changes in final demand, gross output, and employment. The utility linear programming model also predicts sulfur dioxide emissions (an acid-rain precursor). According to model simulations, the costs of acid rain control exceed the benefits for many regions including several regions customarily thought to be the major beneficiaries of acid rain control such as New England
Estimating parameters of a forest ecosystem C model with measurements of stocks and fluxes as joint constraints

Science.gov (United States)

Andrew D. Richardson; Mathew Williams; David Y. Hollinger; David J.P. Moore; D. Bryan Dail; Eric A. Davidson; Neal A. Scott; Robert S. Evans; Holly. Hughes

2010-01-01

We conducted an inverse modeling analysis, using a variety of data streams (tower-based eddy covariance measurements of net ecosystem exchange, NEE, of CO2, chamber-based measurements of soil respiration, and ancillary ecological measurements of leaf area index, litterfall, and woody biomass increment) to estimate parameters and initial carbon (C...
Cost-benefit analysis of sustainable energy development using life-cycle co-benefits assessment and the system dynamics approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shih, Yi-Hsuan; Tseng, Chao-Heng

2014-01-01

Highlights: • The energy policy was assessed using the system dynamics approach. • A life table approach was presented to estimate averted loss of life expectancy. • The mortality benefits estimated by VSL and VSLY are found to be similar. • Economic feasibility of the energy policy for climate change mitigation was presented. - Abstract: A novel Air Resource Co-benefits model was developed to estimate the social benefits of a Sustainable Energy Policy, involving both renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency improvements (EEI). The costs and benefits of the policy during 2010–2030 were quantified. A system dynamics model was constructed to simulate the amount of energy saving under the scenario of promoting both RE and EEI. The life-cycle co-reductions of five criteria pollutants (PM 10 , SO 2 , NOx, CO, and ozone) and greenhouse gas are estimated by assuming coal fired as marginal electricity suppliers. Moreover, a concise life table approach was developed to estimate averted years of life lost (YOLL). The results showed that YOLL totaling 0.11–0.21 years (41–78 days) per capita, or premature deaths totaling 126,507–251,169, is expected to be averted during 2010–2030 under the RE plus EEI scenario. Specifically, because of the higher investment cost, the benefit-cost ratio of 1.9–2.1 under the EEI scenario is lower than the 7.2–7.9 under the RE scenario. This difference reveals that RE is more socially beneficial than EEI. The net benefit of the RE and EEI scenarios during 2010–2030 totaled approximately US$ 5,972–6,893 per person or US$ 170–190 per MW h. To summarize, this study presents a new approach to estimate averted YOLL, and finds that the health benefits can justify the compliance costs associated with the Sustainable Energy Policy
Proposal for the award of an industrial services contract for operation of the hostels, apartments and ancillary premises

CERN Document Server

2000-01-01

This document concerns the award of an Industrial Services contract for operation of the hostels, apartments and ancillary premises run by the CERN Housing Service. Following a market survey carried out among 32 firms in ten Member States, a call for tenders (IT-2404/AS/Rev.) was sent on 5 April 2000 to one firm and three consortia in four Member States. By the closing date, CERN had received tenders from the firm and the three consortia. The Finance Committee is invited to agree to the negotiation of a contract with the consortium VIENNA INTERNATIONAL HOTEL MANAGEMENT (AT) - SEREG (CH), the lowest bidder, for an initial period of five years, to enter into force on 1 January 2001, for a total amount of 6 871 850 Swiss francs, not subject to revision until 31 December 2001. The contract will include an option for two one-year extensions beyond the initial five-year period. The consortium has indicated the following distribution by country of the contract value covered by this adjudication proposal: CH-60%, AT-...
A partial test of a hospital behavioral model.

Science.gov (United States)

Hornbrook, M C; Goldfarb, M G

1983-01-01

The influence of hospital and community characteristics on the behavior of five dimensions of hospital output is examined in this article. These dimensions are the level of emergency stand-by capacity, total admissions, the diagnosis-mix of admissions and the hospital's 'style of practice' with regard to ancillary services and length of stay. A simultaneous equations model is estimated with data from a sample of 63 New England short-term general hospitals for 1970. The findings suggest that various types of short-term general hospitals have distinctive preferences for emergency capacity, volume, case mix and style of practice, and that style of practice may be more appropriately viewed as a rate of resource use per day. Specific findings of interest include the positive interdependence between protection against running out of emergency beds and length of stay, and between length of stay and ancillary service use. Hospitals that admit greater numbers of patients tend to treat more severely ill patients, and sicker patients tend to go to larger hospitals. Hospitals that provide more ancillary services tend to attract the more acutely ill patients. Relationships among other elements of the hospital's utility function represent trade-offs, i.e. substitution, in a constrained world. Among the exogenous factors, patient preferences and ability to pay have strong associations with the types of care provided by hospitals. Highly educated, high income communities, for example, tend to prefer risk averse, service intensive hospital output. Teaching hospitals are shown to prefer higher protection levels, service-intensive patterns of care, and higher admissions levels. Self-paying patients tend to be admitted for more discretionary types of diagnoses and to receive longer diagnosis-specific lengths of stay. A relatively greater supply of physician specialists in the market area is associated with increased use of ancillary services in the hospital. If replicated, these
The potential economic and environmental impact of a Public Benefit Fund in Louisiana

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaiser, M.J.; Pulsipher, A.G.; Baumann, R.H.

2004-01-01

Public Benefit Fund programs are one approach to provide energy assistance to low-income households placed at risk in a competitive electric industry. The purpose of this paper is to assess the potential economic and environmental impact of a proposed Public Benefit Fund for the state of Louisiana. The 'best available' model to estimate the relationship between the cost of Public Benefit Fund programs and the benefits delivered by its implementation would be based on an evaluation of existent energy conservation and weatherization programs in the state, but unfortunately, such an evaluation has not been previously performed and so the 'next best' analytic model was employed. The impact of a Public Benefit Fund on energy savings and environmental consequences is assessed through a simulation model and input-output analysis. The model developed is based on publicly available data and infer results under a reasonable assumption set. The model structure and system assumptions of the Public Benefit Fund program are described, realistic policy alternatives are examined--including cost-ceiling, variable funding, and target group strategies--and the limitations of the analysis are outlined

The potential economic and environmental impact of a Public Benefit Fund in Louisiana

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaiser, Mark J.; Pulsipher, Allan G.; Baumann, Robert H.

2004-01-01

Public Benefit Fund programs are one approach to provide energy assistance to low-income households placed at risk in a competitive electric industry. The purpose of this paper is to assess the potential economic and environmental impact of a proposed Public Benefit Fund for the state of Louisiana. The 'best available' model to estimate the relationship between the cost of Public Benefit Fund programs and the benefits delivered by its implementation would be based on an evaluation of existent energy conservation and weatherization programs in the state, but unfortunately, such an evaluation has not been previously performed and so the 'next best' analytic model was employed. The impact of a Public Benefit Fund on energy savings and environmental consequences is assessed through a simulation model and input-output analysis. The model developed is based on publicly available data and infer results under a reasonable assumption set. The model structure and system assumptions of the Public Benefit Fund program are described, realistic policy alternatives are examined, including cost-ceiling, variable funding, and target group strategies, and the limitations of the analysis are outlined. (Author)
Ecosystem-management-based Management Models of Fast-growing and High-yield Plantation and Its Eco-economic Benefits Analysis

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2010-01-01

The paper expounded the basic concept and principles of ecosystem management,and analyzed the state and trend of industrial plantation ecosystem management in other countries.Based on the analysis of typical case studies,the eco-economic benefits were evaluated for the management models of fast-growing and high-yield plantations.
International Fisheries Management and Recreational Benefits

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oinonen, Soile; Grønbæk, Lone; Laukkanen, Marita

2016-01-01

This article studies how accounting for the benefits of recreational fisheries affects the formation and stability of an international fisheries agreement (IFA) on the management of Baltic salmon stocks. The interaction between four countries is modelled through a partition function game, under two...... scenarios. In the first scenario, countries take their participation decision for the IFA based only on the net present value of profits from commercial fisheries. In the second scenario, the net present value of the recreational benefits from angling is also considered. The results show that accounting...... for recreational benefits leads to the formation of the grand coalition, whereas only partial cooperation occurs when payoffs are confined to profits from commercial fisheries....
Psychosocial Factors in the Relationship between Socioeconomic Status and Cardiometabolic Risk: the HCHS/SOL Sociocultural Ancillary Study.

Science.gov (United States)

McCurley, Jessica L; Penedo, Frank; Roesch, Scott C; Isasi, Carmen R; Carnethon, Mercedes; Sotres-Alvarez, Daniela; Schneiderman, Neil; Gonzalez, Patricia; Chirinos, Diana A; Camacho, Alvaro; Teng, Yanping; Gallo, Linda C

2017-08-01

U.S. Hispanics/Latinos display a high prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetSyn), a group of co-occurring cardiometabolic risk factors (abdominal obesity, impaired fasting glucose, dyslipidemia, elevated blood pressure) associated with higher cardiovascular disease and mortality risk. Low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with higher risk for MetSyn in Hispanics/Latinos, and psychosocial factors may play a role in this relationship. This cross-sectional study examined psychosocial factors in the association of SES and MetSyn components in 4,996 Hispanic/Latino adults from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) Sociocultural Ancillary Study. MetSyn components were measured at the baseline examination. Participants completed interviews to determine psychosocial risks (e.g., depression) and resources (e.g., social support) within 9 months of baseline (psychosocial indicators, and three factors for MetSyn [blood pressure, lipids, metabolic factors]. SEMs showed that lower SES was related to MetSyn factors indirectly through higher psychosocial risk/lower resources (Y-Bχ 2 (df = 420) = 4412.90, p psychosocial risk/resource variables (Mackinnon's 95% asymmetric CI = -0.13 to -0.02). SES is related to metabolic variables indirectly through psychosocial factors in U.S. Hispanics/Latinos of diverse ancestries.
A commentary on domestic animals as dual-purpose models that benefit agricultural and biomedical research.

Science.gov (United States)

Ireland, J J; Roberts, R M; Palmer, G H; Bauman, D E; Bazer, F W

2008-10-01

Research on domestic animals (cattle, swine, sheep, goats, poultry, horses, and aquatic species) at land grant institutions is integral to improving the global competitiveness of US animal agriculture and to resolving complex animal and human diseases. However, dwindling federal and state budgets, years of stagnant funding from USDA for the Competitive State Research, Education, and Extension Service National Research Initiative (CSREES-NRI) Competitive Grants Program, significant reductions in farm animal species and in numbers at land grant institutions, and declining enrollment for graduate studies in animal science are diminishing the resources necessary to conduct research on domestic species. Consequently, recruitment of scientists who use such models to conduct research relevant to animal agriculture and biomedicine at land grant institutions is in jeopardy. Concerned stakeholders have addressed this critical problem by conducting workshops, holding a series of meetings with USDA and National Institutes of Health (NIH) officials, and developing a white paper to propose solutions to obstacles impeding the use of domestic species as dual-purpose animal models for high-priority problems common to agriculture and biomedicine. In addition to shortfalls in research support and human resources, overwhelming use of mouse models in biomedicine, lack of advocacy from university administrators, long-standing cultural barriers between agriculture and human medicine, inadequate grantsmanship by animal scientists, and a scarcity of key reagents and resources are major roadblocks to progress. Solutions will require a large financial enhancement of USDA's Competitive Grants Program, educational programs geared toward explaining how research using agricultural animals benefits both animal agriculture and human health, and the development of a new mind-set in land grant institutions that fosters greater cooperation among basic and applied researchers. Recruitment of
Dynamic Modeling of Adjustable-Speed Pumped Storage Hydropower Plant: Preprint

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muljadi, E.; Singh, M.; Gevorgian, V.; Mohanpurkar, M.; Havsapian, R.; Koritarov, V.

2015-04-06

Hydropower is the largest producer of renewable energy in the U.S. More than 60% of the total renewable generation comes from hydropower. There is also approximately 22 GW of pumped storage hydropower (PSH). Conventional PSH uses a synchronous generator, and thus the rotational speed is constant at synchronous speed. This work details a hydrodynamic model and generator/power converter dynamic model. The optimization of the hydrodynamic model is executed by the hydro-turbine controller, and the electrical output real/reactive power is controlled by the power converter. All essential controllers to perform grid-interface functions and provide ancillary services are included in the model.
Health Benefits of Particle Filtration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fisk, William J.

2013-10-01

The evidence of health benefits of particle filtration in homes and commercial buildings is reviewed. Prior reviews of papers published before 2000 are summarized. The results of 16 more recent intervention studies are compiled and analyzed. Also, reviewed are four studies that modeled health benefits of using filtration to reduce indoor exposures to particles from outdoors. Prior reviews generally concluded that particle filtration is, at best, a source of small improvements in allergy and asthma health effects; however, many early studies had weak designs. A majority of recent intervention studies employed strong designs and more of these studies report statistically significant improvements in health symptoms or objective health outcomes, particularly for subjects with allergies or asthma. The percent age improvement in health outcomes is typically modest, for example, 7percent to 25percent. Delivery of filtered air to the breathing zone of sleeping allergic or asthmatic persons may be more consistently effective in improving health than room air filtration. Notable are two studies that report statistically significant improvements, with filtration, in markers that predict future adverse coronary events. From modeling, the largest potential benefits of indoor particle filtration may be reductions in morbidity and mortality from reducing indoor exposures to particles from outdoor air.
Health Benefits of Particle Filtration

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fisk, William J.

2013-10-01

The evidence of health benefits of particle filtration in homes and commercial buildings is reviewed. Prior reviews of papers published before 2000 are summarized. The results of 16 more recent intervention studies are compiled and analyzed. Also reviewed are four studies that modeled health benefits of using filtration to reduce indoor exposures to particles from outdoors. Prior reviews generally concluded that particle filtration is, at best, a source of small improvements in allergy and asthma health effects; however, many early studies had weak designs. A majority of recent intervention studies employed strong designs and more of these studies report statistically significant improvements in health symptoms or objective health outcomes, particularly for subjects with allergies or asthma. The percentage improvement in health outcomes is typically modest, e.g., 7percent to 25percent. Delivery of filtered air to the breathing zone of sleeping allergic or asthmatic persons may be more consistently effective in improving health than room air filtration. Notable are two studies that report statistically significant improvements, with filtration, in markers that predict future adverse coronary events. From modeling, the largest potential benefits of indoor particle filtration may be reductions in morbidity and mortality from reducing indoor exposures to particles from outdoor air.
Perceived Traceability Costs and Benefits in the Italian Fisheries Supply Chain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniele Asioli

2012-03-01

Full Text Available The paper proposes a model in which it is hypothesized that firm characteristics influence both costs and benefits of traceability. The proposed model differentiates between aggregate measures and specific categories, as well as between expected costs and benefits on the one hand and perceived actual outcomes on the other, and is tested in a series of regression analyses based on a survey sample of 60 Italian fish processors. The findings indicate that firm characteristics are not strongly associated with any specific cost or benefit measure. However, expected overall benefits are highly significantly impacted by firm size and the number of quality management systems certified, while actual overall benefits only by firm size. Finally, the study also finds considerable discrepancies between expected and actual costs and benefits. The managerial implications of the findings are discussed.
Evaluating Health Co-Benefits of Climate Change Mitigation in Urban Mobility.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolkinger, Brigitte; Haas, Willi; Bachner, Gabriel; Weisz, Ulli; Steininger, Karl; Hutter, Hans-Peter; Delcour, Jennifer; Griebler, Robert; Mittelbach, Bernhard; Maier, Philipp; Reifeltshammer, Raphael

2018-04-28

There is growing recognition that implementation of low-carbon policies in urban passenger transport has near-term health co-benefits through increased physical activity and improved air quality. Nevertheless, co-benefits and related cost reductions are often not taken into account in decision processes, likely because they are not easy to capture. In an interdisciplinary multi-model approach we address this gap, investigating the co-benefits resulting from increased physical activity and improved air quality due to climate mitigation policies for three urban areas. Additionally we take a (macro-)economic perspective, since that is the ultimate interest of policy-makers. Methodologically, we link a transport modelling tool, a transport emission model, an emission dispersion model, a health model and a macroeconomic Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model to analyze three climate change mitigation scenarios. We show that higher levels of physical exercise and reduced exposure to pollutants due to mitigation measures substantially decrease morbidity and mortality. Expenditures are mainly born by the public sector but are mostly offset by the emerging co-benefits. Our macroeconomic results indicate a strong positive welfare effect, yet with slightly negative GDP and employment effects. We conclude that considering economic co-benefits of climate change mitigation policies in urban mobility can be put forward as a forceful argument for policy makers to take action.
Benefits of transmission interconnections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lyons, D.

2006-01-01

The benefits of new power transmission interconnections from Alberta were discussed with reference to the challenges and measures needed to move forward. Alberta's electricity system has had a long period of sustained growth in generation and demand and this trend is expected to continue. However, no new interconnections have been built since 1985 because the transmission network has not expanded in consequence with the growth in demand. As such, Alberta remains weakly interconnected with the rest of the western region. The benefits of stronger transmission interconnections include improved reliability, long-term generation capability, hydrothermal synergies, a more competitive market, system efficiencies and fuel diversity. It was noted that the more difficult challenges are not technical. Rather, the difficult challenges lie in finding an appropriate business model that recognizes different market structures. It was emphasized that additional interconnections are worthwhile and will require significant collaboration among market participants and governments. It was concluded that interties enable resource optimization between systems and their benefits far exceed their costs. tabs., figs
Benefits of mercury controls for the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Giang, Amanda; Selin, Noelle E

2016-01-12

Mercury pollution poses risks for both human and ecosystem health. As a consequence, controlling mercury pollution has become a policy goal on both global and national scales. We developed an assessment method linking global-scale atmospheric chemical transport modeling to regional-scale economic modeling to consistently evaluate the potential benefits to the United States of global (UN Minamata Convention on Mercury) and domestic [Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS)] policies, framed as economic gains from avoiding mercury-related adverse health endpoints. This method attempts to trace the policies-to-impacts path while taking into account uncertainties and knowledge gaps with policy-appropriate bounding assumptions. We project that cumulative lifetime benefits from the Minamata Convention for individuals affected by 2050 are $339 billion (2005 USD), with a range from $1.4 billion to $575 billion in our sensitivity scenarios. Cumulative economy-wide benefits to the United States, realized by 2050, are $104 billion, with a range from $6 million to $171 billion. Projected Minamata benefits are more than twice those projected from the domestic policy. This relative benefit is robust to several uncertainties and variabilities, with the ratio of benefits (Minamata/MATS) ranging from ≈1.4 to 3. However, we find that for those consuming locally caught freshwater fish from the United States, rather than marine and estuarine fish from the global market, benefits are larger from US than global action, suggesting domestic policies are important for protecting these populations. Per megagram of prevented emissions, our domestic policy scenario results in US benefits about an order of magnitude higher than from our global scenario, further highlighting the importance of domestic action.
Organizational Support and Volunteering Benefits for Older Adults

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Fengyan; Choi, Eunhee; Morrow-Howell, Nancy

2010-01-01

Purpose: This study tested a theoretical model of volunteering benefits and examined the mechanism through which volunteering benefits older adults. Design and Methods: This is a 2-wave study of 253 older adult volunteers serving in 10 volunteer programs. Older volunteers completed the mailed surveys in 2005 and 2006. Structural equation modeling…
Dynamic modeling and evaluation of solid oxide fuel cell - combined heat and power system operating strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Nanaeda, Kimihiro; Mueller, Fabian; Brouwer, Jacob; Samuelsen, Scott

Operating strategies of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) combined heat and power (CHP) systems are developed and evaluated from a utility, and end-user perspective using a fully integrated SOFC-CHP system dynamic model that resolves the physical states, thermal integration and overall efficiency of the system. The model can be modified for any SOFC-CHP system, but the present analysis is applied to a hotel in southern California based on measured electric and heating loads. Analysis indicates that combined heat and power systems can be operated to benefit both the end-users and the utility, providing more efficient electric generation as well as grid ancillary services, namely dispatchable urban power. Design and operating strategies considered in the paper include optimal sizing of the fuel cell, thermal energy storage to dispatch heat, and operating the fuel cell to provide flexible grid power. Analysis results indicate that with a 13.1% average increase in price-of-electricity (POE), the system can provide the grid with a 50% operating range of dispatchable urban power at an overall thermal efficiency of 80%. This grid-support operating mode increases the operational flexibility of the SOFC-CHP system, which may make the technology an important utility asset for accommodating the increased penetration of intermittent renewable power.
Evaluate VTS benefits: A case study of Zhoushan Port

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun-Min Mou

2015-12-01

Full Text Available It has been well acknowledged that Vessel Traffic Services (VTS has played a growing important role to ensure the safety of navigation in the busy ports and waterways. However, the benefits produced by VTS are usually ignored by the public and private sectors. Besides, the previous evaluations generally exist following problems: (1 It is difficult to collect the data for the parameters in the evaluation models and/or the parameters are designed illogically; (2 Those models did not take the following factors into consideration such as reducing the frequency of coastal vessel patrolling and saving human and material resources; (3 It is difficult to clearly discriminate the benefits derived from VTS and non-VTS. In this paper, a framework is presented to calculate the benefits of VTS in China. Four key indicators (safety, traffic efficiency, environmental protection and reducing supervising cost and quantitative methods have been introduced into the framework. When calculating the benefits quantitatively, the traffic condition before the construction (expansion of the VTS has acted as a benchmark. For a case study, the project of the expansion of VTS in Zhoushan Port, East China was evaluated with 10-year data. According to the results, the largest contribution is from the benefit of environmental protection. Via Cost-benefit analysis the benefit cost ratio (B/C of the VTS is up to 5.248, which shows the benefits produced by VTS are considerable. The research could provide references for VTS benefits evaluation and investment optimizing.
Benefits and harms of prostate cancer screening – predictions of the ONCOTYROL prostate cancer outcome and policy model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nikolai Mühlberger

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background A recent recalibration of the ONCOTYROL Prostate Cancer Outcome and Policy (PCOP Model, assuming that latent prostate cancer (PCa detectable at autopsy might be detectable by screening as well, resulted in considerable worsening of the benefit-harm balance of screening. In this study, we used the recalibrated model to assess the effects of familial risk, quality of life (QoL preferences, age, and active surveillance. Methods Men with average and elevated familial PCa risk were simulated in separate models, differing in familial risk parameters. Familial risk was assumed to affect PCa onset and progression simultaneously in the base-case, and separately in scenario analyses. Evaluated screening strategies included one-time screening at different ages, and screening at different intervals and age ranges. Optimal screening strategies were identified depending on age and individual QoL preferences. Strategies were additionally evaluated with active surveillance by biennial re-biopsy delaying treatment of localized cancer until grade progression to Gleason score ≥ 7. Results Screening men with average PCa risk reduced quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE even under favorable assumptions. Men with elevated familial risk, depending on age and disutilities, gained QALE. While for men with familial risk aged 55 and 60 years annual screening to age 69 was the optimal strategy over most disutility ranges, no screening was the preferred option for 65 year-old men with average and above disutilities. Active surveillance greatly reduced overtreatment, but QALE gains by averted adverse events were opposed by losses due to delayed treatment and additional biopsies. The effect of active surveillance on the benefit-harm balance of screening differed between populations, as net losses and gains in QALE predicted for screening without active surveillance in men with average and familial PCa risk, respectively, were both reduced
Optimizing Wind And Hydropower Generation Within Realistic Reservoir Operating Policy

Science.gov (United States)

Magee, T. M.; Clement, M. A.; Zagona, E. A.

2012-12-01

Previous studies have evaluated the benefits of utilizing the flexibility of hydropower systems to balance the variability and uncertainty of wind generation. However, previous hydropower and wind coordination studies have simplified non-power constraints on reservoir systems. For example, some studies have only included hydropower constraints on minimum and maximum storage volumes and minimum and maximum plant discharges. The methodology presented here utilizes the pre-emptive linear goal programming optimization solver in RiverWare to model hydropower operations with a set of prioritized policy constraints and objectives based on realistic policies that govern the operation of actual hydropower systems, including licensing constraints, environmental constraints, water management and power objectives. This approach accounts for the fact that not all policy constraints are of equal importance. For example target environmental flow levels may not be satisfied if it would require violating license minimum or maximum storages (pool elevations), but environmental flow constraints will be satisfied before optimizing power generation. Additionally, this work not only models the economic value of energy from the combined hydropower and wind system, it also captures the economic value of ancillary services provided by the hydropower resources. It is recognized that the increased variability and uncertainty inherent with increased wind penetration levels requires an increase in ancillary services. In regions with liberalized markets for ancillary services, a significant portion of hydropower revenue can result from providing ancillary services. Thus, ancillary services should be accounted for when determining the total value of a hydropower system integrated with wind generation. This research shows that the end value of integrated hydropower and wind generation is dependent on a number of factors that can vary by location. Wind factors include wind penetration level
A model for evaluating the institutional costs and benefits of ICT initiatives in teaching and learning in higher education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Nicol

2003-12-01

Full Text Available Significant investments are being made in the application of new information and communications technologies (ICT to teaching and learning in higher education. However, until recently, there has been little progress in devising an integrated costbenefit model that decision-makers can use to appraise ICT investment options from the wider institutional perspective. This paper describes and illustrates a model that has been developed to enable evaluations of the costs and benefits of the use of ICT. The strengths and limitations of the model are highlighted and discussed
Collaborative Modeling of the Benefits and Harms Associated With Different U.S. Breast Cancer Screening Strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Mandelblatt, Jeanne S; Stout, Natasha K; Schechter, Clyde B; van den Broek, Jeroen J; Miglioretti, Diana L; Krapcho, Martin; Trentham-Dietz, Amy; Munoz, Diego; Lee, Sandra J; Berry, Donald A; van Ravesteyn, Nicolien T; Alagoz, Oguzhan; Kerlikowske, Karla; Tosteson, Anna N A; Near, Aimee M; Hoeffken, Amanda; Chang, Yaojen; Heijnsdijk, Eveline A; Chisholm, Gary; Huang, Xuelin; Huang, Hui; Ergun, Mehmet Ali; Gangnon, Ronald; Sprague, Brian L; Plevritis, Sylvia; Feuer, Eric; de Koning, Harry J; Cronin, Kathleen A

2016-02-16

Controversy persists about optimal mammography screening strategies. To evaluate screening outcomes, taking into account advances in mammography and treatment of breast cancer. Collaboration of 6 simulation models using national data on incidence, digital mammography performance, treatment effects, and other-cause mortality. United States. Average-risk U.S. female population and subgroups with varying risk, breast density, or comorbidity. Eight strategies differing by age at which screening starts (40, 45, or 50 years) and screening interval (annual, biennial, and hybrid [annual for women in their 40s and biennial thereafter]). All strategies assumed 100% adherence and stopped at age 74 years. Benefits (breast cancer-specific mortality reduction, breast cancer deaths averted, life-years, and quality-adjusted life-years); number of mammograms used; harms (false-positive results, benign biopsies, and overdiagnosis); and ratios of harms (or use) and benefits (efficiency) per 1000 screens. Biennial strategies were consistently the most efficient for average-risk women. Biennial screening from age 50 to 74 years avoided a median of 7 breast cancer deaths versus no screening; annual screening from age 40 to 74 years avoided an additional 3 deaths, but yielded 1988 more false-positive results and 11 more overdiagnoses per 1000 women screened. Annual screening from age 50 to 74 years was inefficient (similar benefits, but more harms than other strategies). For groups with a 2- to 4-fold increased risk, annual screening from age 40 years had similar harms and benefits as screening average-risk women biennially from 50 to 74 years. For groups with moderate or severe comorbidity, screening could stop at age 66 to 68 years. Other imaging technologies, polygenic risk, and nonadherence were not considered. Biennial screening for breast cancer is efficient for average-risk populations. Decisions about starting ages and intervals will depend on population characteristics and the
Benefit and harm of intensive blood pressure treatment: Derivation and validation of risk models using data from the SPRINT and ACCORD trials.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanjay Basu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Intensive blood pressure (BP treatment can avert cardiovascular disease (CVD events but can cause some serious adverse events. We sought to develop and validate risk models for predicting absolute risk difference (increased risk or decreased risk for CVD events and serious adverse events from intensive BP therapy. A secondary aim was to test if the statistical method of elastic net regularization would improve the estimation of risk models for predicting absolute risk difference, as compared to a traditional backwards variable selection approach.Cox models were derived from SPRINT trial data and validated on ACCORD-BP trial data to estimate risk of CVD events and serious adverse events; the models included terms for intensive BP treatment and heterogeneous response to intensive treatment. The Cox models were then used to estimate the absolute reduction in probability of CVD events (benefit and absolute increase in probability of serious adverse events (harm for each individual from intensive treatment. We compared the method of elastic net regularization, which uses repeated internal cross-validation to select variables and estimate coefficients in the presence of collinearity, to a traditional backwards variable selection approach. Data from 9,069 SPRINT participants with complete data on covariates were utilized for model development, and data from 4,498 ACCORD-BP participants with complete data were utilized for model validation. Participants were exposed to intensive (goal systolic pressure < 120 mm Hg versus standard (<140 mm Hg treatment. Two composite primary outcome measures were evaluated: (i CVD events/deaths (myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome, stroke, congestive heart failure, or CVD death, and (ii serious adverse events (hypotension, syncope, electrolyte abnormalities, bradycardia, or acute kidney injury/failure. The model for CVD chosen through elastic net regularization included interaction terms suggesting that older

Optimal Reoperation of Multi-Reservoirs for Integrated Watershed Management with Multiple Benefits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xinyi Xu

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Constructing reservoirs can make more efficient use of water resources for human society. However, the negative impacts of these projects on the environment are often ignored. Optimal reoperation of reservoirs, which considers not only in socio-economic values but also environmental benefits, is increasingly important. A model of optimal reoperation of multi-reservoirs for integrated watershed management with multiple benefits was proposed to alleviate the conflict between water use and environmental deterioration. The social, economic, water quality and ecological benefits were respectively taken into account as the scheduling objectives and quantified according to economic models. River minimum ecological flows and reservoir water levels based on flood control were taken as key constraint conditions. Feasible search discrete differential dynamic programming (FS-DDDP was used to run the model. The proposed model was used in the upstream of the Nanpan River, to quantitatively evaluate the difference between optimal reoperation and routine operation. The results indicated that the reoperation could significantly increase the water quality benefit and have a minor effect on the benefits of power generation and irrigation under different hydrological years. The model can be readily adapted to other multi-reservoir systems for water resources management.
Measuring the individual benefit of a medical or behavioral treatment using generalized linear mixed-effects models.

Science.gov (United States)

Diaz, Francisco J

2016-10-15

We propose statistical definitions of the individual benefit of a medical or behavioral treatment and of the severity of a chronic illness. These definitions are used to develop a graphical method that can be used by statisticians and clinicians in the data analysis of clinical trials from the perspective of personalized medicine. The method focuses on assessing and comparing individual effects of treatments rather than average effects and can be used with continuous and discrete responses, including dichotomous and count responses. The method is based on new developments in generalized linear mixed-effects models, which are introduced in this article. To illustrate, analyses of data from the Sequenced Treatment Alternatives to Relieve Depression clinical trial of sequences of treatments for depression and data from a clinical trial of respiratory treatments are presented. The estimation of individual benefits is also explained. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Current perspectives on the use of ancillary materials for the manufacture of cellular therapies.

Science.gov (United States)

Solomon, Jennifer; Csontos, Lynn; Clarke, Dominic; Bonyhadi, Mark; Zylberberg, Claudia; McNiece, Ian; Kurtzberg, Joanne; Bell, Rosemarie; Deans, Robert

2016-01-01

Continued growth in the cell therapy industry and commercialization of cell therapies that successfully advance through clinical trials has led to increased awareness around the need for specialized and complex materials utilized in their manufacture. Ancillary materials (AMs) are components or reagents used during the manufacture of cell therapy products but are not intended to be part of the final products. Commonly, there are limitations in the availability of clinical-grade reagents used as AMs. Furthermore, AMs may affect the efficacy of the cell product and subsequent safety of the cell therapy for the patient. As such, AMs must be carefully selected and appropriately qualified during the cell therapy development process. However, the ongoing evolution of cell therapy research, limited number of clinical trials and registered cell therapy products results in the current absence of specific regulations governing the composition, compliance, and qualification of AMs often leads to confusion by suppliers and users in this field. Here we provide an overview and interpretation of the existing global framework surrounding AM use and investigate some common misunderstandings within the industry, with the aim of facilitating the appropriate selection and qualification of AMs. The key message we wish to emphasize is that in order to most effectively mitigate risk around cell therapy development and patient safety, users must work with their suppliers and regulators to qualify each AM to assess source, purity, identity, safety, and suitability in a given application. Copyright © 2015 International Society for Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Association of Childhood Economic Hardship with Adult Height and Adult Adiposity among Hispanics/Latinos. The HCHS/SOL Socio-Cultural Ancillary Study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carmen R Isasi

Full Text Available The study examined the association of childhood and current economic hardship with anthropometric indices in Hispanic/Latino adults, using data from the HCHS/SOL Socio-cultural ancillary study (N = 5,084, a community-based study of Hispanic/Latinos living in four urban areas (Bronx, NY, Chicago, IL, Miami, FL, and San Diego, CA. Childhood economic hardship was defined as having experienced a period of time when one's family had trouble paying for basic needs (e.g., food, housing, and when this economic hardship occurred: between 0-12, 13-18 years old, or throughout both of those times. Current economic hardship was defined as experiencing trouble paying for basic needs during the past 12 months. Anthropometry included height, body mass index (BMI, waist circumference (WC, and percentage body fat (%BF. Complex survey linear regression models were used to test the associations of childhood economic hardship with adult anthropometric indices, adjusting for potential confounders (e.g., age, sex, Hispanic background. Childhood economic hardship varied by Hispanic background, place of birth, and adult socio-economic status. Childhood economic hardship during both periods, childhood and adolescence, was associated with shorter height. Childhood economic hardship was associated with greater adiposity among US born individuals only. Current economic hardship was significantly associated with all three measures of adiposity (BMI, WC, %BF. These findings suggest that previous periods of childhood economic hardship appear to influence adult height more than adiposity, whereas current economic hardship may be a better determinant of adult adiposity in Hispanics.
20 CFR 416.421 - Determination of benefits; computation of prorated benefits.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 20 Employees' Benefits 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Determination of benefits; computation of prorated benefits. 416.421 Section 416.421 Employees' Benefits SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME FOR THE AGED, BLIND, AND DISABLED Amount of Benefits § 416.421 Determination of benefits...
BenefitClaimWebServiceBean/BenefitClaimWebService

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Veterans Affairs — A formal or informal request for a type of monetary or non-monetary benefit. This service provides benefit claims and benefit claim special issues data, allows the...
DAFNE: A Matlab toolbox for Bayesian multi-source remote sensing and ancillary data fusion, with application to flood mapping

Science.gov (United States)

D'Addabbo, Annarita; Refice, Alberto; Lovergine, Francesco P.; Pasquariello, Guido

2018-03-01

High-resolution, remotely sensed images of the Earth surface have been proven to be of help in producing detailed flood maps, thanks to their synoptic overview of the flooded area and frequent revisits. However, flood scenarios can be complex situations, requiring the integration of different data in order to provide accurate and robust flood information. Several processing approaches have been recently proposed to efficiently combine and integrate heterogeneous information sources. In this paper, we introduce DAFNE, a Matlab®-based, open source toolbox, conceived to produce flood maps from remotely sensed and other ancillary information, through a data fusion approach. DAFNE is based on Bayesian Networks, and is composed of several independent modules, each one performing a different task. Multi-temporal and multi-sensor data can be easily handled, with the possibility of following the evolution of an event through multi-temporal output flood maps. Each DAFNE module can be easily modified or upgraded to meet different user needs. The DAFNE suite is presented together with an example of its application.
Health benefits of particle filtration.

Science.gov (United States)

Fisk, W J

2013-10-01

The evidence of health benefits of particle filtration in homes and commercial buildings is reviewed. Prior reviews of papers published before 2000 are summarized. The results of 16 more recent intervention studies are compiled and analyzed. Also, reviewed are four studies that modeled health benefits of using filtration to reduce indoor exposures to particles from outdoors. Prior reviews generally concluded that particle filtration is, at best, a source of small improvements in allergy and asthma health effects; however, many early studies had weak designs. A majority of recent intervention studies employed strong designs and more of these studies report statistically significant improvements in health symptoms or objective health outcomes, particularly for subjects with allergies or asthma. The percentage improvement in health outcomes is typically modest, for example, 7% to 25%. Delivery of filtered air to the breathing zone of sleeping allergic or asthmatic persons may be more consistently effective in improving health than room air filtration. Notable are two studies that report statistically significant improvements, with filtration, in markers that predict future adverse coronary events. From modeling, the largest potential benefits of indoor particle filtration may be reductions in morbidity and mortality from reducing indoor exposures to particles from outdoor air. Published 2013. This article is a US Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Benefit salience and consumers' selective attention to product features

OpenAIRE

Ratneshwar, S; Warlop, Luk; Mick, DG; Seeger, G

1997-01-01

Although attention is a key construct in models of marketing communication and consumer choice, its selective nature has rarely been examined in common time-pressured conditions. We focus on the role of benefit salience, that is, the readiness with which particular benefits are brought to mind by consumers in relation to a given product category. Study I demonstrated that when product feature information was presented rapidly, individuals for whom the benefit of personalised customer service ...
Cost Benefit of Comprehensive Primary and Preventive School-Based Health Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Padula, William V; Connor, Katherine A; Mueller, Josiah M; Hong, Jonathan C; Velazquez, Gabriela Calderon; Johnson, Sara B

2018-01-01

The Rales Health Center is a comprehensive school-based health center at an urban elementary/middle school. Rales Health Center provides a full range of pediatric services using an enriched staffing model consisting of pediatrician, nurse practitioner, registered nurses, and medical office assistant. This staffing model provides greater care but costs more than traditional school-based health centers staffed by part-time nurses. The objective was to analyze the cost benefit of Rales Health Center enhanced staffing model compared with a traditional school-based health center (standard care), focusing on asthma care, which is among the most prevalent chronic conditions of childhood. In 2016, cost-benefit analysis using a decision tree determined the net social benefit of Rales Health Center compared with standard care from the U.S. societal perspective based on the 2015-2016 academic year. It was assumed that Rales Health Center could handle greater patient throughput related to asthma, decreased prescription costs, reduced parental resources in terms of missed work time, and improved student attendance. Univariate and multivariate probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted. The expected cost to operate Rales Health Center was $409,120, compared with standard care cost of $172,643. Total monetized incremental benefits of Rales Health Center were estimated to be $993,414. The expected net social benefit for Rales Health Center was $756,937, which demonstrated substantial societal benefit at a return of $4.20 for every dollar invested. This net social benefit estimate was robust to sensitivity analyses. Despite the greater cost associated with the Rales Health Center's enhanced staffing model, the results of this analysis highlight the cost benefit of providing comprehensive, high-quality pediatric care in schools, particularly schools with a large proportion of underserved students. Copyright © 2018 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by
The Optimal Time for Claiming Social Security Benefits: A Methodological Note

OpenAIRE

Joseph Friedman

2014-01-01

The optimal age for initiating Social Security benefits and the initiation versus postponement of benefits decision are the subjects of a number of recent papers. It is generally agreed that an initiation versus postponement of benefits decision may have significant consequences, but there is less agreement about how to model the problem or measure its financial implications. By law benefits are paid only to live beneficiaries. Thus, the anticipated future benefits should be weighted by the r...
Perceived discrimination and cancer screening behaviors in US Hispanics: the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Valdovinos, Cristina; Penedo, Frank J; Isasi, Carmen R; Jung, Molly; Kaplan, Robert C; Giacinto, Rebeca Espinoza; Gonzalez, Patricia; Malcarne, Vanessa L; Perreira, Krista; Salgado, Hugo; Simon, Melissa A; Wruck, Lisa M; Greenlee, Heather A

2016-01-01

Perceived discrimination has been associated with lower adherence to cancer screening guidelines. We examined whether perceived discrimination was associated with adherence to breast, cervical, colorectal, and prostate cancer screening guidelines in US Hispanic/Latino adults. Data were obtained from the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study, including 5,313 Hispanic adults aged 18–74 from Bronx, NY, Chicago, IL, Miami, FL, and San Diego, CA, and those who were within appropriate age ranges for specific screening tests were included in the analysis. Cancer screening behaviors were assessed via self-report. Perceived discrimination was measured using the Perceived Ethnic Discrimination Questionnaire. Confounder-adjusted multivariable polytomous logistic regression models assessed the association between perceived discrimination and adherence to cancer screening guidelines. Among women eligible for screening, 72.1 % were adherent to cervical cancer screening guidelines and 71.3 %were adherent to breast cancer screening guidelines. In participants aged 50–74, 24.6 % of women and 27.0 % of men were adherent to fecal occult blood test guidelines; 43.5 % of women and 34.8 % of men were adherent to colonoscopy/sigmoidoscopy guidelines; 41.0 % of men were adherent to prostate-specific antigen screening guidelines. Health insurance coverage, rather than perceived ethnic discrimination,was the variable most associated with receiving breast, cervical,colorectal, or prostate cancer screening. The influence of discrimination as a barrier to cancer screening may be modest among Hispanics/Latinos in urban US regions. Having health insurance facilitates cancer screening in this population. Efforts to increase cancer screening in Hispanics/Latinos should focus on increasing access to these services, especially among the uninsured.
Distinguishing community benefits: tax exemption versus organizational legitimacy.

Science.gov (United States)

Byrd, James D; Landry, Amy

2012-01-01

US policymakers continue to call into question the tax-exempt status of hospitals. As nonprofit tax-exempt entities, hospitals are required by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to report the type and cost of community benefits they provide. Institutional theory indicates that organizations derive organizational legitimacy from conforming to the expectations of their environment. Expectations from the state and federal regulators (the IRS, state and local taxing authorities in particular) and the community require hospitals to provide community benefits to achieve legitimacy. This article examines community benefit through an institutional theory framework, which includes regulative (laws and regulation), normative (certification and accreditation), and cultural-cognitive (relationship with the community including the provision of community benefits) pillars. Considering a review of the results of a 2006 IRS study of tax-exempt hospitals, the authors propose a model of hospital community benefit behaviors that distinguishes community benefits between cost-quantifiable activities appropriate for justifying tax exemption and unquantifiable activities that only contribute to hospitals' legitimacy.
Retiree health benefits-vesting of welfare benefits-early retirement-duty to bargain-termination of benefits-estoppel.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

Poore v. Simpson Paper Co., 2009 U.S. App. LEXIS 11170 (9th Cir. Or. May 21, 2009). To be able to sue under ERISA, retirement health plan participants need not show that their benefits are vested the same way pension benefits are vested; the rights to the benefits need not be fixed or unalterable, rather, the employee must have an entitlement to the benefits.
Modeling the cost and benefit of proteome regulation in a growing bacterial cell

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Pooja; Pratim Pandey, Parth; Jain, Sanjay

2018-07-01

Escherichia coli cells differentially regulate the production of metabolic and ribosomal proteins in order to stay close to an optimal growth rate in different environments, and exhibit the bacterial growth laws as a consequence. We present a simple mathematical model of a growing-dividing cell in which an internal dynamical mechanism regulates the allocation of proteomic resources between different protein sectors. The model allows an endogenous determination of the growth rate of the cell as a function of cellular and environmental parameters, and reproduces the bacterial growth laws. We use the model and its variants to study the balance between the cost and benefit of regulation. A cost is incurred because cellular resources are diverted to produce the regulatory apparatus. We show that there is a window of environments or a ‘niche’ in which the unregulated cell has a higher fitness than the regulated cell. Outside this niche there is a large space of constant and time varying environments in which regulation is an advantage. A knowledge of the ‘niche boundaries’ allows one to gain an intuitive understanding of the class of environments in which regulation is an advantage for the organism and which would therefore favour the evolution of regulation. The model allows us to determine the ‘niche boundaries’ as a function of cellular parameters such as the size of the burden of the regulatory apparatus. This class of models may be useful in elucidating various tradeoffs in cells and in making in-silico predictions relevant for synthetic biology.
Analogues of desferrioxamine B designed to attenuate iron-mediated neurodegeneration: synthesis, characterisation and activity in the MPTP-mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Gotsbacher, Michael P; Telfer, Thomas J; Witting, Paul K; Double, Kay L; Finkelstein, David I; Codd, Rachel

2017-07-19

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterised by the death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) region of the brain and formation of α-synuclein-containing intracellular inclusions. Excess intraneuronal iron in the SNpc increases reactive oxygen species (ROS), which identifies removing iron as a possible therapeutic strategy. Desferrioxamine B (DFOB, 1) is an iron chelator produced by bacteria. Its high Fe(iii) affinity, water solubility and low chronic toxicity is useful in removing iron accumulated in plasma from patients with transfusion-dependent blood disorders. Here, lipophilic analogues of DFOB with increased potential to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) have been prepared by conjugating ancillary compounds onto the amine terminus. The ancillary compounds included the antioxidants rac-6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchromane-2-carboxylic acid (rac-trolox, rac-TLX (a truncated vitamin E variant)), R-TLX, S-TLX, methylated derivatives of 3-(6-hydroxy-2-methylchroman-2-yl)propionic acid (α-CEHC, γ-CEHC, δ-CEHC), or 4-(5-hydroxy-3-methyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)benzoic acid (carboxylic acid derivative of edaravone, EDA). Compounds 2-8 could have dual function in attenuating ROS by chelating Fe(iii) and via the antioxidant ancillary group. A conjugate between DFOB and an ancillary unit without antioxidant properties (3,5-dimethyladamantane-1-carboxylic acid (AdA dMe )) was included (9). Compounds 2-9 were more lipophilic (log P -0.05 to 3.39) than DFOB (log P -2.62) and showed an average plasma protein binding 6 times greater than DFOB. The ABTS˙ + radical assay indicated 2-8 had antioxidant activity ascribable to the ancillary fragment. Administration of 2 and 9 in the mouse model of PD using the neurotoxin prodrug 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), which recapitulates elevated iron of human PD, resulted in significant neuronal protection (p compounds for PD.
Benefits Innovations in Employee Behavioral Health.

Science.gov (United States)

Sherman, Bruce; Block, Lori

2017-01-01

More and more employers recognize the business impact of behavioral health concerns in the workplace. This article provides insights into some of the current innovations in behavioral health benefits, along with their rationale for development. Areas of innovation include conceptual and delivery models, technological advance- ments, tools for engaging employees and ways of quantifying the business value of behavioral health benefits. The rapid growth of innovative behavioral health services should provide employers with confidence that they can tailor a program best suited to their priorities, organizational culture and cost limitations.
Quantifying Co-benefits of Renewable Energy through Integrated Electricity and Air Quality Modeling

Science.gov (United States)

Abel, D.

2016-12-01

This work focuses on the coordination of electricity sector changes with air quality and health improvement strategies through the integration of electricity and air quality models. Two energy models are used to calculate emission perturbations associated with changes in generation technology (20% generation from solar photovoltaics) and demand (future electricity use under a warmer climate). Impacts from increased solar PV penetration are simulated with the electricity model GridView, in collaboration with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Generation results are used to scale power plant emissions from an inventory developed by the Lake Michigan Air Directors Consortium (LADCO). Perturbed emissions and are used to calculate secondary particulate matter with the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model. We find that electricity NOx and SO2 emissions decrease at a rate similar to the total fraction of electricity supplied by solar. Across the Eastern U.S. region, average PM2.5 is reduced 5% over the summer, with highest reduction in regions and on days of greater PM2.5. A similar approach evaluates the air quality impacts of elevated electricity demand under a warmer climate. Meteorology is selected from the North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program (NARCCAP) and input to a building energy model, eQUEST, to assess electricity demand as a function of ambient temperature. The associated generation and emissions are calculated on a plant-by-plant basis by the MyPower power sector model. These emissions are referenced to the 2011 National Emissions Inventory to be modeled in CMAQ for the Eastern U.S. and extended to health impact evaluation with the Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program (BenMAP). All results focus on the air quality and health consequences of energy system changes, considering grid-level changes to meet climate and air quality goals.
Understanding the Harms and Benefits of Cancer Screening: A Model of Factors That Shape Informed Decision Making.

Science.gov (United States)

Petrova, Dafina; Garcia-Retamero, Rocio; Cokely, Edward T

2015-10-01

Decisions about cancer screenings often involve the consideration of complex and counterintuitive evidence. We investigated psychological factors that promote the comprehension of benefits and harms associated with common cancer screenings and their influence on shared decision making. In experiment 1, 256 men received information about PSA-based prostate cancer screening. In experiment 2, 355 women received information about mammography-based breast cancer screening. In both studies, information about potential screening outcomes was provided in 1 of 3 formats: text, a fact box, or a visual aid (e.g., mortality with and without screening and rate of overdiagnosis). We modeled the interplay of comprehension, perceived risks and benefits, intention to participate in screening, and desire for shared decision making. Generally, visual aids were the most effective format, increasing comprehension by up to 18%. Improved comprehension was associated with 1) superior decision making (e.g., fewer intentions to participate in screening when it offered no benefit) and 2) more desire to share in decision making. However, comprehension of the evidence had a limited effect on experienced emotions, risk perceptions, and decision making among those participants who felt that the consequences of cancer were extremely severe. Even when information is counterintuitive and requires the integration of complex harms and benefits, user-friendly risk communications can facilitate comprehension, improve high-stakes decisions, and promote shared decision making. However, previous beliefs about the effectiveness of screening or strong fears about specific cancers may interfere with comprehension and informed decision making. © The Author(s) 2015.
Co-benefits of climate policies: a potential keystone of climate negotiations?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cassen, Christophe; Guivarch, Celine; Lecocq, Franck

2015-01-01

This paper analyzes the challenges related to the assessment of co-benefits of climate policies underpinned by the implementation of multi-objective policies which seek synergies between climate policies and other development objectives (poverty alleviation, employment, health etc.). The analysis highlights the increasing interest in co-benefits in the latest 5. IPCC report, in particular by integrated models. Nevertheless, the quantified evaluation of co-benefits is still confronted to several methodological limitations which reduce the scope of co-benefits, particularly at the global level. In a growing context of climate-development approaches in climate negotiations, this article insists on the need to also assess co-benefits of other policies which induce a significant part of GHG emissions. Considering climate policies focused only on Greenhouse Gases emissions reduction limits the range of policy instruments to carbon taxation, tradable carbon emissions permits or dedicated mitigation and adaptation funds. This also hinders the integration of climate objectives in non-climate policies. Analyzing impacts of development policies on Green Gases emissions in the form of co-benefits requires to broaden the range of policy instruments and to take into account other drivers of emissions such as land dynamics. Including these mechanisms in integrated models therefore represents new scientific frontiers for integrated models in the coming years

Therapeutic benefits of a component of coffee in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Basurto-Islas, Gustavo; Blanchard, Julie; Tung, Yunn Chyn; Fernandez, Jose R; Voronkov, Michael; Stock, Maxwell; Zhang, Sherry; Stock, Jeffry B; Iqbal, Khalid

2014-12-01

A minor component of coffee unrelated to caffeine, eicosanoyl-5-hydroxytryptamide (EHT), provides protection in a rat model for Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this model, viral expression of the phosphoprotein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) endogenous inhibitor, the I2(PP2A), or SET protein in the brains of rats leads to several characteristic features of AD including cognitive impairment, tau hyperphosphorylation, and elevated levels of cytoplasmic amyloid-β protein. Dietary supplementation with EHT for 6-12 months resulted in substantial amelioration of all these defects. The beneficial effects of EHT could be associated with its ability to increase PP2A activity by inhibiting the demethylation of its catalytic subunit PP2Ac. These findings raise the possibility that EHT may make a substantial contribution to the apparent neuroprotective benefits associated with coffee consumption as evidenced by numerous epidemiologic studies indicating that coffee drinkers have substantially lowered risk of developing AD. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Health Benefits of Outdoor Recreation: Implications for Health Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Breitenstein, Donna; Ewert, Alan

1990-01-01

This article reviews literature related to the positive effects of outdoor education. The following dimensions of health, and the benefits associated with each, are discussed: emotional, social, physical, intellectual, and spiritual. A model of health benefits derived from outdoor recreation is presented, and implications for health education are…
Costs and benefits of direct-to-consumer advertising: the case of depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Block, Adam E

2007-01-01

Direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) is legal in the US and New Zealand, but illegal in the rest of the world. Little or no research exists on the social welfare implications of DTCA. To quantify the total costs and benefits associated with both appropriate and inappropriate care due to DTCA, for the case of depression. A cost-benefit model was developed using parameter estimates from available survey, epidemiological and experimental data. The model estimates the total benefits and costs (year 2002 values) of new appropriate and inappropriate care stimulated by DTCA for depression. Uncertainty in model parameters is addressed with sensitivity analyses. This study provides evidence that 94% of new antidepressant use due to DTCA is from non-depressed individuals. However, the average health benefit to each new depressed user is 63-fold greater than the cost per treatment, creating a positive overall social welfare effect; a net benefit of >72 million US dollars. This analysis suggests that DTCA may lead to antidepressant treatment in 15-fold as many non-depressed people as depressed people. However, the costs of treating non-depressed people may be vastly outweighed by the much larger benefit accruing to treated depressed individuals. The cost-benefit ratio can be improved through better targeting of advertisements and higher quality treatment of depression.
Ontario Universities Benefits Survey, 1990-91: Part I, Benefits Excluding Pensions.

Science.gov (United States)

Council of Ontario Universities, Toronto.

The report details, in tabular form, non-pension benefits offered by each of 17 Ontario universities. These include: supplementary health insurance; long term disability; sick leave entitlement; sick leave-benefits continuance; long term disability-benefits continuance; life insurance; survivor benefit; dental plan; post-retirement benefits;…
Antiulcerogenic benefits of herbal ingredients in ethanol-induced ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Antiulcerogenic benefits of herbal ingredients in ethanol-induced animal models. ... Although therapeutic approaches are widely available, preventive regimens are limited. Numerous studies have demonstrated that herbal ... gastric ulcer. Key words: Herbal Medicines, Gastric ulcer, Prevention, Animal models, Alcohol ...
Benefit-cost analysis of OHER research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nesse, R.J.

1988-01-01

This research was undertaken to estimate societal benefits and costs of selected past research performed for OHER. Three case studies of representative OHER and DOE research were performed. One of these, the acid rain case study, included research conducted in another office in DOE. The other two cases were the OHER marine research program and the OHER project that developed high-purity germanium used in radiation detectors. The acid rain case study looked at research benefits and costs of furnace sorbent injection and duct injection, technologies that might reduce acid deposition precursors. Both appeared to show benefits in excess of costs. They examined in detail one of the marine research program's accomplishments, the increase in environmental information used by the Outer Continental Shelf leasing program to manage bidding for off-shore oil drilling. The results of an econometric model showed that, environmentally, marine research supported by OHER is unequivocally linked to government and industry leasing decisions. Finally, the germanium case study indicated that benefits of germanium radiation detectors were significant
Accounting for tourism benefits in marine reserve design

Science.gov (United States)

2017-01-01

Marine reserve design often considers potential benefits to conservation and/or fisheries but typically ignores potential revenues generated through tourism. Since tourism can be the main source of economic benefits for many marine reserves worldwide, ignoring tourism objectives in the design process might lead to sub-optimal outcomes. To incorporate tourism benefits into marine reserve design, we develop a bioeconomic model that tracks tourism and fisheries revenues through time for different management options and location characteristics. Results from the model show that accounting for tourism benefits will ultimately motivate greater ocean protection. Our findings demonstrate that marine reserves are part of the optimal economic solution even in situations with optimal fisheries management and low tourism value relative to fisheries. The extent of optimal protection depends on specific location characteristics, such as tourism potential and other local amenities, and the species recreational divers care about. Additionally, as tourism value increases, optimal reserve area also increases. Finally, we demonstrate how tradeoffs between the two services depend on location attributes and management of the fishery outside marine reserve borders. Understanding when unavoidable tradeoffs will arise helps identify those situations where communities must choose between competing interests. PMID:29267364
Diagrams benefit symbolic problem-solving.

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Junyi; Rittle-Johnson, Bethany; Fyfe, Emily R

2017-06-01

The format of a mathematics problem often influences students' problem-solving performance. For example, providing diagrams in conjunction with story problems can benefit students' understanding, choice of strategy, and accuracy on story problems. However, it remains unclear whether providing diagrams in conjunction with symbolic equations can benefit problem-solving performance as well. We tested the impact of diagram presence on students' performance on algebra equation problems to determine whether diagrams increase problem-solving success. We also examined the influence of item- and student-level factors to test the robustness of the diagram effect. We worked with 61 seventh-grade students who had received 2 months of pre-algebra instruction. Students participated in an experimenter-led classroom session. Using a within-subjects design, students solved algebra problems in two matched formats (equation and equation-with-diagram). The presence of diagrams increased equation-solving accuracy and the use of informal strategies. This diagram benefit was independent of student ability and item complexity. The benefits of diagrams found previously for story problems generalized to symbolic problems. The findings are consistent with cognitive models of problem-solving and suggest that diagrams may be a useful additional representation of symbolic problems. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.
CHRISGAS Project. WP13: Ancillary and Novel Processes. Final Report: Separation of Hydrogen with Membranes Combined with Water Gas Shift Reaction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanchez-Hervas, J. M.; Marono, M.; Barreiro, M. M.

2011-05-13

Oxygen pressurized gasification of biomass out stands as a very promising approach to obtain energy or hydrogen from renewable sources. The technical feasibility of this technology has been investigated under the scope of the VI FP CHRISGAS project, which started in September 2004 and had a duration of five and a half years. The Division of Combustion and Gasification of CIEMAT participated in this project in Work Package 13: Ancillary and novel processes, studying innovative gas separation and gas upgrading systems. Such systems include novel or available high temperature water gas shift catalysts and commercially available membranes not yet tried in this type of atmosphere. This report describes the activities carried out during the project regarding the performance of high temperature water gas shift catalysts for upgrading of synthesis gas obtained from biomass gasification, the separation of H2 with selective membranes and the combination of both processes in one by means of a catalytic membrane reactor. (Author) 20 refs.
CHRISGAS Project. WP13: Ancillary and Novel Processes. Final Report: Separation of Hydrogen with Membranes Combined with Water Gas Shift Reaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanchez-Hervas, J. M.; Marono, M.; Barreiro, M. M.

2011-01-01

Oxygen pressurized gasification of biomass out stands as a very promising approach to obtain energy or hydrogen from renewable sources. The technical feasibility of this technology has been investigated under the scope of the VI FP CHRISGAS project, which started in September 2004 and had a duration of five and a half years. The Division of Combustion and Gasification of CIEMAT participated in this project in Work Package 13: Ancillary and novel processes, studying innovative gas separation and gas upgrading systems. Such systems include novel or available high temperature water gas shift catalysts and commercially available membranes not yet tried in this type of atmosphere. This report describes the activities carried out during the project regarding the performance of high temperature water gas shift catalysts for upgrading of synthesis gas obtained from biomass gasification, the separation of H2 with selective membranes and the combination of both processes in one by means of a catalytic membrane reactor. (Author) 20 refs.
Benefit finding and resilience in child caregivers.

Science.gov (United States)

Cassidy, Tony; Giles, Melanie; McLaughlin, Marian

2014-09-01

A substantial number of children are involved in informal caregiving and make a significant contribution to health care delivery. While this places high levels of demand on their coping resources, there is some evidence that these children find benefit in their caring role. A survey design using questionnaire data collection was used with a sample of 442 children (174 boys and 268 girls) between the ages of 12 and 16. The role of benefit finding and resilience was explored within a stress and coping model of the impact of caregiving. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis (HMRA) identified resilience and benefit finding as accounting for significant amounts of variance in positive health and mediating the impact of caregiving. In regard to negative health, only benefit finding played a significant role. Young caregivers do experience benefit finding and exhibit resilience although the relationship with caregiving burden was inverse. Benefit finding seems to be related to social recognition of the caregiving role and to family support. What is already known on this subject? There is some emerging evidence that child caregivers experience some positive effects or benefits from their caring in spite of the demands of the role. However, the main focus has been on reducing negative outcomes rather than on building resilience. What this study adds? This study provides evidence that young caregivers do experience benefit finding in situations where the role demand is not overly excessive and where the role is socially recognized. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.
Spatial land-use inventory, modeling, and projection/Denver metropolitan area, with inputs from existing maps, airphotos, and LANDSAT imagery

Science.gov (United States)

Tom, C.; Miller, L. D.; Christenson, J. W.

1978-01-01

A landscape model was constructed with 34 land-use, physiographic, socioeconomic, and transportation maps. A simple Markov land-use trend model was constructed from observed rates of change and nonchange from photointerpreted 1963 and 1970 airphotos. Seven multivariate land-use projection models predicting 1970 spatial land-use changes achieved accuracies from 42 to 57 percent. A final modeling strategy was designed, which combines both Markov trend and multivariate spatial projection processes. Landsat-1 image preprocessing included geometric rectification/resampling, spectral-band, and band/insolation ratioing operations. A new, systematic grid-sampled point training-set approach proved to be useful when tested on the four orginal MSS bands, ten image bands and ratios, and all 48 image and map variables (less land use). Ten variable accuracy was raised over 15 percentage points from 38.4 to 53.9 percent, with the use of the 31 ancillary variables. A land-use classification map was produced with an optimal ten-channel subset of four image bands and six ancillary map variables. Point-by-point verification of 331,776 points against a 1972/1973 U.S. Geological Survey (UGSG) land-use map prepared with airphotos and the same classification scheme showed average first-, second-, and third-order accuracies of 76.3, 58.4, and 33.0 percent, respectively.
University Benefits Survey. Part 1 (All Benefits Excluding Pensions).

Science.gov (United States)

University of Western Ontario, London.

Results of a 1983 survey of benefits, excluding pensions, for 17 Ontario, Canada, universities are presented. Information is provided on the following areas: whether the university self-administers insurance plans, communication of benefits, proposed changes in benefits, provision of life and dismemberment insurance, maternity leave policy,…
Multifunctionality in agriculture and the contestable public domain; theory and evidence about on-farm and off-farm activities in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jongeneel, R.A.; Slangen, L.H.G.

2004-01-01

Apart from food and raw materials, agriculture can also provide ancillary benefits such as landscapes, biodiversity, cultural heritage and thriving rural communities. This book offers a state-of-the-art overview of strategies for sustainable management practices and their implementation through the
Sustaining Agriculture and the Rural Environment; governance, policy and multifunctionality

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brouwer, F.M.

2004-01-01

Apart from food and raw materials, agriculture can also provide ancillary benefits such as landscapes, biodiversity, cultural heritage and thriving rural communities. This book offers a state-of-the-art overview of strategies for sustainable management practices and their implementation through the
Cooperative learning benefits scale: construction and validation studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Lopes

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to develop and validate a scale of benefits of the Cooperative Learning (SBCL given the exiguity of instruments that evaluate these outputs of the method. The study resorted to a convenience sample comprised of 162 students, males and females, aged between 11 and 18 years. The final instrument has 23 items in a two-dimensional factor structure: psychological and academic benefits and social benefits. The results indicate that the SBCL present good psychometric properties (construct and discriminant validity and reliability. The results are discussed in light of the model of cooperative learning.
The benefits of integrating cost-benefit analysis and risk assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fisher, K.; Clarke-Whistler, K.

1995-01-01

It has increasingly been recognized that knowledge of risks in the absence of benefits and costs cannot dictate appropriate public policy choices. Recent evidence of this recognition includes the proposed EPA Risk Assessment and Cost-Benefit Analysis Act of 1995, a number of legislative changes in Canada and the US, and the increasing demand for field studies combining measures of impacts, risks, costs and benefits. Failure to consider relative environmental and human health risks, benefits, and costs in making public policy decisions has resulted in allocating scarce resources away from areas offering the highest levels of risk reduction and improvements in health and safety. The authors discuss the implications of not taking costs and benefits into account in addressing environmental risks, drawing on examples from both Canada and the US. The authors also present the results of their recent field work demonstrating the advantages of considering costs and benefits in making public policy and site remediation decisions, including a study on the benefits and costs of prevention, remediation and monitoring techniques applied to groundwater contamination; the benefits and costs of banning the use of chlorine; and the benefits and costs of Canada's concept of disposing of high-level nuclear waste. The authors conclude that a properly conducted Cost-Benefit Analysis can provide critical input to a Risk Assessment and can ensure that risk management decisions are efficient, cost-effective and maximize improvement to environmental and human health
Online benefits solutions--a new trend in managing employee benefits programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Ala, Mohammad; Brunaczki, Bernadette

2003-01-01

This article focuses on the array of online benefits solutions offered by technology companies and reports the benefits to both employers and employees. Some of the benefits include reduced paperwork, reduced errors, and reduced administration costs. Companies that can deliver these benefits will be in great demand to help manage benefits programs and streamline the administrative processes.
Modeling of GE Appliances: Cost Benefit Study of Smart Appliances in Wholesale Energy, Frequency Regulation, and Spinning Reserve Markets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fuller, Jason C.; Parker, Graham B.

2012-12-31

This report is the second in a series of three reports describing the potential of GE’s DR-enabled appliances to provide benefits to the utility grid. The first report described the modeling methodology used to represent the GE appliances in the GridLAB-D simulation environment and the estimated potential for peak demand reduction at various deployment levels. The third report will explore the technical capability of aggregated group actions to positively impact grid stability, including frequency and voltage regulation and spinning reserves, and the impacts on distribution feeder voltage regulation, including mitigation of fluctuations caused by high penetration of photovoltaic distributed generation. In this report, a series of analytical methods were presented to estimate the potential cost benefit of smart appliances while utilizing demand response. Previous work estimated the potential technical benefit (i.e., peak reduction) of smart appliances, while this report focuses on the monetary value of that participation. The effects on wholesale energy cost and possible additional revenue available by participating in frequency regulation and spinning reserve markets were explored.
Economic Benefit Evaluation and Application of Northwest Rural Eco-Campus Based on Principal Component Projection Model

OpenAIRE

Wei, Hong-ying; Wang, Lan-ying; Qiu, Yu-qiao

2009-01-01

Financial cost benefit (investment yield, financial net present value, benefit-cost ratio), social and economic benefits (saving rate of medical cost, average household income rate of trained farmers), technical and economic benefits (toilet-flushing water saves, pests and disease reduce rate, fruit or vegetable increase rate, and improve rate of technical skill level), and ecological and economic benefits (saving rate of afforestation cost, reduction of CO2 discharge, reduction of SO2 discha...

Green Infrastructure Simulation and Optimization to Achieve Combined Sewer Overflow Reductions in Philadelphia's Mill Creek Sewershed

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, J. S.; McGarity, A. E.

2017-12-01

The ability for mass deployment of green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) to intercept significant amounts of urban runoff has the potential to reduce the frequency of a city's combined sewer overflows (CSOs). This study was performed to aid in the Overbrook Environmental Education Center's vision of applying this concept to create a Green Commercial Corridor in Philadelphia's Overbrook Neighborhood, which lies in the Mill Creek Sewershed. In an attempt to further implement physical and social reality into previous work using simulation-optimization techniques to produce GSI deployment strategies (McGarity, et al., 2016), this study's models incorporated land use types and a specific neighborhood in the sewershed. The low impact development (LID) feature in EPA's Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) was used to simulate various geographic configurations of GSI in Overbrook. The results from these simulations were used to obtain formulas describing the annual CSO reduction in the sewershed based on the deployed GSI practices. These non-linear hydrologic response formulas were then implemented into the Storm Water Investment Strategy Evaluation (StormWISE) model (McGarity, 2012), a constrained optimization model used to develop optimal stormwater management practices on the watershed scale. By saturating the avenue with GSI, not only will CSOs from the sewershed into the Schuylkill River be reduced, but ancillary social and economic benefits of GSI will also be achieved. The effectiveness of these ancillary benefits changes based on the type of GSI practice and the type of land use in which the GSI is implemented. Thus, the simulation and optimization processes were repeated while delimiting GSI deployment by land use (residential, commercial, industrial, and transportation). The results give a GSI deployment strategy that achieves desired annual CSO reductions at a minimum cost based on the locations of tree trenches, rain gardens, and rain barrels in specified land
A multi-criteria decision approach to sorting actions for promoting energy efficiency

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pires Neves, Luis; Gomes Martins, Antonio; Henggeler Antunes, Carlos; Candido Dias, Luis

2008-01-01

This paper proposes a multi-criteria decision approach for sorting energy-efficiency initiatives, promoted by electric utilities, with or without public funds authorized by a regulator, or promoted by an independent energy agency, overcoming the limitations and drawbacks of cost-benefit analysis. The proposed approach is based on the ELECTRE-TRI multi-criteria method and allows the consideration of different kinds of impacts, although avoiding difficult measurements and unit conversions. The decision is based on all the significant effects of the initiative, both positive and negative, including ancillary effects often forgotten in cost-benefit analysis. The ELECTRE-TRI, as most multi-criteria methods, provides to the decision maker the ability of controlling the relevance each impact can have on the final decision in a transparent way. The decision support process encompasses a robustness analysis, which, together with a good documentation of the parameters supplied into the model, should support sound decisions. The models were tested with a set of real-world initiatives and compared with possible decisions based on cost-benefit analysis
75 FR 70625 - Annual Funding Notice for Defined Benefit Plans

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-18

... model funding notices. Much of the guidance in FAB 2009-01 has been incorporated into the proposed... Annual Funding Notice for Defined Benefit Plans AGENCY: Employee Benefits Security Administration, Labor... implement the annual funding notice requirement in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974...
How the brain integrates costs and benefits during decision making

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Basten, U.; Biele, G.; Heekeren, H.R.; Fiebach, C.J.

2010-01-01

When we make decisions, the benefits of an option often need to be weighed against accompanying costs. Little is known, however, about the neural systems underlying such cost-benefit computations. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging and choice modeling, we show that decision making based on
Evaluating economic costs and benefits of climate resilient livelihood strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Liu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available A major challenge for international development is to assist the poorest regions to achieve development targets while taking climate change into account. Such ‘climate resilient development’ (CRD must identify and implement adaptation strategies for improving livelihoods while also being cost-effective. While the idea that climate resilience and development goals should be compatible is often discussed, empirical evaluations of the economic impacts of actual CRD investments are practically non-existent. This paper outlines a framework to evaluate economic returns to CRD and applies it in two adaptation strategies trialed in Nusa Tenggara Barat Province, eastern Indonesia. The evaluation framework is composed of three models: a household benefit cost model, a diffusion model, and a regional benefit cost model. The models draw upon the impact evaluation, technology diffusion, and risk assessment literatures, respectively. The analyzes are based on expert opinion and locally-derived information, and hence can be applied in data-poor situations typical of developing countries. Our results explore economic costs and benefits at the household and regional scale, and we identify key input variables that greatly influence the economic returns of the strategies. These variables should therefore be a focus of ongoing investment. We also discuss how the framework is more generally applicable, its limitations including challenges in accounting for less tangible social and ecosystem service benefits, potentially leading to the underestimation of impacts, and how the approach should be complemented by qualitative methods.
Facing the Risks of the "Mozart Effect."

Science.gov (United States)

Reimer, Bennett

1999-01-01

How can a widely acclaimed benefit of music study (improved spatial/temporal reasoning) be incorporated without overwhelming musical values? By focusing on musical learning goals stipulated in the standards and graciously including some ancillary purposes, music educators can protect professional integrity while comfortably promoting beneficial…
Cost-benefit analysis of the ATM automatic deposit service

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivica Županović

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Bankers and other financial experts have analyzed the value of automated teller machines (ATM in terms of growing consumer demand, rising costs of technology development, decreasing profitability and market share. This paper presents a step-by-step cost-benefit analysis of the ATM automatic deposit service. The first step is to determine user attitudes towards using ATM automatic deposit service by using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM. The second step is to determine location priorities for ATMs that provide automatic deposit services using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP model. The results of the previous steps enable a highly efficient application of cost-benefit analysis for evaluating costs and benefits of automatic deposit services. To understand fully the proposed procedure outside of theoretical terms, a real-world application of a case study is conducted.
Ancillary contributions of heterologous biotin protein ligase and carbonic anhydrase for CO2 incorporation into 3-hydroxypropionate by metabolically engineered Pyrococcus furiosus.

Science.gov (United States)

Lian, Hong; Zeldes, Benjamin M; Lipscomb, Gina L; Hawkins, Aaron B; Han, Yejun; Loder, Andrew J; Nishiyama, Declan; Adams, Michael W W; Kelly, Robert M

2016-12-01

Acetyl-Coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC), malonyl-CoA reductase (MCR), and malonic semialdehyde reductase (MRS) convert HCO 3 - and acetyl-CoA into 3-hydroxypropionate (3HP) in the 3-hydroxypropionate/4-hydroxybutyrate carbon fixation cycle resident in the extremely thermoacidophilic archaeon Metallosphaera sedula. These three enzymes, when introduced into the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus, enable production of 3HP from maltose and CO 2 . Sub-optimal function of ACC was hypothesized to be limiting for production of 3HP, so accessory enzymes carbonic anhydrase (CA) and biotin protein ligase (BPL) from M. sedula were produced recombinantly in Escherichia coli to assess their function. P. furiosus lacks a native, functional CA, while the M. sedula CA (Msed_0390) has a specific activity comparable to other microbial versions of this enzyme. M. sedula BPL (Msed_2010) was shown to biotinylate the β-subunit (biotin carboxyl carrier protein) of the ACC in vitro. Since the native BPLs in E. coli and P. furiosus may not adequately biotinylate the M. sedula ACC, the carboxylase was produced in P. furiosus by co-expression with the M. sedula BPL. The baseline production strain, containing only the ACC, MCR, and MSR, grown in a CO 2 -sparged bioreactor reached titers of approximately 40 mg/L 3HP. Strains in which either the CA or BPL accessory enzyme from M. sedula was added to the pathway resulted in improved titers, 120 or 370 mg/L, respectively. The addition of both M. sedula CA and BPL, however, yielded intermediate titers of 3HP (240 mg/L), indicating that the effects of CA and BPL on the engineered 3HP pathway were not additive, possible reasons for which are discussed. While further efforts to improve 3HP production by regulating gene dosage, improving carbon flux and optimizing bioreactor operation are needed, these results illustrate the ancillary benefits of accessory enzymes for incorporating CO 2 into 3HP production in metabolically engineered P
Market Valuation of Accrued Social Security Benefits

OpenAIRE

John Geanakoplos; Stephen P. Zeldes

2009-01-01

One measure of the health of the Social Security system is the difference between the market value of the trust fund and the present value of benefits accrued to date. How should present values be computed for this calculation in light of future uncertainties? We think it is important to use market value. Since claims on accrued benefits are not currently traded in financial markets, we cannot directly observe a market value. In this paper, we use a model to estimate what the market price for...
A Bayesian approach to probabilistic sensitivity analysis in structured benefit-risk assessment.

Science.gov (United States)

Waddingham, Ed; Mt-Isa, Shahrul; Nixon, Richard; Ashby, Deborah

2016-01-01

Quantitative decision models such as multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA) can be used in benefit-risk assessment to formalize trade-offs between benefits and risks, providing transparency to the assessment process. There is however no well-established method for propagating uncertainty of treatment effects data through such models to provide a sense of the variability of the benefit-risk balance. Here, we present a Bayesian statistical method that directly models the outcomes observed in randomized placebo-controlled trials and uses this to infer indirect comparisons between competing active treatments. The resulting treatment effects estimates are suitable for use within the MCDA setting, and it is possible to derive the distribution of the overall benefit-risk balance through Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulation. The method is illustrated using a case study of natalizumab for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Generic Models of Wind Turbine Generators for Advanced Applications in a VSC-based Offshore HVDC Network

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zeni, Lorenzo; Margaris, Ioannis; Hansen, Anca Daniela

This paper focuses on generic Type 4 wind turbine generators models, their applicability in modern HVDC connections and their capability to provide advanced ancillary services therefrom. A point-to-point HVDC offshore connection is considered. Issues concerning coordinated HVDC and wind farm...... involving the HVDC converters- The performance against frequency disturbances of the two presented configurations is assessed and discussed by means of simulations....
Validation of interpersonal support evaluation list-12 (ISEL-12) scores among English- and Spanish-speaking Hispanics/Latinos from the HCHS/SOL Sociocultural Ancillary Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Merz, Erin L; Roesch, Scott C; Malcarne, Vanessa L; Penedo, Frank J; Llabre, Maria M; Weitzman, Orit B; Navas-Nacher, Elena L; Perreira, Krista M; Gonzalez, Franklyn; Ponguta, Liliana A; Johnson, Timothy P; Gallo, Linda C

2014-06-01

The Interpersonal Support Evaluation List-12 (ISEL-12; Cohen, Mermelstein, Kamarck, & Hoberman, 1985) is broadly employed as a short-form measure of the traditional ISEL, which measures functional (i.e., perceived) social support. The ISEL-12 can be scored by summing the items to create an overall social support score; three subscale scores representing appraisal, belonging, and tangible social support have also been proposed. Despite extensive use, studies of the psychometric properties of ISEL-12 scores have been limited, particularly among Hispanics/Latinos, the largest and fastest growing ethnic group in the United States. The current study investigated the reliability and structural and convergent validity of ISEL-12 scores using data from 5,313 Hispanics/Latinos who participated in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos Sociocultural Ancillary Study. Participants completed measures in English or Spanish and identified their ancestry as Dominican, Central American, Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, or South American. Cronbach's alphas suggested adequate internal consistency for the total score for all languages and ancestry groups; coefficients for the subscale scores were not acceptable. Confirmatory factor analyses revealed that the one-factor and three-factor models fit the data equally well. Results from multigroup confirmatory factor analyses supported a similar one-factor structure with equivalent response patterns and variances between language groups and ancestry groups. Convergent validity analyses suggested that the total social support score related to scores of social network integration, life engagement, perceived stress, and negative affect (depression, anxiety) in the expected directions.
Values, Perceived Risks and Benefits, and Acceptability of Nuclear Energy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Groot, Judith I. M.; Steg, Linda; Poortinga, Wouter

We examined how personal values and perceptions of risks and benefits are associated with the acceptability of nuclear energy (NE). A theoretical model is tested in which beliefs about the risks and benefits of NE mediate the relationship between values and acceptability. The results showed that
Cancer risks, risk-cost-benefit analyses, and the scientific method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seiler, F.A.; Alvarez, J.L.

1995-01-01

Two main changes in risk analysis are increasingly beginning to influence the manner in which, in the perception of scientists, low-dose modeling of radiation carcinogenesis is supposed to be done. In the past, efforts to model radiation risks have been carried out under the banner of scientific endeavors. On closer inspection, however, it has become obvious that these efforts were not guided by the scientific method and that a change in approach is needed. We realize increasingly that risk analysis is not done in a vacuum and that any action taken due to the result of the analysis not only has a benefit in the form of a risk reduction but leads inevitably to an increase in cost and an increase in the risks of persons effecting the benefit. Thus, a risk-cost-benefit analysis should be done and show a clear-cut net benefit before a remedial action is taken
Delivering Summer Electronic Benefit Transfers for Children through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children: Benefit Use and Impacts on Food Security and Foods Consumed.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordon, Anne R; Briefel, Ronette R; Collins, Ann M; Rowe, Gretchen M; Klerman, Jacob A

2017-03-01

The Summer Electronic Benefit Transfers for Children (SEBTC) demonstration piloted summer food assistance through electronic benefit transfers (EBTs), providing benefits either through the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) EBT. To inform food assistance policy and describe how demonstrations using WIC and SNAP models differed in benefit take-up and impacts on food security and children's food consumption. Sites chose to deliver SEBTC using the SNAP or WIC EBT system. Within each site, in 2012, households were randomly assigned to a benefit group or a no-benefit control group. Grantees (eight states and two Indian Tribal Organizations) selected school districts serving many low-income children. Schoolchildren were eligible in cases where they had been certified for free or reduced-price meals during the school year. Before the demonstration, households in the demonstration sample had lower incomes and lower food security, on average, than households with eligible children nationally. Grantees provided selected households with benefits worth $60 per child per summer month using SNAP or WIC EBT systems. SNAP-model benefits covered most foods. WIC-model benefits could only be used for a specific package of foods. Key outcomes were children's food security (assessed using the US Department of Agriculture food security scale) and food consumption (assessed using food frequency questions). Differences in mean outcomes between the benefit and control groups measured impact, after adjusting for household characteristics. In WIC sites, benefit-group households redeemed a lower percentage of SEBTC benefits than in SNAP sites. Nonetheless, the benefit groups in both sets of sites had similar large reductions in very low food security among children, relative to no-benefit controls. Children receiving benefits consumed more healthful foods, and these impacts were larger in WIC
Long-term evaluation of benefits, harms, and cost-effectiveness of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program in Australia: A modelling study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lew, J.-B. (Jie-Bin); St John, D.J.B. (D James B); X.-M. Xu (Xiang-Ming); M.J.W. Greuter (Marcel); Caruana, M. (Michael); D.R. Cenin (Dayna R.); He, E. (Emily); Saville, M. (Marion); Grogan, P. (Paul); V.M.H. Coupé (Veerle); K. Canfell (Karen)

2017-01-01

textabstractBackground: No assessment of the National Bowel Screening Program (NBCSP) in Australia, which considers all downstream benefits, costs, and harms, has been done. We aimed to use a comprehensive natural history model and the most recent information about cancer treatment costs to estimate
Business Cycle Dependent Unemployment Benefits with Wealth Heterogeneity and Precautionary Savings

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristoffersen, Mark Strøm

In the wake of the financial and economic crisis the discussion about social insurance and optimal stabilization policies has re-blossomed. This paper adds to the literature by studying the effects of a business cycle dependent level of unemployment benefits in a model with labor market matching......, wealth heterogeneity, precautionary savings, and aggregate fluctuations in productivity. The results are ambiguous: both procyclical and countercyclical unemployment benefits can increase welfare relative to business cycle invariant benefits. Procyclical benefits are beneficial due to countercyclicality...
Modelling User-Costs in Life Cycle Cost-Benefit (LCCB) analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thoft-Christensen, Palle

2008-01-01

The importance of including user's costs in Life-Cycle Cost-Benefit analysis of structures is discussed in this paper. This is especially for bridges of great importance. Repair or/and failure of a bridge will usually result in user costs greater than the repair or replacement costs of the bridge...
Clinicopathological predictors of benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy for stage C colorectal cancer: Microsatellite unstable cases benefit.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Michelle L; Hewett, Peter J; Ruszkiewicz, Andrew R; Moore, James W E

2015-12-01

In colorectal cancer (CRC), adjuvant therapy is offered on the basis of stage and attempts to identify factors to better target treatment have not been successful. Recent work suggested that mismatch repair deficient CRCs may not benefit from 5FU adjuvant chemotherapy but studies remain conflicting. We aimed to determine if gender, tumor site, tumor pathological characteristics and microsatellite instability (MSI) predict survival benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy in stage C CRC. Data were collated on ACPS (Australian Clinico-pathological Staging System) stage C CRC cases that underwent curative resection over a 23-year period. Pathology was reevaluated, DNA was extracted from the formalin-fixed paraffin specimen, and MSI status was established by BAT26 instability. Multivariate analysis was performed using Cox proportional hazard model and effects modification interaction testing. In total 814 unselected cases were included, of whom 37% received chemotherapy. Seventy-seven cases exhibited MSI. Overall, adjuvant chemotherapy produced a cancer-specific survival benefit (HR 0.52, 95% CI 0.39-0.70; P benefit. Chemotherapy was beneficial in both the MSI (HR 0.08, 95% CI 0.02-0.27; P = benefit from 5FU adjuvant chemotherapy for stage C CRC does not vary according to gender, site of tumor, pathological characteristics or MSI status. This study suggests that it would be unwise to exclude patients from being offered adjuvant chemotherapy on the basis of MSI. © 2015 The Authors. Asia-Pacific Journal of Clinical Oncology Published by Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.
Choosing where to work at work - towards a theoretical model of benefits and risks of activity-based flexible offices.

Science.gov (United States)

Wohlers, Christina; Hertel, Guido

2017-04-01

Although there is a trend in today's organisations to implement activity-based flexible offices (A-FOs), only a few studies examine consequences of this new office type. Moreover, the underlying mechanisms why A-FOs might lead to different consequences as compared to cellular and open-plan offices are still unclear. This paper introduces a theoretical framework explaining benefits and risks of A-FOs based on theories from work and organisational psychology. After deriving working conditions specific for A-FOs (territoriality, autonomy, privacy, proximity and visibility), differences in working conditions between A-FOs and alternative office types are proposed. Further, we suggest how these differences in working conditions might affect work-related consequences such as well-being, satisfaction, motivation and performance on the individual, the team and the organisational level. Finally, we consider task-related (e.g. task variety), person-related (e.g. personality) and organisational (e.g. leadership) moderators. Based on this model, future research directions as well as practical implications are discussed. Practitioner Summary: Activity-based flexible offices (A-FOs) are popular in today's organisations. This article presents a theoretical model explaining why and when working in an A-FO evokes benefits and risks for individuals, teams and organisations. According to the model, A-FOs are beneficial when management encourages employees to use the environment appropriately and supports teams.

Modeling and Control of Low Voltage Flexible Units for Enhanced Operation of Distribution Feeders

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Raboni, Pietro; Hu, Weihao; Chaudhary, Sanjay

2013-01-01

In some networks Distributed Generators (DGs) are phasing out conventional power plants in terms of power production but still large efforts are required for providing ancillary services. In this paper the usage of fast response units like a Micro Turbines (MT) and a stationary Electric Vehicle...... Battery (EVB) is proposed for providing primary regulation in grid connected mode and for hierarchically manage an islanded LV distribution feeder. The unit models are described and a novel EVB model directly based on manufacturer’s data is proposed and evaluated comparing its performances with Sim...
Nomogram for Predicting the Benefit of Adjuvant Chemoradiotherapy for Resected Gallbladder Cancer

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Samuel J.; Lemieux, Andrew; Kalpathy-Cramer, Jayashree; Ord, Celine B.; Walker, Gary V.; Fuller, C. David; Kim, Jong-Sung; Thomas, Charles R.

2011-01-01

Purpose Although adjuvant chemoradiotherapy for resected gallbladder cancer may improve survival for some patients, identifying which patients will benefit remains challenging because of the rarity of this disease. The specific aim of this study was to create a decision aid to help make individualized estimates of the potential survival benefit of adjuvant chemoradiotherapy for patients with resected gallbladder cancer. Methods Patients with resected gallbladder cancer were selected from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) –Medicare database who were diagnosed between 1995 and 2005. Covariates included age, race, sex, stage, and receipt of adjuvant chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Propensity score weighting was used to balance covariates between treated and untreated groups. Several types of multivariate survival regression models were constructed and compared, including Cox proportional hazards, Weibull, exponential, log-logistic, and lognormal models. Model performance was compared using the Akaike information criterion. The primary end point was overall survival with or without adjuvant chemotherapy or CRT. Results A total of 1,137 patients met the inclusion criteria for the study. The lognormal survival model showed the best performance. A Web browser–based nomogram was built from this model to make individualized estimates of survival. The model predicts that certain subsets of patients with at least T2 or N1 disease will gain a survival benefit from adjuvant CRT, and the magnitude of benefit for an individual patient can vary. Conclusion A nomogram built from a parametric survival model from the SEER-Medicare database can be used as a decision aid to predict which gallbladder patients may benefit from adjuvant CRT. PMID:22067404
Estimating the fitness cost and benefit of cefixime resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae to inform prescription policy: A modelling study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lilith K Whittles

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Gonorrhoea is one of the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infections in England. Over 41,000 cases were recorded in 2015, more than half of which occurred in men who have sex with men (MSM. As the bacterium has developed resistance to each first-line antibiotic in turn, we need an improved understanding of fitness benefits and costs of antibiotic resistance to inform control policy and planning. Cefixime was recommended as a single-dose treatment for gonorrhoea from 2005 to 2010, during which time resistance increased, and subsequently declined.We developed a stochastic compartmental model representing the natural history and transmission of cefixime-sensitive and cefixime-resistant strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in MSM in England, which was applied to data on diagnoses and prescriptions between 2008 and 2015. We estimated that asymptomatic carriers play a crucial role in overall transmission dynamics, with 37% (95% credible interval CrI 24%-52% of infections remaining asymptomatic and untreated, accounting for 89% (95% CrI 82%-93% of onward transmission. The fitness cost of cefixime resistance in the absence of cefixime usage was estimated to be such that the number of secondary infections caused by resistant strains is only about half as much as for the susceptible strains, which is insufficient to maintain persistence. However, we estimated that treatment of cefixime-resistant strains with cefixime was unsuccessful in 83% (95% CrI 53%-99% of cases, representing a fitness benefit of resistance. This benefit was large enough to counterbalance the fitness cost when 31% (95% CrI 26%-36% of cases were treated with cefixime, and when more than 55% (95% CrI 44%-66% of cases were treated with cefixime, the resistant strain had a net fitness advantage over the susceptible strain. Limitations include sparse data leading to large intervals on key model parameters and necessary assumptions in the modelling of a complex epidemiological process
29 CFR 1625.10 - Costs and benefits under employee benefit plans.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

..., the “benefit package” approach may not be used to reduce health insurance benefits by more than is..., even though the older worker may thereby receive a lesser amount of benefits or insurance coverage... of group term life insurance coverage for older workers, on the basis of age. However, a benefit-by...
Milk by Any Other Name... Consumer Benefits from Labeled Milk

OpenAIRE

Dhar, Tirtha; Foltz, Jeremy D.

2004-01-01

This article uses revealed preferences of consumers to study the consumer benefits from rBST-free and organic labeled milk. The article specifies and estimates a quadratic AIDS demand system model for different milk types using U.S. supermarket scanner data. The introduction of rBST-free and organic milk is used to estimate consumer benefits that are decomposed into two components, competitive and variety effects. Results show significant consumer benefits from organic milk and to a lesser ex...
Setting a national minimum standard for health benefits: how do state benefit mandates compare with benefits in large-group plans?

Science.gov (United States)

Frey, Allison; Mika, Stephanie; Nuzum, Rachel; Schoen, Cathy

2009-06-01

Many proposed health insurance reforms would establish a federal minimum benefit standard--a baseline set of benefits to ensure that people have adequate coverage and financial protection when they purchase insurance. Currently, benefit mandates are set at the state level; these vary greatly across states and generally target specific areas rather than set an overall standard for what qualifies as health insurance. This issue brief considers what a broad federal minimum standard might look like by comparing existing state benefit mandates with the services and providers covered under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) Blue Cross and Blue Shield standard benefit package, an example of minimum creditable coverage that reflects current standard practice among employer-sponsored health plans. With few exceptions, benefits in the FEHBP standard option either meet or exceed those that state mandates require-indicating that a broad-based national benefit standard would include most existing state benefit mandates.
Modeling the costs and benefits associated with the evolution of endothermy using a robotic python.

Science.gov (United States)

Brashears, J Alex; Hoffman, Ty C M; DeNardo, Dale F

2017-07-01

Endothermy provides considerable benefits to an organism but requires large energy investment. To understand potential driving forces that would lead to the evolution of endothermy, it is important to understand the energy costs and potential benefits of intermediate steps between ectothermy and homeothermic endothermy as well as the influences of environmental conditions on energetic costs. However, efforts to examine intermediate conditions are greatly limited by the predominant natural dichotomy between ectothermy and endothermy. Facultative endothermy by brooding pythons provides a fortunate study system where endothermy is beneficial but not essential. As one cannot control the extent of energy investment in heat production by a female python, we created an artificial snake with controllable heating capability. This enabled us to determine the energetic costs of maintaining a clutch at a preferred temperature, and to determine the relative thermal benefit of limited energy-producing capability (i.e. 50% of the required energy to maintain the preferred developmental temperature). We manipulated the pseudoserpent's clutch size (5, 10, 15 eggs), diel ambient temperature cycle (2, 4, 6°C) and insulation (with and without) at each of these power levels: unlimited power, half required power and no power. We found no significant effect of clutch size on either power requirements or developmental temperature. Energy requirements increased with the amplitude of the diel cycle and decreased with the addition of insulation, while the quality of the thermal environment decreased with the amplitude of the diel cycle. Interestingly, the quality of the thermal environment also decreased with the addition of insulation. We discuss these results within the context of the reproductive model of the evolution of endothermy. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.
Engineering evaluation cost analysis for the 100-B/C area ancillary facilities at the 108-F Building

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-10-01

In 1995, the US Department of Energy (DOE), Richland Operations Office (RL) conducted a removal site evaluation of selected facilities in the 100 Area of the Hanford Site in accordance with CERCLA and 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 300.410. The scope of the evaluation included the aboveground portions of the 108-F Biology Laboratory in the 100-F Area and all inactive ancillary buildings and structures in the 100-B/C Area, excluding the reactor building and the river outfall. Based on the evaluation, RL determined that hazardous substances in the 108-F Biology Laboratory and five of the 100-B/C Area facilities may present a potential threat to human health or the environment, and that a non-time critical removal action at these facilities is warranted. This determination was documented in an engineering evaluation/cost analysis (EE/CA) approval memorandum. The EE/CA approval memorandum is the basis on which to proceed with the performance of an EE/CA to determine the appropriate removal action. This report presents the results of the EE/CA for removal alternatives for final disposition of these six facilities. The EE/CA was conducted pursuant to the requirements of CERCLA and 40 CFR 300.415 and is intended to aid RL and the EPA in selecting a preferred removal action
Benefits Estimation Model for Automated Vehicle Operations: Phase 2 Final Report

Science.gov (United States)

2018-01-01

Automated vehicles have the potential to bring about transformative safety, mobility, energy, and environmental benefits to the surface transportation system. They are also being introduced into a complex transportation system, where second-order imp...
Benefits of Java

Science.gov (United States)

... Wellness Preventing Illness Benefits of Coffee Print Email Benefits of Coffee Reviewed by Taylor Wolfram, MS, RDN, ... your daily cup (or three) provides some health benefits as well. Drinking moderate amounts of coffee (including ...
Managing Sustainable Demand-side Infrastructure for Power System Ancillary Services

Science.gov (United States)

Parkinson, Simon Christopher

Widespread access to renewable electricity is seen as a viable method to mitigate carbon emissions, although problematic are the issues associated with the integration of the generation systems within current power system configurations. Wind power plants are the primary large-scale renewable generation technology applied globally, but display considerable short-term supply variability that is difficult to predict. Power systems are currently not designed to operate under these conditions, and results in the need to increase operating reserve in order to guarantee stability. Often, operating conventional generation as reserve is both technically and economically inefficient, which can overshadow positive benefits associated with renewable energy exploitation. The purpose of this thesis is to introduce and assess an alternative method of enhancing power system operations through the control of electric loads. In particular, this thesis focuses on managing highly-distributed sustainable demand-side infrastructure, in the form of heat pumps, electric vehicles, and electrolyzers, as dispatchable short-term energy balancing resources. The main contribution of the thesis is an optimal control strategy capable of simultaneously balancing grid- and demand-side objectives. The viability of the load control strategy is assessed through model-based simulations that explicitly track end-use functionality of responsive devices within a power systems analysis typically implemented to observe the effects of integrated wind energy systems. Results indicate that there is great potential for the proposed method to displace the need for increased reserve capacity in systems considering a high penetration of wind energy, thereby allowing conventional generation to operate more efficiently and avoid the need for possible capacity expansions.
State-Level Community Benefit Regulation and Nonprofit Hospitals' Provision of Community Benefits.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Simone R; Young, Gary J; Loomer, Lacey; Madison, Kristin

2018-04-01

Do nonprofit hospitals provide enough community benefits to justify their tax exemptions? States have sought to enhance nonprofit hospitals' accountability and oversight through regulation, including requirements to report community benefits, conduct community health needs assessments, provide minimum levels of community benefits, and adhere to minimum income eligibility standards for charity care. However, little research has assessed these regulations' impact on community benefits. Using 2009-11 Internal Revenue Service data on community benefit spending for more than eighteen hundred hospitals and the Hilltop Institute's data on community benefit regulation, we investigated the relationship between these four types of regulation and the level and types of hospital-provided community benefits. Our multivariate regression analyses showed that only community health needs assessments were consistently associated with greater community benefit spending. The results for reporting and minimum spending requirements were mixed, while minimum income eligibility standards for charity care were unrelated to community benefit spending. State adoption of multiple types of regulation was consistently associated with higher levels of hospital-provided community benefits, possibly because regulatory intensity conveys a strong signal to the hospital community that more spending is expected. This study can inform efforts to design regulations that will encourage hospitals to provide community benefits consistent with policy makers' goals. Copyright © 2018 by Duke University Press.
Modeling RHIC using the standard machine formal accelerator description

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pilat, F.; Trahern, C.G.; Wei, J.

1997-01-01

The Standard Machine Format (SMF) is a structured description of accelerator lattices which supports both the hierarchy of beam lines and generic lattice objects as well as those deviations (field errors, alignment efforts, etc.) associated with each component of the as-installed machine. In this paper we discuss the use of SMF to describe the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) as well as the ancillary data structures (such as field quality measurements) that are necessarily incorporated into the RHIC SMF model. Future applications of SMF are outlined, including its use in the RHIC operational environment
Benefit and cost curves for typical pollination mutualisms.

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, William F; Vázquez, Diego P; Chacoff, Natacha P

2010-05-01

Mutualisms provide benefits to interacting species, but they also involve costs. If costs come to exceed benefits as population density or the frequency of encounters between species increases, the interaction will no longer be mutualistic. Thus curves that represent benefits and costs as functions of interaction frequency are important tools for predicting when a mutualism will tip over into antagonism. Currently, most of what we know about benefit and cost curves in pollination mutualisms comes from highly specialized pollinating seed-consumer mutualisms, such as the yucca moth-yucca interaction. There, benefits to female reproduction saturate as the number of visits to a flower increases (because the amount of pollen needed to fertilize all the flower's ovules is finite), but costs continue to increase (because pollinator offspring consume developing seeds), leading to a peak in seed production at an intermediate number of visits. But for most plant-pollinator mutualisms, costs to the plant are more subtle than consumption of seeds, and how such costs scale with interaction frequency remains largely unknown. Here, we present reasonable benefit and cost curves that are appropriate for typical pollinator-plant interactions, and we show how they can result in a wide diversity of relationships between net benefit (benefit minus cost) and interaction frequency. We then use maximum-likelihood methods to fit net-benefit curves to measures of female reproductive success for three typical pollination mutualisms from two continents, and for each system we chose the most parsimonious model using information-criterion statistics. We discuss the implications of the shape of the net-benefit curve for the ecology and evolution of plant-pollinator mutualisms, as well as the challenges that lie ahead for disentangling the underlying benefit and cost curves for typical pollination mutualisms.
How excluding some benefits from value assessment of new drugs impacts innovation.

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, Joseph P; Golec, Joseph

2017-12-01

Payers often assess the benefits of new drugs relative to costs for reimbursement purposes, but they frequently exclude some drugs' option-related benefits, reducing their reimbursement chances, and making them less attractive R&D investments. We develop and test a real options model of R&D investment that shows that excluding option-related benefits heightens drug developers' incentives to avoid high-risk (volatile) R&D investments and instead encourages them to focus on "safer" (positively skewed) investments. Our model and empirical results could partly explain the decline in the number of risky new molecular entities. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Medical mitigation model: quantifying the benefits of the public health response to a chemical terrorism attack.

Science.gov (United States)

Good, Kevin; Winkel, David; VonNiederhausern, Michael; Hawkins, Brian; Cox, Jessica; Gooding, Rachel; Whitmire, Mark

2013-06-01

The Chemical Terrorism Risk Assessment (CTRA) and Chemical Infrastructure Risk Assessment (CIRA) are programs that estimate the risk of chemical terrorism attacks to help inform and improve the US defense posture against such events. One aspect of these programs is the development and advancement of a Medical Mitigation Model-a mathematical model that simulates the medical response to a chemical terrorism attack and estimates the resulting number of saved or benefited victims. At the foundation of the CTRA/CIRA Medical Mitigation Model is the concept of stock-and-flow modeling; "stocks" are states that individuals progress through during the event, while "flows" permit and govern movement from one stock to another. Using this approach, the model is able to simulate and track individual victims as they progress from exposure to an end state. Some of the considerations in the model include chemical used, type of attack, route and severity of exposure, response-related delays, detailed treatment regimens with efficacy defined as a function of time, medical system capacity, the influx of worried well individuals, and medical countermeasure availability. As will be demonstrated, the output of the CTRA/CIRA Medical Mitigation Model makes it possible to assess the effectiveness of the existing public health response system and develop and examine potential improvement strategies. Such a modeling and analysis capability can be used to inform first-responder actions/training, guide policy decisions, justify resource allocation, and direct knowledge-gap studies.
Variable fuzzy assessment of water use efficiency and benefits in irrigation district

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ming-hui Wang

2015-07-01

Full Text Available In order to scientifically and reasonably evaluate water use efficiency and benefits in irrigation districts, a variable fuzzy assessment model was established. The model can reasonably determine the relative membership degree and relative membership function of the sample indices in each index's standard interval, and obtain the evaluation level of the sample through the change of model parameters. According to the actual situation of the Beitun Irrigation District, which is located in Fuhai County, in Altay City, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, five indices were selected as evaluation factors, including the canal water utilization coefficient, field water utilization coefficient, crop water productivity, effective irrigation rate in farmland, and water-saving irrigation area ratio. The water use efficiency and benefits in the Beitun Irrigation District in different years were evaluated with the model. The results showed that the comprehensive evaluation indices from 2006 to 2008 were all at the third level (medium efficiency, while the index in 2009 increased slightly, falling between the second level (relatively high efficiency and third level, indicating an improvement in the water use efficiency and benefits in the Beitun Irrigation District, which in turn showed that the model was reliable and easy to use. This model can be used to assess the water use efficiency and benefits in similar irrigation districts.
Just-in-time elements and benefits

CERN Document Server

García-Alcaraz, Jorge Luis

2016-01-01

This book reports the elements required for implementing Just in Time (JIT) technique in companies. The main reasons for low implementation processes and the main benefits from the successful implementation of them are highlighted in this book. Structural equation models are presented to help identify the essential elements in JIT.
Wind power planning: assessing long-term costs and benefits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kennedy, Scott

2005-01-01

In the following paper, a new and straightforward technique for estimating the social benefit of large-scale wind power production is presented. The social benefit is based upon wind power's energy and capacity services and the avoidance of environmental damages. The approach uses probabilistic load duration curves to account for the stochastic interaction between wind power availability, electricity demand, and conventional generator dispatch. The model is applied to potential offshore wind power development to the south of Long Island, NY. If natural gas combined cycle and integrated gasifier combined cycle (IGCC) are the alternative generation sources, wind power exhibits a negative social benefit due to its high capacity cost and the relatively low emissions of these advanced fossil-fuel technologies. Environmental benefits increase significantly if charges for CO 2 emissions are included. Results also reveal a diminishing social benefit as wind power penetration increases. The dependence of wind power benefits on CO 2 charges, and capital costs for wind turbines and IGCC plant is also discussed. The methodology is intended for use by energy planners in assessing the social benefit of future investments in wind power
Modeling the fiscal costs and benefits of alternative treatment strategies in the United Kingdom for chronic hepatitis C.

Science.gov (United States)

Connolly, Mark P; Kotsopoulos, Nikos; Ustianowski, Andrew

2018-01-01

Hepatitis C (HCV) infection causes substantial direct health costs, but also impacts broader societal and governmental costs, such as tax revenue and social protection benefits. This study investigated the broader fiscal costs and benefits of curative interventions for chronic Hepatitis C (CHC) that allow individuals to avoid long-term HCV attributed health conditions. A prospective cohort model, assessing the long-term fiscal consequences of policy decisions, was developed for HCV infected individuals, following the generational accounting analytic framework that combines age-specific lifetime gross taxes paid and governmental transfers received (i.e. healthcare and social support costs). The analysis assessed the burden of a theoretical cohort of untreated HCV infected patients with the alternative of treating these patients with a highly efficacious curative intervention (ledipasvir/sofosbuvir [LDV/SOF]). It also compared treating patients at all fibrosis stages (Stages F0-F4) compared to late treatment (Stage F4). Based on projected lifetime work activity and taxes paid, the treated cohort paid an additional £5,900 per patient compared to the untreated cohort. Lifetime government disability costs of £97,555 and £125,359 per patient for treated cohort vs no treatment cohort were estimated, respectively. Lifetime direct healthcare costs in the treated cohort were £32,235, compared to non-treated cohort of £26,424, with an incremental healthcare costs increase of £5,901 per patient. The benefit cost ratio (BCR) of total government benefits and savings relative to government treatment costs (including LDV/SOF) ranged from 1.8-5.6. Treating patients early resulted in 77% less disability costs, 43% lower healthcare costs, and 33% higher tax revenue. The ability to cure Hepatitis C offers considerable fiscal benefits beyond direct medical costs and savings attributed to reduced disability costs, public allowances, and improved tax revenue. Changes in parameters

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