Comprehensive evaluation of coal-fired power plants based on grey relational analysis and analytic hierarchy process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Gang; Yang Yongping; Lu Shiyuan; Li Le; Song Xiaona

2011-01-01

In China, coal-fired power plants are the main supplier of electricity, as well as the largest consumer of coal and water resources and the biggest emitter of SO x , NO x , and greenhouse gases (GHGs). Therefore, it is important to establish a scientific, reasonable, and feasible comprehensive evaluation system for coal-fired power plants to guide them in achieving multi-optimisation of their thermal, environmental, and economic performance. This paper proposes a novel comprehensive evaluation method, which is based on a combination of the grey relational analysis (GRA) and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), to assess the multi-objective performance of power plants. Unlike the traditional evaluation method that uses coal consumption as a basic indicator, the proposed evaluation method also takes water consumption and pollutant emissions as indicators. On the basis of the proposed evaluation method, a case study on typical 600 MW coal-fired power plants is carried out to determine the relevancy rules among factors including the coal consumption, water consumption, pollutant, and GHG emissions of power plants. This research offers new ideas and methods for the comprehensive performance evaluation of complex energy utilisation systems, and is beneficial to the synthesised consideration of resources, economy, and environment factors in system optimising and policy making. - Research highlights: → We proposed a comprehensive evaluation method for coal-fired power plants. → The method is based on the grey relational analysis (GRA). → The method also introduces the idea of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). → The method can assess thermal, economic and environmental performance. → The method can play an active role in guiding power plants' improvements.

Comprehensive evaluation of coal-fired power plants based on grey relational analysis and analytic hierarchy process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xu Gang, E-mail: xg2008@ncepu.edu.c [Key Lab of Condition Monitoring and Control for Power Plant Equipment of Ministry of Education, School of Energy Power and Mechanical Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206 (China); Yang Yongping, E-mail: yyp@ncepu.edu.c [Key Lab of Condition Monitoring and Control for Power Plant Equipment of Ministry of Education, School of Energy Power and Mechanical Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206 (China); Lu Shiyuan; Li Le [Key Lab of Condition Monitoring and Control for Power Plant Equipment of Ministry of Education, School of Energy Power and Mechanical Engineering, North China Electric Power University, Beijing 102206 (China); Song Xiaona [Electromechanical Practice Center, Beijing Information Science and Technology University, Beijing (China)

2011-05-15

In China, coal-fired power plants are the main supplier of electricity, as well as the largest consumer of coal and water resources and the biggest emitter of SO{sub x}, NO{sub x}, and greenhouse gases (GHGs). Therefore, it is important to establish a scientific, reasonable, and feasible comprehensive evaluation system for coal-fired power plants to guide them in achieving multi-optimisation of their thermal, environmental, and economic performance. This paper proposes a novel comprehensive evaluation method, which is based on a combination of the grey relational analysis (GRA) and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), to assess the multi-objective performance of power plants. Unlike the traditional evaluation method that uses coal consumption as a basic indicator, the proposed evaluation method also takes water consumption and pollutant emissions as indicators. On the basis of the proposed evaluation method, a case study on typical 600 MW coal-fired power plants is carried out to determine the relevancy rules among factors including the coal consumption, water consumption, pollutant, and GHG emissions of power plants. This research offers new ideas and methods for the comprehensive performance evaluation of complex energy utilisation systems, and is beneficial to the synthesised consideration of resources, economy, and environment factors in system optimising and policy making. - Research highlights: {yields} We proposed a comprehensive evaluation method for coal-fired power plants. {yields} The method is based on the grey relational analysis (GRA). {yields} The method also introduces the idea of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). {yields} The method can assess thermal, economic and environmental performance. {yields} The method can play an active role in guiding power plants' improvements.

Economic evaluation of occupational health and safety programmes in health care.

Science.gov (United States)

Guzman, J; Tompa, E; Koehoorn, M; de Boer, H; Macdonald, S; Alamgir, H

2015-10-01

Evidence-based resource allocation in the public health care sector requires reliable economic evaluations that are different from those needed in the commercial sector. To describe a framework for conducting economic evaluations of occupational health and safety (OHS) programmes in health care developed with sector stakeholders. To define key resources and outcomes to be considered in economic evaluations of OHS programmes and to integrate these into a comprehensive framework. Participatory action research supported by mixed qualitative and quantitative methods, including a multi-stakeholder working group, 25 key informant interviews, a 41-member Delphi panel and structured nominal group discussions. We found three resources had top priority: OHS staff time, training the workers and programme planning, promotion and evaluation. Similarly, five outcomes had top priority: number of injuries, safety climate, job satisfaction, quality of care and work days lost. The resulting framework was built around seven principles of good practice that stakeholders can use to assist them in conducting economic evaluations of OHS programmes. Use of a framework resulting from this participatory action research approach may increase the quality of economic evaluations of OHS programmes and facilitate programme comparisons for evidence-based resource allocation decisions. The principles may be applicable to other service sectors funded from general taxes and more broadly to economic evaluations of OHS programmes in general. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Occupational Medicine. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Evaluation of Water Resources Carrying Capacity in Shandong Province Based on Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation

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Zhao Qiang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Water resources carrying capacity is the maximum available water resources supporting by the social and economic development. Based on investigating and statisticing on the current situation of water resources in Shandong Province, this paper selects 13 factors including per capita water resources, water resources utilization, water supply modulus, rainfall, per capita GDP, population density, per capita water consumption, water consumption per million yuan, The water consumption of industrial output value, the agricultural output value of farmland, the irrigation rate of cultivated land, the water consumption rate of ecological environment and the forest coverage rate were used as the evaluation factors. Then,the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model was used to analyze the water resources carrying capacity Force status evaluation. The results showed : The comprehensive evaluation results of water resources in Shandong Province were lower than 0.6 in 2001-2009 and higher than 0.6 in 2010-2015, which indicating that the water resources carrying capacity of Shandong Province has been improved.; In addition, most of the years a value of less than 0.6, individual years below 0.4, the interannual changes are relatively large, from that we can see the level of water resources is generally weak, the greater the interannual changes in Shandong Province.

Economic Evaluation of Pollination Services Comparing Coffee Landscapes in Ecuador and Indonesia

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Roland Olschewski

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Biodiversity conservation through land-use systems on private land is becoming a pressing environmental policy issue. Agroforestry, such as shade-coffee production, contributes to biodiversity conservation. However, falling coffee prices force many coffee growers to convert their sites into economically more attractive land uses. We performed an economic evaluation of coffee pollination by bees in two distinct tropical regions: an area of low human impact with forests neighboring agroforestry in Indonesia and an area of high human impact with little remaining forest in Ecuador. We evaluated bee pollination for different forest-destruction scenarios, where coffee yields depend on forests to provide nesting sites for bees. We used two novel approaches. First, we examined how coffee net revenues depend on the pollination services of adjacent forests by considering berry weight in addition to fruit set, thereby providing a comprehensive evaluation. Second, we determined the net welfare effects of land-use changes, including the fact that former forestland is normally used for alternative crops. In both regions, crop revenues exceeded coffee pollination values, generating incentives to convert forests, even if owners would be compensated for pollination services. The promotion of certified "biodiversity-friendly" coffee is a feasible option to maintain shade-coffee systems. This is of special importance in high-impact areas where only small forest fragments remain. We conclude that a comprehensive economic analysis is necessary to adequately evaluate rainforest preservation for the enhancement of ecosystem services, such as pollination.

[Reasearch progress in health economic evaluation of colorectal cancer screening in China].

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Huiyao; Shi, Jufang; Dai, Min

2015-08-01

Burden of colorectal cancer is rising in China. More attention and financial input have been paid to it by central government that colorectal cancer screening program has been carried out recently in many areas in China. Diversity of screening strategies and limited health resources render selecting the best strategy in a population-wide program a challenging task that economy was also required to be considered except safety and efficacy. To provide a reference for the subsequent further economic evaluation, here we reviewed the evidence available on the economic evaluation of colorectal cancer screening in China. Meanwhile, information related to screening strategies, participation and mid-term efficacy of screening, information and results on economic evaluation were extracted and summarized. Three of the four studies finally included evaluated strategies combining immunochemical fecel occult blood test (iFOBT) with high-risk factor questionnaire as initial screening, colonoscopy as diagnostic screening. There was a consensus regarding the efficacy and effectiveness of screening compared to no screening. Whereas the lack and poor comparability between studies, multi-perspective and multi-phase economic evaluation of colorectal cancer screening is needed, relying on current population-based screening program to conduct a comprehensive cost accounting.

Comprehensive techno-economic analysis of wastewater-based algal biofuel production: A case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Xin, Chunhua; Addy, Min M; Zhao, Jinyu; Cheng, Yanling; Cheng, Sibo; Mu, Dongyan; Liu, Yuhuan; Ding, Rijia; Chen, Paul; Ruan, Roger

2016-07-01

Combining algae cultivation and wastewater treatment for biofuel production is considered the feasible way for resource utilization. An updated comprehensive techno-economic analysis method that integrates resources availability into techno-economic analysis was employed to evaluate the wastewater-based algal biofuel production with the consideration of wastewater treatment improvement, greenhouse gases emissions, biofuel production costs, and coproduct utilization. An innovative approach consisting of microalgae cultivation on centrate wastewater, microalgae harvest through flocculation, solar drying of biomass, pyrolysis of biomass to bio-oil, and utilization of co-products, was analyzed and shown to yield profound positive results in comparison with others. The estimated break even selling price of biofuel ($2.23/gallon) is very close to the acceptable level. The approach would have better overall benefits and the internal rate of return would increase up to 18.7% if three critical components, namely cultivation, harvest, and downstream conversion could achieve breakthroughs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comprehensive benefits analysis of steel structure modular residence based on the entropy evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaoxiao; Wang, Li; Jiang, Pengming

2017-04-01

Steel structure modular residence is the outstanding residential industrialization. It has many advantages, such as the low whole cost, high resource recovery, a high degree of industrialization. This paper compares the comprehensive benefits of steel structural in modular buildings with prefabricated reinforced concrete residential from economic benefits, environmental benefits, social benefits and technical benefits by the method of entropy evaluation. Finally, it is concluded that the comprehensive benefits of steel structural in modular buildings is better than that of prefabricated reinforced concrete residential. The conclusion of this study will provide certain reference significance to the development of steel structural in modular buildings in China.

The added value of thorough economic evaluation of telemedicine networks.

Science.gov (United States)

Le Goff-Pronost, Myriam; Sicotte, Claude

2010-02-01

This paper proposes a thorough framework for the economic evaluation of telemedicine networks. A standard cost analysis methodology was used as the initial base, similar to the evaluation method currently being applied to telemedicine, and to which we suggest adding subsequent stages that enhance the scope and sophistication of the analytical methodology. We completed the methodology with a longitudinal and stakeholder analysis, followed by the calculation of a break-even threshold, a calculation of the economic outcome based on net present value (NPV), an estimate of the social gain through external effects, and an assessment of the probability of social benefits. In order to illustrate the advantages, constraints and limitations of the proposed framework, we tested it in a paediatric cardiology tele-expertise network. The results demonstrate that the project threshold was not reached after the 4 years of the study. Also, the calculation of the project's NPV remained negative. However, the additional analytical steps of the proposed framework allowed us to highlight alternatives that can make this service economically viable. These included: use over an extended period of time, extending the network to other telemedicine specialties, or including it in the services offered by other community hospitals. In sum, the results presented here demonstrate the usefulness of an economic evaluation framework as a way of offering decision makers the tools they need to make comprehensive evaluations of telemedicine networks.

Economic evaluation of nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist roles: A methodological review.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopatina, Elena; Donald, Faith; DiCenso, Alba; Martin-Misener, Ruth; Kilpatrick, Kelley; Bryant-Lukosius, Denise; Carter, Nancy; Reid, Kim; Marshall, Deborah A

2017-07-01

evaluations of nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist roles and should be routinely followed. However, seven out of 15 current guideline sections (describing a decision problem, choosing type of economic evaluation, selecting comparators, determining the study perspective, estimating effectiveness, measuring and valuing health, and assessing resource use and costs) may require additional role-specific considerations to capture costs and effects of these roles. Current guidelines for economic evaluation should form the foundation for economic evaluations of nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist roles. The proposed role-specific considerations, which clarify application of standard guidelines sections to economic evaluation of nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist roles, may strengthen the quality and comprehensiveness of future economic evaluations of these roles. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stakeholders' Perspectives About and Priorities for Economic Evaluation of Health and Safety Programs in Healthcare.

Science.gov (United States)

Tompa, Emile; de Boer, Henriette; Macdonald, Sara; Alamgir, Hasanat; Koehoorn, Mieke; Guzman, Jaime

2016-04-01

This study identified and prioritized resources and outcomes that should be considered in more comprehensive and scientifically rigorous health and safety economic evaluations according to healthcare sector stakeholders. A literature review and stakeholder interviews identified candidate resources and outcomes and then a Delphi panel ranked them. According to the panel, the top five resources were (a) health and safety staff time; (b) training workers; (c) program planning, promotion, and evaluation costs; (d) equipment purchases and upgrades; and (e) administration costs. The top five outcomes were (a) number of injuries, illnesses, and general sickness absences; (b) safety climate; (c) days lost due to injuries, illnesses, and general sickness absences; (d) job satisfaction and engagement; and (e) quality of care and patient safety. These findings emphasize stakeholders' stated priorities and are useful as a benchmark for assessing the quality of health and safety economic evaluations and the comprehensiveness of these findings. © 2016 The Author(s).

Economic bid evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bode, T.

1975-01-01

When it is intended to install a new nuclear power station, the usual procedure is to invite for tenders. In due course, bids will be received from various manufacturers, out of which the most favourable one is then to be selected. Appraisal is concluded in the Economic Bid Evaluation, the purpose of which is to define the economically most favourable bid by comparing overall costs and benefits of the various alternatives. Thus, Economic Bid Evaluation is a most important instrument for deciding on award of contract. (orig.) [de

Evaluating Effective Teaching in College Level Economics Using Student Ratings of Instruction: A Factor Analytic Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Agbetsiafa, Douglas

2010-01-01

This paper explores the factors that affect students' evaluation of economic instruction using a sample of 1300 completed rating instruments at a comprehensive four-year mid-western public university. The study uses factor analysis to determine the validity and reliability of the evaluation instrument in assessing instructor or course…

Comprehensive Assessment of Industries Economic Security: Regional Aspect

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viktoriya Viktorovna Akberdina

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The article investigates the interaction of the forms of network integration and the development of complimentary production networks in terms of economic security. Currently, the most developed countries are occurring a transition from the industrial society to the information society. The industry 4.0 as the continuous communication at all levels and characterizes the production processes, in which technologies and devices interact automatically in the value-added chain. Under these new conditions, the former types of organizational structures of economic entities are not sufficiently effective. Therefore, there is a need to create new, modern types of organizational structures. One of these types is network structures. Currently, they are becoming characteristic features of the new economy. Regional economic security depends on internal and external threats, which lead to unstable situations. Regional crisis situations are influenced by both macroeconomic crisis processes and local features of economic and social development, as well as the resource potential, geographical location, national and other peculiarities. The article defines the specific characteristics of the regions of the Ural Federal District, as well as the current situation of the regional economy and threats to the region. The authors have evaluated the economic security of complimentary production networks at the regional level. This evaluation has revealed the interconnection between complimentary production networks and the construction industry in the national economy. We have defined the economic security of complimentary production networks and specified the concept of complimentary production networks. The research findings may be applied by organizations as a new perspective of industry using network forms related to economic security

New York State Technical & Economic MAGLEV Evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

1991-06-01

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, with the : assistance of the Departments of Transportation, Economic Development, Environmental Conservation, and the New York State Thruway Authority, is undertaking a comprehensive, syst...

The Essence and Phases of the Comprehensive System of Ensuring the Economic Security of Enterprise

Science.gov (United States)

Ianioglo, Alina; Polajeva, Tatjana

2017-01-01

In present conditions of instability of the environment, entrepreneurs assume the most of the business risks. In this regard, problems of ensuring the economic security become particularly important. The comprehensive system of ensuring the economic security of enterprise was worked out and the results are presented in the article. This system is…

What is the economic evidence for mHealth? A systematic review of economic evaluations of mHealth solutions.

Science.gov (United States)

Iribarren, Sarah J; Cato, Kenrick; Falzon, Louise; Stone, Patricia W

2017-01-01

-related outcome and reported economic data, many did not report all recommended economic outcome items and were lacking in comprehensive analysis. The identified economic evaluations varied by disease or condition focus, economic outcome measurements, perspectives, and were distributed unevenly geographically, limiting formal meta-analysis. Further research is needed in low and low-middle income countries and to understand the impact of different mHealth types. Following established economic reporting guidelines will improve this body of research.

A comprehensive study of economic unit commitment of power systems integrating various renewable generations and plug-in electric vehicles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Zhile; Li, Kang; Niu, Qun; Xue, Yusheng

2017-01-01

Highlights: • A new UCsRP problem with flexible integrations is established. • A novel multi-zone sampling method is proposed for scenarios generation. • A meta-heuristic solving tool is introduced for solving the UCsRP problem. • A comprehensive study is conducted considering multiple weathers and seasons. • The economic effects of various scenarios are evaluated and compared. - Abstract: Significant penetration of renewable generations (RGs) and mass roll-out of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) will pay a vital role in delivering the low carbon energy future and low emissions of greenhouse gas (GHG) that are responsible for the global climate change. However, it is of considerable difficulties to precisely forecast the undispatchable and intermittent wind and solar power generations. The uncoordinated charging of PEVs imposes further challenges on the unit commitment in modern grid operations. In this paper, all these factors are comprehensively investigated for the first time within a novel hybrid unit commitment framework, namely UCsRP, which considers a wide range of scenarios in renewable generations and demand side management of dispatchable PEVs load. UCsRP is however an extremely challenging optimisation problem not only due to the large scale, mixed integer and nonlinearity, but also due to the double uncertainties relating to the renewable generations and PEV charging and discharging. In this paper, a meta-heuristic solving tool is introduced for solving the UCsRP problem. A key to improve the reliability of the unit commitment is to generate a range of scenarios based on multiple distributions of renewable generations under different prediction errors and extreme predicted value conditions. This is achieved by introducing a novel multi-zone sampling method. A comprehensive study considering four different cases of unit commitment problems with various weather and season scenarios using real power system data are conducted and solved, and smart

Health Economic Evaluation of Telehealthcare

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Udsen, Flemming Witt

for decision making meant to inform adaptation of the health economic evaluation approach. Based on developments in realist evaluation and experiences with conducting the evaluation of TeleCare North, four principles for health economic evaluation of complex telehealthcare interventions is outlined in order....... The results from the TeleCare North trial were used directly in a national decision to implement the telehealthcare solution to patients with severe COPD in Denmark and lead to considerable debate nationally. This debate could be viewed as an actual account of the usefulness of health economic evaluation...

Comprehensive Benefit Evaluation of the Power Distribution Network Planning Project Based on Improved IAHP and Multi-Level Extension Assessment Method

OpenAIRE

Qunli Wu; Chenyang Peng

2016-01-01

Reasonable distribution network planning is an essential prerequisite of the economics and security of the future power grid. The comprehensive benefit evaluation of a distribution network planning project can make significant contributions towards guiding decisions during the planning scheme, the optimization of the distribution network structure, and the rational use of resources. In this paper, in light of the characteristics of the power distribution network, the comprehensive benefit eva...

Comprehensive benefit evaluation of direct power-purchase for large consumers

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, D. N.; Li, Z. H.; Zhou, H. M.; Zhao, Q.; Xu, X. F.

2017-06-01

Based on "several opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on further deepening the reform of electric power system" in 2015, this paper analyses the influence of direct power-purchase for large consumers on operation benefit of power grid. In three aspects, such as economic benefit, cleaning benefit and social benefit, the index system is proposed. In which, the profit of saving coal energy consumption, reducing carbon emissions and reducing pollutant emissions is quantitative calculated. Then the subjective and objective weights and index scores are figured out through the analytic hierarchy process, entropy weight method and interval number method. Finally, the comprehensive benefit is evaluated combined with the actual study, and some suggestions are made.

Unpaid work in health economic evaluations.

Science.gov (United States)

Krol, Marieke; Brouwer, Werner

2015-11-01

Given its societal importance, unpaid work should be included in economic evaluations of health care technology aiming to take a societal perspective. However, in practice this does not often appear to be the case. This paper provides an overview of the current place of unpaid work in economic evaluations in theory and in practice. It does so first by summarizing recommendations regarding the inclusion of unpaid labor reported in health economic textbooks and national guidelines for economic evaluations. In total, three prominent health economic text-books were studied and 28 national health economic guidelines. The paper, moreover, provides an overview of the instruments available to measure lost unpaid labor and reports on a review of the place of unpaid labor in applied economic evaluations in the area of rheumatoid arthritis. The review was conducted by examining methodology of evaluations published between 1 March 2008 and 1 March 2013. The results of this study show that little guidance is offered regarding the inclusion of unpaid labor in economic evaluations in textbooks and guidelines. The review identified five productivity costs instruments including questions about unpaid work and 33 economic evaluations of treatments for rheumatoid arthritis of which only one included unpaid work. The results indicate that unpaid work is rarely included in applied economic evaluations of treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, despite this disease expecting to be associated with lost unpaid work. Given the strong effects of certain diseases and treatments on the ability to perform unpaid work, unpaid work currently receives less attention in economic evaluations than it deserves. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

THE PRACTICE OF EVALUATING THE ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF THE INNOVATIVE PROJECT

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I. A. Vorobiev

2013-01-01

Full Text Available At the present stage of development of the society of scientific and technical activities is the most important factor in the intensification of production and the growth of its economic performance. It is therefore important now gets to determine the effectiveness of research and development activities, improving the measurement methods of economic evaluation of innovative projects and innovation. For informed decision-making requires a deep study and objective assessment of the real situation. This is due to changes in economic relations between the producers and consumers of scientific and technical products. Earlier in this activity involved only state scientific institution and the enterprise, then now they are gradually joining financial institutions, commercial and non-profit organizations. The adoption of innovative solutions should be preceded by thorough and comprehensive analysis of the economic feasibility of the innovative project. In this paper we propose to consider how business is costing innovative projects and determine their effectiveness for the enterprise business hotel.

Economic Evaluation of the Juvenile Drug Court/Reclaiming Futures (JDC/RF) Model.

Science.gov (United States)

McCollister, Kathryn; Baumer, Pamela; Davis, Monica; Greene, Alison; Stevens, Sally; Dennis, Michael

2018-07-01

Juvenile drug court (JDC) programs are an increasingly popular option for rehabilitating juvenile offenders with substance problems, but research has found inconsistent evidence regarding their effectiveness and economic impact. While assessing client outcomes such as reduced substance use and delinquency is necessary to gauge program effectiveness, a more comprehensive understanding of program success and sustainability can be attained by examining program costs and economic benefits. As part of the National Cross-Site Evaluation of JDC and Reclaiming Futures (RF), an economic analysis of five JDC/RF programs was conducted from a multisystem and multiagency perspective. The study highlights the direct and indirect costs of JDC/RF and the savings generated from reduced health problems, illegal activity, and missed school days. Results include the average (per participant) cost of JDC/RF, the total economic benefits per JDC/RF participant, and the net savings of JDC/RF relative to standard JDC.

Health economic evaluation in Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Rovithis, Dimitrios

2006-01-01

There is a growing volume of literature on health economic evaluation, with this form of analysis becoming increasingly influential at the decision-making level worldwide. The purpose of this study was to review the current state of health economic evaluation in Greece, with a view to uncovering reasons why its use in this country is limited. A search of the NHS Economic Evaluation Database was undertaken. The search included cost, cost-of-illness, cost-minimization, cost-effectiveness, cost-consequences, cost-utility, and cost-benefit analyses and was narrowed only to Greek authors undertaking solo or joint health economic evaluation in Greece. The search revealed that, in Greece, very little health economic evaluation has been undertaken. The main reason for the lack of interest is that the current chaotic healthcare system structure and financing does not provide the appropriate incentives to stimulate a powerful interest in this type of research. This condition is a result of the lack of a long-term national health policy and the hesitation of the present and past Greek governments to date to proceed to large-scale reforms because of political considerations. The Greek governments have also been content with the good health indicators being achieved. Even if it is accepted that good health prevails in Greece, slower economic growth rates, an ageing population, and the continuous immigration will place increasing pressure on healthcare resources and will necessitate a more rational use of these resources. Health economic evaluation, by weighing benefits against costs, therefore, has an important role to play.

Discounting in Economic Evaluations.

Science.gov (United States)

Attema, Arthur E; Brouwer, Werner B F; Claxton, Karl

2018-05-19

Appropriate discounting rules in economic evaluations have received considerable attention in the literature and in national guidelines for economic evaluations. Rightfully so, as discounting can be quite influential on the outcomes of economic evaluations. The most prominent controversies regarding discounting involve the basis for and height of the discount rate, whether costs and effects should be discounted at the same rate, and whether discount rates should decline or stay constant over time. Moreover, the choice for discount rules depends on the decision context one adopts as the most relevant. In this article, we review these issues and debates, and describe and discuss the current discounting recommendations of the countries publishing their national guidelines. We finish the article by proposing a research agenda.

Multi-time scale energy management of wind farms based on comprehensive evaluation technology

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Y. P.; Huang, Y. H.; Liu, Z. J.; Wang, Y. F.; Li, Z. Y.; Guo, L.

2017-11-01

A novel energy management of wind farms is proposed in this paper. Firstly, a novel comprehensive evaluation system is proposed to quantify economic properties of each wind farm to make the energy management more economical and reasonable. Then, a combination of multi time-scale schedule method is proposed to develop a novel energy management. The day-ahead schedule optimizes unit commitment of thermal power generators. The intraday schedule is established to optimize power generation plan for all thermal power generating units, hydroelectric generating sets and wind power plants. At last, the power generation plan can be timely revised in the process of on-line schedule. The paper concludes with simulations conducted on a real provincial integrated energy system in northeast China. Simulation results have validated the proposed model and corresponding solving algorithms.

Presentation of economic evaluation results.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaikledkaew, Usa

2014-05-01

The first HTA guidelines for Thailand included a chapter outlining a set of guidelines on how best to report the findings of health economic evaluations, based on a review of best practice and existing guidelines on the presentation of economic evaluation results from around the world. In this second edition of HTA guidelines for Thailand, the recommendations build on the first edition by using a case study to illustrate how the guidelines can be applied in a real research context. The guidelines propose that all reporting include ten key elements: defining the scope of the study, selection of comparator(s), defining the type of economic evaluation, measurement of costs, measurement of clinical effects, handling time in economic evaluation studies, handling uncertainty and sensitivity analysis, presentation of the results, discussion of the results, and disclosure of funding and authors conflict of interest.

Economic evaluation of radiation processing in urban solid wastes treatment

Science.gov (United States)

Carassiti, F.; Lacquaniti, L.; Liuzzo, G.

During the last few years, quite a number of studies have been done, or are still in course, on disinfection of urban liquid wastes by means of ionizing radiations. The experience gained by SANDIA pilot plant of irradiation on dried sewage sludge, together with the recently presented conceptual design of another plant handling granular solids, characterized by high efficiency and simple running, have shown the possibility of extending this process to the treatment of urban solid wastes. As a matter of fact, the problems connected to the pathogenic aspects of sludge handling are often similar to those met during the disposal of urban solid wastes. This is even more so in the case of their reuse in agriculture and zootechny. The present paper introduces the results of an analysis carried out in order to evaluate the economical advantage of inserting irradiation treatment in some process scheme for management of urban solid wastes. Taking as an example a comprehensive pattern of urban solid wastes management which has been analysed and estimated economically in previous works, we first evaluated the extra capital and operational costs due to the irradiation and then analysed economical justification, taking into account the increasing commercial value of the by-products.

A systematic review of economic evaluations of health and health-related interventions in Bangladesh

Science.gov (United States)

2011-01-01

Background Economic evaluation is used for effective resource allocation in health sector. Accumulated knowledge about economic evaluation of health programs in Bangladesh is not currently available. While a number of economic evaluation studies have been performed in Bangladesh, no systematic investigation of the studies has been done to our knowledge. The aim of this current study is to systematically review the published articles in peer-reviewed journals on economic evaluation of health and health-related interventions in Bangladesh. Methods Literature searches was carried out during November-December 2008 with a combination of key words, MeSH terms and other free text terms as suitable for the purpose. A comprehensive search strategy was developed to search Medline by the PubMed interface. The first specific interest was mapping the articles considering the areas of exploration by economic evaluation and the second interest was to scrutiny the methodological quality of studies. The methodological quality of economic evaluation of all articles has been scrutinized against the checklist developed by Evers Silvia and associates. Result Of 1784 potential articles 12 were accepted for inclusion. Ten studies described the competing alternatives clearly and only two articles stated the perspective of their articles clearly. All studies included direct cost, incurred by the providers. Only one study included the cost of community donated resources and volunteer costs. Two studies calculated the incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER). Six of the studies applied some sort of sensitivity analysis. Two of the studies discussed financial affordability of expected implementers and four studies discussed the issue of generalizability for application in different context. Conclusion Very few economic evaluation studies in Bangladesh are found in different areas of health and health-related interventions, which does not provide a strong basis of knowledge in the area. The

A systematic review of economic evaluations of health and health-related interventions in Bangladesh

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koehlmoos Tracey P

2011-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Economic evaluation is used for effective resource allocation in health sector. Accumulated knowledge about economic evaluation of health programs in Bangladesh is not currently available. While a number of economic evaluation studies have been performed in Bangladesh, no systematic investigation of the studies has been done to our knowledge. The aim of this current study is to systematically review the published articles in peer-reviewed journals on economic evaluation of health and health-related interventions in Bangladesh. Methods Literature searches was carried out during November-December 2008 with a combination of key words, MeSH terms and other free text terms as suitable for the purpose. A comprehensive search strategy was developed to search Medline by the PubMed interface. The first specific interest was mapping the articles considering the areas of exploration by economic evaluation and the second interest was to scrutiny the methodological quality of studies. The methodological quality of economic evaluation of all articles has been scrutinized against the checklist developed by Evers Silvia and associates. Result Of 1784 potential articles 12 were accepted for inclusion. Ten studies described the competing alternatives clearly and only two articles stated the perspective of their articles clearly. All studies included direct cost, incurred by the providers. Only one study included the cost of community donated resources and volunteer costs. Two studies calculated the incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER. Six of the studies applied some sort of sensitivity analysis. Two of the studies discussed financial affordability of expected implementers and four studies discussed the issue of generalizability for application in different context. Conclusion Very few economic evaluation studies in Bangladesh are found in different areas of health and health-related interventions, which does not provide a strong basis

Health economic evaluation: important principles and methodology.

Science.gov (United States)

Rudmik, Luke; Drummond, Michael

2013-06-01

To discuss health economic evaluation and improve the understanding of common methodology. This article discusses the methodology for the following types of economic evaluations: cost-minimization, cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, cost-benefit, and economic modeling. Topics include health-state utility measures, the quality-adjusted life year (QALY), uncertainty analysis, discounting, decision tree analysis, and Markov modeling. Economic evaluation is the comparative analysis of alternative courses of action in terms of both their costs and consequences. With increasing health care expenditure and limited resources, it is important for physicians to consider the economic impact of their interventions. Understanding common methodology involved in health economic evaluation will improve critical appraisal of the literature and optimize future economic evaluations. Copyright © 2012 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method of F statistics weighting in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In order to rapidly identify the source of water inrush in coal mine, and provide the theoretical basis for mine water damage prevention and control, fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model was established. The F statistics of water samples was normalized as the weight of fuzzy comprehensive evaluation for determining the ...

Study on comprehensive evaluation model for nuclear power plant control room layout

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Yiming; Liu Yuan; Fan Huixian

2010-01-01

A comprehensive evaluation model for layout of the main control room of nuclear power plants was proposed. Firstly the design scope and principle for the layout of the main control room were defined based on the standards, and then the index system for the comprehensive evaluation was established. Finally, comprehensive evaluation was carried out for the layout design by applying the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method in the index system. (authors)

Economic evaluation manual

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1975-09-01

An economic analysis on oil or gas property is generally accompanied by a reservoir analysis which predicts the reserves and the performance of the reservoir, recommends the optimum economic method with which to recover the reserves, and through a performance prediction indicates a time schedule for future investments and income. The requirements for a reservoir evaluation are as follows: (1) good reservoir data; (2) oil in place; (3) reservoir energy, both primary and secondary; and (4) reserve calculation and performance predictions for giving both production schedule and selection of secondary recovery mechanisms. Given the above reservoir evaluation parameters, the following are requirements for a complete economic analysis: (1) lease exploration and purchase costs; (2) capital investments schedule dependent upon a reservoir performance prediction; and (3) factors affecting net income such as anticipated selling price of oil and gas and the availability of a market, operating costs and working interest, royalty schedule, depreciation methods, depletion methods and tax schedule. (71 refs.)

Modern teaching methods in economic subjects.

OpenAIRE

Maxa, Radek

2014-01-01

The main objective of this thesis is a comprehensive assessment of the practical usability and effectiveness of modern activating teaching methods in economic subjects in fulfilling the RVP economics and business and RVP Business Academy in comparison with traditional (standard) methods. To achieve this goal, a systematic clarification and evaluation of key elements of the choice of adequate methods of teaching, presentation and comparison of traditional, modern activating and comprehensive t...

A Systematic Review of the State of Economic Evaluation for Health Care in India.

Science.gov (United States)

Prinja, Shankar; Chauhan, Akashdeep Singh; Angell, Blake; Gupta, Indrani; Jan, Stephen

2015-12-01

Economic evaluations are one of the important tools in policy making for rational allocation of resources. Given the very low public investment in the health sector in India, it is critical that resources are used wisely on interventions proven to yield best results. Hence, we undertook this study to assess the extent and quality of evidence for economic evaluation of health-care interventions and programmes in India. A comprehensive search was conducted to search for published full economic evaluations pertaining to India and addressing a health-related intervention or programme. PubMed, Scopus, Embase, ScienceDirect, and York CRD database and websites of important research agencies were identified to search for economic evaluations published from January 1980 to the middle of November 2014. Two researchers independently assessed the quality of the studies based on Drummond and modelling checklist. Out of a total of 5013 articles enlisted after literature search, a total of 104 met the inclusion criteria for this systematic review. The majority of these papers were cost-effectiveness studies (64%), led by a clinician or public-health professional (77%), using decision analysis-based methods (59%), published in an international journal (80%) and addressing communicable diseases (58%). In addition, 42% were funded by an international funding agency or UN/bilateral aid agency, and 30% focussed on pharmaceuticals. The average quality score of these full economic evaluations was 65.1%. The major limitation was the inability to address uncertainties involved in modelling as only about one-third of the studies assessed modelling structural uncertainties (33%), or ran sub-group analyses to account for heterogeneity (36.5%) or analysed methodological uncertainty (32%). The existing literature on economic evaluations in India is inadequate to feed into sound policy making. There is an urgent need to generate awareness within the government of how economic evaluation can

Framework of Comprehensive Proliferation Resistance Evaluation Methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Min Su; Jo, Seong Youn; Kim, Min Soo; Kim, Jae San; Lee, Hyun Kyung

2007-01-01

Civilian nuclear programs can be used as a pretext to acquire technologies, materials, equipment for military weapon programs. Consequently, international society has a strong incentive to develop a nuclear system more proliferation resistant to assure that the civilian nuclear energy system is an unattractive and least desirable route for diversion of weapon usable material. The First step developing a more proliferation resistant nuclear energy system is to develop a systematic and standardized evaluation methodology to ensure that any future nuclear energy system satisfies the proliferation resistance goals. Many attempts to develop systematic evaluation methodology have been proposed and many systems for assessing proliferation resistance have been previously studied. However, a comprehensive proliferation resistance evaluation can not be achieved by simply applying one method since complicated proliferation resistance characteristics, including inherent features and extrinsic features, should be completely evaluated. Therefore, it is necessary to develop one incorporated evaluation methodology to make up for weak points of each evaluation method. The objective of this study is to provide a framework of comprehensive proliferation resistance evaluation methodology by incorporating two generally used evaluation methods, attribute and scenario analysis

Comprehensive Evaluation of Large Infrastructure Project Plan with ANP

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

HAN Chuan-feng; CHEN Jian-ye

2005-01-01

Analytic Network Process(ANP) was used in comprehensive evaluation of large infrastructure project plan. A model including social economy, ecological environment, and resources was established with ANP method. The evaluation pattern of hierarchy structure and comprehensive evaluation method for quantity and quality of large infrastructure project were put forward, which provides an effective way to evaluate the large infrastructure project plan. Quantitative analysis indicated that the internal dependence relation of hierarchy structure has influence on ranking results of plan. It is suggested that considering the internal relation can helps managers make effective decisions.

Study on comprehensive evaluation methods for nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arie, Kazuo

1999-03-01

This investigation on comprehensive-evaluation-methods for nuclear fuel cycle has been performed through open-literature search. As the results, no proper comprehensive-evaluation-method has been found which integrate several factors to be considered into only one factor. In the evaluation of future advanced nuclear energy systems, it is required to evaluate from both view points of natural resources and natural environment, in addition to the other factors such as safety, economy, and proliferation resistance. It is recommended that clarification of specific items or targets to be evaluated is most important as the first thing to be done. Second, methodology for the evaluation should be discussed. (author)

Comprehensive evaluation of garment assembly line with simulation

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, Y.; Thomassey, S.; Chen, Y.; Zeng, X.

2017-10-01

In this paper, a comprehensive evaluation system is established to assess the garment production performance. It is based on performance indicators and supported with the corresponding results obtained by manual calculation or computer simulation. The assembly lines of a typical men’s shirt are taken as the study objects. With the comprehensive evaluation results, garments production arrangement scenarios are better analysed and then the appropriate one is supposed to be put into actual production. This will be a guidance given to companies on quick decision-making and multi-objective optimization of garment production.

Comprehensive evaluation on rationality of ventilation system in uranium underground mine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhou Qinglin

1991-01-01

A new method is presented for evaluating rationality of uranium mine ventilation system using fuzzy mathematics. The mathematical models for fuzzy comprehensive evaluation are introduced. Based on practice of uranium mine ventilation, the evaluation factors and the evaluation procedure are given. Using the presented method, a comprehensive evaluation was carried out for ventilation systems before and after regulation in Fuzhou Uranium Mine

Economic evidence for the clinical management of major depressive disorder: a systematic review and quality appraisal of economic evaluations alongside randomised controlled trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Karyotaki, E; Tordrup, D; Buntrock, C; Bertollini, R; Cuijpers, P

2017-10-01

The aim of this systematic review of economic evaluations alongside randomised controlled trials (RCTs) was to provide a comprehensive overview of the evidence concerning cost-effectiveness analyses of common treatment options for major depression. An existing database was used to identify studies reporting cost-effectiveness results from RCTs. This database has been developed by a systematic literature search in the bibliographic databases of PubMed, PsychINFO, Embase and Cochrane library from database inception to December 2014. We evaluated the quality of economic evaluations using a 10-item short version of the Drummond checklist. Results were synthesised narratively. The risk of bias of the included RCTs was assessed, based on the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool. Fourteen RCTs were included from the 5580 articles screened on titles and abstracts. The methodological quality of the health economic evaluations was relatively high and the majority of the included RCTs had low risk of bias in most of Cochrane items except blinding of participants and personnel. Cognitive behavioural therapy was examined in seven trials as part of a variety of treatment protocols and seems cost-effective compared with pharmacotherapy in the long-term. However cost-effectiveness results for the combination of psychotherapy with pharmacotherapy are conflicting and should be interpreted with caution due to limited comparability between the examined trials. For several treatments, only a single economic evaluation was reported as part of a clinical trial. This was the case for comparisons between different classes of antidepressants, for several types of psychotherapy (behavioural activation, occupational therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy, short-term psychotherapy, psychodynamic psychotherapy, rational emotive behavioural therapy, solution focused therapy), and for transcranial magnetic stimulation v. electroconvulsive therapy. The limited evidence base for these interventions

Disaster Metrics: A Comprehensive Framework for Disaster Evaluation Typologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Wong, Diana F; Spencer, Caroline; Boyd, Lee; Burkle, Frederick M; Archer, Frank

2017-10-01

Introduction The frequency of disasters is increasing around the world with more people being at risk. There is a moral imperative to improve the way in which disaster evaluations are undertaken and reported with the aim of reducing preventable mortality and morbidity in future events. Disasters are complex events and undertaking disaster evaluations is a specialized area of study at an international level. Hypothesis/Problem While some frameworks have been developed to support consistent disaster research and evaluation, they lack validation, consistent terminology, and standards for reporting across the different phases of a disaster. There is yet to be an agreed, comprehensive framework to structure disaster evaluation typologies. The aim of this paper is to outline an evolving comprehensive framework for disaster evaluation typologies. It is anticipated that this new framework will facilitate an agreement on identifying, structuring, and relating the various evaluations found in the disaster setting with a view to better understand the process, outcomes, and impacts of the effectiveness and efficiency of interventions. Research was undertaken in two phases: (1) a scoping literature review (peer-reviewed and "grey literature") was undertaken to identify current evaluation frameworks and typologies used in the disaster setting; and (2) a structure was developed that included the range of typologies identified in Phase One and suggests possible relationships in the disaster setting. No core, unifying framework to structure disaster evaluation and research was identified in the literature. The authors propose a "Comprehensive Framework for Disaster Evaluation Typologies" that identifies, structures, and suggests relationships for the various typologies detected. The proposed Comprehensive Framework for Disaster Evaluation Typologies outlines the different typologies of disaster evaluations that were identified in this study and brings them together into a single

Comprehensive evaluation method in application of nuclear DCS product design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Weixin; Zhao Zhemin; Shi Yingbin

2014-01-01

In order to select the best design proposal in short time, the TOPSIS comprehensive evaluation method in the nuclear power plant DCS product design was introduced. It can intuitively show the different design proposals good or not good by data and shorten the time of the design proposal optimization. The design proposal selected by this method will be more reasonable and has good comprehensive performance indexes. The TOPSIS comprehensive evaluation method achieves good result in one of the nuclear power plant DCS cabinet design proposal optimization. (authors)

Evaluation of the Technical-Economic Potential of Particle- Reinforced Aluminum Matrix Composites and Electrochemical Machining

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schubert, A; Hackert-Oschätzchen, M; Lehnert, N; Götze, U; Herold, F; Schmidt, A; Meichsner, G

2016-01-01

Compared to conventional cutting, the processing of materials by electrochemical machining offers some technical advantages like high surface quality, no thermal or mechanical impact on the work piece and preservation of the microstructure of the work piece material. From the economic point of view, the possibility of process parallelization and the absence of any process-related tool wear are mentionable advantages of electrochemical machining. In this study, based on experimental results, it will be evaluated to what extent the electrochemical machining is technically and economically suitable for the finish-machining of particle- reinforced aluminum matrix composites (AMCs). Initial studies showed that electrochemical machining - in contrast to other machining processes - has the potential to fulfil demanding requirements regarding precision and surface quality of products or components especially when applied to AMCs. In addition, the investigations show that processing of AMCs by electrochemical machining requires less energy than the electrochemical machining of stainless steel. Therefore, an evaluation of electrochemically machined AMCs - compared to stainless steel - from a technical and an economic perspective will be presented in this paper. The results show the potential of electro-chemically machined AMCs and contribute to the enhancement of instruments for technical-economic evaluations as well as a comprehensive innovation control. (paper)

Comprehensive evaluation of a digital imaging network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mun, S.K.; Benson, H.; Elliott, L.P.; Horii, S.

1988-01-01

The authors' institution has installed a comprehensive PACS network involving a dozen work stations and ten imaging systems with electronic archiving and teleradiology capability based on the CommView (AT and T) system and its fiberoptic network. Diagnostic reporting stations are placed in neuroradiology, abdominal imaging, general radiology, and ultrasound service. Other review stations are located in intensive care units, radiation medicine, the emergency room, and other sites. Clinical acceptance of such technology varies depending on a number of factors: image quality, image data volume, service style, and personal preference. The general acceptance depends on the work station performance, network response time, and work station environment. Clinical acceptance by radiologists and referring physicians was evaluated. The evaluation project included work-station performance, network performance, system interface, RIS interface, and development of training methods and implementation strategy for other sites. A cost analysis and a study of administrative impact are integral parts of the comprehensive evaluation project

Comprehensive exergetic and economic comparison of PWR and hybrid fossil fuel-PWR power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sayyaadi, Hoseyn; Sabzaligol, Tooraj

2010-01-01

A typical 1000 MW Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) nuclear power plant and two similar hybrid 1000 MW PWR plants operate with natural gas and coal fired fossil fuel superheater-economizers (Hybrid PWR-Fossil fuel plants) are compared exergetically and economically. Comparison is performed based on energetic and economic features of three systems. In order to compare system at their optimum operating point, three workable base case systems including the conventional PWR, and gas and coal fired hybrid PWR-Fossil fuel power plants considered and optimized in exergetic and exergoeconomic optimization scenarios, separately. The thermodynamic modeling of three systems is performed based on energy and exergy analyses, while an economic model is developed according to the exergoeconomic analysis and Total Revenue Requirement (TRR) method. The objective functions based on exergetic and exergoeconomic analyses are developed. The exergetic and exergoeconomic optimizations are performed using the Genetic Algorithm (GA). Energetic and economic features of exergetic and exergoeconomic optimized conventional PWR and gas and coal fired Hybrid PWR-Fossil fuel power plants are compared and discussed comprehensively.

Nutrition economics: towards comprehensive understanding of the benefits of nutrition.

Science.gov (United States)

Koponen, Aki; Sandell, Mari; Salminen, Seppo; Lenoir-Wijnkoop, Irene

2012-01-01

There has been an increase in the knowledge and interest on nutrition, and functional foods have gained popularity over the last few decades, and the trend is increasing. Probiotics and prebiotics are among the most studied functional foods. Nutrition economics has been defined as the discipline dedicated to researching and characterising health and economic outcomes in nutrition for the benefit of society. The concept and its application to probiotics and prebiotics will be discussed in terms of health and economic benefits and their evaluation. Health economics and concrete applications showing how to maximise long-term nutritional benefits will contribute to motivate consumers in making food choices based on a rational understanding of their own interest. We present a model that shows that nutrition economics can be used as an analytical tool for product and service network development.

The assessment of eco-design with a comprehensive index incorporating environmental impact and economic profit

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Shuo; Fu, Yun; Wang, Xiuteng; Xu, Bingsheng; Li, Zheng

2017-11-01

Eco-design is an advanced design approach which plays an important part in the national innovation project and serves as a key point for the successful transformation of the supply structure. However, the practical implementation of the pro-environmental designs and technologies always faces a dilemma situation, where some processes can effectively control their emissions to protect the environment at relatively high costs, while others pursue the individual interest in making profit by ignoring the possible adverse environmental impacts. Thus, the assessment on the eco-design process must be carried out based on the comprehensive consideration of the economic and environmental aspects. Presently, the assessment systems in China are unable to fully reflect the new environmental technologies regarding their innovative features or performance. Most of the assessment systems adopt scoring method based on the judgments of the experts, which are easy to use but somewhat subjective. The assessment method presented in this paper includes the environmental impact (EI) assessment based on LCA principal and willingness-to-pay theory, and economic profit (EP) assessment mainly based on market price. The results from the assessment are in the form of EI/EP, which evaluate the targeted process from a combined perspective of environmental and economic performance. A case study was carried out upon the utilization process of coal fly ash, which indicates the proposed method can compare different technical processes in an effective and objective manner, and provide explicit and insightful suggestions for decision making.

Economic evaluation of bids for nuclear power plants. 1999 edition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-01-01

dominant role and lead to long term impact on the bid projects. Furthermore, the licensing of the various concepts has to be checked carefully. In addition to the NPP itself, requirements for fuel fabrication facilities, intermediate storage facilities and final disposal of high level radioactive waste have to be planned carefully in a nuclear programme. Furthermore, access to a storage area for low and medium level radioactive waste must be provided. The respective licensing authorities have to be established and qualified, a process which is normally organized with foreign partners. The main objectives of the economic bid evaluation are to establish the plant costs and to rank the available bids with the help of an economic figure of merit. This requires consideration of the following points: Results of the technical bid evaluation; Capital investment costs; Nuclear fuel cycle costs; Operation and maintenance costs; Owner's costs, Commercial and contractual terms and conditions, Financing proposals, Economic parameters, Domestic participation and technology transfer, Fringe benefits and spin-off effects, Political and socioeconomic aspects. It should be clear to the user of this report that it is not possible to have a fully comprehensive manual for the treatment of all feasible types and combinations of contract approach. However, this report aims at providing the user with the following valuable information: General outline of the bid evaluation process; Detailed description of, and guidelines for, the economic bid evaluation process; Examples of different factors that should be taken into account in the economic bid evaluation; Description of methodologies and analytical tools applicable to the economic bid evaluation; Detailed description of the IAEA account system, which allows great flexibility in the technical and economic bid evaluation process; An economic bid evaluation computer program updated to the state of the art. The structure of the IAEA account system

Economic evaluations in pain management: principles and methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Asche, Carl V; Seal, Brian; Jackson, Kenneth C; Oderda, Gary M

2006-01-01

This paper describes how investigators may design, conduct, and report economic evaluations of pharmacotherapy for pain and symptom management. Because economic evaluation of therapeutic interventions is becoming increasingly important, there is a need for guidance on how economic evaluations can be optimally conducted. The steps required to conduct an economic evaluation are described to provide this guidance. Economic evaluations require two or more therapeutic interventions to be compared in relation to costs and effects. There are five types of economic evaluations, based on analysis of: (1) cost-effectiveness, (2) cost-utility, (3) cost-minimization, (4) cost-consequence, and (5) cost-benefit analyses. The six required steps are: identify the perspective of the study; identify the alternatives that will be compared; identify the relevant costs and effects; determine how to collect the cost and effect data; determine how to perform calculation for cost and effects data; and determine the manner in which to depict the results and draw comparisons.

ECONOMIC THEORY OF LOBBYING: EVALUATION OF ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tolstyh Pavel Aleksandrovich

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In this article the author continues to analyze lobbying with regards to economic paradigm. [The author has started discussing lobbying in terms of economic theory in the article Politico-economic theory of lobbying / / Historical, philosophical, political and legal sciences, culture and art. Theory and practice. Tambov: Gramota, 2013. No 1. Part 2. p. 177-189.] Researcher evaluates the cost effectiveness of the lobbying function. Lobbying is understood as activity of specifically authorized employees of corporations and lobbying firms representing their interests, trade associations. This activity is aimed at improving the profitability of integrated and sustainable business development by representing long-term, comfortable, predictable system of relationships with the relevant field-specific political stakeholders of the federal and regional levels. The article presents an in-depth analysis of economic concepts of lobbying function.

Economic evaluation of integrated care: an introduction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hindrik Vondeling

2004-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Integrated care has emerged in a variety of forms in industrialised countries during the past decade. It is generally assumed that these new arrangements result in increased effectiveness and quality of care, while being cost-effective or even cost-saving at the same time. However, systematic evaluation, including an evaluation of the relative costs and benefits of these arrangements, has largely been lacking. Objectives: To stimulate fruitful dialogue and debate about the need for economic evaluation in integrated care, and to outline possibilities for undertaking economic appraisal studies in this relatively new field. Theory: Key concepts, including e.g. scarcity and opportunity costs, are introduced, followed by a brief overview of the most common methods used in economic evaluation of health care programmes. Then a number of issues that seem particularly relevant for economic evaluation of integrated care arrangements are addressed in more detail, illustrated with examples from the literature. Conclusion and discussion: There is a need for well-designed economic evaluation studies of integrated care arrangements, in particular in order to support decision making on the long-term financing of these programmes. Although relatively few studies have been done to date, the field is challenging from a methodological point of view, offering analysts a wealth of opportunities. Guidance to realise these opportunities is provided by the general principles for economic evaluation, which can be tailored to the requirements of this particular field.

Macromod: Computer Simulation For Introductory Economics

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, Thomas

1977-01-01

The Macroeconomic model (Macromod) is a computer assisted instruction simulation model designed for introductory economics courses. An evaluation of its utilization at a community college indicates that it yielded a 10 percent to 13 percent greater economic comprehension than lecture classes and that it met with high student approval. (DC)

Belgian guidelines for economic evaluations: second edition.

Science.gov (United States)

Thiry, Nancy; Neyt, Mattias; Van De Sande, Stefaan; Cleemput, Irina

2014-12-01

The aim of this study was to present the updated methodological guidelines for economic evaluations of healthcare interventions (drugs, medical devices, and other interventions) in Belgium. The update of the guidelines was performed by three Belgian health economists following feedback from users of the former guidelines and personal experience. The updated guidelines were discussed with a multidisciplinary team consisting of other health economists, assessors of reimbursement request files, representatives of Belgian databases and representatives of the drugs and medical devices industry. The final document was validated by three external validators that were not involved in the previous discussions. The guidelines give methodological guidance for the following components of an economic evaluation: literature review, perspective of the evaluation, definition of the target population, choice of the comparator, analytic technique and study design, calculation of costs, valuation of outcomes, definition of the time horizon, modeling, handling uncertainty and discounting. We present a reference case that can be considered as the minimal requirement for Belgian economic evaluations of health interventions. These guidelines will improve the methodological quality, transparency and uniformity of the economic evaluations performed in Belgium. The guidelines will also provide support to the researchers and assessors performing or evaluating economic evaluations.

Economic evaluation of bids for nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1976-01-01

The purpose of the guidebook is to assist an organisation responsible for a nuclear power project in evaluating and establishing an economic order of merit among competing bids. An approximate overall time schedule for a first nuclear power plant project is provided. A schematic outline of technical bid evaluation is given. The basic procedure of economic bid evaluation is outlined, e.g. evaluation of the present worth of all cost items of plant capital investment, of the nuclear cycle, of O and M costs (operation and maintenance costs), and of economic corrections. All these cost items are evaluated for the economic life of the plant and corrected for escalation where applicable

Evaluation as institution: a contractarian argument for needs-based economic evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Rogowski, Wolf H

2018-06-13

There is a gap between health economic evaluation methods and the value judgments of coverage decision makers, at least in Germany. Measuring preference satisfaction has been claimed to be inappropriate for allocating health care resources, e.g. because it disregards medical need. The existing methods oriented at medical need have been claimed to disregard non-consequentialist fairness concerns. The aim of this article is to propose a new, contractarian argument for justifying needs-based economic evaluation. It is based on consent rather than maximization of some impersonal unit of value to accommodate the fairness concerns. This conceptual paper draws upon contractarian ethics and constitution economics to show how economic evaluation can be viewed as an institution to overcome societal conflicts in the allocation of scarce health care resources. For this, the problem of allocating scarce health care resources in a society is reconstructed as a social dilemma. Both disadvantaged patients and affluent healthy individuals can be argued to share interests in a societal contract to provide technologies which ameliorate medical need, based on progressive funding. The use of needs-based economic evaluation methods for coverage determination can be interpreted as institutions for conflict resolution as far as they use consented criteria to ensure the social contract's sustainability and avoid implicit rationing or unaffordable contribution rates. This justifies the use of needs-based evaluation methods by Pareto-superiority and consent (rather than by some needs-based value function per se). The view of economic evaluation presented here may help account for fairness concerns in the further development of evaluation methods. This is because it directs the attention away from determining some unit of value to be maximized towards determining those persons who are most likely not to consent and meeting their concerns. Following this direction in methods development is

Comprehensive Benefit Evaluation of the Wind-PV-ES and Transmission Hybrid Power System Consideration of System Functionality and Proportionality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huizheng Ji

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In the background of decreasing fossil fuels and increasing environmental pollution, the wind-photovoltaic energy storage and transmission hybrid power system (or called the wind-PV-ES and transmission hybrid system has become a strategic choice to achieve energy sustainability. However, the comprehensive benefit evaluation of such a combined power system is in a relatively blank state in China, which will hinder the reasonable and orderly development of this station. Four parts, the technical performance, economic benefit, ecological impact and social benefit, are considered in this paper, and a multi-angle evaluation index system of the wind-PV-ES and transmission system is designed. The projection pursuit model is used to evaluated system functionality conventionally; relative entropy theory is used to evaluate the system functionality simultaneously; and a comprehensive benefit evaluation model of the technique for order preference by similar to ideal solution (TOPSIS considering both system functionality and proportionality is constructed. Finally, the national demonstration station of the wind-PV-ES-transmission system is taken as an example to testify to the practicability and validity of the evaluation index system and model.

Evaluation of use of reading comprehension strategies to improve reading comprehension of adult college students with acquired brain injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Griffiths, Gina G; Sohlberg, McKay Moore; Kirk, Cecilia; Fickas, Stephen; Biancarosa, Gina

2016-01-01

Adults with mild to moderate acquired brain injury (ABI) often pursue post-secondary or professional education after their injuries in order to enter or re-enter the job market. An increasing number of these adults report problems with reading-to-learn. The problem is particularly concerning given the growing population of adult survivors of ABI. Despite the rising need, empirical evaluation of reading comprehension interventions for adults with ABI is scarce. This study used a within-subject design to evaluate whether adult college students with ABI with no more than moderate cognitive impairments benefited from using reading comprehension strategies to improve comprehension of expository text. Integrating empirical support from the cognitive rehabilitation and special education literature, the researchers designed a multi-component reading comprehension strategy package. Participants read chapters from an introductory-level college anthropology textbook in two different conditions: strategy and no-strategy. The results indicated that reading comprehension strategy use was associated with recall of more correct information units in immediate and delayed free recall tasks; more efficient recall in the delayed free recall task; and increased accuracy recognising statements from a sentence verification task designed to reflect the local and global coherence of the text. The findings support further research into using reading comprehension strategies as an intervention approach for the adult ABI population. Future research needs include identifying how to match particular reading comprehension strategies to individuals, examining whether reading comprehension performance improves further through the incorporation of systematic training, and evaluating texts from a range of disciplines and genres.

Utilities' nuclear fuel economic evaluation methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sonz, L.A.

1987-01-01

This paper presents the typical perceptions, methods, considerations, and procedures used by an operating electric utility in the economic evaluation of nuclear fuel preparation and utilization scenarios. The means given are probably not an exclusive review of those available, but are the author's recollection of systems employed to select and recommend preferable courses of action. Economic evaluation of proposed nuclear fuel scenarios is an important, but not exclusive, means of deciding on corporate action. If the economic evaluation is performed and coordinated with the other corporate considerations, such as technical and operational ability, electrical system operations management, tax effects, capital management, rates impact, etc., then the resultant recommendation may be employed to the benefit of the customers and, consequently, to the corporation

Life Cycle Assessment, ExternE and Comprehensive Analysis for an integrated evaluation of the environmental impact of anthropogenic activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pietrapertosa, F.; Cosmi, C. [National Research Council, Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis C.N.R.-I.M.A.A. C.da S.Loja, I-85050 Tito Scalo (PZ) (Italy); National Research Council, National Institute for the Physics of Matter, C.N.R.-I.N.F.M. Via Cinthia, I-80126 Naples (Italy); Macchiato, M. [Federico II University, Department of Physical Sciences, Via Cinthia, I-80126 Naples (Italy); National Research Council, National Institute for the Physics of Matter, C.N.R.-I.N.F.M. Via Cinthia, I-80126 Naples (Italy); Salvia, M.; Cuomo, V. [National Research Council, Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis C.N.R.-I.M.A.A. C.da S.Loja, I-85050 Tito Scalo (PZ) (Italy)

2009-06-15

The implementation of resource management strategies aimed at reducing the impacts of the anthropogenic activities system requires a comprehensive approach to evaluate on the whole the environmental burdens of productive processes and to identify the best recovery strategies from both an environmental and an economic point of view. In this framework, an analytical methodology based on the integration of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), ExternE and Comprehensive Analysis was developed to perform an in-depth investigation of energy systems. The LCA methodology, largely utilised by the international scientific community for the assessment of the environmental performances of technologies, combined with Comprehensive Analysis allows modelling the overall system of anthropogenic activities, as well as sub-systems, the economic consequences of the whole set of environmental damages. Moreover, internalising external costs into partial equilibrium models, as those utilised by Comprehensive Analysis, can be useful to identify the best paths for implementing technology innovation and strategies aimed to a more sustainable energy supply and use. This paper presents an integrated application of these three methodologies to a local scale case study (the Val D'Agri area in Basilicata, Southern Italy), aimed to better characterise the environmental impacts of the energy system, with particular reference to extraction activities. The innovative methodological approach utilised takes advantage from the strength points of each methodology with an added value coming from their integration as emphasised by the main results obtained by the scenario analysis. (author)

Application of Multi-level Grey Evaluation on Geological Tourism Resources’ Economic Values of Geopark: A Case Study of Huashan Geopark in Shaanxi Province

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yang; Gong, Xianjie

2018-01-01

Geo-park gives priority to geographical relic landscapes. It has not only rich geological touristic resources but also extraordinarily high values for economic development. Taking Huashan Geological Park as an example, the thesis systematically analyzes the characteristics of the geological touristic resources in this park. It applies the method of multilevel grey evaluation to establish the evaluation model for the economic values of the touristic resources in the geological park and presents detailed result of the assessment. The result concludes an excellent grade for the comprehensive evaluation of the economic values of Huashan geological touristic resources, reflecting the outstanding natural advantages of the park in geological resources. Moreover, in the single-item evaluations, the scientific evaluation ranks the highest in score, indicating that the geological touristic resources of the park have extraordinary geologically science-popularizing values as a significant condition for the development of scientific tours. It shows that the park is endowed with excellent prospects for economic development.

Common methodological flaws in economic evaluations.

Science.gov (United States)

Drummond, Michael; Sculpher, Mark

2005-07-01

Economic evaluations are increasingly being used by those bodies such as government agencies and managed care groups that make decisions about the reimbursement of health technologies. However, several reviews of economic evaluations point to numerous deficiencies in the methodology of studies or the failure to follow published methodological guidelines. This article, written for healthcare decision-makers and other users of economic evaluations, outlines the common methodological flaws in studies, focussing on those issues that are likely to be most important when deciding on the reimbursement, or guidance for use, of health technologies. The main flaws discussed are: (i) omission of important costs or benefits; (ii) inappropriate selection of alternatives for comparison; (iii) problems in making indirect comparisons; (iv) inadequate representation of the effectiveness data; (v) inappropriate extrapolation beyond the period observed in clinical studies; (vi) excessive use of assumptions rather than data; (vii) inadequate characterization of uncertainty; (viii) problems in aggregation of results; (ix) reporting of average cost-effectiveness ratios; (x) lack of consideration of generalizability issues; and (xi) selective reporting of findings. In each case examples are given from the literature and guidance is offered on how to detect flaws in economic evaluations.

Emergy evaluation of water utilization benefits in water-ecological-economic system based on water cycle process

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, X.; Wu, Z.; Lv, C.

2017-12-01

The water utilization benefits are formed by the material flow, energy flow, information flow and value stream in the whole water cycle process, and reflected along with the material circulation of inner system. But most of traditional water utilization benefits evaluation are based on the macro level, only consider the whole material input and output and energy conversion relation, and lack the characterization of water utilization benefits accompanying with water cycle process from the formation mechanism. In addition, most studies are from the perspective of economics, only pay attention to the whole economic output and sewage treatment economic investment, but neglect the ecological function benefits of water cycle, Therefore, from the perspective of internal material circulation in the whole system, taking water cycle process as the process of material circulation and energy flow, the circulation and flow process of water and other ecological environment, social economic elements were described, and the composition of water utilization positive and negative benefits in water-ecological-economic system was explored, and the performance of each benefit was analyzed. On this basis, the emergy calculation method of each benefit was proposed by emergy quantitative analysis technique, which can realize the unified measurement and evaluation of water utilization benefits in water-ecological-economic system. Then, taking Zhengzhou city as an example, the corresponding benefits of different water cycle links were calculated quantitatively by emergy method, and the results showed that the emergy evaluation method of water utilization benefits can unify the ecosystem and the economic system, achieve uniform quantitative analysis, and measure the true value of natural resources and human economic activities comprehensively.

[Basic principles and methodological considerations of health economic evaluations].

Science.gov (United States)

Loza, Cesar; Castillo-Portilla, Manuel; Rojas, José Luis; Huayanay, Leandro

2011-01-01

Health Economics is an essential instrument for health management, and economic evaluations can be considered as tools assisting the decision-making process for the allocation of resources in health. Currently, economic evaluations are increasingly being used worldwide, thus encouraging evidence-based decision-making and seeking efficient and rational alternatives within the framework of health services activities. In this review, we present an overview and define the basic types of economic evaluations, with emphasis on complete Economic Evaluations (EE). In addition, we review key concepts regarding the perspectives from which EE can be conducted, the types of costs that can be considered, the time horizon, discounting, assessment of uncertainty and decision rules. Finally, we describe concepts about the extrapolation and spread of economic evaluations in health.

ECONOMIC THEORY OF LOBBYING: EVALUATION OF ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Павел Александрович Толстых

2013-04-01

Full Text Available In this article the author continues to analyze lobbying with regards to economic paradigm. [The author has started discussing lobbying in terms of economic theory in the article Politico-economic theory of lobbying / / Historical, philosophical, political and legal sciences, culture and art. Theory and practice. Tambov: Gramota, 2013. No 1. Part 2. p. 177-189.] Researcher evaluates the cost effectiveness of the lobbying function. Lobbying is understood as activity of specifically authorized employees of corporations and lobbying firms representing their interests, trade associations. This activity is aimed at improving the profitability of integrated and sustainable business development by representing  long-term, comfortable, predictable system of relationships with the relevant field-specific political stakeholders of the federal and regional levels. The article presents an in-depth analysis of economic concepts of lobbying function.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12731/2218-7405-2013-1-3

Evaluating β-convergence of the Socio-Economic Development of Ukraine’s Regions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyzym Mykola O.

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The article is devoted to evaluating β-convergence of the socio-economic development of Ukraine’s regions. The essence and theoretical basis of evaluation of σ- and β-convergence is studied. The neoclassical theory of growth of R. Solow that serves as a basis for models of β-convergence is considered. The essence and features of evaluation of the absolute (unconditional and conditional β-convergence is examined. The existing empirical researches of the economic development of countries and their regions with the use of convergence models are analyzed and it is found that: the theory of convergent-divergent development of countries and their regions is sufficiently developed; there are certain studies aimed at evaluation and analysis of the convergence of regional development in Ukraine, but there is no comprehensive study that comprises the building of all the above types of β-convergence models for the period covering the years before and after the crisis of 2008–2009. A scheme of the investigation of the convergence process in regions of Ukraine is proposed, and on this basis the evaluation of β-convergence for Ukraine’s regions is conducted with the use of four types of models: the Barro and Sala-i-Martin model, the Baumol model, the Solow-Swan model, the Cuadrado-Roura model. On the basis of the study it has been found that for the peripheral regions the presence of convergence of their social and economic development is determined by the share of services in the gross regional product to a greater extent and availability of mineral resources to a less extent, but the given result is obtained only with the use of the Barro Sala-i-Martin model, for the other models the condition of β-convergence is not met.

Economic evaluation of CISM : a pilot study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vogt, Joachim

2004-01-01

air traffic controllers, critical incident stress management, CISM, critical incidents, critical incident stress, cost-benefit-analysis, economic evaluation, efficiency, return on investment......air traffic controllers, critical incident stress management, CISM, critical incidents, critical incident stress, cost-benefit-analysis, economic evaluation, efficiency, return on investment...

The Comprehensive Benefit Evaluation of Take Shared Bicycles as Connecting to Public Transit

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, J. Y.; Sun, H.; Li, P. F.; Li, C. C.

2017-10-01

Shared bicycles as an important way of connecting public transport, have few literature to evaluate its effectiveness.This paper taking Beijing city as an example, make anevaluationfor the six types of travel combinations which are commonly used by the citizens. The author selects four quantitative indicators: fuel consumption, economic cost, total time spent, and CO2 emission. And two qualitative indicators: degree of comfort and convenience. The relative efficiency of quantitative indicators is obtained by data envelopment analysis (DEA) and fuzzification and then take fuzzy synthetic evaluation with qualitative indicators.It was found that the choice of shared bicycles +subway+ shared bicycles and shared bicycles has good comprehensive benefits in medium distance travel. The findings also suggest that shared bicycles +subway+ shared bicycles is the best choice in the utilitarian trips. The conclusions not only provide suggestions for the travellers to select travel modes, but also can adjust the relevant factors to increase the proportion of green travel.

Improving early cycle economic evaluation of diagnostic technologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Steuten, Lotte M G; Ramsey, Scott D

2014-08-01

The rapidly increasing range and expense of new diagnostics, compels consideration of a different, more proactive approach to health economic evaluation of diagnostic technologies. Early cycle economic evaluation is a decision analytic approach to evaluate technologies in development so as to increase the return on investment as well as patient and societal impact. This paper describes examples of 'early cycle economic evaluations' as applied to diagnostic technologies and highlights challenges in its real-time application. It shows that especially in the field of diagnostics, with rapid technological developments and a changing regulatory climate, early cycle economic evaluation can have a guiding role to improve the efficiency of the diagnostics innovation process. In the next five years the attention will move beyond the methodological and analytic challenges of early cycle economic evaluation towards the challenge of effectively applying it to improve diagnostic research and development and patient value. Future work in this area should therefore be 'strong on principles and soft on metrics', that is, the metrics that resonate most clearly with the various decision makers in this field.

An updated comprehensive techno-economic analysis of algae biodiesel.

Science.gov (United States)

Nagarajan, Sanjay; Chou, Siaw Kiang; Cao, Shenyan; Wu, Chen; Zhou, Zhi

2013-10-01

Algae biodiesel is a promising but expensive alternative fuel to petro-diesel. To overcome cost barriers, detailed cost analyses are needed. A decade-old cost analysis by the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory indicated that the costs of algae biodiesel were in the range of $0.53-0.85/L (2012 USD values). However, the cost of land and transesterification were just roughly estimated. In this study, an updated comprehensive techno-economic analysis was conducted with optimized processes and improved cost estimations. Latest process improvement, quotes from vendors, government databases, and other relevant data sources were used to calculate the updated algal biodiesel costs, and the final costs of biodiesel are in the range of $0.42-0.97/L. Additional improvements on cost-effective biodiesel production around the globe to cultivate algae was also recommended. Overall, the calculated costs seem promising, suggesting that a single step biodiesel production process is close to commercial reality. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving early cycle economic evaluation of diagnostic technologies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Steuten, Lotte Maria Gertruda; Ramsey, Scott D.

2014-01-01

The rapidly increasing range and expense of new diagnostics, compels consideration of a different, more proactive approach to health economic evaluation of diagnostic technologies. Early cycle economic evaluation is a decision analytic approach to evaluate technologies in development so as to

Providing inbuilt economic resilience options : an obligation of comprehensive cancer care.

Science.gov (United States)

Cross, Eva Reitschuler; Emanuel, Linda

2008-12-15

For many, a cancer death in the family is the immediately obvious part of what is actually a double devastation. Overwhelming financial damage also results for many families, from the cost of medical care and from the loss of earning power by the patient and family. For some families, the consequences may be multigenerational and can affect the health of the survivors. Although this situation is not limited to cancer, the authors argue that oncology can take a lead in attending to these consequences of cancer as an integral part of its commitment to comprehensive cancer care. They make this case for both the national and the international settings. They also articulate and illustrate the notion of inbuilt options for economic resilience (IERs), which the authors suggest the medical industry, and its cancer care sectors in particular, should be providing to all patients and their families if they are at risk for damaging financial losses. After describing key features to IER, the authors illustrate it with 1 type of approach for households of the terminally ill: hospice care with provision of supplementary training and certification to the family caregiver. Such programming could generate a low-technology, semiskilled healthcare service economy as trained family caregivers provide support to other households in need, thereby both providing a recovery option for themselves and reduced economic devastation to the households which, by receiving the services, can stay in the workforce. Finally, the authors call for invigorated research on the economic impact of cancer on families and for the modeling, demonstration, and study of options for economic resilience, including IER programs.

Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model of interuniversity collaborative learning based on network

Science.gov (United States)

Wenhui, Ma; Yu, Wang

2017-06-01

Learning evaluation is an effective method, which plays an important role in the network education evaluation system. But most of the current network learning evaluation methods still use traditional university education evaluation system, which do not take into account of web-based learning characteristics, and they are difficult to fit the rapid development of interuniversity collaborative learning based on network. Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method is used to evaluate interuniversity collaborative learning based on the combination of fuzzy theory and analytic hierarchy process. Analytic hierarchy process is used to determine the weight of evaluation factors of each layer and to carry out the consistency check. According to the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method, we establish interuniversity collaborative learning evaluation mathematical model. The proposed scheme provides a new thought for interuniversity collaborative learning evaluation based on network.

Economic evaluation of reprocessing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-02-01

This paper presents a progress report of work undertaken relevant to the economic evaluation of reprocessing. It sets out the assumptions to be made for the preparation of the economic ''phase diagram'' - a plot of fast reactor premium against uranium (U 3 O 8 ) price. The paper discusses the assumptions to be made in respect of present worth methodology, LWR fuel logistics, U 3 O 8 price, enrichment tails, plutonium values, fast reactor premium and proposes a set of reference costs to be used for the preparation of the phase diagram

[Economic evaluation on breast cancer screening in mainland China: a systematic review].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, L; Shi, J F; Huang, H Y; Zhu, J; Li, J; Fang, Y; Dai, M

2016-12-10

the domains of study perspective, discounting, ICER and uncertainty, all the scores of equalities were relatively levels. Conclusions: Currently, evidence on economic evaluation of breast cancer screening in mainland China remained limited and weakly comparable, particularly model-based studies. Comprehensive analysis from societal perspective and QALY or DALY related cost-utility analysis should be implemented.

The Development Evaluation of Economic Zones in China

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Hong-Bo; Zhang, Zhe; Zhai, Yuming; Chen, Quan; Wang, Jiangtao

2018-01-01

After the Chinese reform and opening up, the construction of economic zones, such as Special Economic Zones, Hi-tech Zones and Bonded Zones, has played an irreplaceable role in China’s economic development. Currently, against the background of Chinese economic transition, research on development evaluation of economic zones has become popular and necessary. Similar research usually focuses on one specific field, and the methods that are used to evaluate it are simple. This research aims to analyse the development evaluation of zones by synthesis. A new hybrid multiple criteria decision making (MCDM) model that combines the DEMATEL technique and the DANP method is proposed. After establishing the evaluation criterion system and acquiring data, the influential weights of dimensions and criteria can be calculated, which will be a guide for forming measures of development. Shandong Peninsula Blue Economic Zone is used in the empirical case analysis. The results show that Transportation Conditions, Industrial Structure and Business Climate are the main influencing criteria and measures based on these criteria are proposed. PMID:29301304

Classification and Quality Evaluation of Tobacco Leaves Based on Image Processing and Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Fan; Zhang, Xinhong

2011-01-01

Most of classification, quality evaluation or grading of the flue-cured tobacco leaves are manually operated, which relies on the judgmental experience of experts, and inevitably limited by personal, physical and environmental factors. The classification and the quality evaluation are therefore subjective and experientially based. In this paper, an automatic classification method of tobacco leaves based on the digital image processing and the fuzzy sets theory is presented. A grading system based on image processing techniques was developed for automatically inspecting and grading flue-cured tobacco leaves. This system uses machine vision for the extraction and analysis of color, size, shape and surface texture. Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation provides a high level of confidence in decision making based on the fuzzy logic. The neural network is used to estimate and forecast the membership function of the features of tobacco leaves in the fuzzy sets. The experimental results of the two-level fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) show that the accuracy rate of classification is about 94% for the trained tobacco leaves, and the accuracy rate of the non-trained tobacco leaves is about 72%. We believe that the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation is a viable way for the automatic classification and quality evaluation of the tobacco leaves. PMID:22163744

Health Information Technology Evaluation Framework (HITREF) Comprehensiveness as Assessed in Electronic Point-of-Care Documentation Systems Evaluations.

Science.gov (United States)

Sockolow, Paulina S; Bowles, Kathryn H; Rogers, Michelle

2015-01-01

We assessed the Health Information Technology (HIT) Reference-based Evaluation Framework (HITREF) comprehensiveness in two HIT evaluations in settings different from that in which the HITREF was developed. Clinician satisfaction themes that emerged from clinician interviews in the home care and the hospital studies were compared to the framework components. Across both studies, respondents commented on 12 of the 20 HITREF components within 5 of the 6 HITREF concepts. No new components emerged that were missing from the HITREF providing evidence that the HITREF is a comprehensive framework. HITREF use in a range of HIT evaluations by researchers new to the HITREF demonstrates that it can be used as intended. Therefore, we continue to recommend the HITREF as a comprehensive, research-based HIT evaluation framework to increase the capacity of informatics evaluators' use of best practice and evidence-based practice to support the credibility of their findings for fulfilling the purpose of program evaluation.

Smoking, health-related quality of life and economic evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

López-Nicolás, Ángel; Trapero-Bertran, Marta; Muñoz, Celia

2018-06-01

The economic evaluation of tobacco control policies requires the adoption of assumptions about the impact of changes in smoking status on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Estimates for such impacts are necessary for different populations. This paper aims to test whether smoking status has an independent effect on HRQoL over and above the effect derived from the increased likelihood of suffering a tobacco related disease, and to calculate utility values for the Spanish population. Using data from the Spanish Encuesta Nacional de Salud of 2011-12, we estimate statistical models for HRQoL as measured by the EQ-5D-5L instrument as a function of smoking status. We include a comprehensive set of controls for biological, clinical, lifestyle and socioeconomic characteristics. Smoking status has an independent, statistically significant effect on HRQoL. However, the size of the effect is small. The typical smoking related diseases, such as lung cancer, are associated with a reduction in HRQoL about 5 times larger than the difference between current smokers and never smokers. Attributing substantive HRQoL gains to quitting smoking as well as accounting for the concomitant HRQoL gain derived from a smaller likelihood of contracting tobacco related diseases might lead to an overestimation of the benefits of tobacco control policies. Nonetheless, the relatively large drops in HRQoL associated with being diagnosed with diseases that might be causally linked to tobacco suggest that such diseases should not be omitted from the economic evaluations of tobacco control policies.

Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model of interuniversity collaborative learning based on network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wenhui Ma

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Learning evaluation is an effective method, which plays an important role in the network education evaluation system. But most of the current network learning evaluation methods still use traditional university education evaluation system, which do not take into account of web-based learning characteristics, and they are difficult to fit the rapid development of interuniversity collaborative learning based on network. Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method is used to evaluate interuniversity collaborative learning based on the combination of fuzzy theory and analytic hierarchy process. Analytic hierarchy process is used to determine the weight of evaluation factors of each layer and to carry out the consistency check. According to the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method, we establish interuniversity collaborative learning evaluation mathematical model. The proposed scheme provides a new thought for interuniversity collaborative learning evaluation based on network.

A Comprehensive Evaluation System for Military Hospitals' Response Capability to Bio-terrorism.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hui; Jiang, Nan; Shao, Sicong; Zheng, Tao; Sun, Jianzhong

2015-05-01

The objective of this study is to establish a comprehensive evaluation system for military hospitals' response capacity to bio-terrorism. Literature research and Delphi method were utilized to establish the comprehensive evaluation system for military hospitals' response capacity to bio-terrorism. Questionnaires were designed and used to survey the status quo of 134 military hospitals' response capability to bio-terrorism. Survey indicated that factor analysis method was suitable to for analyzing the comprehensive evaluation system for military hospitals' response capacity to bio-terrorism. The constructed evaluation system was consisted of five first-class and 16 second-class indexes. Among them, medical response factor was considered as the most important factor with weight coefficient of 0.660, followed in turn by the emergency management factor with weight coefficient of 0.109, emergency management consciousness factor with weight coefficient of 0.093, hardware support factor with weight coefficient of 0.078, and improvement factor with weight coefficient of 0.059. The constructed comprehensive assessment model and system are scientific and practical.

The use of economic evaluation in CAM: an introductory framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Ford, Emily; Solomon, Daniela; Adams, Jon; Graves, Nicholas

2010-11-11

For CAM to feature prominently in health care decision-making there is a need to expand the evidence-base and to further incorporate economic evaluation into research priorities.In a world of scarce health care resources and an emphasis on efficiency and clinical efficacy, CAM, as indeed do all other treatments, requires rigorous evaluation to be considered in budget decision-making. Economic evaluation provides the tools to measure the costs and health consequences of CAM interventions and thereby inform decision making. This article offers CAM researchers an introductory framework for understanding, undertaking and disseminating economic evaluation. The types of economic evaluation available for the study of CAM are discussed, and decision modelling is introduced as a method for economic evaluation with much potential for use in CAM. Two types of decision models are introduced, decision trees and Markov models, along with a worked example of how each method is used to examine costs and health consequences. This is followed by a discussion of how this information is used by decision makers. Undoubtedly, economic evaluation methods form an important part of health care decision making. Without formal training it can seem a daunting task to consider economic evaluation, however, multidisciplinary teams provide an opportunity for health economists, CAM practitioners and other interested researchers, to work together to further develop the economic evaluation of CAM.

The use of economic evaluation in CAM: an introductory framework

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

Background For CAM to feature prominently in health care decision-making there is a need to expand the evidence-base and to further incorporate economic evaluation into research priorities. In a world of scarce health care resources and an emphasis on efficiency and clinical efficacy, CAM, as indeed do all other treatments, requires rigorous evaluation to be considered in budget decision-making. Methods Economic evaluation provides the tools to measure the costs and health consequences of CAM interventions and thereby inform decision making. This article offers CAM researchers an introductory framework for understanding, undertaking and disseminating economic evaluation. The types of economic evaluation available for the study of CAM are discussed, and decision modelling is introduced as a method for economic evaluation with much potential for use in CAM. Two types of decision models are introduced, decision trees and Markov models, along with a worked example of how each method is used to examine costs and health consequences. This is followed by a discussion of how this information is used by decision makers. Conclusions Undoubtedly, economic evaluation methods form an important part of health care decision making. Without formal training it can seem a daunting task to consider economic evaluation, however, multidisciplinary teams provide an opportunity for health economists, CAM practitioners and other interested researchers, to work together to further develop the economic evaluation of CAM. PMID:21067622

The use of economic evaluation in CAM: an introductory framework

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adams Jon

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background For CAM to feature prominently in health care decision-making there is a need to expand the evidence-base and to further incorporate economic evaluation into research priorities. In a world of scarce health care resources and an emphasis on efficiency and clinical efficacy, CAM, as indeed do all other treatments, requires rigorous evaluation to be considered in budget decision-making. Methods Economic evaluation provides the tools to measure the costs and health consequences of CAM interventions and thereby inform decision making. This article offers CAM researchers an introductory framework for understanding, undertaking and disseminating economic evaluation. The types of economic evaluation available for the study of CAM are discussed, and decision modelling is introduced as a method for economic evaluation with much potential for use in CAM. Two types of decision models are introduced, decision trees and Markov models, along with a worked example of how each method is used to examine costs and health consequences. This is followed by a discussion of how this information is used by decision makers. Conclusions Undoubtedly, economic evaluation methods form an important part of health care decision making. Without formal training it can seem a daunting task to consider economic evaluation, however, multidisciplinary teams provide an opportunity for health economists, CAM practitioners and other interested researchers, to work together to further develop the economic evaluation of CAM.

Economic analysis of nuclear energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Man Ki; Moon, K. H.; Kim, S. S.; Lim, C. Y.; Song, K. D.; Oh, K. B.

2004-12-01

This study evaluated the role of nuclear energy in various aspects in order to provide a more comprehensive standard of judgement to the justification of the utilization of nuclear energy. Firstly, this study evaluated the economic value addition of nuclear power generation technology and Radio-Isotope(RI) technology quantitatively by using modified Input-Output table. Secondly, a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of nuclear power generation was conducted with an effort to quantify the foreign exchange expenditure, the environmental damage cost during 1986-2015 for each scenario. Thirdly, the effect of the regulation of CO 2 emission on the Korean electric supply system was investigated. In more detail, an optimal composition of power plant mix by energy source was investigated, under the assumption of the CO 2 emission regulation at a certain level, by using MESSAGE model. Finally, the economic spillover effect from technology self-reliance of NSSS by Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute was evaluated. Both production spillover effect and value addition spillover effect were estimated by using Input-Output table

Comprehensive Sustainability Evaluation of High-Speed Railway (HSR Construction Projects Based on Unascertained Measure and Analytic Hierarchy Process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yongzhi Chang

2018-02-01

Full Text Available This paper aims to evaluate the sustainability of high-speed railway (HSR construction projects in a comprehensive manner. To this end, the author established an index system, involving 4 primary indices, 9 secondary indices, and 32 tertiary indices. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP and the unascertained measure were introduced to calculate the weights of these indices. Then, the index system was applied to evaluate the sustainability of the China’s Harbin-Dalian Passenger Dedicated Line (PDL. The results show that the Harbin-Dalian PDL project achieved good results in terms of process, economic benefit, impact, and sustainability, and will bring long-term benefits in the fields of tourism, economy, and transport capacity, as well as many other fields. In spite of its good overall sustainability, the project needs to further increase its economic benefits and reduce its negative environmental impact. For this purpose, it is necessary to adopt the management mode of “separation between network and transportation” and apply noise prevention measures like noise barriers, tunnels, and overhead viaducts. This research lays a solid basis for the sustainability evaluation of HSR construction projects, and simplifies the modelling process for designers of HSR.

[Decision modeling for economic evaluation of health technologies].

Science.gov (United States)

de Soárez, Patrícia Coelho; Soares, Marta Oliveira; Novaes, Hillegonda Maria Dutilh

2014-10-01

Most economic evaluations that participate in decision-making processes for incorporation and financing of technologies of health systems use decision models to assess the costs and benefits of the compared strategies. Despite the large number of economic evaluations conducted in Brazil, there is a pressing need to conduct an in-depth methodological study of the types of decision models and their applicability in our setting. The objective of this literature review is to contribute to the knowledge and use of decision models in the national context of economic evaluations of health technologies. This article presents general definitions about models and concerns with their use; it describes the main models: decision trees, Markov chains, micro-simulation, simulation of discrete and dynamic events; it discusses the elements involved in the choice of model; and exemplifies the models addressed in national economic evaluation studies of diagnostic and therapeutic preventive technologies and health programs.

Comprehensive evaluation of future site alternatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shain, D.I.; Jones, M.E.; Ryan, K.

1994-01-01

Due to rapid changes occurring within the Nuclear Weapons complex, the need for integrated planning designed to combine multiple program needs into one strategic plan has become a necessity. This is more apparent as diverse DOE programs compete for dwindling resources. These programs range from traditional production operations, environmental and waste management, to facility transition, economic development, decontamination and decommissioning, and environmental restoration activities. Each program can influence another, thus increasing the difficulty of distinguishing program elements. The method in developing comprehensive plans becomes even more complicated when environmental compliance issues, regulatory agreements and stakeholder values are considered. AT the Department of Energy's (DOE) Rocky Flats Plant (RFP), all of these program conditions exist. This paper addresses a set of tools which are being developed at RFP that provides key planning elements and alternatives assessment for the DOE's Office of Planning and Integration (OPI) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Compliance Officer at RFP. This set of tools is referred to as the Systems Engineering Analysis (SEA)

Economic evaluation of coalbed methane production in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Luo Dongkun; Dai Youjin

2009-01-01

Roaring natural gas demand, energy security and environment protection concerns coupled with stringent emission reduction requirement have made China's abundant coalbed methane (CBM) resource an increasingly valuable energy source. However, not all of China's CBM resource is economic to develop under current technological condition and economic situation. In order to locate the CBM resource with economic viability to develop in China, economic evaluation of CBM production is conducted by applying net present value (NPV) method. The results indicate that more than half of CBM resource in China is economic to develop. It shows that CBM price, production rate and operating costs are the three major factors with most impact on the economic viability of the CBM development in target areas in China. The result also demonstrates that the economic limit production is roughly 1200 cubic meters per day. These economic evaluation results provide important information for both CBM companies and China government.

Evaluating Behavioral Economic Models of Heavy Drinking Among College Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Acuff, Samuel F; Soltis, Kathryn E; Dennhardt, Ashley A; Berlin, Kristoffer S; Murphy, James G

2018-05-14

Heavy drinking among college students is a significant public health concern that can lead to profound social and health consequences, including alcohol use disorder. Behavioral economics posits that low future orientation and high valuation of alcohol (alcohol demand) combined with deficits in alternative reinforcement increase the likelihood of alcohol misuse (Bickel et al., 2011). Despite this, no study has examined the incremental utility of all three variables simultaneously in a comprehensive model METHOD: The current study uses structural equation modeling to test the associations between behavioral economic variables - alcohol demand (latent), future orientation (measured with a delay discounting task and the Consideration of Future Consequences (CFC) scale), and proportionate substance-related reinforcement - and alcohol consumption and problems among 393 heavy drinking college students. Two models are tested: 1) an iteration of the reinforcer pathology model that includes an interaction between future orientation and alcohol demand; and 2) an alternative model evaluating the interconnectedness of behavioral economic variables in predicting problematic alcohol use RESULTS: The interaction effects in model 1 were nonsignificant. Model 2 suggests that greater alcohol demand and proportionate substance-related reinforcement is associated with greater alcohol consumption and problems. Further, CFC was associated with alcohol-related problems and lower proportionate substance-related reinforcement but was not significantly associated with alcohol consumption or alcohol demand. Finally, greater proportionate substance-related reinforcement was associated with greater alcohol demand CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the validity of the behavioral economic reinforcer pathology model as applied to young adult heavy drinking. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Economic evaluation of intermediate operations in oak stands

Science.gov (United States)

Henry H. Webster; John C., Jr. Meadows

1971-01-01

Economic evaluation of forest-management opportunities is a vital ingredient of effective forestry programs. Choices among management opportunities are necessary because opportunities inevitably exceed funds available, and they are important because opportunities commonly range from highly productive to decidedly unproductive. Economic evaluation in oak stands shows a...

Health economic evaluation in England.

Science.gov (United States)

Raftery, James

2014-01-01

The 2010 National Health Service Constitution for England specified rights and responsibilities, including health economic evaluation for the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations. The National Screening Committee and the Health Protection Agency also provide advice to the Government based on health economic evaluation. Each agency largely follows the methods specified by NICE. To distinguish the methods from neoclassical economics they have been termed "extra-welfarist". Key differences include measurement and valuation of both benefits (QALYs) and costs (healthcare related). Policy on discounting has also changed over time and by agency. The debate over having NICE's methods align more closely with neoclassical economics has been prominent in the ongoing development of "value based pricing". The political unacceptability of some decisions has led to special funding for technologies not recommended by NICE. These include the 2002 Multiple Sclerosis Risk Sharing Scheme and the 2010 Cancer Drugs Fund as well as special arrangements for technologies linked to the end of life and for innovation. Since 2009 Patient Access Schemes have made price reductions possible which sometimes enables drugs to meet NICE's cost-effectiveness thresholds. As a result, the National Health Service in England has denied few technologies on grounds of cost-effectiveness. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Comprehensive evaluation index system of total supply capability in distribution network

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Linyao; Wu, Guilian; Yang, Jingyuan; Jia, Shuangrui; Zhang, Wei; Sun, Weiqing

2018-01-01

Aiming at the lack of a comprehensive evaluation of the distribution network, based on the existing distribution network evaluation index system, combined with the basic principles of constructing the evaluation index, put forward a new evaluation index system of distribution network capacity. This paper is mainly based on the total supply capability of the distribution network, combining single index and various factors, into a multi-evaluation index of the distribution network, thus forming a reasonable index system, and various indicators of rational quantification make the evaluation results more intuitive. In order to have a comprehensive judgment of distribution network, this paper uses weights to analyse the importance of each index, verify the rationality of the index system through the example, it is proved that the rationality of the index system, so as to guide the direction of distribution network planning.

A systematic and critical review of model-based economic evaluations of pharmacotherapeutics in patients with bipolar disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohiuddin, Syed

2014-08-01

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a chronic and relapsing mental illness with a considerable health-related and economic burden. The primary goal of pharmacotherapeutics for BD is to improve patients' well-being. The use of decision-analytic models is key in assessing the added value of the pharmacotherapeutics aimed at treating the illness, but concerns have been expressed about the appropriateness of different modelling techniques and about the transparency in the reporting of economic evaluations. This paper aimed to identify and critically appraise published model-based economic evaluations of pharmacotherapeutics in BD patients. A systematic review combining common terms for BD and economic evaluation was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PSYCINFO and ECONLIT. Studies identified were summarised and critically appraised in terms of the use of modelling technique, model structure and data sources. Considering the prognosis and management of BD, the possible benefits and limitations of each modelling technique are discussed. Fourteen studies were identified using model-based economic evaluations of pharmacotherapeutics in BD patients. Of these 14 studies, nine used Markov, three used discrete-event simulation (DES) and two used decision-tree models. Most of the studies (n = 11) did not include the rationale for the choice of modelling technique undertaken. Half of the studies did not include the risk of mortality. Surprisingly, no study considered the risk of having a mixed bipolar episode. This review identified various modelling issues that could potentially reduce the comparability of one pharmacotherapeutic intervention with another. Better use and reporting of the modelling techniques in the future studies are essential. DES modelling appears to be a flexible and comprehensive technique for evaluating the comparability of BD treatment options because of its greater flexibility of depicting the disease progression over time. However, depending on the research question

Economic evaluations of homeopathy: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Viksveen, Petter; Dymitr, Zofia; Simoens, Steven

2014-03-01

Economic evaluations of commonly used complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies such as homeopathy are needed to contribute to the evidence base on which policy makers, clinicians, health-care payers, as well as patients base their health-care decisions in an era of constrained resources. To review and assess existing economic evaluations of homeopathy. Literature search was made to retrieve relevant publications using AMED, the Cochrane Library, CRD (DARE, NHS EED, HTA), EMBASE, MEDLINE, and the journal Homeopathy (former British Homoeopathic Journal). A hand search of relevant publications was carried out. Homeopathy researchers were contacted. Identified publications were independently assessed by two authors. Fifteen relevant articles reported on 14 economic evaluations of homeopathy. Thirteen studies reported numbers of patients: a total of 3,500 patients received homeopathic treatment (median 97, interquartile range 48-268), and 10 studies reported on control group participants (median 57, IQR 40-362). Eight out of 14 studies found improvements in patients' health together with cost savings. Four studies found that improvements in homeopathy patients were at least as good as in control group patients, at comparable costs. Two studies found improvements similar to conventional treatment, but at higher costs. Studies were highly heterogeneous and had several methodological weaknesses. Although the identified evidence of the costs and potential benefits of homeopathy seemed promising, studies were highly heterogeneous and had several methodological weaknesses. It is therefore not possible to draw firm conclusions based on existing economic evaluations of homeopathy. Recommendations for future research are presented.

Opportunity cost in the economic evaluation of da Vinci robotic assisted surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Fuertes-Guiró, Fernando; Girabent-Farrés, Montserrat; Viteri-Velasco, Eduardo

2016-04-01

This study aims to demonstrate the importance of the opportunity cost in using da Vinci robotic surgery, assisted by a comprehensive review of the literature to determine the differences in the total cost of surgery and operative time in traditional laparoscopic surgery and da Vinci robotic surgery. We identified the studies comparing the use of traditional laparoscopic surgery with robotics during the period 2002-2012 in the electronic economic evaluation databases, and another electronic search was performed for publications by Spanish hospitals in the same period to calculate the opportunity cost. A meta-analysis of response variables considering the total cost of the intervention and surgical time was completed using the items selected in the first revision, and their differences were analyzed. We then calculated the opportunity cost represented by these time differences using the data obtained from the studies in the second review of the literature. Nine items were selected in the first review and three in the second. Traditional laparoscopic surgery has a lower cost than the da Vinci (p < 0.00001). Robotic surgery takes longer (8.0-65.5 min) than traditional surgery (p < 0.00001), and this difference represents an average opportunity cost for robot use of € 489.98, with a unit cost factor/time which varies according to the pathology dealt with, from € 8.2 to 18.7/min. The opportunity cost is a quantity that must be included in the total cost of using a surgical technology within an economic cost analysis in the context of an economic evaluation.

Economic evaluation of coal deposits. Ekonomicheskaya otsenka ugolinykh mestorozhdenii

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raikhel' , B L

1979-01-01

A presentation is made of theoretical problems, methods, and criteria for the economic evaluation of coal deposits. An examination is made of factors which influence the formation of magnitudes that are utilized in economic evaluations as well as problems whose solution requires the consideration of the economic evaluation of coal deposits (evaluation of useful mineral losses, substantiation for the extraction of reserves under various conditions, sectioning off reserves to an operating mine, the completeness of reserve extraction, and technico-economic substantiation for quality). Extensive experience in planning is summarized and data are illustrated by examples. The book is intended for engineering-technical personnel of enterprises, organizations, planning, and scientific-research institutes of the coal industry as well as geological organizations. 29 references, 27 tables.

Economic evaluations of Internet interventions for mental health: a systematic review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Donker, T.; Blankers, M; Hedman, E.; Petrie, K.; Christensen, H.

2015-01-01

Internet interventions are assumed to be cost-effective. However, it is unclear how strong this evidence is, and what the quality of this evidence is. Method. A comprehensive literature search (1990-2014) in Medline, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, NHS Economic

Methodology for evaluation of economic security of industrial enterprises

OpenAIRE

Kopytko Marta Ivanovna

2014-01-01

This paper investigates the features of evaluation of ensuring economic security of industrial enterprises and the algorithm of complex evaluation of the economic security of industrial enterprises over time and the system of criteria and their limit values ​​and the dynamics of change to determine the level of economic security industrial enterprise in terms of its components.

Collaborative en-route and slot allocation algorithm based on fuzzy comprehensive evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Shangwen; Guo, Baohua; Xiao, Xuefei; Gao, Haichao

2018-01-01

To allocate the en-routes and slots to the flights with collaborative decision making, a collaborative en-route and slot allocation algorithm based on fuzzy comprehensive evaluation was proposed. Evaluation indexes include flight delay costs, delay time and the number of turning points. Analytic hierarchy process is applied to determining index weights. Remark set for current two flights not yet obtained the en-route and slot in flight schedule is established. Then, fuzzy comprehensive evaluation is performed, and the en-route and slot for the current two flights are determined. Continue selecting the flight not yet obtained an en-route and a slot in flight schedule. Perform fuzzy comprehensive evaluation until all flights have obtained the en-routes and slots. MatlabR2007b was applied to numerical test based on the simulated data of a civil en-route. Test results show that, compared with the traditional strategy of first come first service, the algorithm gains better effect. The effectiveness of the algorithm was verified.

Review of economic evaluations of mask and respirator use for protection against respiratory infection transmission.

Science.gov (United States)

Mukerji, Shohini; MacIntyre, C Raina; Newall, Anthony T

2015-10-13

There has been increasing debate surrounding mask and respirator interventions to control respiratory infection transmission in both healthcare and community settings. As decision makers are considering the recommendations they should evaluate how to provide the most efficient protection strategies with minimum costs. The aim of this review is to identify and evaluate the existing economic evaluation literature in this area and to offer advice on how future evaluations on this topic should be conducted. We searched the Scopus database for all literature on economic evaluation of mask or respirator use to control respiratory infection transmission. Reference lists from the identified studies were also manually searched. Seven studies met our inclusion criteria from the initial 806 studies identified by the search strategy and our manual search. Five studies considered interventions for seasonal and/or pandemic influenza, with one also considering SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). The other two studies focussed on tuberculosis transmission control interventions. The settings and methodologies of the studies varied greatly. No low-middle income settings were identified. Only one of the reviewed studies cited clinical evidence to inform their mask/respirator intervention effectiveness parameters. Mask and respirator interventions were generally reported by the study authors to be cost saving or cost-effective when compared to no intervention or other control measures, however the evaluations had important limitations. Given the large cost differential between masks and respirators, there is a need for more comprehensive economic evaluations to compare the relative costs and benefits of these interventions in situations and settings where alternative options are potentially applicable. There are at present insufficient well conducted cost-effectiveness studies to inform decision-makers on the value for money of alternative mask/respirator options.

Economic evaluation of extending shelf-life of mangoes by irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahmoud, A.A.

1994-01-01

The present study reviews the status of cultivation, annual production, local consumption and export volume of mangoes in Egypt. The data presented reflect the magnitude of annual losses due to fungal attack, insect infestation and chemical changes. Attempts have been made to ensure longer and better keeping quality of mangoes through many conventional treatments, e.g. refrigeration and chemical treatment. However, the percentage of annual loss of mangoes in Egypt is still far from being acceptable. Irradiation processing of mangoes for extending shelf-life has been considered a feasible technology in Egypt. Studies have been carried out in Egypt since 1970 to investigate the technological and nutritional status of irradiated mangoes. Nevertheless not enough comprehensive studies have been undertaken to evaluate the economic feasibility of such a technology as calculated under local environmental conditions. In this study the 'Egypt's Mega Gamma I' Irradiator (with cobalt-60 source) was used. (author)

Comprehensive Evaluation and Analysis of China's Mainstream Online Map Service Websites

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, H.; Jiang, J.; Huang, W.; Wang, Q.; Gu, X.

2012-08-01

With the flourish development of China's Internet market, all kinds of users for map service demand is rising continually, within it contains tremendous commercial interests. Many internet giants have got involved in the field of online map service, and defined it as an important strategic product of the company. The main purpose of this research is to evaluate these online map service websites comprehensively with a model, and analyse the problems according to the evaluation results. Then some corresponding solving measures are proposed, which provides a theoretical and application guidance for the future development of fiercely competitive online map websites. The research consists of three stages: (a) the mainstream online map service websites in China are introduced and the present situation of them is analysed through visit, investigation, consultant, analysis and research. (b) a whole comprehensive evaluation quota system of online map service websites from the view of functions, layout, interaction design color position and so on, combining with the data indexes such as time efficiency, accuracy, objectivity and authority. (c) a comprehensive evaluation to these online map service websites is proceeded based on the fuzzy evaluation mathematical model, and the difficulty that measure the map websites quantitatively is solved.

Operational Contract Support: Economic Impact Evaluation and Measures of Effectiveness

Science.gov (United States)

2017-12-01

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA MBA PROFESSIONAL REPORT OPERATIONAL CONTRACT SUPPORT: ECONOMIC IMPACT EVALUATION AND MEASURES...DATES COVERED MBA professional report 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE OPERATIONAL CONTRACT SUPPORT: ECONOMIC IMPACT EVALUATION AND MEASURES OF EFFECTIVENESS 5...evaluation, expeditionary economics , operational contract support, measure of effectiveness 15. NUMBER OF PAGES 89 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY

Timely and complete publication of economic evaluations alongside randomized controlled trials.

Science.gov (United States)

Thorn, Joanna C; Noble, Sian M; Hollingworth, William

2013-01-01

Little is known about the extent and nature of publication bias in economic evaluations. Our objective was to determine whether economic evaluations are subject to publication bias by considering whether economic data are as likely to be reported, and reported as promptly, as effectiveness data. Trials that intended to conduct an economic analysis and ended before 2008 were identified in the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number (ISRCTN) register; a random sample of 100 trials was retrieved. Fifty comparator trials were randomly drawn from those not identified as intending to conduct an economic study. The trial start and end dates, estimated sample size and funder type were extracted. For trials planning economic evaluations, effectiveness and economic publications were sought; publication dates and journal impact factors were extracted. Effectiveness abstracts were assessed for whether they reached a firm conclusion that one intervention was most effective. Primary investigators were contacted about reasons for non-publication of results, or reasons for differential publication strategies for effectiveness and economic results. Trials planning an economic study were more likely to be funded by government (p = 0.01) and larger (p = 0.003) than other trials. The trials planning an economic evaluation had a mean of 6.5 (range 2.7-13.2) years since the trial end in which to publish their results. Effectiveness results were reported by 70 %, while only 43 % published economic evaluations (p economic results included the intervention being ineffective, and staffing issues. Funding source, time since trial end and length of study were not associated with a higher probability of publishing the economic evaluation. However, studies that were small or of unknown size were significantly less likely to publish economic evaluations than large studies (p journal impact factor was 1.6 points higher for effectiveness publications than for the

Understanding the essentials of economic evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmid, G P

1995-01-01

Economic evaluation (EE) answers the following simple question: "From which course of action do we get the most value for our money?" We ask this question because resources are always limited, i.e., we never have enough money to do all the things we would like to do. Three types of economic evaluations are used: cost-effectiveness analysis, cost-utility analysis, and cost-benefit analysis. Although all involve a monetary and outcome comparison of two or more courses of action, the methodologies and outcomes of each type vary, making each one particularly suited for specific and different indications. Although the performance of an EE may be complex, its concept is intuitively simple. Understanding the basic elements of economic analysis is more and more important to all health-care providers because health-care policy makers at all levels are increasingly using EE for allocating resources.

Economic evaluations and Randomized trials in spinal disorders: Principles and methods

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Korthals-de Bos, I; Van Tulder, M; Van Dieten, H

2004-01-01

Study Design. Descriptive methodologic recommendations. Objective. To help researchers designing, conducting, and reporting economic evaluations in the field of back and neck pain. Summary of Background Data. Economic evaluations of both existing and new therapeutic interventions are becoming...... increasingly important. There is a need to improve the methods of economic evaluations in the field of spinal disorders. Materials and Methods. To improve the methods of economic evaluations in the field of spinal disorders, this article describes the various steps in an economic evaluation, using as example...... a study on the cost-effectiveness of manual therapy, physiotherapy, and usual care provided by the general practitioner for patients with neck pain. Results. An economic evaluation is a study in which two or more interventions are systematically compared with regard to both costs and effects...

Economic Evaluations of Pathology Tests, 2010-2015: A Scoping Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Watts, Rory D; Li, Ian W; Geelhoed, Elizabeth A; Sanfilippo, Frank M; St John, Andrew

2017-09-01

Concerns about pathology testing such as the value provided by new tests and the potential for inappropriate utilization have led to a greater need to assess costs and benefits. Economic evaluations are a formal method of analyzing costs and benefits, yet for pathology tests, questions remain about the scope and quality of the economic evidence. To describe the extent and quality of published evidence provided by economic evaluations of pathology tests from 2010 to 2015. Economic evaluations relating to pathology tests from 2010 to 2015 were reviewed. Eight databases were searched for published studies, and details recorded for the country, clinical focus, type of testing, and consideration of sensitivity, specificity, and false test results. The reporting quality of studies was assessed using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards checklist and cost-effectiveness ratios were analyzed for publication bias. We found 356 economic evaluations of pathology tests, most of which regarded developed countries. The most common economic evaluations were cost-utility analyses and the most common clinical focus was infectious diseases. More than half of the studies considered sensitivity and specificity, but few studies considered the impact of false test results. The average Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards checklist score was 17 out of 24. Cost-utility ratios were commonly less than $10,000/quality-adjusted life-year or more than $200,000/quality-adjusted life-year. The number of economic evaluations of pathology tests has increased in recent years, but the rate of increase has plateaued. Furthermore, the quality of studies in the past 5 years was highly variable, and there is some question of publication bias in reporting cost-effectiveness ratios. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Health Care Economics: A Study Guide for Neuroradiology Fellows, Part 1.

Science.gov (United States)

Weiner, S L; Tu, R; Javan, R; Taheri, M R

2018-01-01

Few resources are available in the medical literature for a comprehensive review of current health care economics as it relates to radiologists, specifically framed by topics defined by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education in the evaluation of neuroradiology fellows. Therefore, we present a comprehensive review article as a study guide for fellows to learn from and gain competence in the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education neuroradiology milestones on health care economics. © 2018 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

A Comprehensive Evaluation Rubric for Assessing Instructional Apps

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cheng-Yuan Lee

2015-01-01

Full Text Available There is a pressing need for an evaluation rubric that examines all aspects of educational apps designed for instructional purposes. In past decades, many rubrics have been developed for evaluating educational computer-based programs; however, rubrics designed for evaluating the instructional implications of educational apps are scarce. When an Internet search for existing rubrics was conducted, only two such rubrics were found, and the evaluation criteria used in those rubrics was not clearly linked to previously conducted research nor were their evaluative dimensions clearly defined. These shortcomings result in reviewers being unable to use those rubrics to provide teachers with a precise analysis of an educational app’s instructional potential. In response, this paper presents a comprehensive rubric with 24-evaluative dimensions tailored specifically to analyze the educational potential of instructional apps.

[Coupling coordination evaluation method between eco-environment quality and economic development level in contiguous special poverty-stricken areas of China].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yan-hui; Li, Jing-yi

2015-05-01

It is one of the important strategies in the new period of national poverty alleviation and development to maintain the basic balance between the ecological environment and economic development, and to promote the coordinated sustainable development of economy and ecological environment. Taking six contiguous special poverty-stricken areas as the study areas, a coupling coordination evaluation method between eco-environment quality and economic development level in contiguous special poverty-stricken areas was explored in this paper. The region' s ecological poverty index system was proposed based on the natural attribute of ecological environment, and the ecological environment quality evaluation method was built up by using AHP weighting method, followed by the design of the coupling coordination evaluation method between the ecological environment indices and the county economic poverty comprehensive indices. The coupling coordination degrees were calculated and their spatial representation differentiations were analyzed respectively at district, province, city, and county scales. Results showed that approximately half of the counties in the study areas achieved the harmoniously coordinated development. However, the ecological environmental quality and the economic development in most counties could not be synchronized, where mountains, rivers and other geographic features existed roughly as a dividing line of the coordinated development types. The phenomena of dislocation between the ecological environment and economic development in state-level poor counties were more serious than those of local poor counties.

Energy Production and Regional Economic Growth in China: A More Comprehensive Analysis Using a Panel Model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yaobin Liu

2013-03-01

Full Text Available China has witnessed a fast economic growth in the recent two decades. However, the heavy energy exploitation seems to show a negative relation to regional economic growth. Thus, the issue is whether the energy production is a curse or blessing for the regional economic growth in China. The present study deploys a comprehensive approach to rigorously prove the validity of a proposed panel data model that includes a second generation panel unit root test and panel cointegration and a spatial panel model. The results from the second generation panel unit root test and panel cointegration allowing for cross-sectional dependences show the differenced series are stationary and there exists a cointegration relationship among these variables for all sub-regions. The results from the spatial panel data model support the conjecture of the spatial dependent and show that there is a “resource curse” only for the Western region and Central region in China.

Comprehensive Evaluation of Car-Body Light-Weighting Scheme Based on LCC Theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Han Qing-lan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a comprehensive evaluation model of light-weighting scheme is established, which is based on three dimensions, including the life cycle costs of the resource consumed by the designed objects (LCC, willingness to pay for the environmental effect of resource consumption (WTP and performance (P. Firstly, cost of each stage is determined. Then, based on the resource classification, which is based on cost elements, determine the material list needed, and apply WTP weight coefficient to monetize life cycle environmental impact and obtain the life cycle comprehensive cost of designed scheme (TCC. In the next step Performance (P index is calculated to measure the value of the life cycle costs by applying AHP and SAW method, integrated (TCC and (P to achieve comprehensive evaluation of light-weighting scheme. Finally, the effectiveness of the evaluation model is verified by the example of car engine hood.

Economic Evaluation of Dual-Level-Residence Solar-Energy System

Science.gov (United States)

1982-01-01

105-page report is one in a series of economic evaluations of different solar-energy installations. Using study results, an optimal collector area is chosen that minimizes life-cycle costs. From this optimal size thermal and economic performance is evaluated.

Economic evaluation in patient safety: a literature review of methods.

Science.gov (United States)

de Rezende, Bruna Alves; Or, Zeynep; Com-Ruelle, Laure; Michel, Philippe

2012-06-01

Patient safety practices, targeting organisational changes for improving patient safety, are implemented worldwide but their costs are rarely evaluated. This paper provides a review of the methods used in economic evaluation of such practices. International medical and economics databases were searched for peer-reviewed publications on economic evaluations of patient safety between 2000 and 2010 in English and French. This was complemented by a manual search of the reference lists of relevant papers. Grey literature was excluded. Studies were described using a standardised template and assessed independently by two researchers according to six quality criteria. 33 articles were reviewed that were representative of different patient safety domains, data types and evaluation methods. 18 estimated the economic burden of adverse events, 3 measured the costs of patient safety practices and 12 provided complete economic evaluations. Healthcare-associated infections were the most common subject of evaluation, followed by medication-related errors and all types of adverse events. Of these, 10 were selected that had adequately fulfilled one or several key quality criteria for illustration. This review shows that full cost-benefit/utility evaluations are rarely completed as they are resource intensive and often require unavailable data; some overcome these difficulties by performing stochastic modelling and by using secondary sources. Low methodological transparency can be a problem for building evidence from available economic evaluations. Investing in the economic design and reporting of studies with more emphasis on defining study perspectives, data collection and methodological choices could be helpful for strengthening our knowledge base on practices for improving patient safety.

Economic evaluation of the integrated SMART desalination plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hwang, Young Dong; Lee, Man Kye; Yeo, Ji Won; Kim, Hee Chul; Chang, Moon Hee

2001-04-01

In this study, an economic evaluation methodology of the integrated SMART desalination plant was established and the economic evaluation of SMART was performed. The plant economics was evaluated with electricity generation costs calculated using approximate estimates of SMART cost data and the result was compared with the result calculated using the SMART design data and estimated bulk materials. In addition, a series of sensitivity studies on the power generation cost was performed for the main economic parameters of SMART Power credit method was used for the economic analysis of the integrated SMART desalination plant. Power credit method is a widely used economic analysis method for the cogeneration plant when the major portion of the energy is used for the electricity generation. In the case of using SMART fot power generation only, the result shows that the electricity generation cost of SMART is higher than that of the alternative power options. However, it can be competitive with the other power options in the limited cases, especially with the gas fired combined plant. In addition, an economic analysis of the integrated SMART desalination plant coupled with MED was performed. The calculated water production cost is in the range of 0.56 approx. 0.88($/m 3 ) for the plant availability of 80% or higher, which is close to the study results presented by the various other countries. This indicates that SMART can be considered as a competitive choice for desalination among various alternative energy sources

Economic evaluation of the integrated SMART desalination plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hwang, Young Dong; Lee, Man Kye; Yeo, Ji Won; Kim, Hee Chul; Chang, Moon Hee

2001-04-01

In this study, an economic evaluation methodology of the integrated SMART desalination plant was established and the economic evaluation of SMART was performed. The plant economics was evaluated with electricity generation costs calculated using approximate estimates of SMART cost data and the result was compared with the result calculated using the SMART design data and estimated bulk materials. In addition, a series of sensitivity studies on the power generation cost was performed for the main economic parameters of SMART Power credit method was used for the economic analysis of the integrated SMART desalination plant. Power credit method is a widely used economic analysis method for the cogeneration plant when the major portion of the energy is used for the electricity generation. In the case of using SMART fot power generation only, the result shows that the electricity generation cost of SMART is higher than that of the alternative power options. However, it can be competitive with the other power options in the limited cases, especially with the gas fired combined plant. In addition, an economic analysis of the integrated SMART desalination plant coupled with MED was performed. The calculated water production cost is in the range of 0.56 approx. 0.88($/m{sup 3}) for the plant availability of 80% or higher, which is close to the study results presented by the various other countries. This indicates that SMART can be considered as a competitive choice for desalination among various alternative energy sources.

Implementing economic evaluation in simulation-based medical education: challenges and opportunities.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yiqun; Cheng, Adam; Hecker, Kent; Grant, Vincent; Currie, Gillian R

2018-02-01

Simulation-based medical education (SBME) is now ubiquitous at all levels of medical training. Given the substantial resources needed for SBME, economic evaluation of simulation-based programmes or curricula is required to demonstrate whether improvement in trainee performance (knowledge, skills and attitudes) and health outcomes justifies the cost of investment. Current literature evaluating SBME fails to provide consistent and interpretable information on the relative costs and benefits of alternatives. Economic evaluation is widely applied in health care, but is relatively scarce in medical education. Therefore, in this paper, using a focus on SBME, we define economic evaluation, describe the key components, and discuss the challenges associated with conducting an economic evaluation of medical education interventions. As a way forward to the rigorous and state of the art application of economic evaluation in medical education, we outline the steps to gather the necessary information to conduct an economic evaluation of simulation-based education programmes and curricula, and describe the main approaches to conducting an economic evaluation. A properly conducted economic evaluation can help stakeholders (i.e., programme directors, policy makers and curriculum designers) to determine the optimal use of resources in selecting the modality or method of assessment in simulation. It also helps inform broader decision making about allocation of scarce resources within an educational programme, as well as between education and clinical care. Economic evaluation in medical education research is still in its infancy, and there is significant potential for state-of-the-art application of these methods in this area. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and The Association for the Study of Medical Education.

Health economic evaluations in orthodontics: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Sollenius, Ola; Petrén, Sofia; Björnsson, Liselotte; Norlund, Anders; Bondemark, Lars

2016-06-01

Economic evaluation is assuming increasing importance as an integral component of health services research. To conduct a systematic review of the literature and assess the evidence from studies presenting orthodontic treatment outcomes and the related costs. The literature review was conducted in four steps, according to Goodman's model, in order to identify all studies evaluating economic aspects of orthodontic interventions. The search covered the databases Medline, Cinahl, Cochrane, Embase, Google Scholar, National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database, and SCOPUS, for the period from 1966 to September 2014. The inclusion criteria were as follows: randomized controlled trials or controlled clinical trials comparing at least two different orthodontic interventions, evaluation of both economic and orthodontic outcomes, and study populations of all ages. The quality of each included study was assessed as limited, moderate, or high. The overall evidence was assessed according to the GRADE system (The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation). The applied terms for searches yielded 1838 studies, of which 989 were excluded as duplicates. Application of the inclusion and exclusion criteria identified 26 eligible studies for which the full-text versions were retrieved and scrutinized. At the final analysis, eight studies remained. Three studies were based on cost-effectiveness analyses and the other five on cost-minimization analysis. Two of the cost-minimization studies included a societal perspective, i.e. the sum of direct and indirect costs. The aims of most of the studies varied widely and of studies comparing equivalent treatment methods, few were of sufficiently high study quality. Thus, the literature to date provides an inadequate evidence base for economic aspects of orthodontic treatment. This systematic review disclosed that few orthodontic studies have presented both economic and clinical outcomes. There is currently

Productivity costs in economic evaluations: past, present, future.

Science.gov (United States)

Krol, Marieke; Brouwer, Werner; Rutten, Frans

2013-07-01

Productivity costs occur when the productivity of individuals is affected by illness, treatment, disability or premature death. The objective of this paper was to review past and current developments related to the inclusion, identification, measurement and valuation of productivity costs in economic evaluations. The main debates in the theory and practice of economic evaluations of health technologies described in this review have centred on the questions of whether and how to include productivity costs, especially productivity costs related to paid work. The past few decades have seen important progress in this area. There are important sources of productivity costs other than absenteeism (e.g. presenteeism and multiplier effects in co-workers), but their exact influence on costs remains unclear. Different measurement instruments have been developed over the years, but which instrument provides the most accurate estimates has not been established. Several valuation approaches have been proposed. While empirical research suggests that productivity costs are best included in the cost side of the cost-effectiveness ratio, the jury is still out regarding whether the human capital approach or the friction cost approach is the most appropriate valuation method to do so. Despite the progress and the substantial amount of scientific research, a consensus has not been reached on either the inclusion of productivity costs in economic evaluations or the methods used to produce productivity cost estimates. Such a lack of consensus has likely contributed to ignoring productivity costs in actual economic evaluations and is reflected in variations in national health economic guidelines. Further research is needed to lessen the controversy regarding the estimation of health-related productivity costs. More standardization would increase the comparability and credibility of economic evaluations taking a societal perspective.

Risk Analysis Based on AHP and Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation for Maglev Train Bogie

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chengxin Fan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The maglev bogie is the key subsystem for maglev train security. To ensure life and property security, it is essential to evaluate its risk level before its operation. In this paper, a combinational method of analytic hierarchy process and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation is proposed to assess hazards in a complex maglev bogie system associated with multiple subsystems’ failures. The very comprehensive identification of risk sources has been done by analyzing the structure of maglev bogie. Furthermore, based on the fuzzy theory, linguistic evaluation set is classified according to risk tolerance. The score of each risk factor is obtained by weighted sum of the result of fuzzy comprehensive evaluation. Our results show that the degree of maglev bogie’s risk is within the range of acceptability. The merits of this work facilitate finding the weak links and determining the maintenance of maglev bogie system.

Economic value evaluation in disease management programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Magnezi, Racheli; Reicher, Sima; Shani, Mordechai

2008-05-01

Chronic disease management has been a rapidly growing entity in the 21st century as a strategy for managing chronic illnesses in large populations. However, experience has shown that disease management programs have not been able to demonstrate their financial value. The objectives of disease management programs are to create quality benchmarks, such as principles and guidelines, and to establish a uniform set of metrics and a standardized methodology for evaluating them. In order to illuminate the essence of disease management and its components, as well as the complexity and the problematic nature of performing economic calculations of their profitability and value, we collected data from several reports that dealt with the economic intervention of disease management programs. The disease management economic evaluation is composed of a series of steps, including the following major categories: data/information technology, information generation, assessment/recommendations, actionable customer plans, and program assessment/reassessment. We demonstrate the elements necessary for economic analysis. Disease management is one of the most innovative tools in the managed care environment and is still in the process of being defined. Therefore, objectives should include the creation of quality measures, such as principles and guidelines, and the establishment of a uniform set of metrics and a standardized methodology for evaluating them.

A guideline for comprehensive evaluation of a licensee's effort to cultivate safety culture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makino, Maomi; Ishii, Yoichi

2009-01-01

The nuclear industry in Japan had held excellent performance in safety in the world during 90's. However recent events stem from organizational factors and defects of safety culture are pointed out in their contexts. In order to reduce accidents caused by organizational factors, the Japanese Regulatory body NISA (Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency) decided to evaluate a licensee's effort for the cultivation of safety culture, and to order all licensses to add the provision of cultivating safety culture to their safety preservation rules. The inspection for the new safety preservation rules started in December, 2007. For a measure of evaluation by resident inspectors, NISA and the Japan Nuclear Energy Safety Organization (JNES) prepared a guideline for the prevention of degradation of safety culture and organizational climate. In this guideline, 14 items were defined as the components of the safety culture or as the viewpoints to evaluate the effort made to prevent any degradation of safety culture and organizational climate in the daily safety preservation activities. The 14 items are also used to establish the method to comprehensively evaluate the effort to prevent degradation of safety culture and organizational climate. This method consists of 10 steps: two steps to taken prior to start of the evaluation, two steps to be taken during the evaluation period, 5 steps to be taken during a comprehensive evaluation period and a final step to be taken for comprehensive findings for safety culture. This paper mainly describes the viewpoints to evaluate comprehensively a licensee's effort for cultivation of safety culture. (author)

Economic Evaluation Methodology Review on KAERI's Recent Projects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cho, Jin Sam; Kim, Jee Young [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2012-05-15

In technology utilization, economics evaluation is helpful to R and D program managers by giving them economic information needed to improve the usefulness of their projects. Moreover it can help them to communicate to others participants keeping all of them value-oriented minded through the whole development process. In this context, KAERI(Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) has been performed economic evaluation on recent some projects. So, in this study, it has been made brief reviews on KAERI's economic evaluation methodology to its recent some projects of which evaluation we engage in, especially PEFP(Proton Engineering frontier Project) and SMART(Small Medium advanced ReacTor): Methodology comparison and their pros and cons

A High Precision Comprehensive Evaluation Method for Flood Disaster Loss Based on Improved Genetic Programming

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

ZHOU Yuliang; LU Guihua; JIN Juliang; TONG Fang; ZHOU Ping

2006-01-01

Precise comprehensive evaluation of flood disaster loss is significant for the prevention and mitigation of flood disasters. Here, one of the difficulties involved is how to establish a model capable of describing the complex relation between the input and output data of the system of flood disaster loss. Genetic programming (GP) solves problems by using ideas from genetic algorithm and generates computer programs automatically. In this study a new method named the evaluation of the grade of flood disaster loss (EGFD) on the basis of improved genetic programming (IGP) is presented (IGPEGFD). The flood disaster area and the direct economic loss are taken as the evaluation indexes of flood disaster loss. Obviously that the larger the evaluation index value, the larger the corresponding value of the grade of flood disaster loss is. Consequently the IGP code is designed to make the value of the grade of flood disaster be an increasing function of the index value. The result of the application of the IGP-EGFD model to Henan Province shows that a good function expression can be obtained within a bigger searched function space; and the model is of high precision and considerable practical significance.Thus, IGP-EGFD can be widely used in automatic modeling and other evaluation systems.

Public health interventions: evaluating the economic evaluations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Forster

2013-10-01

Full Text Available Recent years have witnessed much progress in the incorporation of economic considerations into the evaluation of public health interventions. In England, the Centre for Public Health Excellence within the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence works to develop guidance for preventing illness and assessing which public health interventions are most effective and provide best value for money...

The Economic Effects of Comprehensive Tax Reform

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

1997-01-01

.... This Congressional Budget Office (CBO) study analyzes the major economic effects of several tax reform plans and finds that much uncertainty surrounds the likelihood and magnitude of the economic gains from tax reform...

INDICATOR SYSTEM FOR MEASUREMENT OF FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES IN PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valeriy Dudnyk

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The object of the work is study of methods for analyzing the current financial and economic performance of a company as well as the usage of existing methods for the assessment of the company in the current and future periods. Analysis of financial and economic performance provides not only assessment of the current situation of a company, but a projection of its future behavior. Thus, the results can be used for planning and prediction. Different ways of handling of economic information are currently used in activity analysis to study the factors influencing the performance of a company and to account its reserves. An objective assessment of the financial and economic situation of the modern enterprise is the crucial part of justified decision-making. It forms the basis for determining the development strategy and acts as one of the key indicators for investors and creditors. Tracking and evaluating the effectiveness of a company requires above all comprehensive assessment of its financial and economic activities, monitoring the implementation of decisions, and identification of reserves for improvement. The process of activity analysis requires generalization of models which allow using their results both as a guide for future development of the economic system as well as a base for comparison and evaluation of the present state of the company. This enables justified decision making in particular situations and clarifies usage of existing methods for assessment of the company in the current and future periods. Results. Financial and economic activities of a company require comprehensive analysis, which may be carried out in the following steps: formulating and analyzing business objectives of the company, forming the information basis, constructing a comparison table, analyzing the data, producing a comprehensive rating score of the financial and economic situation of the company. Comprehensive rating score should take into account all

Study on Economic Evaluation of Nuclear Power Plant's SSC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yun, Eun-Sub; Park, Young-Sheop

2007-01-01

As the operating year of nuclear power plant increases, more improvement plans on degraded SSCs(Structure, System, and Component) are suggested. Because of safety concern, the maintenance and replacing cost of nuclear power plant's SSCs are usually high and it can be a burden to financial control. To satisfy both safety and economic problems, systematic and efficient plans are needed. For this reason, KHNP is now developing the LTAM (Long Term Asset Management) program to establish the long term improvement plans for SSCs, from safety and economic point of views. Actually LTAM program is one of the steps of INPO ER (Equipment Reliability) process. In USA, EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute) has developed the LCM (Life Cycle Management) program and it was applied to some nuclear power plants. In this program, several alternatives are candidated. Then, economic evaluation is applied to each alternative. The result of economic evaluation affects to the final alternative decision. In this study, EPRI's economic evaluation method is reviewed

Assessing sufficient capability: A new approach to economic evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Mitchell, Paul Mark; Roberts, Tracy E; Barton, Pelham M; Coast, Joanna

2015-08-01

Amartya Sen's capability approach has been discussed widely in the health economics discipline. Although measures have been developed to assess capability in economic evaluation, there has been much less attention paid to the decision rules that might be applied alongside. Here, new methods, drawing on the multidimensional poverty and health economics literature, are developed for conducting economic evaluation within the capability approach and focusing on an objective of achieving "sufficient capability". This objective more closely reflects the concern with equity that pervades the capability approach and the method has the advantage of retaining the longitudinal aspect of estimating outcome that is associated with quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), whilst also drawing on notions of shortfall associated with assessments of poverty. Economic evaluation from this perspective is illustrated in an osteoarthritis patient group undergoing joint replacement, with capability wellbeing assessed using ICECAP-O. Recommendations for taking the sufficient capability approach forward are provided. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comprehensive evaluation system of intelligent urban growth

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lian-Yan; Ren, Xiao-Bin

2017-06-01

With the rapid urbanization of the world, urban planning has become increasingly important and necessary to ensure people have access to equitable and sustainable homes, resources and jobs.This article is to talk about building an intelligent city evaluation system.First,using System Analysis Model(SAM) which concludes literature data analysis and stepwise regression analysis to describe intelligent growth scientifically and obtain the evaluation index. Then,using the improved entropy method to obtain the weight of the evaluation index.Afterwards, establishing a complete Smart Growth Comprehensive Evaluation Model(SGCEM).Finally,testing the correctness of the model.Choosing Otago(New Zealand )and Yumen(China) as research object by data mining and SGCEM model,then we get Yumen and Otago’s rational degree’s values are 0.3485 and 0.5376 respectively. It’s believed that the Otago’s smart level is higher,and it is found that the estimated value of rationality is consistent with the reality.

Economic evaluation of the Blanket Comparison and Selection Study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waganer, L.M.

1985-01-01

The economic impact of employing the highly ranked blankets in the Blanket Comparison and Selection Study (BCSS) was evaluated in the context of both a tokamak and a tandem mirror power reactor (TMR). The economic evaluation criterion was determined to be the cost of electricity. The influencing factors that were considered are the direct cost of the blankets and related systems; the annual cost of blanket replacement; and the performance of the blanket, heat transfer, and energy conversion systems. The technical and cost bases for comparison were those of the STARFIRE and Mirror Advanced Reactor Study conceptual design power plants. The economic evaluation results indicated that the nitrate-salt-cooled blanket concept is an economically attractive concept for either reactor type. The water-cooled, solid breeder blanket is attractive for the tokamak and somewhat less attractive for the TMR. The helium-cooled, liquidlithium breeder blanket is the least economically desirable of higher ranked concepts. The remaining self-cooled liquid-metal and the helium-cooled blanket concepts represent moderately attractive concepts from an economic standpoint. These results are not in concert with those found in the other BCSS evaluation areas (engineering feasibility, safety, and research and development (R and D) requirements). The blankets faring well economically had generally lower cost components, lower pumping power requirements, and good power production capability. On the other hand, helium- and lithium-cooled systems were preferred from the standpoints of safety, engineering feasibility, and R and D requirements

Economic evaluations and randomized trials in spinal disorders: principles and methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Korthals-de Bos, Ingeborg; van Tulder, Maurits; van Dieten, Hiske; Bouter, Lex

2004-02-15

Descriptive methodologic recommendations. To help researchers designing, conducting, and reporting economic evaluations in the field of back and neck pain. Economic evaluations of both existing and new therapeutic interventions are becoming increasingly important. There is a need to improve the methods of economic evaluations in the field of spinal disorders. To improve the methods of economic evaluations in the field of spinal disorders, this article describes the various steps in an economic evaluation, using as example a study on the cost-effectiveness of manual therapy, physiotherapy, and usual care provided by the general practitioner for patients with neck pain. An economic evaluation is a study in which two or more interventions are systematically compared with regard to both costs and effects. There are four types of economic evaluations, based on analysis of: (1) cost-effectiveness, (2) cost-utility, (3) cost-minimization, and (4) cost-benefit. The cost-utility analysis is a special case of cost-effectiveness analysis. The first step in all these economic evaluations is to identify the perspective of the study. The choice of the perspective will have consequences for the identification of costs and effects. Secondly, the alternatives that will be compared should be identified. Thirdly, the relevant costs and effects should be identified. Economic evaluations are usually performed from a societal perspective and include consequently direct health care costs, direct nonhealth care costs, and indirect costs. Fourthly, effect data are collected by means of questionnaires or interviews, and relevant cost data with regard to effect measures and health care utilization, work absenteeism, travel expenses, use of over-the-counter medication, and help from family and friends, are collected by means of cost diaries, questionnaires, or (telephone) interviews. Fifthly, real costs are calculated, or the costs are estimated on the basis of real costs, guideline prices

Comprehensive evaluation of impacts of distributed generation integration in distribution network

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Sujiang; Zhou, Erbiao; Ji, Fengkun; Cao, Xinhui; Liu, Lingshuang; Liu, Zifa; Wang, Xuyang; Cai, Xiaoyu

2018-04-01

All Distributed generation (DG) as the supplement to renewable energy centralized utilization, is becoming the focus of development direction of renewable energy utilization. With the increasing proportion of DG in distribution network, the network power structure, power flow distribution, operation plans and protection are affected to some extent. According to the main impacts of DG, a comprehensive evaluation model of distributed network with DG is proposed in this paper. A comprehensive evaluation index system including 7 aspects, along with their corresponding index calculation method is established for quantitative analysis. The indices under different access capacity of DG in distribution network are calculated based on the IEEE RBTS-Bus 6 system and the evaluation result is calculated by analytic hierarchy process (AHP). The proposed model and method are verified effective and validity through case study.

Influence of production circumstances and economic evaluation criteria on economic comparison of breeds and breed-crosses.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kahi, A.K.; Koskey, I.S.; Cardoso, V.L.; Arendonk, van J.A.M.

1998-01-01

The ranking of genotypes (i.e., breeds and breed crosses) for economic performance depends on the production circumstances of the herd and the criteria for economic evaluation. In this study, the effects of evaluation criteria and production circumstance are quantified using data from the literature

Regional economic impact assessment: Evaluating remedial alternatives for the Portland Harbor Superfund Site, Portland, Oregon, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, David; Coughlin, Conor; Hogan, Dylan; Edwards, Deborah A; Smith, Benjamin C

2018-01-01

The present paper describes a methodology for evaluating impacts of Superfund remedial alternatives on the regional economy in the context of a broader sustainability evaluation. Although economic impact methodology is well established, some applications to Superfund remedial evaluation have created confusion because of seemingly contradictory results. This confusion arises from failure to be explicit about 2 opposing impacts of remediation expenditures: 1) positive regional impacts of spending additional money in the region and 2) negative regional impacts of the need to pay for the expenditures (and thus forgo other expenditures in the region). The present paper provides a template for economic impact assessment that takes both positive and negative impacts into account, thus providing comprehensive estimates of net impacts. The paper also provides a strategy for identifying and estimating major uncertainties in the net impacts. The recommended methodology was applied at the Portland Harbor Superfund Site, located along the Lower Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, USA. The US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) developed remedial alternatives that it estimated would cost up to several billion dollars, with construction durations possibly lasting decades. The economic study estimated regional economic impacts-measured in terms of gross regional product (GRP), personal income, population, and employment-for 5 of the USEPA alternatives relative to the "no further action" alternative. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2018;14:32-42. © 2017 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC). © 2017 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

COMPREHENSIVE EVALUATION AND ANALYSIS OF CHINA’S MAINSTREAM ONLINE MAP SERVICE WEBSITES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Zhang

2012-08-01

Full Text Available With the flourish development of China's Internet market, all kinds of users for map service demand is rising continually, within it contains tremendous commercial interests. Many internet giants have got involved in the field of online map service, and defined it as an important strategic product of the company. The main purpose of this research is to evaluate these online map service websites comprehensively with a model, and analyse the problems according to the evaluation results. Then some corresponding solving measures are proposed, which provides a theoretical and application guidance for the future development of fiercely competitive online map websites. The research consists of three stages: (a the mainstream online map service websites in China are introduced and the present situation of them is analysed through visit, investigation, consultant, analysis and research. (b a whole comprehensive evaluation quota system of online map service websites from the view of functions, layout, interaction design color position and so on, combining with the data indexes such as time efficiency, accuracy, objectivity and authority. (c a comprehensive evaluation to these online map service websites is proceeded based on the fuzzy evaluation mathematical model, and the difficulty that measure the map websites quantitatively is solved.

Simulation of electric power conservation strategies: model of economic evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinhel, A.C.C.

1992-01-01

A methodology for the economic evaluation model for energy conservation programs to be executed by the National Program of Electric Power Conservation is presented. From data as: forecasting of conserved energy, tariffs, energy costs and budget, the model calculates the economic indexes for the programs, allowing the evaluation of economic impacts in the electric sector. (C.G.C.)

Comprehensiveness of care from the patient perspective: comparison of primary healthcare evaluation instruments.

Science.gov (United States)

Haggerty, Jeannie L; Beaulieu, Marie-Dominique; Pineault, Raynald; Burge, Frederick; Lévesque, Jean-Frédéric; Santor, Darcy A; Bouharaoui, Fatima; Beaulieu, Christine

2011-12-01

Comprehensiveness relates both to scope of services offered and to a whole-person clinical approach. Comprehensive services are defined as "the provision, either directly or indirectly, of a full range of services to meet most patients' healthcare needs"; whole-person care is "the extent to which a provider elicits and considers the physical, emotional and social aspects of a patient's health and considers the community context in their care." Among instruments that evaluate primary healthcare, two had subscales that mapped to comprehensive services and to the community component of whole-person care: the Primary Care Assessment Tool - Short Form (PCAT-S) and the Components of Primary Care Index (CPCI, a limited measure of whole-person care). To examine how well comprehensiveness is captured in validated instruments that evaluate primary healthcare from the patient's perspective. 645 adults with at least one healthcare contact in the previous 12 months responded to six instruments that evaluate primary healthcare. Scores were normalized for descriptive comparison. Exploratory and confirmatory (structural equation modelling) factor analysis examined fit to operational definition, and item response theory analysis examined item performance on common constructs. Over one-quarter of respondents had missing responses on services offered or doctor's knowledge of the community. The subscales did not load on a single factor; comprehensive services and community orientation were examined separately. The community orientation subscales did not perform satisfactorily. The three comprehensive services subscales fit very modestly onto two factors: (1) most healthcare needs (from one provider) (CPCI Comprehensive Care, PCAT-S First-Contact Utilization) and (2) range of services (PCAT-S Comprehensive Services Available). Individual item performance revealed several problems. Measurement of comprehensiveness is problematic, making this attribute a priority for measure development

Walter Isard's Contributions to Environmental Economics and Ecological Economics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rose, Adam; Folmer, Henk; Nijkamp, Peter

This article summarizes Walter Isard's important contributions to environmental economics and ecological economics. The former is the traditional field that incorporates some limited aspects of the environment into neoclassical economic theory, while the latter is a more comprehensive integration of

The Impact of Question-Answer Relationships on Thai Reading Comprehension of Economically Disadvantaged Students: A Mixed Methods Study in Thailand

Science.gov (United States)

Mongkolrat, Raveema

2017-01-01

Thailand's education has not succeeded in meeting the Ministry of Education Thailand's goals for Thai language. The problem manifests in students' substandard Thai reading comprehension. Results of the Thailand's standardized national test showed that students, especially those with economical disadvantages, have performed poorly in Thai reading…

Importance of Economic Evaluation in Health Care: An Indian Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Dang, Amit; Likhar, Nishkarsh; Alok, Utkarsh

2016-05-01

Health economic studies provide information to decision makers for efficient use of available resources for maximizing health benefits. Economic evaluation is one part of health economics, and it is a tool for comparing costs and consequences of different interventions. Health technology assessment is a technique for economic evaluation that is well adapted by developed countries. The traditional classification of economic evaluation includes cost-minimization, cost-effectiveness analysis, cost-utility analysis, and cost-benefit analysis. There has been uncertainty in the conduct of such economic evaluations in India, due to some hesitancy with respect to the adoption of their guidelines. The biggest challenge in this evolutionary method is lack of understanding of methods in current use by all those involved in the provision and purchasing of health care. In some countries, different methods of economic evaluation have been adopted for decision making, most commonly to address the question of public subsidies for the purchase of medicines. There is limited evidence on the impact of health insurance on the health and economic well-being of beneficiaries in developing countries. India is currently pursuing several strategies to improve health services for its population, including investing in government-provided services as well as purchasing services from public and private providers through various schemes. Prospects for future growth and development in this field are required in India because rapid health care inflation, increasing rates of chronic conditions, aging population, and increasing technology diffusion will require greater economic efficiency into health care systems. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluating energy saving system of data centers based on AHP and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Yingni

2018-03-01

Due to the high energy consumption of communication, energy saving of data centers must be enforced. But the lack of evaluation mechanisms has restrained the process on energy saving construction of data centers. In this paper, energy saving evaluation index system of data centers was constructed on the basis of clarifying the influence factors. Based on the evaluation index system, analytical hierarchy process was used to determine the weights of the evaluation indexes. Subsequently, a three-grade fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model was constructed to evaluate the energy saving system of data centers.

Comprehensive eye evaluation algorithm

Science.gov (United States)

Agurto, C.; Nemeth, S.; Zamora, G.; Vahtel, M.; Soliz, P.; Barriga, S.

2016-03-01

In recent years, several research groups have developed automatic algorithms to detect diabetic retinopathy (DR) in individuals with diabetes (DM), using digital retinal images. Studies have indicated that diabetics have 1.5 times the annual risk of developing primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) as do people without DM. Moreover, DM patients have 1.8 times the risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Although numerous investigators are developing automatic DR detection algorithms, there have been few successful efforts to create an automatic algorithm that can detect other ocular diseases, such as POAG and AMD. Consequently, our aim in the current study was to develop a comprehensive eye evaluation algorithm that not only detects DR in retinal images, but also automatically identifies glaucoma suspects and AMD by integrating other personal medical information with the retinal features. The proposed system is fully automatic and provides the likelihood of each of the three eye disease. The system was evaluated in two datasets of 104 and 88 diabetic cases. For each eye, we used two non-mydriatic digital color fundus photographs (macula and optic disc centered) and, when available, information about age, duration of diabetes, cataracts, hypertension, gender, and laboratory data. Our results show that the combination of multimodal features can increase the AUC by up to 5%, 7%, and 8% in the detection of AMD, DR, and glaucoma respectively. Marked improvement was achieved when laboratory results were combined with retinal image features.

Risk Analysis Based on AHP and Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation for Maglev Train Bogie

OpenAIRE

Fan, Chengxin; Dou, Fengshan; Tong, Baiming; Long, Zhiqiang

2016-01-01

The maglev bogie is the key subsystem for maglev train security. To ensure life and property security, it is essential to evaluate its risk level before its operation. In this paper, a combinational method of analytic hierarchy process and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation is proposed to assess hazards in a complex maglev bogie system associated with multiple subsystems’ failures. The very comprehensive identification of risk sources has been done by analyzing the structure of maglev bogie. Furt...

The Annual Economic Burden of Syphilis: An Estimation of Direct, Productivity, and Intangible Costs for Syphilis in Guangdong Initiative for Comprehensive Control of Syphilis Sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, Yaming; Liao, Yu; Liu, Fengying; Chen, Lei; Shen, Hongcheng; Huang, Shujie; Zheng, Heping; Yang, Bin; Hao, Yuantao

2017-11-01

Syphilis has continuously posed a great challenge to China. However, very little data existed regarding the cost of syphilis. Taking Guangdong Initiative for Comprehensive Control of Syphilis area as the research site, we aimed to comprehensively measure the annual economic burden of syphilis from a societal perspective. Newly diagnosed and follow-up outpatient cases were investigated by questionnaire. Reported tertiary syphilis cases and medical institutions cost were both collected. The direct economic burden was measured by the bottom-up approach, the productivity cost by the human capital method, and the intangible burden by the contingency valuation method. Three hundred five valid early syphilis cases and 13 valid tertiary syphilis cases were collected in the investigation to estimate the personal average cost. The total economic burden of syphilis was US $729,096.85 in Guangdong Initiative for Comprehensive Control of Syphilis sites in the year of 2014, with medical institutions cost accounting for 73.23% of the total. Household average direct cost of early syphilis was US $23.74. Average hospitalization cost of tertiary syphilis was US $2,749.93. Of the cost to medical institutions, screening and testing comprised the largest proportion (26%), followed by intervention and case management (22%) and operational cost (21%). Household average productivity cost of early syphilis was US $61.19. Household intangible cost of syphilis was US $15,810.54. Syphilis caused a substantial economic burden on patients, their families, and society in Guangdong. Household productivity and intangible costs both shared positive relationships with local economic levels. Strengthening the prevention and effective treatment of early syphilis could greatly help to lower the economic burden of syphilis.

The Urban Intensive Land-use Evaluation in Xi’an, Based on Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Ru; Kang, Zhiyuan

2018-01-01

The intensive land-use is the basis of urban “stock optimization”, and scientific and reasonable evaluation is the important content of the land-intensive utilization. In this paper, through the survey of Xi’an urban land-use condition, we construct the suitable evaluation index system of Xi’an’ intensive land-use, by using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation (FCE) of combination. And through the analysis of the influencing factors of land-intensive utilization, we provide a reference for the future development direction.

The Value Chains of High-Technology Products as Factor of formation the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irina A. Safronova

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This article analyzes the value chain of high-tech products in Asia and the role of this phenomenon in the further consolidation of trade blocs and alliances in the region. The presence of these chains and their gradual transition from a vertically integrated model to a system of horizontal linkages and interdependence leads to the formation of mechanisms of economic de-facto integration (so-called regionalization process. The East Asian region has demonstrated unprecedented high rates of economic growth in recent decades. The countries are actively developing mechanisms of multilateral cooperation, involving partners from across the Asia-Pacific region. Particular features of a new regional architecture of economic relations are becoming more tangible, and the essential element of this architecture is the intra-regional integration. The author presents an assessment of further developments of the Regional comprehensive economic partnership (RCEP using the structural-functional approach and analytical instruments of the international political economy, The creation of this trade block will help less advanced countries of ASEAN to accelerate economic growth and improve the conditions for integration into global value chains. For advanced economies, participation in the RCEP seems controversial, because production chains have well-established formats within the framework of ASEAN +. The political standoff between Washington and Beijing has an impact on dynamics of regional integration. The split among the East Asian countries was galvanized by the Trans-Pacific Partnership Project (TTP, because TPP has objectives that are very similar to those of RCEP (trade liberalization and economic integration. The author concludes that the extension of this partnership in the ASEAN countries can seriously complicate the operation RVEP and enhance the impact of political factors on economic cooperation. In this case, the value of production and supply chains

A FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES EFFECTIVENESS EVALUATION AS A CONDITION OF CORPORATE MANAGEMENT DECISIONS MAKING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nataliia Bieliaieva

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the paper is to substantiate, on the real figures, the need for enterprise’s financial and economic activities analysis as a condition of management decisions making to achieve the success of the company. Methodology. The research is based on a comparison and analysis of data from the organization top management. So using matrix analysis in the paper, the financial and economic activities effectiveness is evaluated. Based on these calculations, it is possible to make conclusions about the necessity of an identified management decisions regarding the future activity of the company. Results. Daily managers of various function levels accept hundreds and thousands of decisions regarding seemingly slight problems of the organization in general. At the same time, every such a decision, especially relating to the activity of the whole structure, should be clearly justified. Such a need stems from the fact that every decision leads to certain consequences. If there is a need to make a decision relating to the future of the enterprise (e.g., embodiment, reorganization, etc., it should be based on the data of the entire structure. And that is generally very difficult to do. Many factors complicate the possibility of comprehensive evaluation of the company’s activity. At the same time, analysis of basic indicators will provide the specialist with some directions according to which the priority of the analysis can be indicated and appropriate management decision can be made. Practical implications. It is built an effectiveness matrix of financial and economic activities of the enterprise. Analysis of financial and economic activities makes it possible to design necessary strategic and tactical plan for the enterprise development, revealing its reserves of production efficiency increasing. So the aim of the paper is the assessment of the effectiveness of financial and economic activities of the company on the base of matrix analysis as a

Comprehensively Measuring Health-Related Subjective Well-Being: Dimensionality Analysis for Improved Outcome Assessment in Health Economics.

Science.gov (United States)

de Vries, Marieke; Emons, Wilco H M; Plantinga, Arnoud; Pietersma, Suzanne; van den Hout, Wilbert B; Stiggelbout, Anne M; van den Akker-van Marle, M Elske

2016-01-01

Allocation of inevitably limited financial resources for health care requires assessment of an intervention's effectiveness. Interventions likely affect quality of life (QOL) more broadly than is measurable with commonly used health-related QOL utility scales. In line with the World Health Organization's definition of health, a recent Delphi procedure showed that assessment needs to put more emphasis on mental and social dimensions. To identify the core dimensions of health-related subjective well-being (HR-SWB) for a new, more comprehensive outcome measure. We formulated items for each domain of an initial Delphi-based set of 21 domains of HR-SWB. We tested these items in a large sample (N = 1143) and used dimensionality analyses to find a smaller number of latent factors. Exploratory factor analysis suggested a five-factor model, which explained 65% of the total variance. Factors related to physical independence, positive affect, negative affect, autonomy, and personal growth. Correlations between the factors ranged from 0.19 to 0.59. A closer inspection of the factors revealed an overlap between the newly identified core dimensions of HR-SWB and the validation scales, but the dimensions of HR-SWB also seemed to reflect additional aspects. This shows that the dimensions of HR-SWB we identified go beyond the existing health-related QOL instruments. We identified a set of five key dimensions to be included in a new, comprehensive measure of HR-SWB that reliably captures these dimensions and fills in the gaps of the existent measures used in economic evaluations. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of Attention Training and Metacognitive Facilitation to Improve Reading Comprehension in Aphasia

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jaime B.; Sohlberg, McKay Moore

2013-01-01

Purpose: This pilot study investigated the impact of direct attention training combined with metacognitive facilitation on reading comprehension in individuals with aphasia. Method: A single-subject, multiple baseline design was employed across 4 participants to evaluate potential changes in reading comprehension resulting from an 8-week…

Solar energy system economic evaluation: Fern Tunkhannock, Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania

Science.gov (United States)

1980-01-01

The economic performance of an Operational Test Site (OTS) is described. The long term economic performance of the system at its installation site and extrapolation to four additional selected locations to demonstrate the viability of the design over a broad range of environmental and economic conditions is reported. Topics discussed are: system description, study approach, economic analysis and system optimization, and technical and economical results of analysis. Data for the economic analysis are generated through evaluation of the OTS. The simulation is based on the technical results of the seasonal report simulation. In addition localized and standard economic parameters are used for economic analysis.

Economic Evaluation of Pediatric Telemedicine Consultations to Rural Emergency Departments.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Nikki H; Dharmar, Madan; Yoo, Byung-Kwang; Leigh, J Paul; Kuppermann, Nathan; Romano, Patrick S; Nesbitt, Thomas S; Marcin, James P

2015-08-01

Comprehensive economic evaluations have not been conducted on telemedicine consultations to children in rural emergency departments (EDs). We conducted an economic evaluation to estimate the cost, effectiveness, and return on investment (ROI) of telemedicine consultations provided to health care providers of acutely ill and injured children in rural EDs compared with telephone consultations from a health care payer prospective. We built a decision model with parameters from primary programmatic data, national data, and the literature. We performed a base-case cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA), a probabilistic CEA with Monte Carlo simulation, and ROI estimation when CEA suggested cost-saving. The CEA was based on program effectiveness, derived from transfer decisions following telemedicine and telephone consultations. The average cost for a telemedicine consultation was $3641 per child/ED/year in 2013 US dollars. Telemedicine consultations resulted in 31% fewer patient transfers compared with telephone consultations and a cost reduction of $4662 per child/ED/year. Our probabilistic CEA demonstrated telemedicine consultations were less costly than telephone consultations in 57% of simulation iterations. The ROI was calculated to be 1.28 ($4662/$3641) from the base-case analysis and estimated to be 1.96 from the probabilistic analysis, suggesting a $1.96 return for each dollar invested in telemedicine. Treating 10 acutely ill and injured children at each rural ED with telemedicine resulted in an annual cost-savings of $46,620 per ED. Telephone and telemedicine consultations were not randomly assigned, potentially resulting in biased results. From a health care payer perspective, telemedicine consultations to health care providers of acutely ill and injured children presenting to rural EDs are cost-saving (base-case and more than half of Monte Carlo simulation iterations) or cost-effective compared with telephone consultations. © The Author(s) 2015.

Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS)--explanation and elaboration: a report of the ISPOR Health Economic Evaluation Publication Guidelines Good Reporting Practices Task Force.

Science.gov (United States)

Husereau, Don; Drummond, Michael; Petrou, Stavros; Carswell, Chris; Moher, David; Greenberg, Dan; Augustovski, Federico; Briggs, Andrew H; Mauskopf, Josephine; Loder, Elizabeth

2013-01-01

Economic evaluations of health interventions pose a particular challenge for reporting because substantial information must be conveyed to allow scrutiny of study findings. Despite a growth in published reports, existing reporting guidelines are not widely adopted. There is also a need to consolidate and update existing guidelines and promote their use in a user-friendly manner. A checklist is one way to help authors, editors, and peer reviewers use guidelines to improve reporting. The task force's overall goal was to provide recommendations to optimize the reporting of health economic evaluations. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement is an attempt to consolidate and update previous health economic evaluation guidelines into one current, useful reporting guidance. The CHEERS Elaboration and Explanation Report of the ISPOR Health Economic Evaluation Publication Guidelines Good Reporting Practices Task Force facilitates the use of the CHEERS statement by providing examples and explanations for each recommendation. The primary audiences for the CHEERS statement are researchers reporting economic evaluations and the editors and peer reviewers assessing them for publication. The need for new reporting guidance was identified by a survey of medical editors. Previously published checklists or guidance documents related to reporting economic evaluations were identified from a systematic review and subsequent survey of task force members. A list of possible items from these efforts was created. A two-round, modified Delphi Panel with representatives from academia, clinical practice, industry, and government, as well as the editorial community, was used to identify a minimum set of items important for reporting from the larger list. Out of 44 candidate items, 24 items and accompanying recommendations were developed, with some specific recommendations for single study-based and model-based economic evaluations. The final

A brief history of economic evaluation for human papillomavirus vaccination policy.

Science.gov (United States)

Beutels, Philippe; Jit, Mark

2010-09-01

This commentary discusses key issues for health economic evaluation and modelling, applied to human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine programs. We outline some of the specific features of HPV disease and vaccination, and associated policy questions in light of a literature search for economic evaluations on HPV vaccination. We observe that some policy questions could not be reliably addressed by many of the 43 published economic evaluations we found. Despite this, policy making on universal HPV vaccination followed shortly after vaccine licensure in many developed countries, so the role economic evaluation played in informing these decisions (pre-dating 2008) seems to have been fairly limited. For more recent decisions, however, economic evaluation is likely to have been used more widely and more intensively. We expect future cost-effectiveness analyses to be more instrumental in policy making regarding vaccines covering more HPV types, therapeutic HPV vaccines, and novel diagnostic tests for biomarkers of HPV infection and disease integrated with cervical screening programs.

Economic evaluation of private power production under uncertainties

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weiguo Xing; Wu, F.F. [University of Hong Kong (China). Centre for Electrical Energy Systems

2003-02-01

Private power production is becoming an increasingly important source of electricity generation. In developing countries, build-operate-transfer (BOT) arrangement has emerged as a dominant form of private investment. Pricing private power production at its avoided cost is the breakeven point for the utility in economic evaluation, and uncertainties must be taken into account. In this paper, an approach of calculating the breakeven cost to the utility of a BOT power plant whose contract lasts for 10-25 years is proposed. The proposed approach requires the computation of production costs from long-term generation expansion planning (GEP) under future uncertainties. To facilitate the inclusion of constraints introduced by BOT plants in GEP and uncertainties, a genetic algorithm method is utilized in GEP. The breakeven cost is a useful measure in the economic evaluation of BOT power plants. An example is presented to illustrate the economic evaluation of BOT plants using the concept of breakeven cost.(author)

Use of economic evaluation in decision making: evidence and recommendations for improvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Simoens, Steven

2010-10-22

Information about the value for money of a medicine as derived from an economic evaluation can be used for decision-making purposes by policy makers, healthcare payers, healthcare professionals and pharmaceutical companies. This article illustrates the use of economic evaluation by decision makers and formulates a number of recommendations to enhance the use of such evaluations for decision-making purposes. Over the last decades, there has been a substantial increase in the number of economic evaluations assessing the value for money of medicines. Economic evaluation is used by policy makers and healthcare payers to inform medicine pricing/reimbursement decisions in more and more countries. It is a suitable tool to evaluate medicines and to present information about their value for money to decision makers in a familiar format. In order to fully exploit the use of economic evaluation for decision-making purposes, researchers need to take care to conduct such economic evaluations according to methodologically sound principles. Additionally, researchers need to take into account the decision-making context. They need to identify the various objectives that decision makers pursue and discuss how decision makers can use study findings to attain these objectives. These issues require further attention from researchers, policy makers, healthcare payers, healthcare professionals and pharmaceutical companies with a view to optimizing the use of economic evaluation in decision making.

Development of comprehensive long-term-dry stored Spent Fuel INtegrity EvaLuator [SFINEL] - I

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, H. M.; Yang, Y. S.; Kim, Y. S.; You, K. S.; Min, D. K.; No, S. K.

1999-01-01

Safe management of spent nuclear fuels is socially, technically, and economically very important in terms of environmental protection and utilization of recyclable resources. One of the most critical parts in the management is to establish the comprehensive monitoring system which can maintain and confirm the integrity of the spent fuels, whenever necessary, until final policy is determined on the their treatment and disposal. Especially in the first stage of maturing up the system, it is essential to secure a computing tool or code which can evaluate the integrity of the fuel cladding based on its power history and cladding degradation mechanisms. SFINEL code, an integrated computer program for predicting the spent fuel rod integrity based on burn-up history and major degradation mechanisms, has been developed in this research. This code can sufficiently simulate the power history of a fuel rod during the reactor operation and estimate the degree of deterioration of spent fuel cladding using the recently-developed models on the degradation mechanisms

Economic Evaluations of Strategies to Prevent Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries.

Science.gov (United States)

Ocampo, Wrechelle; Cheung, Amanda; Baylis, Barry; Clayden, Nancy; Conly, John M; Ghali, William A; Ho, Chester H; Kaufman, Jaime; Stelfox, Henry T; Hogan, David B

2017-07-01

To provide information from a review of literature about economic evaluations of preventive strategies for pressure injuries (PIs). This continuing education activity is intended for physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and nurses with an interest in skin and wound care. After participating in this educational activity, the participant should be better able to:1. Identify the purpose and methods used for this study.2. Compare costs and effectiveness related to preventative strategies for PIs. BACKGROUND: Pressure injuries (PIs) are a common and resource-intensive challenge for acute care hospitals worldwide. While a number of preventive strategies have the potential to reduce the cost of hospital-acquired PIs, it is unclear what approach is the most effective. The authors performed a narrative review of the literature on economic evaluations of preventive strategies to survey current findings and identify important factors in economic assessments. Ovid, MEDLINE, NHS Economic Evaluation Databases, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic ReviewsSELECTION CRITERIA: Potentially relevant original research articles and systematic reviews were considered. Selection criteria included articles that were written in English, provided data on cost or economic evaluations of preventive strategies of PIs in acute care, and published between January 2004 and September 2015. Data were abstracted from the articles using a standardized approach to evaluate how the items on the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards checklist were addressed. The searches identified 192 references. Thirty-three original articles were chosen for full-text reviews. Nineteen of these articles provided clear descriptions of interventions, study methods, and outcomes considered. Limitations in the available literature prevent firm conclusions from being reached about the relative economic merits of the various approaches to the prevention of PIs. The authors' review

Fuzzy comprehensive evaluation for grid-connected performance of integrated distributed PV-ES systems

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Z. H.; Li, Q.; Huang, R. W.; Liu, H. M.; Liu, D.

2016-08-01

Based on the discussion about topology structure of integrated distributed photovoltaic (PV) power generation system and energy storage (ES) in single or mixed type, this paper focuses on analyzing grid-connected performance of integrated distributed photovoltaic and energy storage (PV-ES) systems, and proposes a comprehensive evaluation index system. Then a multi-level fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method based on grey correlation degree is proposed, and the calculations for weight matrix and fuzzy matrix are presented step by step. Finally, a distributed integrated PV-ES power generation system connected to a 380 V low voltage distribution network is taken as the example, and some suggestions are made based on the evaluation results.

Multilevel Comprehensive Evaluation and Decision Making of Ergonomics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wen-jun Wang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Due to the improvement of living standards, higher level of ergonomic performance is required for the products. As a result, the ergonomic evaluation has become one of the key points in the decisions making of modern products, especially the complex products. Aiming at improving the situation that the methods for ergonomic evaluation and decision making are one-sided and discrete, this paper proposed several methods for measuring multiply factors and data format of products and built a comprehensive evaluation and decision making system. In this system, the data supplied by soft hardware and specialists were calculated separately to gain the preliminary scores, and the preliminary scores were processed to get the final results for the decision making using the AHP-GRA analytic hierarchy process-gray relational analysis method proposed in this paper.

Home hemodialysis: a comprehensive review of patient-centered and economic considerations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Walker RC

2017-02-01

Full Text Available Rachael C Walker,1,2 Kirsten Howard,1 Rachael L Morton3 1School of Public Health, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; 2Hawke’s Bay District Health Board, Hastings, New Zealand; 3NHMRC Clinical Trials Centre, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia Abstract: Internationally, the number of patients requiring treatment for end-stage kidney disease (ESKD continues to increase, placing substantial burden on health systems and patients. Home hemodialysis (HD has fluctuated in its popularity, and the rates of home HD vary considerably between and within countries although there is evidence suggesting a number of clinical, survival, economic, and quality of life (QoL advantages associated with this treatment. International guidelines encourage shared decision making between patients and clinicians for the type of dialysis, with an emphasis on a treatment that aligned to the patients’ lifestyle. This is a comprehensive literature review of patient-centered and economic impacts of home HD with the studies published between January 2000 and July 2016. Data from the primary studies representing both efficiency and equity of home HD were presented as a narrative synthesis under the following topics: advantages to patients, barriers to patients, economic factors influencing patients, cost-effectiveness of home HD, and inequities in home HD delivery. There were a number of advantages for patients on home HD including improved survival and QoL and flexibility and potential for employment, compared to hospital HD. Similarly, there were several barriers to patients preferring or maintaining home HD, and the strategies to overcome these barriers were frequently reported. Good evidence reported that indigenous, low-income, and other socially disadvantaged individuals had reduced access to home HD compared to other forms of dialysis and that this situation compounds already-poor health outcomes on renal

An evaluation of the nursing success program: reading comprehension, graduation rates, and diversity.

Science.gov (United States)

Symes, Lene; Tart, Kathryn; Travis, Lucille

2005-01-01

The Nursing Success Program was developed to enhance retention of baccalaureate nursing students. Reading comprehension scores are used to identify students who are at risk for failure and direct them into the retention program that addresses their skill deficits. To evaluate the program, the authors assessed reading comprehension, graduation rates, and ethnic diversity.

Measurment and Reporting of Comprehensive Income: Search ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Measurment and Reporting of Comprehensive Income: Search, Challenges, ... of periods of stable and unstable economic situation and satisfies varied users' ... Keywords: Historical accounting; comprehensive income; asset valuation model.

Economic evaluation of fast breeders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vieider, G.

1979-03-01

In order to clarify discrepancies between different contributions to INFCE SG-5A concerning economic assessments of FBRs an independent evaluation is performed with assumptions typical for the current views in Europe and USA. As a result bounding cases are shown for the influence of the natural uranium price on the permitted FBR-capital cost premium for break-even with LWRs

Bio-economic evaluation of implementing trawl fishing gear with different selectivity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grønbæk Kronbak, Lone; Nielsen, J. Rasmus; Jørgensen, Ole A.

2009-01-01

The paper develops a biological-economic evaluation tool to analyse the consequences for trawl fishers of implementing more selective fishing technologies. This is done by merging a dynamic biological population model and an economic cost-benefit evaluation framework to describe the consequences...... with a baseline. The results from the evaluation are indicators for the consequences on ecological and economic levels. The results show that implementation of different selective fishing gear in the Kattegat and Skagerrak mixed trawl fisheries generally implies a trade off over time between rebuilding the stocks...... for the fish stocks, fishermen and society. The bio-economic evaluation is applied to the case of the Danish trawl fishery in Kattegat and Skagerrak, which experiences a high level of discards and byratches of several species. Four different kinds of selectivity scenarios are evaluated in comparison...

Bio-economic evaluation of implementing trawl fishing gear with different selectivity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kronbak, Lone Grønbæk; Nielsen, J. Rasmus; Jørgensen, Ole A.

2009-01-01

The paper develops a biological-economic evaluation tool to analyse the consequences for trawl fishers of implementing more selective fishing technologies. This is done by merging a dynamic biological population model and an economic cost-benefit evaluation framework to describe the consequences...... with a baseline. The results from the evaluation are indicators for the consequences on ecological and economic levels. The results show that implementation of different selective fishing gear in the Kattegat and Skagerrak mixed trawl fisheries generally implies a trade off over time between rebuilding the stocks...... for the fish stocks, fishermen and society. The bio-economic evaluation is applied to the case of the Danish trawl fishery in Kattegat and Skagerrak, which experiences a high level of discards and bycatches of several species. Four different kinds of selectivity scenarios are evaluated in comparison...

An economic evaluation of solar radiation management

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aaheim, Asbjørn; Romstad, Bård; Wei, Taoyuan [CICERO — Center for International Climate and Environmental Research Oslo (Norway); Kristjánsson, Jón Egill; Muri, Helene [Department of Geosciences, University of Oslo (Norway); Niemeier, Ulrike; Schmidt, Hauke [Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Hamburg (Germany)

2015-11-01

Economic evaluations of solar radiation management (SRM) usually assume that the temperature will be stabilized, with no economic impacts of climate change, but with possible side-effects. We know from experiments with climate models, however, that unlike emission control the spatial and temporal distributions of temperature, precipitation and wind conditions will change. Hence, SRM may have economic consequences under a stabilization of global mean temperature even if side-effects other than those related to the climatic responses are disregarded. This paper addresses the economic impacts of implementing two SRM technologies; stratospheric sulfur injection and marine cloud brightening. By the use of a computable general equilibrium model, we estimate the economic impacts of climatic responses based on the results from two earth system models, MPI-ESM and NorESM. We find that under a moderately increasing greenhouse-gas concentration path, RCP4.5, the economic benefits of implementing climate engineering are small, and may become negative. Global GDP increases in three of the four experiments and all experiments include regions where the benefits from climate engineering are negative.

An economic evaluation of solar radiation management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aaheim, Asbjørn; Romstad, Bård; Wei, Taoyuan; Kristjánsson, Jón Egill; Muri, Helene; Niemeier, Ulrike; Schmidt, Hauke

2015-01-01

Economic evaluations of solar radiation management (SRM) usually assume that the temperature will be stabilized, with no economic impacts of climate change, but with possible side-effects. We know from experiments with climate models, however, that unlike emission control the spatial and temporal distributions of temperature, precipitation and wind conditions will change. Hence, SRM may have economic consequences under a stabilization of global mean temperature even if side-effects other than those related to the climatic responses are disregarded. This paper addresses the economic impacts of implementing two SRM technologies; stratospheric sulfur injection and marine cloud brightening. By the use of a computable general equilibrium model, we estimate the economic impacts of climatic responses based on the results from two earth system models, MPI-ESM and NorESM. We find that under a moderately increasing greenhouse-gas concentration path, RCP4.5, the economic benefits of implementing climate engineering are small, and may become negative. Global GDP increases in three of the four experiments and all experiments include regions where the benefits from climate engineering are negative

Economic framework for information system evaluation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, D.W.; Roderer, N.K.

1979-01-01

In the evaluation of complex information systems, it is useful to work within a generalized economic framework. This framework is based on consideration of four evaluation levels, including those associated with the overall system, system functions, products and services, and activities. Measures of cost and output can be defined at each level, with output measures related to volume of activity, performance, effectiveness, and benefit. The description of this framework includes definitions of the terminology used. Examples of the application of the framework to specific information system evaluations are also given. 4 figures

Socio economic analysis of wind and diesel driven water pumping system in the sudan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gadah El dam, Nagwa A.

1994-01-01

A comprehensive cost analysis of wind pumping system both imported and locally made versus diesel pumping systems was made.Result of the practical experience made by Energy Research Institute during the last several years and some private efforts are used in this evaluation. Economic evaluation was emphasized on the socio - economic aspects. Many problems of assumptions and adjustments of factors were also discussed and assessed. ( Author )

State of health economic evaluation research in Saudi Arabia: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Aqeel, Sinaa A

2012-01-01

If evaluation of economic evidence is to be used increasingly in Saudi Arabia, a review of the published literature would be useful to inform policy decision-makers of the current state of research and plan future research agendas. The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical review of the state of health economic evaluation research within the Saudi context with regard to the number, characteristics, and quality of published articles. A literature search was conducted on May 8, 2011 to identify health economic articles pertaining to Saudi Arabia in the PubMed, Embase, and EconLit databases, using the following terms alone or in combination: "cost*", "economics", "health economics", "cost-effectiveness", "cost-benefit", "cost minimization", "cost utility analysis", and "Saudi". Reference lists of the articles identified were also searched for further articles. The tables of contents of the Saudi Pharmaceutical Journal and the Saudi Medical Journal were reviewed for the previous 5 years. The search identified 535 citations. Based on a reading of abstracts and titles, 477 papers were excluded. Upon reviewing the full text of the remaining 58 papers, 43 were excluded. Fifteen papers were included. Ten were categorized as full economic evaluations and five as partial economic evaluations. These articles were published between 1997 and 2010. The majority of the studies identified did not clearly state the perspective of their evaluation. There are many concerns about the methods used to collect outcome and costs data. Only one study used some sort of sensitivity analysis to assess the effects of uncertainty on the robustness of its conclusions. This review highlights major flaws in the design, analysis, and reporting of the identified economic analyses. Such deficiencies mean that the local economic evidence available to decision-makers is not very useful. Thus, building research capability in health economics is warranted.

Economic evaluation in the context of rare diseases: is it possible?

Science.gov (United States)

Silva, Everton Nunes da; Sousa, Tanara Rosângela Vieira

2015-03-01

This study analyzes the available evidence on the adequacy of economic evaluation for decision-making on the incorporation or exclusion of technologies for rare diseases. The authors conducted a structured literature review in MEDLINE via PubMed, CRD, LILACS, SciELO, and Google Scholar (gray literature). Economic evaluation studies had their origins in Welfare Economics, in which individuals maximize their utilities based on allocative efficiency. There is no widely accepted criterion in the literature to weigh the expected utilities, in the sense of assigning more weight to individuals with greater health needs. Thus, economic evaluation studies do not usually weigh utilities asymmetrically (that is, everyone is treated equally, which in Brazil is also a Constitutional principle). Healthcare systems have ratified the use of economic evaluation as the main tool to assist decision-making. However, this approach does not rule out the use of other methodologies to complement cost-effectiveness studies, such as Person Trade-Off and Rule of Rescue.

An investigation on comprehensive evaluation and standard of image quality of high voltage chest radiograph

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan Shulin; Li Shuopeng; Zhao Bo; Niu Yantao

1998-01-01

Purpose: Based on clinical diagnostic demand, patient irradiation dose and imaging technical parameters, to establish a comprehensive evaluation method and standard in chest radiograph. Methods: (1) From 10 normal chest radiographs, the authors selected the evaluation area on thoracic PA (posteroanterior) radiographs and set up standard for diagnostic demand; (2) Using chest CT scans of 20 males and 20 females, the authors calculated the ratio of lung field to mediastinum; (3) Selecting 100 chest films using 125 kVp, the authors measured the standard density values of each evaluation area; (4) Body surface irradiation doses of 478 normal adults were measured. Results: (1) Based on diagnostic demand, the authors confirmed 7 evaluation areas and 4 physical evaluation factors. At the same time, evaluation standards were obtained; (2) Comprehensive evaluation methods were established; (3) Standard height, weight and body surface irradiation dose of Chinese normal adults were investigated preliminarily. Conclusion: Based on the concept of comprehensive evaluation, investigation on the evaluation methods and standard in chest PA radiograph was carried out which might be taken as the foundation for future approach on nation-wide basis

Corporation taxes in the European Union: Slowly moving toward comprehensive business income taxation?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

S. Cnossen (Sijbren)

2017-01-01

textabstractThis paper surveys and evaluates the corporation tax systems of the Member States of the European Union on the basis of a comprehensive taxonomy of actual and potential regimes, which have as their base either profits; profits, interest and royalties; or economic rents. The current

Integration of biological, economic and sociological knowledge by Bayesian belief networks: the interdisciplinary evaluation of potential management plans for Baltic salmon

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Levontin, Polina; Kulmala, Soile; Haapasaari, Päivi Elisabet

2011-01-01

There is a growing need to evaluate fisheries management plans in a comprehensive interdisciplinary context involving stakeholders. The use of a probabilistic management model to evaluate potential management plans for Baltic salmon fisheries is demonstrated. The analysis draws on several scientific...... studies: a biological stock assessment with integrated economic analysis of the commercial fisheries, an evaluation of recreational fisheries, and a sociological study aimed at understanding stakeholder perspectives and potential commitment to alternative management plans. A Bayesian belief network is used...... is highlighted by modelling the link between commitment and implementation success. Such analyses, relying on prior knowledge, can forewarn of the consequences of management choices before they are implemented...

Economic evaluation in stratified medicine: methodological issues and challenges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hans-Joerg eFugel

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Stratified Medicine (SM is becoming a practical reality with the targeting of medicines by using a biomarker or genetic-based diagnostic to identify the eligible patient sub-population. Like any healthcare intervention, SM interventions have costs and consequences that must be considered by reimbursement authorities with limited resources. Methodological standards and guidelines exist for economic evaluations in clinical pharmacology and are an important component for health technology assessments (HTAs in many countries. However, these guidelines have initially been developed for traditional pharmaceuticals and not for complex interventions with multiple components. This raises the issue as to whether these guidelines are adequate to SM interventions or whether new specific guidance and methodology is needed to avoid inconsistencies and contradictory findings when assessing economic value in SM.Objective: This article describes specific methodological challenges when conducting health economic (HE evaluations for SM interventions and outlines potential modifications necessary to existing evaluation guidelines /principles that would promote consistent economic evaluations for SM.Results/Conclusions: Specific methodological aspects for SM comprise considerations on the choice of comparator, measuring effectiveness and outcomes, appropriate modelling structure and the scope of sensitivity analyses. Although current HE methodology can be applied for SM, greater complexity requires further methodology development and modifications in the guidelines.

Introduction course on the economical evaluation of energy projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jansen, J.C.

1992-06-01

A theoretical course on the financial and economical evaluation of energy projects is presented. The course was organized by the Banque Mondiale in Bujumbura, Burundi, from 11 to 16 November 1991. Subsequently attention is paid to the basics of economic analysis, the financial and the economical analysis of an investment project, and finally the prices of energy products. 4 figs., 13 refs

[Principles of health economic evaluation for use by caregivers].

Science.gov (United States)

Derumeaux-Burel, Hélène; Derancourt, Christian; Rambhojan, Christine; Branchard, Olivier; Hayes, Nathalie; Bénard, Antoine

2017-01-01

The aim of health economic evaluation is to maximize health gains from limited resources. By definition, health economic evaluation is comparative, based on average costs and outcomes of compared interventions. Incremental costs and outcomes are used to calculate the cost-effectiveness ratio, which represents the average incremental cost per gained unit of effectiveness (i.e.: a year of life) with the evaluated intervention compared to the reference. The health economic rationale applies to all health domains. We cannot spend collective resources (health insurance) without asking ourselves about their potential alternative uses. This reasoning is useful to caregivers for understanding resources allocation decisions and healthcare recommandations. Caregivers should grab this field of expertise because they are central in this strategic reflection for defining the future French healthcare landscape. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

An evaluation of reading comprehension of expository text in adults with traumatic brain injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Sohlberg, McKay Moore; Griffiths, Gina G; Fickas, Stephen

2014-05-01

This project was conducted to obtain information about reading problems of adults with traumatic brain injury (TBI) with mild-to-moderate cognitive impairments and to investigate how these readers respond to reading comprehension strategy prompts integrated into digital versions of text. Participants from 2 groups, adults with TBI (n = 15) and matched controls (n = 15), read 4 different 500-word expository science passages linked to either a strategy prompt condition or a no-strategy prompt condition. The participants' reading comprehension was evaluated using sentence verification and free recall tasks. The TBI and control groups exhibited significant differences on 2 of the 5 reading comprehension measures: paraphrase statements on a sentence verification task and communication units on a free recall task. Unexpected group differences were noted on the participants' prerequisite reading skills. For the within-group comparison, participants showed significantly higher reading comprehension scores on 2 free recall measures: words per communication unit and type-token ratio. There were no significant interactions. The results help to elucidate the nature of reading comprehension in adults with TBI with mild-to-moderate cognitive impairments and endorse further evaluation of reading comprehension strategies as a potential intervention option for these individuals. Future research is needed to better understand how individual differences influence a person's reading and response to intervention.

A comprehensive health service evaluation and monitoring framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Reeve, Carole; Humphreys, John; Wakerman, John

2015-12-01

To develop a framework for evaluating and monitoring a primary health care service, integrating hospital and community services. A targeted literature review of primary health service evaluation frameworks was performed to inform the development of the framework specifically for remote communities. Key principles underlying primary health care evaluation were determined and sentinel indicators developed to operationalise the evaluation framework. This framework was then validated with key stakeholders. The framework includes Donabedian's three seminal domains of structure, process and outcomes to determine health service performance. These in turn are dependent on sustainability, quality of patient care and the determinants of health to provide a comprehensive health service evaluation framework. The principles underpinning primary health service evaluation were pertinent to health services in remote contexts. Sentinel indicators were developed to fit the demographic characteristics and health needs of the population. Consultation with key stakeholders confirmed that the evaluation framework was applicable. Data collected routinely by health services can be used to operationalise the proposed health service evaluation framework. Use of an evaluation framework which links policy and health service performance to health outcomes will assist health services to improve performance as part of a continuous quality improvement cycle. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Integrated Emergy and Economic Evaluation of Lotus-Root ...

Science.gov (United States)

Lotus (Neumbo nucifera, Gaertn) is the most important aquatic vegetable in China, with a cultivation history of over 3000 years. The emergy, energy, material, and money flows of three lotus root cultivation modes in Wanqingsha, Nansha District, Guangzhou, China were examined using Energy Systems Language models and emergy evaluation to better understand their ecological and economic characteristics on multiple spatial and temporal scales. The natural resource foundations, economic characteristics and sustainability of these modes were evaluated and compared. The results showed that although all three modes were highly dependent on purchased emergy inputs, their potential impacts as measured by the local (ELRL) and global (ELRW) environmental loading ratios were less than 1.2 and 0.7, respectively. The lotus-fish mode was the most sustainable with its emergy index of sustainable development (EISD) 2.09 and 2.13 times that of the pure lotus and lotus-shrimp modes, respectively. All three lotus-root production modes had superior economic viability, since their Output/Input ratio ranged from 2.56 to 4.95. The results indicated that agricultural systems may have different environmental impacts and sustainability characteristics at different spatial and temporal scales, and that these impacts and characteristics can be simultaneously explored using integrated emergy and economic evaluations. This study provides some major new insights about agriculture and its potenti

Systematic overview of economic evaluations of health-related rehabilitation.

Science.gov (United States)

Howard-Wilsher, Stephanie; Irvine, Lisa; Fan, Hong; Shakespeare, Tom; Suhrcke, Marc; Horton, Simon; Poland, Fiona; Hooper, Lee; Song, Fujian

2016-01-01

Health related rehabilitation is instrumental in improving functioning and promoting participation by people with disabilities. To make clinical and policy decisions about health-related rehabilitation, resource allocation and cost issues need to be considered. To provide an overview of systematic reviews (SRs) on economic evaluations of health-related rehabilitation. We searched multiple databases to identify relevant SRs of economic evaluations of health-related rehabilitation. Review quality was assessed by AMSTAR checklist. We included 64 SRs, most of which included economic evaluations alongside randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The review quality was low to moderate (AMSTAR score 5-8) in 35, and high (score 9-11) in 29 of the included SRs. The included SRs addressed various health conditions, including spinal or other pain conditions (n = 14), age-related problems (11), stroke (7), musculoskeletal disorders (6), heart diseases (4), pulmonary (3), mental health problems (3), and injury (3). Physiotherapy was the most commonly evaluated rehabilitation intervention in the included SRs (n = 24). Other commonly evaluated interventions included multidisciplinary programmes (14); behavioral, educational or psychological interventions (11); home-based interventions (11); complementary therapy (6); self-management (6); and occupational therapy (4). Although the available evidence is often described as limited, inconsistent or inconclusive, some rehabilitation interventions were cost-effective or showed cost-saving in a variety of disability conditions. Available evidence comes predominantly from high income countries, therefore economic evaluations of health-related rehabilitation are urgently required in less resourced settings. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Genetic testing in the European Union: does economic evaluation matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Antoñanzas, Fernando; Rodríguez-Ibeas, R; Hutter, M F; Lorente, R; Juárez, C; Pinillos, M

2012-10-01

We review the published economic evaluation studies applied to genetic technologies in the EU to know the main diseases addressed by these studies, the ways the studies were conducted and to assess the efficiency of these new technologies. The final aim of this review was to understand the possibilities of the economic evaluations performed up to date as a tool to contribute to decision making in this area. We have reviewed a set of articles found in several databases until March 2010. Literature searches were made in the following databases: PubMed; Euronheed; Centre for Reviews and Dissemination of the University of York-Health Technology Assessment, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, NHS Economic Evaluation Database; and Scopus. The algorithm was "(screening or diagnosis) and genetic and (cost or economic) and (country EU27)". We included studies if they met the following criteria: (1) a genetic technology was analysed; (2) human DNA must be tested for; (3) the analysis was a real economic evaluation or a cost study, and (4) the articles had to be related to any EU Member State. We initially found 3,559 papers on genetic testing but only 92 articles of economic analysis referred to a wide range of genetic diseases matched the inclusion criteria. The most studied diseases were as follows: cystic fibrosis (12), breast and ovarian cancer (8), hereditary hemochromatosis (6), Down's syndrome (7), colorectal cancer (5), familial hypercholesterolaemia (5), prostate cancer (4), and thrombophilia (4). Genetic tests were mostly used for screening purposes, and cost-effectiveness analysis is the most common type of economic study. The analysed gene technologies are deemed to be efficient for some specific population groups and screening algorithms according to the values of their cost-effectiveness ratios that were below the commonly accepted threshold of 30,000€. Economic evaluation of genetic technologies matters but the number of published studies is still

Review of Comprehensive Evaluation Methods for Power Quality and Its Trend in New Generation Energy System

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Ruihua; Wang, Rong; Liu, Qunying; Yang, Li; Xi, Chuan; Wang, Wei; Li, Lingzhou; Zhao, Zhoufang; Zhou, Ying

2018-02-01

With China’s new energy generation grid connected capacity being in the forefront of the world and the uncertainty of new energy sources, such as wind energy and solar energy, it is be of great significance to study scientific and comprehensive assessment of power quality. On the foundation of analysizing the current power quality index systematically and objectively, the new energy grid power quality analysis method and comprehensive evaluation method, this paper tentatively explored the trend of the new generation of energy system power quality comprehensive evaluation.

Angra 3 - economic and financial evaluation of the enterprise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrade, Ronaldo Barata de

2006-01-01

This paper presents an updated economic-financial evaluation of Angra 3 Nuclear Power Plant project and estimates the lowest power tariff value at which power potentially made available may be commercialized and yet ensures the project a profitability level agreeable to the interests of economic agents and shareholders. According to the project evaluation practice, Angra 3 power generation was considered separately from ELETRONUCLEAR operating plants (Angra 1 and Angra 2), thus preventing result distortions bound to occur if the economic-financial variables of the new project were analyzed associated with financial commitments and commercialization conditions resulting from the project implementation process and the generated power commercialization conditions, respectively. For this evaluation different technical and economic scenarios were devised, and the theory of Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) for Own Capital cost and that of Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) were used in addition to the forecast of the Statement of Results and Free Cash flow of Shareholders throughout the power plant life, which is the estimate basis for the lowest power tariff value and the Internal Return Rate (IRR) of the project. (author)

Methodologies for environmental, micro- and macro-economic evaluation of bioenergy systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Broek, R. van den; Wijk, A. van

2006-01-01

An overview is given of methodologies used for evaluation of bioenergy systems on envoronmental, micro- and macro-economic spects. To evaluate micro-economic impacts net present value and annualised cost calculation are used. For environmental impacts, methods used are: qualitative studies, energy

[Systematic economic assessment and quality evaluation for traditional Chinese medicines].

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Xiao; Guo, Li-ping; Shang, Hong-cai; Ren, Ming; Lei, Xiang

2015-05-01

To learn about the economic studies on traditional Chinese medicines in domestic literatures, in order to analyze the current economic assessment of traditional Chinese medicines and explore the existing problems. Efforts were made to search CNKI, VIP, Wanfang database and CBM by computer and include all literatures about economic assessment of traditional Chinese medicines published on professional domestic journals in the systematic assessment and quality evaluation. Finally, 50 articles were included in the study, and the systematic assessment and quality evaluation were made for them in terms of titles, year, authors' identity, expense source, disease type, study perspective, study design type, study target, study target source, time limit, cost calculation, effect indicator, analytical technique and sensitivity analysis. The finally quality score was 0.74, which is very low. The results of the study showed insufficient studies on economics of traditional Chinese medicines, short study duration and simple evaluation methods, which will be solved through unremitting efforts in the future.

Economic evaluation of health promotion interventions for older people: do applied economic studies meet the methodological challenges?

Science.gov (United States)

Huter, Kai; Dubas-Jakóbczyk, Katarzyna; Kocot, Ewa; Kissimova-Skarbek, Katarzyna; Rothgang, Heinz

2018-01-01

In the light of demographic developments health promotion interventions for older people are gaining importance. In addition to methodological challenges arising from the economic evaluation of health promotion interventions in general, there are specific methodological problems for the particular target group of older people. There are especially four main methodological challenges that are discussed in the literature. They concern measurement and valuation of informal caregiving, accounting for productivity costs, effects of unrelated cost in added life years and the inclusion of 'beyond-health' benefits. This paper focuses on the question whether and to what extent specific methodological requirements are actually met in applied health economic evaluations. Following a systematic review of pertinent health economic evaluations, the included studies are analysed on the basis of four assessment criteria that are derived from methodological debates on the economic evaluation of health promotion interventions in general and economic evaluations targeting older people in particular. Of the 37 studies included in the systematic review, only very few include cost and outcome categories discussed as being of specific relevance to the assessment of health promotion interventions for older people. The few studies that consider these aspects use very heterogeneous methods, thus there is no common methodological standard. There is a strong need for the development of guidelines to achieve better comparability and to include cost categories and outcomes that are relevant for older people. Disregarding these methodological obstacles could implicitly lead to discrimination against the elderly in terms of health promotion and disease prevention and, hence, an age-based rationing of public health care.

Economic Functions Proposal of Urgency Prioritization of Investment Projects of Operated Railway Bridges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pitoňák Martin

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The main objective of the article is to describe the proposals of economic functions within the prioritization of urgency investments of operated railway bridges within a comprehensive evaluation of existing bridges. The purpose of the paper is a comprehensive assessment of existing bridges and to define determinants and determinants of decision-making and designing a mechanism of decision-making procedures of prioritized infrastructure measures in the form of repairs and reconstructions of bridges resulting from the records of supervising activities based not only on technical but also economic aspects to the railway infrastructure manager.

DSM综合评估中适用评价方法的分析%Analysis of the suitable evaluation methods in DSM comprehensive evaluation

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

吴俊伟; 梁星宇; 于兵; 金俭; 王志梁; 杨雨欣; 王东伟

2016-01-01

电力需求侧管理（DSM）已成为节能减排最重要的手段之一，为了了解和分析DSM项目实施效果，方便DSM项目的改进、提高与推广，对DSM进行综合评估十分必要。从综合评价的基本理论出发，结合DSM综合评估的特点，分析比较了常用综合评价方法在DSM综合评估中的适用性，为DSM综合评估中综合评价方法的选择与应用提供理论基础。%Demand side management (DSM) is one of the most important measures for energy conservation and emission reduction. In order to analyze the effect of DSM projects, equally for the improvement and promotion of it, it is indispensable to evaluate DSM in a synthetic way. Based on the fundamental theory of comprehensive evaluation and the features of DSM comprehensive evaluation, this paper compares and analyzes the applicability of common comprehensive evaluation meth⁃ods in DSMcomprehensive evaluation, and provides the theoretical ba⁃sis for the selection and application of comprehensive evaluation meth⁃ods in DSM comprehensive evaluation.

Trial-based economic evaluations in occupational health: principles, methods, and recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

van Dongen, Johanna M; van Wier, Marieke F; Tompa, Emile; Bongers, Paulien M; van der Beek, Allard J; van Tulder, Maurits W; Bosmans, Judith E

2014-06-01

To allocate available resources as efficiently as possible, decision makers need information on the relative economic merits of occupational health and safety (OHS) interventions. Economic evaluations can provide this information by comparing the costs and consequences of alternatives. Nevertheless, only a few of the studies that consider the effectiveness of OHS interventions take the extra step of considering their resource implications. Moreover, the methodological quality of those that do is generally poor. Therefore, this study aims to help occupational health researchers conduct high-quality trial-based economic evaluations by discussing the theory and methodology that underlie them, and by providing recommendations for good practice regarding their design, analysis, and reporting. This study also helps consumers of this literature with understanding and critically appraising trial-based economic evaluations of OHS interventions.

Economic evaluation of emergency obstetric care training: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Banke-Thomas, Aduragbemi; Wilson-Jones, Megan; Madaj, Barbara; van den Broek, Nynke

2017-12-04

Training healthcare providers in Emergency Obstetric Care (EmOC) has been shown to be effective in improving their capacity to provide this critical care package for mothers and babies. However, little is known about the costs and cost-effectiveness of such training. Understanding costs and cost-effectiveness is essential in guaranteeing value-for-money in healthcare spending. This study systematically reviewed the available literature on cost and cost-effectiveness of EmOC trainings. Peer-reviewed and grey literature was searched for relevant papers published after 1990. Studies were included if they described an economic evaluation of EmOC training and the training cost data were available. Two reviewers independently searched, screened, and selected studies that met the inclusion criteria, with disagreements resolved by a third reviewer. Quality of studies was assessed using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards statement. For comparability, all costs in local currency were converted to International dollar (I$) equivalents using purchasing power parity conversion factors. The cost per training per participant was calculated. Narrative synthesis was used to summarise the available evidence on cost effectiveness. Fourteen studies (five full and nine partial economic evaluations) met the inclusion criteria. All five and two of the nine partial economic evaluations were of high quality. The majority of studies (13/14) were from low- and middle-income countries. Training equipment, per diems and resource person allowance were the most expensive components. Cost of training per person per day ranged from I$33 to I$90 when accommodation was required and from I$5 to I$21 when training was facility-based. Cost-effectiveness of training was assessed in 5 studies with differing measures of effectiveness (knowledge, skills, procedure cost and lives saved) making comparison difficult. Economic evaluations of EmOC training are limited. There is a

The Evaluation of Land Use Status in Mountainous Counties of Southwest China Based on Comprehensive Evaluation Models: A Case Study of Baoxing County, Sichuan Province

Science.gov (United States)

Cao, Mengtian; Shen, Jundi; Chen, Zhehua

2018-06-01

In mountainous areas of Southwest China, the land resources are scarce, and the ecological environment is fragile, so it is particularly important to carry out the evaluation of land use status for the sustainability of land development. Taking Baoxing County in Sichuan Province, the typical mountainous county in Southwest China, as an instance, this study refers to the existing research frameworks to establish the evaluation system of land use status. Meanwhile, the comprehensive evaluation models are used to evaluate land use status. As indicated from the results, in Baoxing County, the comprehensive evaluation score of the overall status of land use, the evaluation score of the development degree of land, the evaluation score of the intensive management degree of land and the evaluation score of the comprehensive benefits of land were 83.5, 108.24, 72.25 and 80.77, respectively. Land use status is generally at the relatively rational use stage, and the main problems are the lack of land investment and the low mechanization level of agricultural production. It is suggested to increase the financial investment in land and enhance the intensive degree and comprehensive benefits of land in the future.

Health economic evaluation in lumbar spinal fusion: a systematic literature review anno 2005

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Soegaard, Rikke; Christensen, Finn B

2006-01-01

in clinical practice are present, economic evaluation is needed in order to facilitate the decision-makers' budget allocations. NHS Economic Evaluation Database, MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Library were searched. Two independent reviewers (one clinical content expert and one economic content expert) applied...... that the clinical effects are statistically synonymous, it does not support the use of high-cost techniques. There is a great potential for improvement of methodological quality in economic evaluations of lumbar spinal fusion and further research is imperative....

Using the Delphi technique in economic evaluation: time to revisit the oracle?

Science.gov (United States)

Simoens, S

2006-12-01

Although the Delphi technique has been commonly used as a data source in medical and health services research, its application in economic evaluation of medicines has been more limited. The aim of this study was to describe the methodology of the Delphi technique, to present a case for using the technique in economic evaluation, and to provide recommendations to improve such use. The literature was accessed through MEDLINE focusing on studies discussing the methodology of the Delphi technique and economic evaluations of medicines using the Delphi technique. The Delphi technique can be used to provide estimates of health care resources required and to modify such estimates when making inter-country comparisons. The Delphi technique can also contribute to mapping the treatment process under investigation, to identifying the appropriate comparator to be used, and to ensuring that the economic evaluation estimates cost-effectiveness rather than cost-efficacy. Ideally, economic evaluations of medicines should be based on real-patient data. In the absence of such data, evaluations need to incorporate the best evidence available by employing approaches such as the Delphi technique. Evaluations based on this approach should state the limitations, and explore the impact of the associated uncertainty in the results.

Economic competitiveness of nuclear power in China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Chuanwen

2005-01-01

Development of nuclear power in China has made a good progress. Currently, economic competitiveness of nuclear power compared to fossil-fuelled power plants is one of the major problems which hamper its development. This article presents the economic competitiveness of nuclear power in China with two-level analyses. First, levelized lifetime cost method is adopted for electricity generation cost comparisons. Important factors influencing economic competitiveness of nuclear power are described. Furthermore, a broad economic evaluation of the full fuel chain of nuclear power and fossil-fuelled plants is discussed concerning macro social-economic issues, environmental and health impacts. The comprehensive comparative assessment would be carried out for decision making to implement nuclear power programme. In consideration of external costs and carbon value, the economic competitiveness of nuclear power would be further improved. Facing swift economic growth, huge energy demand and heavy environmental burden, nuclear power could play a significant role in sustainable development in China. (authors)

Psoriasis treatment and management - a systematic review of full economic evaluations.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamilton, M P; Ntais, D; Griffiths, C E M; Davies, L M

2015-03-01

Psoriasis frequently requires lifetime control and current therapies vary significantly in price. High-quality economic evaluations are necessary to determine if higher-cost treatments are value for money. This review aims to identify the cost-effectiveness of psoriasis care (whether more expensive interventions are associated with savings in health care and psoriasis management and/or improve patients' health); assess the level of uncertainty and transferability of this evidence to policy and practice; and, identify future research needs. Searches of electronic databases Embase, MEDLINE and NHS EED for full economic evaluations were conducted in January 2012 (updated April 2014). Included articles were screened, selected and critically appraised using predefined inclusion criteria and data extraction forms: 1355 articles were identified; 37 papers reporting 71 comparisons met the inclusion criteria. Treatments evaluated were systemic (n = 45), topical (n = 22), phototherapies (n = 14) and combination (n = 4). Despite a significant number of recent economic evaluations, the cost-effectiveness of all therapies remains unclear. This uncertainty arises from a diversity in settings, perspective and design. Economic evaluations were constrained by limited availability of high-quality short- and long-term head-to-head comparisons of the effectiveness, safety and adherence of different interventions. The economic evidence is dominated by comparisons of interventions to placebo, with implicit comparisons of different therapies. There is a lack of evaluations of service model innovations to deliver complex packages of care for psoriasis. Primary and secondary integrated clinical and economic research is needed to address the limitations and to identify patient preferences and barriers/facilitators to treatment. © 2014 British Association of Dermatologists.

The design and application of comprehensive interventional surgery record:evaluation of its usefulness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xue; Chen Jinhua; Li Jun

2010-01-01

Objective: To design a comprehensive interventional surgery record form in order to standardize and simplify interventional work process and to increase the operative safety. Methods: A comprehensive interventional surgery record form was designed by the authors, which was suitable for making necessary record of different kinds of interventional procedures, for counting operation time, X-ray exposure time and for recording the dose, velocity and injection pressure of the contrast agent used in interventional procedure. The record form made a close combination of the nursing notes with the technological information and focused on compiling the clinical key points. The record form included independent parts for taking the preoperative, in-operative and postoperative facts and evaluations. The corresponding items after employing this record form were compared with that before using this form. The usefulness of the form was evaluated. Results: The use of comprehensive interventional surgery record form overcame the limitations of previously used interventional record chart. The previous record chart paid attention only to the vital signs and operative process, while the newly designed form emphasized the scientific management, which would make the therapeutic procedure to be more standard and the control of X-ray dose and contrast media dosage to be more strict, providing powerful data for scientific administration. After using the comprehensive interventional surgery record form both the nurses' and technicians' comprehensive abilities were improved markedly. Conclusion: The specific and comprehensive interventional record form designed by the authors fully meets the requirements of various interventional procedures, reflecting the particular needs for medical record. The use of this record form can standardize the administration of clinical interventional work. (authors)

Concepts of ‘personalization’ in personalized medicine: implications for economic evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Rogowski, Wolf; Payne, Katherine; Schnell-Inderst, Petra; Manca, Andrea; Rochau, Ursula; Jahn, Beate; Alagoz, Oguzhan; Leidl, Reiner; Siebert, Uwe

2015-01-01

Context This paper assesses if, and how, existing methods for economic evaluation are applicable to the evaluation of PM and if not, where extension to methods may be required. Method Structured workshop with a pre-defined group of experts (n=47), run using a modified nominal group technique. Workshop findings were recorded using extensive note taking and summarised using thematic data analysis. The workshop was complemented by structured literature searches. Results The key finding emerging from the workshop, using an economic perspective, was that two distinct, but linked, interpretations of the concept of PM exist (personalization by ‘physiology’ or ‘preferences’). These interpretations involve specific challenges for the design and conduct of economic evaluations. Existing evaluative (extra-welfarist) frameworks were generally considered appropriate for evaluating PM. When ‘personalization’ is viewed as using physiological biomarkers, challenges include: representing complex care pathways; representing spill-over effects; meeting data requirements such as evidence on heterogeneity; choosing appropriate time horizons for the value of further research in uncertainty analysis. When viewed as tailoring medicine to patient preferences, further work is needed regarding: revealed preferences, e.g. treatment (non)adherence; stated preferences, e.g. risk interpretation and attitude; consideration of heterogeneity in preferences; and the appropriate framework (welfarism vs. extra-welfarism) to incorporate non-health benefits. Conclusion Ideally, economic evaluations should take account of both interpretations of PM and consider physiology and preferences. It is important for decision makers to be cognizant of the issues involved with the economic evaluation of PM to appropriately interpret the evidence and target future research funding. PMID:25249200

Economic evaluation of closure cap barrier materials study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Serrato, M.G.; Bhutani, J.S.; Mead, S.M.

1993-09-01

Volume II of the Economic Evaluation of the Closure Cap Barrier Materials, Revision I contains detailed cost estimates for closure cap barrier materials. The cost estimates incorporate the life cycle costs for a generic hazardous waste seepage basin closure cap under the RCRA Post Closure Period of thirty years. The economic evaluation assessed six barrier material categories. Each of these categories consists of several composite cover system configurations, which were used to develop individual cost estimates. The information contained in this report is not intended to be used as a cost estimating manual. This information provides the decision makers with the ability to screen barrier materials, cover system configurations, and identify cost-effective materials for further consideration.

Economic evaluation of closure cap barrier materials study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Serrato, M.G.; Bhutani, J.S.; Mead, S.M.

1993-09-01

Volume II of the Economic Evaluation of the Closure Cap Barrier Materials, Revision I contains detailed cost estimates for closure cap barrier materials. The cost estimates incorporate the life cycle costs for a generic hazardous waste seepage basin closure cap under the RCRA Post Closure Period of thirty years. The economic evaluation assessed six barrier material categories. Each of these categories consists of several composite cover system configurations, which were used to develop individual cost estimates. The information contained in this report is not intended to be used as a cost estimating manual. This information provides the decision makers with the ability to screen barrier materials, cover system configurations, and identify cost-effective materials for further consideration

Environmental and social risk evaluation of overseas investment under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Ruilian; Andam, Francis; Shi, Guoqing

2017-06-01

Along with the further implementation of the "One Belt, One Road" initiative and the promotion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the construction of the CPEC will likely face challenges owing to differences between China and Pakistan in politics, economics, culture, religion, language, customs, environmental management systems, environmental protection laws, social management systems, and social management regulations. To address potential environmental and social risks associated with Chinese enterprises as they invest in the CPEC region, this paper examines previous studies addressing topics such as the environmental and social safeguards of international institutions and Pakistan's domestic environmental and social management requirements. We then systematically identify the environmental and social risk factors involved in CPEC construction, which cover risks regarding water, air, soil, noise, biodiversity, politics, economics, culture, technology, and individuals. By establishing and calculating these risks and using a multi-fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model, we found that noise and individual risks belong to a medium risk category, while others belong to a higher risk category. In view of these risks, the Chinese government must create a friendly and peaceful environment for Chinese enterprises to invest in the CPEC region, and Chinese enterprises must adopt a development strategy of strength and capacity building and establish enterprises capable of addressing environmental and social issues during the investment process. All stakeholders must understand that if no determined and diligent steps are taken, CPEC construction might be doomed for failure from the start.

The scheme and research of TV series multidimensional comprehensive evaluation on cross-platform

Science.gov (United States)

Chai, Jianping; Bai, Xuesong; Zhou, Hongjun; Yin, Fulian

2016-10-01

As for shortcomings of the comprehensive evaluation system on traditional TV programs such as single data source, ignorance of new media as well as the high time cost and difficulty of making surveys, a new evaluation of TV series is proposed in this paper, which has a perspective in cross-platform multidimensional evaluation after broadcasting. This scheme considers the data directly collected from cable television and the Internet as research objects. It's based on TOPSIS principle, after preprocessing and calculation of the data, they become primary indicators that reflect different profiles of the viewing of TV series. Then after the process of reasonable empowerment and summation by the six methods(PCA, AHP, etc.), the primary indicators form the composite indices on different channels or websites. The scheme avoids the inefficiency and difficulty of survey and marking; At the same time, it not only reflects different dimensions of viewing, but also combines TV media and new media, completing the multidimensional comprehensive evaluation of TV series on cross-platform.

Evaluation of fusion study from socio-economic aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konishi, S.; Okano, K.; Ogawa, Y.; Nagumo, S.; Tokimatsu, K.; Tobita, K.

2005-01-01

A fusion research project was evaluated from the aspects of socio-economics and its possible economic benefit. Research project itself has large economic impacts and it appears in a different way in different time. Four categories were identified as such mechanisms; direct economic effect by purchase and employment, the growth of local community and its economy, an improvement of technical capability of the industry stimulated by the development, and fusion energy supply under environmental constraints. Industrial effects were analysed from actual R and D program and found to yield considerable economic outcome, although contribution by the research itself is far smaller than that required for industry before actual commercial products can be produced. Economic value of fusion energy could be huge, but appears several decades future, and should be reduced by discount rate and success probability. Its value is more important as a part of environmental policy. Value of the fusion research at present age cannot be estimated as actual benefit, but as the effectiveness in the policy, or benefit for public that is now regarded as a kind of Externality

The methodological quality of economic evaluation studies in obstetrics and gynecology: a systematic review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vijgen, Sylvia M. C.; Opmeer, Brent C.; Mol, Ben Willem J.

2013-01-01

We evaluated the methodological quality of economic evaluation studies in the field of obstetrics and gynecology published in the last decade. A MEDLINE search was performed to find economic evaluation studies in obstetrics and gynecology from the years 1997 through 2009. We included full economic

Theoretical and methodological basis for the formation and evaluation of the level of the economic system's strategic economic potential

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kljushin Vladislav Vladimirovich

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The current level of business activity of socio-economic systems of different scale and insufficient to increase their overall potential. To solve this problem, the first priority is the effective management of their strategic and economic potential. Managerial decision-making about the use of economic resources strategic socio-economic systems requires the development of a methodology to identify and evaluate strategic and economic potential.

Methodological Challenges to Economic Evaluations of Vaccines: Is a Common Approach Still Possible?

Science.gov (United States)

Jit, Mark; Hutubessy, Raymond

2016-06-01

Economic evaluation of vaccination is a key tool to inform effective spending on vaccines. However, many evaluations have been criticised for failing to capture features of vaccines which are relevant to decision makers. These include broader societal benefits (such as improved educational achievement, economic growth and political stability), reduced health disparities, medical innovation, reduced hospital beds pressures, greater peace of mind and synergies in economic benefits with non-vaccine interventions. Also, the fiscal implications of vaccination programmes are not always made explicit. Alternative methodological frameworks have been proposed to better capture these benefits. However, any broadening of the methodology for economic evaluation must also involve evaluations of non-vaccine interventions, and hence may not always benefit vaccines given a fixed health-care budget. The scope of an economic evaluation must consider the budget from which vaccines are funded, and the decision-maker's stated aims for that spending to achieve.

Elements for a comprehensive assessment of natural resources: bridging environmental economics with ecological economics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodriguez Romero, Paulo Cesar; Cubillos Gonzalez, Alexander

2012-01-01

The predominance of economic assessments regarding the value of natural resources has caused a sub-valuing of the real benefits which societies can obtain from nature. This is due to a lack of knowledge about the complexity of ecological functions, as well as a dismissal of the integrated relations of the sub-systems which make up the environment. It is therefore necessary to establish conceptual bridges between environmental sciences to fill in the gaps in economic valuation methods by recurring to diverse measuring scales, participation from the different actors involved, and a principle of precaution regarding the limits of nature. This paper explores the concepts of value and economic valuation methods from the perspectives of Environmental Economics and Ecological Economics. It then proposes an integration of valuing methodologies which take into account how complementary and complex natures value relations are. This proposal of valuing integrally ecosystem goods and services contributes to adjusting political decisions more accordingly to real environmental conditions.

Economic evaluation of integrated new technologies for health and social care: Suggestions for policy makers, users and evaluators.

Science.gov (United States)

Wildman, John; McMeekin, Peter; Grieve, Eleanor; Briggs, Andrew

2016-11-01

With an ageing population there is a move towards the use of assisted living technologies (ALTs) to provide social care and health care services, and to improve service processes. These technologies are at the forefront of the integration of health and social care. However, economic evaluations of ALTs, and indeed economic evaluations of any interventions providing both health benefits and benefits beyond health are complex. This paper considers the challenges faced by evaluators and presents a method of economic evaluation for use with interventions where traditional methods may not be suitable for informing funders and decision makers. We propose a method, combining economic evaluation techniques, that can accommodate health outcomes and outcomes beyond health through the use of a common numeraire. Such economic evaluations can benefit both the public and private sector, firstly by ensuring the efficient allocation of resources. And secondly, by providing information for individuals who, in the market for ALTs, face consumption decisions that are infrequent and for which there may be no other sources of information. We consider these issues in the welfarist, extra-welfarist and capabilities frameworks, which we link to attributes in an individual production model. This approach allows for the valuation of the health component of any such intervention and the valuation of key social care attributes and processes. Finally, we present a set of considerations for evaluators highlighting the key issues that need to be considered in this type of economic evaluation. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Welfare Evaluation and the Economic Impacts of Climate Change on ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

Welfare Evaluation and the Economic Impacts of Climate Change on Water Supply ... In a context of positive economic growth, demand for water is expected to ... Socially equitable climate action is essential to strengthen the resilience of all ...

[Evaluation of economic forest ecosystem services in China].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Bing; Lu, Shao-Wei

2009-02-01

This paper quantitatively evaluated the economic forest ecosystem services in the provinces of China in 2003, based on the long-term and continuous observations of economic forest ecosystems in this country, the sixth China national forest resources inventory data, and the price parameter data from the authorities in the world, and by applying the law of market value, the method of substitution of the expenses, and the law of the shadow project. The results showed that in 2003, the total value of economic forest ecosystem services in China was 11763.39 x 10(8) yuan, and the total value of the products from economic forests occupied 19.3% of the total ecosystem services value, which indicated that the economic forests not only provided society direct products, but also exhibited enormous eco-economic value. The service value of the functions of economic forests was in the order of water storage > C fixation and O2 release > biodiversity conservation > erosion control > air quality purification > nutrient cycle. The spatial pattern of economic forest ecosystem services in the provinces of China had the same trend with the spatial distribution of water and heat resources and biodiversity. To understand the differences of economic forest ecosystem services in the provinces of China was of significance in alternating the irrational arrangement of our present forestry production, diminishing the abuses of forest management, and establishing high grade, high efficient, and modernized economic forests.

Feasibility Study on Nuclear Propulsion Ship according to Economic Evaluation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gil, Youngmi; Yoo, Seongjin; Oh, June; Byun, Yoonchul; Woo, Ilguk [Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering Co., Ltd, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Jiho; Choi, Suhn [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2013-05-15

The use of nuclear ships has been extending to the icebreaker, the deep-water exploration ship, and the floating nuclear power plant. Prior to developing the new ship, the relevant regulations need to be considered. In this study, we reviewed the nuclear ship-related regulations. In addition, economic value is one of the most important factors which should be considered in the pre-design phase. To evaluate the economics of the nuclear ship, we calculated Capital Expenditure (abbreviated as CAPEX) and Operation Expenditure (abbreviated as OPEX) for various types of ships. We reviewed the nuclear ship-related regulations and evaluated the economics of the nuclear ship compared to the diesel ship. The calculation result shows that economic feasibility of the nuclear ship depends on the oil price as well as the cost of the nuclear reactor.

ECOGEN - Soil ecological and economic evaluation of genetically modified crops

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krogh, P. H

2007-01-01

ECOGEN is a project funded by the EU under the 6th Framework Programme. Based on results obtained from soil biodiversity studies and economic evaluations, ECOGEN assessed the impact on soil organisms of different agricultural management practices, including those involving genetically modified (GM...... Policy were then evaluated. These two major factors - ecological and economic - were then integrated into decision support models for predicting the overall consequences of introducing GM crops into an agricultural system. Bt-maize line MON 810, resistant to a widespread insect pest called the European...... and economic results were integrated into a decision support model to facilitate the assessment of the impact of various cropping systems on soil quality and economics. In conclusion, the ECOGEN results indicate no difference of biological relevance in the impact on soil organisms between Bt-maize line MON 810...

Socio-economic project evaluation in practice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larsen, A.

1995-01-01

The theoretical basis for a socio-economic project evaluation can be doubtful and specific analyses can involve quite essential uncertainty. Among serious theoretical problems of the energy sector there should be named the price distortions, due to various taxes. The choice of the presumed calculation interest can be difficult, due to the extremely long-range energy-political planning. (EG) 10 refs

Textbook Evaluation: An Analysis of Listening Comprehension Parts in Top Notch 2A & 2B

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Afshin Soori

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Textbooks are the instruments that assist both teachers and learners in process of second language learning. With respect to the importance of textbooks in a language course, evaluation of course books is a significant issue for most researchers. The present study investigated and analyzed Listening Comprehension parts in Top Notch 2A & 2B 2nd edition. Top Notch 2A & 2B have 10 Units. The number of listening comprehension parts is in the range of 2 to 4 parts in each unit through the book. So the number of listening comprehension parts is not equally distributed. The participants of this study are 10 EFL teachers of two English language Institutes in Jahrom. Strong and weak aspects of Listening Comprehension parts have indicated in this research. The weaknesses involve the pictures and visuals are not clear enough to enhance students' motivation and interest, the audio is not completely suitable for students' English level, and Discussion parts are not stimulating students' talking. Furthermore this study revealed the crucial function of teachers in listening achievement of students. Keywords: textbook evaluation, listening comprehension, ELT

Method of levelized discounted costs applied in economic evaluation of nuclear power plant project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian Li; Wang Yongqing; Liu Jingquan; Guo Jilin; Liu Wei

2000-01-01

The main methods of economic evaluation of bid which are in common use are introduced. The characteristics of levelized discounted cost method and its application are presented. The method of levelized discounted cost is applied to the cost calculation of a 200 MW nuclear heating reactor economic evaluation. The results indicate that the method of levelized discounted costs is simple, feasible and which is considered most suitable for the economic evaluation of various case. The method is suggested which is used in the national economic evaluation

A study on regional comprehensive performance evaluation indicator system of rational use of drugs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sun Tongda

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The current research presents the design of a 4-degree-3-level performance evaluation indicator system of rational use of drugs for health care institutions accord with the Balanced Score Card (BSC method. Financial index, patient index, professional process index, and development and blazing new trials index are adopted in the light of scientific, guiding, operable and generalizable principles. The index weight is based on the analytic hierarchy process, and comprehensive performance evaluation indicators are calculated by a linear integrated weighting method. Its practical application in 21 state-run health care institutions in Ningbo, from 2008 to 2012, has arrived at the finding that the comprehensive performance evaluation indicator system offers a scientific, practical and effective performance management quantification and is thus worth popularizing.

FBI fingerprint identification automation study. AIDS 3 evaluation report. Volume 4: Economic feasibility

Science.gov (United States)

Mulhall, B. D. L.

1980-01-01

The results of the economic analysis of the AIDS 3 system design are presented. AIDS 3 evaluated a set of economic feasibility measures including life cycle cost, implementation cost, annual operating expenditures and annual capital expenditures. The economic feasibility of AIDS 3 was determined by comparing the evaluated measures with the same measures, where applicable, evaluated for the current system. A set of future work load scenarios was constructed using JPL's environmental evaluation study of the fingerprint identification system. AIDS 3 and the current system were evaluated for each of the economic feasibility measures for each of the work load scenarios. They were compared for a set of performance measures, including response time and accuracy, and for a set of cost/benefit ratios, including cost per transaction and cost per technical search. Benefit measures related to the economic feasibility of the system are also presented, including the required number of employees and the required employee skill mix.

A Principal Component Analysis/Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation for Rockburst Potential in Kimberlite

Science.gov (United States)

Pu, Yuanyuan; Apel, Derek; Xu, Huawei

2018-02-01

Kimberlite is an igneous rock which sometimes bears diamonds. Most of the diamonds mined in the world today are found in kimberlite ores. Burst potential in kimberlite has not been investigated, because kimberlite is mostly mined using open-pit mining, which poses very little threat of rock bursting. However, as the mining depth keeps increasing, the mines convert to underground mining methods, which can pose a threat of rock bursting in kimberlite. This paper focuses on the burst potential of kimberlite at a diamond mine in northern Canada. A combined model with the methods of principal component analysis (PCA) and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (FCE) is developed to process data from 12 different locations in kimberlite pipes. Based on calculated 12 fuzzy evaluation vectors, 8 locations show a moderate burst potential, 2 locations show no burst potential, and 2 locations show strong and violent burst potential, respectively. Using statistical principles, a Mahalanobis distance is adopted to build a comprehensive fuzzy evaluation vector for the whole mine and the final evaluation for burst potential is moderate, which is verified by a practical rockbursting situation at mine site.

Economic evaluation studies in reproductive medicine: a systematic review of methodologic quality

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Moolenaar, Lobke M.; Vijgen, Sylvia M. C.; Hompes, Peter; van der Veen, Fulco; Mol, Ben Willem J.; Opmeer, Brent C.

2013-01-01

To evaluate the methodologic quality of economic analyses published in the field of reproductive medicine. Systematic review. Centers for reproductive care. Infertility patients. We performed a Medline search to identify economic evaluation studies in reproductive medicine. We included studies that

Transferability of economic evaluations of medical technologies: a new technology for orthopedic surgery

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Steuten, Lotte Maria Gertruda; Vallejo-Torres, Laura; Young, Terry; Buxton, Martin

2008-01-01

Transferring results of economic evaluations across countries or jurisdictions can potentially save scarce evaluation resources while helping to make market access and reimbursement decisions in a timely fashion. This article points out why transferring results of economic evaluations is

The Research and Evaluation of Serious Games: Toward a Comprehensive Methodology

Science.gov (United States)

Mayer, Igor; Bekebrede, Geertje; Harteveld, Casper; Warmelink, Harald; Zhou, Qiqi; van Ruijven, Theo; Lo, Julia; Kortmann, Rens; Wenzler, Ivo

2014-01-01

The authors present the methodological background to and underlying research design of an ongoing research project on the scientific evaluation of serious games and/or computer-based simulation games (SGs) for advanced learning. The main research questions are: (1) what are the requirements and design principles for a comprehensive social…

Environmental and economic evaluation of the Massachusetts Smoke-Free Workplace Law.

Science.gov (United States)

Alpert, Hillel R; Carpenter, Carrie M; Travers, Mark J; Connolly, Gregory N

2007-08-01

An environmental and economic evaluation of the smoke-free law in Massachusetts provides a broad appreciation of how a state-wide smoking ban affects the health of patrons and workers as well as the industries that are commonly concerned about the effects of smoking bans on business. The aim of this study is to evaluate environmental and economic effects of the statewide Massachusetts statewide Smoke-Free Workplace Law. Before and after the smoking ban, air quality testing was conducted in a sample (n = 27) of hospitality venues and state-wide economic changes were assessed. Compliance, in terms of patronage was measured by person-counts. Environmental outcomes were respirable suspended particles (RSP) less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5). Economic outcomes were meals tax collections, employment in the food services and drinking places and accommodations industries. On average, levels of respirable suspended particles (RSPs) less than 2.5 microns in diameter (PM2.5) decreased 93% in these venues after the Massachusetts Smoke-free Workplace Law went into effect. No statistically significant changes were observed among the economic indicators. This evaluation demonstrates that the state-wide Massachusetts law has effectively improved indoor air quality in a sample of Massachusetts venues and has not negatively affected several economic indicators.

The economic evaluation of pharmacotherapies for Parkinson's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Coyle, D; Barbeau, M; Guttman, M; Baladi, J-F

2003-06-01

As well as the significant clinical effects of Parkinson's disease (PD), the disease places a high economic burden on society. Given the scarcity of health care resources, it is becoming increasingly necessary to demonstrate that new therapies for PD provide value for money in comparison with other potential interventions. This paper outlines the basic techniques of cost-effectiveness analysis and its application to PD. These techniques are illustrated by a recent economic evaluation of entacapone for use in Canada.

Thermo economical evaluation of retrofitting strategies in air conditioning systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tribess, Arlindo; Fiorelli, Flavio Augusto Sanzogo; Hernandez Neto, Alberto [Sao Paulo Univ., SP (Brazil). Escola Politecnica. Dept. de Engenharia Mecanica]. E-mail: atribess@usp.br; fiorelli@usp.br; ahneto@usp.br

2000-07-01

In a building project, several subsystems are designed, among them the air conditioning system. Electrical energy consumption profiles show that this subsystem is responsible for 40 to 50% of total consumption in a commercial building. Besides the study of technical aspects that should be considered in order to assure the thermal comfort of the occupants as well the temperature and humidity conditions for an efficient equipment operation, an economical evaluation of this subsystem should be also made. In retrofit projects, the economical aspect is also critical for such projects in order to assure bigger efficiency in an economically attractive way. This paper analyses some strategies that might be adopted in retrofitting an air conditioning system installed in a commercial building with mixed occupation. By mixed we mean that some floors have a typical office occupation profile and other floors are mainly occupied by electronic equipment. This analysis includes both technical and economical evaluation. The proposed solutions performance are compared to the old system, which allows to verify the retrofitting impact in energy consumption reduction and its economical feasibility. (author)

Solar energy system economic evaluation: IBM System 4, Clinton, Mississippi

Science.gov (United States)

1980-01-01

An economic analysis of the solar energy system was developed for five sites, typical of a wide range of environmental and economic conditions in the continental United States. The analysis was based on the technical and economic models in the F-chart design procedure, with inputs based on the characteristic of the installed system and local conditions. The results are of the economic parameters of present worth of system cost over a 20 year time span: life cycle savings, year of positive savings and year of payback for the optimized solar energy system at each of the analysis sites. The sensitivity of the economic evaluation to uncertainties in constituent system and economic variables is also investigated.

Bibliometric trends of health economic evaluation in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernandez-Villafuerte, Karla; Li, Ryan; Hofman, Karen J

2016-08-24

Collaboration between Sub-Saharan African researchers is important for the generation and transfer of health technology assessment (HTA) evidence, in order to support priority-setting in health. The objective of this analysis was to evaluate collaboration patterns between countries. We conducted a rapid evidence assessment that included a random sample of health economic evaluations carried out in 20 countries (Angola, Botswana, Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Uganda). We conducted bibliometric network analysis based on all first authors with a Sub-Saharan African academic affiliation and their co-authored publications ("network-articles"). Then we produced a connection map of collaboration patterns among Sub-Saharan African researchers, reflecting the number of network-articles and the country of affiliation of the main co-authors. The sample of 119 economic evaluations mostly related to treatments of communicable diseases, in particular HIV/AIDS (42/119, 35.29 %) and malaria (26/119, 21.85 %). The 39 first authors from Sub-Saharan African institutions together co-authored 729 network-articles. The network analysis showed weak collaboration between health economic researchers in Sub-Saharan Africa, with researchers being more likely to collaborate with Europe and North America than with other African countries. South Africa stood out as producing the highest number of health economic evaluations and collaborations. The development and evaluation of HTA research networks in Sub-Saharan Africa should be supported, with South Africa central to any such efforts. Organizations and institutions from high income countries interested in supporting priority setting in Sub-Saharan Africa should include promoting collaboration as part of their agendas, in order to take advantage of the potential transferability of results and methods of the

Enhancing Islamic Students’ Reading Comprehension through Predict Organize Search Summarize Evaluate Strategy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Darmayenti Darmayenti

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This paper is a report of an experimental research project conducted in a reading comprehension course for first-year students of the Adab Faculty of the State Institute for Islamic Studies Imam Bonjol Padang, West Sumatera, Indonesia, during the academic year 2015/2016. The “Predict Organize Search Summarize Evaluate” (POSSE is one strategy that can enhance students’ comprehension in reading. Two classes of Arabic and History students chosen through cluster random sampling technique were used as the sample of the research. Reading tests were used to collect the data which was given to both of classes on pre-test and post-test. The result of the research showed that the implementation of Predict Organize Search Summarize Evaluate strategy gave a significant difference in term of the students-learning outcome between the students who were taught through POSSE strategy and by traditional one. The finding of the study showed that teaching reading by using POSSE strategy gave significant effect towards students’ reading comprehension. This strategy could improve the students’ reading component on finding topic. It can be concluded that using POSSE Strategy has improved Indonesian students’ reading comprehension. It is also recommended for English lecturers use POSSE strategy as one of teaching strategies for reading comprehension.

An Evaluation of Clinical Economics and Cases of Cost-effectiveness.

Science.gov (United States)

Takura, Tomoyuki

2018-05-01

In order to maintain and develop a universal health insurance system, it is crucial to utilize limited medical resources effectively. In this context, considerations are underway to introduce health technology assessments (HTAs), such as cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs), into the medical treatment fee system. CEAs, which is the general term for these methods, are classified into four categories, such as cost-effectiveness analyses based on performance indicators, and in the comparison of health technologies, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) is also applied. When I comprehensively consider several Japanese studies based on these concepts, I find that, in the results of the analysis of the economic performance of healthcare systems, Japan shows the most promising trend in the world. In addition, there is research indicating the superior cost-effectiveness of Rituximab against refractory nephrotic syndrome, and it is expected that health economics will be actively applied to the valuation of technical innovations such as drug discovery.

An example of economical evaluation of stratiform uranium ore deposit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyata, Hatsuho; Tabuchi, Akihiro; Ushijima, Kenichi.

1992-01-01

The Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development corp. has carried out the business of uranium resource investigation and exploration in foreign countries aiming at securing uranium resources. If there is the possibility of economically developing the discovered uranium deposit, it is transferred to a Japanese private enterprise. In this paper, among the economical evaluation works that were carried out for the uranium deposits discovered by the Corp., the example of the initial economical evaluation for a stratiform uranium deposit carried out recently is reported. The deposit is located at the depth of 50 m - 70 m, and is a stratiform deposit having the extension of 4000 m x 1000 m. The boring investigation of about 350 holes was carried out for it. The estimation of the amount of uranium was done, and the production plan was made considering the scale of production, the characteristics of the ore, the circumstances of the site and so on. Based on the production plan, the initial expenses and the operation expenses were calculated. The design of the optimal pit which affects most the profitability and the economical evaluation were carried out. (K.I.)

Solar energy system economic evaluation: Contemporary Newman, Georgia

Science.gov (United States)

1980-01-01

An economic evaluation of performance of the solar energy system (based on life cycle costs versus energy savings) for five cities considered to be representative of a broad range of environmental and economic conditions in the United States is discussed. The considered life cycle costs are: hardware, installation, maintenance, and operating costs for the solar unique components of the total system. The total system takes into consideration long term average environmental conditions, loads, fuel costs, and other economic factors applicable in each of five cities. Selection criteria are based on availability of long term weather data, heating degree days, cold water supply temperature, solar insolation, utility rates, market potential, and type of solar system.

Transferability of economic evaluations of medical technologies: a new technology for orthopedic surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Steuten, Lotte; Vallejo-Torres, Laura; Young, Terry; Buxton, Martin

2008-05-01

Transferring results of economic evaluations across countries or jurisdictions can potentially save scarce evaluation resources while helping to make market access and reimbursement decisions in a timely fashion. This article points out why transferring results of economic evaluations is particularly important in the field of medical technologies. It then provides an overview of factors that are previously identified in the literature as affecting transferability of economic evaluations, as well as methods for transferring results in a scientifically sound way. As the current literature almost exclusively relates to transferability of pharmacoeconomic evaluations, this article highlights those factors and methodologies that are of particular relevance to transferring medical technology assessments. Considering the state-of-the-art literature and a worked, real life, example of transferring an economic evaluation of a product used in orthopedic surgery, we provide recommendations for future work in this important area of medical technology assessment.

Biomass direct-fired power generation system in China: An integrated energy, GHG emissions, and economic evaluation for Salix

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Changbo; Zhang, Lixiao; Chang, Yuan; Pang, Mingyue

2015-01-01

To gain a better understanding of the options of biomass power generation in China, this study presented an integrated energy, environmental, and economic evaluation for Salix in China, and a typical Salix direct-fired power generation system (SDPGS) in Inner Mongolia was selected for case study. A tiered hybrid life cycle assessment (LCA) model was developed to calculate the “planting-to-wire” (PTW) energy consumption, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and economic cost and profit of the SDPGS, including feedstock cultivation, power plant construction and operation, and on-grid price with/without government subsidies. The results show that the PTW energy consumption and GHG emissions of Salix are 0.8 MJ/kWh and 114 g CO 2 -eq/kWh, respectively, indicating an energy payback time (EPBT) of 3.2 years. The SDPGS is not economically feasible without government subsidies. The PTW costs are dominated by feedstock cultivation. The energy saving and GHG mitigation benefits are still robust, even when the power plant runs at only 60% design capacity. For future development of biomass power in China, scientific planning is necessary to guarantee a sufficient feedstock supply. In addition, technology progress, mature industrial chains, and reasonable price setting policy are required to enable potential energy and environmental advantages of biomass power moving forward. -- Highlights: •A hybrid LCA model was used to evaluate overall performance of the SDPGS. •On-site processes dominate the “planting-to-wire” footprints. •The energy saving and GHG mitigation benefits of the SDPGS are robust. •The economic profit of the SDPGS is feeble without government subsidies. •Generating efficiency promotion has a comprehensive positive effect on the system

Public health economics: a systematic review of guidance for the economic evaluation of public health interventions and discussion of key methodological issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Rhiannon Tudor; Charles, Joanna Mary; Lloyd-Williams, Huw

2013-10-24

If Public Health is the science and art of how society collectively aims to improve health, and reduce inequalities in health, then Public Health Economics is the science and art of supporting decision making as to how society can use its available resources to best meet these objectives and minimise opportunity cost. A systematic review of published guidance for the economic evaluation of public health interventions within this broad public policy paradigm was conducted. Electronic databases and organisation websites were searched using a 22 year time horizon (1990-2012). References of papers were hand searched for additional papers for inclusion. Government reports or peer-reviewed published papers were included if they; referred to the methods of economic evaluation of public health interventions, identified key challenges of conducting economic evaluations of public health interventions or made recommendations for conducting economic evaluations of public health interventions. Guidance was divided into three categories UK guidance, international guidance and observations or guidance provided by individual commentators in the field of public health economics. An assessment of the theoretical frameworks underpinning the guidance was made and served as a rationale for categorising the papers. We identified 5 international guidance documents, 7 UK guidance documents and 4 documents by individual commentators. The papers reviewed identify the main methodological challenges that face analysts when conducting such evaluations. There is a consensus within the guidance that wider social and environmental costs and benefits should be looked at due to the complex nature of public health. This was reflected in the theoretical underpinning as the majority of guidance was categorised as extra-welfarist. In this novel review we argue that health economics may have come full circle from its roots in broad public policy economics. We may find it useful to think in this broader

A systematic review of economic evaluations of treatments for patients with epilepsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Wijnen, Ben F M; van Mastrigt, Ghislaine A P G; Evers, Silvia M A A; Gershuni, Olga; Lambrechts, Danielle A J E; Majoie, Marian H J M; Postulart, Debby; Aldenkamp, Bert A P; de Kinderen, Reina J A

2017-05-01

The increasing number of treatment options and the high costs associated with epilepsy have fostered the development of economic evaluations in epilepsy. It is important to examine the availability and quality of these economic evaluations and to identify potential research gaps. As well as looking at both pharmacologic (antiepileptic drugs [AEDs]) and nonpharmacologic (e.g., epilepsy surgery, ketogenic diet, vagus nerve stimulation) therapies, this review examines the methodologic quality of the full economic evaluations included. Literature search was performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, NHS Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED), Econlit, Web of Science, and CEA Registry. In addition, Cochrane Reviews, Cochrane DARE and Cochrane Health Technology Assessment Databases were used. To identify relevant studies, predefined clinical search strategies were combined with a search filter designed to identify health economic studies. Specific search strategies were devised for the following topics: (1) AEDs, (2) patients with cognitive deficits, (3) elderly patients, (4) epilepsy surgery, (5) ketogenic diet, (6) vagus nerve stimulation, and (7) treatment of (non)convulsive status epilepticus. A total of 40 publications were included in this review, 29 (73%) of which were articles about pharmacologic interventions. Mean quality score of all articles on the Consensus Health Economic Criteria (CHEC)-extended was 81.8%, the lowest quality score being 21.05%, whereas five studies had a score of 100%. Looking at the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS), the average quality score was 77.0%, the lowest being 22.7%, and four studies rated as 100%. There was a substantial difference in methodology in all included articles, which hampered the attempt to combine information meaningfully. Overall, the methodologic quality was acceptable; however, some studies performed significantly worse than others. The heterogeneity between the studies stresses the need to

Using GeoRePORT to report socio-economic potential for geothermal development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Young, Katherine R.; Levine, Aaron

2018-07-01

The Geothermal Resource Portfolio Optimization and Reporting Tool (GeoRePORT, http://en.openei.org/wiki/GeoRePORT) was developed for reporting resource grades and project readiness levels, providing the U.S. Department of Energy a consistent and comprehensible means of evaluating projects. The tool helps funding organizations (1) quantitatively identify barriers, (2) develop measureable goals, (3) objectively evaluate proposals, including contribution to goals, (4) monitor progress, and (5) report portfolio performance. GeoRePORT assesses three categories: geological, technical, and socio-economic. Here, we describe GeoRePORT, then focus on the socio-economic assessment and its applications for assessing deployment potential in the U.S. Socio-economic attributes include land access, permitting, transmission, and market.

ComprehensiveBench: a Benchmark for the Extensive Evaluation of Global Scheduling Algorithms

Science.gov (United States)

Pilla, Laércio L.; Bozzetti, Tiago C.; Castro, Márcio; Navaux, Philippe O. A.; Méhaut, Jean-François

2015-10-01

Parallel applications that present tasks with imbalanced loads or complex communication behavior usually do not exploit the underlying resources of parallel platforms to their full potential. In order to mitigate this issue, global scheduling algorithms are employed. As finding the optimal task distribution is an NP-Hard problem, identifying the most suitable algorithm for a specific scenario and comparing algorithms are not trivial tasks. In this context, this paper presents ComprehensiveBench, a benchmark for global scheduling algorithms that enables the variation of a vast range of parameters that affect performance. ComprehensiveBench can be used to assist in the development and evaluation of new scheduling algorithms, to help choose a specific algorithm for an arbitrary application, to emulate other applications, and to enable statistical tests. We illustrate its use in this paper with an evaluation of Charm++ periodic load balancers that stresses their characteristics.

Comprehensive Evaluation and Classification of Interchange Diagrammatic Guide Signs’ Complexity

OpenAIRE

Li, Yang; Zhao, Xiaohua; He, Qing; Huang, Lihua; Rong, Jian

2018-01-01

The effectiveness of interchange diagrammatic guide signs has significant meaning in traffic safety and driver’s understanding. This paper presented a comprehensive evaluation and classification of interchange diagrammatic guide signs’ complexity. The effectiveness of interchange diagrammatic guide signs relies on how well road users can understand those diagrams. This study tested 37 types of diagrams on the visual recognition complexity degree in three levels, general level, partial level, ...

Development and validation of a Markov microsimulation model for the economic evaluation of treatments in osteoporosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hiligsmann, Mickaël; Ethgen, Olivier; Bruyère, Olivier; Richy, Florent; Gathon, Henry-Jean; Reginster, Jean-Yves

2009-01-01

Markov models are increasingly used in economic evaluations of treatments for osteoporosis. Most of the existing evaluations are cohort-based Markov models missing comprehensive memory management and versatility. In this article, we describe and validate an original Markov microsimulation model to accurately assess the cost-effectiveness of prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. We developed a Markov microsimulation model with a lifetime horizon and a direct health-care cost perspective. The patient history was recorded and was used in calculations of transition probabilities, utilities, and costs. To test the internal consistency of the model, we carried out an example calculation for alendronate therapy. Then, external consistency was investigated by comparing absolute lifetime risk of fracture estimates with epidemiologic data. For women at age 70 years, with a twofold increase in the fracture risk of the average population, the costs per quality-adjusted life-year gained for alendronate therapy versus no treatment were estimated at €9105 and €15,325, respectively, under full and realistic adherence assumptions. All the sensitivity analyses in terms of model parameters and modeling assumptions were coherent with expected conclusions and absolute lifetime risk of fracture estimates were within the range of previous estimates, which confirmed both internal and external consistency of the model. Microsimulation models present some major advantages over cohort-based models, increasing the reliability of the results and being largely compatible with the existing state of the art, evidence-based literature. The developed model appears to be a valid model for use in economic evaluations in osteoporosis.

A Framework for Including Family Health Spillovers in Economic Evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Janabi, Hareth; van Exel, Job; Brouwer, Werner; Coast, Joanna

2016-02-01

Health care interventions may affect the health of patients' family networks. It has been suggested that these "health spillovers" should be included in economic evaluation, but there is not a systematic method for doing this. In this article, we develop a framework for including health spillovers in economic evaluation. We focus on extra-welfarist economic evaluations where the objective is to maximize health benefits from a health care budget (the "health care perspective"). Our framework involves adapting the conventional cost-effectiveness decision rule to include 2 multiplier effects to internalize the spillover effects. These multiplier effects express the ratio of total health effects (for patients and their family networks) to patient health effects. One multiplier effect is specified for health benefit generated from providing a new intervention, one for health benefit displaced by funding this intervention. We show that using multiplier effects to internalize health spillovers could change the optimal funding decisions and generate additional health benefits to society. © The Author(s) 2015.

Methods of international health technology assessment agencies for economic evaluations--a comparative analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mathes, Tim; Jacobs, Esther; Morfeld, Jana-Carina; Pieper, Dawid

2013-09-30

The number of Health Technology Assessment (HTA) agencies increases. One component of HTAs are economic aspects. To incorporate economic aspects commonly economic evaluations are performed. A convergence of recommendations for methods of health economic evaluations between international HTA agencies would facilitate the adaption of results to different settings and avoid unnecessary expense. A first step in this direction is a detailed analysis of existing similarities and differences in recommendations to identify potential for harmonization. The objective is to provide an overview and comparison of the methodological recommendations of international HTA agencies for economic evaluations. The webpages of 127 international HTA agencies were searched for guidelines containing recommendations on methods for the preparation of economic evaluations. Additionally, the HTA agencies were requested information on methods for economic evaluations. Recommendations of the included guidelines were extracted in standardized tables according to 13 methodological aspects. All process steps were performed independently by two reviewers. Finally 25 publications of 14 HTA agencies were included in the analysis. Methods for economic evaluations vary widely. The greatest accordance could be found for the type of analysis and comparator. Cost-utility-analyses or cost-effectiveness-analyses are recommended. The comparator should continuously be usual care. Again the greatest differences were shown in the recommendations on the measurement/sources of effects, discounting and in the analysis of sensitivity. The main difference regarding effects is the focus either on efficacy or effectiveness. Recommended discounting rates range from 1.5%-5% for effects and 3%-5% for costs whereby it is mostly recommended to use the same rate for costs and effects. With respect to the analysis of sensitivity the main difference is that oftentimes the probabilistic or deterministic approach is recommended

Is home-based palliative care cost-effective? An economic evaluation of the Palliative Care Extended Packages at Home (PEACH) pilot.

Science.gov (United States)

McCaffrey, Nikki; Agar, Meera; Harlum, Janeane; Karnon, Jonathon; Currow, David; Eckermann, Simon

2013-12-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of a home-based palliative care model relative to usual care in expediting discharge or enabling patients to remain at home. Economic evaluation of a pilot randomised controlled trial with 28 days follow-up. Mean costs and effectiveness were calculated for the Palliative Care Extended Packages at Home (PEACH) and usual care arms including: days at home; place of death; PEACH intervention costs; specialist palliative care service use; acute hospital and palliative care unit inpatient stays; and outpatient visits. PEACH mean intervention costs per patient ($3489) were largely offset by lower mean inpatient care costs ($2450) and in this arm, participants were at home for one additional day on average. Consequently, PEACH is cost-effective relative to usual care when the threshold value for one extra day at home exceeds $1068, or $2547 if only within-study days of hospital admission are costed. All estimates are high uncertainty. The results of this small pilot study point to the potential of PEACH as a cost-effective end-of-life care model relative to usual care. Findings support the feasibility of conducting a definitive, fully powered study with longer follow-up and comprehensive economic evaluation.

Finding the economics in economic entomology.

Science.gov (United States)

Onstad, David W; Knolhoff, Lisa M

2009-02-01

To recommend new pest management tactics and strategies to farmers and policy makers, economic entomologists must evaluate the economics of biologically reasonable approaches. We collected data to determine how frequently these economic evaluations occur. We discovered from our survey of entomological journals representing the discipline of economic entomology that papers published since 1972 include economic evaluations of pest management tactics. At least 85% of these analyses were performed by entomologists and not economists. Much of the research on economic evaluations is performed without special funds granted by agencies separate from the authors' institutions. In the United States, USDA competitive grants supported 20% of the economic evaluations published since 2000. However, only approximately 12% of the projects funded since 2000 by three sections of the USDA (Crops at Risk, Risk Avoidance and Mitigation Program, and Pest Management Alternatives Program) resulted in publications concerning economic evaluations. If the purpose of economic entomology is to ultimately determine the value of different kinds of tactics, the discipline may need to take steps to enhance the research that supports these evaluations.

A Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Model for Sustainability Risk Evaluation of PPP Projects

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Libiao Bai

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Evaluating the sustainability risk level of public–private partnership (PPP projects can reduce project risk incidents and achieve the sustainable development of the organization. However, the existing studies about PPP projects risk management mainly focus on exploring the impact of financial and revenue risks but ignore the sustainability risks, causing the concept of “sustainability” to be missing while evaluating the risk level of PPP projects. To evaluate the sustainability risk level and achieve the most important objective of providing a reference for the public and private sectors when making decisions on PPP project management, this paper constructs a factor system of sustainability risk of PPP projects based on an extensive literature review and develops a mathematical model based on the methods of fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model (FCEM and failure mode, effects and criticality analysis (FMECA for evaluating the sustainability risk level of PPP projects. In addition, this paper conducts computational experiment based on a questionnaire survey to verify the effectiveness and feasibility of this proposed model. The results suggest that this model is reasonable for evaluating the sustainability risk level of PPP projects. To our knowledge, this paper is the first study to evaluate the sustainability risk of PPP projects, which would not only enrich the theories of project risk management, but also serve as a reference for the public and private sectors for the sustainable planning and development. Keywords: sustainability risk eva

Evaluating the quality and use of economic data in decisions about essential medicines.

Science.gov (United States)

Moucheraud, Corrina; Wirtz, Veronika J; Reich, Michael R

2015-10-01

To evaluate the quality of economic data provided in applications to the World Health Organization (WHO) Model List of Essential Medicines and to evaluate the role of these data in decision-making by the expert committee that considers the applications. We analysed applications submitted to the WHO Expert Committee on the Selection and Use of Essential Medicines between 2002 and 2013. The completeness of data on the price and cost-effectiveness of medicines was extracted from application documents and coded using a four-point scale. We recorded whether or not the expert committee discussed economic information and the outcomes of each application. Associations between the completeness of economic data and application outcomes were assessed using χ 2 tests. The expert committee received 134 applications. Only eight applications (6%) included complete price data and economic evaluation data. Many applicants omitted or misinterpreted the economic evaluation section of the application form. Despite the lack of economic data, all applications were reviewed by the committee. There was no significant association between the completeness of economic information and application outcomes. The expert committee tried to address information gaps in applications by further review and analysis of data related to the application. The World Health Organization should revise the instructions to applicants on economic data requirements; develop new mechanisms to assist applicants in completing the application process; and define methods for the use of economic data in decision-making.

Economics and the evaluation of publicly funded energy R and D

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jones, D.W.; Paik, I.K.

1998-10-19

There are three major areas in which economics can contribute to the evaluation of federal R and D: assessment of net benefits, ex ante expected as well as ex post realized; tailoring of R and D portfolios to policy goals; and guiding the contractual organization of R and D production. Additionally, evaluation of R and D and scientific activity tend to be distinctly retrospective, principally because of the long lags between the initial production activity and the observability of consequences. Extending the purview of economic evaluation of R and D, they find ample opportunity for evaluation that can inform current R and D management practice. The conduct of R and D is organized through a series of explicit and implicit contracts designed to elicit long-term commitments by some agents while attempting to limit the commitment by others. It is natural to consider the efficiency with which R and D is conducted as a subject for economic inquiry, although in practice such inquiries generally are restricted to accounting exercises. In evaluating the efficiency with which R and D is done, the current ordinary practice is to look at labor rates and equipment and materials prices while considering quantities of those items as the principal instrument variables in an optimization problem (the authors conceptualization, not that of the typical review of an R and D project). The authors recommend the contractual structure and other elements of the incentive structure (pay and promotion) of R and D production as prime focal points for managerially useful economic evaluation. Non-economic motivations for funding public R and D, including energy R and D, are well known. The US will consider spending several billion dollars on an international space station, partly if not largely, to fund the peaceful employment of scientists from the Former Soviet Union. Nonetheless, it will be useful to understand the economics of the R and D programs even if other considerations play important

Costs of integrating economics and conservation planning.

Science.gov (United States)

Arponen, Anni; Cabeza, Mar; Eklund, Johanna; Kujala, Heini; Lehtomäki, Joona

2010-10-01

Recent literature on systematic conservation planning has focused strongly on economics. It is a necessary component of efficient conservation planning because the question is about effective resource allocation. Nevertheless, there is an increasing tendency toward economic factors overriding biological considerations. Focusing too narrowly on economic cost may lead us back toward solutions resembling those obtained by opportunistic choice of areas, the avoidance of which was the motivation for development of systematic approaches. Moreover, there are many overlooked difficulties in incorporating economic considerations reliably into conservation planning because available economic data and the free market are complex. For instance, economies based on free markets tend to be shortsighted, whereas biodiversity conservation aims far into the future. Although economic data are necessary, they should not be relied on too heavily or considered separately from other sociopolitical factors. We suggest focusing on development of more-comprehensive ecological-economic modeling, while not forgetting the importance of purely biological analyses that are needed as a point of reference for evaluating conservation outcomes. © 2010 Society for Conservation Biology.

Green Degree Comprehensive Evaluation of Elevator Based on Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process

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Lizhen

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The green design of the elevator has many characteristics which contains many factors and the combination of qualitative and quantitative. In view of the fuzzy problem of evaluation index information, fuzzy analytic hierarchy process and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model are combined to evaluate the green degree of elevator. In this method, the weights of the indexes are calculated by using the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process and the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process is used to calculate the weights of each level. The feasibility will be defined of using green degree evaluation of elevator system as an example to verify the method.

A Survey on Economic-driven Evaluations of Information Technology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mutschler, B.B.; Zarvic, N.; Reichert, M.U.

2007-01-01

The economic-driven evaluation of information technology (IT) has become an important instrument in the management of IT projects. Numerous approaches have been developed to quantify the costs of an IT investment and its assumed profit, to evaluate its impact on business process performance, and to

Pharmaceutical priority setting and the use of health economic evaluations: a systematic literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Erntoft, Sandra

2011-06-01

To investigate which factors and criteria are used in priority setting of pharmaceuticals, in what contexts health economic evaluations are used, and barriers to the use of health economic evaluations at micro, meso, and macro health-care levels. The search for empirical articles was based on the MeSH index (Medical Substance Heading), including the search terms "economic evaluation," "cost-effectiveness analysis," "cost-utility analysis," "cost-benefit analysis," "pharmacoeconomic," AND "drug cost(s)," AND "eligibility determination," AND "decision-making," AND "rationing," AND formulary. The following databases were searched: PubMed, EconLit, Cochrane, Web of Science, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. More than 3100 studies were identified, 31 of which were included in this review. The use of health economic evaluations at all three health-care levels was investigated in three countries (United States [US], United Kingdom [UK], and Sweden). Postal and telephone survey methods dominated (n = 17) followed by interviews (n = 13), document analysis (n = 10), and observations of group deliberations (n = 9). The cost-effectiveness criterion was most important at the macro level. A number of contextual uses of health economic evaluations were identified, including importantly the legitimizing of decisions, structuring the priority-setting process, and requesting additional budgets to finance expensive pharmaceuticals. Factors that seem to support the increased use of health economic evaluations are well-developed frameworks for evaluations, the presence of health economic skills, and an explicit priority-setting process. Differences in how economic evaluations are used at macro, meso, and micro levels are attributed to differences in the preconditions at each level. Copyright © 2011 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Economic evaluation studies in nuclear medicine. A methodological review of the literature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gambhir, S.S.; Schwimmer, J.

2000-01-01

The growing need for evaluation of the utility of new nuclear medicine technologies has spawned a few economic studies ranging from preliminary indications of cost savings to complete decision analysis models incorporating costs and quality of life. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the methodological quality of economic analyses of nuclear medicine procedures which targeted cost-effectiveness or cost-utility issues published in the medical literature during the years 1985-1999. A computerized literature search was used to identify original investigations from the medical literature which included an economic analysis of a nuclear medicine procedure. Each economic analysis article was evaluated by two independent reviewers for adherence to ten accepted methodological criteria. Of the 29 articles meeting the search criteria, only six (21%) conformed to all ten methodological criteria. Published economic analyses of nuclear medicine procedures usually do not meet accepted methodological standards and could be significantly improved to achieve overall better quality relative to similar analyses in the literature from other medical fields. Continued improvement in the number and quality of economic studies is critically needed for the future competitiveness of nuclear medicine studies

Early economic evaluation of emerging health technologies: protocol of a systematic review

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Background The concept of early health technology assessment, discussed well over a decade, has now been collaboratively implemented by industry, government, and academia to select and expedite the development of emerging technologies that may address the needs of patients and health systems. Early economic evaluation is essential to assess the value of emerging technologies, but empirical data to inform the current practice of early evaluation is limited. We propose a systematic review of early economic evaluation studies in order to better understand the current practice. Methods/design This protocol describes a systematic review of economic evaluation studies of regulated health technologies in which the evaluation is conducted prior to regulatory approval and when the technology effectiveness is not well established. Included studies must report an economic evaluation, defined as the comparative analysis of alternatives with respect to their associated costs and health consequences, and must evaluate some regulated health technology such as pharmaceuticals, biologics, high-risk medical devices, or biomarkers. We will conduct the literature search on multiple databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination Databases, and EconLit. Additional citations will be identified via scanning reference lists and author searching. We suspect that many early economic evaluation studies are unpublished, especially those conducted for internal use only. Additionally, we use a chain-referral sampling approach to identify authors of unpublished studies who work in technology discovery and development, starting out with our contact lists and authors who published relevant studies. Citation screening and full-text review will be conducted by pairs of reviewers. Abstracted data will include those related to the decision context and decision problem of the early evaluation, evaluation methods (e.g., data sources, methods, and assumptions used to

Evaluation of attention training and metacognitive facilitation to improve reading comprehension in aphasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Jaime B; Moore Sohlberg, McKay

2013-05-01

This pilot study investigated the impact of direct attention training combined with metacognitive facilitation on reading comprehension in individuals with aphasia. A single-subject, multiple baseline design was employed across 4 participants to evaluate potential changes in reading comprehension resulting from an 8-week intervention using Attention Process Training-3 (APT-3). The primary outcome measure was a maze reading task. Pre- and posttesting included attention and reading comprehension measures. Visual inspection of graphed performance data across conditions was used as the primary method of analysis. Treatment effect sizes were calculated for changes in reading comprehension probes from baseline to maintenance phases. Two of the study's 4 participants demonstrated improvements in maze reading, with corresponding effect sizes that were small in magnitude according to benchmarks for aphasia treatment research. All 4 participants made improvements on select standardized measures of attention. Interventions that include a metacognitive component with direct attention training may elicit improvements in participants' attention and allocation of resources. Maze passage reading is a repeated measure that appears sensitive to treatment-related changes in reading comprehension. Issues for future research related to measurement, candidacy, and clinical delivery are discussed.

University of Wisconsin System Leaders' Perceptions of Economic Development

Science.gov (United States)

Eckmann, David A.

2017-01-01

This case study of one comprehensive university's economic-development engagement in its region was designed to better understand perceptions and actions by higher education leaders and economic development professionals. Findings indicated that one regional comprehensive university was an effective economic development partner because its leaders…

Evaluating economic costs and benefits of climate resilient livelihood strategies

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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.

A review of typhoid fever transmission dynamic models and economic evaluations of vaccination.

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, Conall H; Edmunds, W John

2015-06-19

Despite a recommendation by the World Health Organization (WHO) that typhoid vaccines be considered for the control of endemic disease and outbreaks, programmatic use remains limited. Transmission models and economic evaluation may be informative in decision making about vaccine programme introductions and their role alongside other control measures. A literature search found few typhoid transmission models or economic evaluations relative to analyses of other infectious diseases of similar or lower health burden. Modelling suggests vaccines alone are unlikely to eliminate endemic disease in the short to medium term without measures to reduce transmission from asymptomatic carriage. The single identified data-fitted transmission model of typhoid vaccination suggests vaccines can reduce disease burden substantially when introduced programmatically but that indirect protection depends on the relative contribution of carriage to transmission in a given setting. This is an important source of epidemiological uncertainty, alongside the extent and nature of natural immunity. Economic evaluations suggest that typhoid vaccination can be cost-saving to health services if incidence is extremely high and cost-effective in other high-incidence situations, when compared to WHO norms. Targeting vaccination to the highest incidence age-groups is likely to improve cost-effectiveness substantially. Economic perspective and vaccine costs substantially affect estimates, with disease incidence, case-fatality rates, and vaccine efficacy over time also important determinants of cost-effectiveness and sources of uncertainty. Static economic models may under-estimate benefits of typhoid vaccination by omitting indirect protection. Typhoid fever transmission models currently require per-setting epidemiological parameterisation to inform their use in economic evaluation, which may limit their generalisability. We found no economic evaluation based on transmission dynamic modelling, and no

Economical evaluation of mineral reserves. Economicheskaya otsenka minerae'nykh resursov

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Astakhov, A S

1981-01-01

An approach to the evaluation of mineral resources is presented which takes into account a number of interrelated economical, technological and social aspects. The basic pattern of man and environment interaction in the process of mineral resources recovery is analyzed. Various approaches to classification of mineral resources are presented. Problems related to the development of a criterion and a system of factors characteristic for particular aspects of mineral resources management are discussed in detail. A dynamic approach to the economical evaluation of mineral reserves based on the form, magnitude, and the moment of time when the compensation of damage caused by the loss of resources in question becomes necessary, is presented. The influence of typical technical restrictions on the capacity of mining enterprises and the succession of the development of a field is discussed. Dynamic aspects of the evaluation of promising mineral reserves as a limited and nonreproducible natural resource is studied in detail. Actual methods and the state of current studies in the field of the economical evaluation of mineral deposits in the USSR, the CMEA countries and in capitalistic countries are presented.

On the Economic Evaluation of Volatility Forecasts

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Voev, Valeri

We analyze the applicability of economic criteria for volatility forecast evaluation based on unconditional measures of portfolio performance. The main theoretical finding is that such unconditional measures generally fail to rank conditional forecasts correctly due to the presence of a bias term...... driven by the variability of the conditional mean and portfolio weights. Simulations and a small empirical study suggest that the bias can be empirically substantial and lead to distortions in forecast evaluation. An important implication is that forecasting superiority of models using high frequency...

Application of Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Method in Trust Quantification

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Shunan Ma

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Trust can play an important role for the sharing of resources and information in open network environments. Trust quantification is thus an important issue in dynamic trust management. By considering the fuzziness and uncertainty of trust, in this paper, we propose a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to quantify trust along with a trust quantification algorithm. Simulation results show that the trust quantification algorithm that we propose can effectively quantify trust and the quantified value of an entity's trust is consistent with the behavior of the entity.

Techno-Economic Evaluation of Solar Irrigation Plants Installed in Bangladesh

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Najmul Hoque

2016-02-01

Full Text Available In the summer season, irrigation sector in Bangladesh suffers a lot due to the country wide electricity crisis. Solar pump offers a clean and simple alternative to the conventional fuel fired engine or grid electricity driven pump in this regard to resolve the issue. In this paper, the techno-economic analyses of solar irrigation plants installed in Bangladesh are evaluated.  It was observed that systems were running around 70% to 80% of the rated power which was quite acceptable. A 10 hp pump was able to pump 600 liter of water per minute which was also satisfactory to irrigate the land. Average operating time was found to be 8 hour/day. It was found that the overall efficiency of the systems were in between 11.39% to 16.52% whereas the typical average value of lit/Wp/year was 9200. On the other hand, the cost of irrigation to cultivate paddy in 0.161 hectares’ land for one season was 1,750 BDT by solar irrigation which was found to be lower than that of other available modes. This charge for grid electricity based irrigation was about 3,000 to 3500 BDT per 0.161 hectares’ and 2,300 to 2,600 BDT per 0.161 hectares’ for diesel engine based irrigation. According to the current financial scheme (15% equity investment, 35% credit support and remaining 50% from government through IDCOL the average value of payback period was 5.43 years, NPV in the range from 7 to 15% and IRR was 18%. By considering 100% equity investment, however, these projects were not economically attractive. The payback period for this case was about 18 years. Study also revealed that each solar irrigation plant reduces 42.8 kg of CO2 emission per day compare to diesel engine operated pump and 2566.24 kg/day compared to grid electricity operated pump. A comprehensive effort from the Government as well as from all the stakeholders is required for further expansion of solar irrigation plants in Bangladesh. Article History: Received Sept 05, 2015; Received in revised form

The scope of costs in alcohol studies: Cost-of-illness studies differ from economic evaluations.

Science.gov (United States)

van Gils, Paul F; Hamberg-van Reenen, Heleen H; van den Berg, Matthijs; Tariq, Luqman; de Wit, G Ardine

2010-07-06

Alcohol abuse results in problems on various levels in society. In terms of health, alcohol abuse is not only an important risk factor for chronic disease, but it is also related to injuries. Social harms which can be related to drinking include interpersonal problems, work problems, violent and other crimes. The scope of societal costs related to alcohol abuse in principle should be the same for both economic evaluations and cost-of-illness studies. In general, economic evaluations report a small part of all societal costs. To determine the cost- effectiveness of an intervention it is necessary that all costs and benefits are included. The purpose of this study is to describe and quantify the difference in societal costs incorporated in economic evaluations and cost-of-illness studies on alcohol abuse. To investigate the economic costs attributable to alcohol in cost-of-illness studies we used the results of a recent systematic review (June 2009). We performed a PubMed search to identify economic evaluations on alcohol interventions. Only economic evaluations in which two or more interventions were compared from a societal perspective were included. The proportion of health care costs and the proportion of societal costs were estimated in both type of studies. The proportion of healthcare costs in cost-of-illness studies was 17% and the proportion of societal costs 83%. In economic evaluations, the proportion of healthcare costs was 57%, and the proportion of societal costs was 43%. The costs included in economic evaluations performed from a societal perspective do not correspond with those included in cost-of-illness studies. Economic evaluations on alcohol abuse underreport true societal cost of alcohol abuse. When considering implementation of alcohol abuse interventions, policy makers should take into account that economic evaluations from the societal perspective might underestimate the total effects and costs of interventions.

Solar energy system economic evaluation for Seeco Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska

Science.gov (United States)

1980-01-01

The economic analysis of the solar energy system that was installed at Lincoln, Nebraska is developed for this and four other sites typical of a wide range of environmental and economic conditions in the continental United States. This analysis is accomplished based on the technical and economic models in the f chart design procedure with inputs based on the characteristics of the installed system and local conditions. The results are expressed in terms of the economic parameters of present worth of system cost over projected twenty year life: life cycle savings, year of positive savings and year of payback for the optimized solar energy system at each of the analysis sites. The sensitivity of the economic evaluation to uncertainties in constituent system and economic variables is also investigated.

Evaluating the economic impact of casino liberalization in Macao.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Victor; Hung, Eva P W

2012-09-01

This paper aims to evaluate the economic impact after Macao decided to liberalize its gaming industry. By analysing both objective data of official statistics and subjective data of the perceptions of quality of life, we painted a picture of mixed blessings. Although objective indicators showed strong economic growth in terms of a rise in per capita GDP and public revenue as well as a decline in unemployment rate, subjective indicators revealed that local residents were less than optimistic about their own employment outlook and did not perceive any improvement in their overall economic situation. While casino liberalization brought forth tremendous economic gain, the general population did not subjectively feel the benefits. An integrative analysis of both objective and subjective indicators would therefore allow us to look closer how residents' lives in the micro-level could have been adversely affected by the prosperous economic outlook at the macro-level.

Public health economics: a systematic review of guidance for the economic evaluation of public health interventions and discussion of key methodological issues

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background If Public Health is the science and art of how society collectively aims to improve health, and reduce inequalities in health, then Public Health Economics is the science and art of supporting decision making as to how society can use its available resources to best meet these objectives and minimise opportunity cost. A systematic review of published guidance for the economic evaluation of public health interventions within this broad public policy paradigm was conducted. Methods Electronic databases and organisation websites were searched using a 22 year time horizon (1990–2012). References of papers were hand searched for additional papers for inclusion. Government reports or peer-reviewed published papers were included if they; referred to the methods of economic evaluation of public health interventions, identified key challenges of conducting economic evaluations of public health interventions or made recommendations for conducting economic evaluations of public health interventions. Guidance was divided into three categories UK guidance, international guidance and observations or guidance provided by individual commentators in the field of public health economics. An assessment of the theoretical frameworks underpinning the guidance was made and served as a rationale for categorising the papers. Results We identified 5 international guidance documents, 7 UK guidance documents and 4 documents by individual commentators. The papers reviewed identify the main methodological challenges that face analysts when conducting such evaluations. There is a consensus within the guidance that wider social and environmental costs and benefits should be looked at due to the complex nature of public health. This was reflected in the theoretical underpinning as the majority of guidance was categorised as extra-welfarist. Conclusions In this novel review we argue that health economics may have come full circle from its roots in broad public policy economics. We may

Evaluate of environment quality for γ irradiation facilities using fuzzy comprehensive judgment method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ha Yiming

2002-01-01

The environment quality of Jining Irradiation Centre new γ radiation facility was evaluated by fuzzy comprehensive judgment method. The result showed that the place of γ radiation facility was well and the measures of radiate shelter and environment protect were effective. The environment quality of its area was not obvious change and the result of environment evaluation was first-rate

Comprehensive environment-suitability evaluation model about Carya cathayensis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Da-Sheng, W.; Li-Juan, L.; Qin-Fen, Y.

2013-01-01

On the relation between the suitable environment and the distribution areas of Carya cathayensis Sarg., the current studies are mainly committed to qualitative descriptions, but did not consider quantitative models. The objective of this study was to establish a environment-suitability evaluation model which used to predict potential suitable areas of C. cathayensis. Firstly, the 3 factor data of soil type, soil parent material and soil thickness were obtained based on 2-class forest resource survey, and other factor data, which included elevation, slope, aspect, surface curvature, humidity index, and solar radiation index, were extracted from DEM (Digital Elevation Model). Additionally, the key affecting factors were defined by PCA (Principal Component Analysis), the weights of evaluation factors were determined by AHP (Analysis Hierarchy Process) and the quantitative classification of single factor was determined by membership function with fuzzy mathematics. Finally, a comprehensive environment-suitability evaluation model was established and which was also used to predict the potential suitable areas of C. cathayensis in Daoshi Town in the study region. The results showed that 85.6% of actual distribution areas were in the most suitable and more suitable regions and 11.5% in the general suitable regions

Economic evaluation of reprocessing - Indicative Belgian position

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-05-01

This paper, which also appears as an Appendix to the final Working Group 4 report, forms part of the overall economic evaluation of reprocessing. The indicative national position and illustrative ''phase diagram'' for Belgium is presented. Other factors which influence the Belgian viewpoint and which are not included on the phase diagram are given

Economics-driven software architecture

CERN Document Server

Mistrik, Ivan; Kazman, Rick; Zhang, Yuanyuan

2014-01-01

Economics-driven Software Architecture presents a guide for engineers and architects who need to understand the economic impact of architecture design decisions: the long term and strategic viability, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability of applications and systems. Economics-driven software development can increase quality, productivity, and profitability, but comprehensive knowledge is needed to understand the architectural challenges involved in dealing with the development of large, architecturally challenging systems in an economic way. This book covers how to apply economic consider

Do economic evaluation studies inform effective healthcare resource allocation in Iran? A critical review of the literature

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

To aid informed health sector decision-making, data from sufficient high quality economic evaluations must be available to policy makers. To date, no known study has analysed the quantity and quality of available Iranian economic evaluation studies. This study aimed to assess the quantity, quality and targeting of economic evaluation studies conducted in the Iranian context. The study systematically reviewed full economic evaluation studies (n = 30) published between 1999 and 2012 in international and local journals. The findings of the review indicate that although the literature on economic evaluation in Iran is growing, these evaluations were of poor quality and suffer from several major methodological flaws. Furthermore, the review reveals that economic evaluation studies have not addressed the major health problems in Iran. While the availability of evidence is no guarantee that it will be used to aid decision-making, the absence of evidence will certainly preclude its use. Considering the deficiencies in the data identified by this review, current economic evaluations cannot be a useful source of information for decision makers in Iran. To improve the quality and overall usefulness of economic evaluations we would recommend; 1) developing clear national guidelines for the conduct of economic evaluations, 2) highlighting priority areas where information from such studies would be most useful and 3) training researchers and policy makers in the calculation and use of economic evaluation data. PMID:25050084

Economic Evaluation of the Production Magnesium Oxide Nanoparticles via Liquid-Phase Route

Science.gov (United States)

Nandiyanto, A. B. D.; Fariansyah, R.; Ramadhan, M. F.; Abdullah, A. G.; Widiaty, I.

2018-02-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the production of magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles. The evaluation was done in two perspectives: engineering and economic evaluation. The engineering perspective concerned about the analysis of the production rate based on the available apparatuses and raw materials, completed with mass balance calculation. The economic analysis was conducted based on several economic parameters: gross profit margin (GPM), internal return rate (IRR), payback period (PBP), cumulative net present value (CNPV), break even point (BEP), and profit to investment (PI). The engineering perspective showed that the production of MgO is feasibly done in small scale industry. This is verified by the potential production using current available apparatuses and raw materials in the market. Economic analysis obtained that the present project is profitable. But, for some cases, further studies must be done to get the present production process is attractive for investor.

Main predators of insect pests: screening and evaluation through comprehensive indices.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Tingbang; Liu, Jie; Yuan, Longyu; Zhang, Yang; Peng, Yu; Li, Daiqin; Chen, Jian

2017-11-01

Predatory natural enemies play key functional roles in integrated pest management. However, the screening and evaluation of the main predators of insect pests has seldom been reported in the field. Here, we employed comprehensive indices for evaluating the predation of a common pest (Ectropis obliqua) by nine common spider species in Chinese tea plantations. We established the relative dominance of the spider species and their phenological overlap with the pest species, and analyzed DNA from the nine spider species using targeted real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction to identify the residual DNA of E. obliqua. The predation rates and predation numbers per predator were estimated by the positive rates of target fragments and the residual minimum number of E. obliqua in predators' guts, respectively. The results showed that only four spider species preyed on E. obliqua, and the order of potential of the spiders to control E. obliqua from greatest to smallest was Neoscona mellotteei, Xysticus ephippiatus, Evarcha albaria and Coleosoma octomaculatum by the Z-score method. The orb-weaving spider N. mellotteei has the maximum potential as a biological control agent of E. obliqua in an integrated pest management strategy. An approach of screening and evaluating main predators of insect pests through comprehensive indices was preliminarily established. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Differences in primary health care delivery to Australia’s Indigenous population: a template for use in economic evaluations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ong Katherine S

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Health economics is increasingly used to inform resource allocation decision-making, however, there is comparatively little evidence relevant to minority groups. In part, this is due to lack of cost and effectiveness data specific to these groups upon which economic evaluations can be based. Consequently, resource allocation decisions often rely on mainstream evidence which may not be representative, resulting in inequitable funding decisions. This paper describes a method to overcome this deficiency for Australia’s Indigenous population. A template has been developed which can adapt mainstream health intervention data to the Indigenous setting. Methods The ‘Indigenous Health Service Delivery Template’ has been constructed using mixed methods, which include literature review, stakeholder discussions and key informant interviews. The template quantifies the differences in intervention delivery between best practice primary health care for the Indigenous population via Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs, and mainstream general practitioner (GP practices. Differences in costs and outcomes have been identified, measured and valued. This template can then be used to adapt mainstream health intervention data to allow its economic evaluation as if delivered from an ACCHS. Results The template indicates that more resources are required in the delivery of health interventions via ACCHSs, due to their comprehensive nature. As a result, the costs of such interventions are greater, however this is accompanied by greater benefits due to improved health service access. In the example case of the polypill intervention, 58% more costs were involved in delivery via ACCHSs, with 50% more benefits. Cost-effectiveness ratios were also altered accordingly. Conclusions The Indigenous Health Service Delivery Template reveals significant differences in the way health interventions are delivered from ACCHSs compared to

Evaluation of Health Economics in Radiation Oncology: A Systematic Review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen, Timothy K.; Goodman, Chris D.; Boldt, R. Gabriel; Warner, Andrew; Palma, David A.; Rodrigues, George B.; Lock, Michael I.; Mishra, Mark V.; Zaric, Gregory S.; Louie, Alexander V.

2016-01-01

Purpose: Despite the rising costs in radiation oncology, the impact of health economics research on radiation therapy practice analysis patterns is unclear. We performed a systematic review of cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs) and cost-utility analyses (CUAs) to identify trends in reporting quality in the radiation oncology literature over time. Methods and Materials: A systematic review of radiation oncology economic evaluations up to 2014 was performed, using MEDLINE and EMBASE databases. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards guideline informed data abstraction variables including study demographics, economic parameters, and methodological details. Tufts Medical Center CEA registry quality scores provided a basis for qualitative assessment of included studies. Studies were stratified by 3 time periods (1995-2004, 2005-2009, and 2010-2014). The Cochran-Armitage trend test and linear trend test were used to identify trends over time. Results: In total, 102 articles were selected for final review. Most studies were in the context of a model (61%) or clinical trial (28%). Many studies lacked a conflict of interest (COI) statement (67%), a sponsorship statement (48%), a reported study time horizon (35%), and the use of discounting (29%). There was a significant increase over time in the reporting of a COI statement (P<.001), health care payer perspective (P=.019), sensitivity analyses using multivariate (P=.043) or probabilistic methods (P=.011), incremental cost-effectiveness threshold (P<.001), secondary source utility weights (P=.010), and cost effectiveness acceptability curves (P=.049). There was a trend toward improvement in Tuft scores over time (P=.065). Conclusions: Recent reports demonstrate improved reporting rates in economic evaluations; however, there remains significant room for improvement as reporting rates are still suboptimal. As fiscal pressures rise, we will rely on economic assessments to guide our practice decisions

Evaluation of Health Economics in Radiation Oncology: A Systematic Review

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nguyen, Timothy K.; Goodman, Chris D. [Department of Radiation Oncology, London Regional Cancer Program, London, Ontario (Canada); Boldt, R. Gabriel [London Health Sciences Centre, London, Ontario (Canada); Warner, Andrew; Palma, David A. [Department of Radiation Oncology, London Regional Cancer Program, London, Ontario (Canada); Rodrigues, George B. [Department of Radiation Oncology, London Regional Cancer Program, London, Ontario (Canada); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Western University, London, Ontario (Canada); Lock, Michael I. [Department of Radiation Oncology, London Regional Cancer Program, London, Ontario (Canada); Mishra, Mark V. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland (United States); Zaric, Gregory S. [Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Western University, London, Ontario (Canada); Ivey Business School, Western University, London, Ontario (Canada); Louie, Alexander V., E-mail: Dr.alexlouie@gmail.com [Department of Radiation Oncology, London Regional Cancer Program, London, Ontario (Canada); Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Western University, London, Ontario (Canada)

2016-04-01

Purpose: Despite the rising costs in radiation oncology, the impact of health economics research on radiation therapy practice analysis patterns is unclear. We performed a systematic review of cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs) and cost-utility analyses (CUAs) to identify trends in reporting quality in the radiation oncology literature over time. Methods and Materials: A systematic review of radiation oncology economic evaluations up to 2014 was performed, using MEDLINE and EMBASE databases. The Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards guideline informed data abstraction variables including study demographics, economic parameters, and methodological details. Tufts Medical Center CEA registry quality scores provided a basis for qualitative assessment of included studies. Studies were stratified by 3 time periods (1995-2004, 2005-2009, and 2010-2014). The Cochran-Armitage trend test and linear trend test were used to identify trends over time. Results: In total, 102 articles were selected for final review. Most studies were in the context of a model (61%) or clinical trial (28%). Many studies lacked a conflict of interest (COI) statement (67%), a sponsorship statement (48%), a reported study time horizon (35%), and the use of discounting (29%). There was a significant increase over time in the reporting of a COI statement (P<.001), health care payer perspective (P=.019), sensitivity analyses using multivariate (P=.043) or probabilistic methods (P=.011), incremental cost-effectiveness threshold (P<.001), secondary source utility weights (P=.010), and cost effectiveness acceptability curves (P=.049). There was a trend toward improvement in Tuft scores over time (P=.065). Conclusions: Recent reports demonstrate improved reporting rates in economic evaluations; however, there remains significant room for improvement as reporting rates are still suboptimal. As fiscal pressures rise, we will rely on economic assessments to guide our practice decisions

Evaluation of socio-economic effects of R and D results at Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. 2. Socio-economic evaluation of the basic research at JAERI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-11-01

The Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI), as a core organization devoted to comprehensive nuclear energy research, has steadily promoted various types of research and development (R and D) studies since its establishment in June 1956. Research activities are aimed at performing (1) R and D for nuclear energy, (2) the utilization and application of radiation-based technologies, and (3) the establishment of basic and fundamental research in the nuclear field. Last year, the socio-economic effects on items (1) and (2) were qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated. The quantitative evaluation of item (3) from the viewpoint of a socio-economic effect, however, calls for a different concept and methodology than previously used cost-benefit approach. Achievements obtained from the activities conducted over the last 10 years implied that socio-economics in basic research funded by the public could contribute to the (1) increase in useful intellectual stocks, (2) upbringing of highly skilled college graduates, (3) construction of new scientific facilities and creation of methodologies, (4) stimulation and promotion of social interrelations by networking, (5) increase of one's ability to solve scientific problems, and (6) establishment of venture companies. In this study, we focused on item (4) for the analysis because it assumed that the external economic effect has a link with the socio-economic effects accompanying the networking formation. For the criteria of socio-economic effects we assume that the external effect becomes significant in proportion to the width of networking and/or the magnitude of cooperation measured by numbers of co-writing studies between JAERI and the research bodies, namely private and governmental sectors and universities. Taking these criteria into consideration, the subsequent four items are prepared for quantitative study. They are (1) to clarify the basic research fields where JAERI has been established a significant effort to

Economic evaluation of environmental impacts of open cast mining project - an approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maiti, S.K.; Pathak, K.

1998-01-01

Economic valuation of environmental attributes are pragmatic approach to evaluating the impacts and it helps decision makers to arrive at objective decisions on the basis of cost benefit ratio. For determining the physical impact and its quantification, four evaluation methods, namely-market price method, surrogate market price, survey based and cost based approaches are generally used. The present paper reviews the importance of environmental evaluation of impacts of mining and also reviews a few suitable methodologies that could be effectively used for economic evaluation of environmental impacts in open cast mining projects. (author)

What is the quality of economic evaluations of non-drug therapies? A systematic review and critical appraisal of economic evaluations of radiotherapy for cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Barbieri, M; Weatherly, H L A; Ara, R; Basarir, H; Sculpher, M; Adams, R; Ahmed, H; Coles, C; Guerrero-Urbano, T; Nutting, C; Powell, M

2014-10-01

Breast, cervical and colorectal cancers are the three most frequent cancers in women, while lung, prostate and colorectal cancers are the most frequent in men. Much attention has been given to the economic evaluation of pharmaceuticals for treatment of cancer by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK and similar authorities internationally, while economic analysis developed for other types of anti-cancer interventions, including radiotherapy and surgery, are less common. Our objective was to review methods used in published cost-effectiveness studies evaluating radiotherapy for breast, cervical, colorectal, head and neck and prostate cancer, and to compare the economic evaluation methods applied with those defined in the guidelines used by the NICE technology appraisal programme. A systematic search of seven databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CDSR, NHSEED, HTA, DARE, EconLit) as well as research registers, the NICE website and conference proceedings was conducted in July 2012. Only economic evaluations of radiotherapy interventions in individuals diagnosed with cancer that included quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) or life-years (LYs) were included. Included studies were appraised on the basis of satisfying essential, preferred and UK-specific methods requirements, building on the NICE Reference Case for economic evaluations and on other methods guidelines. A total of 29 studies satisfied the inclusion criteria (breast 14, colorectal 2, prostate 10, cervical 0, head and neck 3). Only two studies were conducted in the UK (13 in the USA). Among essential methods criteria, the main issue was that only three (10%) of the studies used clinical-effectiveness estimates identified through systematic review of the literature. Similarly, only eight (28%) studies sourced health-related quality-of-life data directly from patients with the condition of interest. Other essential criteria (e.g. clear description of comparators, patient group indication

An Initial Evaluation of the Comprehensive Quality of Life Scale--Intellectual Disability.

Science.gov (United States)

Cummins, Robert A.; And Others

1997-01-01

A study of 59 Australian people with an intellectual disability and 69 university students evaluated a new scale to measure the life quality of people with an intellectual disability. The Comprehensive Quality of Life Scale--Intellectual Disability was found to be a useful instrument to measure comparative life quality. (Author/CR)

Economic evaluations of pharmacist-managed services in people with diabetes mellitus: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Y; Yeo, Q Q; Ko, Y

2016-04-01

To review and evaluate the most recent literature on the economic outcomes of pharmacist-managed services in people with diabetes. The global prevalence of diabetes is increasing. Although pharmacist-managed services have been shown to improve people's health outcomes, the economic impact of these programmes remains unclear. A systematic review was conducted of six databases. Study inclusion criteria were: (1) original research; (2) evaluation of pharmacist-managed services in people with diabetes; (3) an economic evaluation; (4) English-language publication; and (5) full-text, published between January 2006 and December 2014. The quality of the full economic evaluations reviewed was evaluated using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards checklist. A total of 2204 articles were screened and 25 studies were selected. These studies were conducted in a community pharmacy (n = 10), a clinic- /hospital-based outpatient facility (n = 8), or others. Pharmacist-managed services included targeted education (n = 24), general pharmacotherapeutic monitoring (n = 21), health screening or laboratory testing services (n = 9), immunization services (n = 2) and pharmacokinetic monitoring (n = 1). Compared with usual care, pharmacist-managed services resulted in cost savings that varied from $7 to $65,000 ($8 to $85,000 in 2014 US dollars) per person per year, and generated higher quality-adjusted life years with lower costs. Benefit-to-cost ratios ranged from 1:1 to 8.5:1. Among the 25 studies reviewed, 11 were full economic evaluations of moderate quality. Pharmacist-managed services had a positive return in terms of economic viability. With the expanding role of pharmacists in the healthcare sector, alongside increasing health expenditure, future economic studies of high quality are needed to investigate the cost-effectiveness of these services. © 2015 Diabetes UK.

The scope of costs in alcohol studies: Cost-of-illness studies differ from economic evaluations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tariq Luqman

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Alcohol abuse results in problems on various levels in society. In terms of health, alcohol abuse is not only an important risk factor for chronic disease, but it is also related to injuries. Social harms which can be related to drinking include interpersonal problems, work problems, violent and other crimes. The scope of societal costs related to alcohol abuse in principle should be the same for both economic evaluations and cost-of-illness studies. In general, economic evaluations report a small part of all societal costs. To determine the cost- effectiveness of an intervention it is necessary that all costs and benefits are included. The purpose of this study is to describe and quantify the difference in societal costs incorporated in economic evaluations and cost-of-illness studies on alcohol abuse. Method To investigate the economic costs attributable to alcohol in cost-of-illness studies we used the results of a recent systematic review (June 2009. We performed a PubMed search to identify economic evaluations on alcohol interventions. Only economic evaluations in which two or more interventions were compared from a societal perspective were included. The proportion of health care costs and the proportion of societal costs were estimated in both type of studies. Results The proportion of healthcare costs in cost-of-illness studies was 17% and the proportion of societal costs 83%. In economic evaluations, the proportion of healthcare costs was 57%, and the proportion of societal costs was 43%. Conclusions The costs included in economic evaluations performed from a societal perspective do not correspond with those included in cost-of-illness studies. Economic evaluations on alcohol abuse underreport true societal cost of alcohol abuse. When considering implementation of alcohol abuse interventions, policy makers should take into account that economic evaluations from the societal perspective might underestimate the total

Economic and environmental evaluation of investment projects of biogas plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guzmán Marrero, Elizabeth; Guzmán Chinea, Jesús Manuel; Mata Varela, Milagros C.; Pérez González, Yanet

2015-01-01

The economic evaluation of the implementation and use of renewable energy is an issue of paramount importance and has been approached from different perspectives by different authors in different countries. Biogas technology has its own characteristics that make it more complex analysis involved not only in this case the energy aspect but there is also a significant impact on health assessment difficult, fertilization, soil improvement, animal feed and improved conditions of life. The capital budgeting, in conjunction with the planning process, is a key economic tool for decision making and in turn represents an ongoing challenge for the agricultural sector. It is a necessity of our country, together with the entire world, potentiate the action to correct management of organic waste generated in intensive pig farming, to contribute to the reduction of environmental impacts that this work causes. Studies in this area show the shortcomings that exist in Cuban law established for the evaluation of investment projects, both in its structure and in its cycle, without taking into account important elements such as risk analysis. This research evaluates the economic and financial feasibility of an investment project, including a social and environmental assessment of the same financial justification for the inclusion of risk analysis in the evaluation process (full text)

Economic evaluation and cost of interventions for cerebral palsy: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Shih, Sophy T F; Tonmukayakul, Utsana; Imms, Christine; Reddihough, Dinah; Graham, H Kerr; Cox, Liz; Carter, Rob

2018-06-01

Economic appraisal can help guide policy-making for purchasing decisions, and treatment and management algorithms for health interventions. We conducted a systematic review of economic studies in cerebral palsy (CP) to inform future research. Economic studies published since 1970 were identified from seven databases. Two reviewers independently screened abstracts and extracted data following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Any discrepancies were resolved by discussion. Of 980 identified references, 115 were included for full-text assessment. Thirteen articles met standard criteria for a full economic evaluation, two as partial economic evaluations, and 18 as cost studies. Six were full economic evaluations alongside clinical studies or randomized controlled trials, whereas seven involved modelling simulations. The economic case for administration of magnesium sulfate for imminent preterm birth is compelling, achieving both health gain and cost savings. Current literature suggests intrathecal baclofen therapy and botulinum toxin injection are cost-effective, but stronger evidence for long-term effects is needed. Lifestyle and web-based interventions are inexpensive, but broader measurement of outcomes is required. Prevention of CP would avoid significant economic burden. Some treatments and interventions have been shown to be cost-effective, although stronger evidence of clinical effectiveness is needed. What this paper adds Cost-effectiveness evidence shows prevention is the most significant strategy. Some treatments are cost-effective, but stronger evidence for long-term effectiveness is required. Comparison of treatment costs is challenging owing to variations in methodologies and varying clinical indications. © 2018 Mac Keith Press.

Considering consumer choice in the economic evaluation of mandatory health programmes: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Parkinson, Bonny; Goodall, Stephen

2011-08-01

Governments are increasing their focus on mandatory public health programmes following positive economic evaluations of their impact. This review aims to examine whether loss of consumer choice should be included in economic evaluations of mandatory health programmes (MHP). A systematic literature review was conducted to identify economic evaluations of MHP, whether they discuss the impact on consumer choice and any methodological limitations. Overall 39 economic evaluations were identified, of which 10 discussed the loss of consumer choice and 6 attempted to place a value on the loss of consumer choice. Methodological limitations included: measuring the marginal cost of compliance, unavailability of price elasticity estimates, the impact of income effects, double counting health impacts, biased willingness-to-pay responses, and "protest" responses. Overall it was found that the inclusion of the loss of consumer choice rarely impacted on the final outcome of the study. The impact of MHP on the loss of consumer choice has largely been ignored in economic evaluations. Its importance remains uncertain due to its infrequent inclusion and significant methodological limitations. Further research regarding which methodology is best for valuing the loss of consumer choice and whether it is important to the final implementation decision is warranted. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Economic evaluation of municipal solid waste recycling in Yazd:

OpenAIRE

Eslami H; Mokhtari M; Eslami Dost Z; Barzegar Khanghah MR; Ranjbar Ezzatabadi M

2017-01-01

Background and aims: In every urban waste management plan, recycling and reuse is considered as an economic pattern. This study aimed to economic evaluation of municipal solid waste recycling in Yazd by cost-benefit analysis in 2015. Methods: This research is a descriptive–analytic study which in the data about quality and quantity of municipal solid waste in Yazd city were collected through the sampling and physical analysis and the data about total income and costs from the implementatio...

Engineering economic evaluations of trash segregation alternatives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collins, H.E.

1987-01-01

Health physicists are becoming increasingly involved in the selection of equipment to segregate a contaminated trash from clean trash in the effort to reduce low level waste disposal costs. Although well qualified to evaluate the technical merits of different equipment, health physicists also need to be aware of the elements of economic comparisons of different alternatives that meet all technical requirements

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, Intellectual Property Protection, and Access to Medicines.

Science.gov (United States)

Townsend, Belinda; Gleeson, Deborah; Lopert, Ruth

2016-11-01

The inclusion of elevated standards of intellectual property (IP) protection in the recently negotiated Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement has raised serious public health concerns regarding access to medicines. A lesser-known trade agreement under negotiation in the Asia-Pacific region is the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Framed as an attempt to reassert ASEAN's position in response to the United States-led TPP, RCEP includes key players China and India as well as several low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Leaked drafts of IP provisions proposed by Japan and South Korea raise similar concerns in the Asia-Pacific region. This article identifies TRIPS (Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights agreement)-Plus provisions in leaked negotiating texts and examines their implications for LMICs that are not also parties to the TPP: Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Thailand, China, and India. We find that higher levels of IP protection delay the market entry of generic medicines, giving rise to increased costs to governments and reduced access to essential medicines. The article concludes that the public health community should recognize risks inherent in trade agreements that promote expansions of IP rights and engage with governments to ensure that public health is adequately and explicitly protected in trade and investment negotiations. © 2016 APJPH.

Varieties of European Economic Law and Regulation : Liber Amicorum for Hans Micklitz

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Purnhagen, K.; Rott, P.

2014-01-01

This is the first book to comprehensively analyze the work of Hans Micklitz, one of the leading scholars in the field of EU economic law. It brings together analysts, academic friends and critics of Hans Micklitz and results in a unique collection of essays that evaluate his work on European

Development and validation of a score for evaluating comprehensive stroke care capabilities: J-ASPECT Study

OpenAIRE

Kada, Akiko; Nishimura, Kunihiro; Nakagawara, Jyoji; Ogasawara, Kuniaki; Ono, Junichi; Shiokawa, Yoshiaki; Aruga, Toru; Miyachi, Shigeru; Nagata, Izumi; Toyoda, Kazunori; Matsuda, Shinya; Suzuki, Akifumi; Kataoka, Hiroharu; Nakamura, Fumiaki; Kamitani, Satoru

2017-01-01

Background Although the Brain Attack Coalition recommended establishing centers of comprehensive care for stroke and cerebrovascular disease patients, a scoring system for such centers was lacking. We created and validated a comprehensive stroke center (CSC) score, adapted to Japanese circumstances. Methods Of the selected 1369 certified training institutions in Japan, 749 completed an acute stroke care capabilities survey. Hospital performance was determined using a 25-item score, evaluating...

Economic evaluation of nuclear plant project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tolba, Adel.

1988-01-01

The present work is an attempt to prepare a ''fair price'' estimate to serve as bench mark in the course of economic evaluation of bids to construct nuclear power plants. The methodology of determining the present value of all capital investment is used. Running costs of nuclear fuel, operation, and maintenance are also determined. As a result, levelized energy cost is calculated. Sensitivity analysis for different parameters has been conducted, and the results of which are included in this paper

Cost of illness and economic evaluation in rare diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

López-Bastida, Julio; Oliva-Moreno, Juan

2010-01-01

Rare diseases are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in high income countries and have major repercussions on individuals and health care systems. This chapter examines the health economy of rare diseases from two different perspectives: firstly, the study of the economic impact of rare diseases (Cost of Illness studies); and, secondly, cost-effectiveness evaluation, which evaluates both the costs and results of the health care technologies applied in rare diseases. From the point of view of economics, health resource allocation is based on the principle of scarcity, as there are not - and never will be- sufficient resources for all worthy objectives. Hence, policy makers should balance costs and health outcomes. Rare diseases may well represent a significant societal burden that should rightly receive appropriate prioritisation of health care resources. As new and seemingly expensive health care technologies are developed for rare diseases, it will become increasingly important to evaluate potential and real impact of these new technologies in both dimensions: social costs and health outcomes.

Ekonomiese ontledingstegnieke : 'n kritiese evaluering

OpenAIRE

2015-01-01

M.Com. (Economics) The main purpose of this study was the descriptive analysis and theoretical evaluation of various economic forecasting techniques applicable to a wide variety of forecasting problems. A comprehensive review was given of the basic structure of the techniques (theory and mechanics). their appropriateness ,In different forecasting circumstances, their technical and other limitations, advantages and disadvantages, together with a guide to the better understanding and interpr...

A comparative assessment of the economics of plutonium disposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, K.A.; Miller, J.W.; Reid, R.L.

1997-01-01

The US Department of Energy office of Fissile Materials Disposition (DOE/MD) has been evaluating three technologies for the disposition of approximately 50 metric tons of surplus plutonium from defense-related programs: reactors, immobilization, and deep boreholes. As part of the process supporting an early CY 1997 Record of Decision (ROD), a comprehensive assessment of technical viability, cost, and schedule has been conducted by DOE/MD and its national laboratory contractors. Oak Ridge National Laboratory has managed and coordinated the life-cycle cost (LCC) assessment effort for this program. This paper discusses the economic analysis methodology and the results prior to ROD. A secondary intent of the paper is to discuss major technical and economic issues that impact cost and schedule. To evaluate the economics of these technologies on an equitable basis, a set of cost-estimating guidelines and a common cost-estimating format were utilized by all three technology teams. This paper also includes the major economic analysis assumptions and the comparative constant-dollar and discounted-dollar LCCs

Realization of economic evaluation expert system for uranium mine project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Haifeng

1993-01-01

By studying the EVALUATOR, economic evaluation expert system of uranium mine project, the theoretical fundamentals of expert system, principle of inference mechanism, implementation of knowledge base, realization of explanation mechanism, acquisition of domain knowledge and representation of knowledge were described, especially the subjective Bayes approach for inexact reasoning problem used in EVALUATOR was discussed in detail

Evaluation of economic impact of climatic change on agro-forestry systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vittorio Gallerani

Full Text Available Climate change has a strong influence on agro-forestry systems. Present estimations evisage that changes in climate patterns and extreme events connected to climate change will have greater impacts in the future. This paper seeks to illustrate the articulation of the problems concerning the economic evaluation of climate change, with particularly attention to open problems and future lines of research. Research on this topic, though using methods and approaches consolidated in the disciplines of resource economics and evaluation, still have several open problems, particularly in the field of multidisciplinary studies of the man-environmental relations, policy evaluation and development of decision support systems for decision makers.

A systematic review and overview of health economic evaluations of emergency laparotomy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sohail Bampoe

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Little is known about the economic impact of emergency laparotomy (EL surgery in healthcare systems around the world. The aim of this systematic review is to describe the primary resource utilisation, healthcare economic and societal costs of EL in adults in different countries. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE, ISI Web of Knowledge, Cochrane Central Register Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and CINAHL were searched for full and partial economic analyses of EL published between 1 January 1991 and 31 December 2015. Quality of studies was assessed using the Consensus on Health Economic Criteria (CHEC checklist. Results Sixteen studies were included from a range of countries. One study was a full economic analysis. Fifteen studies were partial economic evaluations. These studies revealed that emergency abdominal surgery is expensive compared to similar elective surgery when comparing primary resource utilisation costs, with an important societal impact. Most contemporaneous studies indicate that in-hospital costs for EL are in excess of US$10,000 per patient episode, rising substantially when societal costs are considered. Discussion EL is a high-risk and costly procedure with a disproportionate financial burden for healthcare providers, relative to national funding provisions and wider societal cost impact. There is substantial heterogeneity in the methodologies and quality of published economic evaluations of EL; therefore, the true economic costs of EL are yet to be fully defined. Future research should focus on developing strategies to embed health economic evaluations within national programmes aiming to improve EL care, including developing the required measures and infrastructure. Conclusions Emergency laparotomy is expensive, with a significant cost burden to healthcare and systems and society worldwide. Novel strategies for reducing this econmic burden should urgently be explored if greater access to

A systematic review and overview of health economic evaluations of emergency laparotomy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bampoe, Sohail; Odor, Peter M; Ramani Moonesinghe, S; Dickinson, Matthew

2017-01-01

Little is known about the economic impact of emergency laparotomy (EL) surgery in healthcare systems around the world. The aim of this systematic review is to describe the primary resource utilisation, healthcare economic and societal costs of EL in adults in different countries. MEDLINE, EMBASE, ISI Web of Knowledge, Cochrane Central Register Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and CINAHL were searched for full and partial economic analyses of EL published between 1 January 1991 and 31 December 2015. Quality of studies was assessed using the Consensus on Health Economic Criteria (CHEC) checklist. Sixteen studies were included from a range of countries. One study was a full economic analysis. Fifteen studies were partial economic evaluations. These studies revealed that emergency abdominal surgery is expensive compared to similar elective surgery when comparing primary resource utilisation costs, with an important societal impact. Most contemporaneous studies indicate that in-hospital costs for EL are in excess of US$10,000 per patient episode, rising substantially when societal costs are considered. EL is a high-risk and costly procedure with a disproportionate financial burden for healthcare providers, relative to national funding provisions and wider societal cost impact. There is substantial heterogeneity in the methodologies and quality of published economic evaluations of EL; therefore, the true economic costs of EL are yet to be fully defined. Future research should focus on developing strategies to embed health economic evaluations within national programmes aiming to improve EL care, including developing the required measures and infrastructure. Emergency laparotomy is expensive, with a significant cost burden to healthcare and systems and society worldwide. Novel strategies for reducing this econmic burden should urgently be explored if greater access to this type of surgery is to be pursued as a global health target. PROSPERO

Using a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to determine product usability: A proposed theoretical framework.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Ronggang; Chan, Alan H S

2017-01-01

In order to compare existing usability data to ideal goals or to that for other products, usability practitioners have tried to develop a framework for deriving an integrated metric. However, most current usability methods with this aim rely heavily on human judgment about the various attributes of a product, but often fail to take into account of the inherent uncertainties in these judgments in the evaluation process. This paper presents a universal method of usability evaluation by combining the analytic hierarchical process (AHP) and the fuzzy evaluation method. By integrating multiple sources of uncertain information during product usability evaluation, the method proposed here aims to derive an index that is structured hierarchically in terms of the three usability components of effectiveness, efficiency, and user satisfaction of a product. With consideration of the theoretical basis of fuzzy evaluation, a two-layer comprehensive evaluation index was first constructed. After the membership functions were determined by an expert panel, the evaluation appraisals were computed by using the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation technique model to characterize fuzzy human judgments. Then with the use of AHP, the weights of usability components were elicited from these experts. Compared to traditional usability evaluation methods, the major strength of the fuzzy method is that it captures the fuzziness and uncertainties in human judgments and provides an integrated framework that combines the vague judgments from multiple stages of a product evaluation process.

Use of economic evaluation guidelines: 2 years' experience in Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Baladi, J F; Menon, D; Otten, N

1998-05-01

Considerable effort has been expended in recent years in the development of methodology guidelines for economic evaluation of pharmaceutical products, driven in part by the desire to improve the rigour and quality of economic evaluations and to help decision making. Canada was one of the first countries to develop such guidelines and to encourage their use. This paper examines the extent to which the economic evaluations that were submitted to the Canadian Coordinating Office for Health Technology Assessment in the last two years adhered to Canadian guidelines. The analytic technique employed by twelve studies as well as the comparator used, the perspective taken, the outcome measure selected, the cost items that were taken into consideration and the extent of sensitivity analyses that were performed are reviewed in this paper. It can be concluded that although studies have been of variable quality, the majority of them were well presented, complete and transparent, due in part to the guidelines. Except for the perspective of the analysis, guidelines were, in many respects, adhered to and did not restrict investigators to specific methodologies or specific techniques. They were also instrumental in ensuring a minimum set of standards.

Solar energy system economic evaluation for Solaron Akron, Akron, Ohio

Science.gov (United States)

1980-01-01

The economic analysis of the solar energy system that was installed at Akron, Ohio is developed for this and four other sites typical of a wide range of environmental and economic conditions. The analysis is accomplished based on the technical and economic models in the f chart design procedure with inputs based on the characteristics of the installed parameters of present worth of system cost over a projected twenty year life: life cycle savings, year of positive savings and year of payback for the optimized solar energy system at each of the analysis sites. The sensitivity of the economic evaluation to uncertainties in constituent system and economic variables is also investigated. Results show that only in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where insolation is 1828 Btu/sq ft/day and the conventional energy cost is high, is this solar energy system marginally profitable.

Performing Economic Evaluation of Integrated Care: Highway to Hell or Stairway to Heaven?

Science.gov (United States)

Stein, K. Viktoria; Evers, Silvia; Rutten-van Mölken, Maureen

2016-01-01

Health economists are increasingly interested in integrated care in order to support decision-makers to find cost-effective solutions able to tackle the threat that chronic diseases pose on population health and health and social care budgets. However, economic evaluation in integrated care is still in its early years, facing several difficulties. The aim of this paper is to describe the unique nature of integrated care as a topic for economic evaluation, explore the obstacles to perform economic evaluation, discuss methods and techniques that can be used to address them, and set the basis to develop a research agenda for health economics in integrated care. The paper joins the voices that call health economists to pay more attention to integrated care and argues that there should be no more time wasted for doing it. PMID:28316543

Economic evaluation of reprocessing. Indicative Netherlands position

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1979-05-01

The paper, which also appears as an Appendix to the final Working Group 4 report, forms part of the overall economic evaluation of reprocessing. The indicative national position and illustrative ''phase diagram'' for the Netherlands is presented. Two alternative scenarios have been assumed for the variation of uranium price in the future; a 2% per annum price rise and a 5% per annum price rise

Evaluation of Demographic Variables and Socio-economic Status ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study evaluated the demographic variables and socio-economic status on the prevalence of health hazards amongst residents of Akure North Local Government, Ondo State, Nigeria. The study was a descriptive research design of the survey type. The population for this study was estimated to be 131,587 residents.

Future Health and Economic Impact of Comprehensive Tobacco Control in DoD: A Microsimulation Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Wenya; Zou, Quan; Tan, Eleonora; Watkins, Lachlan; Beronja, Kaleigh; Hogan, Paul F; Elenberg, Kimberly

2018-01-01

Tobacco use is a major concern to the Military Health System of the Department of Defense (DoD). The 2011 DoD Health Related Behavior Survey reported that 24.5% of active duty personnel are current smokers, which is higher than the national estimate of 20.6% for the civilian population. Overall, it is estimated that tobacco use costs the DoD $1.6 billion a year through related medical care, increased hospitalization, and lost days of work, among others. This study evaluated future health outcomes of Tricare Prime beneficiaries aged 18-64 yr (N = 3.2 million, including active duty and retired military members and their dependents) and the potential economic impact of initiatives that DoD may take to further its effort to transform the military into a tobacco-free environment. Our analysis simulated the future smoking status, risk of developing 25 smoking-related diseases, and associated medical costs for each individual using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo microsimulation model. Data sources included Tricare administrative data, national data such as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mortality data and National Cancer Institute's cancer registry data, as well as relative risks of diseases obtained from a literature review. We found that the prevalence of active smoking among the Tricare Prime population will decrease from about 24% in 2015 to 18% in 2020 under a status quo scenario. However, if a comprehensive tobacco control initiative that includes a 5% price increase, a tighter clean air policy, and an intensified media campaign were to be implemented between 2016 and 2020, the prevalence of smoking could further decrease to 16%. The near 2 percentage points reduction in smoking prevalence represents an additional 81,240 quitters and translates to a total lifetime medical cost savings (in 2016 present value) of $968 million, with 39% ($382 million) attributable to Tricare savings. A comprehensive tobacco control policy within the DoD could significantly

New approaches to the economic evaluation of fusion research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hazelrigg, G.A.; Lietzke, K.R.

1978-01-01

The economic evaluation of fusion research to date has focussed on the benefits of essentially unlimited energy for future generations. In this paper it is shown that energy research in general, and fusion research in particular, also provides benefits in the short term, benefitting us today as well as future generations. Short-term benefits are the result of two distinct aspects of fusion research. First, fusion research provides information for decision making on both the continuing fusion research efforts and on other energy research programs. Second, fusion research provides an expectation of a future energy source thereby promoting accelerated consumption of existing fossil fuels today. Both short-term benefits can be quantitatively evaluated and both are quite substantial. Together, these short-term benefits form the primary economic rationale for fusion research

Evaluation of comprehensive environmental effect about coastal zone development activities in Liaoning Province and management advice.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Wei-Wei; Cai, Yue-Yin; Sun, Yong-Guang; Ma, Hong-Wei

2015-07-01

Using spatial analysis function of Arcgis software, the present study investigated the building environment impact evaluation index system of coastal development in Liaoning Province. The factors of it included of current state of environmental quality, environmental impact of marine development and marine environmental disaster. Weighted factor analysis and comprehensive index method were utilized. At the end, comprehensive environment effect of coastal development in Liaoning Province were evaluated successfully. The result showed that the environmental effect of development activity were most serious, along the Zhao Jiatun coast in north of Zhimao bay and coast of Mianhua island in Dalian bay.

Measuring value for money: a scoping review on economic evaluation of health information systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Bassi, Jesdeep; Lau, Francis

2013-01-01

To explore how key components of economic evaluations have been included in evaluations of health information systems (HIS), to determine the state of knowledge on value for money for HIS, and provide guidance for future evaluations. We searched databases, previously collected papers, and references for relevant papers published from January 2000 to June 2012. For selection, papers had to: be a primary study; involve a computerized system for health information processing, decision support, or management reporting; and include an economic evaluation. Data on study design and economic evaluation methods were extracted and analyzed. Forty-two papers were selected and 33 were deemed high quality (scores ≥ 8/10) for further analysis. These included 12 economic analyses, five input cost analyses, and 16 cost-related outcome analyses. For HIS types, there were seven primary care electronic medical records, six computerized provider order entry systems, five medication management systems, five immunization information systems, four institutional information systems, three disease management systems, two clinical documentation systems, and one health information exchange network. In terms of value for money, 23 papers reported positive findings, eight were inconclusive, and two were negative. We found a wide range of economic evaluation papers that were based on different assumptions, methods, and metrics. There is some evidence of value for money in selected healthcare organizations and HIS types. However, caution is needed when generalizing these findings. Better reporting of economic evaluation studies is needed to compare findings and build on the existing evidence base we identified.

Conceptual framework for development of comprehensive e-health evaluation tool.

Science.gov (United States)

Khoja, Shariq; Durrani, Hammad; Scott, Richard E; Sajwani, Afroz; Piryani, Usha

2013-01-01

The main objective of this study was to develop an e-health evaluation tool based on a conceptual framework including relevant theories for evaluating use of technology in health programs. This article presents the development of an evaluation framework for e-health programs. The study was divided into three stages: Stage 1 involved a detailed literature search of different theories and concepts on evaluation of e-health, Stage 2 plotted e-health theories to identify relevant themes, and Stage 3 developed a matrix of evaluation themes and stages of e-health programs. The framework identifies and defines different stages of e-health programs and then applies evaluation theories to each of these stages for development of the evaluation tool. This framework builds on existing theories of health and technology evaluation and presents a conceptual framework for developing an e-health evaluation tool to examine and measure different factors that play a definite role in the success of e-health programs. The framework on the horizontal axis divides e-health into different stages of program implementation, while the vertical axis identifies different themes and areas of consideration for e-health evaluation. The framework helps understand various aspects of e-health programs and their impact that require evaluation at different stages of the life cycle. The study led to the development of a new and comprehensive e-health evaluation tool, named the Khoja-Durrani-Scott Framework for e-Health Evaluation.

Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation of Ecological Risk Based on Cloud Model: Taking Chengchao Iron Mine as Example

Science.gov (United States)

Ruan, Jinghua; Chen, Yong; Xiao, Xiao; Yong, Gan; Huang, Ranran; Miao, Zuohua

2018-01-01

Aimed at the fuzziness and randomness during the evaluation process, this paper constructed a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method based on cloud model. The evaluation index system was established based on the inherent risk, present level and control situation, which had been proved to be able to convey the main contradictions of ecological risk in mine on the macro level, and be advantageous for comparison among mines. The comment sets and membership functions improved by cloud model could reflect the uniformity of ambiguity and randomness effectively. In addition, the concept of fuzzy entropy was introduced to further characterize the fuzziness of assessments results and the complexities of ecological problems in target mine. A practical example in Chengchao Iron Mine evidenced that, the assessments results can reflect actual situations appropriately and provide a new theoretic guidance for comprehensive ecological risk evaluation of underground iron mine.

Brazilian Alcohol Program (Proalcool): economic re-evaluation and demand adjustments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Motta, R.S. da; Rocha Ferreira, L. da

1987-01-01

The aim of this paper is to discuss the economic impact on the Brazilian National Alcohol Programme caused by changes in the energy scenery, in view of recent oil price fall in the international market, and evaluate the necessary adjustments of the Programme according to the new Brazilian economic reality. The economic analysis concludes that the alcohol production, considering current production capacity and its investments, could be economically feasible at international oil prices near US$ 30.00. Excluding investments, its feasibility would be between US$ 18.00 and US$ 20.00 per equivalent oil barrel. Based on these conclusions, proposals for adjusting the PROALCOOL are discussed, including alternative pricing, fiscal and credit policies to control the alcohol-fuel demand. (author)

Using Multiple-Choice Questions to Evaluate In-Depth Learning of Economics

Science.gov (United States)

Buckles, Stephen; Siegfried, John J.

2006-01-01

Multiple-choice questions are the basis of a significant portion of assessment in introductory economics courses. However, these questions, as found in course assessments, test banks, and textbooks, often fail to evaluate students' abilities to use and apply economic analysis. The authors conclude that multiple-choice questions can be used to…

Solar energy system economic evaluation for IBM System 3, Glendo, Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

1980-01-01

This analysis was based on the technical and economic models in f-chart design procedures with inputs based on the characteristics of the parameters of present worth of system cost over a projected twenty year life: life cycle savings, year of positive savings, and year of payback for the optimized solar energy system at each of the analysis sites. The sensitivity of the economic evaluation to uncertainties in constituent system and economic variables was also investigated.

Techno-economic evaluation of various electric energy supply for rural areas Pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagdev, A.J.; Samo, S.R.

1994-01-01

A diagnostic study was carried out to evaluate the techno-economic viability of various electric supply sources for electrification of rural areas in Pakistan in present socio-economic conditions. The important influencing factors considered were: social needs, electric requirement and availability of energy resources. The electric requirements of model rural village were established at 20431 kw h per year. Prudent evaluations reveal that hydroelectric, photovoltaic and diesel systems are better options than an electric grid extension of more than 2 km. In order to become an economically meritorious energy source, photovoltaic system should attain cost level Rs. 100 per watt-peak of installed system. (author)

A transportation economics reference for practitioners : final report.

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-01

Transportation projects and policies are rooted in economic considerations and consequences. This report : documents the development of a relatively comprehensive transportation economics reference for practitioners, : entitled The Economics of Trans...

Economic Evaluation pf Antibacterial Usage in Ear, Nose and Throat ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Purpose: To carry out economic evaluation of antibacterial usage for Ear, Nose and Throat infections in a tertiary health care facility in Nigeria. Methods: Antibacterial utilisation evaluation was carried out retrospectively over one year period by reviewing 122 case notes containing 182 prescriptions of patient with Ear Nose ...

Performance, Carcass Evaluation And Economics Of Production Of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

An eight-weeks feeding trial involving 162,8-week old goldline cockerel birds was carried out in a completely randomized design to evaluate the performance, carcass characteristics and economics of production of cockerels fed whole cassava plant meal (WCPM). Diet 1 was maize based and served as the control, diet 2 ...

[Ecological and economic harmony evaluation and spatial evolution of the Hexi corridor, northwest China].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Hai-long; Shi, Pei-ji; Li, Sheng-mei; Tong, Hua-li; Nie, Xiao-ying; Wei, Wei

2014-12-01

The relationship between economic development and environment and the evolution characteristics of spatial pattern in Hexi Corridor of Northwest China were analyzed based on Landsat images in 1985, 1995, 2000 and 2011 with twenty counties in Hexi Corridor chosen as the basic research units. The ecological economic harmony during 1985-2011 was estimated according to ESV (ecosystem services value) and EEH (ecological and economic harmony) index with the ecosystem services value estimation methods. The results showed that the land type of the study area dramatically changed during the study period, the grassland decreased badly, and the construction land and cultivated land increased quickly. The ESV showed an overall downward trend, especially in the Shiyang River basin and the middle of Heihe River. The ESV in the Shule River basin in this period. After 2000, the economic growth speeded up visibly in the study area. The economic development concentrated in the resource-based cities and regional central cities, and declined from the center of corridor to the both sides. The ecological-economic relation in Hexi Corridor experienced a transformation of "preliminary deterioration--further deterioration--low grade coordination". The EEH had large changes in the Shiyang River basin and the middle of Heihe River, which experienced a transformation of "conflict--more conflicts--less conflicts", however, there was little change in Shule River basin. The development mode and the comprehensive reclamation of Shiyang River basin and Heihe River basin had a significant influence on the regional ecological and economic harmony.

Economic evaluation for first-line anti-hypertensive medicines: applications for the Philippines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Geroy Lester Sam Araneta

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Medicines to control hypertension, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, are a major component of health expenditures in the Philippines. This study aims to review economic studies for first line anti-hypertensive medical treatment without co-morbidities; and discuss practical, informational and policy implications on the use of economic evaluation in the Philippines. Methods A systematic literature review was performed using the following databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, BIOSIS, PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Health Economics Evaluations Database (HEED and the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination – NHS NICE. Six existing economic analytical frameworks were reviewed and one framework for critical appraisal was developed. Results Out of 1336 searched articles, 12 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The studies were summarized according to their background characteristics (year, journal, intervention and comparators, objective/study question, target audience, economic study type, study population, setting and country and source of funding/conflict of interest and technical characteristics (perspective, time horizon, methodology/modeling, search strategy for parameters, costs, effectiveness measures, discounting, assumptions and biases, results, cost-effectiveness ratio, endpoints, sensitivity analysis, generalizability, strengths and limitations, conclusions, implications and feasibility and recommendations. The studies represented different countries, perspectives and stakeholders. Conclusions Diuretics were the most cost-effective drug class for first-line treatment of hypertension without co-morbidities. Although the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation may apply the recommendations given in previous studies (i.e. to subsidize diuretics, ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blockers, it is uncertain how much public funding is justified. There is an information gap on clinical data (transition probabilities, relative risks

Improving Reading Comprehension Skills through the SCRATCH Program

Science.gov (United States)

Papatga, Erdal; Ersoy, Ali

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to reveal how reading comprehension skills of elementary fourth graders who have problems in reading comprehension can be improved by means of the SCRATCH program. The study was designed as a participant action research. It was carried out within a 15- week process at an elementary school with middle socio-economic level…

Replicating Health Economic Models: Firm Foundations or a House of Cards?

Science.gov (United States)

Bermejo, Inigo; Tappenden, Paul; Youn, Ji-Hee

2017-11-01

Health economic evaluation is a framework for the comparative analysis of the incremental health gains and costs associated with competing decision alternatives. The process of developing health economic models is usually complex, financially expensive and time-consuming. For these reasons, model development is sometimes based on previous model-based analyses; this endeavour is usually referred to as model replication. Such model replication activity may involve the comprehensive reproduction of an existing model or 'borrowing' all or part of a previously developed model structure. Generally speaking, the replication of an existing model may require substantially less effort than developing a new de novo model by bypassing, or undertaking in only a perfunctory manner, certain aspects of model development such as the development of a complete conceptual model and/or comprehensive literature searching for model parameters. A further motivation for model replication may be to draw on the credibility or prestige of previous analyses that have been published and/or used to inform decision making. The acceptability and appropriateness of replicating models depends on the decision-making context: there exists a trade-off between the 'savings' afforded by model replication and the potential 'costs' associated with reduced model credibility due to the omission of certain stages of model development. This paper provides an overview of the different levels of, and motivations for, replicating health economic models, and discusses the advantages, disadvantages and caveats associated with this type of modelling activity. Irrespective of whether replicated models should be considered appropriate or not, complete replicability is generally accepted as a desirable property of health economic models, as reflected in critical appraisal checklists and good practice guidelines. To this end, the feasibility of comprehensive model replication is explored empirically across a small

A new global and comprehensive model for ICU ventilator performances evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Marjanovic, Nicolas S; De Simone, Agathe; Jegou, Guillaume; L'Her, Erwan

2017-12-01

This study aimed to provide a new global and comprehensive evaluation of recent ICU ventilators taking into account both technical performances and ergonomics. Six recent ICU ventilators were evaluated. Technical performances were assessed under two FIO 2 levels (100%, 50%), three respiratory mechanics combinations (Normal: compliance [C] = 70 mL cmH 2 O -1 /resistance [R] = 5 cmH 2 O L -1  s -1 ; Restrictive: C = 30/R = 10; Obstructive: C = 120/R = 20), four exponential levels of leaks (from 0 to 12.5 L min -1 ) and three levels of inspiratory effort (P0.1 = 2, 4 and 8 cmH 2 O), using an automated test lung. Ergonomics were evaluated by 20 ICU physicians using a global and comprehensive model involving physiological response to stress measurements (heart rate, respiratory rate, tidal volume variability and eye tracking), psycho-cognitive scales (SUS and NASA-TLX) and objective tasks completion. Few differences in terms of technical performance were observed between devices. Non-invasive ventilation modes had a huge influence on asynchrony occurrence. Using our global model, either objective tasks completion, psycho-cognitive scales and/or physiological measurements were able to depict significant differences in terms of devices' usability. The level of failure that was observed with some devices depicted the lack of adaptation of device's development to end users' requests. Despite similar technical performance, some ICU ventilators exhibit low ergonomics performance and a high risk of misusage.

Economic evaluation of reprocessing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-11-01

This discussion paper first identifies the main factors which influence the economic assessment of reprocessing. It proposes the use of a diagram - the so-called ''phase diagram'' - which plots the fast reactor premium against the price of uranium. The diagram delineates areas where the once-through fuel cycle, thermal recycle and fast reactor will be the preferred choice from micro-economic considerations. The paper then goes on to consider the circumstances under which a country may or may not wish to introduce thermal recycle or fast reactors. Finally, a procedure for further discussion on economic considerations with WG4 is proposed

[A comprehensive evaluation of intervention effects on workplace health promotion in a pharmaceutical company].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shuang; Li, Tao; Li, Jian-guo; Chen, Li; Ren, Jun; Li, Chao-lin

2012-02-01

To evaluate the comprehensive workplace health promotion intervention effect in a pharmaceutical company. The evaluation was conducted by using questionnaires, access to information, on-site surveys, satisfaction surveys and interviews. After the intervention, the awareness rate of the staff on "Occupational Disease Prevention Law", occupational disease prevention measures, the definition of hypertension, HIV transmission and high blood pressure, coronary heart disease preventive measures, have been raised from 72.4%, 13.8%, 67.5%, 45.8%, 51.7% to 97.8%, 19.9%, 82.3%, 94.7%, 53.1% respectively. The lifestyle of the staff has been improved, the improvement rate of smoking, drinking, having breakfast 4 times a week and above are 98.5%, 70.2% and 30.6% separately. Out of the 47 evaluation indicators, 41 meet the requirements, 5 basically meet the requirements. After implementing workplace health promotion activities, the level of occupational safety and health management of the pharmaceutical company has been enhanced, the physical and mental health of the staff have been promoted. The WHP comprehensive interventions are feasible and effective.

Economic evaluation of information technology applications on dairy farms

OpenAIRE

Asseldonk, van, M.A.P.M.

1999-01-01

The research described in this thesis focused on the economic evaluation of information technology (IT) applications on dairy farms in order to support investment decisions. The evaluation included a normative (deductive) approach and an empirical (positive) approach. The normative approach predicted potential benefits from a theoretical model of the investment, and investigated how farmers should deal with the applications. The empirical approach observed the actual effects of the i...

Economic evaluation, human immunodeficiency virus infection and screening: a review and critical appraisal of economic studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Dibosa-Osadolor, Onome; Roberts, Tracy

2010-07-01

The aim of this study was to review, systematically and critically, evidence used to derive estimates of cost-effectiveness of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) screening. A systematic review was conducted. Searched were three main electronic bibliographic databases from 1993 to 2008 using key words including HIV, mass screening, HAART, economic evaluation, cost-effectiveness analysis, modeling. We included studies of sexually transmitted HIV infection in both sexes, including studies comparing diagnostic testing protocols and partner notification. Outcomes included were cases of HIV infection detected, deterioration to the AIDS state, secondary transmission of HIV, the quality-adjusted life-years/survival, costs, and cost-effectiveness of HIV screening. Eighty-four papers were identified; ten of which were formal economic evaluations, one cost study, three effectiveness studies, and three systematic reviews of HIV prevention programs. The predominant assertion was that HIV screening is cost-effective; methodological problems, such as the preponderance of static models which are inappropriate for infectious diseases, varying perspectives from which the studies were analyzed, and arbitrary threshold incremental cost-effectiveness ratio levels, limited the validity of these findings, and their usefulness in informing health policy decisions. The majority of published economic evaluations are based on inappropriate static models. This flaw renders the results of these studies as inconclusive and the purported cost-effectiveness of HIV screening debatable. The results of this review could form a basis for consideration of further research and analysis by health economists into the cost-effectiveness of HIV screening.

Evaluation of economics of spent fuel storage techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamaji, Kenji; Nagano, Koji

1988-01-01

Various spent fuel storage techniques are evaluated in terms of required costs. The unit storage cost for each spent fuel storage scenario is calculated based on the total cost required for the scenario including capital expenditure, operation cost, maintenance cost and transport cost. Intermediate storage may be performed in relatively small facilities in the plant or in independent large-scale facilities installed away from the plant. Dry casks or water pools are assumed to be used in in-plant storage facilities while vaults may also be employed in independent facilities. Evaluation is made for these different cases. In in-plant facilities, dry cask storage is found to be more economical in all cases than water pool storage, especially when large-sized casks are employed. In independent facilities, on the other hand, the use of vaults is the most desirable because the required capital expenditure is the lowest due to the effect of scale economics. Dry cask storage is less expensive than water pool storage also in independent facilities. The annual discount rate has relatively small influence on the unit cost for storage. An estimated unit cost for storage in independent storage facilities is shown separately for facilities with a capacity of 1,000 tons, 3,000 tons or 5,000 tons. The report also outlines the economics of spent fuel storage in overseas facilities (Finland, Sweden and U.S.A.). (Nogami, K.)

Economic evaluation of multilateral nuclear fuel cycle approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takashima, Ryuta; Kuno, Yusuke; Omoto, Akira; Tanaka, Satoru

2011-01-01

Recently previous works have shown that multilateral nuclear fuel cycle approach has benefits not only of non-proliferation but also of cost effectiveness. This is because for most facilities in nuclear fuel cycle, there exist economies of scale, which has a significant impact on the costs of nuclear fuel cycle. Therefore, the evaluation of economic rationality is required as one of the evaluation factors for the multilateral nuclear fuel cycle approach. In this study, we consider some options with respect to multilateral approaches to nuclear fuel cycle in Asian-Pacific region countries that are proposed by the University of Tokyo. In particular, the following factors are embedded into each type: A) no involvement of assurance of services, B) provision of assurance of services including construction of new facility, without transfer of ownership, and C) provision of assurance of service including construction of new joint facilities with ownership transfer of facilities to multilateral nuclear fuel cycle approach. We show the overnight costs taking into account install and operation of nuclear fuel cycle facilities for each option. The economic parameter values such as uranium price, scale factor, and market output expansion influences the total cost for each option. Thus, we show how these parameter values and economic risks affect the total overnight costs for each option. Additionally, the international facilities could increase the risk of transportation for nuclear material compared to national facilities. We discuss the potential effects of this transportation risk on the costs for each option. (author)

A Comprehensive Diagnostic Framework for Evaluating Business Intelligence and Analytics Effectiveness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neil Foshay

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Business intelligence and analytics (BIA initiatives are costly, complex and experience high failure rates. Organizations require effective approaches to evaluate their BIA capabilities in order to develop strategies for their evolution. In this paper, we employ a design science paradigm to develop a comprehensive BIA effectiveness diagnostic (BIAED framework that can be easily operationalized. We propose that a useful BIAED framework must assess the correct factors, should be deployed in the proper process context and acquire the appropriate input from different constituencies within an organization. Drawing on the BIAED framework, we further develop an online diagnostic toolkit that includes a comprehensive survey instrument. We subsequently deploy the diagnostic mechanism within three large organizations in North America (involving over 1500 participants and use the results to inform BIA strategy formulation. Feedback from participating organizations indicates that BIA diagnostic toolkit provides insights that are essential inputs to strategy development. This work addresses a significant research gap in the area of BIA effectiveness assessment.

Challenges in economic evaluation of new drugs: experience with rituximab in Hungary.

Science.gov (United States)

Brodszky, Valentin; Orlewska, Ewa; Pentek, Martha; Karpati, Krisztian; Skoupa, Jana; Gulacsi, Laszlo

2010-01-01

Implementation of a new therapy into clinical practice is a complex process. Various countries have different requirements for information but most often focus on economic evaluation, which often plays a stronger role in healthcare decision making than does clinical evidence. To identify all potential challenges in economic evaluation, the case of a new biological drug, rituximab, used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, has been taken as an example. We present methods and results of economic assessment, highlighting the specific issues that should be considered in countries with economic and health care conditions similar to those of Hungary. In principle, economic evaluation requires data on characteristics of target population, disease progression, treatment impact, preferences, resource utilization and unit prices. Treatment effect/relative risk reduction and clinical practice patterns (resource use) may be more generalizable, whereas prices and baseline risk need to be jurisdiction specific. In order to address issues of transferability, investments need to be made in the collection of epidemiological and demographic data, plus data on clinical practice patterns, resource use, costs and health state valuation. In Hungary this problem has been solved through conducting a well designed 255 patient cross-sectional study. The Hungarian example shows that there should be more investment in data collection for those parameters that are thought to differ most from place to place. Owing to the similarities between Central and Eastern Europe countries in health care systems, clinical practice patterns and economic indicators, they may be able to develop partnerships to develop relevant regional databases and registries.

Economic evaluation of soil fertility management in groundnut fields ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper provides the economic evaluation of soil fertility replenishing technologies (use of inorganic fertilizers, organic manure, and rhizobium inoculant) that were tested and recommended. Data on groundnut technologies used, yields, resource availability and use, and farmers' characteristics were collected through ...

Feasibility and economic evaluation of low-cost evaporative cooling ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Feasibility and economic evaluation of low-cost evaporative cooling system in fruit and vegetables storage. ... on fruit and vegetables quality during harvesting, transportation, storage and marketing. ... The coolers were found to be effective in maintaining micro-environmental conditions for ... AJOL African Journals Online.

24 CFR 570.209 - Guidelines for evaluating and selecting economic development projects.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

..., where the recreational benefit to users or members clearly outweighs employment or other benefits to low... DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANTS Eligible Activities § 570.209 Guidelines for evaluating and selecting economic... activities to be carried out for economic development purposes. Specifically, these guidelines are applicable...

Scale interactions in economics: application to the evaluation of the economic damages of climatic change and of extreme events

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hallegatte, S.

2005-06-01

Growth models, which neglect economic disequilibria, considered as temporary, are in general used to evaluate the damaging effects generated by climatic change. This work shows, through a series of modeling experiences, the importance of disequilibria and of endogenous variability of economy in the evaluation of damages due to extreme events and climatic change. It demonstrates the impossibility to separate the evaluation of damages from the representation of growth and of economic dynamics: the comfort losses will depend on both the nature and intensity of impacts and on the dynamics and situation of the economy to which they will apply. Thus, the uncertainties about the damaging effects of future climatic changes come from both scientific uncertainties and from uncertainties about the future organization of our economies. (J.S.)

Contemporary engineering economics

CERN Document Server

Park, Chan S

2011-01-01

Contemporary Engineering Economics, 5/e, is intended for undergraduate engineering students taking introductory engineering economics while appealing to the full range of engineering disciplines for which this course is often required: industrial, civil, mechanical, electrical, computer, aerospace, chemical, and manufacturing engineering, as well as engineering technology. This edition has been thoroughly revised and updated while continuing to adopt a contemporary approach to the subject, and teaching, of engineering economics. This text aims not only to build a sound and comprehensive coverage of engineering economics, but also to address key educational challenges, such as student difficulty in developing the analytical skills required to make informed financial decisions.

Modelling the role of forests on water provision services: a hydro-economic valuation approach

Science.gov (United States)

Beguería, S.; Campos, P.

2015-12-01

Hydro-economic models that allow integrating the ecological, hydrological, infrastructure, economic and social aspects into a coherent, scientifically- informed framework constitute preferred tools for supporting decision making in the context of integrated water resources management. We present a case study of water regulation and provision services of forests in the Andalusia region of Spain. Our model computes the physical water flows and conducts an economic environmental income and asset valuation of forest surface and underground water yield. Based on available hydrologic and economic data, we develop a comprehensive water account for all the forest lands at the regional scale. This forest water environmental valuation is integrated within a much larger project aiming at providing a robust and easily replicable accounting tool to evaluate yearly the total income and capital of forests, encompassing all measurable sources of private and public incomes (timber and cork production, auto-consumption, recreational activities, biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration, water production, etc.). We also force our simulation with future socio-economic scenarios to quantify the physical and economic efects of expected trends or simulated public and private policies on future water resources. Only a comprehensive integrated tool may serve as a basis for the development of integrated policies, such as those internationally agreed and recommended for the management of water resources.

Comprehensive entropy weight observability-controllability risk ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Decision making for water resource planning is often related to social, economic and environmental factors. There are various methods for making decisions about water resource planning alternatives and measures with various shortcomings. A comprehensive entropy weight observability-controllability risk analysis ...

Exergetic and economic evaluation of the effect of HRSG configurations on the performance of combined cycle power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tajik Mansouri, Mohammad; Ahmadi, Pouria; Ganjeh Kaviri, Abdolsaeid; Jaafar, Mohammad Nazri Mohd

2012-01-01

Highlights: ►To conduct the comprehensive exergy and economic analysis for advanced combined cycle power plant. ►To study three different HRSG configurations, dual and triple pressure HRSG, based on thermodynamic relations. ►To have a better performance assessment of the system studied using exergy and economic criteria. - Abstract: In the present research study, the effect of HRSG pressure levels on exergy efficiency of combined cycle power plants is investigated. Hence, three types of gas turbine combined cycles, with the same gas turbine as a topping cycle are evaluated. A double pressure, and two triple pressure HRSGs (with and without reheat) are modeled. The results show how an increase in the number of pressure levels of the HRSG affect the exergy losses due to heat transfer in the HRSG and the exhaust of flue gas to the stack. Moreover, the results show that an increase in the number of pressure levels affects the exergy destruction rate in HRSG, and as a result, it causes a tangible increase in exergy efficiency of the whole cycle. The results from thermodynamic analysis show that the losses due to heat transfer in the HRSG and the exhaust of flue gas to the stack in a triple pressure reheat combined cycle are less than the other cases. From the economic analysis, it is found that increasing the number of pressure levels of steam generation leads to an increase for the total and specific investment cost of the plant for about 6% and 4% respectively. The net present value (NPV) of the plant increases for about 7% for triple pressure reheat compared to with the double pressure CCPP. Therefore, the results of economic analysis show that it is economically justifiable to increase the number of pressure levels of steam generation in HRSG.

Software Integration of Life Cycle Assessment and Economic Analysis for Process Evaluation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kalakula, Sawitree; Malakula, Pomthong; Siemanonda, Kitipat

2013-01-01

This study is focused on the sustainable process design of bioethanol production from cassava rhizome. The study includes: process simulation, sustainability analysis, economic evaluation and life cycle assessment (LCA). A steady state process simulation if performed to generate a base case design...... of the bioethanol conversion process using cassava rhizome as a feedstock. The sustainability analysis is performed to analyze the relevant indicators in sustainability metrics, to definedesign/retrofit targets for process improvements. Economic analysis is performed to evaluate the profitability of the process........ Also, simultaneously with sustainability analysis, the life cycle impact on environment associated with bioethanol production is performed. Finally, candidate alternative designs are generated and compared with the base case design in terms of LCA, economics, waste, energy usage and enviromental impact...

Economic evaluation of influenza vaccination : Assessment for The Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Postma, Maarten J.; Bos, Jasper M.; Van Gennep, Mark; Jager, Johannes C.; Baltussen, Rob; Sprenger, Marc J.W.

1999-01-01

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the costs associated with influenza and the cost effectiveness (net costs per life-year gained) of influenza vaccination in The Netherlands. Design and setting: The economic evaluation comprised a cost-of-illness assessment and a

Health conditions detected in a comprehensive periodic health evaluation of 558 professional football players

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bakken, Arnhild; Targett, Stephen; Bere, Tone; Adamuz, Maria-Carmen; Tol, Johannes L.; Whiteley, Rod; Wilson, Mathew G.; Witvrouw, Erik; Khan, Karim M.; Bahr, Roald

2016-01-01

Despite the widespread use of periodic health evaluation (PHE) to detect and prevent injury and illness in athletes, its effectiveness in detecting health conditions and relevant risk factors is still debated. To assess health conditions detected by a comprehensive PHE in professional male football

A reference case for economic evaluations in osteoarthritis: an expert consensus article from the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis (ESCEO).

Science.gov (United States)

Hiligsmann, Mickaël; Cooper, Cyrus; Guillemin, Francis; Hochberg, Marc C; Tugwell, Peter; Arden, Nigel; Berenbaum, Francis; Boers, Maarten; Boonen, Annelies; Branco, Jaime C; Maria-Luisa, Brandi; Bruyère, Olivier; Gasparik, Andrea; Kanis, John A; Kvien, Tore K; Martel-Pelletier, Johanne; Pelletier, Jean-Pierre; Pinedo-Villanueva, Rafael; Pinto, Daniel; Reiter-Niesert, Susanne; Rizzoli, René; Rovati, Lucio C; Severens, Johan L; Silverman, Stuart; Reginster, Jean-Yves

2014-12-01

General recommendations for a reference case for economic studies in rheumatic diseases were published in 2002 in an initiative to improve the comparability of cost-effectiveness studies in the field. Since then, economic evaluations in osteoarthritis (OA) continue to show considerable heterogeneity in methodological approach. To develop a reference case specific for economic studies in OA, including the standard optimal care, with which to judge new pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions. Four subgroups of an ESCEO expert working group on economic assessments (13 experts representing diverse aspects of clinical research and/or economic evaluations) were charged with producing lists of recommendations that would potentially improve the comparability of economic analyses in OA: outcome measures, comparators, costs and methodology. These proposals were discussed and refined during a face-to-face meeting in 2013. They are presented here in the format of the recommendations of the recently published Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) statement, so that an initiative on economic analysis methodology might be consolidated with an initiative on reporting standards. Overall, three distinct reference cases are proposed, one for each hand, knee and hip OA; with diagnostic variations in the first two, giving rise to different treatment options: interphalangeal or thumb-based disease for hand OA and the presence or absence of joint malalignment for knee OA. A set of management strategies is proposed, which should be further evaluated to help establish a consensus on the "standard optimal care" in each proposed reference case. The recommendations on outcome measures, cost itemisation and methodological approaches are also provided. The ESCEO group proposes a set of disease-specific recommendations on the conduct and reporting of economic evaluations in OA that could help the standardisation and comparability of studies that evaluate

[Macro-economic calculation of spending versus micro-economic follow-up of costs of breast cancer].

Science.gov (United States)

Borella, L; Paraponaris, A

2002-12-01

In the healthcare field, the ability to make economic forecasts requires knowledge of the costs of caring for major diseases. In the case of a semi-chronic condition like cancer, this cost covers all the episodes of care associated with a patient. An evaluation of a macro-economic method of calculating costs for treating non-metastatic cancer, covering all hospital episodes, is proposed. This method is based entirely on the use of annual hospital activity databases, linked to data concerning the incidence of cancer. It allows us to obtain the global cost of care for a neoplasm of a particular site, without the need to reconstruct the whole care pathway of the patients. The model was assessed by comparing it's own results, in the particular case of breast cancer to those issuing from a micro-economic follow-up of 115 patients. Data for macro-economic calculation are extracted from the national French hospital database for the year 1999 and from cancer incidence data. The prospective study was done in 1995, in a comprehensive cancer centre. Macro-economic calculation leads to a cost of 14,555 Euro, for primary breast cancer. Prospective follow-up showed a cost of 14,350 Euro (data corrected, 1999 value). With a difference of 1%, there was a clear cohesion of the two results, while a higher level of divergence was noticed (from 1 to 15%) in the comparison between therapeutic techniques. Accuracy and reliability of results were evaluated. This method may be extended to all types of neoplasms. This method cannot be used instead of follow-up studies, for cost-efficacy or cost-severity analysis, but may be interesting beyond economic forecasts, in the field of payment per pathology.

Evaluation of Ecological Environmental Quality in a Coal Mining Area by Modelling Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chaodong Yan

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to explore the effective method of the comprehensive evaluation of ecological environmental quality in a coal mining area. Firstly, we analyzed the ecological environmental effect of the coal mining area according to Pigovian Tax theory and, according to the results of the analysis and the demand for the selection of evaluation indices by the comprehensive evaluation, built the corresponding comprehensive evaluation index system. We then used the correlation function method to determine the relative weights of each index. We determined the basic standards of a comprehensive evaluation of ecological environmental quality in a coal mining area according to the actual situation of ecological environmental quality assessments in coal mining areas in our country and the relevant provisions of the government. On this basis, we built the two-level extension comprehensive evaluation model for the evaluation of ecological environmental quality in mining areas. Finally, we chose a certain coal mining area of Yanzhou Coal Mining Company Limited as the specific case. We used the relevant statistic data, technical and economic indices and the extension evaluation model to do the applied research of the comprehensive evaluation and tested the effectiveness of the comprehensive evaluation model.

Economic Evaluation of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Oncology: Is There a Difference Compared to Conventional Medicine?

Science.gov (United States)

Huebner, Jutta; Prott, Franz J; Muecke, Ralph; Stoll, Christoph; Buentzel, Jens; Muenstedt, Karsten; Micke, Oliver

2017-01-01

To analyze the financial burden of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in cancer treatment. Based on a systematic search of the literature (Medline and the Cochrane Library, combining the MeSH terms 'complementary therapies', 'neoplasms', 'costs', 'cost analysis', and 'cost-benefit analysis'), an expert panel discussed different types of analyses and their significance for CAM in oncology. Of 755 publications, 43 met our criteria. The types of economic analyses and their parameters discussed for CAM in oncology were cost, cost-benefit, cost-effectiveness, and cost-utility analyses. Only a few articles included arguments in favor of or against these different methods, and only a few arguments were specific for CAM because most CAM methods address a broad range of treatment aim parameters to assess effectiveness and are hard to define. Additionally, the choice of comparative treatments is difficult. To evaluate utility, healthy subjects may not be adequate as patients with a life-threatening disease and may be judged differently, especially with respect to a holistic treatment approach. We did not find any arguments in the literature that were directed at the economic analysis of CAM in oncology. Therefore, a comprehensive approach assessment based on criteria from evidence-based medicine evaluating direct and indirect costs is recommended. The usual approaches to conventional medicine to assess costs, benefits, and effectiveness seem adequate in the field of CAM in oncology. Additionally, a thorough deliberation on the comparator, endpoints, and instruments is mandatory for designing studies. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The economics of Language Policy: An Introduction to Evaluation Work

OpenAIRE

Grin, François; Vaillancourt, François

2015-01-01

This chapter presents some of the main empirical methods used by economists who since the 1970s have contributed to the elaboration of language policies. This specific focus is the result of the theme of this book; it is more restrictive than discussions on the economics of language of the economics of language policy evaluation. Furthermore, this leads us to emphasize practice-oriented research using quantitative data, in which economists have addressed questions such as: "How much does it c...

Evaluation and Characterization of Health Economics and Outcomes Research in SAARC Nations.

Science.gov (United States)

Mehta, Manthan; Nerurkar, Rajan

2018-05-01

To identify, evaluate, and characterize the variety, quality, and intent of the health economics and outcomes research studies being conducted in SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) nations. Studies published in English language between 1990 and 2015 were retrieved from Medline databases using relevant search strategies. Studies were independently reviewed as per Cochrane methodology and information on the type of research and outcomes were extracted. Quality of reporting was assessed. Of the 2638 studies screened from eight SAARC nations, a total of 179 were included for review (India = 140; Bangladesh = 12; Sri Lanka = 8; Pakistan = 7; Afghanistan = 5; Nepal = 4; Bhutan = 2; Maldives = 1). The broad study categories were cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs = 76 studies), cost analyses (35 studies), and burden of illness (BOI=26 studies). The outcomes evaluated were direct costs, indirect costs, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). Cost of medicines, consultation and hospital charges, and monitoring costs were assessed as direct medical costs along with non-direct medical costs such as travel and food for patients and caregivers. The components of indirect costs were loss of income of patients and caregivers and loss of productivity. Quality of life (QoL) was assessed in 48 studies. The most commonly used instrument for assessing QoL was the WHO-Quality of Life BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire (76%). The Quality of Health Economic Studies (QHES) score was used for quality assessment of full economic studies (44 studies). The mean QHES score was 43.76. This review identifies various patterns of health economic studies in eight SAARC nations. The quality of economic evaluation studies for health care in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, and Maldives needs improvement. There is a need to generate the capacity of researchers

THE ECONOMIC EVALUATION METHOD OF LAND RESOURCES OF AGRARIAN NOMINATION WITH THEIR REGIONAL REPRODUCTION PECULIARITIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R.Sh. Shafeyev

2009-03-01

Full Text Available Peculiarities of land market formation and peculiarities of its function in modern (up-to-date environment are covered in this article. The objective necessity of governmental regulation is shown. In authors opinion the economic regulation of land market is the most important part of the system. Economic regulation mechanism is realized in correlation with economic land evaluation. Cadastre evaluation that is applied today does not reflect the true land value, but it is used as a basis for the land rent rat estimation and the initial selling price. The alternative way of land resource evaluation that is offered in the article reflects the change of country economic situation more real and is able to influence objectively on the land relations regulation decision making process.

Evaluating the effects of cognitive support on psychiatric clinical comprehension.

Science.gov (United States)

Dalai, Venkata V; Khalid, Sana; Gottipati, Dinesh; Kannampallil, Thomas; John, Vineeth; Blatter, Brett; Patel, Vimla L; Cohen, Trevor

2014-10-01

Clinicians' attention is a precious resource, which in the current healthcare practice is consumed by the cognitive demands arising from complex patient conditions, information overload, time pressure, and the need to aggregate and synthesize information from disparate sources. The ability to organize information in ways that facilitate the generation of effective diagnostic solutions is a distinguishing characteristic of expert physicians, suggesting that automated systems that organize clinical information in a similar manner may augment physicians' decision-making capabilities. In this paper, we describe the design and evaluation of a theoretically driven cognitive support system (CSS) that assists psychiatrists in their interpretation of clinical cases. The system highlights, and provides the means to navigate to, text that is organized in accordance with a set of diagnostically and therapeutically meaningful higher-level concepts. To evaluate the interface, 16 psychiatry residents interpreted two clinical case scenarios, with and without the CSS. Think-aloud protocols captured during their interpretation of the cases were transcribed and analyzed qualitatively. In addition, the frequency and relative position of content related to key higher-level concepts in a verbal summary of the case were evaluated. In addition the transcripts from both groups were compared to an expert derived reference standard using latent semantic analysis (LSA). Qualitative analysis showed that users of the system better attended to specific clinically important aspects of both cases when these were highlighted by the system, and revealed ways in which the system mediates hypotheses generation and evaluation. Analysis of the summary data showed differences in emphasis with and without the system. The LSA analysis suggested users of the system were more "expert-like" in their emphasis, and that cognitive support was more effective in the more complex case. Cognitive support impacts

The economics of health

OpenAIRE

Beck, V; Quinn, M; Dunn, A; Edmunds Otter, M; Hammer, N; Pitchforth, E

2008-01-01

Health economics has, in recent years, become a major area of research in economics. This important collection presents a careful selection of the best articles and is classified according to eight fields within health economics. It thus provides a comprehensive cross-section of the large and disparate literature on the subject. It forms, in a real sense, a book which will be invaluable for teachers and researchers who wish to have these frequently cited articles easily to hand. It will be es...

Revolution then evolution: the advance of health economic evaluation in Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Lopert, Ruth; Viney, Rosalie

2014-01-01

All governments face immense challenges in providing affordable healthcare for their citizens, and the diffusion of novel health technologies is a key driver of growth in expenditure for many. Although important methodological and process variations exist around the world, health economic evaluation is increasingly seen as an important tool to support decision-making around the introduction of new health technologies, interventions and programmes in countries of varying stages of economic development. In Australia, the assessment of the comparative cost-effectiveness of new medicines proposed for subsidy under the country's national drug subsidy programme, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, was introduced in the late 1980s and became mandatory in 1993, making Australia the first country to introduce such a requirement nationally. Since then the use of health economic evaluation has expanded and been applied to support decision-making across a broader range of health technologies, as well as to programmes in public health. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Economic aspects of rare diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Borski, Krzysztof

2015-01-01

Economic problems related to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases are presented paying particular attention to the costs of financing treatment, including the issue of its refund, which is a fundamental and difficult to solve economic problem of the health care system. Rare diseases, despite the low frequency of occurrence, together cover a large group of diseases being a serious medical, social and economic problem. The adoption of Polish National Plan for Rare Diseases resulting from the recommendations of the Council of the European Union, the extension of institutional activities related to the area of public health and social initiatives seeking innovative solutions to create a model of social support for patients and their families, with very high complexity of the issues regarding rare diseases, results in the need for a coherent, comprehensive, system operations and adoption of comprehensive solutions.

EVALUATION OF SMALL BUSINESS INFLUENCE ON THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE REGION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olena Zvarych

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the paper is to study the role and assess the small business development influence on the economic development of the region. Methods. Theoretical and methodological foundations of the research draw up the scientists’ works on the problems of economic development of the regions. During the scientific research, a complex of such methods was used: generalization and scientific abstraction – in order to specify the conceptualcategorical instrument and identify characteristics of the small business; monographic – in case of highlighting the scientists’ views on the investigated problems; comparative analysis – when identifying features of small business influence on the economic development of the region; mathematical modelling in economics – to develop the methodology for the evaluation of small business development influence on the economic development of the region. Results. Special aspects of small business functioning as a factor of the economic development of the region that accommodates economic growth, the improvement of the product quality and social indicators of development, formation of the middle class, decrease of the unemployment rate, increase of the population living standards are researched. The ambiguity of approaches to the small business definition is established, the characteristic feature of which, in most cases, is the number of employees. However, the small business is distinguished for industrial enterprises and service-oriented companies, based on the structure of management, and also taking into account the self-regulation of small enterprises or their relations to the large enterprises or industrial group of companies. It is established that criteria for the evaluation of the efficiency of small business enterprises can be: increase in the entrepreneurship development rates, minimization of material and social losses of the society, increasing the share of small business in GDP formation

Comprehensive visual impairment evaluation for cerebral palsy children

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ping Wang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available AIM: To evaluate the visual impairment in cerebral palsy children with series objective indicators, and conclude their clinical features of visual function.METHODS: Objective tests including following pursuing test, optokinetic nystagmus(OKNdrum test, refractive error examination, fundus examination, ocular deviation examination, pattern visual evoked potential(P-VEPtests and brain magnetic resonance imaging(MRIwere carried out in 43 cerebral palsy children(86 eyeswith ocular visual dysfunction; The visual impairment data of the cerebral palsy children were collected, and the clinical features and possible mechanism were analyzed.RESULTS: 1. Of the 43 cerebral palsy children(86 eyeswith the visual impairment presented diversified, 25(50 eyes, 58.1%of refractive error, 24(48 eyes, 55.8%of strabismus, 12(24 eyes, 27.9%with nystagmus, 19(38 eyes, 44.2%of optical nerve atrophy or hyperplasia, 35(70 eyes, 81.4%of VEP abnormality. Among children with spastic cerebral palsy, the incidence of visual impairment was statistically significant difference compared with other groups(PP>0.05, no nystagmus in patients with severe occipital cortex damage.CONCLUSION: Cerebral palsy children were usually with visual impairment, and presented with special clinical features; Comprehensive objective visual tests are accurate and reliable for evaluation of the visual function in cerebral palsy children.

Valuing Our Communities: Ethical Considerations for Economic Evaluation of Community-Based Prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

Crowley, Max; Jones, Damon

2017-12-01

Restricted public budgets and increasing efforts to link the impact of community interventions to public savings have increased the use of economic evaluation. While this type of evaluation can be important for program planning, it also raises important ethical issues about how we value the time of local stakeholders who support community interventions. In particular, researchers navigate issues of scientific accuracy, institutional inequality, and research utility in their pursuit of even basic cost estimates. We provide an example of how we confronted these issues when estimating the costs of a large-scale community-based intervention. Principles for valuing community members' time and conducting economic evaluations of community programs are discussed. © Society for Community Research and Action 2017.

[Performance of self-help groups and their economic evaluation].

Science.gov (United States)

Engelhardt, H D; Trojan, A; Nickel, S

2009-01-01

Hoffmann von Fallersleben is quoted with the sentence "Self-help is worthwhile, because it does not demand anything from others". This sounds catchy; it is, however, wrong: Self-help groups ask for support, particularly for financial resources for the work of either individual, highly organized self-help associations or for general support of self-help groups via local contact and information centers ("contact points for self-help groups"). With this request for economic "investments" in self-help, the question arises whether this is profitable for the country, the local authority or the social health insurance. In principle, the initial answer to this is: yes, the work of self-help groups is worthwhile for a single person, but also for the larger community, as various kinds of services are provided by self-help groups and organizations. Despite many surveys of members or co-operation partners which show positive effects of self-help groups, the question remains whether services of self-help groups can be measured and economically evaluated. The socio- political question regarding funding is closely connected to the idea of an economic evaluation of self-help groups. The aim of this article is to summarize and discuss which empiric approaches and findings are available on this subject. The monetary value for the work done per member of self-help groups and year lies between approximately 700 and 900 EUR.

Study Concerning the Measure of Using Accounting, Economical and Administrative Evaluation in Practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dreghiciu Andreea Elena

2017-01-01

Starting from the purpose for which the evaluation is requested, this can be accountingevaluation, administrative evaluation and respectively economical – financial evaluation. Thepurpose of accounting evaluation is to elaborate financial reports, and administrative, economicaland financial evaluations have the purpose of determining the market value for different reasons.

The impact of economic evaluation on quality management in spine surgery.

Science.gov (United States)

Boos, Norbert

2009-08-01

Health care expenditures are substantially increasing within the last two decades prompting the imperative need for economic evaluations in health care. Historically, economic evaluations in health care have been carried out by four approaches: (1) the human-capital approach (HCA), (2) cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA), (3) cost-utility analysis (CUA) and (4) cost-benefit analysis (CBA). While the HCA cannot be recommended because of methodological shortcomings, CEA and CUA have been used frequently in healthcare. In CEA, costs are measured in monetary terms and health effects are measured in a non-monetary unit, e.g. number of successfully treated patients. In an attempt to develop an effectiveness measure that incorporates effects on both quantity and quality of life, so-called Quality Adjusted Life Years (QUALYs) were introduced. Contingent valuation surveys are used in cost-benefit analyses (CBA) to elicit the consumer's monetary valuations for program benefits by applying the willingness-to-pay approach. A distinguished feature of CBA is that costs and benefits are expressed in the same units of value, i.e. money. Only recently, economic evaluations have started to explore various spinal interventions particularly the very expensive fusion operations. While most of the studies used CEA or CUA approaches, CBAs are still rare. Most studies fail to show that sophisticated spinal interventions are more cost-effective than conventional treatments. In spite of the lack of therapeutic or cost-effectiveness for most spinal surgeries, there is rapidly growing spinal implant market demonstrating market imperfection and information asymmetry. A change can only be anticipated when physicians start to focus on the improvement of health care quality as documented by outcome research and economic evaluations of cost-effectiveness and net benefits.

Evaluating the transport, health and economic impacts of new urban cycling infrastructure in Sydney, Australia - protocol paper.

Science.gov (United States)

Rissel, Chris; Greaves, Stephen; Wen, Li Ming; Capon, Anthony; Crane, Melanie; Standen, Chris

2013-10-17

There are repeated calls to build better cycling paths in Australian cities if the proportion of people cycling is to increase. Yet the full range of transport, health, environmental and economic impacts of new cycling infrastructure and the extent to which observed changes are sustained is not well understood. The City of Sydney is currently building a new bicycle network, which includes a new bicycle path separated from road traffic in the south Sydney area. This protocol paper describes a comprehensive method to evaluate this new cycling infrastructure. A cohort of residents within two kilometres of the new bicycle path will be surveyed at baseline before a new section of bicycle path is built, and again 12 and 24 months later to assess changes in travel behaviour, sense of community, quality of life and health behaviours. Residents in a comparable area of Sydney that will not get a new separated bike path will act as a comparison group. At baseline a sub-set of residents who volunteer will also take a small GPS device with them for one week to assess travel behaviour. This research should contribute to the advancement in evaluation and appraisal methods for cycling projects.

Model‐based economic evaluations in smoking cessation and their transferability to new contexts: a systematic review

Science.gov (United States)

Berg, Marrit L.; Cheung, Kei Long; Hiligsmann, Mickaël; Evers, Silvia; de Kinderen, Reina J. A.; Kulchaitanaroaj, Puttarin

2017-01-01

Abstract Aims To identify different types of models used in economic evaluations of smoking cessation, analyse the quality of the included models examining their attributes and ascertain their transferability to a new context. Methods A systematic review of the literature on the economic evaluation of smoking cessation interventions published between 1996 and April 2015, identified via Medline, EMBASE, National Health Service (NHS) Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED), Health Technology Assessment (HTA). The checklist‐based quality of the included studies and transferability scores was based on the European Network of Health Economic Evaluation Databases (EURONHEED) criteria. Studies that were not in smoking cessation, not original research, not a model‐based economic evaluation, that did not consider adult population and not from a high‐income country were excluded. Findings Among the 64 economic evaluations included in the review, the state‐transition Markov model was the most frequently used method (n = 30/64), with quality adjusted life years (QALY) being the most frequently used outcome measure in a life‐time horizon. A small number of the included studies (13 of 64) were eligible for EURONHEED transferability checklist. The overall transferability scores ranged from 0.50 to 0.97, with an average score of 0.75. The average score per section was 0.69 (range = 0.35–0.92). The relative transferability of the studies could not be established due to a limitation present in the EURONHEED method. Conclusion All existing economic evaluations in smoking cessation lack in one or more key study attributes necessary to be fully transferable to a new context. PMID:28060453

Model-based economic evaluations in smoking cessation and their transferability to new contexts: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Berg, Marrit L; Cheung, Kei Long; Hiligsmann, Mickaël; Evers, Silvia; de Kinderen, Reina J A; Kulchaitanaroaj, Puttarin; Pokhrel, Subhash

2017-06-01

To identify different types of models used in economic evaluations of smoking cessation, analyse the quality of the included models examining their attributes and ascertain their transferability to a new context. A systematic review of the literature on the economic evaluation of smoking cessation interventions published between 1996 and April 2015, identified via Medline, EMBASE, National Health Service (NHS) Economic Evaluation Database (NHS EED), Health Technology Assessment (HTA). The checklist-based quality of the included studies and transferability scores was based on the European Network of Health Economic Evaluation Databases (EURONHEED) criteria. Studies that were not in smoking cessation, not original research, not a model-based economic evaluation, that did not consider adult population and not from a high-income country were excluded. Among the 64 economic evaluations included in the review, the state-transition Markov model was the most frequently used method (n = 30/64), with quality adjusted life years (QALY) being the most frequently used outcome measure in a life-time horizon. A small number of the included studies (13 of 64) were eligible for EURONHEED transferability checklist. The overall transferability scores ranged from 0.50 to 0.97, with an average score of 0.75. The average score per section was 0.69 (range = 0.35-0.92). The relative transferability of the studies could not be established due to a limitation present in the EURONHEED method. All existing economic evaluations in smoking cessation lack in one or more key study attributes necessary to be fully transferable to a new context. © 2017 The Authors. Addiction published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society for the Study of Addiction.

Evaluation of undrilled prospects. Sensitivity to economic and geological factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hermanrud, C.; Abrahamsen, K.; Vollset, J.; Nordahl, S.; Jourdan, C.

1996-01-01

Economic prospect evaluation at an early stage involves personnel with different skills, such as geoscientists, reservoir engineers, construction engineers and economists. Data are transferred between these groups of people who often have only a vague understanding of the accuracy of the data they receive. This lack of communication naturally limits the correctness of the results. To improve this communication, the complete process of prospect evaluation (including both geological and economical aspects) has been followed here in order to show the different data sets that are transferred and to comment upon their accuracy. Although this paper is based entirely on Statoil's methodology, it is nevertheless believed to be of general relevance. In Statoil's methodology, prospect volumes calculated by geoscientists are given as likelihood distributions. Post-drilling examination of such volume distributions show that historically they have been too optimistic. However, historical prospect risking has correctly identified the most important risk factors and has been able to separate low-risk from high-risk prospects in a satisfactory manner. The number of appraisal wells that are needed before the development of a field can be decided upon is often crucial to the economic evaluations. This number, however, is usually underestimated during the early stages of exploration, probably because data limitations mask reservoir heterogeneities. Reservoir performance is of utmost importance to early economic calculations as it influences both the drilling costs and the production of hydrocarbons vs. time. Of course, reservoir productivity is highly uncertain when judged prior to drilling the first well. Historical data show that reserve estimates of producing fields tend to be upgraded as reservoir depletion proceeds, although several fields have had their reserve estimates downgraded shortly after production start-up. The operational and investment costs are not generally

Economic evaluation of seawater desalination by using SMART in the MENA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Hyo Sung; Roh, Myung Sub

2013-01-01

This paper show the economic evaluation of seawater desalination in the MENA(Middle East and North Africa) by using nuclear source. Especially the evaluation of economics is performed based on comparing the SMART(System integrated Modular Advanced Reactor) developed in Korea with general Combined Cycle Gas Turbine. Taken the economic analysis together, the most important issues for economic feasibility are the management of the construction cost. SMART have a competitive when the construction cost is 3,000$/kWe. Thus plan for the management of the target construction cost will be reflected in the design process like a notion of modularity and mass production methods. Another way is the design optimization of SMART and facility of desalination in a view of the mechanical properties. In other words, it is a way to design improvements for eliminating or sharing of duplicate functions between SMART and desalination facility and maximization the efficiency of energy use. Finally, construction cost can be rationalized by reduce the construction lead time. The potential weakness of SMART is the long construction lead time as compared with alternative. Moreover considering the SMART is suitable for the country which is expected to have the most rapid economic growth in the near future, the construction lead time should be shorten. Managing these concepts to reduce the construction cost is enough to compensate for a disadvantage in power cost and water cost comparing with combined cycle

Economic evaluation of seawater desalination by using SMART in the MENA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Hyo Sung; Roh, Myung Sub [KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School, Ulsan (Korea, Republic of)

2013-10-15

This paper show the economic evaluation of seawater desalination in the MENA(Middle East and North Africa) by using nuclear source. Especially the evaluation of economics is performed based on comparing the SMART(System integrated Modular Advanced Reactor) developed in Korea with general Combined Cycle Gas Turbine. Taken the economic analysis together, the most important issues for economic feasibility are the management of the construction cost. SMART have a competitive when the construction cost is 3,000$/kWe. Thus plan for the management of the target construction cost will be reflected in the design process like a notion of modularity and mass production methods. Another way is the design optimization of SMART and facility of desalination in a view of the mechanical properties. In other words, it is a way to design improvements for eliminating or sharing of duplicate functions between SMART and desalination facility and maximization the efficiency of energy use. Finally, construction cost can be rationalized by reduce the construction lead time. The potential weakness of SMART is the long construction lead time as compared with alternative. Moreover considering the SMART is suitable for the country which is expected to have the most rapid economic growth in the near future, the construction lead time should be shorten. Managing these concepts to reduce the construction cost is enough to compensate for a disadvantage in power cost and water cost comparing with combined cycle.

Vacuum boilers developed heating surfaces technic and economic efficiency evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Slobodina, E. N.; Mikhailov, A. G.; Semenov, B. A.

2018-01-01

The vacuum boilers as manufacturing proto types application analysis was carried out, the possible directions for the heating surfaces development are identified with a view to improving the energy efficiency. Economic characteristics to evaluate the vacuum boilers application efficiency (Net Discounted Income (NDI), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Profitability Index (PI) and Payback Period) are represented. The given type boilers application technic and economic efficiency criteria were established. NDI changing curves depending on the finning coefficient and operating pressure were obtained as a result of the conducted calculation studies.

Systematic review of economic evaluation analyses of available vaccines in Spain from 1990 to 2012.

Science.gov (United States)

Cortés, Isabel; Pérez-Camarero, Santiago; Del Llano, Juan; Peña, Luz María; Hidalgo-Vega, Alvaro

2013-08-02

The objective of this survey was to describe the evolution of economic evaluation studies on vaccines available in Spain. We conducted a systematic review of the economic evaluations published by Spanish researchers in major bibliographic databases available online from 1990 to 2012. For all references identified, we limited them to full economic evaluation carried out in Spanish vaccine programs. The following variables were analyzed: type of study, year of publication, vaccine evaluated, the herd immunity and the main methodological aspects proposed by international guidelines. The type of vaccines studied were Hepatitis A and B, Rotavirus, Influenza, Varicella, Tetanus, Measles, Human papillomavirus, Streptococcus pneumoniae infection and Neisseria meningitides serogroup C infection. A total of 34 references was included in the study. The number of economic evaluations has been increasing over the years by 86%. For many of the vaccines there were no economic evaluations, while others such as the vaccine against S. pneumoniae infection took up most of the studies. The non-vaccinated comparison was the most used strategy. The cost-effectiveness model was selected in 60% of cases. The most common health outcome was "cost per case prevented" and in 82% of the studies did not consider herd immunity. The results showed a cost-effectiveness ratio which was below breakeven. It is clear that the existence of a huge gap in this kind of work compared to other countries. Although the quality of the work discussed here was significant, we found many areas which could be improved. The reviewed literature exposed the great benefit of vaccination for society by analysing the health outcomes achieved for decades since its implementation. However, the evidence on the efficiency and effectiveness vaccination is not very high, and there are few studies about economic evaluation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Engineering Your Own Superbug: A Useful Assignment to Evaluate Real Learning Comprehension in Microbiology Classes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yun-Chi Chen

2013-08-01

Full Text Available The learning comprehension of students in microbiology classes is not easy to evaluate, particularly when the student population is diverse in terms of backgrounds, majors, levels of training and preparedness, and the students’ expectations and enthusiasm for the class. It is difficult to design a one-size-fits-all exam that best suits a mixed student population; and most traditional assignments/case studies focusing on particular microbes or topics might not readily assess students’ overall understanding and learning comprehension. It is important to develop an assessment method that not only can engage students in active learning and deliberate practice but can also promote their imaginative and creative potential. The word “superbugs” often appears in the media and refers to some deadly or drug-resistant microbes. These superbugs possess special phenotypic and functional attributes that constitute their “superness.” It is predicted that more new surprising superbugs will emerge in the future and students should be challenged now with some mindstimulating ideas and exercises in their microbiology class. To develop a supplementary tool to evaluate students’ comprehension and to prepare them for the predicted superbugs unknown to us, a writing project entitled “Constructing Your Own Superbug” was designed to achieve these goals.

78 FR 36753 - North Atlantic Coast Comprehensive Study

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-19

... Disaster Relief Appropriations Act, Public Law 113-2, are to (1) reduce flood risk to vulnerable coastal... measure. The Comprehensive Study will also include storm suite modeling, coastal GIS analyses, economic...

Evaluation the potential economic impacts of Taiwanese biomass energy production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Chi-Chung; McCarl, Bruce; Chang, Ching-Cheng; Tso, Chunto

2011-01-01

The Taiwanese rice paddy land set-aside program diverts a substantial land area. Given today's high energy prices and interests in energy security, that set-aside area could be converted to produce bioenergy feedstocks. This study evaluates the economic and environmental impacts of such a policy change using a Taiwanese agricultural sector model. The results show that such a strategy provides increased farm revenue, increased rural employment, increased energy sufficiency and reduced greenhouse gas emissions but also increased government expenditures. These outcomes indicate that the agricultural sector could play a positive role by producing renewable energy. -- Highlights: → This paper evaluates the economic and environmental impacts of converting set-aside area to produce bioenergy feedstocks. → Taiwanese agricultural sector model is built and applied to evaluate such impacts. → The empirical results show that producing bioenergy using set-aside area could provide increased farm revenue, increased rural employment, increased energy sufficiency and reduced greenhouse gas emissions but also increased government expenditures. → Agricultural sector in Taiwan could play a positive role by producing renewable energy.

Writing, Evaluating and Assessing Data Response Items in Economics.

Science.gov (United States)

Trotman-Dickenson, D. I.

1989-01-01

Describes some of the problems in writing data response items in economics for use by A Level and General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) students. Examines the experience of two series of workshops on writing items, evaluating them and assessing responses from schools. Offers suggestions for producing packages of data response items as…

Economic Modelling in Institutional Economic Theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wadim Strielkowski

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Our paper is centered around the formation of theory of institutional modelling that includes principles and ideas reflecting the laws of societal development within the framework of institutional economic theory. We scrutinize and discuss the scientific principles of this institutional modelling that are increasingly postulated by the classics of institutional theory and find their way into the basics of the institutional economics. We propose scientific ideas concerning the new innovative approaches to institutional modelling. These ideas have been devised and developed on the basis of the results of our own original design, as well as on the formalisation and measurements of economic institutions, their functioning and evolution. Moreover, we consider the applied aspects of the institutional theory of modelling and employ them in our research for formalizing our results and maximising the practical outcome of our paper. Our results and findings might be useful for the researchers and stakeholders searching for the systematic and comprehensive description of institutional level modelling, the principles involved in this process and the main provisions of the institutional theory of economic modelling.