Anomaly manifestation of Lieb-Schultz-Mattis theorem and topological phases

Science.gov (United States)

Cho, Gil Young; Hsieh, Chang-Tse; Ryu, Shinsei

2017-11-01

The Lieb-Schultz-Mattis (LSM) theorem dictates that emergent low-energy states from a lattice model cannot be a trivial symmetric insulator if the filling per unit cell is not integral and if the lattice translation symmetry and particle number conservation are strictly imposed. In this paper, we compare the one-dimensional gapless states enforced by the LSM theorem and the boundaries of one-higher dimensional strong symmetry-protected topological (SPT) phases from the perspective of quantum anomalies. We first note that they can both be described by the same low-energy effective field theory with the same effective symmetry realizations on low-energy modes, wherein non-on-site lattice translation symmetry is encoded as if it were an internal symmetry. In spite of the identical form of the low-energy effective field theories, we show that the quantum anomalies of the theories play different roles in the two systems. In particular, we find that the chiral anomaly is equivalent to the LSM theorem, whereas there is another anomaly that is not related to the LSM theorem but is intrinsic to the SPT states. As an application, we extend the conventional LSM theorem to multiple-charge multiple-species problems and construct several exotic symmetric insulators. We also find that the (3+1)d chiral anomaly provides only the perturbative stability of the gaplessness local in the parameter space.

Leveraging network utility management practices for regulatory purposes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-11-01

Electric utilities around the globe are entering a phase where they must modernize and implement smart grid technologies. In order to optimize system architecture, asset replacement, and future operating costs, it the utilities must implement robust and flexible asset management structures. This report discussed the ways in which regulators assess investment plans. It focused on the implicit or explicit use of an asset management approach, including principles; processes; input and outputs; decision-making criteria and prioritization methods. The Ontario Energy Board staff were familiarized with the principles and objectives of established and emerging asset management processes and underlying analytic processes, systems and tools in order to ensure that investment information provided by network utilities regarding rates and other applications could be evaluated effectively. Specifically, the report discussed the need for and importance of asset management and provided further details of international markets and their regulatory approaches to asset management. The report also discussed regulatory approaches for review of asset management underlying investment plans as well as an overview of international regulatory practice for review of network utility asset management. It was concluded that options for strengthening regulatory guidance and assessment included utilizing appropriate and effective benchmarking to assess, promote and provide incentives for best practices and steer clear of the potential perverse incentives. 21 tabs., 17 figs., 1 appendix.

Prudent management of utility assets -- Problem or promise?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatch, D.; Serwinowski, M.

1998-01-01

As utilities move into a deregulated market, the extent and nature of their asset base, as well as, the manner in which they have managed it, may play a key factor in the form of regulatory recovery. Utilities must face the issue of stranded assets. One form of addressing this issue is using ''EVA'', Economic Value Added as a mechanism to form financial models for prudent asset management. The authors present an approach to this challenging aspect of deregulation. They focus on the following utility assets: buildings/facilities, and excess real physical assets. Primarily focusing on Niagara Mohawk, two or three case studies are used to demonstrate how proactive management and EVA analysis transforms underperforming utility assets. These will be presented in a way that can show benefits for all utility stakeholders such as cost avoidance, load growth, real estate tax savings, stranded asset reductions, environmental gains, corporate image enhancement, and regulatory/governmental gains; over and above possible economic gains. Examples will be given that include the transformation of utility assets into award winning commercial, residential, and industrial developments as well as recreational/park lands and greenways. Similarly, other examples will show the many tangible and intangible benefits of an effective investment recovery and waste stream management program. Various strategies will also be presented that detail how utilities can begin to develop a total comprehensive plan for their asset portfolio. The first step in realizing and maximizing EVA towards a portfolio of assets is a change in corporate policy--one from passive ownership to active prudent management. Service and cost will drive competition resulting from full deregulation. To drive down costs, utilities will need to become more efficient in dealing with their asset base. By embracing an EVA model on an entire asset portfolio, utilities can prepare and excel in the newly shaped marketplace

Utilities' view on the fuel management of nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Held, C.; Moraw, G.; Schneeberger, M.; Szeless, A.

1977-01-01

Utilities engagement in nuclear power requires an increasing amount of fuel management activities by the utilities in order to meet all tasks involved. These activities comprise essentially two main areas: - activities to secure the procurement of all steps of the fuel cycle from the head to the back end; - activities related to the incore fuel managment. A general survey of the different steps of the nuclear fuel cycle is presented together with the related activities and responsibilities which have to be realized by the utilities. Starting in the past, today's increasing utility involvement in the nuclear fuel management is shown, as well as future fuel management trends. The scope of utilities' fuel management activities is analyzed with respect to organizational aspects, technical aspects, safeguarding aspects, and financial aspects. Utilities taking active part in the fuel management serves to achieve high availability and flexibility of the nuclear power plant during the whole plant life as well as safe waste isolation. This can be assured by continuous optimization of all fuel management aspects of the power plant or on a larger scale of a power plant system, i.e., utility activities to minimize the effects of fuel cycle on the environment, which includes optimization of fuel behaviour, radiation exposure to public and personnel, and utility technical and economic evaluations of out- and incore fuel management. These activities of nuclear power producing utilities in the field of nuclear fuel cycle are together with a close cooperation with fuel industry as well as national and international authorities a necessary basis for the further utilization of nuclear power

Establishing benchmarks and metrics for utilization management.

Science.gov (United States)

Melanson, Stacy E F

2014-01-01

The changing environment of healthcare reimbursement is rapidly leading to a renewed appreciation of the importance of utilization management in the clinical laboratory. The process of benchmarking of laboratory operations is well established for comparing organizational performance to other hospitals (peers) and for trending data over time through internal benchmarks. However, there are relatively few resources available to assist organizations in benchmarking for laboratory utilization management. This article will review the topic of laboratory benchmarking with a focus on the available literature and services to assist in managing physician requests for laboratory testing. © 2013.

Practical constraints on fuel management a utility perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grier, C.A.

1986-01-01

The practical and potential constraints of performing fuel management at a large utility are reviewed. Based on approximately six years of experience in performing fuel management the constraints due to commercial, technical, utility system, design methods, and personnel and computer resources are discussed in detail

Drug utilization research and risk management

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Mazzaglia, Giampiero; Mol, Peter G. M.; Elseviers, Monique; Wettermark, Björn; Almarsdóttir, Anna Birna; Andersen, Morten; Benko, Ria; Bennie, Marion; Eriksson, Irene; Godman, Brian; Krska, Janet; Poluzzi, Elisabetta; Taxis, Katja; Vlahovic-Palcevski, Vera; Stichele, Robert Vander

2016-01-01

Good risk management requires continuous evaluation and improvement of planned activities. The evaluation impact of risk management activities requires robust study designs and carefully selected outcome measures. Key learnings and caveats from drug utilization research should be applied to the

Calculating cost savings in utilization management.

Science.gov (United States)

MacMillan, Donna

2014-01-01

A major motivation for managing the utilization of laboratory testing is to reduce the cost of medical care. For this reason it is important to understand the basic principles of cost accounting in the clinical laboratory. The process of laboratory testing includes three distinct components termed the pre-analytic, analytic and post-analytic phases. Utilization management efforts may impact the cost structure of these three phases in different ways depending on the specific details of the initiative. Estimates of cost savings resulting from utilization management programs reported in the literature have often been fundamentally flawed due to a failure to understand basic concepts such as the difference between laboratory costs versus charges and the impact of reducing laboratory test volumes on the average versus marginal cost structure in the laboratory. This article will provide an overview of basic cost accounting principles in the clinical laboratory including both job order and process cost accounting. Specific examples will be presented to illustrate these concepts in various different scenarios. © 2013.

Managing change in nuclear utilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-07-01

The nuclear power industry has undergone change since inception, but never so much as now. The rewards for proactively changing in anticipation of emerging demands are great, but the cost of failure is also great. Today nuclear plants are being shut down by socio-political and economic processes. The survival of the technology as a clean energy source for the future depends on the demonstration of long term safety to the public, protection of the environment, and economic superiority to competing energy sources. The overriding influence on these factors is strong management of the business with effective regulation. In particular it is necessary for both utility and regulator to believe that enhancing safety is part of being successful. This publication has been developed for all levels of management who are developing and implementing changes within their areas of responsibility. The safety conscious, continuous improvement, management culture, which has proven successful in today's nuclear business, has taken time to develop. Many utilities have difficulty sustaining this culture during the transitions that are intrinsic to change. Properly managed however, changes can enhance nuclear safety, plant reliability and cost competitiveness, from the design stage to decommissioning. Change has no respect for timing and regardless of the level of experience managers may have in its management, large scale change is confronting every nuclear utility world wide. These take the form of government policy changes, open market demands, privatization with the demand for increased shareholder returns, regulatory and social pressures, and economic and political transition. The danger from such issues for the nuclear company executive and the regulator is that they are powerful distractions, particularly for those executives who are not experienced in the unique managerial requirements of the nuclear business. This report gathers the experience of Member States into an array of

Managing change in nuclear utilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-07-01

The nuclear power industry has undergone change since inception, but never so much as now. The rewards for proactively changing in anticipation of emerging demands are great, but the cost of failure is also great. Today nuclear plants are being shut down by socio-political and economic processes. The survival of the technology as a clean energy source for the future depends on the demonstration of long term safety to the public, protection of the environment, and economic superiority to competing energy sources. The overriding influence on these factors is strong management of the business with effective regulation. In particular it is necessary for both utility and regulator to believe that enhancing safety is part of being successful. This publication has been developed for all levels of management who are developing and implementing changes within their areas of responsibility. The safety conscious, continuous improvement, management culture, which has proven successful in today's nuclear business, has taken time to develop. Many utilities have difficulty sustaining this culture during the transitions that are intrinsic to change. Properly managed however, changes can enhance nuclear safety, plant reliability and cost competitiveness, from the design stage to decommissioning. Change has no respect for timing and regardless of the level of experience managers may have in its management, large scale change is confronting every nuclear utility world wide. These take the form of government policy changes, open market demands, privatization with the demand for increased shareholder returns, regulatory and social pressures, and economic and political transition. The danger from such issues for the nuclear company executive and the regulator is that they are powerful distractions, particularly for those executives who are not experienced in the unique managerial requirements of the nuclear business. This report gathers the experience of Member States into an array of

Viewpoint of utilities regarding fuel management of nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Held, C.; Moraw, G.; Schneeberger, M.; Szeless, A.

1977-01-01

The engagement of utilities in nuclear power requires them to engage in an increasing amount of fuel management activities in order to carry out all the tasks involved. Essentially, these activities involve two main areas: The procurement of all steps of the fuel cycle from the head to the back end; and in-core fuel management. A general survey of the different steps of the nuclear fuel cycle is presented together with the related activities and responsibilities which have to be borne by the utilities. Today's increasing utility involvement in the nuclear fuel management is shown, as well as future fuel management trends. The fuel management activities of the utilities are analysed with respect to organizational, technical, safeguarding, and financial aspects. The active participation of the utilities in fuel management helps to achieve high availability and flexibility of the nuclear power plant during its whole life as well as safe waste isolation. This can be ensured by continuous optimization of all fuel management aspects of the power plant or, on a larger scale, of a power plant system, i.e. activities by utilities to minimize fuel-cycle effects on the environment, which include optimization of fuel behaviour, and radiation exposure to the public and personnel; and technical and economic evaluations by utilities of out- and in-core fuel management. (author)

Maintenance Management in Network Utilities Framework and Practical Implementation

CERN Document Server

Gómez Fernández, Juan F

2012-01-01

In order to satisfy the needs of their customers, network utilities require specially developed maintenance management capabilities. Maintenance Management information systems are essential to ensure control, gain knowledge and improve-decision making in companies dealing with network infrastructure, such as distribution of gas, water, electricity and telecommunications. Maintenance Management in Network Utilities studies specified characteristics of maintenance management in this sector to offer a practical approach to defining and implementing  the best management practices and suitable frameworks.   Divided into three major sections, Maintenance Management in Network Utilities defines a series of stages which can be followed to manage maintenance frameworks properly. Different case studies provide detailed descriptions which illustrate the experience in real company situations. An introduction to the concepts is followed by main sections including: • A Literature Review: covering the basic concepts an...

Fleet management tools for the utility industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Caywood, J. [Terex Telelect, Watertown, SD (United States)

2002-08-01

In order to enable fleet managers to make the appropriate decisions concerning buying, selling, renting, leasing or repairing vehicles, information about ownership and operating cost and utilization are important. Fleet management tools are now available in the heavy construction industry. The author describes one such fleet management services customized for the utility industry: FleetEdge. This system utilizes current and future technologies to enable the managers to take proactive or predictive approaches to fleet management. An example of a company that has opted for this system was reviewed: Reliant Energy-Houston Metro. The data collection process was explained. A mini-computer processor is fitted on the equipment, and the requested monitoring parameters in turn determine the variety of sensors and alarms to be selected. Location can also be monitored through the use of Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment. The parameters normally include low engine oil pressure, high engine operating temperature, high transmission operating temperature, high hydraulic oil temperature, engine hours. Wireless data transfer is effected via cellular or satellite networks. The data is then collected and checked for errors and format at a hub before going to the computer server through the Internet. Information is transmitted from the accounting system to fleet management service through a secure interface. The data is then configured to meet the client's needs. It results in up to date, understandable information to the client. Equipment utilization, downtime and cost by machine or category is easily accessible and printed if required. Fleet equipment status is provided, as well as hourly cost analysis. Other reports are also available. 2 tabs., 2 figs.

Managing the nuclear utility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, J.W. Jr.

1985-01-01

The Florida Power and Light Company (FP and L) is the fifth largest investor-owned utility in the country. The success of nuclear power generation at the St. Lucie Units 1 and 2 and Turkey Point Units 3 and 4 has resulted from a continuing management commitment to the nuclear program. The management of the power plants rely strongly on teamwork for most large projects and activities whether they entail plant operation, construction, or maintenance. Various examples of how teamwork has been used to realize the successful completion of projects or solutions to problems are given

Effective utilization and management of research reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muranaka, R [International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria). Div. of Research and Isotopes

1984-06-01

The problem of utilizing a research reactor effectively is closely related to its management and therefore should not be considered separately. Too often, attention has been focused on specific techniques and methods rather than on the overall programme of utilization, with the result that skills and equipment have been acquired without any active continuing programme of applications and services. The seminar reported here provided a forum for reactor managers, users, and operators to discuss their experience. At the invitation of the Government of Malaysia, it was held at the Asia Pacific Development Centre, Kuala Lumpur, from 7 to 11 November 1983. It was attended by about 50 participants from 19 Member States; it is hoped that a report on the seminar, including papers presented, can be published and thus reach a wider audience. Thirty-one lectures and contributions were presented at a total of seven sessions: Research reactor management; Radiation exposure and safety; Research reactor utilization (two sessions); PUSPATI Research Reactor Project Development; Core conversion to low-enriched uranium, and safeguards; Research reactor technology. In addition, a panel discussed the causes and resolutions of the under-utilization of research reactors.

Effective utilization and management of research reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muranaka, R.

1984-01-01

The problem of utilizing a research reactor effectively is closely related to its management and therefore should not be considered separately. Too often, attention has been focused on specific techniques and methods rather than on the overall programme of utilization, with the result that skills and equipment have been acquired without any active continuing programme of applications and services. The seminar reported here provided a forum for reactor managers, users, and operators to discuss their experience. At the invitation of the Government of Malaysia, it was held at the Asia Pacific Development Centre, Kuala Lumpur, from 7 to 11 November 1983. It was attended by about 50 participants from 19 Member States; it is hoped that a report on the seminar, including papers presented, can be published and thus reach a wider audience. Thirty-one lectures and contributions were presented at a total of seven sessions: Research reactor management; Radiation exposure and safety; Research reactor utilization (two sessions); PUSPATI Research Reactor Project Development; Core conversion to low-enriched uranium, and safeguards; Research reactor technology. In addition, a panel discussed the causes and resolutions of the under-utilization of research reactors

A bayesian approach to laboratory utilization management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ronald G Hauser

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Laboratory utilization management describes a process designed to increase healthcare value by altering requests for laboratory services. A typical approach to monitor and prioritize interventions involves audits of laboratory orders against specific criteria, defined as rule-based laboratory utilization management. This approach has inherent limitations. First, rules are inflexible. They adapt poorly to the ambiguity of medical decision-making. Second, rules judge the context of a decision instead of the patient outcome allowing an order to simultaneously save a life and break a rule. Third, rules can threaten physician autonomy when used in a performance evaluation. Methods: We developed an alternative to rule-based laboratory utilization. The core idea comes from a formula used in epidemiology to estimate disease prevalence. The equation relates four terms: the prevalence of disease, the proportion of positive tests, test sensitivity and test specificity. When applied to a laboratory utilization audit, the formula estimates the prevalence of disease (pretest probability [PTP] in the patients tested. The comparison of PTPs among different providers, provider groups, or patient cohorts produces an objective evaluation of laboratory requests. We demonstrate the model in a review of tests for enterovirus (EV meningitis. Results: The model identified subpopulations within the cohort with a low prevalence of disease. These low prevalence groups shared demographic and seasonal factors known to protect against EV meningitis. This suggests too many orders occurred from patients at low risk for EV. Conclusion: We introduce a new method for laboratory utilization management programs to audit laboratory services.

U.S. electric utility demand-side management 1995

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

The US Electric Utility Demand-Side Management report is prepared by the Coal and Electric Data and Renewables Division; Office of Coal, Nuclear, Electric and Alternative Fuels; Energy Information Administration (EIA); US Department of Energy. The report presents comprehensive information on electric power industry demand-side management (DSM) activities in the US at the national, regional, and utility levels. The objective of the publication is to provide industry decision makers, government policy makers, analysts, and the general public with historical data that may be used in understanding DSM as it relates to the US electric power industry. The first chapter, ''Profile: US Electric Utility Demand-Side Management'', presents a general discussion of DSM, its history, current issues, and a review of key statistics for the year. Subsequent chapters present discussions and more detailed data on energy savings, peak load reductions and costs attributable to DSM. 9 figs., 24 tabs

Knowledge management implementation and the tools utilized in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Knowledge management implementation and the tools utilized in healthcare for ... a knowledge driven process and thus knowledge management and the tools to ... health record systems, communities of practice and advanced care planning.

1980 survey and evaluation of utility conservation, load management, and solar end-use projects. Volume 3: utility load management projects. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1982-01-01

The results of the 1980 survey of electric utility-sponsored energy conservation, load management, and end-use solar energy conversion projects are described. The work is an expansion of a previous survey and evaluation and has been jointly sponsored by EPRI and DOE through the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. There are three volumes and a summary document. Each volume presents the results of an extensive survey to determine electric utility involvement in customer-side projects related to the particular technology (i.e., conservation, solar, or load management), selected descriptions of utility projects and results, and first-level technical and economic evaluations.

42 CFR 423.153 - Drug utilization management, quality assurance, and medication therapy management programs (MTMPs).

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT Cost Control and Quality Improvement Requirements § 423.153 Drug utilization... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Drug utilization management, quality assurance, and medication therapy management programs (MTMPs). 423.153 Section 423.153 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE...

Impact of HMO ownership on management processes and utilization outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahern, M; Molinari, C

2001-05-01

To examine the effects of health maintenance organization (HMO) ownership characteristics on selected utilization outcomes and management processes affecting utilization. We used 1995 HMO data from the American Association of Health Plans. Using regression analysis, we examined the relation between HMO utilization (hospital discharges, days, and average length of stay; cardiac catheterization procedures; and average cost of outpatient prescriptions) and the structural characteristics of HMOs: ownership type (insurance company, hospital, physician, independent, and national managed care company), HMO size, for-profit status, model type, geographic region, and payer mix. HMO ownership type is significantly associated with medical management processes, including risk sharing by providers, risk sharing by consumers, and other management strategies. Relative to hospital-owned HMOs, insurance company-owned HMOs have fewer hospital discharges, fewer hospital days, and longer lengths of stay. National managed care organization-owned HMOs have fewer cardiac catheterizations and lower average outpatient prescription costs. Independently owned HMOs have more cardiac catheterizations. For-profit HMOs have lower prescription costs. Relative to hospital-owned HMOs, insurance company-owned HMOs are more likely to use hospital risk sharing and provider capitation and less likely to use out-of-pocket payments for hospital use and a closed formulary. National managed care organization-owned HMOs are less likely to use provider capitation, out-of-pocket payments for hospital use, catastrophic case management, and hospital risk sharing. Physician-hospital-owned HMOs are less likely to use catastrophic case management. For-profit HMOs are more likely to use hospital risk sharing and catastrophic case management. HMO ownership type affects utilization outcomes and management strategies.

Utilization and management of alder.

Science.gov (United States)

David G. Briggs; Dean S. DeBell; William A. Atkinson

1978-01-01

In the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia, red alder often grows on forest lands following natural or man-caused disturbances. Frequently ignored as a pest or weed, many alder stands have developed to the point where important utilization and management questions are being asked. It is recognized that alder is a fast growing species, and that its rapid early growth...

Accelerating experience : utility sector case studies in training and knowledge management

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trudel-Ferrari, C.C. [Kinectrics Inc., Toronto, ON (Canada)

2010-07-01

This paper discussed the development of effective training and knowledge management systems for recently hired personnel in electric utilities. Case studies of best practices from electric utilities in Ontario, consultants, and universities were used to develop an overview of current training practices. Methods of identifying, attracting, and recruiting personnel were presented and knowledge management and mentoring programs were discussed. The use of training programs in developing knowledge databases was also evaluated. Knowledge management formats included qualification training; simulation training; knowledge transfer; and curriculum development. Human resources, revenue, and management issues currently challenging electric utilities were discussed along with various new training practices. 2 refs., 3 tabs., 2 figs.

Electric utility load management: rational use of energy program pilot study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1977-08-01

In recognition of the role that load management can play in ensuring that the growing demand for electricity is met in a cost- and energy-efficient manner, in mid-1974, the NATO Committee on the Challenges of Modern Society sponsored all three meetings to provide a forum for representatives of U.S. and European utilities to exchange views and experiences on the various aspects of load management. It was the consensus of representatives at the meetings that three overall approaches offer significant opportunities for achieving improved load management: development of marginal-cost rate structures; power pooling and energy storage by utilities; and efforts by consumers. Industrial consumers can assist electric utilities in their efforts to level system loads through three important methods: interruptible power and deferred load control; peak self-generation; and shifts in operating schedules. Residential/commercial consumers also have an important role to play by managing both their electric heating load (through the interruption of direct-resistance heating and the storage of heat) and their air conditioning load. In response to the interest expressed by the participants in the CCMS conferences, the U.S. and several European governments, national electric utility industry organizations, state public utility commissions, and many individual utilities have undertaken R and D projects to investigate and test various aspects of these three approaches to load management. This report describes the projects that were presented by the utility representatives.

Asset Management for Water and Wastewater Utilities

Science.gov (United States)

Renewing and replacing the nation's public water infrastructure is an ongoing task. Asset management can help a utility maximize the value of its capital as well as its operations and maintenance dollars.

EPRI Guide to Managing Nuclear Utility Protective Clothing Programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelly, J.J.; Kelly, D.M.

1993-10-01

The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) commissioned a radioactive waste related project (RP2414-34) in 1989 to produce a guide for developing and managing nuclear plant protective clothing programs. Every nuclear facility must coordinate some type of protective clothing program for its radiation workers to ensure proper and safe protection for the wearer and to maintain control over the spread of contamination. Yet, every nuclear facility has developed its own unique program for managing such clothing. Accordingly, a need existed for a reference guide to assist with standardizing protective clothing programs and in controlling the potentially escalating economics of such programs. The initial Guide to Managing Nuclear Utility Protective Clothing Programs, NP-7309, was published in May 1991. Since that time, a number of utilities have reviewed and/or used the report to enhance their protective clothing programs. Some of these utilities requested that a computer program be developed to assist utilities in evaluating the economics of protective clothing programs consistent with the guidance in NP-7309. The PCEVAL computer code responds to that industry need. This report, the PCEVAL User's Manual, provides detailed instruction on use of the software

Development of a utility conflict management system.

Science.gov (United States)

2009-02-01

A critical process for the timely development and delivery of highway construction projects is the early : identification and depiction of utility interests that may interfere with proposed highway facilities. The : effective management of such utili...

Utilization management in radiology, part 2: perspectives and future directions.

Science.gov (United States)

Duszak, Richard; Berlin, Jonathan W

2012-10-01

Increased utilization of medical imaging in the early part of the last decade has resulted in numerous efforts to reduce associated spending. Recent initiatives have focused on managing utilization with radiology benefits managers and real-time order entry decision support systems. Although these approaches might seem mutually exclusive and their application to radiology appears unique, the historical convergence and broad acceptance of both programs within the pharmacy sector may offer parallels for their potential future in medical imaging. In this second installment of a two-part series, anticipated trends in radiology utilization management are reviewed. Perspectives on current and future potential roles of radiologists in such initiatives are discussed, particularly in light of emerging physician payment models. Copyright © 2012 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Light Duty Utility Arm computer software configuration management plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Philipp, B.L.

1998-01-01

This plan describes the configuration management for the Light Duty Utility Arm robotic manipulation arm control software. It identifies the requirement, associated documents, and the software control methodology. The Light Duty Utility Ann (LDUA) System is a multi-axis robotic manipulator arm and deployment vehicle, used to perform surveillance and characterization operations in support of remediation of defense nuclear wastes currently stored in the Hanford Underground Storage Tanks (USTs) through the available 30.5 cm (12 in.) risers. This plan describes the configuration management of the LDUA software

Improving Knowledge Management and Utilization of Research ...

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

Improving Knowledge Management and Utilization of Research Results in Ecohealth Projects. This study brings together lead investigators from 11 past and ongoing Ecohealth projects across Latin America who are interested in achieving better development outcomes guided by research results. Their collective ...

Water Utility Management Strategies in Turkey: The current situation and the challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Alp, E.; Aksoy, M. N.; Koçer, B.

2013-12-01

As the effects of climate change becomes more prominent, current challenges related to water and wastewater management is becoming more serious. Providing water that satisfies environmental and safety standards in terms of quantity and quality is needed to maintain human life without compromising the need of future generations. Besides providing safe and affordable water, necessary treatment should be achieved according to several important factors such as receiving body standards, discharge standards, water reuse options. Therefore, management of water becomes more crucial than ever that states have to provide accessibility of safe water with affordable cost to its citizens with the means of effective utility management, including water treatment facilities, wastewater treatment facilities, water supply facilities and water distribution systems. Water utilities encounter with several challenges related to cost, infrastructure, population, legislation, workforce and resource. This study aims to determine the current situation and the necessary strategies to improve utility management in Turkish municipalities in a sustainable manner. US Environment Protection Agency (EPA) has formed a tool on effective utility management that assists utilities to provide a solution for both current and future challenges. In this study, we used EPA's guidelines and developed a survey consists of 60 questions under 10 sub-topics (Product Quality, Employee & Leadership Development, Stakeholder Understanding & Support, Operational Optimization, Infrastructure Stability, Financial Viability, Community Sustainability, Customer Satisfaction, Operational Resiliency, and Water Resource Adequacy). This survey was sent to the managers of 25 metropolitan municipalities in Turkey to assess the current condition of municipalities. After the evaluation of the survey results for each topic, including the importance given by managers, facilities were rated according to their level of achievement

Information management applications for the compliance function: a utility perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savoie, R.A.

1986-01-01

Today's complex and changing regulatory environment presents many challenges to those involved in the nuclear power industry. This is particularly true of technical personnel and managers involved in serving the compliance function for nuclear utilities. Adequately supporting the construction, startup, and operations of a nuclear power plant while simultaneously satisfying each regulatory requirement requires the meshing of thousands of individual regulatory tasks with each possible implementation option. The compliance function acts as a screen or filter between the regulatory bodies and the utility nuclear staff. Many varied approaches are taken by utilities in performing this compliance function, both from an organizational and information management perspective. The purpose of this paper is to describe the experiences of Louisiana Power and Light (LP and L) in developing its compliance function and to describe the innovative information management techniques LP and L has developed to serve this function

Utility leaders must manage change in the workplace

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolf, R.; Gering, D.

1997-01-01

Like most other industries in the United States, the utility industry is undergoing profound changes. Furthermore, the industry is in a far more precarious position than almost all other businesses. Deregulation, a changing labor pool, competition and years of unbridled growth are some of the extraordinary factors impacting the industry. Perhaps the greatest challenge of all rests with the utility industry's top management. To lead their organizations from government anointed monopolies to rightful market leaders demands major intellectual and physical adjustments. Given this most difficult position, executives must learn to embrace change as a constant business opportunity and develop skills to constructively channel and manage change. The challenge to utilities is deceptively clear - to be competitive in a consumer and service driven environment. Unfortunately, the actions necessary to accomplish this daunting task are not that clear. The authors offer that this transition does not have to be as ominous as it may seem, provided one develops and employs a good plan and the open minds necessary to navigate these tricky waters

Optimal Energy Management for a Smart Grid using Resource-Aware Utility Maximization

Science.gov (United States)

Abegaz, Brook W.; Mahajan, Satish M.; Negeri, Ebisa O.

2016-06-01

Heterogeneous energy prosumers are aggregated to form a smart grid based energy community managed by a central controller which could maximize their collective energy resource utilization. Using the central controller and distributed energy management systems, various mechanisms that harness the power profile of the energy community are developed for optimal, multi-objective energy management. The proposed mechanisms include resource-aware, multi-variable energy utility maximization objectives, namely: (1) maximizing the net green energy utilization, (2) maximizing the prosumers' level of comfortable, high quality power usage, and (3) maximizing the economic dispatch of energy storage units that minimize the net energy cost of the energy community. Moreover, an optimal energy management solution that combines the three objectives has been implemented by developing novel techniques of optimally flexible (un)certainty projection and appliance based pricing decomposition in an IBM ILOG CPLEX studio. A real-world, per-minute data from an energy community consisting of forty prosumers in Amsterdam, Netherlands is used. Results show that each of the proposed mechanisms yields significant increases in the aggregate energy resource utilization and welfare of prosumers as compared to traditional peak-power reduction methods. Furthermore, the multi-objective, resource-aware utility maximization approach leads to an optimal energy equilibrium and provides a sustainable energy management solution as verified by the Lagrangian method. The proposed resource-aware mechanisms could directly benefit emerging energy communities in the world to attain their energy resource utilization targets.

Pro-ACT II: integrating utilization management, discharge planning, and nursing case management into the outcomes manager role.

Science.gov (United States)

Brett, J L; Bueno, M; Royal, N; Kendall-Sengin, K

1997-02-01

Building on redesign efforts that created case management, clinical care technicians, support service hosts, and pharmacy technician roles, this redesign focused on integrating case management, utilization management, and discharge planning functions into a new outcomes manager role. The authors describe the process of developing and implementing the new role and outline specific actions that eliminated redundancy and inefficiency. Results of the evaluation of the project are reviewed, including full-time equivalent and salary savings and employee and physician satisfaction improvements.

Utility Potential of Parthenium hysterophorus for Its Strategic Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anita Saini

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Parthenium hysterophorus, one of the world’s most dangerous weeds, is responsible for huge losses to the biodiversity, agriculture, economy, and health of livestock and human beings. High competitive success rate and adaptability of the species enable it to dominate diverse types of habitats. Various weed control strategies are being used globally to reduce its population to manageable levels. But owing to many limitations associated with the conventional methods, management of Parthenium still remains a challenge. Recently large scale utilization has been taken up as a holistic approach for the control of weeds. Parthenium hysterophorus can be managed by exploiting this weed in diverse fields. In agriculture, it can be used either as green manure or after composting. Industrially it can be used for producing various value added products. The weed also exhibits many environmental applications. Chemical constituents of Parthenium show extensive range of pharmacological activities suggesting its role as a chemotherapeutic agent. This review briefly discusses the problem of Parthenium and enlists its possible utilities which can open new avenues for effective management of this violent weed.

Management practices utilization in organizations – A comparison between catching-up and well-developed economies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vojko Potočan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of this paper is to examine the utilization of management practices in catching-up and well-developed economies. Within that framework, the paper examines the utilization of management practices in Slovenian and Croatian organizations, as both are considered the representatives of catching-up economies from Central and East Europe (CEE, while also comparing the utilization of management practices in the two selected economies to the global use of management practices. Evidences about management practices utilization reveal that in well-developed economies in the forefront are management practices aiming to support customer relationship management, strength customer relations and customer satisfaction, while in Slovenia and Croatia prevail practices that are oriented toward optimization of the business and its processes. Based on the research results and the situation in organizations, a possible future pattern of management practice utilization in organizations operating in catching up economies is outlined, with the aim to reduce the developmental lag and increase competitiveness of those organizations. The paper also provides several practical implications for future utilization of management practices in catching-up economies. The sample of catching up-countries includes 155 responses from employees in Slovenian organizations and 185 from Croatian ones. Data for samples from well-developed economies are obtained from a global survey of management practices.

LiDAR utility for natural resource managers

Science.gov (United States)

Andrew Thomas Hudak; Jeffrey Scott Evans; Alistair Mattthew Stuart. Smith

2009-01-01

Applications of LiDAR remote sensing are exploding, while moving from the research to the operational realm. Increasingly, natural resource managers are recognizing the tremendous utility of LiDAR-derived information to make improved decisions. This review provides a cross-section of studies, many recent, that demonstrate the relevance of LiDAR across a suite of...

Tank Operations Contract Construction Management Methodology. Utilizing The Agency Method Of Construction Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lesko, K.F.; Berriochoa, M.V.

2010-01-01

Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC (WRPS) has faced significant project management challenges in managing Davis-Bacon construction work that meets contractually required small business goals. The unique challenge is to provide contracting opportunities to multiple small business constructioin subcontractors while performing high hazard work in a safe and productive manner. Previous to the WRPS contract, construction work at the Hanford Tank Farms was contracted to large companies, while current Department of Energy (DOE) Contracts typically emphasize small business awards. As an integral part of Nuclear Project Management at Hanford Tank Farms, construction involves removal of old equipment and structures and installation of new infrastructure to support waste retrieval and waste feed delivery to the Waste Treatment Plant. Utilizing the optimum construction approach ensures that the contractors responsible for this work are successful in meeting safety, quality, cost and schedule objectives while working in a very hazardous environment. This paper descirbes the successful transition from a traditional project delivery method that utilized a large business general contractor and subcontractors to a new project construction management model that is more oriented to small businesses. Construction has selected the Agency Construction Management Method (John E Schaufelberger, Len Holm, 'Management of Construction Projects, A Constructor's Perspective', University of Washington, Prentice Hall 2002). This method was implemented in the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2009 (FY2009), where Construction Management is performed by substantially home office resources from the URS Northwest Office in Richland, Washington. The Agency Method has allowed WRPS to provide proven Construction Managers and Field Leads to mentor and direct small business contractors, thus providing expertise and assurance of a successful project. Construction execution contracts are subcontracted

TANK OPERATIONS CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGY UTILIZING THE AGENCY METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LESKO KF; BERRIOCHOA MV

2010-02-26

Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC (WRPS) has faced significant project management challenges in managing Davis-Bacon construction work that meets contractually required small business goals. The unique challenge is to provide contracting opportunities to multiple small business constructioin subcontractors while performing high hazard work in a safe and productive manner. Previous to the WRPS contract, construction work at the Hanford Tank Farms was contracted to large companies, while current Department of Energy (DOE) Contracts typically emphasize small business awards. As an integral part of Nuclear Project Management at Hanford Tank Farms, construction involves removal of old equipment and structures and installation of new infrastructure to support waste retrieval and waste feed delivery to the Waste Treatment Plant. Utilizing the optimum construction approach ensures that the contractors responsible for this work are successful in meeting safety, quality, cost and schedule objectives while working in a very hazardous environment. This paper descirbes the successful transition from a traditional project delivery method that utilized a large business general contractor and subcontractors to a new project construction management model that is more oriented to small businesses. Construction has selected the Agency Construction Management Method (John E Schaufelberger, Len Holm, "Management of Construction Projects, A Constructor's Perspective", University of Washington, Prentice Hall 2002). This method was implemented in the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2009 (FY2009), where Construction Management is performed by substantially home office resources from the URS Northwest Office in Richland, Washington. The Agency Method has allowed WRPS to provide proven Construction Managers and Field Leads to mentor and direct small business contractors, thus providing expertise and assurance of a successful project. Construction execution contracts are

Building utility executive strength. [Job rotation as part of management training

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Esser, N.J.

1977-02-17

The selection and development of strong executive talent to manage the utility industry is essential if some of the controversy and confusion over the role and policies of utilities is to be resolved. The industry has traditionally trained and elevated executives within the organization, but new technical developments have changed the managerial skills required of executives. Today's manager needs an understanding of the total industry regardless of his initial training, the politics involved in advocating issues, and the need to keep costs down. To develop managerial continuity, utilities can institute job rotation as part of their management training program. The option to bring in executives from outside the company allows more stringent standards and introduces new ideas. Competitive salaries increase the opportunity to attract and retain talent. The Board of Directors can actively develop a flexible organizational structure that allows the executive group to adjust to changing demand. (DCK)

Utilities pull together to design latest storm management software

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wildman, T.; Ritchie, I.

2003-04-01

Development of Outage Mitigation and Recovery software by the Electric Power Research Institute with the support of cooperating electric utilities is discussed. The software is designed to aid utilities in their resource allocation and mutual assistance activities during recovery from major outages cause by natural or man-made disasters. The software is designed to operate in conjunction with major commercial outage systems, to add significant new functionality not available in existing systems. The new software module, called emPower, was actually developed by LeT Systems, a world leader in the design, development and deployment of mission critical e-business-based, real-time outage, network and workforce management solutions for the utility sector. The software is a real-time, stand-alone, web-based program built around advanced intelligence and robust algorithms, designed to interface easily and cleanly with embedded outage mitigation and recovery systems. emPower provides extensive procedural and logistical support to successfully integrate crews and equipment, and automatically assigns tasks and schedules them in accordance with defined restoration goals and priorities. emPower also tracks all activities and generates proper reports for internal and external agencies, among them utility management, police, government departments, media, medical facilities, and customers.

Federal Energy Efficiency through Utility Partnerships: Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) Program Overview Fact Sheet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beattie, D.; Wolfson, M.

2001-01-01

This Utility Program Overview describes how the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) utility program assists Federal energy managers. The document identifies both a utility financing mechanism and FEMP technical assistance available to support agencies' implementation of energy and water efficiency methods and renewable energy projects

Assessment of Social Information Processing in early childhood: development and initial validation of the Schultz Test of Emotion Processing-Preliminary Version.

Science.gov (United States)

Schultz, David; Ambike, Archana; Logie, Sean Kevin; Bohner, Katherine E; Stapleton, Laura M; Vanderwalde, Holly; Min, Christopher B; Betkowski, Jennifer A

2010-07-01

Crick and Dodge's (Psychological Bulletin 115:74-101, 1994) social information processing model has proven very useful in guiding research focused on aggressive and peer-rejected children's social-cognitive functioning. Its application to early childhood, however, has been much more limited. The present study responds to this gap by developing and validating a video-based assessment tool appropriate for early childhood, the Schultz Test of Emotion Processing-Preliminary Version (STEP-P). One hundred twenty-five Head Start preschool children participated in the study. More socially competent children more frequently attributed sadness to the victims of provocation and labeled aggressive behaviors as both morally unacceptable and less likely to lead to positive outcomes. More socially competent girls labeled others' emotions more accurately. More disruptive children more frequently produced physically aggressive solutions to social provocations, and more disruptive boys less frequently interpreted social provocations as accidental. The STEP-P holds promise as an assessment tool that assesses knowledge structures related to the SIP model in early childhood.

Is strategic asset management applicable to small and medium utilities?

Science.gov (United States)

Alegre, Helena

2010-01-01

Urban water infrastructures provide essential services to modern societies and represent a major portion of the value of municipal physical assets. Managing these assets rationally is therefore fundamental for the sustainability of the services and to the economy of societies. "Asset Management" (AM) is a modern term for an old practice--assets have always been managed. In recent years, significant evolution occurred in terms of the AM formal approaches, of the monitoring and decision support tools and of the implementation success cases. However, most tools developed are too sophisticated and data seek for small utilities. The European R&D network COST Action C18 ( E-mail: www.costc18.org) identified key research problems related to the management of urban water infrastructures, currently not covered by on-going projects of the European Framework Program. The top 1 topic is "Efficient management of small community". This paper addresses challenges and opportunities for small and medium utilities with regard to infrastructure AM (IAM). To put this into context, the first sections discuss the need for IAM, highlight key recent developments, and present IAM drivers, as well as research and development gaps, priorities and products needed.

When the 'soft-path' gets hard: demand management and financial instability for water utilities

Science.gov (United States)

Zeff, H. B.; Characklis, G. W.

2014-12-01

In the past, cost benefit analysis (CBA) has been viewed as an effective means of evaluating water utility strategies, particularly those that were dependent on the construction of new supply infrastructure. As water utilities have begun to embrace 'soft-path' approaches as a way to reduce the need for supply-centric development, CBA fails to recognize some important financial incentives affected by reduced water consumption. Demand management, both as a short-term response to drought and in longer-term actions to accommodate demand growth, can introduce revenue risks that adversely affect a utility's ability to repay debt, re-invest in aging infrastructure, or maintain reserve funds for use in a short-term emergency. A utility that does not generate sufficient revenue to support these functions may be subject to credit rating downgrades, which in turn affect the interest rate it pays on its debt. Interest rates are a critical consideration for utility managers in the capital-intensive water sector, where debt payments for infrastructure often account for a large portion of a utility's overall costs. Even a small increase in interest rates can add millions of dollars to the cost of new infrastructure. Recent studies have demonstrated that demand management techniques can lead to significant revenue variability, and credit rating agencies have begun to take notice of drought response plans when evaluating water utility credit ratings, providing utilities with a disincentive to fully embrace soft-path approaches. This analysis examines the impact of demand management schemes on key credit rating metrics for a water utility in Raleigh, North Carolina. The utility's consumer base is currently experiencing rapid population growth, and demand management has the potential to reduce the dependence on costly new supply infrastructure but could lead to financial instability that will significantly increase the costs of financing future projects. This work analyzes how 'soft

[Psychological approaches in hypertension management].

Science.gov (United States)

Abgrall-Barbry, Gaëlle; Consoli, Silla M

2006-06-01

Stress factors, especially high levels of occupational stress, are associated with hypertension. Several so-called psychological techniques have been applied to hypertension: biofeedback, relaxation techniques (Schultz' autogenic training, Jacobson's progressive relaxation), transcendental meditation, and cognitive behavioral techniques for stress management. Randomized studies show that the best results come from cognitive behavioral methods, whether or not they include relaxation techniques. Other forms of psychotherapy (such as psychoanalysis) may be useful, although their benefits for blood pressure have not been tested in controlled trials. Patients should be informed about the personal benefits they may obtain from psychological treatment. Indications are hyperreactivity to stress, high levels of occupational stress, and difficulty in tolerating or complying with antihypertensive drugs.

E-LEARNING AS A KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT APPROACH FOR INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL UTILIZATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Issa SHEHABAT

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This paper addresses human resources utilization at the university environment. We address the design issues of e-learning courses that can capture the teacher knowledge. The underlying objective is that e-learning is a key knowledge and major resources for many universities. Therefore, the design of e-learning should be an important part of the university knowledge management process. Teachers' knowledge in any important topic or field should be managed in a way that the university can benefit from it in case of teacher leaving or retired. Hence, intellectual personal knowledge management will be explored through the development of e-learning systems. Some concepts from the Artificial Intelligence field can be used in developing such systems. The potential for utilizing human knowledge in the university environment will optimize the resources and can be of cost effective and quality assurance factors and provide the university with a sustainable competitive advantage. Assuring the proper knowledge management within the university environment is a more complex issue. This is due to the diverse of topics in one hand and the behavior of the student and the lecturers on the other hand. Effective implementation and success requires a lot of efforts that will guarantee the utilization of the intellectual capital within the university environment.

E-LEARNING AS A KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT APPROACH FOR INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL UTILIZATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Issa SHEHABAT

2008-01-01

Full Text Available This paper addresses human resources utilization at the university environment. We address the design issues of e-learning courses that can capture the teacher knowledge. The underlying objective is that e-learning is a key knowledge and major resources for many universities. Therefore, the design of e-learning should be an important part of the university knowledge management process. Teachers' knowledge in any important topic or field should be managed in a way that the university can benefit from it in case of teacher leaving or retired. Hence, intellectual personal knowledge management will be explored through the development of e-learning systems. Some concepts from the Artificial Intelligence field can be used in developing such systems.The potential for utilizing human knowledge in the university environment will optimize the resources and can be of cost effective and quality assurance factors and provide the university with a sustainable competitive advantage.Assuring the proper knowledge management within the university environment is a more complex issue. This is due to the diverse of topics in one hand and the behavior of the student and the lecturers on the other hand. Effective implementation and success requires a lot of efforts that will guarantee the utilization of the intellectual capital within the university environment.

Integrated Assessment of the Policy of Working Capital Management in Housing and Utilities Enterprises

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vladimir Petrovich Poluyanov

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The article describes the approaches to the management of current assets in the enterprises of various industries in economic literature. We discuss theoretical, methodological and applied issues concerning the formation and improvement of the working capital management policy in utility companies, which require further study. The authors propose to assess the policy of working capital management in these enterprises by means of the integrated approach based on the system of reasoned indicators defining the type of working capital management policy. It includes indicators characterizing the policy of working capital management, management of the liquidity of working capital and the policy of financing sources management. The indicators which define the type of the policy of working capital management have been chosen as the most influential for each vector of the improvement of management policy. The range of values is set taking into account the current market conditions for the housing and utilities companies based on theoretical standard values adapted to modern situation. The paper proposes to use an integrated indicator for the evaluation of the policy of working capital management in housing and utilities enterprises. We have substantiated the technique of the integrated assessment of the policy of working capital management in housing and utilities companies. As an example of the application of this indicator, we defined the type of the policy of working capital management in Rostovvodokanal Company. The initial data for the calculation of integrated indicators are the official data on the structure of the balance and financial results of Rostovvodokanal Company during the period from 2012 to 2016. At the Rostovvodokanal Company, it is necessary to bring the type of the policy of working capital management and sources of its financing closer to moderate or conservative type. The authors have substantiated the optimal type of policy of

assessing the utilization of personnel in the management of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

LUCY

MANAGEMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION IN AKWA IBOM. STATE, NIGERIA. ALOYSIUS O. UMOSEN. (Received 19, April 2011; Revision Accepted 16, June 2011). ABSTRACT. The study assesses the utilization of technical teachers in Akwa Ibom State technical colleges. The study design was ex-post facto.

Demand-side management pricing options in electric utilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sardana, P.; Herman, P.

1990-01-01

In 1989 Ontario Hydro implemented optional time-of-use (TOU) rates at the wholesale level for all municipal utilities in the province. At the same time, mandatory TOU rates were implemented for large users (customers with loads in excess of 5 MW) served by municipal utilities and Ontario Hydro's direct customers. To fully explore the potential of rate structures as demand-side management (DSM) tools, Ontario Hydro retained a consulting firm to carry out a survey of innovative rate structures in other jurisdications. The survey was intended to identify: the status quo of rate structures in other jurisdictions that were designed specifically to encourage DSM; a profile of the cost basis of the rate structures, for example whether traditional embedded cost of service analyses or contentious methods such as marginal cost pricing were used; whether innovative rates have been successful, and customer reactions and attitudes; and how innovative rates fit into the overall strategy of the utilities. It was found that TOU, interruptible and end-use targeted rates are the rate structures of choice for many utilities. Most are concerned with deferring capacity, reducing peak demand, and shifting load out of peak periods. Most utilities report success with their programs and satisfaction with the present form of the programs. 5 tabs

Building Maintenance and Utilities Management. Florida Vocational Program Guide.

Science.gov (United States)

University of South Florida, Tampa. Dept. of Adult and Vocational Education.

This program guide identifies primary concerns in the organization, operation, and evaluation of a building maintenance and utilities management program. It is designed for local school district and community college administrators, instructors, program advisory committees, and regional coordinating councils. The guide begins with the Dictionary…

Risk management strategies utilized by small scale poultry farmers ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Birds can only tolerate narrow temperature changes; therefore, poultry flocks are vulnerable to climate induced risk. This study investigated risk management strategies utilized by small scale poultry farmers in Oyo state. A total of 118 respondents were sampled using multi stage sampling procedure. Interview schedule was ...

A comparison of costs associated with utility management options for dry active waste

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hornibrook, C. [EPRI, Palo Alto, CA (United States)

1995-12-31

The economics of low level waste management is receiving more attention today than ever before. This is due to four factors: (1) the increases in the cost of processing of these wastes; (2) increases in the cost of disposal; (3) the addition of storage costs for those without access to disposal; and (4) the increasing competitive nature of the electric generation industry. These pressures are forcing the industry to update it`s evaluation of the mix of processing that will afford it the best long term economics and minimize it`s risks for unforeseen costs. Whether disposal is available or not, all utilities face the same challenge of minimizing the costs associated with the management of these wastes. There are a number of variables that will impact how a utility manages their wastes but the problem is the uncertainty of what will actually happen, i.e., will disposal be available, when and at what cost. Using the EPRI-developed WASTECOST: DAW code, this paper explores a variety of LLW management options available to utilities. Along with providing the costs and benefits, other technical considerations which play an important part in the management of these wastes are also addressed.

Successful process management for public utilities; Erfolgreiches Prozessmanagement fuer Stadtwerke

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knipprath, Daniel [projekt:unternehmensberatungsgesellschaft mbH, Muenchen (Germany); Schaefer, Anke [Dr. Schaefer PR- und Strategieberatung, Rostock (Germany)

2011-06-15

As a result of regulatory cuts in their revenue structure, public utilities are increasingly compelled to improve their cost efficiency. Furthermore, they have to deal with altered framework conditions of energy procurement as well as the necessity of sustainable customer loyalty management. The example of a regional supplier is used here to show how goal-oriented process management can contribute to securing a sustainable, promising position in the market.

Energy and water quality management systems for water utility's operations: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Cherchi, Carla; Badruzzaman, Mohammad; Oppenheimer, Joan; Bros, Christopher M; Jacangelo, Joseph G

2015-04-15

Holistic management of water and energy resources is critical for water utilities facing increasing energy prices, water supply shortage and stringent regulatory requirements. In the early 1990s, the concept of an integrated Energy and Water Quality Management System (EWQMS) was developed as an operational optimization framework for solving water quality, water supply and energy management problems simultaneously. Approximately twenty water utilities have implemented an EWQMS by interfacing commercial or in-house software optimization programs with existing control systems. For utilities with an installed EWQMS, operating cost savings of 8-15% have been reported due to higher use of cheaper tariff periods and better operating efficiencies, resulting in the reduction in energy consumption of ∼6-9%. This review provides the current state-of-knowledge on EWQMS typical structural features and operational strategies and benefits and drawbacks are analyzed. The review also highlights the challenges encountered during installation and implementation of EWQMS and identifies the knowledge gaps that should motivate new research efforts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Utility asset management : where you are, where you are going, knowing when you get there

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johanson, R.G.

2002-01-01

Water and wastewater systems are one of the largest infrastructure assets a city can own. Cities are faced with a deteriorating infrastructure with a decreasing budget. A plan is needed to effectively manage this deterioration. New regulations and accounting requirements (CMOM - Capacity Management Operations and Management and GASB-34) are pushing utilities into asset management planning to manage their systems. An asset management plan provides a comprehensive assessment of the current condition of the utility and a projection of the cost required to meet standards of service. The capital asset management system provides a means to protect, maintain or improve the asset value of the water or sewer system (or any infrastructure) with planned maintenance and repair. (author)

Utility asset management : where you are, where you are going, knowing when you get there

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johanson, R.G. [GRW Engineers, Inc., Louisville, Kentucky (United States)]. E-mail: rjohanson@grwinc.com

2002-06-15

Water and wastewater systems are one of the largest infrastructure assets a city can own. Cities are faced with a deteriorating infrastructure with a decreasing budget. A plan is needed to effectively manage this deterioration. New regulations and accounting requirements (CMOM - Capacity Management Operations and Management and GASB-34) are pushing utilities into asset management planning to manage their systems. An asset management plan provides a comprehensive assessment of the current condition of the utility and a projection of the cost required to meet standards of service. The capital asset management system provides a means to protect, maintain or improve the asset value of the water or sewer system (or any infrastructure) with planned maintenance and repair. (author)

Human resources management in the water utilities of Hermosillo and Mexicali

OpenAIRE

Edmundo Loera Burnes; Alejandro Salazar Adams

2017-01-01

This paper studies how the Human Resources Management Systems (HRMS) influence the performance of water utilities in Mexico. The differentiated performance of the water utilities of the cities of Hermosillo and Mexicali were compared to their HRMS characteristics through the analysis of four categories: 1) Hiring policies, 2) Development and training, 3) Salaries, benefits and incentives, and 4) Sanct...

A Systems Approach to Information Technology (IT) Infrastructure Design for Utility Management Automation Systems

OpenAIRE

A. Fereidunian; H. Lesani; C. Lucas; M. Lehtonen; M. M. Nordman

2006-01-01

Almost all of electric utility companies are planning to improve their management automation system, in order to meet the changing requirements of new liberalized energy market and to benefit from the innovations in information and communication technology (ICT or IT). Architectural design of the utility management automation (UMA) systems for their IT-enabling requires proper selection of IT choices for UMA system, which leads to multi-criteria decision-makings (MCDM). In resp...

Thru-life impacts of driver aggression, climate, cabin thermal management, and battery thermal management on battery electric vehicle utility

Science.gov (United States)

Neubauer, Jeremy; Wood, Eric

2014-08-01

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) offer the potential to reduce both oil imports and greenhouse gas emissions, but have a limited utility that is affected by driver aggression and effects of climate-both directly on battery temperature and indirectly through the loads of cabin and battery thermal management systems. Utility is further affected as the battery wears through life in response to travel patterns, climate, and other factors. In this paper we apply the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Battery Lifetime Analysis and Simulation Tool for Vehicles (BLAST-V) to examine the sensitivity of BEV utility to driver aggression and climate effects over the life of the vehicle. We find the primary challenge to cold-climate BEV operation to be inefficient cabin heating systems, and to hot-climate BEV operation to be high peak on-road battery temperatures and excessive battery degradation. Active cooling systems appear necessary to manage peak battery temperatures of aggressive, hot-climate drivers, which can then be employed to maximize thru-life vehicle utility.

Certified meter data managers provide potent tool : Utilities, customers benefit from accurate energy data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hall, V.

2004-02-01

The use of customer energy information and its importance in building business-to-business and business-to-consumer demographic profiles, and the role of certified meter data management agents, i.e. companies that have created infrastructures to manage large volumes of energy data that can be used to drive marketing to energy customers, is discussed. Short and long-term load management planning, distribution planning, outage management and demand response programs, efforts to streamline billing and create revenue-generating value-added services, are just some of the areas that can benefit from comprehensively collected and accurate consumer data. The article emphasizes the process of certification, the benefits certified meter data management companies can provide to utilities as well as to consumers, their role in disaster recovery management, and characteristics of the way such companies bring the benefits of their operations to their client utilities and consumers. 1 tab.

Security Vulnerability and Patch Management in Electric Utilities: A Data-Driven Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Qinghua [Univ. of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR (United States); Zhang, Fengli [Univ. of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR (United States)

2018-01-18

This paper explores a real security vulnerability and patch management dataset from an electric utility in order to shed light on characteristics of the vulnerabilities that electric utility assets have and how they are remediated in practice. Specifically, it first analyzes the distribution of vulnerabilities over software, assets, and other metric. Then it analyzes how vulnerability features affect remediate actions.

The European Community eco-management and audit regulations and the ISO standard 14001 for eco-management systems: significance and consequences for the eco-management of utilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gudet, C.

1996-01-01

Various companies in the electrical industries have concerned themselves with the EMAS regulations and the private sector industries standards BS 7750 and ISO 14001. In various pilot experiments, investigations were carried out on the suitability of these management instruments for utilities. Several power plants in Holland and England have already instituted standards-complying environmental management systems and had them partly certificated. The paper shows in which existing legal frameworks the new management instruments have an effect and what elements they consist of. There is shown, on the basis of an example, which regions of the utility are affected by the environmental management system and how it is co-ordinated into the whole company organisation. (author) 4 figs., 11 refs

Improve data integration performance by employing metadata management utility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wei, M.; Sung, A.H. [New Mexico Petroleum Recovery Research Center, Socorro, NM (United States)

2005-07-01

This conference paper explored ways of integrating petroleum and exploration data obtained from different sources in order to provide more comprehensive data for various analysis purposes and to improve the integrity and consistency of integrated data. This paper proposes a methodology to enhance oil and gas industry data integration performance by cooperating data management utilities in Microsoft SQL Server database management system (DBMS) for small scale data integration without support of commercial software. By semi-automatically capturing metadata, data sources are investigated in detail, data quality problems are partially cleansed, and the performance of data integration is improved. 20 refs., 7 tabs., 1 fig.

Managing the GPS/GIS function in an electric utility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michelsen, M.W. Jr.

1999-01-01

A new period of higher significance has arrived for the GPS/GIS function at electric utilities such that to a degree never seen before, utility managers are looking to their GIS programs, filled with increasingly accurate data collected by GPS technology, before making many decisions. With this capability comes an expectation for GPS/GIS professionals to provide higher levels of planning and management of their data collection process. At Duke Power in Charlotte, North Carolina, managers rely on GPS mapping to fill their data collection equipment needs. When the city of Charlotte requested a more detailed billing system, Duke Power co-sponsored the street lighting inventory project, a comprehensive program implemented to fully account for street lighting facilities within the billing area. One of the key projects to be kept in mind was the creation of a common data base viewable by GIS from which a bill could be created and as well reveal data. A billing calculation routine can be run against the data base to generate a bill or use MapInfo to see a graphical picture. Prior to the creation of this data base capability, the difference between the data base as a display tool and billing system was a potential source of discrepancy, which is eliminated now. Creating the data base allows more than just creating a bill for the city, it allows Duke Power to work better with the city by improving its billing accountability and provides better service as well

Human resources management in the water utilities of Hermosillo and Mexicali

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edmundo Loera Burnes

2017-05-01

Full Text Available

This paper studies how the Human Resources Management Systems (HRMS influence the performance of water utilities in Mexico. The differentiated performance of the water utilities of the cities of Hermosillo and Mexicali were compared to their HRMS characteristics through the analysis of four categories: 1 Hiring policies, 2 Development and training, 3 Salaries, benefits and incentives, and 4 Sanctions systems. The main differences between these utilities are on categories 2 and 3, where Mexicali shows greater levels. The study provides a vision of water utilities from the point of view of HRMG, which has not been taken into account in previous research. Although Mexicali provides its workers with better training and incentives, it is observed that the influence of local governments and the excessive power of unions have led to weak HRMS that affect the performance of water utilities.

Report of the Office of Chief Counsel on the role of the managing utility and its suppliers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorinson, S.M.; Kane, K.P.

1979-10-01

Information is presented concerning the role of General Public Utilities Service Corp.; site change; role of Met Ed in design of TMI-2; control room design; containment isolation criteria selection; GPUSC startup and test group; commercial operation; management relationships within the utility; site management; review committees; procedures; attention to experience; NRC inspections; management approach to the emergency; and the TMI-2 recovery program

Report of the Office of Chief Counsel on the role of the managing utility and its suppliers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorinson, S.M.; Kane, K.P.

1979-10-01

Information is presented concerning the role of General Public Utilities Service Corp.; site change; role of Met Ed in design of TMI-2; control room design; containment isolation criteria selection; GPUSC startup and test group; commercial operation; managment relationships within the utility; site management; review committees; procedures; attention to experience; NRC inspections; management approach to the emergency; and the TMI-2 recovery program

Communications technologies for demand side management, DSM, and European utility communications architecture, EurUCA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uuspaeae, P. [VTT Energy, Espoo (Finland)

1996-12-31

The scope of this research is data communications for electric utilities. Demand Side Management (DSM) calls for communication between the Electric Utility and the Customer. The communication capacity needed will depend on the functions that are chosen for DSM, and on the number of customers. Some functions may be handled with one-way communications, some functions require two-way communication. Utility Communication Architecture looks for an overall view of the communications needs and communication systems in an electric utility. The objective is to define and specify suitable and compatible communications procedures within the Utility and also to outside parties. (27 refs.)

Communications technologies for demand side management, DSM, and European utility communications architecture, EurUCA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uuspaeae, P [VTT Energy, Espoo (Finland)

1997-12-31

The scope of this research is data communications for electric utilities. Demand Side Management (DSM) calls for communication between the Electric Utility and the Customer. The communication capacity needed will depend on the functions that are chosen for DSM, and on the number of customers. Some functions may be handled with one-way communications, some functions require two-way communication. Utility Communication Architecture looks for an overall view of the communications needs and communication systems in an electric utility. The objective is to define and specify suitable and compatible communications procedures within the Utility and also to outside parties. (27 refs.)

Integrated EAP/Managed Behavioral Health Plan Utilization by Persons with Substance Use Disorders

Science.gov (United States)

Levy Merrick, Elizabeth S.; Hodgkin, Dominic; Hiatt, Deirdre; Horgan, Constance M.; Greenfield, Shelly F.; McCann, Bernard

2011-01-01

New federal parity and health reform legislation, promising increased behavioral health care access and a focus on prevention, has heightened interest in employee assistance programs (EAPs). This study investigated service utilization by persons with a primary substance use disorder (SUD) diagnosis in a managed behavioral healthcare organization's integrated EAP/managed behavioral health care product (N=1,158). In 2004, 25.0% of clients used the EAP first for new treatment episodes. After initial EAP utilization, 44.4% received no additional formal services through the plan and 40.4% received regular outpatient services. Overall, outpatient care, intensive outpatient/day treatment, and inpatient/residential detoxification were most common. About half of clients had co-occurring psychiatric diagnoses. Mental health service utilization was extensive. Findings suggest that for service users with primary SUD diagnoses in an integrated EAP/MBHC product, the EAP benefit plays a key role at the front end of treatment and is often only one component of treatment episodes. PMID:21185684

Is control through utilization a cost effective Prosopis juliflora management strategy?

Science.gov (United States)

Wakie, Tewodros T; Hoag, Dana; Evangelista, Paul H; Luizza, Matthew; Laituri, Melinda

2016-03-01

The invasive tree Prosopis juliflora is known to cause negative impacts on invaded ranges. High P. juliflora eradication costs have swayed developing countries to follow a new and less expensive approach known as control through utilization. However, the net benefits of this new approach have not been thoroughly evaluated. Our objective was to assess the economic feasibility of selected P. juliflora eradication and utilization approaches that are currently practiced in one of the severely affected developing countries, Ethiopia. The selected approaches include converting P. juliflora infested lands into irrigated farms (conversion), charcoal production, and seed flour production. We estimate the costs and revenues of the selected P. juliflora eradication and utilization approaches by interviewing 19 enterprise owners. We assess the economic feasibility of the enterprises by performing enterprise, break-even, investment, sensitivity, and risk analyses. Our results show that conversion to irrigated cotton is economically profitable, with Net Present Value (NPV) of 5234 US$/ha over 10 years and an interest rate of 10% per year. Conversion greatly reduces the spread of P. juliflora on farmlands. Managing P. juliflora infested lands for charcoal production with a four-year harvest cycle is profitable, with NPV of 805 US$/ha. However, the production process needs vigilant regulation to protect native plants from exploitation and caution should be taken to prevent charcoal production sites from becoming potential seed sources. Though flour from P. juliflora pods can reduce invasions by destroying viable seeds, flour enterprises in Ethiopia are unprofitable. Conversion and charcoal production can be undertaken with small investment costs, while flour production requires high investment costs. Introducing new changes in the production and management steps of P. juliflora flour might be considered to make the enterprise profitable. Our study shows that control

Reconciling privacy and efficient utility management in smart cities

OpenAIRE

Rebollo Monedero, David; Bartoli, Andrea; Hernández Serrano, Juan; Forné Muñoz, Jorge; Soriano Ibáñez, Miguel

2014-01-01

A key aspect in the design of smart cities is, undoubtedly, a plan for the efficient management of utilities, enabled by technologies such as those entailing smart metering of the residential consumption of electricity, water or gas. While one cannot object to the appealing advantages of smart metering, the privacy risks posed by the submission of frequent, data-rich measurements cannot simply remain overlooked. The objective of this paper is to provide a general perspective on the contrastin...

Resource utilization after introduction of a standardized clinical assessment and management plan.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedman, Kevin G; Rathod, Rahul H; Farias, Michael; Graham, Dionne; Powell, Andrew J; Fulton, David R; Newburger, Jane W; Colan, Steven D; Jenkins, Kathy J; Lock, James E

2010-01-01

A Standardized Clinical Assessment and Management Plan (SCAMP) is a novel quality improvement initiative that standardizes the assessment and management of all patients who carry a predefined diagnosis. Based on periodic review of systemically collected data the SCAMP is designed to be modified to improve its own algorithm. One of the objectives of a SCAMP is to identify and reduce resource utilization and patient care costs. We retrospectively reviewed resource utilization in the first 93 arterial switch operation (ASO) SCAMP patients and 186 age-matched control ASO patients. We compared diagnostic and laboratory testing obtained at the initial SCAMP clinic visit and control patient visits. To evaluate the effect of the SCAMP over time, the number of clinic visits per patient year and echocardiograms per patient year in historical control ASO patients were compared to the projected rates for ASO SCAMP participants. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), stress echocardiogram, and lipid profile utilization were higher in the initial SCAMP clinic visit group than in age-matched control patients. Total echocardiogram and lung scan usage were similar. Chest X-ray and exercise stress testing were obtained less in SCAMP patients. ASO SCAMP patients are projected to have 0.5 clinic visits and 0.5 echocardiograms per year. Historical control patients had more clinic visits (1.2 vs. 0.5 visits/patient year, P<.01) and a higher echocardiogram rate (0.92 vs. 0.5 echocardiograms/patient year, P<.01) Implementation of a SCAMP may initially lead to increased resource utilization, but over time resource utilization is projected to decrease.

Managing water utility financial risks through third-party index insurance contracts

Science.gov (United States)

Zeff, Harrison B.; Characklis, Gregory W.

2013-08-01

As developing new supply capacity has become increasingly expensive and difficult to permit (i.e., regulatory approval), utilities have become more reliant on temporary demand management programs, such as outdoor water use restrictions, for ensuring reliability during drought. However, a significant fraction of water utility income is often derived from the volumetric sale of water, and such restrictions can lead to substantial revenue losses. Given that many utilities set prices at levels commensurate with recovering costs, these revenue losses can leave them financially vulnerable to budgetary shortfalls. This work explores approaches for mitigating drought-related revenue losses through the use of third-party financial insurance contracts based on streamflow indices. Two different types of contracts are developed, and their efficacy is compared against two more traditional forms of financial hedging used by water utilities: Drought surcharges and contingency funds (i.e., self-insurance). Strategies involving each of these approaches, as well as their use in combination, are applied under conditions facing the water utility serving Durham, North Carolina. A multireservoir model provides information on the scale and timing of droughts, and the financial effects of these events are simulated using detailed data derived from utility billing records. Results suggest that third-party index insurance contracts, either independently or in combination with more traditional hedging tools, can provide an effective means of reducing a utility's financial vulnerability to drought.

Appraising longitudinal trends in the strategic risks cited by risk managers in the international water utility sector, 2005-2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Chalker, Rosemary T C; Pollard, Simon J T; Leinster, Paul; Jude, Simon

2018-03-15

We report dynamic changes in the priorities for strategic risks faced by international water utilities over a 10year period, as cited by managers responsible for managing them. A content analysis of interviews with three cohorts of risk managers in the water sector was undertaken. Interviews probed the focus risk managers' were giving to strategic risks within utilities, as well as specific questions on risk analysis tools (2005); risk management cultures (2011) and the integration of risk management with corporate decision-making (2015). The coding frequency of strategic (business, enterprise, corporate) risk terms from 18 structured interviews (2005) and 28 semi-structured interviews (12 in 2011; 16 in 2015) was used to appraise changes in the perceived importance of strategic risks within the sector. The aggregated coding frequency across the study period, and changes in the frequency of strategic risks cited at three interview periods identified infrastructure assets as the most significant risk over the period and suggests an emergence of extrinsic risk over time. Extended interviews with three utility risk managers (2016) from the UK, Canada and the US were then used to contextualise the findings. This research supports the ongoing focus on infrastructure resilience and the increasing prevalence of extrinsic risk within the water sector, as reported by the insurance sector and by water research organisations. The extended interviews provided insight into how strategic risks are now driving the implementation agenda within utilities, and into how utilities can secure tangible business value from proactive risk governance. Strategic external risks affecting the sector are on the rise, involve more players and are less controllable from within a utility's own organisational boundaries. Proportionate risk management processes and structures provide oversight and assurance, whilst allowing a focus on the tangible business value that comes from managing strategic

Dynamic Power Management for Portable Hybrid Power-Supply Systems Utilizing Approximate Dynamic Programming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jooyoung Park

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Recently, the optimization of power flows in portable hybrid power-supply systems (HPSSs has become an important issue with the advent of a variety of mobile systems and hybrid energy technologies. In this paper, a control strategy is considered for dynamically managing power flows in portable HPSSs employing batteries and supercapacitors. Our dynamic power management strategy utilizes the concept of approximate dynamic programming (ADP. ADP methods are important tools in the fields of stochastic control and machine learning, and the utilization of these tools for practical engineering problems is now an active and promising research field. We propose an ADP-based procedure based on optimization under constraints including the iterated Bellman inequalities, which can be solved by convex optimization carried out offline, to find the optimal power management rules for portable HPSSs. The effectiveness of the proposed procedure is tested through dynamic simulations for smartphone workload scenarios, and simulation results show that the proposed strategy can successfully cope with uncertain workload demands.

Managing Projects with CSR in mind

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kampf, Constance; Thomsen, Christa

2008-01-01

This paper examines project management as a place where CSR can be operationalized, focusing particularly on project conception processes and co-constructing CSR knowledge with emergent tertiary stakeholders. Two projects which dealt with emergent tertiary stakeholders differently are examined.......  First, the Finnish company Metsa-Botnia's paper pulp plant in Uruguay is examined as a project in which a tertiary stakeholder, Argentina, emerged during the early stages of the project.  Argentina requested dialogue about the project conception and Metsa Botnia did not include them.  In contrast......, the Danish emergency services company Falck A/S's project on redefining CSR is offered as an example of a project transformed through dialogue with the emergent tertiary stakeholder, the county of Aarhus.   To analyze the cases, the paper combines Morsing & Schultz's (2006) dialectic CSR strategy based...

Participation, Retention, and Utilization of a Web-Based Chronic Disease Self-Management Intervention Among Older Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Portz, Jennifer Dickman; LaMendola, Walter F

2018-05-21

Web-based self-management (web-based SM) interventions provide a potential resource for older adults to engage in their own chronic disease management. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of age on participation, retention, and utilization of a web-based SM intervention. This study reports the results of a secondary data analysis of the effects of age in a randomized trial of a web-based diabetes SM intervention. Participation, reasons for nonenrollment, retention, reasons for disenrollment, and website utilization were examined by age using discriminant function, survival analysis, and multivariate analysis of variance as appropriate. Website utilization by all participants dropped after 6 months but did not vary significantly with age. Though older adults (>60 of age) were less likely to choose to participate (F = 57.20, p Web-based SM offers a feasible approach for older adults with chronic disease to engage in their health management, but it needs to be improved. Those older adults who passed the rigorous screens for this experiment and chose to participate may have been more likely than younger participants to utilize web-based SM intervention tools. They were more persistent in their use of the web-based SM to try to improve health outcomes and formed definitive opinions about its utility before termination.

Opioid management strategy decreases admissions in high-utilizing adults with sickle cell disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Mager, Amy; Pelot, Kristin; Koch, Kathryn; Miller, Lawrence; Hubler, Collin; Ndifor, Anisah; Coan, Canice; Leonard, Cynthia; Field, Joshua J

A subset of adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) heavily utilizes the emergency department (ED) and hospital. The objective of our study was to determine the efficacy of a multidisciplinary strategy to address unmet needs in highly utilizing adults with SCD. In a prospective study, adults with SCD with ≥10 admissions per year were assessed by a multidisciplinary team for gaps in medical, social, and psychological care. Thereafter, the team decided upon the subject's predominant domain that drove admissions and instituted an interventional plan. All plans included an opioid management strategy. Preintervention and postintervention admission rate, as well as opioid use, was compared. Twelve subjects were enrolled. Median rate of ED and hospital admissions preintervention was 25 per year. The predominant domains identified were social needs (n = 6), psychological disorder (n = 1), and substance use disorder (n = 5). Multifaceted interventional plans were developed to address a wide range of gaps in care, but an opioid management strategy was the only intervention successfully completed. Even so, when the preintervention versus postintervention admission rate was compared, regardless of the domain, there was a 40 percent decline in hospital admissions (p = 0.03). Consistent with the successful implementation of an opioid management plan, the decrease in admissions was accompanied by a 37 percent decrease in intravenous opioid use (p = 0.02) and 10 percent decrease in oral opioid use (p = 0.04). An opioid management strategy, as part of a larger effort to improve care for high-utilizing adults with SCD, decreased rate of admissions and opioid use.

Variables contributing to an excellent customer service management profile within the regulated electric utility industry: A comparison of self-concept with customer satisfaction for customer service management

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, L.E.

1991-01-01

This research sought to address the relationship between self-concept and customer satisfaction: can customer satisfaction with a major electric utility be explained in terms of the self-reported, self-concept of the utility's managers The population to which the results of this study were generalized consisted of customer service managers in public electric utilities across the United States. In order to represent this population, a sample was selected consisting of customer service managers at a midwestern electric utility based in a large metropolitan area. Participants in this study were managers of four direct customer contact service organizations within six geographic division organizations. The methodology included comparisons of these four customer contact service organizations on twelve independent, self-concept variables and six customer satisfaction dependent variables using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Scheffe' tests, Chi-Square, and Stepwise multiple regression. The groups were found not to be significantly different and knowledge of the self-concept scores for managers will not increase the ability to predict customer satisfaction over no knowledge of self-concept scores.

Lbs Augmented Reality Assistive System for Utilities Infrastructure Management Through Galileo and Egnos

Science.gov (United States)

Stylianidis, E.; Valaria, E.; Smagas, K.; Pagani, A.; Henriques, J.; Garca, A.; Jimeno, E.; Carrillo, I.; Patias, P.; Georgiadis, C.; Kounoudes, A.; Michail, K.

2016-06-01

There is a continuous and increasing demand for solutions, both software and hardware-based, that are able to productively handle underground utilities geospatial data. Innovative approaches that are based on the use of the European GNSS, Galileo and EGNOS, sensor technologies and LBS, are able to monitor, document and manage utility infrastructures' data with an intuitive 3D augmented visualisation and navigation/positioning technology. A software and hardware-based system called LARA, currently under develop- ment through a H2020 co-funded project, aims at meeting that demand. The concept of LARA is to integrate the different innovative components of existing technologies in order to design and develop an integrated navigation/positioning and information system which coordinates GNSS, AR, 3D GIS and geodatabases on a mobile platform for monitoring, documenting and managing utility infrastruc- tures on-site. The LARA system will guide utility field workers to locate the working area by helping them see beneath the ground, rendering the complexity of the 3D models of the underground grid such as water, gas and electricity. The capacity and benefits of LARA are scheduled to be tested in two case studies located in Greece and the United Kingdom with various underground utilities. The paper aspires to present the first results from this initiative. The project leading to this application has received funding from the European GNSS Agency under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 641460.

LBS AUGMENTED REALITY ASSISTIVE SYSTEM FOR UTILITIES INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT THROUGH GALILEO AND EGNOS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. Stylianidis

2016-06-01

Full Text Available There is a continuous and increasing demand for solutions, both software and hardware-based, that are able to productively handle underground utilities geospatial data. Innovative approaches that are based on the use of the European GNSS, Galileo and EGNOS, sensor technologies and LBS, are able to monitor, document and manage utility infrastructures’ data with an intuitive 3D augmented visualisation and navigation/positioning technology. A software and hardware-based system called LARA, currently under develop- ment through a H2020 co-funded project, aims at meeting that demand. The concept of LARA is to integrate the different innovative components of existing technologies in order to design and develop an integrated navigation/positioning and information system which coordinates GNSS, AR, 3D GIS and geodatabases on a mobile platform for monitoring, documenting and managing utility infrastruc- tures on-site. The LARA system will guide utility field workers to locate the working area by helping them see beneath the ground, rendering the complexity of the 3D models of the underground grid such as water, gas and electricity. The capacity and benefits of LARA are scheduled to be tested in two case studies located in Greece and the United Kingdom with various underground utilities. The paper aspires to present the first results from this initiative. The project leading to this application has received funding from the European GNSS Agency under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 641460.

Energy management of a university campus utilizing short-term load forecasting with an artificial neural network

Science.gov (United States)

Palchak, David

Electrical load forecasting is a tool that has been utilized by distribution designers and operators as a means for resource planning and generation dispatch. The techniques employed in these predictions are proving useful in the growing market of consumer, or end-user, participation in electrical energy consumption. These predictions are based on exogenous variables, such as weather, and time variables, such as day of week and time of day as well as prior energy consumption patterns. The participation of the end-user is a cornerstone of the Smart Grid initiative presented in the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007, and is being made possible by the emergence of enabling technologies such as advanced metering infrastructure. The optimal application of the data provided by an advanced metering infrastructure is the primary motivation for the work done in this thesis. The methodology for using this data in an energy management scheme that utilizes a short-term load forecast is presented. The objective of this research is to quantify opportunities for a range of energy management and operation cost savings of a university campus through the use of a forecasted daily electrical load profile. The proposed algorithm for short-term load forecasting is optimized for Colorado State University's main campus, and utilizes an artificial neural network that accepts weather and time variables as inputs. The performance of the predicted daily electrical load is evaluated using a number of error measurements that seek to quantify the best application of the forecast. The energy management presented utilizes historical electrical load data from the local service provider to optimize the time of day that electrical loads are being managed. Finally, the utilization of forecasts in the presented energy management scenario is evaluated based on cost and energy savings.

Utilization of lean management principles in the ambulatory clinic setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Casey, Jessica T; Brinton, Thomas S; Gonzalez, Chris M

2009-03-01

The principles of 'lean management' have permeated many sectors of today's business world, secondary to the success of the Toyota Production System. This management method enables workers to eliminate mistakes, reduce delays, lower costs, and improve the overall quality of the product or service they deliver. These lean management principles can be applied to health care. Their implementation within the ambulatory care setting is predicated on the continuous identification and elimination of waste within the process. The key concepts of flow time, inventory and throughput are utilized to improve the flow of patients through the clinic, and to identify points that slow this process -- so-called bottlenecks. Nonessential activities are shifted away from bottlenecks (i.e. the physician), and extra work capacity is generated from existing resources, rather than being added. The additional work capacity facilitates a more efficient response to variability, which in turn results in cost savings, more time for the physician to interact with patients, and faster completion of patient visits. Finally, application of the lean management principle of 'just-in-time' management can eliminate excess clinic inventory, better synchronize office supply with patient demand, and reduce costs.

R and D options for demand side management in Japanese electric utilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, T.

1995-01-01

Japanese electric utilities are facing several problems: increasing construction cost of power facilities, siting constraints and the environmental issue of greenhouse gas emissions. To overcome these problems, electric utilities have been promoting demand-side-management (DSM) activities as well as supplier-side measures, with some presently being carried out through promoting energy conservation technologies and introducing tariff options for residential/commercial and industrial consumers. R and D works have been carried out on various fields such as energy storage and heat storage which contribute to the improvement of the load factor. 5 figs., 2 tabs

Cost Utility Analysis of Cervical Therapeutic Medial Branch Blocks in Managing Chronic Neck Pain.

Science.gov (United States)

Manchikanti, Laxmaiah; Pampati, Vidyasagar; Kaye, Alan D; Hirsch, Joshua A

2017-01-01

Background: Controlled diagnostic studies have established the prevalence of cervical facet joint pain to range from 36% to 67% based on the criterion standard of ≥ 80% pain relief. Treatment of cervical facet joint pain has been described with Level II evidence of effectiveness for therapeutic facet joint nerve blocks and radiofrequency neurotomy and with no significant evidence for intraarticular injections. However, there have not been any cost effectiveness or cost utility analysis studies performed in managing chronic neck pain with or without headaches with cervical facet joint interventions. Study Design: Cost utility analysis based on the results of a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial of cervical therapeutic medial branch blocks in managing chronic neck pain. Objectives: To assess cost utility of therapeutic cervical medial branch blocks in managing chronic neck pain. Methods: A randomized trial was conducted in a specialty referral private practice interventional pain management center in the United States. This trial assessed the clinical effectiveness of therapeutic cervical medial branch blocks with or without steroids for an established diagnosis of cervical facet joint pain by means of controlled diagnostic blocks. Cost utility analysis was performed with direct payment data for the procedures for a total of 120 patients over a period of 2 years from this trial based on reimbursement rates of 2016. The payment data provided direct procedural costs without inclusion of drug treatments. An additional 40% was added to procedural costs with multiplication of a factor of 1.67 to provide estimated total costs including direct and indirect costs, based on highly regarded surgical literature. Outcome measures included significant improvement defined as at least a 50% improvement with reduction in pain and disability status with a combined 50% or more reduction in pain in Neck Disability Index (NDI) scores. Results: The results showed direct

Managed Care for Children: Effect on Access to Care and Utilization of Health Services.

Science.gov (United States)

Szilagyi, Peter G.

1998-01-01

Reviews what is known about the effect of managed care on access to health services, as well as utilization of hospital care, emergency department visits, primary care services, and specialty pediatric services. The effect of managed care appears dependent on several factors and, thus, is likely to vary according to the population served. (SLD)

Generic steam generator life cycle management from a utility perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baker, R.L.

1993-01-01

Steam generator repairs and replacements, which have occurred over the last 10 years, have lead many utilities to evaluate the economics of continued maintenance on existing steam generators against the economics of steam generator replacement. Such an endeavor requires an assessment of the expected rate and types of degradation. In addition, an identification of possible preventative or remedial measures and their potential effectiveness must be made. To arrive at an assessment of the economic impact of various combinations of potential courses of action many utilities have employed in-house developed or customized commercial programs to convert technical assessments into economic impact evaluations. This paper intends to give the reader an introduction to the technical issues and insight into a method of addressing the economic impact of possible management strategies. 52 refs., 17 figs., 2 tabs

Effects of utility demand-side management programs on uncertainty

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirst, E.

1994-01-01

Electric utilities face a variety of uncertainties that complicate their long-term resource planning. These uncertainties include future economic and load growths, fuel prices, environmental and economic regulations, performance of existing power plants, cost and availability of purchased power, and the costs and performance of new demand and supply resources. As utilities increasingly turn to demand-side management (DSM) programs to provide resources, it becomes more important to analyze the interactions between these programs and the uncertainties facing utilities. This paper uses a dynamic planning model to quantify the uncertainty effects of supply-only vs DSM + supply resource portfolios. The analysis considers four sets of uncertainties: economic growth, fuel prices, the costs to build new power plants, and the costs to operate DSM programs. The two types of portfolios are tested against these four sets of uncertainties for the period 1990 to 2010. Sensitivity, scenario, and worst-case analysis methods are used. The sensitivity analyses show that the DSM + supply resource portfolio is less sensitive to unanticipated changes in economic growth, fuel prices, and power-plant construction costs than is the supply-only portfolio. The supply-only resource mix is better only with respect to uncertainties about the costs of DSM programs. The base-case analysis shows that including DSM programs in the utility's resource portfolio reduces the net present value of revenue requirements (NPV-RR) by 490 million dollars. The scenario-analysis results show an additional 30 million dollars (6%) in benefits associated with reduction in these uncertainties. In the worst-case analysis, the DSM + supply portfolio again reduces the cost penalty associated with guessing wrong for both cases, when the utility plans for high needs and learns it has low needs and vice versa. 20 refs

Contemporary management of carotid blowout syndrome utilizing endovascular techniques.

Science.gov (United States)

Manzoor, Nauman F; Rezaee, Rod P; Ray, Abhishek; Wick, Cameron C; Blackham, Kristine; Stepnick, David; Lavertu, Pierre; Zender, Chad A

2017-02-01

To illustrate complex interdisciplinary decision making and the utility of modern endovascular techniques in the management of patients with carotid blowout syndrome (CBS). Retrospective chart review. Patients treated with endovascular strategies and/or surgical modalities were included. Control of hemorrhage, neurological, and survival outcomes were studied. Between 2004 and 2014, 33 patients had 38 hemorrhagic events related to head and neck cancer that were managed with endovascular means. Of these, 23 were localized to the external carotid artery (ECA) branches and five localized to the ECA main trunk; nine were related to the common carotid artery (CCA) or internal carotid artery (ICA), and one event was related to the innominate artery. Seven events related to the CCA/ICA or innominate artery were managed with endovascular sacrifice, whereas three cases were managed with a flow-preserving approach (covered stent). Only one patient developed permanent hemiparesis. In two of the three cases where the flow-preserving approach was used, the covered stent eventually became exposed via the overlying soft tissue defect, and definitive management using carotid revascularization or resection was employed to prevent further hemorrhage. In cases of soft tissue necrosis, vascularized tissues were used to cover the great vessels as applicable. The use of modern endovascular approaches for management of acute CBS yields optimal results and should be employed in a coordinated manner by the head and neck surgeon and the neurointerventionalist. 4. Laryngoscope, 2016 127:383-390, 2017. © 2016 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Shortcomings in safety management: symptoms, examples and recovery processes. Omission of Operational Culture can be fatal for the power utility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hezoucky, F.; )

2006-01-01

During recent years, many utilities and their nuclear branches have undergone substantial change. The effectiveness of management in handling the change varies considerably from utility to utility. At the extreme, the way the change is managed and nuclear safety and operational performance aspects are integrated can either help lead a plant to operational excellence or destroy what was once an effective organisation. (author)

Business model innovation for Local Energy Management: a perspective from Swiss utilities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emanuele Facchinetti

2016-08-01

Full Text Available The successful deployment of the energy transition relies on a deep reorganization of the energy market. Business model innovation is recognized as a key driver of this process. This work contributes to this topic by providing to potential Local Energy Management stakeholders and policy makers a conceptual framework guiding the Local Energy Management business model innovation. The main determinants characterizing Local Energy Management concepts and impacting its business model innovation are identified through literature reviews on distributed generation typologies and customer/investor preferences related to new business opportunities emerging with the energy transition. Afterwards, the relation between the identified determinants and the Local Energy Management business model solution space is analyzed based on semi-structured interviews with managers of Swiss utilities companies. The collected managers’ preferences serve as explorative indicators supporting the business model innovation process and provide insights to policy makers on challenges and opportunities related to Local Energy Management.

R and D options for demand side management in Japanese electric utilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, Takahiko

1996-01-01

Japanese electric demand has been steadily increasing in accordance with the economic growth. However, Japanese electric utilities are facing several problems; increasing construction cost of power facilities, siting constraints and the environmental issue of greenhouse gas emissions. To overcome these problems, electric utilities have been promoting demand-side-management (DSM) activities as well as supplier-side measures, with some presently being carried out through promoting energy conservation technologies and introducing electric tariff options of specific contracts for residential/commercial and industrial consumers. Japanese electric utilities have been carrying out R and D for the future, in particular, energy storage and heat storage which contribute to the improvement of load factor. In this paper, I would like to outline the R and D options for DSM in Japan. (author)

Line Program Environmental Management Audit: Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-05-01

This report documents the results of the Line Program Environmental Management Audit completed for the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). During this Audit, activities and records were reviewed and personnel interviewed at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Additionally, since FUSRAP falls under the responsibility of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Environmental Restoration and Waste Management, selected individuals from this office were interviewed in Washington, DC and Germantown, Maryland. The onsite portion of the FUSRAP Audit was conducted from March 16 through 27, 1992, by the US Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Audit (EH-24) located within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Environment, Safety and Health (EH-1). The scope of the FUSRAP Line Program Environmental Management Audit was comprehensive and included all areas of environmental management with the exception of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Since the subject of compliance with and implementation of the requirements of NEPA is the responsibility of the DOE Headquarters Office of NEPA Oversight, management issues pertaining to NEPA were not investigated as part of this Audit

Utilizing Knowledge Management in Education: The Case of "The University of Jordan"

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Osama M. Rababah

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Knowledge as a result of processing the relevant information which is collection of raw data, facts, measurements, and statistics, requires sensitive management that leads educators and learners to increase concern for knowledge management, especially in the educational field. This paper intends to present this proposed approach directly to the one of its main sources of creation; Education. After the introductory part, the paper presents the Knowledge Management in the context of “The University of Jordan” emphasizing every components of knowledge management: people, process, and technology. Then, the researchers will show the result of the survey which had been carried out on 140 students at The University of Jordan, the survey was about their perceptions regarding the utility and quality of knowledge they gained through their studying at The University of Jordan.

Resource potential of bamboo, challenges and future directions towards sustainable management and utilization in Ethiopia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Getachew Desalegn

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Aim of study: Bamboo, the fastest growing and high yielding perennial plant of the world has more than 1500 species and 1500 versatile socio-economic uses and ecological services. Ethiopia has two indigenous bamboo species namely Yushania alpina and Oxytenantheria abyssinica, covering about one million ha with a wide distribution. The objective of this paper is to highlight the potential of bamboo resources, challenges including biodeterioration damage, opportunities and future research directions towards its sustainable management and rational utilization.Area of study: Bamboo resources of EthiopiaMaterial and Methods: Reconnaissance survey was done to some parts of the bamboo growing potential areas in Ethiopia besides the literature review. Main results: The bamboo resource, despite its socio-economic and environmental benefits, currently, in most areas has been under high pressure due to land use changes, bamboo mass- flowering, poor processing with low value addition, and damage by biodeteriorating agents (termites, beetles and fungi. The preservative tests on Ethiopian bamboos revealed low natural durability and highlighted the paramount importance of appropriate protection measures such as Tanalith and vehicles used motor oil to increase durability, service life and rational utilization of bamboo-based products and structures as potential alternative construction and furniture material.Research highlights: Therefore, integrated research and development interventions involving different propagation and managements techniques, harvesting season, processing, value addition including proper seasoning and preservation technologies and marketing are recommended to fill the information and technological gaps on sustainable management and rational utilization of this fast growing and multipurpose bamboo resources in Ethiopia.Key words: Bamboo; challenges; management; socio-economic and environmental significance; utilization.

Collaboration Across Worldviews: Managers and Scientists on Hawai'i Island Utilize Knowledge Coproduction to Facilitate Climate Change Adaptation.

Science.gov (United States)

Laursen, Scott; Puniwai, Noelani; Genz, Ayesha S; Nash, Sarah A B; Canale, Lisa K; Ziegler-Chong, Sharon

2018-05-30

Complex socio-ecological issues, such as climate change have historically been addressed through technical problem solving methods. Yet today, climate science approaches are increasingly accounting for the roles of diverse social perceptions, experiences, cultural norms, and worldviews. In support of this shift, we developed a research program on Hawai'i Island that utilizes knowledge coproduction to integrate the diverse worldviews of natural and cultural resource managers, policy professionals, and researchers within actionable science products. Through their work, local field managers regularly experience discrete land and waterscapes. Additionally, in highly interconnected rural communities, such as Hawai'i Island, managers often participate in the social norms and values of communities that utilize these ecosystems. Such local manager networks offer powerful frameworks within which to co-develop and implement actionable science. We interviewed a diverse set of local managers with the aim of incorporating their perspectives into the development of a collaborative climate change research agenda that builds upon existing professional networks utilized by managers and scientists while developing new research products. We report our manager needs assessment, the development process of our climate change program, our interactive forums, and our ongoing research products. Our needs assessment showed that the managers' primary source of information were other professional colleagues, and our in-person forums informed us that local managers are very interested in interacting with a wider range of networks to build upon their management capacities. Our initial programmatic progress suggests that co-created research products and in-person forums strengthen the capacities of local managers to adapt to change.

Use of multiattribute utility theory for formulary management in a health system.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Seonyoung; Kim, Sooyon; Kim, Jeongmee; Sohn, Kieho

2010-01-15

The application, utility, and flexibility of the multiattribute utility theory (MAUT) when used as a formulary decision methodology in a Korean medical center were evaluated. A drug analysis model using MAUT consisting of 10 steps was designed for two drug classes of dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers (CCBs) and angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs). These two drug classes contain the most diverse agents among cardiovascular drugs on Samsung Medical Center's drug formulary. The attributes identified for inclusion in the drug analysis model were effectiveness, safety, patient convenience, and cost, with relative weights of 50%, 30%, 10%, and 10%, respectively. The factors were incorporated into the model to quantify the contribution of each attribute. For each factor, a utility scale of 0-100 was established, and the total utility score for each alternative was calculated. An attempt was made to make the model adaptable to changing health care and regulatory circumstances. The analysis revealed amlodipine besylate to be an alternative agent, with the highest total utility score among the dihydropyridine CCBs, while barnidipine hydrochloride had the lowest score. For ARBs, losartan potassium had the greatest total utility score, while olmesartan medoxomil had the lowest. A drug analysis model based on the MAUT was successfully developed and used in making formulary decisions for dihydropyridine CCBs and ARBs for a Korean health system. The model incorporates sufficient utility and flexibility of a drug's attributes and can be used as an alternative decision-making tool for formulary management in health systems.

Urban water infrastructure asset management - a structured approach in four water utilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Cardoso, M A; Silva, M Santos; Coelho, S T; Almeida, M C; Covas, D I C

2012-01-01

Water services are a strategic sector of large social and economic relevance. It is therefore essential that they are managed rationally and efficiently. Advanced water supply and wastewater infrastructure asset management (IAM) is key in achieving adequate levels of service in the future, particularly with regard to reliable and high quality drinking water supply, prevention of urban flooding, efficient use of natural resources and prevention of pollution. This paper presents a methodology for supporting the development of urban water IAM, developed during the AWARE-P project as well as an appraisal of its implementation in four water utilities. Both water supply and wastewater systems were considered. Due to the different contexts and features of the utilities, the main concerns vary from case to case; some problems essentially are related to performance, others to risk. Cost is a common deciding factor. The paper describes the procedure applied, focusing on the diversity of drivers, constraints, benefits and outcomes. It also points out the main challenges and the results obtained through the implementation of a structured procedure for supporting urban water IAM.

Flash memory management system and method utilizing multiple block list windows

Science.gov (United States)

Chow, James (Inventor); Gender, Thomas K. (Inventor)

2005-01-01

The present invention provides a flash memory management system and method with increased performance. The flash memory management system provides the ability to efficiently manage and allocate flash memory use in a way that improves reliability and longevity, while maintaining good performance levels. The flash memory management system includes a free block mechanism, a disk maintenance mechanism, and a bad block detection mechanism. The free block mechanism provides efficient sorting of free blocks to facilitate selecting low use blocks for writing. The disk maintenance mechanism provides for the ability to efficiently clean flash memory blocks during processor idle times. The bad block detection mechanism provides the ability to better detect when a block of flash memory is likely to go bad. The flash status mechanism stores information in fast access memory that describes the content and status of the data in the flash disk. The new bank detection mechanism provides the ability to automatically detect when new banks of flash memory are added to the system. Together, these mechanisms provide a flash memory management system that can improve the operational efficiency of systems that utilize flash memory.

Rationale for utilizing 3PL in supply chain management: A shippers' economic perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Koichiro Tezuka

2011-07-01

Full Text Available In this paper we first propose a conceptual framework for evaluating 3PL (third-party logistics utilization in SCM (supply chain management, in which it is assumed that shippers may enjoy advantages derived from four contributory sources of 3PL specialization: scale, know-how, searching ability, and IT skills. It is also supposed that shippers may particularly benefit from 3PL when facing uncertain business environments. We also apply principal–agent relationships to shippers and 3PL providers. Further, we see enhancing “agency efficiency” as important to obtaining the benefits of 3PL utilization. We also look at the role of 3PL provider selection, the “hold-up” problem under incomplete contracts, and asset ownership. After that we briefly discuss the utilization of 3PL and environmental concerns. These are the main points that we consider related to 3PL utilization. The main contribution of this study is to identify discussion points from models and theories, such as contract theory, that relate to the utilization of 3PL in SCM.

Utility analysis and calibration of QOL assessment in disease management.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Mo

2018-05-02

In clinical trials, the assessment of health-related quality of life (QOL) (or patient-reported outcome [PRO] measure) has become very popular especially for clinical studies conducted for evaluating clinical benefits of patients with chronic, severe, and/or life threatening diseases. Health-related QOL information and PRO measures are useful for disease management for achieving best clinical practice. In this article, we will focus on health-related QOL assessment. The concept, design, and analysis of health-related QOL in clinical trials are reviewed. Validation of the use of health-related QOL instrument in terms of some key performance characteristics such as accuracy, reliability, sensitivity, and responsibility for assuring quality, integrity, and validity of collected QOL data are discussed. The concept of utility analysis and calibration (e.g., with respect to life events) for achieving the optimization of disease management are proposed. The change of the QOL could be translated into different life events for effective disease management. These translations could evaluate the treatment effect by more directly displaying the change of the QOL.

Outline of a multiattribute utility approach to development of a waste management strategy at Sillamaee

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anselmo, P.C.

2000-01-01

The article briefly discusses a framework for analysis of the waste disposition and management problem at Sillamaee. It is a response to the need to develop a strategic waste management plan for the Sillamaee site. A hypothetical objectives hierarchy is presented, along with two possible methods for aggregating scores for designated alternatives. Waste management and disposal problems, particularly nuclear waste disposal problems, have been addressed by many decision analysts. The latter citations are examples of Multiattribute Utility (MAU) Analysis, a decision analysis technique that is most appropriate for evaluation of waste management strategies at Sillamaee

Multi-utility enterprises: an outlook on the prospects in the liberalising markets. Terms and definitions, competition, management strategies, trends; Multi-Utility: Wohin entwickelt sich der Markt? Begriffe, Standort, Strategie, Tendenzen

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mattis, M. [multi-utility consulting, Stuttgart (Germany)

2003-03-01

In the light of a spreading confusion of concepts in the context of emerging new business structures and new supply and disposal services in the utility sector, the article explains the current concepts and terms like utility, multi-utility, single-utility, and cross selling, and the respective corporate management and trading characteristics. (orig./CB) [German] In der Ver- und Entsorgung herrscht heillose Begriffsverwirrung. Viele verstehen unter Begriffen wie Utility, Multi-Utility, Single-Utility und cross selling etwas anderes. Versuch einer Begriffsbestimmung und daran anschliessende strategische Ueberlegungen. (orig./CB)

Federated and Cloud Enabled Resources for Data Management and Utilization

Science.gov (United States)

Rankin, R.; Gordon, M.; Potter, R. G.; Satchwill, B.

2011-12-01

The emergence of cloud computing over the past three years has led to a paradigm shift in how data can be managed, processed and made accessible. Building on the federated data management system offered through the Canadian Space Science Data Portal (www.cssdp.ca), we demonstrate how heterogeneous and geographically distributed data sets and modeling tools have been integrated to form a virtual data center and computational modeling platform that has services for data processing and visualization embedded within it. We also discuss positive and negative experiences in utilizing Eucalyptus and OpenStack cloud applications, and job scheduling facilitated by Condor and Star Cluster. We summarize our findings by demonstrating use of these technologies in the Cloud Enabled Space Weather Data Assimilation and Modeling Platform CESWP (www.ceswp.ca), which is funded through Canarie's (canarie.ca) Network Enabled Platforms program in Canada.

What is heartburn worth? A cost-utility analysis of management strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Heudebert, G R; Centor, R M; Klapow, J C; Marks, R; Johnson, L; Wilcox, C M

2000-03-01

To determine the best treatment strategy for the management of patients presenting with symptoms consistent with uncomplicated heartburn. We performed a cost-utility analysis of 4 alternatives: empirical proton pump inhibitor, empirical histamine2-receptor antagonist, and diagnostic strategies consisting of either esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) or an upper gastrointestinal series before treatment. The time horizon of the model was 1 year. The base case analysis assumed a cohort of otherwise healthy 45-year-old individuals in a primary care practice. Empirical treatment with a proton pump inhibitor was projected to provide the greatest quality-adjusted survival for the cohort. Empirical treatment with a histamine2 receptor antagonist was projected to be the least costly of the alternatives. The marginal cost-effectiveness of using a proton pump inhibitor over a histamine2-receptor antagonist was approximately $10,400 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gained in the base case analysis and was less than $50,000 per QALY as long as the utility for heartburn was less than 0.95. Both diagnostic strategies were dominated by proton pump inhibitor alternative. Empirical treatment seems to be the optimal initial management strategy for patients with heartburn, but the choice between a proton pump inhibitor or histamine2-receptor antagonist depends on the impact of heartburn on quality of life.

Herbicide-resistant crops: utilities and limitations for herbicide-resistant weed management.

Science.gov (United States)

Green, Jerry M; Owen, Micheal D K

2011-06-08

Since 1996, genetically modified herbicide-resistant (HR) crops, particularly glyphosate-resistant (GR) crops, have transformed the tactics that corn, soybean, and cotton growers use to manage weeds. The use of GR crops continues to grow, but weeds are adapting to the common practice of using only glyphosate to control weeds. Growers using only a single mode of action to manage weeds need to change to a more diverse array of herbicidal, mechanical, and cultural practices to maintain the effectiveness of glyphosate. Unfortunately, the introduction of GR crops and the high initial efficacy of glyphosate often lead to a decline in the use of other herbicide options and less investment by industry to discover new herbicide active ingredients. With some exceptions, most growers can still manage their weed problems with currently available selective and HR crop-enabled herbicides. However, current crop management systems are in jeopardy given the pace at which weed populations are evolving glyphosate resistance. New HR crop technologies will expand the utility of currently available herbicides and enable new interim solutions for growers to manage HR weeds, but will not replace the long-term need to diversify weed management tactics and discover herbicides with new modes of action. This paper reviews the strengths and weaknesses of anticipated weed management options and the best management practices that growers need to implement in HR crops to maximize the long-term benefits of current technologies and reduce weed shifts to difficult-to-control and HR weeds.

Effects of Home Energy Management Systems on Distribution Utilities and Feeders Under Various Market Structure; NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruth, M.; Pratt, A.; Lunacek, M.; Mittal, S.; Wu, H.; Jones, W.

2015-06-15

The combination of distributed energy resources (DER) and retail tariff structures to provide benefits to both utility consumers and the utilities is not well understood. To improve understanding, an Integrated Energy System Model (IESM) is being developed to simulate the physical and economic aspects of DER technologies, the buildings where they reside, and feeders servicing them. The IESM was used to simulate 20 houses with home energy management systems on a single feeder under a time-of-use (TOU) tariff to estimate economic and physical impacts on both the households and the distribution utilities. Home energy management systems (HEMS) reduce consumers’ electric bills by precooling houses in the hours before peak electricity pricing. Utilization of HEMS reduce peak loads during high price hours but shifts it to hours with off-peak and shoulder prices, resulting in a higher peak load. used to simulate 20 houses with home energy management systems on a single feeder under a time-of-use (TOU) tariff to estimate economic and physical impacts on both the households and the distribution utilities. Home energy management systems (HEMS) reduce consumers’ electric bills by precooling houses in the hours before peak electricity pricing. Utilization of HEMS reduce peak loads during high price hours but shifts it to hours with off-peak and shoulder prices, resulting in a higher peak load.

Sitophilus granarius L. (Coleoptera) Toxicity and Biological Activities of the Essential Oils of Tanacetum macrophyllum (Waldst. & Kit.) Schultz Bip.

Science.gov (United States)

Polatoğlu, Kaan; Karakoç, Ömer Cem; Demirci, Betül; Gören, Nezhun; Can Başer, Kemal Hüsnü

2015-01-01

Insecticides of the natural origin are an important alternative to the synthetic insecticides that are being employed for the preserving stored products. The volatiles obtained from T. cinerariifolium (=Pyrethrum cinerariifolium) is being used for many types of insecticidal applications; however there is a very little information on the insecticidal activity of the essential oils of other Tanacetum species. The main purpose of the present study is to determine the chemical composition of T. macrophyllum (Waldst. & Kit.) Schultz Bip. essential oils and evaluate their insecticidal activity against S. granarius as well as its other beneficial biological activities. Highest contact toxicity was observed in the leaf oil of (88.93%) against S. granarius. The flower oil showed considerable fumigant toxicity against L. minor at 10 mg/mL application concentration (61.86 %) when compared with other samples at the same concentration. The highest DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging activity (47.7%) and phosphomolybdenum reducing activity was observed also for the flower oil of T. macrophyllum at 10 mg/mL concentration. The essential oils were analyzed by GC, GC/MS. The flower and leaf oils were characterized with γ-eudesmol 21.5%, (E)-sesquilavandulol 20.3%, copaborneol 8.5% and copaborneol 14.1%, 1,8-cineole 11%, bornyl acetate 9.6%, borneol 6.3% respectively. AHC analysis of the qualitative and quantitative data obtained from the essential oil composition of the T. macrophyllum essential oil from the present research and previous reports pointed out that two different chemotypes could be proposed with current findings which are p-methyl benzyl alcohol/ cadinene and eudesmane chemotypes.

Assessment of management approaches in a public water utility: A case study of the Namibia water corporation (NAMWATER)

Science.gov (United States)

Ndokosho, Johnson; Hoko, Zvikomborero; Makurira, Hodson

More than 90% of urban water supply and sanitation services in developing countries are provided by public organizations. However, public provision of services has been inherently inefficient. As a result a number of initiatives have emerged in recent years with a common goal to improve service delivery. In Namibia, the water sector reform resulted in the creation of a public utility called the Namibia Water Corporation (NAMWATER) which is responsible for bulk water supply countrywide. Since its inception in 1998, NAMWATER has been experiencing poor financial performance. This paper presents the findings of a case study that compared the management approaches of NAMWATER to the New Public Management (NPM) paradigm. The focus of the NPM approach is for the public water sector to mirror private sector methods of management so that public utilities can accrue the benefits of effectiveness, efficiency and flexibility often associated with private sector. The study tools used were a combination of literature review, interviews and questionnaires. It was found out that NAMWATER has a high degree of autonomy in its operations, albeit government approved tariffs and sourcing of external financing. The utility reports to government annually to account for results. The utility embraces a notion of good corporate culture and adheres to sound management practices. NAMWATER demonstrated a strong market-orientation indicated by the outsourcing of non-core functions but benchmarking was poorly done. NAMWATER’s customer-orientation is poor as evidenced by the lack of customer care facilities. NAMWATER’s senior management delegated operational authority to lower management to facilitate flexibility and eliminate bottlenecks. The lower management is in turn held accountable for performance by the senior management. There are no robust methods of ensuring sufficient accountability indicated by absence of performance contracts or service level agreements. It was concluded that

Assessment of the Availability, Utilization and Management of ICT Facilities in Teaching English Language in Secondary Schools in Kaduna State, Nigeria

Science.gov (United States)

Yusuf, Hanna Onyi; Maina, Bashir; Dare, Michael Omotayo

2013-01-01

The study investigated the availability, utilization and management of ICT facilities in teaching English language in secondary schools in Kaduna State, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. A questionnaire titled "Availability, Utilization and Management of Information and Communication Technology in teaching…

Exploration and mining - Report 800C. Predevelopment studies for mine methane management and utilization

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2001-03-01

Since 1999 Japan and Australia have been engaged in a 5-year predevelopment study of mine methane management and utilization. The effort aims to develop a technique to recover and utilize the greenhouse gas that escapes during coal mining for a decrease in the environmental impact of coal mining and to develop a technique to simulate the behavior of gas during coal mining. Understanding gas behavior will be useful in formulating a plan for optimum mine methane management and utilization in a newly developed mining zone. Technology transfer and interchangeability were considered and the Hunter Valley, New South Wales, was chosen as the experiment site. Tasks to discharge in fiscal 2000 were (1) collection of data on resources, technology, and the trend of Government policy and regulations, (2) measurement of stress and gas permeability and the assessment of mechanical strength of rock and coal at specified spots in the mining zone, (3) 3-dimensional gasping of the Wambo coal mine geography from the standpoints of geology and civil engineering, grasping of gas characteristics, and modelling and (4) the development of gas and rock behavior grasping technology for use during coal mining. (NEDO)

Utility evaluations for Markov states of lung cancer for PET-based disease management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Papatheofanis, F.J.

2000-01-01

Utilities for the health outcomes states (Markov states) of non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLCL) should be measured to evaluate management options for patients because patients are key participants in the process of care, and their assessment of diagnostic and therapeutic value in the options presented to them ultimately impacts their net health outcomes. This investigation sought to measure utilities for stage-dependent outcomes states of NSCLC. Persons (n=23) with suspected NSCLC based on physical findings and computed tomography completed a short utilities survey. Utility valuations were obtained according to severity of morbidity and varied considerably. Respondents rated these health states according to accuracy measures for 18 flurodeoxyglucose ( 18 FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and mediastinoscopy. The results demonstrate that stage-dependent morbidity is an important consideration for patients with NSCLC and should be included in any decision analysis regarding the evaluation or treatment of NSCLC. Respondents valued the quality of information obtained from non-invasive mediastinoscopy comparably. The utilities obtained from this investigation are useful in clinical decision-making based on Markov processes because they provide an initial estimation of utility assessment for 18 FDG-based diagnostic evaluation of lung cancer. Consequently, these utilities will be useful in future decision analyses that require patient preference in the assignment of the evaluation of decision options (branches)

Security Analysis of the Electronic Management System for a Total Site Utility System

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Manso Cortes, Oscar

2016-01-01

This paper presents the Security Analysis of the Electronic Management System (EMS) of a Total Site Utility System as proposed under the scope of the Efenis project. The Efenis project has been funded by the European Commission via the seventh framework programme (EC FP7) with the aim to improve ...

Bridge management system for the Western Cape provincial government, South Africa: implementation and utilization

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Nell, AJ

2008-10-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the implementation and utilization of the bridge management system (BMS) of the Department of Transport and Public Works of the Western Cape Provincial Government. The implementation of the BMS as well as the visual assessment...

Can a chronic disease management pulmonary rehabilitation program for COPD reduce acute rural hospital utilization?

Science.gov (United States)

Rasekaba, T M; Williams, E; Hsu-Hage, B

2009-01-01

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) imposes a costly burden on healthcare. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is the best practice to better manage COPD to improve patient outcomes and reduce acute hospital care utilization. To evaluate the impact of a once-weekly, eight-week multidisciplinary PR program as an integral part of the COPD chronic disease management (CDM) Program at Kyabram District Health Services. The study compared two cohorts of COPD patients: CDM-PR Cohort (4-8 weeks) and Opt-out Cohort (0-3 weeks) between February 2006 and March 2007. The CDM-PR Program involved multidisciplinary patient education and group exercise training. Nonparametric statistical tests were used to compare acute hospital care utilization 12 months before and after the introduction of CDM-PR. The number of patients involved in the CDM-PR Cohort was 29 (n = 29), and that in the Opt-out Cohort was 24 (n = 24). The CDM-PR Cohort showed significant reductions in cumulative acute hospital care utilization indicators (95% emergency department presentations, 95% inpatient admissions, 99% length of stay; effect sizes = 0.62-0.66, P 0.05). Total costs associated with the hospital care utilization decreased from $130,000 to $7,500 for the CDM-PR Cohort and increased from $77,700 to $101,200 for the Opt-out Cohort. Participation in the CDM-PR for COPD patients can significantly reduce acute hospital care utilization and associated costs in a small rural health service.

Tank Operations Contract Construction Management Methodology. Utilizing The Agency Method Of Construction Management To Safely And Effectively Complete Nuclear Construction Work

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leso, K.F.; Hamilton, H.M.; Farner, M.; Heath, T.

2010-01-01

Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC (WRPS) has faced significant project management challenges in managing Davis-Bacon construction work that meets contractually required small business goals. The unique challenge is to provide contracting opportunities to multiple small business construction subcontractors while performing high hazard work in a safe and productive manner. Previous to the Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC contract, Construction work at the Hanford Tank Farms was contracted to large companies, while current Department of Energy (DOE) Contracts typically emphasize small business awards. As an integral part of Nuclear Project Management at Hanford Tank Farms, construction involves removal of old equipment and structures and installation of new infrastructure to support waste retrieval and waste feed delivery to the Waste Treatment Plant. Utilizing the optimum construction approach ensures that the contractors responsible for this work are successful in meeting safety, quality, cost and schedule objectives while working in a very hazardous environment. This paper describes the successful transition from a traditional project delivery method that utilized a large business general contractor and subcontractors to a new project construction management model that is more oriented to small businesses. Construction has selected the Agency Construction Management Method. This method was implemented in the first quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2009, where Construction Management is performed by substantially home office resources from the URS Northwest Office in Richland, Washington. The Agency Method has allowed WRPS to provide proven Construction Managers and Field Leads to mentor and direct small business contractors, thus providing expertise and assurance of a successful project. Construction execution contracts are subcontracted directly by WRPS to small or disadvantaged contractors that are mentored and supported by DRS personnel. Each small

TANK OPERATIONS CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGY UTILIZING THE AGENCY METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT TO SAFELY AND EFFECTIVELY COMPLETE NUCLEAR CONSTRUCTION WORK

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

LESO KF; HAMILTON HM; FARNER M; HEATH T

2010-01-14

Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC (WRPS) has faced significant project management challenges in managing Davis-Bacon construction work that meets contractually required small business goals. The unique challenge is to provide contracting opportunities to multiple small business construction subcontractors while performing high hazard work in a safe and productive manner. Previous to the Washington River Protection Solutions, LLC contract, Construction work at the Hanford Tank Farms was contracted to large companies, while current Department of Energy (DOE) Contracts typically emphasize small business awards. As an integral part of Nuclear Project Management at Hanford Tank Farms, construction involves removal of old equipment and structures and installation of new infrastructure to support waste retrieval and waste feed delivery to the Waste Treatment Plant. Utilizing the optimum construction approach ensures that the contractors responsible for this work are successful in meeting safety, quality, cost and schedule objectives while working in a very hazardous environment. This paper describes the successful transition from a traditional project delivery method that utilized a large business general contractor and subcontractors to a new project construction management model that is more oriented to small businesses. Construction has selected the Agency Construction Management Method. This method was implemented in the first quarter of Fiscal Year (FY) 2009, where Construction Management is performed by substantially home office resources from the URS Northwest Office in Richland, Washington. The Agency Method has allowed WRPS to provide proven Construction Managers and Field Leads to mentor and direct small business contractors, thus providing expertise and assurance of a successful project. Construction execution contracts are subcontracted directly by WRPS to small or disadvantaged contractors that are mentored and supported by DRS personnel. Each small

Assessment of utility side financial benefits of demand side management considering environmental impacts

Science.gov (United States)

Abeygunawardane, Saranga Kumudu

2018-02-01

Any electrical utility prefers to implement demand side management and change the shape of the demand curve in a beneficial manner. This paper aims to assess the financial gains (or losses) to the generating sector through the implementation of demand side management programs. An optimization algorithm is developed to find the optimal generation mix that minimizes the daily total generating cost. This daily total generating cost includes the daily generating cost as well as the environmental damage cost. The proposed optimization algorithm is used to find the daily total generating cost for the base case and for several demand side management programs using the data obtained from the Sri Lankan power system. Results obtained for DSM programs are compared with the results obtained for the base case to assess the financial benefits of demand side management to the generating sector.

Communications technologies for demand side management, DSM, and European utility communications architecture, EurUCA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaerkkaeinen, S.; Kekkonen, V. [VTT Energy, Espoo (Finland); Rissanen, P. [Tietosavo Oy (Finland)

1996-12-31

In this project the main target is to develop and assess methods for DSM (Demand Side Management) and distribution automation planning from the utility`s point of view. The final goal is to integrate these methods for the strategic planning of electric utilities. In practice the project is divided into four main parts: The development and assessment of DSM/IRP planning methods and cost/benefit analysis as a part of international co-operation (IEA DSM Agreement: Annex IV, European Cost/Benefit analysis of DSM, EUBC, and Finnish SAVE-project started in 1995 in co-operation with SRC International and six electric utilities in Finland); Development of PC-based DSM planning and assessment tools at VTT; Development of a decision support system of distribution network planning including DSM options at Tietosavo Oy and Integration of DSM planning and network planning tools in co-operation with VTT Energy and Tietosavo Oy

Communications technologies for demand side management, DSM, and European utility communications architecture, EurUCA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaerkkaeinen, S; Kekkonen, V [VTT Energy, Espoo (Finland); Rissanen, P [Tietosavo Oy (Finland)

1997-12-31

In this project the main target is to develop and assess methods for DSM (Demand Side Management) and distribution automation planning from the utility`s point of view. The final goal is to integrate these methods for the strategic planning of electric utilities. In practice the project is divided into four main parts: The development and assessment of DSM/IRP planning methods and cost/benefit analysis as a part of international co-operation (IEA DSM Agreement: Annex IV, European Cost/Benefit analysis of DSM, EUBC, and Finnish SAVE-project started in 1995 in co-operation with SRC International and six electric utilities in Finland); Development of PC-based DSM planning and assessment tools at VTT; Development of a decision support system of distribution network planning including DSM options at Tietosavo Oy and Integration of DSM planning and network planning tools in co-operation with VTT Energy and Tietosavo Oy

Can we delay the replacement of this component?-an asset management approach to the question [for electric utilities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østergaard, Jacob; Jensen, A. Norsk

2001-01-01

Asset management is emerging as a new approach on how to exploit an electric utility physical asset in the most profitable way. One of the major questions to answer by the asset management staff is when to do replacements? This is a difficult question, which require weighting of several parameter...... on Windows CE handheld computers which are presented in this paper. The calculations shown in the paper are based on this tool, and the software system is today available and used by Danish electric utilities....

Hans-Peter Schultze, a great paleoichthyologist for whom work is synonymous with enjoyment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Cloutier

2002-01-01

Full Text Available In the summer of 1982, Hans-Peter Schultze and Gloria Arratia were invited to a small museum located on a fossiliferous site of the Devonian Escuminac Formation in Miguasha, Quebec, eastern Canada, Hans-Peter was to work with Marius Arsenault, the director of the Miguasha Museum, on the skull of the elpistostegalid Elpistostege watsoni, a species closely related to basal tetrapod. In addition, he went through the collections to describe and measure numerous juvenile specimens of the osteolepiform. Eusthenopteran foordi. As expected, there two projects turned out to be important contributions in lower vertebrate paleontology and systematics: one on the origin of tetrapods (1985, and the second one on growth patterns of a Late Devonian fish (1984. During his visit to Miguasha, Hans-Peter also spent time digging for fossils and drawing numerous specimens in the collection. In addition, in order to help the personnel of the museum to identify some of the Escuminac fished, he created an identification key based on the gross morphology of the scales. For a small group of undergraduate students, hired at the museum during the summer as naturalists, it was a unique opportunity to discuss paleontology with a leading researcher. We were amazed by his willingness to talk to us, even if then most of us only spoke French! For the first time, we were exposed to Hennigian methodology and its usage in vertebrate paleontology during and evening lecture that Hans-Peter prepared for us. His lecture was delightful; it was an intensive course in lower vertebrate anatomy, and an intellectual journey among the philosophers Karl Marx and Karl Popper, the entomologists Willy Hennig and Lars Brundin, and "The Band of Four" (Rosen et al., 1981. It was for most of us our first exposure to science, as it should be done. We were all impressed by his knowledge and above all by his simplicity and friendliness. Two years later I started my Ph.D. at The University of Kansas

Integrated outage management: Leveraging utility system assets including GIS and AMR for optimum outage response

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Finamore, E. P.

2004-02-01

The control of electrical system outages is discussed. The principal argument advanced is that traditional stand-alone methods of outage response will no longer get the job done without utility companies integrating their outage management systems with other system assets such as GIS (geographic information system) and AMR (advanced metering systems). Many meter reading systems, while primarily supporting customer billing, can also provide outage alarm and some are also capable of service restoration notification, which is an invaluable benefit to service operators since it obviates the need for verifying system restoration by labour-intensive on-site visits or customer call-backs. If successfully leveraged, optimization of all utility assets and improvements in labour productivity can results in improved outage management performance gains without affecting performance in other areas.

Integrating Systems Health Management with Adaptive Controls for a Utility-Scale Wind Turbine

Science.gov (United States)

Frost, Susan A.; Goebel, Kai; Trinh, Khanh V.; Balas, Mark J.; Frost, Alan M.

2011-01-01

Increasing turbine up-time and reducing maintenance costs are key technology drivers for wind turbine operators. Components within wind turbines are subject to considerable stresses due to unpredictable environmental conditions resulting from rapidly changing local dynamics. Systems health management has the aim to assess the state-of-health of components within a wind turbine, to estimate remaining life, and to aid in autonomous decision-making to minimize damage. Advanced adaptive controls can provide the mechanism to enable optimized operations that also provide the enabling technology for Systems Health Management goals. The work reported herein explores the integration of condition monitoring of wind turbine blades with contingency management and adaptive controls. Results are demonstrated using a high fidelity simulator of a utility-scale wind turbine.

Analysis on digital management of uranium geological archives and its second exploitation and utilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kong Hui

2009-01-01

The enormous data and examples show that the second exploitation and utilization of geological archives information are important and necessary for geological prospecting. The author deeply studies and analyzes the information service system for uranium geology, it is believed that the traditional management mode of geological archives must be transformed into modernized service mode. The way of how to expand, apply and improve the 'management and analytical system for uranium resources information' is discussed for implementing geo-informational construction. (authors)

Research reactor utilization, safety, decommissioning, fuel and waste management. Posters of an international conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

For more than 50 years research reactors have played an important role in the development of nuclear science and technology. They have made significant contributions to a large number of disciplines as well as to the educational and research programmes of about 70 countries world wide. About 675 research reactors have been built to date, of which some 278 are now operating in 59 countries (86 of them in 38 developing Member States). Altogether over 13,000 reactor-years of cumulative operational experience has been gained during this remarkable period. The objective of this conference was to foster the exchange of information on current research reactor concerns related to safety, operation, utilization, decommissioning and to provide a forum for reactor operators, designers, managers, users and regulators to share experience, exchange opinions and to discuss options and priorities. The topical areas covered were: a) Utilization, including new trends and directions for utilization of research reactors. Effective management of research reactors and associated facilities. Engineering considerations and experience related to refurbishment and modifications. Strategic planning and marketing. Classical applications (nuclear activation analysis, isotope production, neutron beam applications, industrial irradiations, medical applications). Training for operators. Educational programmes using a reactor. Current developments in design and fabrication of experimental facilities. Irradiation facilities. Projects for regional uses of facilities. Core management and calculation tools. Future trends for reactors. Use of simulators for training and educational programmes. b) Safety, including experience with the preparation and review of safety analysis reports. Human factors in safety analysis. Management of extended shutdown periods. Modifications: safety analysis, regulatory aspects, commissioning programmes. Engineering safety features. Safety culture. Safety peer reviews and

The comparison of alternatives for nuclear spent fuel management using multi-attribute utility function

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, J. W.; Kang, C. S.

1999-01-01

It is necessary to find a solution immediately to nuclear spent fuel management that is temporarily stored in on-site spent fuel storage before the saturation of the storage. However the choice of alternative for nuclear spent fuel management consists of complex process that are affected by economic, technical and social factors. And it is not easy to quantify these factors; public opinion, probability of diplomatic problem and contribution to development of nuclear technology. Therefore the analysis of the affecting factors and assessment of alternatives are required. This study performed the comparison of the alternatives for nuclear spent fuel management using MAU (Multi-Attribute Utility Function) and AHP(Analytic Hierarchy Process)

Barriers to Innovation in Urban Wastewater Utilities: Attitudes of Managers in California.

Science.gov (United States)

Kiparsky, Michael; Thompson, Barton H; Binz, Christian; Sedlak, David L; Tummers, Lars; Truffer, Bernhard

2016-06-01

In many regions of the world, urban water systems will need to transition into fundamentally different forms to address current stressors and meet impending challenges-faster innovation will need to be part of these transitions. To assess the innovation deficit in urban water organizations and to identify means for supporting innovation, we surveyed wastewater utility managers in California. Our results reveal insights about the attitudes towards innovation among decision makers, and how perceptions at the level of individual managers might create disincentives for experimentation. Although managers reported feeling relatively unhindered organizationally, they also spend less time on innovation than they feel they should. The most frequently reported barriers to innovation included cost and financing; risk and risk aversion; and regulatory compliance. Considering these results in the context of prior research on innovation systems, we conclude that collective action may be required to address underinvestment in innovation.

The past, present, and future of U.S. utility demand-side management programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eto, J.

1996-12-01

Demand-side management or DSM refers to active efforts by electric and gas utilities to modify customers' energy use patterns. The experience in the US shows that utilities, when provided with appropriate incentives, can provide a powerful stimulus to energy efficiency in the private sector. This paper describes the range and history of DSM programs offered by US electric utilities, with a focus on the political, economic, and regulatory events that have shaped their evolution. It also describes the changes these programs are undergoing as a result of US electricity industry restructuring. DSM programs began modestly in the 1970s in response to growing concerns about dependence on foreign sources of oil and environmental consequences of electricity generation, especially nuclear power. The foundation for the unique US partnership between government and utility interests can be traced first to the private-ownership structure of the vertically integrated electricity industry and second to the monopoly franchise granted by state regulators. Electricity industry restructuring calls into question both of these basic conditions, and thus the future of utility DSM programs for the public interest. Future policies guiding ratepayer-funded energy-efficiency DSM programs will need to pay close attention to the specific market objectives of the programs and to the balance between public and private interests

The past, present, and future of U.S. utility demand-side management programs

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eto, J. [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab., CA (United States). Environmental Energy Technologies Div.

1996-12-01

Demand-side management or DSM refers to active efforts by electric and gas utilities to modify customers` energy use patterns. The experience in the US shows that utilities, when provided with appropriate incentives, can provide a powerful stimulus to energy efficiency in the private sector. This paper describes the range and history of DSM programs offered by US electric utilities, with a focus on the political, economic, and regulatory events that have shaped their evolution. It also describes the changes these programs are undergoing as a result of US electricity industry restructuring. DSM programs began modestly in the 1970s in response to growing concerns about dependence on foreign sources of oil and environmental consequences of electricity generation, especially nuclear power. The foundation for the unique US partnership between government and utility interests can be traced first to the private-ownership structure of the vertically integrated electricity industry and second to the monopoly franchise granted by state regulators. Electricity industry restructuring calls into question both of these basic conditions, and thus the future of utility DSM programs for the public interest. Future policies guiding ratepayer-funded energy-efficiency DSM programs will need to pay close attention to the specific market objectives of the programs and to the balance between public and private interests.

41 CFR 109-39.301 - Utilization guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Utilization guidelines... Management System Vehicles § 109-39.301 Utilization guidelines. DOE activities utilizing GSA IFMS motor... meeting DOE utilization guidelines or established local use objectives, as appropriate. Those vehicles not...

Optimization of workflow scheduling in Utility Management System with hierarchical neural network

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Srdjan Vukmirovic

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Grid computing could be the future computing paradigm for enterprise applications, one of its benefits being that it can be used for executing large scale applications. Utility Management Systems execute very large numbers of workflows with very high resource requirements. This paper proposes architecture for a new scheduling mechanism that dynamically executes a scheduling algorithm using feedback about the current status Grid nodes. Two Artificial Neural Networks were created in order to solve the scheduling problem. A case study is created for the Meter Data Management system with measurements from the Smart Metering system for the city of Novi Sad, Serbia. Performance tests show that significant improvement of overall execution time can be achieved by Hierarchical Artificial Neural Networks.

Strategic management and utilization of patents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Gyeong Go; Yun, Gwon Jun

1993-11-01

This book deals with why does management of patents need?, system of management of patents with function and site of management of patents and system and composition, what does management of patents department do?, task like technical development, management regulation, patent information, management of patents in small business with technical development of small business, how does business manage the patents in real, introduction of management of patents in the U.S, Europe, Japan, and Korea, and management of patents as strategic management.

Utility of an intraoperabive gamma probe in the surgical management of secondary or tertiary hyperparathyroidism

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jorna, Francisca H.; Jager, Pieter L.; Lemstra, Clara; Wiggers, Theo; Stegeman, Coen A.; Plukker, John T. M.

BACKGROUND: In primary hyperparathyroidism the gamma probe is effective, but its role in secondary hyperparathyroidism is unclear. We investigated the utility of the probe in the surgical management of secondary and tertiary hyperparathyroidism. METHODS: The value of the probe in guiding resection

Environmental auditing: Capabilities and management utility of recreation impact monitoring programs

Science.gov (United States)

Marion, J.L.

1995-01-01

A recreation impact monitoring system was developed and applied in 1984?1986 and in 1991 to all backcountry river-accessed campsites within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Results suggest that actions implemented by park managers in response to problems identified by the initial survey were highly effective in reducing resource degradation caused by camping. In particular, the elimination of some designated campsites and installation of anchored firegrates reduced the total area of disturbance by 50%. Firegrate installation provided a focal point that increased the concentration of camping activities, allowing peripheral areas to recover. As suggested by predictive models, additional resource degradation caused by increased camping intensities is more than offset by improvements in the condition of areas where use is eliminated. The capabilities and management utility of recreation impact monitoring programs, illustrated by the Delaware Water Gap monitoring program, are also presented and discussed.

Optimal Computing Resource Management Based on Utility Maximization in Mobile Crowdsourcing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Haoyu Meng

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Mobile crowdsourcing, as an emerging service paradigm, enables the computing resource requestor (CRR to outsource computation tasks to each computing resource provider (CRP. Considering the importance of pricing as an essential incentive to coordinate the real-time interaction among the CRR and CRPs, in this paper, we propose an optimal real-time pricing strategy for computing resource management in mobile crowdsourcing. Firstly, we analytically model the CRR and CRPs behaviors in form of carefully selected utility and cost functions, based on concepts from microeconomics. Secondly, we propose a distributed algorithm through the exchange of control messages, which contain the information of computing resource demand/supply and real-time prices. We show that there exist real-time prices that can align individual optimality with systematic optimality. Finally, we also take account of the interaction among CRPs and formulate the computing resource management as a game with Nash equilibrium achievable via best response. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed distributed algorithm can potentially benefit both the CRR and CRPs. The coordinator in mobile crowdsourcing can thus use the optimal real-time pricing strategy to manage computing resources towards the benefit of the overall system.

Facility Utilization Reports - FAA Aviation Information Utilization Reports

Data.gov (United States)

Department of Transportation — Provides: (1) Space management and planning, including area calculations, tracking space by organization and employee, and monitoring space utilization information....

How Managed Care Affects Medicaid Utilization : A Synthetic Difference-in-Difference Zero-Inflated Count Model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Freund, D.A.; Kniesner, T.J.; LoSasso, A.T.

1996-01-01

We develop a synthetic difference-in-differences statistical design to apply to experimental data for adult women living in Hennepin County, Minnesota, to estimate the impact of Medicaid managed care on various modes of medical care use.Because the outcomes of interest are utilization counts with

Utilizing Clinical Pharmacy Specialists to Address Access to Care Barriers in the Veteran Population for the Management of Diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Krystal L; Hadley, Ryan L; Baby, Nidhu; Yeary, Julianne C; Chastain, Lisa M; Brown, Crystal D

2017-08-01

To show that clinical pharmacy specialists (CPSs) can be utilized in remote facilities to provide appropriate diabetes outcomes along with potential cost savings. A retrospective cohort chart review conducted at the Veterans Affairs North Texas Healthcare System (VANTHCS) evaluated outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus referred to CPSs at Fort Worth Outpatient Clinic (FWOPC) or the endocrinologist-managed specialty clinic at the Dallas VA Medical Center (DVAMC). The primary outcome was percentage of patients reaching hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) goal of facility if patients continued to be referred to CPS. CPSs can be utilized in diabetes management to provide similar health outcomes as the endocrinologist-managed clinic and to potentially allow for facility cost savings.

Identifying and Solving the Real Problems Facing the Integrated Disability Evaluation System (IDES)

Science.gov (United States)

2013-06-14

353. Boal, Kimberly B., and Patrick L. Schultz. 2007. Storytelling , time and evolution: The role of strategic leadership in complex adaptive...culture, change and emotions : A qualitative study. Journal of Change Management 9, no. 4: 435-457. Snavely, Kevin, and Uday Desai. Mapping local

A Midwest utility's perspective of DSM [demand-side management]: Balancing the needs of customers, shareholders and the environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collins, G.F.

1990-01-01

PSI Energy, a predominately coal-burning Indiana electric utility, is very concerned about the environment and is using demand-side management (DSM) as part of a strategy to balance the sometimes conflicting interests of the environment, the economy, customers and shareholders. Faced with slow growth within its service territory, an abundance of low-cost, high sulfur coal burning baseload capacity, massive future expenditures for acid rain mitigation and a weakened financial state due to a cancelled nuclear project, PSI Energy has taken a novel approach to preserving value for customers, shareholders, the economy and environment. To accomodate Indiana's goal of least cost utility planning, PSI initiated an all-source bidding program in which it solicited bids for peaking capacity or the equivalent. Four parallel but separate solicitations were pursued: combustion turbine manufacturers for PSI owned and operated capacity, other utilities and non-utility generators for purchased power and third parties for demand-side management. PSI's philosophy with respect to bidding can be expressed as: simplicity, flexibility, creativity, partnerships, expeditious and fairness. There is a minimum bid of 5 MW of summer peak demand reduction, and the minimum contract length is 10 years. The entire 550 MW capacity block available to be filled in the program is open to demand-side resources. The ten major evaluation criteria involved in the program are: price, sponsor qualifications, operational impact, marketing plan, technology, financing plan, verification and measurement, form of security, project management plan, and project cost estimates

Cost-Utility Analysis: Sartorius Flap versus Negative Pressure Therapy for Infected Vascular Groin Graft Managment.

Science.gov (United States)

Chatterjee, Abhishek; Macarios, David; Griffin, Leah; Kosowski, Tomasz; Pyfer, Bryan J; Offodile, Anaeze C; Driscoll, Daniel; Maddali, Sirish; Attwood, John

2015-11-01

Sartorius flap coverage and adjunctive negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) have been described in managing infected vascular groin grafts with varying cost and clinical success. We performed a cost-utility analysis comparing sartorius flap with NPWT in managing an infected vascular groin graft. A literature review compiling outcomes for sartorius flap and NPWT interventions was conducted from peer-reviewed journals in MEDLINE (PubMed) and EMBASE. Utility scores were derived from expert opinion and used to estimate quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Medicare current procedure terminology and diagnosis-related groups codes were used to assess the costs for successful graft salvage with the associated complications. Incremental cost-effectiveness was assessed at $50,000/QALY, and both univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess robustness of the conclusions. Thirty-two studies were used pooling 384 patients (234 sartorius flaps and 150 NPWT). NPWT had better clinical outcomes (86.7% success rate, 0.9% minor complication rate, and 13.3% major complication rate) than sartorius flap (81.6% success rate, 8.0% minor complication rate, and 18.4% major complication rate). NPWT was less costly ($12,366 versus $23,516) and slightly more effective (12.06 QALY versus 12.05 QALY) compared with sartorius flap. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of the base case findings; NPWT was either cost-effective at $50,000/QALY or dominated sartorius flap in 81.6% of all probabilistic sensitivity analyses. In our cost-utility analysis, use of adjunctive NPWT, along with debridement and antibiotic treatment, for managing infected vascular groin graft wounds was found to be a more cost-effective option when compared with sartorius flaps.

Psychosocial and nonclinical factors predicting hospital utilization in patients of a chronic disease management program: a prospective observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, Mark W; Weiland, Tracey J; Phillips, Georgina A

2015-01-01

Psychosocial factors such as marital status (odds ratio, 3.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.43-8.69; P = .006) and nonclinical factors such as outpatient nonattendances (odds ratio, 2.52; 95% confidence interval, 1.22-5.23; P = .013) and referrals made (odds ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.35; P = .003) predict hospital utilization for patients in a chronic disease management program. Along with optimizing patients' clinical condition by prescribed medical guidelines and supporting patient self-management, addressing psychosocial and nonclinical issues are important in attempting to avoid hospital utilization for people with chronic illnesses.

Variability in blood and blood component utilization as assessed by an anesthesia information management system.

Science.gov (United States)

Frank, Steven M; Savage, Will J; Rothschild, Jim A; Rivers, Richard J; Ness, Paul M; Paul, Sharon L; Ulatowski, John A

2012-07-01

Data can be collected for various purposes with anesthesia information management systems. The authors describe methods for using data acquired from an anesthesia information management system to assess intraoperative utilization of blood and blood components. Over an 18-month period, data were collected on 48,086 surgical patients at a tertiary care academic medical center. All data were acquired with an automated anesthesia recordkeeping system. Detailed reports were generated for blood and blood component utilization according to surgical service and surgical procedure, and for individual surgeons and anesthesiologists. Transfusion hemoglobin trigger and target concentrations were compared among surgical services and procedures, and between individual medical providers. For all patients given erythrocytes, the mean transfusion hemoglobin trigger was 8.4 ± 1.5, and the target was 10.2 ± 1.5 g/dl. Variation was significant among surgical services (trigger range: 7.5 ± 1.2-9.5 ± 1.1, P = 0.0001; target range: 9.1 ± 1.2-11.3 ± 1.4 g/dl, P = 0.002), surgeons (trigger range: 7.2 ± 0.7-9.8 ± 1.0, P = 0.001; target range: 8.8 ± 0.9-11.8 ± 1.3 g/dl, P = 0.001), and anesthesiologists (trigger range: 7.2 ± 0.8-9.6 ± 1.2, P = 0.001; target range: 9.0 ± 0.9-11.7 ± 1.3 g/dl, P = 0.0004). The use of erythrocyte salvage, fresh frozen plasma, and platelets varied threefold to fourfold among individual surgeons compared with their peers performing the same surgical procedure. The use of data acquired from an anesthesia information management system allowed a detailed analysis of blood component utilization, which revealed significant variation among surgical services and surgical procedures, and among individual anesthesiologists and surgeons compared with their peers. Incorporating these methods of data acquisition and analysis into a blood management program could reduce unnecessary transfusions, an outcome that may increase patient safety and reduce costs.

Generalized Cartographic and Simultaneous Representation of Utility Networks for Decision-Support Systems and Crisis Management in Urban Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, T.; König, G.

2015-10-01

Cartographic visualizations of crises are used to create a Common Operational Picture (COP) and enforce Situational Awareness by presenting relevant information to the involved actors. As nearly all crises affect geospatial entities, geo-data representations have to support location-specific analysis throughout the decision-making process. Meaningful cartographic presentation is needed for coordinating the activities of crisis manager in a highly dynamic situation, since operators' attention span and their spatial memories are limiting factors during the perception and interpretation process. Situational Awareness of operators in conjunction with a COP are key aspects in decision-making process and essential for making well thought-out and appropriate decisions. Considering utility networks as one of the most complex and particularly frequent required systems in urban environment, meaningful cartographic presentation of multiple utility networks with respect to disaster management do not exist. Therefore, an optimized visualization of utility infrastructure for emergency response procedures is proposed. The article will describe a conceptual approach on how to simplify, aggregate, and visualize multiple utility networks and their components to meet the requirements of the decision-making process and to support Situational Awareness.

Urban ecology and the municipal utilities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Susanne Balslev

1998-01-01

Current management of municipal utilities for energy, water and solid waste is often in conflict with the ideas of ecological demonstrationprojects. The writer argue there is a need of transformation within municipal utilities and a need of new planning tools......Current management of municipal utilities for energy, water and solid waste is often in conflict with the ideas of ecological demonstrationprojects. The writer argue there is a need of transformation within municipal utilities and a need of new planning tools...

Availability and utilization of opioids for pain management: global issues.

Science.gov (United States)

Manjiani, Deepak; Paul, D Baby; Kunnumpurath, Sreekumar; Kaye, Alan David; Vadivelu, Nalini

2014-01-01

Pain can significantly influence an individual's health status and can have serious negative consequences: poor nutrition, decreased appetite, abnormal sleep patterns, fatigue, and impairment of daily living activities. Pain can cause psychological impairment and decrease healing and recovery from injuries and illness. A hallmark of many chronic conditions, pain affects more patients' lives than diabetes mellitus, heart disease, and cancer combined. However, many chronic sufferers do not have access to effective pain management for a variety of reasons, including limited access, restrictions, and personal and cultural biases. This review summarizes issues of access, distribution, and cultural bias with regard to opioid agents and seeks to clarify the challenges related to opioid delivery. The considerable negative physical and mental consequences of chronic pain are discussed for the general and palliative care population. Opioids are an effective treatment for various intractable painful conditions, but problems in global opioid access for safe and rational use in pain management contribute to unnecessary suffering. These problems persist despite increased understanding in recent years of the pathophysiology of pain. Comprehensive guidelines for goal-directed and patient-friendly chronic opiate therapy will potentially enhance the outlook for future chronic pain management. The improvement of pain education in undergraduate and postgraduate training will benefit patients and clinicians. The promise of new medications, along with the utilization of multimodal approaches, has the potential to provide effective pain relief to future generations of sufferers.

A utility perspective on BRC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farrell, B.

1988-01-01

The author is program manager for low-level radioactive waste (LLW) for the Utility Nuclear Waste Management Group (UNWMG), an activity funded by 45 utilities with nuclear power programs. The UNWMG represents the utility industry on high-level and low-level radioactive waste issues in legislative, regulatory, and technical proceedings, and therefore has a strong interest in the progress of below-regulatory-concern (BRC) regulations. The author addresses waste disposal volumes prior to discussing recent developments and status of BRC regulations

Cost-effectiveness in the management of Dupuytren's contracture. A Canadian cost-utility analysis of current and future management strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Baltzer, H; Binhammer, P A

2013-08-01

In Canada, Dupuytren's contracture is managed with partial fasciectomy or percutaneous needle aponeurotomy (PNA). Injectable collagenase will soon be available. The optimal management of Dupuytren's contracture is controversial and trade-offs exist between the different methods. Using a cost-utility analysis approach, our aim was to identify the most cost-effective form of treatment for managing Dupuytren's contracture it and the threshold at which collagenase is cost-effective. We developed an expected-value decision analysis model for Dupuytren's contracture affecting a single finger, comparing the cost-effectiveness of fasciectomy, aponeurotomy and collagenase from a societal perspective. Cost-effectiveness, one-way sensitivity and variability analyses were performed using standard thresholds for cost effective treatment ($50 000 to $100 000/QALY gained). Percutaneous needle aponeurotomy was the preferred strategy for managing contractures affecting a single finger. The cost-effectiveness of primary aponeurotomy improved when repeated to treat recurrence. Fasciectomy was not cost-effective. Collagenase was cost-effective relative to and preferred over aponeurotomy at $875 and $470 per course of treatment, respectively. In summary, our model supports the trend towards non-surgical interventions for managing Dupuytren's contracture affecting a single finger. Injectable collagenase will only be feasible in our publicly funded healthcare system if it costs significantly less than current United States pricing.

Lessons learned from new construction utility demand side management programs and their implications for implementing building energy codes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wise, B.K.; Hughes, K.R.; Danko, S.L.; Gilbride, T.L.

1994-07-01

This report was prepared for the US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Codes and Standards by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) through its Building Energy Standards Program (BESP). The purpose of this task was to identify demand-side management (DSM) strategies for new construction that utilities have adopted or developed to promote energy-efficient design and construction. PNL conducted a survey of utilities and used the information gathered to extrapolate lessons learned and to identify evolving trends in utility new-construction DSM programs. The ultimate goal of the task is to identify opportunities where states might work collaboratively with utilities to promote the adoption, implementation, and enforcement of energy-efficient building energy codes.

The influence of system interactivity and technical support on learning management system utilization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sousan Baleghi-Zadeh

2017-03-01

Full Text Available In recent years, there has been a growing increase in using Learning Management System (LMS by universities. However, its utilization by students is limited in Malaysia. The main purpose of the present study is to develop and test a model that predicts LMS utilization by Malaysian higher education students. Based on the Technology Acceptance Model, the study investigated the relationships among six constructs (system interactivity, technical support, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, behavioral intention to use and LMS use through structural equation modelling. The participants were 216 undergraduate students from a local university in Malaysia. The result of the study revealed that system interactivity had a significant effect on perceived usefulness, but not on perceived ease of use; technical support had a significant effect on perceived ease of use, but not on perceived usefulness.

Rationale for utilizing 3PL in supply chain management: A shippers' economic perspective

OpenAIRE

Koichiro Tezuka

2011-01-01

In this paper we first propose a conceptual framework for evaluating 3PL (third-party logistics) utilization in SCM (supply chain management), in which it is assumed that shippers may enjoy advantages derived from four contributory sources of 3PL specialization: scale, know-how, searching ability, and IT skills. It is also supposed that shippers may particularly benefit from 3PL when facing uncertain business environments. We also apply principal–agent relationships to shippers and 3PL provid...

Integrated management model. Methodology and software-enabled tood designed to assist a utility in developing a station-wide optimization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Llovet, R.; Ibanez, R.; Woodcock, J.

2005-01-01

A key concern for utilities today is optimizing station aging and realibility management activities in a manner that maximizes the value of those activities withing an affordable budget. The Westinghouse Proactive Asset Management Model is a methodology and software-enabled tood designed to assist a utility in developing a station-wide optimization of those activities. The process and tool support the development of an optimized, station-wide plan for inspection, testing, maintenance, repaor and replacement of aging components. The optimization identifies the benefit and optimal timing of those activities based on minimizing unplanned outage costs (avoided costs) and maximizing station Net Present Value. (Author)

Supplier-independent fuel management from the viewpoint of a large German utility - Objectives and experience

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kallmeyer, D.H.; Petersen, K.

1986-01-01

Internationally, many nuclear power operating utilities tend to have alternative fuel supplies and as a consequence also have to build up a supplier-independent fuel management. The main reasons are competition within the fuel assembly market as a price-regulating mechanism; quality comparison and corresponding improvements in fuel technology, documentation system and licensing support activities; improved necessity on the part of the manufacturer to be open for innovations; improved supply reliability by redundant manufacturer qualification; and gain of know-how for the utility by collection and comparison of the state of the art of the different suppliers in the important technical and physical disciplines

Longitudinal analysis on utilization of medical document management system in a hospital with EPR implementation.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuwata, Shigeki; Yamada, Hitomi; Park, Keunsik

2011-01-01

Document management systems (DMS) have widespread in major hospitals in Japan as a platform to digitize the paper-based records being out of coverage by EPR. This study aimed to examine longitudinal trends of actual use of DMS in a hospital in which EPR had been in operation, which would be conducive to planning the further information management system in the hospital. Degrees of utilization of electronic documents and templates with DMS were analyzed based on data extracted from a university-affiliated hospital with EPR. As a result, it was found that the number of electronic documents as well as scanned documents circulating at the hospital tended to increase. The result indicated that replacement of paper-based documents with electronic documents did not occur. Therefore it was anticipated that the need for DMS would continue to increase in the hospital. The methods used this study to analyze the trend of DMS utilization would be applicable to other hospitals with with a variety of DMS implementation, such as electronic storage by scanning documents or paper preservation that is compatible with EPR.

Business Model Innovation for Local Energy Management: A Perspective from Swiss Utilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Facchinetti, Emanuele, E-mail: emanuele.facchinetti@hslu.ch [Lucerne Competence Center for Energy Research, Lucerne University of Applied Science and Arts, Horw (Switzerland); Eid, Cherrelle [Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, Delft University of Technology, Delft (Netherlands); Bollinger, Andrew [Urban Energy Systems Laboratory, EMPA, Dübendorf (Switzerland); Sulzer, Sabine [Lucerne Competence Center for Energy Research, Lucerne University of Applied Science and Arts, Horw (Switzerland)

2016-08-04

The successful deployment of the energy transition relies on a deep reorganization of the energy market. Business model innovation is recognized as a key driver of this process. This work contributes to this topic by providing to potential local energy management (LEM) stakeholders and policy makers a conceptual framework guiding the LEM business model innovation. The main determinants characterizing LEM concepts and impacting its business model innovation are identified through literature reviews on distributed generation typologies and customer/investor preferences related to new business opportunities emerging with the energy transition. Afterwards, the relation between the identified determinants and the LEM business model solution space is analyzed based on semi-structured interviews with managers of Swiss utilities companies. The collected managers’ preferences serve as explorative indicators supporting the business model innovation process and provide insights into policy makers on challenges and opportunities related to LEM.

Business Model Innovation for Local Energy Management: A Perspective from Swiss Utilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Facchinetti, Emanuele; Eid, Cherrelle; Bollinger, Andrew; Sulzer, Sabine

2016-01-01

The successful deployment of the energy transition relies on a deep reorganization of the energy market. Business model innovation is recognized as a key driver of this process. This work contributes to this topic by providing to potential local energy management (LEM) stakeholders and policy makers a conceptual framework guiding the LEM business model innovation. The main determinants characterizing LEM concepts and impacting its business model innovation are identified through literature reviews on distributed generation typologies and customer/investor preferences related to new business opportunities emerging with the energy transition. Afterwards, the relation between the identified determinants and the LEM business model solution space is analyzed based on semi-structured interviews with managers of Swiss utilities companies. The collected managers’ preferences serve as explorative indicators supporting the business model innovation process and provide insights into policy makers on challenges and opportunities related to LEM.

Transforming public utility commissions in the new regulatory environment: Some issues and ideas for managing change

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wirick, D.W.; Davis, V.W.; Burns, R.E.; Jones, D.N.

1996-07-01

In the face of sweeping changes in utility markets and regulatory practices, public utility commissions are being forced to change in fundamental ways--to substantially transform themselves rather than to make only incremental changes in their operations. Managing this process of radical change is complicated by the fact that for the foreseeable future some portions of utility markets (e.g., water utilities) will function much as they have before. Some envision commissions in the future that are more externally focussed, that rely more on dispute resolution than adjudicatory proceedings, that concentrate on identifying and understanding competitive markets, that are more automated, and that are more likely to question old assumptions and definitions. This report identifies the considerations commissions might apply for identifying what mix of skills or fields of experise should compromise the technical staff. Factors are also identified which point towards a sectoral arrangement of staff and those factors which point toward a functional approach.

Promotion of HANARO Utilization for Year 2004

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sohn, J. M.; Kim, Y. J.; Kim, H. R.

2005-06-01

To activate the HANARO utilization by expanding HANARO utilization fields, recruiting and training new users. In order to promote the HANARO utilization, the following activities have been performed. The neutron usage fee in HANARO, Achievements of HANARO utilization, Project for Activation of the Research using HANARO, Operation and Management of HANARO Homepage, HANARO Workshop 2004, Management of HANARO related committees, Training of HANARO users, Related activities of HANARO publicity. The related activities to activate HANARO utilization have been carried out successfully. This report summarized the detailed activities to activate the HANARO utilization. They will be useful for expanding HANARO utilization in the near future

Promotion of HANARO utilization for year 2003

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sohn, J. M.; Park, K. B.; Kim, Y. J.

2004-06-01

To activate the HANARO utilization by expanding HANARO utilization fields, recruiting and training new users. In order to promote the HANARO utilization, the following activities have been performed. - The neutron usage fee in HANARO - Achievements of HANARO utilization - Project for Activation of the Research using HANARO - Management of HANARO Homepage - HANARO Workshop 2003 - Operation and Management of HANARO related committees - Training of HANARO users - Related activities of HANARO publicity. The related activities to activate HANARO utilization have been carried out successfully. This report summarized the detailed activities to activate the HANARO utilization. They will be useful for expanding HANARO utilization in the near future

Promotion of HANARO utilization for year 2002

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sohn, J. M.; Park, K. B.; Kim, Y. J.

2003-06-01

Object and importance to activate the HANARO utilization by expanding HANARO utilization fields, recruiting and training new users. In order to promote the HANARO utilization, the following activities have been performed. The neutron usage fee in HANARO, Achievements of HANARO utilization, Project for activation of the research using HANARO, Management of HANARO homepage, Management of HANARO related committees, Training of HANARO users, Establishment of user-room, Related activities of HANARO publicity. The related activities to activate HANARO utilization have been carried out successfully. This report summarized the detailed activities to activate the HANARO utilization. They will be useful for expanding HANARO utilization in the near future

Promotion of HANARO Utilization for Year 2006

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sohn, J. M.; Kim, H. R.; Jun, B. J. (and others)

2007-05-15

To activate the HANARO utilization by expanding HANARO utilization fields, recruiting and training new users. In order to promote the HANARO utilization, the following activities have been performed. The neutron usage fee in HANARO. Achievements of HANARO utilization. Project for Activation of the Research using HANARO. HANARO Symposium. Survey of the HANARO User Satisfaction Index. Operation and Management of HANARO Server. Management of HANARO related committees. Training of HANARO users. Related activities of HANARO publicity. The related activities to activate HANARO utilization have been carried out successfully. This report summarized the detailed activities to activate the HANARO utilization. They will be useful for expanding HANARO utilization in the near future.

The utility of neuroimaging in the management of dementia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Uduak E Williams

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Dementia is a syndrome of progressive dysfunction of two or more cognitive domains associated with impairment of activities of daily living. An understanding of the pathophysiology of dementia and its early diagnosis is important in the pursuit of possible disease modifying therapy for dementia. Neuroimaging has greatly transformed this field of research as its function has changed from a mere tool for diagnosing treatable causes of dementia to an instrument for pre-symptomatic diagnosis of dementia. This review focuses on the diagnostic utility of neuroimaging in the management of progressive dementias. Structural imaging techniques like computerized tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging highlights the anatomical, structural and volumetric details of the brain; while functional imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography, arterial spin labeling, single photon emission computerized tomography and blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging focuses on chemistry, circulatory status and physiology of the different brain structures and regions.

Utilization technique of 'radiation management manual in medical field (2012).' What should be learnt from the Fukushima nuclear accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kikuchi, Toru

2014-01-01

From the abstract of contents of the 'Radiation management manual in medical field (2012),' the utilization technique of the manual is introduced. Introduced items are as follows: (1) Exposure management; exposure management for radiation medical workers, patients, and citizens in the medical field, and exposure management for radiation workers and citizens involved in the emergency work related to the Fukushima nuclear accident, (2) Health management; health management for radiation medical workers, (3) Radiation education: Education/training for radiation medical workers, and radiation education for health care workers, (4) Accident and emergency measures; emergency actions involved in the radiation accidents and radiation medicine at medical facilities

Non-utility generation and demand management reliability of customer delivery systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamoud, G.A.; Wang, L.

1995-01-01

A probabilistic methodology for evaluating the impact of non-utility generation (NUG) and demand management programs (DMP) on supply reliability of customer delivery systems was presented. The proposed method was based on the criteria that the supply reliability to the customers on the delivery system should not be affected by the integration of either NUG or DMPs. The method considered station load profile, load forecast, and uncertainty in size and availability of the nuio. Impacts on system reliability were expressed in terms of possible delays of the in-service date for new facilities or in terms of an increase in the system load carrying capability. Examples to illustrate the proposed methodology were provided. 10 refs., 8 tabs., 2 figs

Promotion of HANARO Utilization for Year 2005

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sohn, J. M.; Kim, Y. J.; Kim, H. R.

2006-06-01

Object and Importance To activate the HANARO utilization by expanding HANARO utilization fields, recruiting and training new users. Scope and Contents In order to promote the HANARO utilization, the following activities have been performed. The neutron usage fee in HANARO, Achievements of HANARO utilization, Project for Activation of the Research using HANARO, HANARO Symposium, Survey of the HANARO User Satisfaction Index, Operation and Management of HANARO Server, Management of HANARO related committees, Training of HANARO users and Related activities of HANARO publicity. The related activities to activate HANARO utilization have been carried out successfully. This report summarized the detailed activities to activate the HANARO utilization. They will be useful for expanding HANARO utilization in the near future

Information security becoming a priority for utilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nicolaides, S. [Numerex, Atlanta, GA (United States)

2009-10-15

As part of North America's national critical infrastructure, utilities are finding themselves at the forefront of a security issue. In October 2007, a leading security service provider reported a 90 per cent increase in the number of hackers attempting to attack its utility clients in just one year. Utilities are vulnerable to cyber attacks that could disrupt power production and the transmission system. This article discussed the need for intelligent technologies in securely enabling resource management and operational efficiency of the utilities market. It discussed the unique security challenges that utilities face at a time of greater regulatory activity, heightened environmental concerns, tighter data security requirements and an increasing need for remote monitoring and control. A new tool has emerged for cyber security in the form of an international standard that may offer a strong guideline to work toward 11 security domains. These include security policy; organization of information security; asset management; human resources security; physical and environmental security; communications and operations management; access control; information systems acquisition; development and maintenance; information security incident management; business continuity management; and compliance. 2 figs.

Development of an integrated utilities billing management system for the Navy Public Works Center San Diego, California

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monsabert, S. de; Lemmer, H.; Dinwiddie, D.; Harshberger, M.

1995-01-01

In the past, most buildings, structures, and ship visits were not metered, and flat estimates were calculated based on various estimating techniques. The decomposition process was further complicated by the fact that many of the meters monitor consumption values only and do not provide demand or time of use data. This method of billing provides no incentives to the PWC customers to implement energy conservation programs, including load shedding, Energy Monitoring and Control Systems (EMCS), building shell improvements, low flow toilets and shower heads, efficient lighting systems, or other energy savings alternatives. Similarly, the method had no means of adjustment for seasonal or climatic variations outside of the norm. As an alternative to flat estimates, the Customized Utility Billing Integrated Control (CUBIC) system and the Graphical Data Input System (GDIS) were developed to better manage the data to the major claimant area users based on utilities usage factors, building size, weather data, and hours of operation. GDIS is a graphical database that assists PWC engineers in the development and maintenance of single-line utility diagrams of the facilities and meters. It functions as a drawing associate system and is written in AutoLISP for AutoCAD version 12. GDIS interprets the drawings and provides the facility-to-meter and meter-to-meter hierarchy data that are used by the CUBIC to allocate the billings. This paper reviews the design, development and implementation aspects of CUBIC/GDIS and discusses the benefits of this improved utilities management system

Integrated employee assistance program/managed behavioral health plan utilization by persons with substance use disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Merrick, Elizabeth S Levy; Hodgkin, Dominic; Hiatt, Deirdre; Horgan, Constance M; Greenfield, Shelly F; McCann, Bernard

2011-04-01

New federal parity and health reform legislation, promising increased behavioral health care access and a focus on prevention, has heightened interest in employee assistance programs (EAPs). This study investigated service utilization by persons with a primary substance use disorder (SUD) diagnosis in a managed behavioral health care (MBHC) organization's integrated EAP/MBHC product (N = 1,158). In 2004, 25.0% of clients used the EAP first for new treatment episodes. After initial EAP utilization, 44.4% received no additional formal services through the plan, and 40.4% received regular outpatient services. Overall, outpatient care, intensive outpatient/day treatment, and inpatient/residential detoxification were most common. About half of the clients had co-occurring psychiatric diagnoses. Mental health service utilization was extensive. Findings suggest that for service users with primary SUD diagnoses in an integrated EAP/MBHC product, the EAP benefit plays a key role at the front end of treatment and is often only one component of treatment episodes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integrated Baseline System (IBS) Version 2.0: Utilities Guide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burford, M.J.; Downing, T.R.; Williams, J.R. [Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States); Bower, J.C. [Bower Software Services, Kennewick, WA (United States)

1994-03-01

The Integrated Baseline System (IBS) is an emergency management planning and analysis tool being developed under the direction of the US Army Nuclear and Chemical Agency. This Utilities Guide explains how you can use the IBS utility programs to manage and manipulate various kinds of IBS data. These programs include utilities for creating, editing, and displaying maps and other data that are referenced to geographic location. The intended audience for this document are chiefly data managers but also system managers and some emergency management planners and analysts.

Barriers and Opportunities to Broader Adoption of Integrated Demand Side Management at Electric Utilities: A Scoping Study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Potter, Jennifer [Hawaii Natural Energy Institute, Honolulu, HI (United States); Stuart, Elizabeth [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Energy Analysis and Environmental Impacts Div.; Cappers, P [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Energy Analysis and Environmental Impacts Div.

2018-02-13

Integrated demand-side management (IDSM) is a strategic approach to designing and delivering a portfolio of demand side management (DSM) programs to customers. IDSM typically delivers customer centric strategies with the goal of increasing the amount of DSM in the field, but doing so in a way that integrates various measures and technologies to improve their collective performance and/or penetration. Specifically, IDSM can be defined as the integrated or coordinated delivery of three or more of: (1) energy efficiency (EE), (2) demand response (DR), (3) distributed generation (DG), (4) storage, (5) electric vehicle (EV) technologies, and (6) time-based rate programs to residential and commercial electric utility customers. The electric industry’s limited experience deploying IDSM to date suggests that significant barriers may exist. A Berkeley Lab report “Barriers and Opportunities to Broader Adoption of Integrated Demand Side Management at Electric Utilities: A Scoping Study” explores recent electric utility experience with IDSM to provide an assessment of the barriers and potential benefits perceived or experienced by program administrators in their attempts to implement integrated programs. The research draws on surveys and interviews with eleven staff from a sample of eight DSM program administrators and program implementers who were currently implementing or had previously attempted to implement an IDSM program or initiative. Respondents provided their perspectives on drivers for IDSM and barriers to broader deployment. They also reported on actions they had undertaken to promote expanded delivery of IDSM and provided their assessments of the most important under-tapped opportunities for expanding IDSM efforts, both for program administrator and regulatory organizations.

A case study review of technical and technology issues for transition of a utility load management program to provide system reliability resources in restructured electricity markets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weller, G.H.

2001-07-15

Utility load management programs--including direct load control and interruptible load programs--were employed by utilities in the past as system reliability resources. With electricity industry restructuring, the context for these programs has changed; the market that was once controlled by vertically integrated utilities has become competitive, raising the question: can existing load management programs be modified so that they can effectively participate in competitive energy markets? In the short run, modified and/or improved operation of load management programs may be the most effective form of demand-side response available to the electricity system today. However, in light of recent technological advances in metering, communication, and load control, utility load management programs must be carefully reviewed in order to determine appropriate investments to support this transition. This report investigates the feasibility of and options for modifying an existing utility load management system so that it might provide reliability services (i.e. ancillary services) in the competitive markets that have resulted from electricity industry restructuring. The report is a case study of Southern California Edison's (SCE) load management programs. SCE was chosen because it operates one of the largest load management programs in the country and it operates them within a competitive wholesale electricity market. The report describes a wide range of existing and soon-to-be-available communication, control, and metering technologies that could be used to facilitate the evolution of SCE's load management programs and systems to provision of reliability services. The fundamental finding of this report is that, with modifications, SCE's load management infrastructure could be transitioned to provide critical ancillary services in competitive electricity markets, employing currently or soon-to-be available load control technologies.

Assessment Of The Availability, Utilization And Management Of ICT Facilities In Teaching English Language In Secondary Schools In Kaduna State, Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanna Onyi Yusuf

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The study investigated the availability, utilization and management of ICT facilities in teaching English language in secondary schools in Kaduna State, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. A questionnaire titled “Availability, Utilization and Management of Information and Communication Technology in teaching English Language in Secondary Schools” (AUMICTSS was used for data collection. Twenty randomly selected secondary schools from Kaduna metropolis were used for the study. A total of 100 teachers participated by responding to the items on the questionnaire. The data collected was analysed using frequencies and percentages. The findings of the study revealed that there is a dearth of ICT facilities in secondary schools in Kaduna as there are only very few of such facilities available in most of the schools visited. It also revealed that most teachers were not competent in the use of these facilities as the management of these facilities requires training and re-training. It was recommended as a matter of urgency that government should provide more ICT facilities in schools and ensure the provision of electricity in every secondary school for optimal utilization of these facilities. Teachers should equally be trained and re-trained regularly in the use and management of ICT facilities for effective English Language curriculum delivery.

Activation of HANARO utilization for year 2001

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sohn, J. M.; Kim, H. R.; Kang, Y. H.

2002-04-01

In order to activate the HANARO utilization, the following activities have been performed. Receipt of neutron usage fee in HANARO, Technical support to use the HANARO utilization facilities, technical support to activate research using HANARO, development and management of HANARO homepage, organization of HANARO Workshop 2001, management of HANARO related committees, training of HANARO users and related activities of HANARO publicity. The related activities to activate HANARO utilization have been carried out successfully. This report summarized the detailed activities to activate the HANARO utilization. They will be useful for expanding HANARO utilization in the near future

Designing management strategies for carbon dioxide storage and utilization under uncertainty using inexact modelling

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yu; Fan, Jie; Xu, Ye; Sun, Wei; Chen, Dong

2017-06-01

Effective application of carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) systems could help to alleviate the influence of climate change by reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The research objective of this study is to develop an equilibrium chance-constrained programming model with bi-random variables (ECCP model) for supporting the CCUS management system under random circumstances. The major advantage of the ECCP model is that it tackles random variables as bi-random variables with a normal distribution, where the mean values follow a normal distribution. This could avoid irrational assumptions and oversimplifications in the process of parameter design and enrich the theory of stochastic optimization. The ECCP model is solved by an equilibrium change-constrained programming algorithm, which provides convenience for decision makers to rank the solution set using the natural order of real numbers. The ECCP model is applied to a CCUS management problem, and the solutions could be useful in helping managers to design and generate rational CO2-allocation patterns under complexities and uncertainties.

Utilization of health care services in rural and urban areas: a determinant factor in planning and managing health care delivery systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Oladipo, Jimoh Ayanda

2014-06-01

Disparities in use of healthcare services between rural and urban areas have been empirically attributed to several factors. This study explores the existence of this disparity and its implication for planning and managing healthcare delivery systems. The objectives determine the relative importance of the various predisposing, enabling, need and health services factors on utilization of health services; similarity between rural and urban areas; and major explanatory variables for utilization. A four-stage model of service utilization was constructed with 31 variables under appropriate model components. Data is collected using cross-sectional sample survey of 1086 potential health services consumers in selected health facilities and resident milieu via questionnaire. Data is analyzed using factor analysis and cross tabulation. The 4-stage model is validated for the aggregate data and data for the rural areas with 3-stage model for urban areas. The order of importance of the factors is need, enabling, predisposing and health services. 11 variables are found to be powerful predictors of utilization. Planning of different categories of health care facilities in different locations should be based on utilization rates while proper management of established facilities should aim to improve health seeking behavior of people.

Utilizing Radiofrequency Identification Technology to Improve Safety and Management of Blood Bank Supply Chains.

Science.gov (United States)

Coustasse, Alberto; Meadows, Pamela; Hall, Robert S; Hibner, Travis; Deslich, Stacie

2015-11-01

The importance of efficiency in the supply chain of perishable products, such as the blood products used in transfusion services, cannot be overstated. Many problems can occur, such as the outdating of products, inventory management issues, patient misidentification, and mistransfusion. The purpose of this article was to identify the benefits and barriers associated with radiofrequency identification (RFID) usage in improving the blood bank supply chain. The methodology for this study was a qualitative literature review following a systematic approach. The review was limited to sources published from 2000 to 2014 in the English language. Sixty-five sources were found, and 56 were used in this research study. According to the finding of the present study, there are numerous benefits and barriers to RFID utilization in blood bank supply chains. RFID technology offers several benefits with regard to blood bank product management, including decreased transfusion errors, reduction of product loss, and more efficient inventory management. Barriers to RFID implementation include the cost associated with system implementation and patient privacy issues. Implementation of an RFID system can be a significant investment. However, when observing the positive impact that such systems may have on transfusion safety and inventory management, the cost associated with RFID systems can easily be justified. RFID in blood bank inventory management is vital to ensuring efficient product inventory management and positive patient outcomes.

NNP-LANL Utilities - Condition Assessment and Project Approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stewart, Grant Lorenz [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2017-11-21

This report is a presentation on LANL Utilities & Transportation Asset Management; Utility Assets Overview; Condition Assessment; Utilities Project Nominations & Ranking; and Utilities Project Execution.

Turbo Charge CPU Utilization in Fork/Join Using the ManagedBlocker

CERN Multimedia

CERN. Geneva

2017-01-01

Fork/Join is a framework for parallelizing calculations using recursive decomposition, also called divide and conquer. These algorithms occasionally end up duplicating work, especially at the beginning of the run. We can reduce wasted CPU cycles by implementing a reserved caching scheme. Before a task starts its calculation, it tries to reserve an entry in the shared map. If it is successful, it immediately begins. If not, it blocks until the other thread has finished its calculation. Unfortunately this might result in a significant number of blocked threads, decreasing CPU utilization. In this talk we will demonstrate this issue and offer a solution in the form of the ManagedBlocker. Combined with the Fork/Join, it can keep parallelism at the desired level.

Bilateral vocal fold immobility: a 13 year review of etiologies, management and the utility of the empey index

OpenAIRE

Brake, Maria K.; Anderson, Jennifer

2015-01-01

Background Bilateral vocal fold immobility (BVFI) is a rare diagnosis causing dyspnea, dysphonia and dysphagia. Management depends on respiratory performance, airway patency, vocal ability, and quality-of-life priorities. The authors review the presentation, management and outcome in patients diagnosed with BVFI. The utility and efficacy of the Empey index (EI) and the Expiratory Disproportion Index (EDI) are evaluated as an objective monitoring tools for BVFI patients. Methods A 13-year retr...

Principles of Selection, Implementation and Utilization of RFID in Supply Chain Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juraj Vaculik

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with RFID (Radio Frequency Identificationimplementation and utilization within supply chain managementand also includes the economic feasibility of rollingout RFID. The members of the supply chain networks- suppliers,manufacturers and distributors - will operate independentlyfrom one another and according to their own agendas.This type of unmanaged network, howeve1; results in inefficiencies.The manufacturer might have a goal of maximizing productionin order to minimize unit costs. Clearly, all members ofthe supply chain stand to gain by coordinating their efforts toimprove efficiency and overall supply chain performance. Thisarticle is divided into three parts: Supply chain, Economic feasibilityof rolling out RFID and Processes of Supply chain management.

Integrated Baseline System (IBS) Version 1.03: Utilities guide

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Burford, M.J.; Downing, T.R.; Pottier, M.C.; Schrank, E.E.; Williams, J.R.

1993-01-01

The Integrated Baseline System (IBS) is an emergency management planning and analysis tool that was developed under the direction of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This Utilities Guide explains how to operate utility programs that are supplied as a part of the IBS. These utility programs are chiefly for managing and manipulating various kinds of IBS data and system administration files. Many of the utilities are for creating, editing, converting, or displaying map data and other data that are related to geographic location.

41 CFR 109-38.5103 - Motor vehicle utilization standards.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Motor vehicle... AVIATION, TRANSPORTATION, AND MOTOR VEHICLES 38-MOTOR EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT 38.51-Utilization of Motor Equipment § 109-38.5103 Motor vehicle utilization standards. (a) The following average utilization standards...

Changes in quality management for light water reactor fuel manufacturing: A utility's view of driving forces and status

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huettmann, A.; Skusa, J.; Ketteler, M.

2000-01-01

Quality management in LWR fuel manufacturing for the use in German reactors is based on international guidelines and national/local authority requirements defined in operational licenses. The quality management is twofold and comprises a quality assurance system and the check of manufacturing documents including witnessing of fabrication processes and inspections. Utility and authority appointed technical expert witness manufacturing and take part in inspections performed by the manufacturer where the scope is strictly defined and does not provide possibilities of flexible responses to manufacturing occurrences. For future developments in quality management HEW supports strengthening the ideas of quality planning. Analysis of all factors influencing fuel reliability shall be performed prior to manufacturing. This will increase the efforts in reviewing of drawings and specifications. Included here shall be a review of processes that will be used in manufacturing. The qualification and robustness of processes shall be demonstrated with special qualification programs and analysis of manufacturing statistics. Instead of product/project related inspections the use of all manufacturing data will provide a complete picture of the manufacturing quality. By applying statistical methods it will be possible to identify trends in manufacturing before deviations occur. So the basic driving force to implement statistical process control for the utilities is the wish to get comprehensive information of delivered quality, whereas for manufacturers it might be to increase production yields and thus to lower costs. The introduction and full use of statistical process control requires open information about manufacturing processes and inspection results by the manufacturers. This might include data judged to be economically sensitive. It also requires changes in attitude at the utilities and appointed experts. HEW has started to review and change internal guidelines to allow

Crisis Communication (Handbooks of Communication Science Vol. 23)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johansen, Winni

Vol. 23 - The Handbook of Communication Science General editors: Peter J. Schultz and Paul Cobley......Vol. 23 - The Handbook of Communication Science General editors: Peter J. Schultz and Paul Cobley...

Baxter'i Balti riike halvustavad plakatid / Uno Schultz ; foto: Emil Schultz

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Schultz, Uno, 1956-

2007-01-01

rahvusvahelise meditsiinifirma Baxter Rootsi osakonna, Stockholmi äärelinnas Kistas asuva Baxter Medical AB tegevusest puugihammustuste kaudu levivate haiguste vastase kaitsepookimise propageerimisel

Market research for electric utilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shippee, G.

1999-01-01

Marketing research is increasing in importance as utilities become more marketing oriented. Marketing research managers need to maintain autonomy from the marketing director or ad agency and make sure their work is relevant to the utility's operation. This article will outline a model marketing research program for an electric utility. While a utility may not conduct each and every type of research described, the programs presented offer a smorgasbord of activities which successful electric utility marketers often use or have access to

41 CFR 101-39.301 - Utilization guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Utilization guidelines... § 101-39.301 Utilization guidelines. An agency must be able to justify a full-time vehicle assignment. The following guidelines may be employed by an agency requesting GSA Interagency Fleet Management...

Plant life management optimized utilization of existing nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watzinger, H.; Erve, M.

1999-01-01

For safe, reliable and economical nuclear power generation it is of central importance to understand, analyze and manage aging-related phenomena and to apply this information in the systematic utilization and as-necessary extension of the service life of components and systems. An operator's overall approach to aging and plant life management which also improves performance characteristics can help to optimize plant operating economy. In view of the deregulation of the power generation industry with its increased competition, nuclear power plants must today also increasingly provide for or maintain a high level of plant availability and low power generating costs. This is a difficult challenge even for the newest, most modern plants, and as plants age they can only remain competitive if a plant operator adopts a strategic approach which takes into account the various aging-related effects on a plant-wide basis. The significance of aging and plant life management for nuclear power plants becomes apparent when looking at their age: By the year 2000 roughly fifty of the world's 434 commercial nuclear power plants will have been in operation for thirty years or more. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, as many as 110 plants will have reached the thirty-year service mark by the year 2005. In many countries human society does not push the construction of new nuclear power plants and presumably will not change mind within the next ten years. New construction licenses cannot be expected so that for economical and ecological reasons existing plants have to be operated unchallengeably. On the other hand the deregulation of the power production market is asking just now for analysis of plant life time to operate the plants at a high technical and economical level until new nuclear power plants can be licensed and constructed. (author)

Role of transportation in the utilities' management of spent fuel storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Newman, D.F.

1985-01-01

Additional spent fuel storage can be provided by using a combination of wet and dry storage technologies, with the technology or technologies used in any specific instance being determined by the particular circumstances involved. The capability for spent fuel storage at a reactor site can be enhanced using any one or a combination of the following: expansion of existing pool storage capacity; more efficient use of available capacity; and addition of an independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI). Each of these methods, which are described more fully below, have characteristics that may make them more or less suitable for use, depending on the nuclear power plant where they will be deployed, the magnitude of the need for additional storage, the utility's overall spent fuel management strategy, and other factors. 15 refs., 2 figs., 2 tabs

Knowledge management of eco-industrial park for efficient energy utilization through ontology-based approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Chuan; Romagnoli, Alessandro; Zhou, Li; Kraft, Markus

2017-01-01

Highlights: •An intelligent energy management system for Eco-Industrial Park (EIP) is proposed. •An explicit domain ontology for EIP energy management is designed. •Ontology-based approach can increase knowledge interoperability within EIP. •Ontology-based approach can allow self-optimization without human intervention in EIP. •The proposed system harbours huge potential in the future scenario of Internet of Things. -- Abstract: An ontology-based approach for Eco-Industrial Park (EIP) knowledge management is proposed in this paper. The designed ontology in this study is formalized conceptualization of EIP. Based on such an ontological representation, a Knowledge-Based System (KBS) for EIP energy management named J-Park Simulator (JPS) is developed. By applying JPS to the solution of EIP waste heat utilization problem, the results of this study show that ontology is a powerful tool for knowledge management of complex systems such as EIP. The ontology-based approach can increase knowledge interoperability between different companies in EIP. The ontology-based approach can also allow intelligent decision making by using disparate data from remote databases, which implies the possibility of self-optimization without human intervention scenario of Internet of Things (IoT). It is shown through this study that KBS can bridge the communication gaps between different companies in EIP, sequentially more potential Industrial Symbiosis (IS) links can be established to improve the overall energy efficiency of the whole EIP.

Market research for electric utilities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shippee, G.

1999-12-01

Marketing research is increasing in importance as utilities become more marketing oriented. Marketing research managers need to maintain autonomy from the marketing director or ad agency and make sure their work is relevant to the utility's operation. This article will outline a model marketing research program for an electric utility. While a utility may not conduct each and every type of research described, the programs presented offer a smorgasbord of activities which successful electric utility marketers often use or have access to.

Calculating utility prudency issue costs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nielsen, K.R.

1985-01-01

The nuclear industry, particularly utilities and their construction, engineering and vendor agents, is faced with a surging increase in prudency management audits. What started as primarily a nuclear project-oriented requirement has spread to encompass most significant utility capital construction projects. Such audits are often a precedent condition to commencement of rate hearings. The cost engineer, a primary major capital construction project participant, is required to develop or critique ''prudency issue'' costs as part of such audits. Although utility costs in the broadest sense are potentially at issue, this paper concentrates on the typical project/construction management costs. The costs of design, procurement and construction are all subject to the calculation process

Agricultural management legacy affects microbial energetics, resource utilization and active bacterial community membership during 13C-glucose consumption

Science.gov (United States)

Helgason, B. L.; Levy-Booth, D.; Arcand, M. M.

2017-12-01

Over the long-term, differences in soil management can result in fundamental changes in biogeochemical cycling. The Alternative Cropping Systems (ACS) Study at Scott, SK, Canada (est. 1994) compares organic (ORG) vs. conventionally (CON) managed crop rotations in a loamy Typic Borall. Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) deficiency in the ORG systems have limited crop growth and thus plant carbon (C) inputs for over two decades, ultimately resulting in a C deficiency which has further altered biogeochemical cycling. We conducted a short-term microcosm experiment using 13C-glucose stable isotope probing (SIP) of DNA to test whether ORG soils have greater microbial C use efficiency due to long term resource limitation. Glucose-utilizing populations were dominated by Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria, with differing species-level identities and physiological capacities between CON and ORG systems. Of the 13C-utilizing taxa, relative abundance of Proteobacteria was greater in CON while Actinobacteria (and notably Firmicutes) were more dominant in ORG soils. Using isothermal calorimetry, we measured a thermodynamic efficiency (ηeff) of 0.68, which was not significantly different between soils indicating that the metabolic cost of glucose utilization was similar in CON and ORG soils. In spite of this, differential abundance analysis of 13C-labelled OTUs revealed that ORG soils had distinct active bacterial populations that were positively correlated with ηeff, ηsoil (glucose energy retained in soil) and primed soil organic matter (pSOM). In contrast, differentially abundant OTUs in the CON soils were negatively correlated with measures of thermodynamic efficiency but positively correlated with glucose-derived heat and CO2 production as well as NO3- and PO4- availability. ORG bacterial communities may co-metabolize other resources (N and P) from SOM to meet their metabolic requirements during glucose utilization, while the active bacteria in the CON soils could access these

[Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of thyroid disease and their utility].

Science.gov (United States)

Hashimoto, Koshi; Mori, Masatomo

2012-11-01

Thyroid dysfunction is a common disorder in daily clinical practice, however due to unspecific and diverse symptoms of the disease, it is sometimes hard to make a definite diagnosis. Japan thyroid association (JTA) published 'Guideline for the diagnosis of thyroid disease, 2010' and it is open to the public on the JTA website(http : //www.japanthyroid.jp/doctor/ guideline/japanese.html). English version of the guideline is also available. JTA also published 'Guideline for the management of subclinical hypothyroidism 2008' and 'Guideline for the diagnosis of thyroid storm, version 2'. The latter in English version has been published in Thyroid(http : //www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22494618). The utility of these guidelines is discussed.

Case manager-reported utilization of support group, substance use and mental health services among HIV-positive women in New York City.

Science.gov (United States)

Kupprat, Sandra A; Dayton, Alex; Guschlbauer, Andrea; Halkitis, Perry N

2009-07-01

A retrospective, longitudinal analysis of case management and medical charts was used to evaluate utilization of support group, mental health, and substance abuse treatment services among HIV-positive women in New York City. Analyses of 4134 case management and supportive service transactions revealed that 70% utilized support groups over the two-year study period. In contrast, only 35% utilized mental health services (therapy) and of those identified as using substances, only 48% utilized substance abuse treatment services. Considering the high prevalence of mental illness (63%, n=29) and substance use (54%, n=25) in the sample, the low utilization rates highlight unmet needs for service. Significant differences were found in utilization of mental health and substance abuse treatment services, with those who received services at a medical model agency (integrated care) being more likely to receive both types of treatment. In contrast, participants attending support groups in non-medical model agencies (77.8%, n=7) were significantly more likely to be retained in group (i.e., attend 11 or more sessions) than those at medical model agencies (39.1%, n=9). Based on the higher utilization rates of support groups among seropositive women, perhaps these groups could be a vehicle for establishing rapport between mental health professionals and group members to bridge the utilization gap and reduce the stigma associated with therapy and substance abuse treatment services. These findings both taut the success and highlight weaknesses regarding accessing mental health and substance abuse care, and support group retention. Sharing of information regarding recruitment and retention efforts between agencies of different modalities would be beneficial and also could identify service niches that capitalize on their subsequent strengths.

OAM system based on TMN for utility telecommunication network. Proposal of modeling method about managed objects; TMN ni motozuku denryoku tsushinmo no un`yo kanri system. Kanri object no sekkei shuho ni kansuru kento

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hirozawa, T.; Yusa, H.; Otani, T. [Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, Tokyo (Japan); Okamura, K. [Tokyo Electric Power Co. Inc., Tokyo (Japan)

1996-03-01

To construct an advanced operation and management system for utility telecommunications management network (TMN), this paper proposes a modeling method of managed objects (MOs) required for managing and managed systems, such as an asynchronous transmission mode (ATM) exchanger. Flexible line setting and path switching control are required for the advanced TMN, which must cope with the extension and modification of functions, flexibly. Assignment of roles of managing sides and managed sides was determined. Then, structures of objects such as facilities and logic data, and their interaction were modeled. Common management functions and objects of each function were classified. Based on the TMN standard and MOs of the existing design peculiar to utility, new MOs peculiar to utility were defined in response to the models. The existing MOs can be effectively utilized, and the optimum MOs to be incorporated can be expected. The MOs peculiar to utility are added to the common specification of electric power industry. Since they can be reused for the extension and modification of functions, the cost can be reduced. The MOs applicable to path switching control of utility were designed as a trial. 9 refs., 16 figs., 10 tabs.

Knowledge Management Implementation and the Tools Utilized in Healthcare for Evidence-Based Decision Making: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Shahmoradi, Leila; Safadari, Reza; Jimma, Worku

2017-09-01

Healthcare is a knowledge driven process and thus knowledge management and the tools to manage knowledge in healthcare sector are gaining attention. The aim of this systematic review is to investigate knowledge management implementation and knowledge management tools used in healthcare for informed decision making. Three databases, two journals websites and Google Scholar were used as sources for the review. The key terms used to search relevant articles include: "Healthcare and Knowledge Management"; "Knowledge Management Tools in Healthcare" and "Community of Practices in healthcare". It was found that utilization of knowledge management in healthcare is encouraging. There exist numbers of opportunities for knowledge management implementation, though there are some barriers as well. Some of the opportunities that can transform healthcare are advances in health information and communication technology, clinical decision support systems, electronic health record systems, communities of practice and advanced care planning. Providing the right knowledge at the right time, i.e., at the point of decision making by implementing knowledge management in healthcare is paramount. To do so, it is very important to use appropriate tools for knowledge management and user-friendly system because it can significantly improve the quality and safety of care provided for patients both at hospital and home settings.

Strategic Risk Management Behavior: What Can Utility Functions Tell Us

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pennings, J.M.E.; Garcia, P.

2004-01-01

Abstract The validity of the utility concept, particularly in an expected utility framework, has been questioned because of its inability to predict revealed behavior. In this paper we focus on the global shape of the utility function instead of the local shape of the utility function. We examine

Utility enterprise solutions - the benefits of an open, integrated approach

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Manos, P. [Mincom Inc., Denver, CO (United States)

2000-12-31

An integrated data handling system, specifically designed to assist utilities to have the needed flexibility and integration capabilities in their systems that supports their front and back office functions, optimize operations, and deepen collaborative relationships with suppliers as well as customers during the transition phase from public utilities to a free market environment, are discussed. The proposed system provides asset management, materials management, human resources management and finance management modules, integrated to key utility functions such as customer information, geographic information, outage management, switching management, mobile computing, safety/lockout -tag and SCADA. Through the linkage of these systems, all data is available to utility decision-makers on a real-time basis, in the office, in the field or telecommuting from the 'virtual' office. The integrated solution described here will provide higher system reliability, increased responsiveness to customer service requests, optimized engineering analysis work by designers and technical experts, more streamlined job planning, optimization of personnel-related processes and reduction of inventory expenses. By shifting the focus from chasing paper or worrying about interface performance and by making asset management the core element of the management information system, utility professionals can concentrate on focusing on bottom-line performance and on managing, rather than performing critical activities.

Plan well, plan often

Science.gov (United States)

Bill Block

2013-01-01

This issue includes an invited paper by Courtney Schultz and her colleagues commenting on the application of the newly adopted U.S. Forest Service Planning Rule (hereafter, the rule) for wildlife. The rule is basically implementing language to interpret the spirit and intent of the National Forest Management Act (NFMA) of 1976. Laws such as NFMA require additional...

Radioactive waste management: a utility view

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Draper, E.L.

1982-01-01

The management of radioactive waste continues to be a matter of public concern and discussion. There is broad agreement among members of the technical community that the various types of waste radioactive species can be managed without jeopardizing public health and safety. Despite this consensus, one of the major reasons cited by opponents of commercial nuclear power for their opposition is the lack of a fully deployed waste management program. Such a program has been suggested but implementation is not yet complete. It is essential that a program be undertaken so as to dispel the impression that past inaction on waste disposal represents an inability to deal safely with wastes

An analysis of the factors influencing demand-side management activity in the electric utility industry

Science.gov (United States)

Bock, Mark Joseph

Demand-side management (DSM), defined as the "planning, implementation, and monitoring of utility activities designed to encourage consumers to modify their pattern of electricity usage, including the timing and level of electricity demand," is a relatively new concept in the U.S. electric power industry. Nevertheless, in twenty years since it was first introduced, utility expenditures on DSM programs, as well as the number of such programs, have grown rapidly. At first glance, it may seem peculiar that a firm would actively attempt to reduce demand for its primary product. There are two primary explanations as to why a utility might pursue DSM: regulatory mandate, and self-interest. The purpose of this dissertation is to determine the impact these influences have on the amount of DSM undertaken by utilities. This research is important for two reasons. First, it provides insight into whether DSM will continue to exist as competition becomes more prevalent in the industry. Secondly, it is important because no one has taken a comprehensive look at firm-level DSM activity on an industry-wide basis. The primary data set used in this dissertation is the U.S. Department of Energy's Annual Electric Utility Report, Form EIA-861, which represents the most comprehensive data set available for analyzing DSM activity in the U.S. There are four measures of DSM activity in this data set: (1) utility expenditures on DSM programs; (2) energy savings by DSM program participants; and (3) the actual and (4) the potential reductions in peak load resulting from utility DSM measures. Each is used as the dependent variable in an econometric analysis where independent variables include various utility characteristics, regulatory characteristics, and service territory and customer characteristics. In general, the results from the econometric analysis suggest that in 1993, DSM activity was primarily the result of regulatory pressure. All of the evidence suggests that if DSM continues to

A perspective on laboratory utilization management from Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Naugler, Christopher

2014-01-01

Utilization, particularly in chemistry and molecular testing, is growing rapidly in Canada at a time when laboratory budgets are shrinking. Canadian laboratories face particular challenges as the prevailing funding model limits the scope for new revenue generation. Aggressive and coordinated interventions to reduce over-utilization will be necessary to ensure the long-term viability of the current system. © 2013.

An effective utilization management strategy by dual approach of influencing physician ordering and gate keeping.

Science.gov (United States)

Elnenaei, Manal O; Campbell, Samuel G; Thoni, Andrea J; Lou, Amy; Crocker, Bryan D; Nassar, Bassam A

2016-02-01

There is increasing recognition of the importance of appropriate laboratory test utilization. We investigate the effect of a multifaceted educational approach that includes physician feedback on individual test ordering, in conjunction with targeted restriction, on the utilization of selected laboratory tests. Scientific evidence was compiled on the usefulness and limitations of tests suspected of being over utilized in our laboratories. A variety of approaches were used to deliver education on each of the targeted tests, with greater focus on primary care physicians (PCPs). Feedback on requesting behavior of these tests was also communicated to the latter group which included an educational component. Laboratory based restriction of testing was also exercised, including the unbundling of our electrolyte panel. PCP requesting patterns for the selected tests were found to be markedly skewed. The interventions implemented over the study period resulted in a substantial 51% reduction in overall ordering of five of the targeted tests equating to an annual marginal cost saving of $60,124. Unbundling of the electrolyte panel resulted in marginal cost savings that equated annually to $42,500 on chloride and $48,000 on total CO2. A multifaceted educational approach combined with feedback on utilization and laboratory driven gate-keeping significantly reduced the number of laboratory tests suspected of being redundant or unjustifiably requested. Laboratory professionals are well positioned to manage demand on laboratory tests by utilizing evidence base in developing specific test ordering directives and gate-keeping rules. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

41 CFR 109-38.5104 - Other motor equipment utilization standards.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Other motor equipment... AVIATION, TRANSPORTATION, AND MOTOR VEHICLES 38-MOTOR EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT 38.51-Utilization of Motor Equipment § 109-38.5104 Other motor equipment utilization standards. No utilization standards are...

The Ef fects of Technology Usabilitiy and Individual Technology Readiness on Utilization of Electronic Document Management System (EDMS: A Research on Employee of University Hospital

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Asuman Atilla

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Electronic Document Management System (EDMS is software which is utilized for writing, sending and storing, briefly managing the processes and operations of the corporations and institutions. In this empirical research, the statistical differences are investigated between users’ concerns about usability of mentioned technology, users’ technological readiness levels and users’ utilization status of EDMS sample is formed by 189 administrative staff of a university hospital in Ankara. According to findings, significant statistical differences are found between some dimensions of technology usability (usability effectiveness, learnability,helpfulness satisfaction, some dimensions of technology readiness (discomfort and insecurity and the utilization status (user, nonuser of EDMS.

Demand-side management: The perspective of a combination utility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Packard, C.P.

1993-01-01

During the 1980's, Baltimore Gas ampersand Electric (BG ampersand E) met part of the rapid growth in demand for electricity in its service territory by implementing cost-effective demand-side management (DSM) programs--specifically, peak shaving and load shifting strategies. BG ampersand E's focus in the 1990's has been expanded to include all DSM options with an increasing emphasis on those which promote overall 1 energy efficiency or strategic conservation. This change in focus is being driven by Federal legislation, state regulatory requirements and the perceived potential benefits for both the customer and the Company. Current activities related to DSM include involvement in a Collaborative Process to design cost-effective electric and gas conservation programs for all customer classes--low-income, residential, commercial and industrial. Program design consists of four steps: (1) data gathering and technology assessment; (2) development of program concepts; (3) detailed program design and (4) monitoring and evaluation. Significant reductions in the projected peaks as well as in sales in future years are the anticipated results of our efforts. As a combination utility, unique opportunities and challenges face BG ampersand E: fuel switching, eligibility of non-full requirements customers, and energy options for customers

Report of the International Ice Patrol in the North Atlantic. Bulletin Number 76

Science.gov (United States)

1990-01-01

lIP’s iceberg predictions. Ice were updated by Scobie dynamic height, resulting in a and Schultz (1976). Figure low estimate of the current Page 78 I...0. - 9 *460 460 440 1. 4 40 I42*N 9 .’I...........1 442*N 53OW 510 490 470 450W Figure C-2. Mean Dynamic Topography Relative to 1000 db ( Scobie and...Schultz, 1976). Paqle 79 MI magnitude. Scobie and PREVIOUS CHANGES TO Kassler and Shuhy I Schultz (1976) substantially THE 1979 CURRENT FILE also

Carbon emissions and management scenarios for consumer-owned utilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischlein, Miriam; Smith, Timothy M.; Wilson, Elizabeth J.

2009-01-01

An important subset of the utility sector has been scarcely explored for its ability to reduce carbon dioxide emissions: consumer-owned electric utilities significantly contribute to U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, but are often excluded from energy efficiency and renewable energy policies. They sell a quarter of the nation's electricity, yet the carbon impact of these sales is not well understood, due to their small size, unique ownership models, and high percentage of purchased power for distribution. This paper situates consumer-owned utilities in the context of emerging U.S. climate policy, quantifying for the first time the state-by-state carbon impact of electricity sales by consumer-owned utilities. We estimate that total retail sales by consumer-owned utilities account for roughly 568 million metric tons of CO 2 annually, making this sector the 7th largest CO 2 emitter globally, and examine state-level carbon intensities of the sector in light of the current policy environment and the share of COU distribution in the states. Based on efficiency and fuel mix pathways under conceivable regulations, carbon scenarios for 2030 are developed.

Developing sensor-based robots with utility to waste management applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trivedi, M.M.; Abidi, M.A.; Gonzalez, R.C.

1990-01-01

There are several Environmental Restoration and Waste Management (ER and WM) application areas where autonomous or teleoperated robotic systems can be utilized to improve personnel safety and reduce operation costs. In this paper the authors describe continuing research undertaken by their group in intelligent robotics area which should have a direct relevance to a number of ER and WM applications. The authors' current research is sponsored by the advanced technology division of the U.S. Department of Energy. It is part of a program undertaken at four universities (Florida, Michigan, Tennessee, and Texas) and the Oak ridge National Laboratory directed towards the development of advanced robotic systems for use in nuclear environments. The primary motivation for using robotic (autonomous and/or teleoperated) technology in such hazardous environments is to reduce exposure and costs associated with performing tasks such as surveillance, maintenance and repair. The main focus of the authors' research a the University of Tennessee has been to contribute to the development of autonomous inspection and manipulation systems which utilize a wide array of sensory inputs in controlling the actions of a stationary robot. The authors' experimental research effort is directed towards design and evaluation of new methodologies using a laboratory based robotic testbed. A unique feature of this testbed is a multisensor module useful in the characterization of the robot workspace. In this paper, the authors describe the development of a robot vision system for automatic spill detection, localization and clean-up verification; and the development of efficient techniques for analyzing range images using a parallel computer. The 'simulated spill cleanup' scenario allows us to show the applicability of robotic systems to problems encountered in nuclear environments

Utility Energy Services Contracts: Enabling Documents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomas, Karen; Vasquez, Deb

2017-01-01

The Federal Energy Management Program's 'Utility Energy Service Contracts: Enabling Documents' provide legislative information and materials that clarify the authority for federal agencies to enter into utility energy service contracts, or UESCs.

Stock Control in Automotive Industry with Simulation Utilization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petra Vegnerová

2008-12-01

Full Text Available At this time in economic environment there is the big trend of coming logistical chain, supply chain and supply chain management (SCM. SCM deals with material and information flows control, inventory management, demand forecast, production plan optimalization, distribution management etc. Nowadays for effective purchase, production and distribution plan and control in companies are utilized the simulation and simulation programmes. This paper deals with the simulation programme Witness and its utilization for finding of results real problems – simulation utilization for stocks solution in automotive industry. The model can be used for the determination of new delivery system of materials and for stocks reduction.

Risk management for drinking water safety in low and middle income countries - cultural influences on water safety plan (WSP) implementation in urban water utilities.

Science.gov (United States)

Omar, Yahya Y; Parker, Alison; Smith, Jennifer A; Pollard, Simon J T

2017-01-15

We investigated cultural influences on the implementation of water safety plans (WSPs) using case studies from WSP pilots in India, Uganda and Jamaica. A comprehensive thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews (n=150 utility customers, n=32 WSP 'implementers' and n=9 WSP 'promoters'), field observations and related documents revealed 12 cultural themes, offered as 'enabling', 'limiting', or 'neutral', that influence WSP implementation in urban water utilities to varying extents. Aspects such as a 'deliver first, safety later' mind set; supply system knowledge management and storage practices; and non-compliance are deemed influential. Emergent themes of cultural influence (ET1 to ET12) are discussed by reference to the risk management, development studies and institutional culture literatures; by reference to their positive, negative or neutral influence on WSP implementation. The results have implications for the utility endorsement of WSPs, for the impact of organisational cultures on WSP implementation; for the scale-up of pilot studies; and they support repeated calls from practitioner communities for cultural attentiveness during WSP design. Findings on organisational cultures mirror those from utilities in higher income nations implementing WSPs - leadership, advocacy among promoters and customers (not just implementers) and purposeful knowledge management are critical to WSP success. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Vene võim hävitas Kopli kalmistu / Robert Nerman

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Nerman, Robert, 1946-2015

2004-01-01

Tallinna Kopli kalmistu ajaloost ja arhitektuuriajaloolisest väärtusest. Kabelite asendiplaani koostas 1774. a. arhitekt Johann Schultz. Tõenäoliselt kavandas Johann Schultz ka osa arvukatest kabelitest. Õigeusukalmistule rajati paekivist kabel arhitekt Aleksandr Vladovski projekti järgi

Anti-diabetic drug utilization of pregnant diabetic women in us managed care.

Science.gov (United States)

Knox, Caitlin A; Delaney, Joseph A C; Winterstein, Almut G

2014-01-17

With the increasing prevalence of type 2 diabetes in young adulthood, treatment of diabetes in pregnancy faces new challenges. Anti-diabetic drug utilization patterns of pregnant women with pre-existing diabetes are poorly described. We aim to describe anti-diabetic (AD) agent utilization among diabetic pregnant women. We utilized IMS LifeLink, including administrative claims data of patients in US managed care plans, to establish a retrospective cohort of women, age 18-46 years (N = 96,740) with billed procedures for a live birth, and a 12 month eligibility period before and 3 month after delivery. Diabetes mellitus was identified from ≥2 in- or outpatient claims with diagnoses (ICD-9-CM 250.XX) before pregnancy. We estimated the prevalence of AD drugs before, during and after pregnancy, and secular trends across the study period (1999-2009), using linear regression. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to identify the extent of misclassification of trimesters. Almost six percent (n = 5,581) of the live birth cohort had diabetes mellitus. Throughout the study, 48% (1999) and 78% (2009) (p metformin, sulfonylureas, thiazolidinediones (TZD), and combination AD. The annual prevalence of insulin use increased by only 1% from 39% (1999) to 40% (2009) (p = 0.589) during pregnancy, while use of sulfonylureas and metformin increased from 2.5% and 4.2% (1999) to 17.3% and 15.3% (2009) (p use steadily increased in prevalence from the 1st to 3rd trimester (16.5% and 3.3% to 33.0% and 7.5%), while metformin and TZD use decreased (11.4% and 1.6% to 3.8% and 0.2%). AD use during pregnancy demonstrates the need for additional investigation regarding safety and efficacy of AD drugs on maternal outcomes.

Utility Energy Services Contracts Lessons Learned

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2001-08-01

This document describes best practices in the use of Utility Energy Services Contracts. The recommendations were generated by a group of innovative energy managers in many successful projects. The topics include project financing, competition between utility franchises, and water conservation.

Utilization of Rural Primary Care Physicians' Visit Services for Diabetes Management of Public Health in Southwestern China: A Cross-Sectional Study from Patients' View.

Science.gov (United States)

Miao, Yudong; Ye, Ting; Qian, Dongfu; Li, Jinlong; Zhang, Liang

2014-06-01

Primary care physicians' visit services for diabetes management are now widely delivered in China's rural public health care. Current studies mainly focus on supply but risk factors from patients' view have not been previously explored. This study aims to present the utilization of rural primary care physicians' visit services for diabetes management in the last 12 months in southwestern China, and to explore risk factors from patients' view. This cross sectional study selected six towns at random and all 385 diabetics managed by primary care physicians were potential participants. Basing on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 374 diabetics were taken as valid subjects and their survey responses formed the data resource of analyses. Descriptive indicators, χ2 contingency table analyses and Logistic regression were used. 54.8% respondents reported the utilization of visit services. According to the multivariate analysis, the positive factors mainly associated with utilization of visit services include disease duration (OR=1.654), use of diabetic drugs (OR=1.869), consulting diabetes care knowledge (OR=1.602), recognition of diabetic complications (OR=1.662), needs of visit services (OR=2.338). The utilization of rural primary care physicians' visit services still remains unsatisfactory. Mass rural health policy awareness, support, and emphasis are in urgent need and possible risk factors including disease duration, use of diabetic drugs, consulting diabetes care knowledge, recognition of diabetic complications and needs of visit services should be taken into account when making rural health policy of visit services for diabetes management in China and many other low- and middle-income countries.

Urban management: Addressing the housing and utility challenge

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nikitina Oksana

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The authors have studied the three aspects of urban management: apartment buildings, major repair management, requirements for facility management companies to be licensed and waste management. The paper presents all the mentioned above aspects and possible negative circumstances and proposes solutions to the problems.

UTILIZING CREEKS FOR INTEGRATED RURAL COASTAL ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Osondu

2013-02-09

Feb 9, 2013 ... This study examines the Utilization of Creeks for Integrated Coastal Development of Ilaje ... utilization, poor fishing techniques, poor sources of water and navigation routes, and manual ... Ethiopian Journal of Environmental Studies and Management Vol. 6 No.3 .... together, implement, monitor and evaluate.

A Patient-Centered Emergency Department Management Strategy for Sickle-Cell Disease Super-Utilizers.

Science.gov (United States)

Simpson, Grant G; Hahn, Hallie R; Powel, Alex A; Leverence, Robert R; Morris, Linda A; Thompson, Lara G; Zumberg, Marc S; Borde, Deepa J; Tyndall, Joseph A; Shuster, Jonathan J; Yealy, Donald M; Allen, Brandon R

2017-04-01

A subpopulation of sickle-cell disease patients, termed super-utilizers, presents frequently to emergency departments (EDs) for vaso-occlusive events and may consume disproportionate resources without broader health benefit. To address the healthcare needs of this vulnerable patient population, we piloted a multidisciplinary intervention seeking to create and use individualized patient care plans that alter utilization through coordinated care. Our goals were to assess feasibility primarily, and to assess resource use secondarily. We evaluated the effects of a single-site interventional study targeted at a population of adult sickle-cell disease super-utilizers using a pre- and post-implementation design. The pre-intervention period was 06/01/13 to 12/31/13 (seven months) and the post-intervention period was 01/01/14 to 02/28/15 (14 months). Our approach included patient-specific best practice advisories (BPA); an ED management protocol; and formation of a "medical home" for these patients. For 10 subjects targeted initially we developed and implemented coordinated care plans; after deployment, we observed a tendency toward reduction in ED and inpatient utilization across all measured indices. Between the annualized pre- and post-implementation periods we found the following: ED visits decreased by 16.5 visits/pt-yr (95% confidence interval [CI] [-1.32-34.2]); ED length of state (LOS) decreased by 115.3 hours/pt-yr (95% CI [-82.9-313.5]); in-patient admissions decreased by 4.20 admissions/pt-yr (95% CI [-1.73-10.1]); in-patient LOS decreased by 35.8 hours/pt-yr (95% CI [-74.9-146.7]); and visits where the patient left before treatment were reduced by an annualized total of 13.7 visits. We observed no patient mortality in our 10 subjects, and no patient required admission to the intensive care unit 72 hours following discharge. This effort suggests that a targeted approach is both feasible and potentially effective, laying a foundation for broader study.

Efficient management and promotion of utilization of the video information acquired by observation

Science.gov (United States)

Kitayama, T.; Tanaka, K.; Shimabukuro, R.; Hase, H.; Ogido, M.; Nakamura, M.; Saito, H.; Hanafusa, Y.; Sonoda, A.

2012-12-01

In Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), the deep sea videos are made from the research by JAMSTEC submersibles in 1982, and the information on the huge deep-sea that will reach more 4,000 dives (ca. 24,700 tapes) by the present are opened to public via the Internet since 2002. The deep-sea videos is important because the time variation of deep-sea environment with difficult investigation and collection and growth of the living thing in extreme environment can be checked. Moreover, with development of video technique, the advanced analysis of an investigation image is attained. For grasp of deep sea environment, especially the utility value of the image is high. In JAMSTEC's Data Research Center for Marine-Earth Sciences (DrC), collection of the video are obtained by dive investigation of JAMSTEC, preservation, quality control, and open to public are performed. It is our big subject that the huge video information which utility value has expanded managed efficiently and promotion of use. In this announcement, the present measure is introduced about these subjects . The videos recorded on a tape or various media onboard are collected, and the backup and encoding for preventing the loss and degradation are performed. The video inside of a hard disk has the large file size. Then, we use the Linear Tape File System (LTFS) which attracts attention with image management engineering these days. Cost does not start compared with the usual disk backup, but correspondence years can also save the video data for a long time, and the operatively of a file is not different from a disk. The video that carried out the transcode to offer is archived by disk storage, and offer according to a use is possible for it. For the promotion of utilization of the video, the video public presentation system was reformed completely from November, 2011 to "JAMSTEC E-library of Deep Sea Images (http:// www.godac.jamstec.go.jp/jedi/)" This new system has preparing

Trends in Utility Green Pricing Programs (2005)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bird, L.; Brown, E.

2006-10-01

This report presents year-end 2005 data on utility green pricing programs, and examines trends in consumer response and program implementation over time. The data in this report, which were obtained via a questionnaire distributed to utility green pricing program managers, can be used by utilities to benchmark the success of their green power programs.

Fuel utilization experience in Slovak Republic

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Petenyi, V [Nuclear Regulatory Authority of the Slovak Republic, Bajkalska (Slovakia)

1997-12-01

The paper summarizes shortly the gained experience in utilization of the fuel in the four-year fuel cycles and describes the future activities in fuel management. The spent fuel management is also included. (author). 2 refs, 2 figs, 1 tab.

Utilizing Interns in Facilities Management

Science.gov (United States)

Judkins, Clarissa; Morris, John P.; Molocznik, Chuck

2011-01-01

Facilities management is rapidly changing and developing from a position an individual stumbles into--or work one's way up through--to a discipline and vocation all of its own. There is a need for a collaborative strategy among leaders in practice, education, and research to share knowledge and experience and to establish professional and ethical…

Diabetes mellitus and infection: an evaluation of hospital utilization and management costs in the United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Korbel, Lindsey; Spencer, John David

2015-03-01

The objective of this study is to evaluate the number of diabetics that seek medical treatment in emergency departments or require hospitalization for infection management in the United States. This study also assesses the socioeconomic impact of inpatient infection management among diabetics. We accessed the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Nationwide Emergency Department Sample database and the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database to perform a retrospective analysis on diabetics presenting to the emergency department or hospitalized for infection management from 2006 to 2011. Emergency Department: Since 2006, nearly 10 million diabetics were annually evaluated in the emergency department. Infection was the primary reason for presentation in 10% of these visits. Among those visits, urinary tract infection was the most common infection, accounting for over 30% of emergency department encounters for infections. Other common infections included sepsis, skin and soft tissue infections, and pneumonia. Diabetics were more than twice as likely to be hospitalized for infection management than patients without diabetes. Hospitalization: Since 2006, nearly 6 million diabetics were annually hospitalized. 8-12% of these patients were hospitalized for infection management. In 2011, the inpatient care provided to patients with DM, and infection was responsible for over $48 billion dollars in aggregate hospital charges. Diabetics commonly present to the emergency department and require hospitalization for infection management. The care provided to diabetics for infection management has a large economic impact on the United States healthcare system. More efforts are needed to develop cost-effective strategies for the prevention of infection in patients with diabetes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Managing the environmental impacts of utility lighting retrofits programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cress, K.

1993-01-01

One of the most popular demand-side management (DSM) programs currently being sponsored by electric utilities is the removal of old fluorescent light ballasts and replacing them with more efficient models. This type of program, however, can produce a substantial waste stream of the old ballasts, many of which contain Polychlorinated Biphenyl(s) (PCBs), a regulated hazardous substance. The proper disposal of spent light ballasts should be an integral component of DSM programs. This paper will discuss the experience that New England Electric System (NEES) 1 has had with disposing of spent light ballasts resulting from the implementation of our Small Commercial ampersand Industrial Program (a direct install lighting program which provides for the installation of energy efficient lighting measures which include fluorescent fixtures, ballasts and lamps, specular reflectors, compact fluorescent systems, high intensity discharge fixtures, and occupancy sensors. This innovative program is one of the largest in the country and has achieved over 6,000 installations). In this paper, we will review why PCBs are classified as hazardous substances and what effect State and Federal regulations have on the transportation and disposal of ballasts that contain PCBs. Second, we will explain our ballast disposal process which includes collecting, processing, storing, shipping and ultimate disposal. Third, we will discuss our experiences with two different methods of disposal - incineration and recycling. And last we will report on program results

Utilization of Local Law Enforcement Aerial Resources in Consequence Management (CM) Response

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wasiolek, Piotr T.; Malchow, Russell L.

2013-03-12

During the past decade the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was instrumental in enhancing the nation’s ability to detect and prevent a radiological or nuclear attack in the highest risk cities. Under the DHS Securing the Cities initiative, nearly 13,000 personnel in the New York City region have been trained in preventive radiological and nuclear detection operations, and nearly 8,500 pieces of radiological detection equipment have been funded. As part of the preventive radiological/nuclear detection (PRND) mission, several cities have received funding to purchase commercial aerial radiation detection systems. In 2008, the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration Aerial Measuring System (AMS) program started providing Mobile Aerial Radiological Surveillance (MARS) training to such assets, resulting in over 150 HAZMAT teams’ officers and pilots from 10 law enforcement organizations and fire departments being trained in the aerial radiation detection. From the beginning, the MARS training course covered both the PRND and consequence management (CM) missions. Even if the law enforcement main focus is PRND, their aerial assets can be utilized in the collection of initial radiation data for post-event radiological CM response. Based on over 50 years of AMS operational experience and information collected during MARS training, this presentation will focus on the concepts of CM response using aerial assets as well as utilizing law enforcement/fire department aerial assets in CM. Also discussed will be the need for establishing closer relationships between local jurisdictions’ aerial radiation detection capabilities and state and local radiation control program directors, radiological health department managers, etc. During radiological events these individuals may become primary experts/advisers to Incident Commanders for radiological emergency response, especially in the early stages of a response. The knowledge of the existence

A Review on Landfill Management in the Utilization of Plastic Waste as an Alternative Fuel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hidayah Nurul

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Wastes from landfills originate from many spheres of life. These are produces as a result of human activities either domestically or industrially. The global plastic production increased over years due to the vast applications of plastics in many sectors. The continuous demand of plastics caused the plastic wastes accumulation in the landfill consumed a lot of spaces that contributed to the environmental. In addition, economic growth and development also increased our demand and dependency on plastics which leads to its accumulation in landfills imposing risk on human health, animals and cause environmental pollution problems such as ground water contamination, sanitary related issues, etc. The management and disposal of plastic waste have become a major concern, especially in developing cities. The idea of waste to energy recovery is one of the promising techniques used for managing the waste of plastic. Hence, this paper aims review at utilizing of plastic as an alternative fuel.

A Review on Landfill Management in the Utilization of Plastic Waste as an Alternative Fuel

Science.gov (United States)

Hidayah, Nurul; Syafrudin

2018-02-01

Wastes from landfills originate from many spheres of life. These are produces as a result of human activities either domestically or industrially. The global plastic production increased over years due to the vast applications of plastics in many sectors. The continuous demand of plastics caused the plastic wastes accumulation in the landfill consumed a lot of spaces that contributed to the environmental. In addition, economic growth and development also increased our demand and dependency on plastics which leads to its accumulation in landfills imposing risk on human health, animals and cause environmental pollution problems such as ground water contamination, sanitary related issues, etc. The management and disposal of plastic waste have become a major concern, especially in developing cities. The idea of waste to energy recovery is one of the promising techniques used for managing the waste of plastic. Hence, this paper aims review at utilizing of plastic as an alternative fuel.

The utility`s role in the future of PC services and the NII. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-01-01

The paper is a report by C3 Communications (formerly CSW Communications) summarizing the experience and lessons learned during an 18 month Department of Energy Grant to evaluate how electric utilities can further the growth of the NII by developing a hybrid Internet-energy management service. In addition, the project was also expanded to include evaluation of residential gateway issues, in particular the energy management aspects of this developing area. The report is broken up into three sections, the first section focuses on the issues surrounding the start-up of a traditional ISP and provides a road map for utilities interested in this area. The second section provides an overview of the Internet energy management projects which were undertaken and the key lessons learned from each. Lastly, the third section outlines the gateway progress made during the grant and provides some of the recommendations which the work produced.

Impact of standardized clinical assessment and management plans on resource utilization and costs in children after the arterial switch operation.

Science.gov (United States)

Rathod, Rahul H; Jurgen, Brittney; Hamershock, Rose A; Friedman, Kevin G; Marshall, Audrey C; Samnaliev, Mihail; Graham, Dionne A; Jenkins, Kathy; Lock, James E; Powell, Andrew J

2017-12-01

Standardized Clinical Assessment and Management Plans (SCAMPs) are a quality improvement initiative designed to reduce unnecessary utilization, decrease practice variation, and improve patient outcomes. We created a novel methodology, the SCAMP managed episode of care (SMEOC), which encompasses multiple encounters to assess the impact of the arterial switch operation (ASO) SCAMP on total costs. All ASO SCAMP patients (dates March 2009 to July 2015) were compared to a control group of ASO patients (January 2001 to February 2009). Patients were divided into "younger" (operation while maintaining quality of care. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Concepts for reducing nuclear utility inventory carrying costs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Graybill, R.E.; DiCola, F.E.; Solanas, C.H.

1985-01-01

Nuclear utilities are under pressure to reduce their operating and maintenance expenses such that the total cost of generating electricity through nuclear power remains an economically attractive option. One area in which expenses may be reduced is total inventory carrying cost. The total inventory carrying cost consists of financing an inventory, managing the inventory, assuring quality, engineering of acceptable parts specifications, and procuring initial and replenishment stock. Concepts and methodology must be developed to reduce the remaining expenses of a utility's total inventory carrying cost. Currently, two concepts exist: pooled inventory management system (PIMS), originally established by General Electric Company and a group of boiling water reactor owners, and Nuclear Parts Associates' (NUPA) shared inventory management program (SIMP). Both concepts share or pool parts and components among utilities. The SIMP program objectives and technical activities are summarized

Impact of a chronic disease self-management program on health care utilization in rural communities: a retrospective cohort study using linked administrative data.

Science.gov (United States)

Jaglal, Susan B; Guilcher, Sara J T; Hawker, Gillian; Lou, Wendy; Salbach, Nancy M; Manno, Michael; Zwarenstein, Merrick

2014-05-01

Internationally, chronic disease self-management programs (CDSMPs) have been widely promoted with the assumption that confident, knowledgeable patients practicing self-management behavior will experience improved health and utilize fewer healthcare resources. However, there is a paucity of published data supporting this claim and the majority of the evidence is based on self-report. We used a retrospective cohort study using linked administrative health data. Data from 104 tele-CDSMP participants from 13 rural and remote communities in the province of Ontario, Canada were linked to administrative databases containing emergency department (ED) and physician visits and hospitalizations. Patterns of health care utilization prior to and after participation in the tele-CDSMP were compared. Poisson Generalized Estimating Equations regression was used to examine the impact of the tele-CDSMP on health care utilization after adjusting for covariates. There were no differences in patterns of health care utilization before and after participating in the tele-CDSMP. Among participants ≤ 66 years, however, there was a 34% increase in physician visits in the 12 months following the program (OR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.11-1.61) and a trend for decreased ED visits in those >66 years (OR = 0.59, 95% CI 0.33-1.06). This is the first study to examine health care use following participation in the CDSMP in a Canadian population and to use administrative data to measure health care utilization. Similar to other studies that used self-report measures to evaluate health care use we found no differences in health care utilization before and after participation in the CDSMP. Future research needs to confirm our findings and examine the impact of the CDSMP on health care utilization in different age groups to help to determine whether these interventions are more effective with select population groups.

Lessons Learned: A review of utility experience with conservation and load management programs for commercial and industrial customers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nadel, S.

1990-10-01

This report examines utility experience with conservation and load management (C LM) programs of commercial and industrial (C I) customers in order to summarize the lessons learned from program experiences to date and what these teach us about how to operate successful programs in the future. This analysis was motivated by a desire to learn about programs which achieve high participation rates and high electricity savings while remaining cost effective. Also, we wanted to review the very latest experiences with innovative program approaches -- approaches that might prove useful to utilities as they scale up their C LM activities. Specific objectives of this phase of the study are threefold: (1) To disseminate information on utility C LM experience to a nationwide audience. (2) To review current New York State utility programs and make suggestions on how these programs can be improved. (3) To collect data for the final phase of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy/New York State Energy Research and Development Authority project, which will examine the savings that are achievable if C LM programs are pushed to the limit'' of current knowledge on how to structure and run cost-effective C LM programs. 19 tabs.

Utility residual fuel oil market conditions: An update

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, H.A. Jr.

1992-01-01

Planning for residual fuel oil usage and management remains an important part of the generation fuel planning and management function for many utilities. EPRI's Utility Planning Methods Center has maintained its analytical overview of the fuel oil markets as part of its overall fuel planning and management research program. This overview provides an update of recent fuel oil market directions. Several key events of the past year have had important implications for residual fuel oil markets. The key events have been the changes brought about by the Persian Gulf War and its aftermath, as well as continuing environmental policy developments. The Persian Gulf conflict has created renewed interest in reducing fuel oil use by utilities as part of an overall reduction in oil imports. The policy analysis performed to date has generally failed to properly evaluate utility industry capability. The Persian Gulf conflict has also resulted in an important change in the structure of international oil markets. The result of this policy-based change is likely to be a shift in oil pricing strategy. Finally, continued change in environmental requirements is continuing to shift utility residual oil requirements, but is also changing the nature of the US resid market itself

Augmented Reality Applications for Substation Management by Utilizing Standards-Compliant SCADA Communication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miro Antonijević

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Most electrical substations are remotely monitored and controlled by using Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA applications. Current SCADA systems have been significantly enhanced by utilizing standardized communication protocols and the most prominent is the IEC 61850 international standard. These enhancements enable improvements in different domains of SCADA systems such as communication engineering, data management and visualization of automation process data in SCADA applications. Process data visualization is usually achieved through Human Machine Interface (HMI screens in substation control centres. However, this visualization method sometimes makes supervision, control and maintenance procedures executed by engineers slow and error-prone because it separates equipment from its automation data. Augmented reality (AR and mixed reality (MR visualization techniques have matured enough to provide new possibilities of displaying relevant data wherever needed. This paper presents a novel methodology for visualizing process related SCADA data to enhance and facilitate human-centric activities in substations such as regular equipment maintenance. The proposed solution utilizes AR visualization techniques together with standards-based communication protocols used in substations. The developed proof-of-concept AR application that enables displaying SCADA data on the corresponding substation equipment with the help of AR markers demonstrates originality and benefits of the proposed visualization method. Additionally, the application enables displaying widgets and 3D models of substation equipment to make the visualization more user-friendly and intuitive. The visualized SCADA data needs to be refreshed considering soft real-time data delivery restrictions. Therefore, the proposed solution is thoroughly tested to demonstrate the applicability of proposed methodology in real substations.

Utilization of Patient-Reported Outcomes to Guide Symptom Management during Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Malika Danner

2017-10-01

Full Text Available IntroductionUtilization of patient-reported outcomes (PROs to guide symptom management during radiation therapy is increasing. This study focuses on the use of the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite for Clinical Practice (EPIC-CP as a tool to assess urinary and bowel bother during stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT and its utility in guiding medical management.MethodsBetween September 2015 and January 2017, 107 patients with clinically localized prostate cancer were treated with 35–36.25 Gy via SBRT in five fractions. PROs were assessed using EPIC-CP 1 h prior to the first fraction and after each subsequent fraction. Symptom management medications were prescribed based on the physician clinical judgment or if patients reported a moderate to big problem. Clinical significance was assessed using a minimally important difference of 1/2 SD from baseline score.ResultsA median baseline EPIC-CP urinary symptom score of 1.5 significantly increased to 3.7 on the day of the final treatment (p < 0.0001. Prior to treatment, 9.3% of men felt that their overall urinary function was a moderate to big problem that increased to 28% by the end of the fifth treatment. A median baseline EPIC-CP bowel symptom score of 0.3 significantly increased to 1.4 on the day of the final treatment (p < 0.0001. Prior to treatment, 1.9% of men felt that their overall bowel function was a moderate to big problem that increased to 3.7% by the end of the fifth treatment. The percentage of patients requiring an increased dose of alpha-antagonist increased to 47% by the end of treatment, and an additional 28% of patients required a short steroid taper to manage moderate to big urinary problems. Similarly, the percentage of patients requiring antidiarrheals reached 12% by the fifth treatment.ConclusionDuring the course of SBRT, an increasing percentage of patients experienced clinically significant symptoms many of which required medical management

Man Portable Vector EMI Sensor for Full UXO Characterization

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-01

with project management and coordination. Drs. Laurens Beran, Leonard Pasion , and Stephen Billings advised on technical aspects and Dr. Gregory Schultz...approximated as a point dipole (e.g., Bell et al., 2001; Pasion and Oldenburg, 2001; Gasperikova et al., 2009). The process of estimating the target...39, 1286–1293. Bell, T. 2005. Geo-location Requirements for UXO Discrimination. SERDP Geo-location Workshop. Billings, S., L. Pasion , N. Lhomme

Simultaneous Visualization of Different Utility Networks for Disaster Management

Science.gov (United States)

Semm, S.; Becker, T.; Kolbe, T. H.

2012-07-01

Cartographic visualizations of crises are used to create a Common Operational Picture (COP) and enforce Situational Awareness by presenting and representing relevant information. As nearly all crises affect geospatial entities, geo-data representations have to support location-specific decision-making throughout the crises. Since, Operator's attention span and their working memory are limiting factors for the process of getting and interpreting information; the cartographic presentation has to support individuals in coordinating their activities and with handling highly dynamic situations. The Situational Awareness of operators in conjunction with a COP are key aspects of the decision making process and essential for coming to appropriate decisions. Utility networks are one of the most complex and most needed systems within a city. The visualization of utility infrastructure in crisis situations is addressed in this paper. The paper will provide a conceptual approach on how to simplify, aggregate, and visualize multiple utility networks and their components to meet the requirements of the decision-making process and to support Situational Awareness.

Anthropology with Activism: Settling Its Value

Science.gov (United States)

Hull, Glynda A.

2014-01-01

This response to Katherine Schultz's Presidential Address to the Council on Anthropology and Education explores the themes of temporality and reflexivity in activist scholarship, with Schultz's research as prime example. The need to take action to address a crisis, juxtaposed to the counter need to take time for scholarly reflection and…

Report of the International Ice Patrol Service in the North Atlantic Ocean. Season of 1979.

Science.gov (United States)

1979-01-01

used is ( Scobie and Schultz, 1976) and it is basically these the sum of a mean value and a wind driven compo- updated currents which were used during...direction REFERENCES and U (east-west) and V (north-south) components Scobie , R. W. and R. H. Schultz (1976). Oceanography of on a printout and plots

Management salaries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moody, D.

1993-01-01

Salary charts presenting the median salaries of general managers of locally owned electric utilities are given. These data are given by revenue class, and by customer size class. It was found that general managers of locally owned electric utilities earned a mean (average) salary of $56,034 as of June 1, 1992 and the median salary was $52,000. The data show that utilities servicing a larger customer base and hence, earning higher receives pay higher salaries

Utility FGD Survey, January--December 1989

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hance, S.L.; McKibben, R.S.; Jones, F.M. (IT Corp., Cincinnati, OH (United States))

1992-03-01

The Utility flue gas desulfurization (FGD) Survey report, which is generated by a computerized data base management system, represents a survey of operational and planned domestic utility flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems. It summarizes information contributed by the utility industry, system and equipment suppliers, system designers, research organizations, and regulatory agencies. The data cover system design, fuel characteristics, operating history, and actual system performance. Also included is a unit-by-unit discussion of problems and solutions associated with the boilers, scrubbers, and FGD systems. The development status (operational, under construction, or in the planning stages), system supplier, process, waste disposal practice, and regulatory class are tabulated alphabetically by utility company.

Resource Guide to Effective Utility Management and Lean

Science.gov (United States)

Water and wastewater utilities are critical to the environmental, economic, and social well being of our nation’s communities, as they work to ensure that the public continues to enjoy the benefits of clean and safe water.

Report of the International Ice Patrol Services in the North Atlantic Ocean, Season of 1985

Science.gov (United States)

1987-03-17

drift to a hydroahic surveys ( Scobie AscresuleIPmt ofthis re lyconna e constant 90-150km drift error In and Schultz, 1976). It is on a grid schedule,l...D.G., 1980. On Predicting Iceberg Drift, Cold Regions Science and Technology, Vol 1 (3/4): 273-282. Scobie , R.W., and R.H. Schultz, 1976. Oceanographyof

Removal of uranium and priority pollutant metals from Fernald Environmental Management Project wastewater utilizing potassium ferrate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hampshire, Lyle H.; Potts, Michael E.

1992-01-01

A side-by-side treatment comparison between calcium hydroxide and TRU/Clear '4', a potassium ferrate based wastewater treatment chemical, was performed in a process wastewater and stormwater treatment facility. Results from the full-scale plant testing demonstrated that potassium ferrate could achieve the same treatment levels as calcium hydroxide while generating 55% less sludge than the calcium hydroxide treatment. The testing also showed that utilization of potassium ferrate would minimize the volume of sludge generated and assist in the reduction of total waste management costs associated with storage, monitoring, transportation, and final disposition of generated sludge. (author)

Progress and problems in the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program and Surplus Facilities Management Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fiore, J.J.; Turi, G.P.

1988-01-01

The Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) was established in 1974 to identify, evaluate, and as appropriate, conduct remedial actions at sites used in the early years of nuclear energy development by the Manhattan Engineer District and the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). This program currently has 29 sites and is evaluating 350 other sites for possible inclusion in the program. Another remedial action program in the Department of Energy's (DOE) Division of Facility and Site Decommissioning Projects is the Surplus Facilities Management Program (SFMP). The SFMP involves the safe management, decontamination and disposal of surplus DOE contaminated facilities which were not related to defense activities. There are currently 33 projects at 15 different sites in the program. These two programs have made steady progress over the last 10 or so years in cleaning up sites so that they can be reused or released for unrestricted use. Work has been completed at 8 of the FUSRAP sites and three of the SFMP sites

SIMULTANEOUS VISUALIZATION OF DIFFERENT UTILITY NETWORKS FOR DISASTER MANAGEMENT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Semm

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Cartographic visualizations of crises are used to create a Common Operational Picture (COP and enforce Situational Awareness by presenting and representing relevant information. As nearly all crises affect geospatial entities, geo-data representations have to support location-specific decision-making throughout the crises. Since, Operator's attention span and their working memory are limiting factors for the process of getting and interpreting information; the cartographic presentation has to support individuals in coordinating their activities and with handling highly dynamic situations. The Situational Awareness of operators in conjunction with a COP are key aspects of the decision making process and essential for coming to appropriate decisions. Utility networks are one of the most complex and most needed systems within a city. The visualization of utility infrastructure in crisis situations is addressed in this paper. The paper will provide a conceptual approach on how to simplify, aggregate, and visualize multiple utility networks and their components to meet the requirements of the decision-making process and to support Situational Awareness.

Activities of research-reactor-technology project in FNCA from FY2005 to FY2007. Sharing neutronics calculation technique for core management and utilization of research reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-07-01

RRT project (Research-Reactor-Technology Project) was carried out with the theme of 'sharing neutronics calculation technique for core management and utilization of research reactors' in the framework of FNCA (Forum for Nuclear Cooperation in Asia) from FY2005 to FY2007. The objective of the project was to improve and equalize the level of neutronics calculation technique for the reactor core management among participating countries to assure the safe and stable operation of research reactors and the promotion of the effective utilization. Neutronics calculation codes, namely SRAC code system and MVP code, were adopted as common codes. Participating countries succeeded in applying the common codes to analyzing the core of each domestic research reactor. Some participating countries succeeded in applying the common codes to analyzing for utilization of own research reactors. Activities of RRT project have improved and equalized the level of neutronics calculation technique among participating countries. (author)

Long-term impact of a chronic disease management program on hospital utilization and cost in an Australian population with heart disease or diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamar, G Brent; Rula, Elizabeth Y; Coberley, Carter; Pope, James E; Larkin, Shaun

2015-04-22

To evaluate the longitudinal value of a chronic disease management program, My Health Guardian (MHG), in reducing hospital utilization and costs over 4 years. The MHG program provides individualized support via telephonic nurse outreach and online tools for self-management, behavior change and well-being. In follow up to an initial 18-month analysis of MHG, the current study evaluated program impact over 4 years. A matched-cohort analysis retrospectively compared MHG participants with heart disease or diabetes (treatment, N = 4,948) to non-participants (comparison, N = 28,520) on utilization rates (hospital admission, readmission, total bed days) and hospital claims cost savings. Outcomes were evaluated using regression analyses, controlling for remaining demographic, disease, and pre-program admissions or cost differences between the study groups. Over the 4 year period, program participation resulted in significant reductions in hospital admissions (-11.4%, P hospital claims was $3,549 over 4-years; savings values for each program year were significant and increased with time (P = 0.003 to P hospital utilization and costs for individuals with heart disease or diabetes and demonstrate the increasing program effect with continued participation over time.

Utilities of Patients with Hypertension in Northern Vietnam

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nguyen, Thi-Phuong-Lan; Krabbe, Paul F. M.; Nguyen, Thi-Bach-Yen; Schuiling-Veninga, Catharina C. M.; Wright, E. Pamela; Postma, Maarten J.

2015-01-01

Objectives The study aims to inform potential cost-effectiveness analysis of hypertension management in Vietnam by providing utilities and predictors of utilities in patients with hypertension. Methods Hypertensive patients up to 80 years old visiting the hospital were invited to participate in a

Demand-side management process evaluations - the management perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perrault, G.A.; Barrett, L.B.

1993-01-01

A demand-side management (DSM) process evaluation is a qualitative, expert assessment of how a utility marketing program is being conducted. It reviews the efficiency and effectiveness in which a utility plans, manages, executes, and monitors the delivery of DSM programs to its marketplace. Process evaluations,which includes load impact, customer satisfaction and cost-effectiveness analysis, are becoming an increasingly significant component. The process evaluation focus is on the program planning and delivery process as opposed to the energy impacts resulting from the specific measures or products of the program. Because of this process-oriented focus, such evaluations can identify important opportunities for improving the cost-effectiveness of a program without significantly changing product lines. The evaluation may identify administrative or delivery process improvements. In addition, the evaluation may identify ways of improving the degree to which the customer is satisfied with the program or the utility. Since process evaluations are usually conducted as part of a utility's mandated DSM measurement and evaluation plan, they tend to focus mainly on the stated needs of the regulator as opposed to company management. This can be a problem. Although the regulatory perspective is important, in an increasingly competitive business environment, utilities must not overlook management's business and operational needs for specific information regarding DSM program planning, control, execution, and evaluation. This paper discusses some of the conflicts that exist between the regulator's and management's needs for DSM program evaluation results and presents some approaches for assuring that both needs are met. It is organized to first discuss the scope of a process evaluation, then the evaluation issues, the management concerns, and finally reporting of results

Management of End-Stage Ankle Arthritis: Cost-Utility Analysis Using Direct and Indirect Costs.

Science.gov (United States)

Nwachukwu, Benedict U; McLawhorn, Alexander S; Simon, Matthew S; Hamid, Kamran S; Demetracopoulos, Constantine A; Deland, Jonathan T; Ellis, Scott J

2015-07-15

Total ankle replacement and ankle fusion are costly but clinically effective treatments for ankle arthritis. Prior cost-effectiveness analyses for the management of ankle arthritis have been limited by a lack of consideration of indirect costs and nonoperative management. The purpose of this study was to compare the cost-effectiveness of operative and nonoperative treatments for ankle arthritis with inclusion of direct and indirect costs in the analysis. Markov model analysis was conducted from a health-systems perspective with use of direct costs and from a societal perspective with use of direct and indirect costs. Costs were derived from the 2012 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) and expressed in 2013 U.S. dollars; effectiveness was expressed in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Model transition probabilities were derived from the available literature. The principal outcome measure was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). In the direct-cost analysis for the base case, total ankle replacement was associated with an ICER of $14,500/QALY compared with nonoperative management. When indirect costs were included, total ankle replacement was both more effective and resulted in $5900 and $800 in lifetime cost savings compared with the lifetime costs following nonoperative management and ankle fusion, respectively. At a $100,000/QALY threshold, surgical management of ankle arthritis was preferred for patients younger than ninety-six years and total ankle replacement was increasingly more cost-effective in younger patients. Total ankle replacement, ankle fusion, and nonoperative management were the preferred strategy in 83%, 12%, and 5% of the analyses, respectively; however, our model was sensitive to patient age, the direct costs of total ankle replacement, the failure rate of total ankle replacement, and the probability of arthritis after ankle fusion. Compared with nonoperative treatment for the management of end-stage ankle arthritis, total ankle

48 CFR 1845.7210-1 - Utilization surveys.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... report Government-owned plant equipment in accordance with FAR 45.502(g) and 45.509-2(b)(4). Items that... ADMINISTRATION CONTRACT MANAGEMENT GOVERNMENT PROPERTY Contract Property Management 1845.7210-1 Utilization surveys. (a) The property administrator is responsible for ensuring that the contractor has effective...

Study of the Korean anthracite for utilization and the coal mine data management

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-12-01

This report consists of two articles. (1) Petrographic study of the Korean anthracite for utilization (5): This research was initiated for the development of filtering materials those can be used in waste water treatment sites The small scale of filtration tester was built on the waste water treatment site of Chungjoo electric Co. to use waste water processed by purifying system for the feasibility study. (2) Study of the closed coal mine data management: Underground maps about 1700 adits of 100 coal mines, and related graphic data have been collected in the database. And all those data were entered into the database in vectorial form, coordinates obtaining from the digitizing tablet. Detailed works are described in the other report, including the discussions of graphic database and data handling of graphical mine data. Comments about the GIS is also provided in the volume. (author). 25 refs., 45 figs., 50 tabs., 3 maps.

Report of the advisory committee on the management and disposition of Ontario Hydro's contracts with non-utility generators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1999-01-01

The report from the advisory committee on the management and disposition of Ontario Hydro's contracts with non-utility generators on the future management and disposition of the power purchase agreements entered into by Ontario Hydro with each non-utility generator (a NUG) is discussed. The integration of NUG contracts into a restructured competitive electricity market, the complexity of the contracts and the disparity of size, resources and approach to the integration exercise of the NUGs produces to an array of challenging issues. The committee identified three alternative strategies for dealing with NUG contracts in Ontario. The first is to use the independent Electricity Market Operator as a purely passive contract holder and above-market cost collection agent. The second is to make the Ontario Electricity Financial Corporation (OEFC) the contract holder and use a commercially oriented manager to administer the NUG contracts. This would minimize above-market costs and to advise on buyouts, compute above-market costs as an amount based on the difference between estimated future contract payments and estimated future market revenues for NUG power and recover them from domestic customers as a part of a single pooled Competition Transfer Charge. The third is to make the OEFC the contract holder, use a commercially oriented manager to administer the NUG contracts, to minimize above-market costs and to advise on buyouts. The OEFC would compute above-market costs as an amount based on the difference between estimated future contract payments and estimated future market revenues for NUG power and recover them from domestic customers as a part of a pooled CTC. The IMO would be used to collect the above-market NUG contract part of the pooled CTC as agent of the contract holder, in a contract uplift that would, like the levy in the first strategy, be charged to wholesale market participants and be included in rates paid by domestic end-use customers.1

Integrating child health services into malaria control services of village malaria workers in remote Cambodia: service utilization and knowledge of malaria management of caregivers.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasegawa, Aya; Yasuoka, Junko; Ly, Po; Nguon, Chea; Jimba, Masamine

2013-08-23

Malaria and other communicable diseases remain major threats in developing countries. In Cambodia, village malaria workers (VMWs) have been providing malaria control services in remote villages to cope with the disease threats. In 2009, the VMW project integrated child health services into the original malaria control services. However, little has been studied about the utilization of VMWs' child health services. This study aimed to identify determinants of caregivers' VMW service utilization for childhood illness and caregivers' knowledge of malaria management. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 36 VMW villages of Kampot and Kampong Thom provinces in July-September 2012. An equal number of VMW villages with malaria control services only (M) and those with malaria control plus child health services (M+C) were selected from each province. Using structured questionnaires, 800 caregivers of children under five and 36 VMWs, one of the two VMWs who was providing VMW services in each study village were interviewed. Among the caregivers, 23% in M villages and 52% in M+C villages utilized VMW services for childhood illnesses. Determinants of caregivers' utilization of VMWs in M villages included their VMWs' length of experience (AOR = 11.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 4.46-31.19) and VMWs' service quality (AOR = 2.04, CI = 1.01-4.11). In M+C villages, VMWs' length of experience (AOR = 2.44, CI = 1.52-3.94) and caregivers' wealth index (AOR = 0.35, CI = 0.18-0.68) were associated with VMW service utilization. Meanwhile, better service quality of VMWs (AOR = 3.21, CI = 1.34-7.66) and caregivers' literacy (AOR = 9.91, CI = 4.66-21.05) were positively associated with caregivers' knowledge of malaria management. VMWs' service quality and length of experience are important determinants of caregivers' utilization of VMWs' child health services and their knowledge of malaria management. Caregivers are seeking VMWs' support for childhood illnesses even if they are

A Canadian case study : the value of real time electricity monitoring : a real-time cost utility management solution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rouse, S.; Dittburner, D.

2006-01-01

Energy prices can vary significantly over the course of a single day in response to changing levels in energy demand and availability of supply. The impacts of varying energy prices on business and industry means that hourly electricity costs can fluctuate widely over the course of a day even though energy use remains stable. This presentation gave details of an energy efficiency initiative at Unilever's Rexdale site which has resulted in $4 million saved through reductions in energy consumption and equipment retrofits. The Rexdale plant won an energy efficiency award in 2005, and the success of the initiative was attributed to the use of Utility 3 + , an energy management software tool. A turn key system with integrated software and hardware, Utility 3 + is capable of measuring how much energy is being used and can provide details of costs using a combination of historical and forecast prices. The tool is equipped with alarms with pre-set thresholds to match real-time rises in energy prices. Real-time prices are relayed from the Internet along with a 2 way data communication system. It was concluded that use of the tool has resulted in improved cash flow management and greater control of energy costs. A system description of the tool was provided, as well as details of various equipment retrofits. refs.., tabs., figs

A Canadian case study : the value of real time electricity monitoring : a real-time cost utility management solution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rouse, S. [Energy at Work, Toronto, ON (Canada); Dittburner, D. [Unilever Canada, Toronto, ON (Canada)

2006-07-01

Energy prices can vary significantly over the course of a single day in response to changing levels in energy demand and availability of supply. The impacts of varying energy prices on business and industry means that hourly electricity costs can fluctuate widely over the course of a day even though energy use remains stable. This presentation gave details of an energy efficiency initiative at Unilever's Rexdale site which has resulted in $4 million saved through reductions in energy consumption and equipment retrofits. The Rexdale plant won an energy efficiency award in 2005, and the success of the initiative was attributed to the use of Utility 3{sup +}, an energy management software tool. A turn key system with integrated software and hardware, Utility 3{sup +} is capable of measuring how much energy is being used and can provide details of costs using a combination of historical and forecast prices. The tool is equipped with alarms with pre-set thresholds to match real-time rises in energy prices. Real-time prices are relayed from the Internet along with a 2 way data communication system. It was concluded that use of the tool has resulted in improved cash flow management and greater control of energy costs. A system description of the tool was provided, as well as details of various equipment retrofits. refs.., tabs., figs.

IT use in electric utilities - today and tomorrow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Persson, Maria

1998-01-01

A survey of the present and future use of IT-systems in British electric utilities is presented. Systems for Asset Management, Reliability Centered Maintenance, Customer Databases etc are discussed. A few utilities are studied more closely (Eastern Electricity, London Electricity, Scottish Power and Yorkshire Electricity)

The utility of screening in the design of trials for symptom management in cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Jeon, Sangchoon; Given, Charles W; Sikorskii, Alla; Given, Barbara

2009-10-01

Clinical trials that test interventions for symptom management must target patients whose symptoms are severe and can benefit from participation. Screening symptoms for their severity prior to trial entry may be an important element of trial design. This research describes the utility of screening for severity of symptoms prior to entry into clinical trials for symptom management in cancer. To accomplish this, 601 cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy were assessed at screening and at the initial intervention contact, using the 0-10 rating scale for severity of nine symptoms. Post-test probabilities and likelihood ratios (LRs) were estimated across cut-offs in screening severity scores. Areas under receiver operating characteristic curves for reaching threshold of four at the initial intervention contact were estimated by a nonparametric method. It was found that screening severity scores were good predictors for identifying patients who would not reach threshold but did not always accurately predict patients who would. The cut-offs between 2 and 4 on a 0-10 scale could be used to identify patients that might benefit from receipt of interventions. For all symptoms, the LRs were greater than one across possible screening cut-offs. The findings indicate that decision rules based on screening prior to entry into cancer symptom management trials can provide reasonable discriminative accuracy by differentiating among patients who are likely to reach higher levels of severity later in the trial from those who are not. Optimal severity cut-offs can be established based on LRs and desired sensitivity and specificity.

Acceptability and perceived utility of drone technology among emergency medical service responders and incident commanders for mass casualty incident management.

Science.gov (United States)

Hart, Alexander; Chai, Peter R; Griswold, Matthew K; Lai, Jeffrey T; Boyer, Edward W; Broach, John

2017-01-01

This study seeks to understand the acceptability and perceived utility of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology to Mass Casualty Incidents (MCI) scene management. Qualitative questionnaires regarding the ease of operation, perceived usefulness, and training time to operate UAVs were administered to Emergency Medical Technicians (n = 15). A Single Urban New England Academic Tertiary Care Medical Center. Front-line emergency medical service (EMS) providers and senior EMS personnel in Incident Commander roles. Data from this pilot study indicate that EMS responders are accepting to deploying and operating UAV technology in a disaster scenario. Additionally, they perceived UAV technology as easy to adopt yet impactful in improving MCI scene management.

Business model innovation for sustainable energy: German utilities and renewable energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richter, Mario

2013-01-01

The electric power sector stands at the beginning of a fundamental transformation process towards a more sustainable production based on renewable energies. Consequently, electric utilities as incumbent actors face a massive challenge to find new ways of creating, delivering, and capturing value from renewable energy technologies. This study investigates utilities' business models for renewable energies by analyzing two generic business models based on a series of in-depth interviews with German utility managers. It is found that utilities have developed viable business models for large-scale utility-side renewable energy generation. At the same time, utilities lack adequate business models to commercialize small-scale customer-side renewable energy technologies. By combining the business model concept with innovation and organization theory practical recommendations for utility mangers and policy makers are derived. - Highlights: • The energy transition creates a fundamental business model challenge for utilities. • German utilities succeed in large-scale and fail in small-scale renewable generation. • Experiences from other industries are available to inform utility managers. • Business model innovation capabilities will be crucial to master the energy transition

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

Palm utilization and management in Asia: examples for the neotropics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

1992-01-01

productos comestibles de 61 especies de palmas asiáticas. A partir de estos ejemplos, se hacen sugerencias para el manejo y la valorización de las palmas neotropicales, a fin de incrementar el suministro de alimentos y de otros productos útiles. Asia is endowed with the world’s greatest palm biodiversity, and also possesses the highest diversity of palm utilization. Palms have a long history of management for both subsistence and commercial products, many of which are deeply embedded in local cultures. In Asia, traditional technologies of exploiting wild and semi-wild palm populations, as well as processing techniques associated with many of the palm products, are generally more advanced than in the Neotropics. Native Asian palms currently provide significant quantities of food, beverage, fiber, rattan, construction material and other products. This article surveys edible products from 61 Asian palm species. Using these examples from Asia, suggestions are made as to how Neotropical palms could be managed and valorized for food and other useful products.

UTILITY OF ANNUAL FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IN THE MANAGEMENT PROCESS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

PUICAN LILIANA

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Process knowledge of the financial situation of the economic entity presupposes the use of analysis and synthesis, as indispensable tools of investigation. Financial management of the economic entity have to belong to the basic role in strategic financial decisions that would solve the problem of effective management of the process optimal growth, balanced and proportionate entity. That is why it becomes necessary and imperative objective analysis of the implications of the current financial management in economic entities familiarize managers with the basic tools with which they operate, acquiring knowledge about planning and financial control, evaluation techniques of investment projects, about how to conduct financial and economic diagnosis and management control of the entity, the key issues in its orientation towards performance.

Systematic review of model-based analyses reporting the cost-effectiveness and cost-utility of cardiovascular disease management programs.

Science.gov (United States)

Maru, Shoko; Byrnes, Joshua; Whitty, Jennifer A; Carrington, Melinda J; Stewart, Simon; Scuffham, Paul A

2015-02-01

The reported cost effectiveness of cardiovascular disease management programs (CVD-MPs) is highly variable, potentially leading to different funding decisions. This systematic review evaluates published modeled analyses to compare study methods and quality. Articles were included if an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) or cost-utility ratio (ICUR) was reported, it is a multi-component intervention designed to manage or prevent a cardiovascular disease condition, and it addressed all domains specified in the American Heart Association Taxonomy for Disease Management. Nine articles (reporting 10 clinical outcomes) were included. Eight cost-utility and two cost-effectiveness analyses targeted hypertension (n=4), coronary heart disease (n=2), coronary heart disease plus stoke (n=1), heart failure (n=2) and hyperlipidemia (n=1). Study perspectives included the healthcare system (n=5), societal and fund holders (n=1), a third party payer (n=3), or was not explicitly stated (n=1). All analyses were modeled based on interventions of one to two years' duration. Time horizon ranged from two years (n=1), 10 years (n=1) and lifetime (n=8). Model structures included Markov model (n=8), 'decision analytic models' (n=1), or was not explicitly stated (n=1). Considerable variation was observed in clinical and economic assumptions and reporting practices. Of all ICERs/ICURs reported, including those of subgroups (n=16), four were above a US$50,000 acceptability threshold, six were below and six were dominant. The majority of CVD-MPs was reported to have favorable economic outcomes, but 25% were at unacceptably high cost for the outcomes. Use of standardized reporting tools should increase transparency and inform what drives the cost-effectiveness of CVD-MPs. © The European Society of Cardiology 2014.

PACS project management utilizing web-based tools

Science.gov (United States)

Patel, Sunil; Levin, Brad; Gac, Robert J., Jr.; Harding, Douglas, Jr.; Chacko, Anna K.; Radvany, Martin; Romlein, John R.

2000-05-01

As Picture Archiving and Communications Systems (PACS) implementations become more widespread, the management of deploying large, multi-facility PACS will become a more frequent occurrence. The tools and usability of the World Wide Web to disseminate project management information obviates time, distance, participant availability, and data format constraints, allowing for the effective collection and dissemination of PACS planning, implementation information, for a potentially limitless number of concurrent PACS sites. This paper will speak to tools, such as (1) a topic specific discussion board, (2) a 'restricted' Intranet, within a 'project' Intranet. We will also discuss project specific methods currently in use in a leading edge, regional PACS implementation concerning the sharing of project schedules, physical drawings, images of implementations, site-specific data, point of contacts lists, project milestones, and a general project overview. The individual benefits realized for the end user from each tool will also be covered. These details will be presented, balanced with a spotlight on communication as a critical component of any project management undertaking. Using today's technology, the web arguably provides the most cost and resource effective vehicle to facilitate the broad based, interactive sharing of project information.

Utility of Vaccum Pressed Silicon Sheet as a Bite Raising Appliance in the Management of TMJ Dysfunction Syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Datarkar, Abhay; Daware, Surendra; Dande, Ravi

2017-09-01

Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) represent a group of painful conditions involving the muscles of mastication and the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) that frequently encountered in general clinical practice. This study is designed to assess the utility of vacuum pressed silicon sheet as a bite raising appliance in the management of TMJ dysfunction syndrome. The patients for this study were selected from those with the chief complaint of TMJ disorder. Out of 200 patients, 104 patients were diagnosed with subluxation and 96 patients were diagnosed with internal derangement of temporomandibular joint. All the reported cases were managed conservatively with physiotherapy and muscle relaxant therapy for one week period and followed with silicon bite raising appliance over both the arches in the subsequent period. All the patients had pain relief within six months duration as graded over verbal analog scale. ANOVA scale was used for comparision of VAS scores. The use of vacuum pressed bite raising appliance in the management of TMJ disorder was found to be satisfactorily effective in alleviation of pain symptom in our study group.

The Shape of Utility Functions and Organizational Behavior

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.M.E. Pennings; A. Smidts (Ale)

2002-01-01

textabstractBased on measurements with 332 owner-managers, the global shape of the utility function (i.e., S-shaped versus concave or convex over the total range of outcomes) appears to discriminate organizational behavior. Whereas the degree of risk aversion, based on the local shape of the utility

Impact of fuel fabrication and fuel management technologies on uranium management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arnsberger, P.L.; Stucker, D.L.

1994-01-01

Uranium utilization in commercial pressurized water reactors is a complex function of original NSSS design, utility energy requirements, fuel assembly design, fuel fabrication materials and fuel fabrication materials and fuel management optimization. Fuel design and fabrication technologies have reacted to the resulting market forcing functions with a combination of design and material changes. The technologies employed have included ever-increasing fuel discharge burnup, non-parasitic structural materials, burnable absorbers, and fissile material core zoning schemes (both in the axial and radial direction). The result of these technological advances has improved uranium utilization by roughly sixty percent from the infancy days of nuclear power to present fuel management. Fuel management optimization technologies have also been developed in recent years which provide fuel utilization improvements due to core loading pattern optimization. This paper describes the development and impact of technology advances upon uranium utilization in modern pressurized water reactors. 10 refs., 3 tabs., 10 figs

Ja mul oli veel nii palju öelda! / Marju Kõivupuu

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Kõivupuu, Marju, 1960-

2006-01-01

Ka järgmistest raamatutest: Schultz-Bertram, Georg Julius. Balti idealisti kirjad emale / tlk. Ilmar Vene. Tartu : Ilmamaa, 2003 ; Dr. Bertram. Tartu tudengid viiskümmend aastat tagasi / saksa keelest Viktor Sepp. Tallinn : Perioodika, 1999. (Loomingu Raamatukogu ; 17) ; Pärnik, Ylo M. Dr Georg Julius von Schultz-Bertram. Tartu : Ilmamaa, 2006 ; Dr. Bertram. Kolm Tartu balli / tlk. Viktor Sepp. Tallinn : Perioodika, 1990. (Loomingu Raamatukogu ; 26)

Sympatholysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gliemann, Lasse; Carter, Howard Henry

2018-01-01

This Journal Club article highlights an article by Hearon Jr. et al. To read this article, visit https://doi.org/10.1113/JP274532. Edited by: Harold Schultz & Kathleen Morgan......This Journal Club article highlights an article by Hearon Jr. et al. To read this article, visit https://doi.org/10.1113/JP274532. Edited by: Harold Schultz & Kathleen Morgan...

Reduction in Unnecessary Clinical Laboratory Testing Through Utilization Management at a US Government Veterans Affairs Hospital.

Science.gov (United States)

Konger, Raymond L; Ndekwe, Paul; Jones, Genea; Schmidt, Ronald P; Trey, Marty; Baty, Eric J; Wilhite, Denise; Munshi, Imtiaz A; Sutter, Bradley M; Rao, Maddamsetti; Bashir, Chowdry M

2016-03-01

To implement an electronic laboratory utilization management system (laboratory expert system [LES]) to provide safe and effective reductions in unnecessary clinical laboratory testing. The LES is a set of frequency filter subroutines within the Veterans Affairs hospital and laboratory information system that was formulated by an interdisciplinary medical team. Since implementing the LES, total test volume has decreased by a mean of 11.18% per year compared with our pre-LES test volume. This change was not attributable to fluctuations in outpatient visits or inpatient days of care. Laboratory cost savings were estimated at $151,184 and $163,751 for 2012 and 2013, respectively. A significant portion of these cost savings was attributable to reductions in high-volume, large panel testing. No adverse effects on patient care were reported, and mean length of stay for patients remained unchanged. Electronic laboratory utilization systems can effectively reduce unnecessary laboratory testing without compromising patient care. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society for Clinical Pathology, 2016. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the public domain in the US.

Alternatives for management of wastes generated by the formerly utilized sites remedial action program and supplement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gilbert, T.L.; Peterson, J.M.; Vocke, R.W.; Alexander, J.K.

1983-03-01

Alternatives for disposal or stabilization of the wastes generated by the US Department of Energy's Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) are identified and compared, with emphasis on the long-term aspects. These wastes consist of soil material and rubble containing trace amounts of radionuclides. A detailed pathway analysis for the dose to the maximally exposed individual is carried out using an adaptation of the natural analogue method. Comparisons of the different alternatives, based on the results of the pathway analysis and qualitative cost considerations, indicate that, if the hazard is such that the wastes must be removed and disposed of rather than stabilized in place, disposal by immediate dispersal is preferable to containment, and containment followed by slow planned dispersal is preferable to containment without dispersal. The Supplement presents refinements of work that was reported at the 1982 International Decommissioning Symposium. The new material consists of revisions of the estimates of the predicted potential dose to the maximally exposed individual and a more detailed comparative assessment of the radiological impacts of alternatives for management of wastes generated by the US Department of Energy's Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP)

Multi utility - a successful conception for energy supply companies?; Multi-Utility - Erfolgskonzept fuer Energieversorger? Zusammenwachsen der Maerkte

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schmidt, C. [LBD-Beratungsgesellschaft mbH, Berlin (Germany)

2003-06-02

Multi-utility is seen as the most promising marketing strategy for energy companies. In the future, experts say, only the combined supply of electricity, natural gas, water, waste management and services will allow companies to grow. But are today's multi-utility-products answering the needs of the customers? The author goes further into this question and finds the answer: Multi-utility needs to be further developed. Only products from growth and competition markets can generate additional margins. (orig.) [German] Multi-Utility gilt als die Marketingstrategie fuer Energieversorger. Nur wer zukuenftig Strom, Gas, Wasser, Entsorgung und Service aus einer Hand anbietet, heisst es in der Branche, kann im Markt wachsen. Doch inwieweit entspricht das heutige Multi-Utility-Angebot wirklich dem Kundenbeduerfnis? Die Verfasserin geht dieser Frage nach und kommt zu dem Schluss: Die Multi-Utility-Palette muss weiterentwickelt werden. Nur mit Produkten aus Wachstums- und Wettbewerbsmaerkten kann zusaetzliche Marge generiert werden. (orig.)

A prior authorization program of a radiology benefits management company and how it has affected utilization of advanced diagnostic imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Levin, David C; Bree, Robert L; Rao, Vijay M; Johnson, Jean

2010-01-01

Radiology benefits management companies have evolved in recent years to meet the need to control the rapid growth in advanced diagnostic imaging. The Obama administration and other key policymakers have proposed using them as a cost-control mechanism, but little is known about how they operate or what results they have produced. The main tool they use is prior authorization. The authors describe the inner workings of the call center of one radiology benefits management company and how its prior authorization program seems to have slowed the growth in the utilization of MRI, CT, and PET in the large markets of one commercial payer. Copyright 2010 American College of Radiology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Utilizing a diabetic registry to manage diabetes in a low-income Asian American population.

Science.gov (United States)

Seto, Winnie; Turner, Barbara S; Champagne, Mary T; Liu, Lynn

2012-08-01

Racial and income disparities persist in diabetes management in America. One third of African and Hispanic Americans with diabetes receive the recommended diabetes services (hemoglobin A1c [A1c] testing, retinal and foot examinations) shown to reduce diabetes complications and mortality, compared to half of whites with diabetes. National data for Asian Americans are limited, but studies suggest that those with language and cultural barriers have difficulty accessing health services. A diabetic registry has been shown to improve process and clinical outcomes in a population with diabetes. This study examined whether a community center that serves primarily low-income Asian American immigrants in Santa Clara County, California, could improve diabetes care and outcomes by implementing a diabetic registry. The registry was built using the Access 2007 software program. A total of 580 patients with diabetes were identified by reviewing charts, the appointment database, and reimbursement records from Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance companies. Utilizing the registry, medical assistants contacted patients for follow-up appointments, and medical providers checked and tracked the patients' A1c results. Among the 431 patients who returned for treatment, the mean A1c was reduced from 7.27% to 6.97% over 8 months (P<0.001). Although 10.8% of the patients changed from controlled to uncontrolled diabetes post intervention, 32.6% of patients with uncontrolled diabetes converted to controlled diabetes (P<0.001). The diabetes control rate improved from 47% to 59% at the end of the study. This study demonstrated that a diabetic registry is an effective tool to manage an underserved population with diabetes, thereby reducing disparities in diabetes management.

Integrating cost management and work management concepts for operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vanditmars, C.

1995-01-01

Development of B C Gas Utility Limited's integrated work and cost management system was described, with emphasis on cost management without reliance on the financial systems, and standard costing and operational side benefits. The objectives of the system were identified as dynamic monitoring and control, and local empowerment. The concept underlying the two systems was explained in detail. In the case of the work management system the ability to manage all work in operations areas was stressed, along with its universal availability. Other benefits expected included improved resource utilization, improved productivity, better control of cost, improved revenue generation, superior customer service, a simplified financial system, and improved employee motivation through empowerment

Product bundling, the key to a successful multi-utility strategy; Buendelung: Der Schluessel zu einer erfolgreichen Multi Utility-Strategie

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laker, M.; Nigge, K.M.; Wuebker, G. [Simon, Kucher und Partner Strategy and Marketing Consultants GmbH, Berlin (Germany)

2002-04-01

The article explains essential aspects of successful multi-utility management strategies for local utilities. Product bundling and the creation of incentives for enhancing the consumers' propensity to conclude multi-utility contracts, as e.g. pricing policy and the range of services that can be offered in a package are discussed. (orig./CB) [German] Das Thema Multi Utility, d.h. die Integration von Strom, Erdgas, Wasser, Entsorgung und Dienstleistungen wird ausfuehrlich diskutiert. Es muessen vielmehr Anreize dafuer geschaffen werden, dass die Kunden die Komplettangebote auch wahrnehmen. Dies ist eine Frage der Produkt- und Preisgestaltung. Buendelung ist das ideale Instrument zur Schaffung solcher Anreize. (orig./CB)

The utility target market model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leng, G.J.; Martin, J.

1994-01-01

A new model (the Utility Target Market Model) is used to evaluate the economic benefits of photovoltaic (PV) power systems located at the electrical utility customer site. These distributed PV demand-side generation systems can be evaluated in a similar manner to other demand-side management technologies. The energy and capacity values of an actual PV system located in the service area of the New England Electrical System (NEES) are the two utility benefits evaluated. The annual stream of energy and capacity benefits calculated for the utility are converted to the installed cost per watt that the utility should be willing to invest to receive this benefit stream. Different discount rates are used to show the sensitivity of the allowable installed cost of the PV systems to a utility's average cost of capital. Capturing both the energy and capacity benefits of these relatively environmentally friendly distributed generators, NEES should be willing to invest in this technology when the installed cost per watt declines to ca $2.40 using NEES' rated cost of capital (8.78%). If a social discount rate of 3% is used, installation should be considered when installed cost approaches $4.70/W. Since recent installations in the Sacramento Municipal Utility District have cost between $7-8/W, cost-effective utility applications of PV are close. 22 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs

The Implications of Healthcare Utilization of Diabetes Disease Management

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Webb, Jonathan R

2008-01-01

..., and $31 billion in excess general medical costs. The purpose of this study is to determine whether sustained hemoglobin HbA1c testing among patients is followed by reductions in healthcare utilization...

Utilizing a GPS-enabled fleet management system to improve safety through real-time personnel monitoring and asset management

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mavreas, M. [Bell Canada, Montreal, PQ (Canada)

2005-07-01

The telepod is a real-time dispatch, tracking and vehicle management system developed by Bell, which also allows remote access to company data. Advantages of the system were discussed in this power point presentation. It was suggested that the system offers increased efficiency, asset tracking and more accurate maintenance. Productivity improvements are made possible through real-time dispatching of orders, which results in improved customer service. Additional benefits of the system include fuel savings; trip reports to track vehicle start and stop times; and improved route changes through trip analysis. The system also enables the tracking of vehicles driven after work hours and on weekends. The generator tracking capability provides information on when generators are being moved as well as uptime for improved maintenance in addition to registering fuel levels to ensure business keeps running during a blackout. The vehicle management system is also capable of identifying under-utilized vehicles and can assist in the reduction of inactive vehicles as well as in a reduction of fuel consumption and harmful emissions by controlling idling time. Other advantages include maintenance eliminated mileage errors; an improved inspection program; remote diagnosis and prognostics; a reduction in downtime and costs associated with unnecessary vehicle breakdown; and reduced vehicle wear and tear. Among the safety features is a trigger for the dispatch of emergency vehicles. It was suggested that the lone worker device provides technicians with a sense of security, as well as ensuring greater consumer safety. It was concluded that Bell supports industry cooperation for safe driving awareness through advertising campaigns, and communicates safety messages to customers, employees and the public at large. tabs, figs.

The public utility contract between the French government and EDF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

The public utility contract as foreseen by article 1 of the law from August 9, 2004 was signed on October 24, 2005. It represents the reference of EDF's (Electricite de France) commitments for its different activities of power producer-supplier and network manager. It precises also the commitments of the manager of the public energy transportation system (RTE EDF-Transport). It describes the level of commitment of EDF group over the 2005-2006-2007 era and precises the financial compensation modalities of its public utility missions and of its commitments as described in the contract. The public utility plan indicates the level of investments planned by EDF in the domain of power generation and networks. This document gathers: the talk given by D. de Villepin, Prime Minister, during the signature of the contract, the talk and presentation (slides) given by P. Gadonneix, head of EDF, the public utility contract between the government and EDF, and the public utility plan. (J.S.)

Management Control Systems and Clinical Experience of Managers in Public Hospitals

Science.gov (United States)

Naranjo-Gil, David

2018-01-01

Healthcare authorities are encouraging managers in hospitals to acquire clinical experience and knowledge in order to better carry out and coordinate healthcare service delivery. The main objective of this paper is to analyse how the clinical experience of hospital managers is related to public health institutions’ performance. It is proposed that the effect of the clinical experience on operative and financial organizational performance is indirect through the mediating variables of perceived utility of management information and horizontal management control system. This paper analyses how these variables impact hospital performance through the data from a survey sent to 364 hospital managers in Brazil. The results show that managers’ clinical experience is related to higher perceived utility of historical, financial, short-term, and internal information, but not with horizontal control adoption in hospitals. Furthermore, our results show that, in hospitals, perceived utility of forecasted, non-financial, long-term, and external managerial information positively affects hospitals’ financial performance, while adoption of horizontal control management positively affects operational performance. Through showing evidence that clinical background could explain the differences not only in hospital service management but also in information capabilities and management control processes, this study offer meaningful implications for healthcare authorities and hospital managers involved in the development and implementation of strategies in the health sector. PMID:29673192

Multi-utility services, the key to success; Mit Multi-Utility-Dienstleistungen zum Erfolg

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lowak, M. [MVV Energie AG, Mannheim (Germany). Bereich Energiedienstleistungen

2002-04-01

The article summarizes essential aspects of successful management strategies, including cross selling, of the Mannheim-based multi-utility enterprise MVV Energie AG, which developed a successful portfolio of innovative products and services. (orig./CB) [German] Aus ihrem Kerngeschaeft als Verteilerunternehmen hat die MVV Energie AG, Mannheim, ein umfassendes Portfolio innovativer Produkte und Dienstleistungen entwickelt. (orig./CB)

Combined energy production and waste management in manned spacecraft utilizing on-demand hydrogen production and fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Elitzur, Shani; Rosenband, Valery; Gany, Alon

2016-11-01

Energy supply and waste management are among the most significant challenges in human spacecraft. Great efforts are invested in managing solid waste, recycling grey water and urine, cleaning the atmosphere, removing CO2, generating and saving energy, and making further use of components and products. This paper describes and investigates a concept for managing waste water and urine to simultaneously produce electric and heat energies as well as fresh water. It utilizes an original technique for aluminum activation to react spontaneously with water at room temperature to produce hydrogen on-site and on-demand. This reaction has further been proven to be effective also when using waste water and urine. Applying the hydrogen produced in a fuel cell, one obtains electric energy as well as fresh (drinking) water. The method was compared to the traditional energy production technology of the Space Shuttle, which is based on storing the fuel cell reactants, hydrogen and oxygen, in cryogenic tanks. It is shown that the alternative concept presented here may provide improved safety, compactness (reduction of more than one half of the volume of the hydrogen storage system), and management of waste liquids for energy generation and drinking water production. Nevertheless, it adds mass compared to the cryogenic hydrogen technology. It is concluded that the proposed method may be used as an emergency and backup power system as well as an additional hydrogen source for extended missions in human spacecraft.

DSM and electric utility competitiveness: An Illinois perspective

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jackson, P.W.

1994-12-31

A predominant theme in the current electric utility industry literature is that competitive forces have emerged and may become more prominent. The wholesale bulk power market is alreadly competitive, as non-utility energy service providers already have had a significant impact on that market; this trend was accelerated by the Energy Policy Act of 1992. Although competition at the retail level is much less pervasive, electric utility customers increasingly have greater choice in selecting energy services. These choices may include, depending on the customer, the ability to self-generate, switch fuels, move to a new location, or rely more heavily on demand-side management as a means of controlling electric energy use. This paper explores the subject of how demand-side management (DSM) programs, which are often developed by a utility to satisfy resource requirements as a part of its least-cost planning process, can affect the utility`s ability to compete in the energy services marketplace. In this context, the term `DSM` is used in this paper to refer to those demand-side services and programs which provide resources to the utility`s system. Depending on one`s perspective, DSM programs (so defined) can be viewed either as an enhancement to the competitive position of a utility by enabling it to provide its customers with a broader menu of energy services, simultaneously satisfying the objectives of the utility as well as those of the customers, or as a detractor to a utility`s ability to compete. In the latter case, the concern is with respect to the potential for adverse rate impacts on customers who are not participants in DSM programs. The paper consists of an identification of the pros and cons of DSM as a competitive strategy, the tradeoff which can occur between the cost impacts and rate impacts of DSM, and an examination of alternative strategies for maximizing the utilization of DSM both as a resource and as a competitive strategy.

Agricultural waste concept, generation, utilization and management ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Agricultural wastes are non-product outputs of production and processing of ... less than the cost of collection, transportation, and processing for beneficial use. ... Agricultural waste management system (AWMS) was discussed and a typical ...

Role of the utility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellin, A.

1986-03-01

It is common to say that a nuclear programme needs basic infrastructures such as an appropriate educational system, governmental organizations for regulation, decision and inspection, engineering organizations for design and implementation, industrial infrastructures for manufacturing, erection and commissioning, operation organizations for running and maintaining power plants. This schematic organization is not sufficient to succeed in a nuclear programme: one has to consider very carefully the attribution of responsibilities. It appears, that, among all the different systems which exist in the world for the organization of a nuclear project, it is always the utility which bears the overall responsibility for the implementation of the project. It defines objectives such as production capacity, schedule, price; it takes part in the definition of a national policy for energy supply, for the choice of a type of reactor, for the implementation of a national nuclear industry; it selects sites and conducts feasibility studies including a preliminary project; it participates in the definition of organization charts and selects contractors; it calls for and obtains authorizations from regulatory bodies; it manages the project, coordinates contractors and permanently ensures that goals are attained as regards safety, quality, schedule, costs. The French utility has directly taken charge of all these basic responsibilities and this is commonly considered as a major reason of the success of the French nuclear programme. Depending on its capacities, the utility may delegate some of these responsibilities - mainly concerning engineering and project management - to experienced firms. Nevertheless, one has to remember that the utility bears the final responsibility and that it is probably the organization most fully aware of the fact that the final goal is not the construction of a nuclear power station but the production of nuclear electricity in the best and safest conditions

Temira Pachmuss 75 / Uno Schultz

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Schultz, Uno, 1956-

2003-01-01

24. dets. 2002 USA-s oma juubelit tähistanud rahvusvaheliselt tuntud baltisaksa päritolu kirjandusteadlase ja professori eluteest, õpingutest ning uurimistöödest, mille huvikeskmeks on põhiliselt Dostojevski ja välisvene kirjandus, sealhulgas vene kirjandus Eestis ja Soomes

A preliminary assessment of system cost impacts of using transportable storage casks and other shippable metal casks in the utility/DOE spent fuel management system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, E.R.

1988-01-01

In view of the foregoing, a study was conducted by E.R. Johnson Associates, Inc. and H and R Technical Associates, Inc. to determine the prospective viability of the use of TSCs and shippable SOCs in the combined utility/DOE system. This study considered costs, ALARA considerations and the logistics of the use and delivery of casks to the DOE system by utilities. It was intended that this study would result in a technical and cost resource base that could be used for evaluating various strategies and scenarios for deploying TSCs or SOCs in the combined utility/DOE spent fuel management system with respect to the prospective economic advantage that could be realized

Trends in Utility Green Pricing Programs (2006)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bird, L.; Kaiser, M.

2007-10-01

In the early 1990s, only a handful of utilities offered their customers a choice of purchasing electricity generated from renewable energy sources. Today, more than 750 utilities--or about 25% of all utilities nationally--provide their customers a "green power" option. Through these programs, more than 70 million customers have the ability to purchase renewable energy to meet some portion or all of their electricity needs--or make contributions to support the development of renewable energy resources. Typically, customers pay a premium above standard electricity rates for this service. This report presents year-end 2006 data on utility green pricing programs, and examines trends in consumer response and program implementation over time. The data in this report, which were obtained via a questionnaire distributed to utility green pricing program managers, can be used by utilities to benchmark the success of their green power programs.

Using consensus building to improve utility regulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raab, J.

1994-01-01

The utility industry and its regulatory environment are at a crossroads. Utilities, intervenors and even public utility commissions are no longer able to initiate and sustain changes unilaterally. Traditional approaches to regulation are often contentious and costly, producing results that are not perceived as legitimate or practical. Consensus building and alternative dispute resolution have the potential to help utilities, intervenors and regulators resolve a host of regulatory issues. This book traces the decline of consensus in utility regulation and delineates current controversies. It presents the theory and practice of alternative dispute resolution in utility regulation and offers a framework for evaluating the successes and failures of attempts to employ these processes. Four regulatory cases are analyzed in detail: the Pilgrim nuclear power plant outage settlement, the use of DSM collaboratives, the New Jersey resource bidding policy and the formation of integrated resource management rules in Massachusetts

Outcomes management of mechanically ventilated patients: utilizing informatics technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, K R

1998-11-01

This article examines an informatics system developed for outcomes management of the mechanically ventilated adult population, focusing on weaning the patient from mechanical ventilation. The link between medical informatics and outcomes management is discussed, along with the development of methods, tools, and data sets for outcomes management of the mechanically ventilated adult population at an acute care academic institution. Pros and cons of this system are identified, and specific areas for improvement of future health care outcomes medical informatics systems are discussed.

Electric utilities look back on 1998

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1999-01-01

A review of activities in the electric power industry in Canada during 1998 is presented. In general, the principal preoccupation of Canadian electric utilities in 1998 was preparation for competition in a deregulated energy market. Utilities worked with provincial and national legislatures to redraw the rules of power supply. US FERC order 888 was central to many debates. FERC order 888 stipulates the unbundling of the retail aspects of operations from those that will remain regulated. Electric utilities also continued to prepare for the Y2K phenomenon and to work towards achieving ISO 14001 environmental management accreditation. They also explored alternative means of power generation. The year began with utilities across Canada sharing expertise and manpower to mitigate the impact of the ice storm which devastated parts of Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick. It is believed that as a result of the ice storm of 1998, the Canadian utility industry is much better prepared to deal with weather-related emergencies than ever before. 1 fig

A U.S. utility's view of the enrichment and uranium market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cleveland, J.M.

1986-01-01

The author maintains that utility managers' view of the uranium and enrichment market is a result of their perceived environment. As responsible utility managers, it is their responsibility to change the environment by having a forward vision, empowering cooperation, maintaining high integrity and having an entrepreneurial philosophy. It is their obligation to deal with each other, as well as with the uninformed non-nuclear world, in this positive manner

Asset transformation and the challenges to servitize a utility business model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helms, Thorsten

2016-01-01

The traditional energy utility business model is under pressure, and energy services are expected to play an important role for the energy transition. Experts and scholars argue that utilities need to innovate their business models, and transform from commodity suppliers to service providers. The transition from a product-oriented, capital-intensive business model based on tangible assets, towards a service-oriented, expense-intensive business model based on intangible assets may present great managerial and organizational challenges. Little research exists about such transitions for capital-intensive commodity providers, and particularly energy utilities, where the challenges to servitize are expected to be greatest. This qualitative paper explores the barriers to servitization within selected Swiss and German utility companies through a series of interviews with utility managers. One of them is ‘asset transformation’, the shift from tangible to intangible assets as major input factor for the value proposition, which is proposed as a driver for the complexity of business model transitions. Managers need to carefully manage those challenges, and find ways to operate both new service and established utility business models aside. Policy makers can support the transition of utilities through more favorable regulatory frameworks for energy services, and by supporting the exchange of knowledge in the industry. - Highlights: •The paper analyses the expected transformation of utilities into service-providers. •Service and utility business models possess very different attributes. •The former is based on intangible, the latter on tangible assets. •The transformation into a service-provider is related with great challenges. •Asset transformation is proposed as a barrier for business model innovation.

Material degradation - a nuclear utility's view

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spekkens, P.

2007-01-01

Degradation of nuclear plant materials has been responsible for major costs and unit outage time. As such, nuclear utilities are important end users of the information produced by R and D on material degradation. This plenary describes the significance of material degradation for the nuclear utilities, and how utilities use information about material degradation in their short, medium and long term planning activities. Utilities invest in R and D programs to assist them in their business objective of operating safely, reliably and cost competitively. Material degradation impacts all three of these business drivers. Utilities make decisions on life cycle planning, unit refurbishment and 'new build' projects on the basis of their understanding of the behaviour of a variety of materials in a broad range of environments. The R and D being carried out today will determine the future business success of the nuclear utilities. The R and D program needs to be broadly based to include a range of materials, environments and time-frames, particularly any new materials proposed for use in new units. The R and D community needs to help the utility managers make choices that will result in an optimized materials R and D program

EVALUATION OF UTILIZING SERVICE ORIENTED ARCHITECTURE AS A SUITABLE SOLUTION TO ALIGN UNIVERSITY MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. M. RIAD

2009-10-01

Full Text Available To help universities achieve their goals, it is important to align managerial functionalities side by side with educational aspects. Universities consume University Management Information Systems (UMIS to handle managerial aspects as they do with Learning Management Systems (LMS to achieve learning objectives. UMIS advances LMS by decades and has reached stable and mature consistency level. LMS is the newly acquired solution in Universities; compared to UMIS, and so adopting LMSs in universities can be achieved via three different deployment approaches. First approach believes in LMS ability to replace UMIS and performing its functionalities. Second approach presents the idea of extending UMIS to include LMS functionalities. Third approach arises from the shortages of the two proposed approaches and present integration between both as the appropriate deployment approach. Service Oriented Architecture (SOA is a design pattern that can be used as a suitable architectural solution to align UMIS and LMS. SOA can be utilized in universities to overcome some of information systems’ challenges like the integration between UMIS and LMS. This paper presents the current situation at Mansoura University; Egypt, presents integration as the most suitable solution, and evaluates three different implementation techniques: Dynamic Query, Stored Procedure, and Web services. Evaluation concludes that though SOA enhanced many different aspects of both UMIS and LMS; and consequently university overall. It is not recommended to adopt SOA via Web services as the building unit of the system, but as the interdisciplinary interface between systems.

Bilateral vocal fold immobility: a 13 year review of etiologies, management and the utility of the Empey index.

Science.gov (United States)

Brake, Maria K; Anderson, Jennifer

2015-06-26

Bilateral vocal fold immobility (BVFI) is a rare diagnosis causing dyspnea, dysphonia and dysphagia. Management depends on respiratory performance, airway patency, vocal ability, and quality-of-life priorities. The authors review the presentation, management and outcome in patients diagnosed with BVFI. The utility and efficacy of the Empey index (EI) and the Expiratory Disproportion Index (EDI) are evaluated as an objective monitoring tools for BVFI patients. A 13-year retrospective review was performed of BVFI patients at St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, a tertiary referral centre for laryngology. Forty-eight patients were included; 46 presented with airway obstruction symptoms. Tracheotomy was required for airway management in 40% of patients throughout the course of their treatment, which was reduced to 19% at the end of the study period. Twenty-one patients underwent endoscopic arytenoidectomy/cordotomy. Non-operative management included continuous positive airway pressure devices. Pulmonary function testing was carried out in 29 patients. Only a portion of the BVFI patients met the defined upper airway obstruction criteria (45% EI and 52% EDI). Seven patients had complete pre- and post-operative PFTs for comparison and all seven had ratios that significantly improved post-operatively which correlated clinically. The EI and EDI have limited use in evaluating patients with who have variable upper airway obstruction, but may be helpful in monitoring within subject airway function changes.

Asset management trends and challenges

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rijks, E. [Continuon, Arnhem (Netherlands); Ford, G.L. [PowerNex Associates Inc., Toronto, ON (Canada); Sanchis, G. [Reseau de Transport d' Electricite, Paris (France)

2007-07-01

Recent business and regulatory changes in the electric power industry have affected the operation of electric utilities. Most have accepted competition and commercialization. Various strategies have emerged as companies strive to improve performance and retain profitability in an environment where competition or regulatory pressure is reducing revenues at a time when customer expectation is increasing. As focus shifts away from engineering excellence towards commercial performance, the new business ideology for electric utilities is to optimize asset management. This paper identified asset management technology trends, opportunities and challenges. Although many utilities are currently comfortable with their existing asset management processes, regulators are increasingly scrutinizing utilities as they seek approval for rates and investments in aging infrastructure. Much more rigorous financial analysis methods are needed to justify the large investments that are needed. In addition, the credibility of the processes and methods used by utilities will be increasingly questioned. In recognition of the growing importance of asset management, several initiatives have been launched to provide forums for sharing information and to provide a unifying force to asset management methods. The International Council on Large Electric Systems (CIGRE) was one of the first to recognize the importance of asset management. This paper summarized recent CIGRE activities as well as the developments of publicly available specification (PAS) 55 in the United Kingdom. It was concluded that utilities that adopt standardized approaches will be more credible in the eyes of regulatory authorities. 3 refs., 4 figs.

An approach to link water resource management with landscape art to enhance its aesthetic appeal, ecological utility and social benefits

Science.gov (United States)

Mukherjee, Anita; Sen, Somnath; Paul, Saikat Kumar

2017-04-01

Landscape art or land art is the discourse of scientific application of artistic skill to integrate man-made structures with the natural landscape for planning, design, management, preservation and rehabilitation of natural and built environment. It does beautification of the landscape enhancing its utility for habitats. Availability of water with acceptable quality is crucial for economic growth, social peace and equality and of course for environmental sustainability. Development of new and growth of existing urban and suburban units are obvious. It postulates the increase of population density and percent of the impervious area in an urban unit. The demand for water is increasing with progressive concentration of population, the volume and velocity of surface runoff increase and the travel time decreases. At the same time, an increase in the volume of gray water not only contaminate water bodies, it also reduces the quantity of available freshwater transforming a portion of blue and green water to gray one and would intensify the pressure on water resources of the area. Therefore, to meet the incremental pressure of demand for and pollution of water collection, treatment and reuse of wastewater, both sewage and storm water, are on the requirement to improve urban water security. People must be concerned not to stifle urban lives with concrete; rather must provide all basic amenities for achieving a higher standard of life than the previous one with the essence of natural green spaces. The objective of the study is to propose a conceptual design and planning guidelines for developing urban and suburban drainage network and reuse of surface runoff and sewage water utilizing less used natural water bodies, such as paleo-channels or lakes or moribund channels as retention or detention basin. In addition to wastewater management, the proposal serves to promote the aesthetics of environmental engagement, ecological utility and restoration of moribund channels

Utilization of Near Field Communication Technology for Loyalty Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ferina Ferdianti

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Near Field Communication (NFC is one of wireless technology developed at this time. We can use a mobile phone to do many transactions with NFC. Mobile developments have created to provide convenience for users in all aspects. However, at this time the function of NFC just limited for payment and micropayment. Beside it, there are assets that support to increase sales with attention of loyality management system. In this system, discounts or prizes are given based on data mining for every transaction costumers. Loyalty management has three concept, those are Frequency, Recency and Quantity. The goals are minimizing the cost, making purchase process faster, and managing data obtained through the NFC technology more simple. The result of this paper is the procedure to use data mining of NFC for loyalty management and system design using Unified Modeling Language approach.

Where U.S. utilities seek fuel to power reactors after 1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1977-01-01

How utilities try to assure uranium supplies emerged Feb. 25 at a press conference in Canberra with four representatives of utilities that supply 20% of the operating nuclear capacity in the United States. Earlier, the speakers indicated that American import requirements would far exceed Australian estimates of the potential export market for Australian uranium. Australia, with the world's largest uncommitted uranium reserves, is wary of exporting because the opposition Labor Party adamantly opposes uranium development. If Labor returns to power, it could decide not to honor contracts by the present government. Participants included: Bernard Cherry, fuel manager at General Public Utilities; Colin Campbell of the Yankee Atomic Service Co., which provides engineering and fuel-supply service for seven New England nuclear plants; Jack Gilleland, assistant manager of power at the Tennessee Valley Authority; and Ralph Bostian, manager for systems results and fuel management at the Duke Power Co. When asked about available uranium supplies from Africa, the participants were dubious about those supplies; this led to a discussion on why the utilities are seeking their own sources. The answers are obvious. ERDA has indicated that about one-half of the operating reactors have fuel coverage beyond six reloads and about one-half of the reactors under construction have fuel coverage beyond two reloads

Understanding the economic burden of heart failure in China: impact on disease management and resource utilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Jun; Yin, Hongjun; Zhang, Milun; Ni, Qian; Xuan, Jianwei

2017-05-01

This study has two objectives: (1) to examine healthcare resource utilization in heart failure (HF) patients; and (2) to examine the treatment costs associated with HF in China. The data used in this study was from the 2014 national insurance database sponsored by the China Health Insurance Research Association (CHIRA), that covers national urban employees and residents. ICD-10 codes and keywords indicating heart failure diagnoses were used to identify patients with heart failure. Drug utilization, hospital visits, re-admission, and treatment costs in different service categories were examined. A total of 7,847 patients were included in this analysis, of which 1,157 patients had a 1-year complete follow-up period. In total, 48.16% of patients received the combination treatment of angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor (ACEI)/angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) and beta-blockers (BB); and 22.87% of patients received the combination treatment of ACEI/ARB, beta-blockers and Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs). The annual treatment cost per patient with HF diagnosis was RMB 28,974, of which 66% was for inpatient care. The cost on HF medications accounted for 8.2% of annual cost. Treatment cost was much higher in provincial-level municipalities than that of prefecture-level and other cities. Hospitalization is a major driver of HF treatment cost. Compared to the requirements in international treatment guidelines, HF standard of care medication treatment was under-utilized among HF patients in China. The high re-admission rate among Chinese patients indicates that the management of HF needs to be improved. The percentage of GDP spent on treating HF patients was much lower than that in the developed countries.

Dynamics of production and forage utilization on elephant grass pastures managed with different post-grazing heights

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Braulio Maia de Lana Sousa

2012-08-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted to evaluate the daily production of forage and its morphological components, as well as the potential of forage utilization in pastures of Pennisetum purpureum cv. Napier managed with three post-grazing heights (30, 50 and 70 cm. Two experiments were carried out: one from February to May 2009 and another from December 2009 to May 2010, characterizing months of summer and fall. The experimental design was of completely randomized blocks with three replicates. The grazing was performed by crossbred heifers of approximately 270 kg body weight, when the sward intercepted 95% of the incoming light. In both experiments, the pastures managed with post-grazing height of 30 cm, in the summer months (December to March, presented lower daily production of leaves and stems, as well as less daily leaf senescence, which resulted in lower daily forage production and accumulation in comparison with those managed at 70 and 50 cm. In the period from February to March 2009 (experiment 1 and December 2009 to March 2010 (experiment 2, pastures presented greater daily production of leaves and forage, greater daily forage accumulation and more daily leaf senescence in relation to the months of April and May 2009 and 2010. On the other hand, the daily production of stems was higher in the fall, in comparison with the summer. Therefore, elevation in the post-grazing height, especially in the summer, increases the regrowth vigor of elephant grass cv. Napier.

Management Control Systems and Clinical Experience of Managers in Public Hospitals

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rogério Joao Lunkes

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Healthcare authorities are encouraging managers in hospitals to acquire clinical experience and knowledge in order to better carry out and coordinate healthcare service delivery. The main objective of this paper is to analyse how the clinical experience of hospital managers is related to public health institutions’ performance. It is proposed that the effect of the clinical experience on operative and financial organizational performance is indirect through the mediating variables of perceived utility of management information and horizontal management control system. This paper analyses how these variables impact hospital performance through the data from a survey sent to 364 hospital managers in Brazil. The results show that managers’ clinical experience is related to higher perceived utility of historical, financial, short-term, and internal information, but not with horizontal control adoption in hospitals. Furthermore, our results show that, in hospitals, perceived utility of forecasted, non-financial, long-term, and external managerial information positively affects hospitals’ financial performance, while adoption of horizontal control management positively affects operational performance. Through showing evidence that clinical background could explain the differences not only in hospital service management but also in information capabilities and management control processes, this study offer meaningful implications for healthcare authorities and hospital managers involved in the development and implementation of strategies in the health sector.

Electric vehicle utilization for ancillary grid services

Science.gov (United States)

Aziz, Muhammad

2018-02-01

Electric vehicle has been developed through several decades as transportation mean, without paying sufficient attention of its utilization for other purposes. Recently, the utilization of electric vehicle to support the grid electricity has been proposed and studied intensively. This utilization covers several possible services including electricity storage, spinning reserve, frequency and voltage regulation, and emergency energy supply. This study focuses on theoretical and experimental analysis of utilization of electric vehicles and their used batteries to support a small-scale energy management system. Charging rate of electric vehicle under different ambient temperature (seasonal condition) is initially analyzed to measure the correlation of charging rate, charging time, and state-of-charge. It is confirmed that charging under warmer condition (such as in summer or warmer region) shows higher charging rate than one in colder condition, therefore, shorter charging time can be achieved. In addition, in the demonstration test, each five electric vehicles and used batteries from the same electric vehicles are employed and controlled to support the electricity of the office building. The performance of the system is evaluated throughout a year to measure the load leveling effect during peak-load time. The results show that the targeted peak-load can be shaved well under certain calculated peak-shaving threshold. The finding confirms that the utilization of electric vehicle for supporting the electricity of grid or certain energy management system is feasible and deployable in the future.

Integrated concurrent utilization quality review, Part one.

Science.gov (United States)

Caterinicchio, R P

1987-01-01

This article is the first of a two-part series which argues for the concurrent management of the appropriateness, necessity, and quality of patient care. Intensifying scrutiny by the credentialing groups, the PROs and all third-party payors underscores the vital need to implement cost-effective information systems which integrate the departmentalized functions of patient-physician profiling, DRG case-mix analyses, length of stay monitoring, pre-admission/admission and continued stay review, discharge planning, risk management, incident reporting and quality review. In the domain of physician performance regarding admitting and practice patterns, the ability to exercise concurrent utilization-quality review means early detection and prevention of events which would otherwise result in denials of payment and/or compromised patient care. Concurrent utilization-quality review must, by definition, be managerially invasive and focused; hence, it is integral to maintaining the integrity of the services and product lines offered by the provider. In fact, if PPO status is a marketing agenda, then the institutional objectives of cost-effectiveness, productivity, value, and competitiveness can only be achieved through concurrent utilization-quality review.

Chronic Widespread Pain Drawn on a Body Diagram is a Screening Tool for Increased Pain Sensitization, Psycho-Social Load, and Utilization of Pain Management Strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Visser, Eric J; Ramachenderan, Jonathan; Davies, Stephanie J; Parsons, Richard

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that chronic widespread pain, (CWP) drawn by patients on a body diagram, could be used as a screening tool for increased pain sensitization, psycho-social load, and utilization of pain management strategies. The triage questionnaires of 144 adults attending a chronic pain outpatients' clinic were audited and the percentage pain surface area (PPSA) drawn on their body diagrams was calculated using the "rule of nines" (RON) method for burns area assessment. Outcomes were measured using the painDETECT Questionnaire (PD-Q) and other indices and compared using a nonrandomized, case-control method. It was found that significantly more subjects with CWP (defined as a PPSA ≥ 20%) reported high (≥ 19) PD-Q scores (suggesting pain "sensitization" or neuropathic pain) (P = 0.0002), "severe" or "extremely severe" anxiety scores on the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 Items Questionnaire (P = 0.0270), ≥ 5 psycho-social stressors (P = 0.0022), ≥ 5 significant life events (P = 0.0098), and used ≥ 7 pain management strategies (PMS) (P psycho-social load, and utilizing pain management resources. © 2014 World Institute of Pain.

‘Committed, motivated and joyful?’ Job satisfaction and organisational commitment of managers at a South African public utility

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claude-Hélène Mayer

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Objective: This study focuses on an assessment of managerial job satisfaction and commitment in the context of a vibrant and rapidly changing public utility from a positive organisational behaviour (POB perspective. It aims at contributing towards an in-depth understanding of positive micro-organisational behaviour. Problem investigated: The aim of this study was to gain deeper insights into the relationship between job satisfaction (JS and organisational commitment (OC in terms of the ‘how and why’ at a selected public utility in the Eastern Cape Province. Design: This single case study uses a mixed-method approach within the pragmatism research paradigm. Findings: Findings show that managers across cultures share a positive organisational psychology approach on JS and OC. The JS of managers is mainly influenced by their satisfaction with working with colleagues and supervisors, and with strategies of motivation, as well as their dissatisfaction with the use of power, pay and promotion. OC was mainly influenced by positive collegial relationships, the organisation’s positive influence on the environment and on others, the enabling work environment and the location of the organisation. Originality/value: The article introduces new ideas in positive organisational behaviour research and reconstructs the image of South African organisational behaviour based on qualitative and quantitative data. Conclusion: This article shows that post-modern African organisations are opening new frontiers to building positive-oriented organisational cultures whilst creating constructive and future-orientated mindsets, which may spill over into society.

Utilization of a Clinical Trial Management System for the Whole Clinical Trial Process as an Integrated Database: System Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Yu Rang; Yoon, Young Jo; Koo, HaYeong; Yoo, Soyoung; Choi, Chang-Min; Beck, Sung-Ho; Kim, Tae Won

2018-04-24

Clinical trials pose potential risks in both communications and management due to the various stakeholders involved when performing clinical trials. The academic medical center has a responsibility and obligation to conduct and manage clinical trials while maintaining a sufficiently high level of quality, therefore it is necessary to build an information technology system to support standardized clinical trial processes and comply with relevant regulations. The objective of the study was to address the challenges identified while performing clinical trials at an academic medical center, Asan Medical Center (AMC) in Korea, by developing and utilizing a clinical trial management system (CTMS) that complies with standardized processes from multiple departments or units, controlled vocabularies, security, and privacy regulations. This study describes the methods, considerations, and recommendations for the development and utilization of the CTMS as a consolidated research database in an academic medical center. A task force was formed to define and standardize the clinical trial performance process at the site level. On the basis of the agreed standardized process, the CTMS was designed and developed as an all-in-one system complying with privacy and security regulations. In this study, the processes and standard mapped vocabularies of a clinical trial were established at the academic medical center. On the basis of these processes and vocabularies, a CTMS was built which interfaces with the existing trial systems such as the electronic institutional review board health information system, enterprise resource planning, and the barcode system. To protect patient data, the CTMS implements data governance and access rules, and excludes 21 personal health identifiers according to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) privacy rule and Korean privacy laws. Since December 2014, the CTMS has been successfully implemented and used by 881 internal and

Lewis Y Antigen as a Target for Breast Cancer Therapy

Science.gov (United States)

1996-09-01

United States of America 1992;89(12):5398-402. 23. Oldenburg KR, Loganathan D, Goldstein IJ, Schultz PG, Gallop MA. Peptide ligands for a sugar- binding...chain (Figure 3). respectively. Sequence alignment (Figure 3) indicates that the Both of these antibodies have been elucidated by X- ray anti-Y...the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 1992;89(12):5398-402. 42. Oldenburg KR, Loganathan D, Goldstein IJ, Schultz PG

The Role of Using Social Media in the Performance of Manufacturers in Industrial Marketing (Case Study: Industries in western Iran)

OpenAIRE

Abolfazl Tajzadeh Namin; Abedin Pouya

2016-01-01

Social media are always considered as an important source for industrial marketing research. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of social media on the manufacturers’ performance in western Iran. For this purpose, the impact of using social media on variables, includingmanufacturers’ personal goals ( Bulletin et al., 2011), The benefits of research media (Homburg et al., 2010; Schultz, 2012), support of producers from each (Schultz et al., 2012), manufacturers’ characteristic...

Managing a drought: what does a hydroelectric utility do when the rain stops?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cormie, D.

2004-07-01

Measures put in place by Manitoba Hydro to combat drought resulting from the absence of precipitation, are discussed. Under normal conditions Manitoba Hydro, a provincially owned electric utility, generates over 95 per cent of its electricity from hydroelectric power stations. During the extended drought lasting from the summer of 2002 until the spring of 2004, the utility found itself forced to import electricity from outside the province. The principal reason that the utility was able to survive this long spell of no precipitation is that Manitoba Hydro's planners always assume that a drought will continue and if an option to purchase power exists, the utility will pursue that option instead of depleting its reservoirs. In most situations, Manitoba Hydro is able to import purchased power using its 12 transmission line interconnections to utilities in Saskatchewan, Ontario and the United States. The combined capacity of these lines is approximately, 1,340 MW. Manitoba Hydro also has a limited gas-fired generating capacity, which has been put into service during the drought, in particular to cap the price of purchased electricity when spot market prices exceeded the cost of producing electricity with natural gas. The third line of defence rests with a coal-fired unit at the utility's Brandon generating station which may be used as a last resort to help the utility limit its financial vulnerability to high electricity and gas prices. In addition to supplying power to to Manitobans, the utility has long-term contractual obligations to supply approximately 4,000 GWh of power to export customers. During the 2003-2004 drought Manitoba Hydro pursued offsetting purchases to these long-term sales; essentially buying back the power it had previously agreed to sell. Although retained earnings allowed the utility to cushion ratepayers from the financial shock of the drought, to rebuild those earnings, it will be necessary to increase electricity rates across all

Emergency management of major bleeding in a case of maxillofacial trauma and anticoagulation: utility of prothrombin complex concentrates in the shock room

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessandro Morotti

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Life-threatening bleeding in anticoagulation with Warfarin is an emergency challenging issue. Several approaches are available to treat bleeding in either over-anticoagulation or propeanticoagulation, including vitamin K, fresh frozen plasma and prothrombin complex concentrates (PCC administration. In coexisting trauma-induced bleeding and anticoagulation, reversal of anticoagulation must be a rapid and highly effective procedure. Furthermore the appropriate treatment must be directly available in each shock rooms to guarantee the rapid management of the emergency. PCC require a simple storage, rapid accessibility, fast administration procedures and high effectiveness. Here we report the utility of PCC in management of a craniofacial trauma in proper-anticoagulation.

Spent fuel storage requirements for nuclear utilities and OCRWM [Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wood, T.W.

1990-03-01

Projected spent fuel generation at US power reactors exceeds estimated aggregate pool storage capacity by approximately 30,000 metric tons of uranium (MTU). Based on the current repository schedule, little of the spent fuel inventory will be disposed of prior to shutdown of existing reactors, and a large additional capacity for surface storage of spent fuel will be required, either at reactors or at a centralized DOE storage site. Allocation of this storage requirement across the utility-DOE interface, and the resulting implications for reactor sites and the performance of the federal waste management system, were studied during the DOE MRS System Study and again subsequent to the reassessment of the repository schedule. Spent fuel logistics and cost results from these analyses will be used in definition of spent fuel storage capacity requirements for the federal system. 9 refs., 8 figs., 1 tab

Trends in Utility Green Pricing Programs (2004)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bird, L.; Brown, E.

2005-10-01

In the early 1990s, only a handful of utilities offered their customers a choice of purchasing electricity generated from renewable energy sources. Today, nearly 600 utilities in regulated electricity markets--or almost 20% of all utilities nationally--provide their customers a "green power" option. Because some utilities offer programs in conjunction with cooperative associations or other publicly owned power entities, the number of distinct programs totals about 125. Through these programs, more than 40 million customers spanning 34 states have the ability to purchase renewable energy to meet some portion or all of their electricity needs--or make contributions to support the development of renewable energy resources. Typically, customers pay a premium above standard electricity rates for this service. This report presents year-end 2004 data on utility green pricing programs, and examines trends in consumer response and program implementation over time. The data in this report, which were obtained via a questionnaire distributed to utility green pricing program managers, can be used by utilities as benchmarks by which to gauge the success of their green power programs.

assessing the utilization of personnel in the management of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

LUCY

Technical Education (NBTE). The study revealed that teaching personnel in technical colleges in Akwa. Ibom State possess the required qualifications and experience as stipulated by National Board for. Technical Education (NBTE).The teacher/ student ratios in the colleges are high and the teachers are fully utilized.

Improving Knowledge Management and Utilization of Research ...

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

They are extremely vulnerable, and they have to cope with few resources, poor health, ... and improve research implementation approaches and instruments through ... The project's long-term aim is to contribute to integrated policies that link health, ... IWRA/IDRC webinar on climate change and adaptive water management.

A regional approach to the Co-Production of climate information for water utilities- Managing Messages, Approaches, Benefits, and Lessons learned

Science.gov (United States)

Yates, D. N.; Kaatz, L.

2016-12-01

Over the past decade, water utility managers across Colorado have joined together to advance their understanding of the role of climate information in their planning process. In an unprecedented step, managers from 5 different organizations and agencies pooled their resources and worked collaboratively to better understand the ever evolving role of science in helping understand risks, uncertainties, and opportunities that climate uncertainty and change might bring to this semi-arid region. The group developed an ongoing educational process to better understand climate projections (Scale); cohesively communicate with customers and the media (Communication); provided institutional coverage to an often contentious topic (Safety); and helped coordinate with other investigations and participants to facilitate education and training (Collaboration); and pooled finances, staff, and expert resources (Resources). We will share this experience and give examples of concrete outcomes.

Approach to improve construction management utilizing information technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Woo Bang; Moon, Jin Yeong

2003-01-01

Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power (KHNP) has been managed Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) construction projects including basic project planning, design, procurement, construction and start-up for nearly 30 years, and taken the leading role in the self-reliance program for constructing NPP. To maintain its leading position of construction technology and export it to other countries, it is more likely required to build the strong and competitive business management system to improve internal business efficiency and transparency, and also to respond to the change of external business circumstances such as electricity market opening. KHNP is implementing Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System as a business innovation tool to improve business efficiency, which changes the way of performing work from organizational system to process-oriented system in order to optimize the company resources to achieve above goals. This change should be made based on the results of performing Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) to maximize overall business efficiency. For the construction project management area, the establishment of Integrated Construction Information Sharing System based on Information Technology (IT) is the most important part. It makes possible to build collaboration system with 'Win-Win strategy' between the project owner and all related entities and to contribute to secure transparency and cut the project cost down. We would like to introduce our NPP Construction Project Management System, Infrastructure for Information System, Information Sharing System among construction related entities and Implementation Practices in this paper and also include the suggestions on our customary practice and subject that should be improved

Utilities Power Change: Engaging Commercial Customers in Workplace Charging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lommele, Stephen; Dafoe, Wendy

2016-06-01

As stewards of an electric grid that is available almost anywhere people park, utilities that support workplace charging are uniquely positioned to help their commercial customers be a part of the rapidly expanding network of charging infrastructure. Utilities understand the distinctive challenges of their customers, have access to technical information about electrical infrastructure, and have deep experience modeling and managing demand for electricity. This case study highlights the experiences of two utilities with workplace charging programs.

An Acuity Tool for Heart Failure Case Management: Quantifying Workload, Service Utilization, and Disease Severity.

Science.gov (United States)

Kilgore, Matthew D

and practice application of the KHFCM Acuity Tool. Quality improvement outcomes included a more valid reflection of encounter times and demonstration of the KHFCM Acuity Tool as a reliable, practical, credible, and satisfying tool for reflecting HF case manager workloads and HF disease severity. The KHFCM Acuity Tool defines workload simply as a function of the number of HFCM services performed and the duration of time spent on a client encounter. The design of the tool facilitates the measure of workload, service utilization, and HF disease characteristics, independently from the overall measure of acuity, so that differences in individual case manager practice, as well as client characteristics within sites, across sites, and potentially throughout annual seasons, can be demonstrated. Data produced from long-term applications of the KHFCM Acuity Tool, across all regions, could serve as a driver for establishing systemwide HFCM productivity benchmarks or standards of practice for HF case managers. Data produced from localized applications could serve as a reference for coordinating staffing resources or developing HFCM productivity benchmarks within individual regions or sites.

77: Development, utilization and evolution of a computer system for treatment follow-up and medical management of a radiotherapy department

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costa, A.; Leca, M.; Marcie, S.; Rameau, P.; Lagrange, J.L.; Chauvel, P.; Hery, M.; Lalanne, C.M.

1987-01-01

SISGRAD, a computer system developed in the Radiotherapy Dept. of the Centre A. Lacassagne, has been operational for 5 years. This network of microcomputers is connected to the computers used for dosimetry, and is integrated in the hospital's general computer system. SISGRAD was designed primarily to verify that prescribed irradiation treatments are given properly and to improve medical and administrative management of the Dept. SISGRAD is also utilized to provide information to data bases. 22 refs.; 2 figs.; 1 table

Trends in Utility Green Pricing Programs (2006)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bird, Lori [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Kaiser, Marshall [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2007-10-01

In the early 1990s, only a handful of utilities offered their customers a choice of purchasing electricity generated from renewable energy sources. Today, more than 750 utilities—or about 25% of all utilities nationally—provide their customers a “green power” option. Through these programs, more than 70 million customers have the ability to purchase renewable energy to meet some portion or all of their electricity needs—or make contributions to support the development of renewable energy resources. Typically, customers pay a premium above standard electricity rates for this service. This report presents year-end 2006 data on utility green pricing programs, and examines trends in consumer response and program implementation over time. The data in this report, which were obtained via a questionnaire distributed to utility green pricing program managers, can be used by utilities to benchmark the success of their green power programs.

Handbook of evaluation of utility DSM programs. [Demand-Side Management (DSM)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hirst, E.; Reed, J. (eds.); Bronfman, B.; Fitzpatrick, G.; Hicks, E.; Hirst, E.; Hoffman, M.; Keating, K.; Michaels, H.; Nadel, S.; Peters, J.; Reed, J.; Saxonis, W.; Schoen, A.; Violette, D.

1991-12-01

Program evaluation has become a central issue in the world of utility integrated resource planning. The DSM programs that utilities were operating to meet federal requirements or to improve customer relations are now becoming big business. DSM is being considered an important resource in a utility's portfolio of options. In the last five years, the amount of money that utilities have invested in DSM has grown exponentially in most regulatory jurisdictions. Market analysts are now talking about DSM being a $30 billion industry by the end of the decade. If the large volume of DSM-program investments was not enough to highlight the importance of evaluation, then the introduction of regulatory incentives has really focused the spotlight. This handbook was developed through a process that involved many of those people who represent the diverse constituencies of DSM-program evaluation. We have come to recognize the many technical disciplines that must be employed to evaluate DSM programs. An analysis might start out based on the principles of utility load research to find out what happened, but a combination of engineering and statistical methods must be used to triangulate'' an estimate of what would have happened without the program. The difference, of course, is that elusive but prized result of evaluation: what happened as the direct result of the DSM program. Technical performance of DSM measures is not the sole determinant of the answer, either. We also recognize the importance of such behavioral attributes of DSM as persistence and free ridership. Finally, DSM evaluation is meaningless without attention to planning an approach, communicating results to relevant decision-makers, and focusing as much on the process as the impacts of the program. These topics are all covered in this handbook.

Digital asset management.

Science.gov (United States)

Humphrey, Clinton D; Tollefson, Travis T; Kriet, J David

2010-05-01

Facial plastic surgeons are accumulating massive digital image databases with the evolution of photodocumentation and widespread adoption of digital photography. Managing and maximizing the utility of these vast data repositories, or digital asset management (DAM), is a persistent challenge. Developing a DAM workflow that incorporates a file naming algorithm and metadata assignment will increase the utility of a surgeon's digital images. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Primer on Electric Utilities, Deregulation, and Restructuring of U.S. Electricity Markets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Warwick, William M.

2002-06-03

This primer is offered as an introduction to utility restructuring to better prepare readers for ongoing changes in public utilities and associated energy markets. It is written for use by individuals with responsibility for the management of facilities that use energy, including energy managers, procurement staff, and managers with responsibility for facility operations and budgets. The primer was prepared by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory under sponsorship from the U.S. Department of Energy?s Federal Energy Management Program. The impetus for this primer originally came from the Government Services Administration who supported its initial development.

Assessing the utilization of personnel in the management of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study assesses the utilization of technical teachers in Akwa Ibom State technical colleges. The study design was ex-post facto. Three research questions were formulated to guide the study. The population of the study consisted of all the technical colleges in Akwa Ibom State. Inventory method titled: ”Teaching ...

DSM and electric utility competitiveness: An Illinois perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jackson, P.W.

1994-01-01

A predominant theme in the current electric utility industry literature is that competitive forces have emerged and may become more prominent. The wholesale bulk power market is alreadly competitive, as non-utility energy service providers already have had a significant impact on that market; this trend was accelerated by the Energy Policy Act of 1992. Although competition at the retail level is much less pervasive, electric utility customers increasingly have greater choice in selecting energy services. These choices may include, depending on the customer, the ability to self-generate, switch fuels, move to a new location, or rely more heavily on demand-side management as a means of controlling electric energy use. This paper explores the subject of how demand-side management (DSM) programs, which are often developed by a utility to satisfy resource requirements as a part of its least-cost planning process, can affect the utility's ability to compete in the energy services marketplace. In this context, the term 'DSM' is used in this paper to refer to those demand-side services and programs which provide resources to the utility's system. Depending on one's perspective, DSM programs (so defined) can be viewed either as an enhancement to the competitive position of a utility by enabling it to provide its customers with a broader menu of energy services, simultaneously satisfying the objectives of the utility as well as those of the customers, or as a detractor to a utility's ability to compete. In the latter case, the concern is with respect to the potential for adverse rate impacts on customers who are not participants in DSM programs. The paper consists of an identification of the pros and cons of DSM as a competitive strategy, the tradeoff which can occur between the cost impacts and rate impacts of DSM, and an examination of alternative strategies for maximizing the utilization of DSM both as a resource and as a competitive strategy

Management Academy LANL Business Systems: Property Management, Course #31036

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shepherd, Michael J. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Rinke, Helen Mae [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Hanson, Todd [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States); Wolfe, Randy P. [Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)

2016-07-08

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) is responsible for the efficient economical management of all government property in its stewardship. This training explains the role LANL managers have in managing, controlling, and disposing of government property. The Laboratory's goal is good asset management. By properly managing property across the facility, Laboratory managers can help ASM improve government property utilization and extend asset life, while reducing asset-related operating costs and expenditures.

Interpersonal Conflict Management

Science.gov (United States)

Roark, Albert E.

1978-01-01

The difference between constructive and destructive conflicts may be traced to the way in which they are managed. Third-party help is often utilized to achieve constructive conflict management. This article describes two models for conflict management consultation. Five guidelines are given for constructive conflict management. (Author/JEL)

Accounting for the Poor

OpenAIRE

Robert M. Townsend

2013-01-01

Economists and other social scientists have long tried to understand the nature of poverty and how poor people make decisions. For example, T.W. Schultz, a Nobel Laureate, former professor of economics at the University of Chicago, and former president of the American Economic Association, spent his career working in development and agricultural economics. In his 1980 Nobel Prize acceptance speech, Schultz suggests that there is some accounting for the behavior of the poor in agriculture. "Fa...

Application and utility of a low-cost unmanned aerial system to manage and conserve aquatic resources in four Texas rivers

Science.gov (United States)

Birdsong, Timothy W.; Bean, Megan; Grabowski, Timothy B.; Hardy, Thomas B.; Heard, Thomas; Holdstock, Derrick; Kollaus, Kristy; Magnelia, Stephan J.; Tolman, Kristina

2015-01-01

Low-cost unmanned aerial systems (UAS) have recently gained increasing attention in natural resources management due to their versatility and demonstrated utility in collection of high-resolution, temporally-specific geospatial data. This study applied low-cost UAS to support the geospatial data needs of aquatic resources management projects in four Texas rivers. Specifically, a UAS was used to (1) map invasive salt cedar (multiple species in the genus Tamarix) that have degraded instream habitat conditions in the Pease River, (2) map instream meso-habitats and structural habitat features (e.g., boulders, woody debris) in the South Llano River as a baseline prior to watershed-scale habitat improvements, (3) map enduring pools in the Blanco River during drought conditions to guide smallmouth bass removal efforts, and (4) quantify river use by anglers in the Guadalupe River. These four case studies represent an initial step toward assessing the full range of UAS applications in aquatic resources management, including their ability to offer potential cost savings, time efficiencies, and higher quality data over traditional survey methods.

Utility battery storage systems program report for FY 94

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Butler, P.C.

1995-03-01

Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico, conducts the Utility Battery Storage Systems Program, which is sponsored by the US Department of Energy`s Office of Energy Management. The goal of this program is to assist industry in developing cost-effective battery systems as a utility resource option by 2000. Sandia is responsible for the engineering analyses, contracted development, and testing of rechargeable batteries and systems for utility energy storage applications. This report details the technical achievements realized during fiscal year 1994.

Relations and Utilities Operation monthly report, September, 1956

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, D.M.

1956-10-24

This document contains the September 1956 management and operations statistics of the Hanford Atomic Products Operation (HAPO) for their ``Relations and Utilities Operations.`` This is a monthly report. (BN)

Managing operational paradoxes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olson, J.; Baker, K.; Thurber, J.

1992-01-01

The economic, regulatory, and social environment of commercial nuclear power has changed dramatically in the last 10 yr. In addition to the increased regulatory pressure resulting from the Three Mile Island incident and other factors, nuclear utilities have experienced increasing financial pressure from state public utility commissions and investors. To successfully manage nuclear power plants in today's environment requires different skills and strategies than were required 10 yr ago. External pressures on the utility and plant organization have created a series of operational paradoxes unmatched in the history of commercial nuclear power. This paper is based on a synthesis of findings and observations from a series of studies conducted by the authors over the past 10 yr. The authors identify a series of specific paradoxes facing managers of nuclear power plants and suggest several strategies for managing these paradoxes

PWR in-core nuclear fuel management optimization utilizing nodal (non-linear NEM) generalized perturbation theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maldonado, G.I.; Turinsky, P.J.; Kropaczek, D.J.

1993-01-01

The computational capability of efficiently and accurately evaluate reactor core attributes (i.e., k eff and power distributions as a function of cycle burnup) utilizing a second-order accurate advanced nodal Generalized Perturbation Theory (GPT) model has been developed. The GPT model is derived from the forward non-linear iterative Nodal Expansion Method (NEM) strategy, thereby extending its inherent savings in memory storage and high computational efficiency to also encompass GPT via the preservation of the finite-difference matrix structure. The above development was easily implemented into the existing coarse-mesh finite-difference GPT-based in-core fuel management optimization code FORMOSA-P, thus combining the proven robustness of its adaptive Simulated Annealing (SA) multiple-objective optimization algorithm with a high-fidelity NEM GPT neutronics model to produce a powerful computational tool used to generate families of near-optimum loading patterns for PWRs. (orig.)

Protection and utilization of records in selected local government ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... utilization in selected local government areas in Nigeria. Questionnaire and interview were the instruments used in collecting data for the study. Findings revealed that records of the LGAs were manually protected by the records management as most they do not use electronic devices in the management of their records; ...

Utilizing on-farm best management practices: Managing Nitrate Leaching Using Evapotranspiration Based Irrigation Methods

Science.gov (United States)

Zaragosa, I.; Melton, F. S.; Dexter, J.; Post, K.; Haffa, A.; Kortman, S.; Spellenberg, R.; Cahn, M.

2017-12-01

In efforts to provide tools to allow farmers to optimize and quantify water usage and fertilizer applications, University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) developed the CropManage irrigation and nitrogen scheduling tool that provides real time evapotranspiration (ETc) based irrigation recommendations and fertilizer recommendations on a per field basis. CropManage incorporates satellite based estimates of fractional cover from web data services from the Satellite Irrigation Management Information Support (SIMS) system developed by NASA Ames Research Center in collaboration with California State University Monterey Bay (CSUMB). In this study, we conducted field trials to quantify the benefits of using these tools to support best management practices (BMPs) for irrigation and nutrient management in strawberries and lettuce in the Salinas Valley, California. We applied two different irrigation treatments based on full replacement (100%) of crop evapotranspiration (ETc), and irrigation at 130% of ETc replacement to approximate irrigation under business as usual irrigation management. Both field studies used a randomized block design with four replicates each. We used CropManage to calculate the 100% and 130% ETc replacement requirements prior to each irrigation event. We collected drainage volume and samples and analyzed them for 8500 to nitrate as (NO3-) concentrations. Experimental results for both strawberries and lettuce showed a significant decrease in the percentage of applied nitrogen leached for the 100% ETc replacement treatment against the 130% ETc replacement treatment. For strawberries, we observed that 24% of applied nitrogen was leached under the 100% ETc replacement treatment, versus 51% of applied nitrogen that was leached under the 130% ETc replacement treatment. For lettuce, we observe that 2% of the applied nitrogen leached bellow the soil profile, versus 6% of the applied nitrogen for the 130%ETc replacement treatment. In both experiments

Utility FGD survey, January--December 1988

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hance, S.L.; McKibben, R.S.; Jones, F.M. (IT Corp., Cincinnati, OH (United States))

1991-09-01

The Utility FGD Survey report, which is generated by a computerized data base management system, represents a survey of operational and planned domestic utility flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems. It summarizes information contributed by the utility industry, system and equipment suppliers, systems designers, research organizations, and regulatory agencies. The data cover system design, fuel characteristics, operating history, and actual system performance. Also included is a unit-by-unit discussion of problems and solutions associated with the boilers, scrubbers, and FGD systems. The development status (operational, under construction, or in the planning stages), system supplier, process, waste disposal practice, and regulatory class are tabulated alphabetically by utility company. Simplified process flow diagrams of FGD systems, definitions, and a glossary of terms are attached to the report. Current data for domestic FGD systems show systems in operation, systems under construction, and systems planned. The current total FGD-controlled capacity in the United States is 67,091 MW.

Utility FGD survey, January--December 1988

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hance, S.L.; McKibben, R.S.; Jones, F.M. (IT Corp., Cincinnati, OH (United States))

1991-09-01

The Utility FGD Survey report, which is generated by a computerized data base management system, represents a survey of operational and planned domestic utility flue gas desulfurization (FGD) systems. It summarizes information contributed by the utility industry, system and equipment suppliers, system designers, research organizations, and regulatory agencies. The data cover system design, fuel characteristics, operating history, and actual system performance. Also included is a unit-by-unit discussion of problems and solutions associated with the boilers, scrubbers, and FGD systems. The development status (operational, under construction, or in the planning stages), system supplier, process, waste disposal practice, and regulatory class are tabulated alphabetically by utility company. Simplified process flow diagrams of FGD systems, definitions, and a glossary of terms are attached to the report. Current data for domestic FGD systems show systems in operation, systems under construction, and systems planned. The current total FGD-controlled capacity in the United States is 67,091 MW.

Groundwater science in water-utility operations: global reflections on current status and future needs

Science.gov (United States)

Foster, Stephen; Sage, Rob

2017-08-01

The relevance of groundwater science to water-utility operations is analysed from a broad international perspective, identifying key concerns and specific opportunities for the future. The strategic importance worldwide of water utilities assuming the role of lead stakeholders for integrated groundwater resource management, recognizing their often considerable technical know-how and highly significant data holdings, is emphasized. Concurrently, the utilities themselves will need an ever-closer appreciation of groundwater-system behaviour if they are to manage efficiently their water-supply and wastewater operations.

Industry activities to resolve utility procurement issues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosch, F.

1993-01-01

There are several industry organizations which are active in assisting the utilities in their equipment procurement enhancement. They include the Nuclear Management Resources Council (NUMARC), the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), and the Nuclear Procurement Issues Committee (NUPIC). The products include the NUMARC Procurement Initiatives, EPRI procurement related guidelines and databases, and NUPIC joint audits and commercial grade surveys. The industry procurement activities and products are reviewed, and their use by utilities to enhance their procurement process is related. 1 fig

Trends in Utility Green Pricing Programs (2005)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bird, Lori [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Brown, Elizabeth [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2006-10-01

In the early 1990s, only a handful of utilities offered their customers a choice of purchasing electricity generated from renewable energy sources. Today, more than 600 utilities—or about 20% of all utilities nationally—provide their customers a “green power” option. Because some utilities offer programs in conjunction with cooperative associations or other publicly owned power entities, the number of distinct programs totals more than 130. Through these programs, more than 50 million customers have the ability to purchase renewable energy to meet some portion or all of their electricity needs—or make contributions to support the development of renewable energy resources. Typically, customers pay a premium above standard electricity rates for this service. This report presents year-end 2005 data on utility green pricing programs, and examines trends in consumer response and program implementation over time. The data in this report, which were obtained via a questionnaire distributed to utility green pricing program managers, can be used by utilities to benchmark the success of their green power programs.

EERC Center for Biomass Utilization 2006

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zygarlicke, Christopher J. [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States). Energy and Environmental Research Center; Hurley, John P. [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States). Energy and Environmental Research Center; Aulich, Ted R. [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States). Energy and Environmental Research Center; Folkedahl, Bruce C. [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States). Energy and Environmental Research Center; Strege, Joshua R. [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States). Energy and Environmental Research Center; Patel, Nikhil [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States). Energy and Environmental Research Center; Shockey, Richard E. [Univ. of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND (United States). Energy and Environmental Research Center

2009-05-27

The Center for Biomass Utilization® 2006 project at the Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) consisted of three tasks related to applied fundamental research focused on converting biomass feedstocks to energy, liquid transportation fuels, and chemicals. Task 1, entitled Thermochemical Conversion of Biomass to Syngas and Chemical Feedstocks, involved three activities. Task 2, entitled Crop Oil Biorefinery Process Development, involved four activities. Task 3, entitled Management, Education, and Outreach, focused on overall project management and providing educational outreach related to biomass technologies through workshops and conferences.

Adapting United States training practices to European utilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walsh, T.E.

1983-01-01

The factors which must be considered in the process of adapting United States nuclear utility training programs to the needs of a European utility are discussed. Following a review of the present situation and drawing up of a new training program, the management commitments in terms of personnel and finance must be considered. Short term, medium and long term programs are outlined. The long term objectives should include the establishment of a total training centre. This facility should be capable of providing all the training necessary to operate a power plant safely. This would include specific simulator training, classroom training for operators, technician training, staff training, management training etc. In addition to a simulator, it should include an emergency response facility to train personnel. (U.K.)

Modeling strategy to identify patients with primary immunodeficiency utilizing risk management and outcome measurement.

Science.gov (United States)

Modell, Vicki; Quinn, Jessica; Ginsberg, Grant; Gladue, Ron; Orange, Jordan; Modell, Fred

2017-06-01

This study seeks to generate analytic insights into risk management and probability of an identifiable primary immunodeficiency defect. The Jeffrey Modell Centers Network database, Jeffrey Modell Foundation's 10 Warning Signs, the 4 Stages of Testing Algorithm, physician-reported clinical outcomes, programs of physician education and public awareness, the SPIRIT® Analyzer, and newborn screening, taken together, generates P values of less than 0.05%. This indicates that the data results do not occur by chance, and that there is a better than 95% probability that the data are valid. The objectives are to improve patients' quality of life, while generating significant reduction of costs. The advances of the world's experts aligned with these JMF programs can generate analytic insights as to risk management and probability of an identifiable primary immunodeficiency defect. This strategy reduces the uncertainties related to primary immunodeficiency risks, as we can screen, test, identify, and treat undiagnosed patients. We can also address regional differences and prevalence, age, gender, treatment modalities, and sites of care, as well as economic benefits. These tools support high net benefits, substantial financial savings, and significant reduction of costs. All stakeholders, including patients, clinicians, pharmaceutical companies, third party payers, and government healthcare agencies, must address the earliest possible precise diagnosis, appropriate intervention and treatment, as well as stringent control of healthcare costs through risk assessment and outcome measurement. An affected patient is entitled to nothing less, and stakeholders are responsible to utilize tools currently available. Implementation offers a significant challenge to the entire primary immunodeficiency community.

Managing corporate assets to maximize value

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rubin, L.

1992-01-01

As the utility industry environment becomes more complex, pressures grow for managers to make more effective use of all their assets - including fuel, equipment, and personnel. Improving the management of assets leads to the delivery of greater value to ratepayers, stockholders, and society. EPRI is sponsoring a broad research program to help utilities effectively apply the tools needed in these changing business conditions, especially the latest in cost and quality management and asset management techniques

Project risk management for development of non-utility power generators (NUGs)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lau, T.

1990-01-01

The growing Non-Utility Generation (NUG) industry has brought new opportunities and challenges for the insurance industry. There can be unique engineering and financial risks involved in the development of Non-Utility Power Generation projects. The use of new technologies to meet stringent environmental regulations and to improve project performance and efficiency presents new challenges to the project developers and designers. The lack of funding, resources and experience of some of these projects may create unusual risks that could result in failure or deficiency in the performance of the projects

Site remediation technologies and environmental management practices in the utility industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-07-01

Sessions covered: chemical oxidation; DNAPL and source management; regulatory perspectives and state programs; manufactured gas plant site management; sediments, cyanides, and other issues at MGP sites; biotechnology applications; agricultural waste issues; risk communication and bioremediation; air emissions and air toxics management; project management and redevelopment; environmentally acceptable endpoint and risk-based site management; site assessment, background concentration and closure; risk communication and beneficial use by recycling; PCB and RCRA issues; and phytoremediation and bioremediation of wastes.

MARS and its applications at Northeast Utilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khalil, Y.F.; Raines, J.C.

1992-01-01

The MAAP Accident Response System (MARS) for Northeast Utilities Millstone Unit 1 (MP-1) has been jointly developed by Northeast Utilities (NU) and Fauske ampersand Associates, Inc. (FAI). Millstone Unit 1 is a 2011-MW(thermal) boiling water reactor (BWR)/3 with a Mark-I containment. MARS/MP1 is user-friendly computer software that is structured to provide Northeast Utilities management and engineering staff with key insights during actual or simulated accidents. Times to core uncovery, vessel failure, and containment failure are among the figures of merit that can be obtained from this system. MARS/MP1 can predict future conditions of the MP-1 plant based on current plant data and their trends (time-dependent plant data). The objective of this paper is to present the research and development effort of the MARS/MP1 software at Northeast Utilities

Sacramento Municipal Utility District PV and Smart Grid Pilot at Anatolia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rawson, Mark; Sanchez, Eddie Paul

2013-12-30

Under DE-FOA-0000085 High Penetration Solar Deployment, the U. S. Department of Energy funded agreements with SMUD and Navigant Consulting, SunPower, GridPoint, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and the California Energy Commission for this pilot demonstration project. Funding was $5,962,409.00. Cost share of $500,000 was also provided by the California Energy Commission. The project has strategic implications for SMUD, other utilities and the PV and energy-storage industries in business and resource planning, technology deployment and asset management. These implications include: -At this point, no dominant business models have emerged and the industry is open for new ideas. -Demonstrated two business models for using distributed PV and energy storage, and brainstormed several dozen more, each with different pros and cons for SMUD, its customers and the industry. -Energy storage can be used to manage high penetrations of PV and mitigate potential issues such as reverse power flow, voltage control violations, power quality issues, increased wear and tear on utility equipment, and system wide power supply issues. - Smart meters are another tool utilities can use to manage high penetrations of PV. The necessary equipment and protocols exist, and the next step is to determine how to integrate the functionality with utility programs and what level of utility control is required. - Time-of-use rates for the residential customers who hosted energy storage systems did not cause a significant change in energy usage patterns. However, the rates we used were not optimized for PV and energy storage. Opportunities exist for utilities to develop new structures.

Comparative analysis of production practices and utilization of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

AGHOGHO A

1Kenyatta University, Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, P.O. Box 43844, 00100 GPO. Nairobi,. Kenya. .... the vast potential of pumpkin production and utilization in ..... Poverty Reduction Handbook: Washington D.C:.

Risk management for noncombustion wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Connor, K.K.; Rice, J.S.

1991-01-01

The Noncombustion Waste Risk Management Project is designed to incorporate the insights and information developed in these projects into tools that will help utilities make better noncombustion waste management decisions. Specific project goals are to synthesize information useful to utilities on noncombustion wastes, emphasize waste reduction as a priority over end-of-pipe management, develop methods to manage the costs and risks associated with noncombustion wastes (e.g., direct costs, permitting costs, liability costs, public relations costs), develop software and documentation to deliver the information and analysis methods to the industry. This project was initiated EPRI's Environment Division in late 1988. The early phases of the project involved gathering information on current noncombustion waste management practices, specific utility problems and concerns with respect to these wastes, current and potential future regulations, and current and emerging management options. Recent efforts have focused on characterizing the direct and indirect (e.g., lawsuits, remedial action) costs of managing these wastes and on developing and implementing risk management methods for a subset of wastes. The remainder of this paper describes the specific issues addressed by and the results and insights from the three completed waste-specific studies

Distributed utility technology cost, performance, and environmental characteristics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wan, Y; Adelman, S

1995-06-01

Distributed Utility (DU) is an emerging concept in which modular generation and storage technologies sited near customer loads in distribution systems and specifically targeted demand-side management programs are used to supplement conventional central station generation plants to meet customer energy service needs. Research has shown that implementation of the DU concept could provide substantial benefits to utilities. This report summarizes the cost, performance, and environmental and siting characteristics of existing and emerging modular generation and storage technologies that are applicable under the DU concept. It is intended to be a practical reference guide for utility planners and engineers seeking information on DU technology options. This work was funded by the Office of Utility Technologies of the US Department of Energy.

Nurses' ethical conflicts in performance of utilization reviews.

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Sue Ellen

2003-09-01

This article describes the ethical conflicts that a sample of US nurse utilization reviewers faced in their work, and also each nurse's self-reported ethical orientation that was used to resolve the dilemmas. Data were collected from a sample of 97 registered nurses who were working at least 20 hours per week as utilization reviewers. Respondents were recruited from three managed care organizations that conduct utilization reviews in a large midwestern city. A cross-sectional survey design was used to collect demographic data and to ask closed-response, short-answer and open-ended questions. Ethical conflicts reported by nurses were similar across utilization review settings and many were justice orientated. Self-reported ethical orientations were similar across organizations, with beneficence dominating. Implications of these findings are discussed.

48 CFR 52.219-8 - Utilization of small business concerns.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... management and daily business operations of which are controlled by one or more veterans. Women-owned small... Clauses 52.219-8 Utilization of small business concerns. As prescribed in 19.708(a), insert the following clause: Utilization of Small Business Concerns (MAY 2004) (a) It is the policy of the United States that...

Using Forecasting to Predict Long-Term Resource Utilization for Web Services

Science.gov (United States)

Yoas, Daniel W.

2013-01-01

Researchers have spent years understanding resource utilization to improve scheduling, load balancing, and system management through short-term prediction of resource utilization. Early research focused primarily on single operating systems; later, interest shifted to distributed systems and, finally, into web services. In each case researchers…

[The Utilization of Health-Related Applications in Chronic Disease Self-Management].

Science.gov (United States)

Kao, Chi-Wen; Chuang, Hui-Wan; Chen, Ting-Yu

2017-08-01

The dramatic increase in smartphone usage has spurred the development of many health-related mobile applications (apps). On the other hand, population aging and the associated rise in the incidence of chronic disease is increasing the demand for long-term care. Effective chronic disease self-management has been shown to help patients improve their health condition. Numerous smartphone applications currently support patient self-management of chronic disease, facilitating health management and health promotion. The purpose of the present article was to introduce the definition, contents, and types of health-related apps; to discuss the effectiveness of self-management health-related apps in promoting chronic disease management; and to assess and evaluate these apps. We hope that the present article helps give to healthcare professionals and patients who are willing to manage their diseases a general understanding of health-related apps and their potential to facilitate the self-management of chronic diseases.

Are implicit policy assumptions about climate adaptation trying to push drinking water utilities down an impossible path?

Science.gov (United States)

Klasic, M. R.; Ekstrom, J.; Bedsworth, L. W.; Baker, Z.

2017-12-01

Extreme events such as wildfires, droughts, and flooding are projected to be more frequent and intense under a changing climate, increasing challenges to water quality management. To protect and improve public health, drinking water utility managers need to understand and plan for climate change and extreme events. This three year study began with the assumption that improved climate projections were key to advancing climate adaptation at the local level. Through a survey (N = 259) and interviews (N = 61) with California drinking water utility managers during the peak of the state's recent drought, we found that scientific information was not a key barrier hindering adaptation. Instead, we found that managers fell into three distinct mental models based on their interaction with, perceptions, and attitudes, towards scientific information and the future of water in their system. One of the mental models, "modeled futures", is a concept most in line with how climate change scientists talk about the use of information. Drinking water utilities falling into the "modeled future" category tend to be larger systems that have adequate capacity to both receive and use scientific information. Medium and smaller utilities in California, that more often serve rural low income communities, tend to fall into the other two mental models, "whose future" and "no future". We show evidence that there is an implicit presumption that all drinking water utility managers should strive to align with "modeled future" mental models. This presentation questions this assumption as it leaves behind many utilities that need to adapt to climate change (several thousand in California alone), but may not have the technical, financial, managerial, or other capacity to do so. It is clear that no single solution or pathway to drought resilience exists for water utilities, but we argue that a more explicit understanding and definition of what it means to be a resilient drinking water utility is

Utility-DOE interface considerations of the universal container systems concept

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rasmussen, R.; Smith, M.; Jordan, J.; Supko, E.

1993-01-01

This paper discusses the utility-DOE interface issues that must be addressed by the DOE, the utility industry, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) prior to implementation of a universal container system (UCS) as an alternative to the current Reference Waste Management System. A brief background is presented discussing the reasons a UCS appears to benefit the waste management system, including a reduction in spent fuel handling, simplified DOE storage and transportation systems, and simplified repository design and operation. In December 1992, the Secretary of Energy announced that the current negotiated siting process is not expected to lead to an operational monitored retrievable storage (MRS) facility by January 1998. Therefore, DOE outlined a strategy for initiating spent fuel acceptance from utilities in 1998 that includes the use of federal government sites for interim storage and the development of the UCS concept

Utility of serum periostin in combination with exhaled nitric oxide in the management of asthma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tadao Nagasaki

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Type-2/eosinophilic inflammation plays a pivotal role in asthma. The identification of severe type-2/eosinophilic asthma is important for improving the management of patients with asthma. Therefore, efforts to develop non-invasive biomarkers for type-2/eosinophilic airway inflammation have been made during this decade. Currently, fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO and serum periostin levels are considered markers of type-2/eosinophilic inflammation in asthma. However, a single-marker approach has limited the ability to diagnose severe type-2/eosinophilic asthma accurately and predict disease outcomes precisely. The present article reviews the utility of FeNO and serum periostin levels in a single-marker approach and in a multiple-marker approach in identifying patients with severe type-2/eosinophilic asthma. Furthermore, based on a sub-analysis of the Kinki Hokuriku Airway disease Conference (KiHAC, geno-endo-phenotypes of patients were stratified into four groups according to the FeNO and serum periostin levels.

Genetics and Genomics: Discovery, Validation, and Utility of Novel Tools for management of Prostate Cancer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alan W. Shindel

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Genomics is the science of how genes influence human health and disease states. It differs from traditional genetic screening in that the transcriptional activity (or other markers in full panels of related genes are studied. Compared to simple genetic testing, assessment of expression levels in a panel of genes provides a more nuanced and holistic understanding of genetic modulation of human disease. Genomic testing may be used to great effect in resolving controversial questions on detection and treatment of prostate cancer. Genomic tests are currently in use for numerous facets of prostate cancer care, including screening, biopsy, and treatment planning. The clinical validity (predictive capacity of these assays has been well established; studies on clinical utility (i.e. usefulness of these tests in guiding patient/provider decisions have shown promising results. Men’s health specialists should be familiar with the role genomic testing will play in contemporary management of prostate cancer.

Developing strategic plans for effective utilization of research reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ridikas, Danas

2015-01-01

Strategic plans are indispensable documents for research reactors (RRs) to ensure their efficient, optimized and well managed utilization. A strategic plan provides a framework for increasing utilization, while helping to create a positive safety culture, a motivated staff, a clear understanding of real costs and a balanced budget. A strategic plan should be seen as an essential tool for a responsible manager of any RR, from the smallest critical facility to the largest reactor. Results and lessons learned are shown from the IAEA efforts to help the RR facilities developing strategic plans, provide review and advise services, organize national and regional stakeholder/user workshops, prepare further guidance and recommendations, document and publish guidance documents and other supporting materials.

Developing strategic plans for effective utilization of research reactors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ridikas, Danas [International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria). Dept. of Nuclear Sciences and Applications

2015-12-15

Strategic plans are indispensable documents for research reactors (RRs) to ensure their efficient, optimized and well managed utilization. A strategic plan provides a framework for increasing utilization, while helping to create a positive safety culture, a motivated staff, a clear understanding of real costs and a balanced budget. A strategic plan should be seen as an essential tool for a responsible manager of any RR, from the smallest critical facility to the largest reactor. Results and lessons learned are shown from the IAEA efforts to help the RR facilities developing strategic plans, provide review and advise services, organize national and regional stakeholder/user workshops, prepare further guidance and recommendations, document and publish guidance documents and other supporting materials.

Utilization and cost of a new model of care for managing acute knee injuries: the Calgary acute knee injury clinic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lau Breda HF

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs affect a large proportion of the Canadian population and present a huge problem that continues to strain primary healthcare resources. Currently, the Canadian healthcare system depicts a clinical care pathway for MSDs that is inefficient and ineffective. Therefore, a new inter-disciplinary team-based model of care for managing acute knee injuries was developed in Calgary, Alberta, Canada: the Calgary Acute Knee Injury Clinic (C-AKIC. The goal of this paper is to evaluate and report on the appropriateness, efficiency, and effectiveness of the C-AKIC through healthcare utilization and costs associated with acute knee injuries. Methods This quasi-experimental study measured and evaluated cost and utilization associated with specific healthcare services for patients presenting with acute knee injuries. The goal was to compare patients receiving care from two clinical care pathways: the existing pathway (i.e. comparison group and a new model, the C-AKIC (i.e. experimental group. This was accomplished through the use of a Healthcare Access and Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (HAPSQ. Results Data from 138 questionnaires were analyzed in the experimental group and 136 in the comparison group. A post-hoc analysis determined that both groups were statistically similar in socio-demographic characteristics. With respect to utilization, patients receiving care through the C-AKIC used significantly less resources. Overall, patients receiving care through the C-AKIC incurred 37% of the cost of patients with knee injuries in the comparison group and significantly incurred less costs when compared to the comparison group. The total aggregate average cost for the C-AKIC group was $2,549.59 compared to $6,954.33 for the comparison group (p Conclusions The Calgary Acute Knee Injury Clinic was able to manage and treat knee injured patients for less cost than the existing state of healthcare delivery. The

Solutions to Improve Educational Management Quality

OpenAIRE

Ramezan Jahanian; Masoomeh Motahari

2013-01-01

Nowadays, enhancing the quality in educational systems of different countries has gained especial importance and stand. Improving utilizing and increasing the quality in our country’s educational system is felt too. One of the utilizing factors in education system is to improve the educational management quality.In this article, effective factors in educational management quality and one of its improving solutions, thorough management quality, is analyzed.

Utilizing Contingent Claims to Improve the Management of CAFOs

OpenAIRE

Gramig, Benjamin M.; Skees, Jerry R.; Black, J. Roy

2004-01-01

We propose a market-based approach to reducing the environmental risk posed by concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). The dual problems of hidden information and hidden action faced by policymakers are considered alongside the competing incentives faced by the CAFO manager in a multiple principal-agent setting. A new approach that uses insurance-like contracts is introduced by use of the specific example of a swine operation with a lagoon-based manure management system. Index-based c...

Disaster and primary health care utilization: a 4 year follow-up.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dorn, T.; Yzermans, J.; Kerssens, J.; Veen, P. ten

2005-01-01

Background: Although crucial for the management of the post-disaster phase, the impact of disasters on primary health care utilization is largely unknown. Often, pre-disaster base-line data is lacking. The current study quantified primary health care utilization after a major fire disaster in The

Nuclear fuel financing by USA investor-owned utilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cave, W.F.

1981-01-01

Investor-owned utilities in the USA currently have almost 60 nuclear plants in commercial operation and an additional 90 plants under construction or awaiting operating licenses. To understand the specific techniques implemented to finance nuclear fuel and the advantages which they provide to individual companies, the total financing needs of the industry, the traditional pattern which utility external financing has taken, and the varied financial and regulatory bodies whose often conflicting objectives management must attempt to reconcile, must be understood. The aim of this paper is to aid such an understanding. The subject is discussed under the following headings: industry background; regulation and rating agencies; management objectives; financing structure; advantages (low financing cost; regulatory treatment; freer nature of agreement; access to commercial paper market; appropriate financing time-span; rating benefits; accounting treatment); conclusions. (U.K.)

The study of knowledge management capability and organizational effectiveness in Taiwanese public utility: the mediator role of organizational commitment.

Science.gov (United States)

Chiu, Chia-Nan; Chen, Huei-Huang

2016-01-01

Many studies on the significance of knowledge management (KM) in the business world have been performed in recent years. Public sector KM is a research area of growing importance. Findings show that few authors specialize in the field and there are several obstacles to developing a cohesive body of literature. In order to examine their effect of the knowledge management capability [which consists of knowledge infrastructure capability (KIC) and knowledge process capability (KPC)] and organizational effectiveness (OE), this study conducted structural equation modeling to test the hypotheses with 302 questionnaires of Taipei Water Department staffs in Taiwan. In exploring the model developed in this study, the findings show that there exists a significant relationship between KPC and OE, while KIC and OE are insignificant. These results are different from earlier findings in the literature. Furthermore, this research proposed organizational commitment (OC) as the mediator role. The findings suggest that only OC has significant mediating effects between KPC and OE, whereas this is not the case for KIC and OE. It is noteworthy that the above findings inspired managers, in addition to construct the knowledge infrastructure more than focus on social media tools on the Internet, which engage knowledge workers in "peer-to-peer" knowledge sharing across organizational and company boundaries. The results are likely to help organizations (particularly public utilities) sharpen their knowledge management strategies. Academic and practical implications were drawn based on the findings.

A future Demand Side Management (DSM) opportunity for utility as variable renewable penetrate scale up using agriculture.

Science.gov (United States)

Ines, A.; Bhattacharjee, A.; Modi, V.; Robertson, A. W.; Lall, U.; Kocaman Ayse, S.; Chaudhary, S.; Kumar, A.; Ganapathy, A.; Kumar, A.; Mishra, V.

2015-12-01

Energy demand management, also known as demand side management (DSM), is the modification of consumer demand for energy through various methods such as smart metering, incentive based schemes, payments for turning off loads or rescheduling loads. Usually, the goal of demand side management is to encourage the consumer to use less power during periods of peak demand, or to move the time of energy use to off-peak times. Peak demand management does not necessarily decrease total energy consumption, but could be expected to reduce the need for investments in networks and/or power plants for meeting peak demands. Electricity use can vary dramatically on short and medium time frames, and the pricing system may not reflect the instantaneous cost as additional higher-cost that are brought on-line. In addition, the capacity or willingness of electricity consumers to adjust to prices by altering elasticity of demand may be low, particularly over short time frames. In the scenario of Indian grid setup, the retail customers do not follow real-time pricing and it is difficult to incentivize the utility companies for continuing the peak demand supply. A question for the future is how deeper penetration of renewable will be handled? This is a challenging problem since one has to deal with high variability, while managing loss of load probabilities. In the case of managing the peak demand using agriculture, in the future as smart metering matures with automatic turn on/off for a pump, it will become possible to provide an ensured amount of water or energy to the farmer while keeping the grid energized for 24 hours. Supply scenarios will include the possibility of much larger penetration of solar and wind into the grid. While, in absolute terms these sources are small contributors, their role will inevitably grow but DSM using agriculture could help reduce the capital cost. The other option is of advancing or delaying pump operating cycle even by several hours, will still ensure

Depositional characteristics and sediment availability resulting from the post-Schultz Fire floods of 2010

Science.gov (United States)

Karen A. Koestner; Mike D. Carroll; Daniel G. Neary; Peter E. Koestner; Ann Youberg

2011-01-01

Wildfire is a major land management concern due to direct impacts of fire on forest resources, and potentially negative effects on landscape processes by increasing rates of runoff, erosion, downstream sedimentation, and overall site degradation (DeBano et al. 1998, Neary et al. 2005, Robichaud et al. 2010). In the United States the number of fires has been increasing...

The electric utilities in 1989 - A perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Studness, C.M.

1990-01-01

This article presents the performance of electric utilities financially and in the stock market. The performance of the utility stocks compared with industrial stocks and long term government bonds is addressed as well as an analysis of the reasons for the differences. The effect of rate increases granted versus the rate of inflation on per share earnings is examined. A concern was expressed that increases in demand substantially larger than those projected by the industry for 1989 may result in excess capacity disappearing much sooner than predicted by industry managements

8th World Congress on Engineering Asset Management & the 3rd International Conference on Utility Management & Safety

CERN Document Server

Mathew, Joseph; Wong, King; Lam, Rocky; Ko, CN; WCEAM 2013; ICUMAS; Engineering asset management : systems, professional practices and certification

2015-01-01

This proceedings represents state-of-the-art trends and developments in the emerging field of engineering asset management as presented at the Eight World Congress on Engineering Asset Management (WCEAM). The Proceedings of the WCEAM 2013 is an excellent reference for practitioners, researchers and students in the multidisciplinary field of asset management, covering topics such as: Asset condition monitoring and intelligent maintenance, 2.  Asset data warehousing, data mining and fusion, 3. Asset performance and level-of-service models, 4. Design and life-cycle integrity of physical assets, 5. Deterioration and preservation models for assets, 6. Education and training in asset management, 7. Engineering standards in asset management, 8. Fault diagnosis and prognostics, 9. Financial analysis methods for physical assets, 10. Human dimensions in integrated asset management, 11. Information quality management, 12. Information systems and knowledge management, 13. Intelligent sensors and devices, 14. Maintenance...

Outsourcing decision factors in publicly owned electric utilities

Science.gov (United States)

Gonzales, James Edward

Purpose. The outsourcing of services in publicly owned electric utilities has generated some controversy. The purpose of this study was to explore this controversy by investigating the relationships between eight key independent variables and a dependent variable, "manager perceptions of overall value of outsourced services." The intent was to provide data so that utilities could make better decisions regarding outsourcing efforts. Theoretical framework. Decision theory was used as the framework for analyzing variables and alternatives used to support the outsourcing decision-making process. By reviewing these eight variables and the projected outputs and outcomes, a more predictive and potentially successful outsourcing effort can be realized. Methodology. A survey was distributed to a sample of 323 publicly owned electric utilities randomly selected from a population of 2,020 in the United States. Analysis of the data was made using statistical techniques including the Chi-Square, Lambda, Spearman's coefficient of rank correlation, as well as the Hypothesis Test, Rank Correlation, to test for relationships among the variables. Findings. Relationships among the eight key variables and perceptions of the overall value of outsourced services were generally weak. The notable exception was with the driving force (reason) for outsourcing decisions where the relationship was strongly positive. Conclusions and recommendations. The data in support of the research questions suggest that seven of the eight key variables may be weakly predictive of perceptions of the overall value of outsourced services. However, the primary driving force for outsourcing was strongly predictive. The data also suggest that many of the sampled utilities did not formally address these variables and alternatives, and therefore may not be achieving maximal results. Further studies utilizing customer perceptions rather than those of outsourcing service managers are recommended. In addition, it is

Development of integrated nuclear data utilization system for innovative reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naoki, Yamano; Masayuki, Igashira; Akira, Hasegawa; Kiyoshi, Kato

2005-01-01

An integrated nuclear data utilization system has been developing for innovative nuclear energy systems such as innovative reactors and accelerator-driven systems. The system has been constructed as a modular code system, which consists of a managing system and two subsystems. The management system named CONDUCT controls system resource management of the PC Linux server and the user authentication through Internet access. A subsystem is the nuclear data search and plotting subsystem based on a SPES engine developed by Hokkaido University. Nuclear data such as EXFOR, JENDL-3.3, ENDF/B-VI and JEFF-3.1 can be searched and plotted in the subsystem. The other is the nuclear data processing and utilization subsystem, which is able to handle JENDL-3.3, ENDF/B-VI and JEFF-3.1 to generate point-wise and group cross sections in several formats, and perform various criticality and shielding benchmarks for verification of nuclear data and validation of design methods for innovative reactors. This paper presents an overview of the integrated nuclear data utilization system, describes the progress of the system development to examine the operability of the user interface and discuss specifications of the two subsystems. (authors)

Feasibility and utility of an integrated medical imaging and informatics smartphone system for management of acute stroke.

Science.gov (United States)

Shkirkova, Kristina; Akam, Eftitan Y; Huang, Josephine; Sheth, Sunil A; Nour, May; Liang, Conrad W; McManus, Michael; Trinh, Van; Duckwiler, Gary; Tarpley, Jason; Vinuela, Fernando; Saver, Jeffrey L

2017-12-01

Background Rapid dissemination and coordination of clinical and imaging data among multidisciplinary team members are essential for optimal acute stroke care. Aim To characterize the feasibility and utility of the Synapse Emergency Room mobile (Synapse ERm) informatics system. Methods We implemented the Synapse ERm system for integration of clinical data, computerized tomography, magnetic resonance, and catheter angiographic imaging, and real-time stroke team communications, in consecutive acute neurovascular patients at a Comprehensive Stroke Center. Results From May 2014 to October 2014, the Synapse ERm application was used by 33 stroke team members in 84 Code Stroke alerts. Patient age was 69.6 (±17.1), with 41.5% female. Final diagnosis was: ischemic stroke 64.6%, transient ischemic attack 7.3%, intracerebral hemorrhage 6.1%, and cerebrovascular-mimic 22.0%. Each patient Synapse ERm record was viewed by a median of 10 (interquartile range 6-18) times by a median of 3 (interquartile range 2-4) team members. The most used feature was computerized tomography, magnetic resonance, and catheter angiography image display. In-app tweet team, communications were sent by median 1 (interquartile range 0-1, range 0-13) users per case and viewed by median 1 (interquartile range 0-3, range 0-44) team members. Use of the system was associated with rapid treatment times, faster than national guidelines, including median door-to-needle 51.0 min (interquartile range 40.5-69.5) and median door-to-groin 94.5 min (interquartile range 85.5-121.3). In user surveys, the mobile information platform was judged easy to employ in 91% (95% confidence interval 65%-99%) of uses and of added help in stroke management in 50% (95% confidence interval 22%-78%). Conclusion The Synapse ERm mobile platform for stroke team distribution and integration of clinical and imaging data was feasible to implement, showed high ease of use, and moderate perceived added utility in therapeutic management.

Utilization Of Malaria Prophylaxes Amongst Nigerian Urban ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

TNHJOURNALPH

utilization of a combination of interventions such as sleeping under insecticide treated nets (ITNs),. Intermittent Preventive Treatment in pregnancy (IPTp), insecticide room spraying (IRS) and effective case management and treatment. All these strategies have been adopted in Nigeria through a national policy on malaria.

The Software Management Environment (SME)

Science.gov (United States)

Valett, Jon D.; Decker, William; Buell, John

1988-01-01

The Software Management Environment (SME) is a research effort designed to utilize the past experiences and results of the Software Engineering Laboratory (SEL) and to incorporate this knowledge into a tool for managing projects. SME provides the software development manager with the ability to observe, compare, predict, analyze, and control key software development parameters such as effort, reliability, and resource utilization. The major components of the SME, the architecture of the system, and examples of the functionality of the tool are discussed.

Natural gas in the 21st century. Part 3. Multi-utility as survival strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krikke, R.E.

2000-01-01

The products energy becomes commercially attractive if value is added, e.g. by transferring it into a multi-utility. The marketing manager of a Dutch public utility (Essent) is interviewed about the opportunities and threats for energy companies which embrace the multi-utility concept

The Flexible Solar Utility. Preparing for Solar's Impacts to Utility Planning and Operations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sterling, John [Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), Washington, DC (United States); Davidovich, Ted [Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA), Washington, DC (United States); Cory, Karlynn [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Aznar, Alexandra [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); McLaren, Joyce [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2015-09-01

This paper seeks to provide a flexible utility roadmap for identifying the steps that need to be taken to place the utility in the best position for addressing solar in the future. Solar growth and the emergence of new technologies will change the electric utility of tomorrow. Although not every utility, region, or market will change in the same way or magnitude, developing a path forward will be needed to reach the Electric System of the Future in the coming decades. In this report, a series of potential future states are identified that could result in drastically different energy mixes and profiles: 1) Business as Usual, 2) Low Carbon, Centralized Generation, 3) Rapid Distributed Energy Resource Growth, 4) Interactivity of Both the Grid and Demand, and 5) Grid or Load Defection. Complicating this process are a series of emerging disruptions; decisions or events that will cause the electric sector to change. Understanding and preparing for these items is critical for the transformation to any of the future states to be successful. Predicting which future state will predominate 15 years from now is not possible; however, utilities still will need to look ahead and try to anticipate how factors will impact their planning, operations, and business models. In order to dig into the potential transformations facing the utility industry, the authors conducted a series of utility interviews, held a working session at a major industry solar conference, and conducted a quantitative survey. To focus conversations, the authors leveraged the Rapid Distributed Energy Resource (DER) Growth future to draw out how utilities would have to adapt from current processes and procedures in order to manage and thrive in that new environment. Distributed solar was investigated specifically, and could serve as a proxy resource for all distributed generation (DG). It can also provide the foundation for all DERs.

Service guidelines based on Resource Utilization Groups Version III for Home Care provide decision-making support for case managers.

Science.gov (United States)

Collister, Barbara; Stein, Glenda; Katz, Deborah; DeBruyn, Joan; Andrusiw, Linda; Cloutier, Sheila

2012-01-01

Increasing costs and budget reductions combined with increasing demand from our growing, aging population support the need to ensure that the scarce resources allocated to home care clients match client needs. This article details how Integrated Home Care for the Calgary Zone of Alberta Health Services considered ethical and economic principles and used data from the Resident Assessment Instrument for Home Care (RAI-HC) and case mix indices from the Resource Utilization Groups Version III for Home Care (RUG-III/HC) to formulate service guidelines. These explicit service guidelines formalize and support individual resource allocation decisions made by case managers and provide a consistent and transparent method of allocating limited resources.

Identity In and Around Organisations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schultz, Majken; Maguire, Steve

2013-01-01

concept may not be the best way of approaching and managing your organisation. Rather, Majken Schultz and Steve Maguire argue that organisations would benefit from adopting a process-based view of identity, which integrates history, ongoing change and market instability into its definition.......At the heart of any successful organisation lies a powerful conception of identity: the coherent way in which it presents itself to its stakeholders and employees, containing its purpose, goals and key characteristics. However, the traditional idea of identity as a stable, solid and reliable...

Leadership skills for the California electric utility industry: A qualitative study

Science.gov (United States)

Hubbell, Michael

The purpose of this qualitative study was to determine the skills and knowledge necessary for leaders in the California electric utility industry in 2020. With rapid industry changes, skills to effectively lead and stay competitive are undetermined. Leaders must manage an increasingly hostile social and political environment, incorporate new technology, and deal with an aging workforce and infrastructure. Methodology. This study utilized a qualitative case study design to determine the factors that influence the skills leaders will require in 2020. It incorporated the perspectives of current electric utility leaders while looking with a future lens. Findings. Interviews were conducted with transmission and distribution (T&D) directors at 3 investor-owned public electric utilities headquartered in California. The questions followed an open-ended format to gather responses as perceived by electric utility leaders for each research question category: overall skills, aging workforce, regulation, technology, and leading younger generations. The research resulted in 18 major themes: 5 for overall skills, 3 for aging workforce, 4 for regulation, 3 for technology, and 3 for leading younger generations. Conclusions. The study identified leadership skills including the ability to embrace, leverage, and stay current with technology; understand and provide a clear vision for the future; increase creativity; manage the next set of workers; motivate during a time of great change; prepare for knowledge transfer and change in workforce culture; manage regulatory expectations; expand potential utility opportunities; leverage "big data"; allow worker collaboration; and understand what drives younger generations. Recommendations. California-based electric utility leaders can remain effective by implementing key strategies identified herein. Further research could examine perspectives of additional utility leaders who lead in organizational units outside of T&D, expand the research to

Electric portfolio modeling with stochastic water - climate interactions: Implications for co-management of water and electric utilities

Science.gov (United States)

Woldeyesus, Tibebe Argaw

Water supply constraints can significantly restrict electric power generation, and such constraints are expected to worsen with future climate change. The overarching goal of this thesis is to incorporate stochastic water-climate interactions into electricity portfolio models and evaluate various pathways for water savings in co-managed water-electric utilities. Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) is used as a case study to explore the above issues. The thesis consists of three objectives: Characterize seasonality of water withdrawal intensity factors (WWIF) for electric power generation and develop a risk assessment framework due to water shortages; Incorporate water constraints into electricity portfolio models and evaluate the impact of varying capital investments (both power generation and cooling technologies) on water use and greenhouse gas emissions; Compare the unit cost and overall water savings from both water and electric sectors in co-managed utilities to facilitate overall water management. This thesis provided the first discovery and characterization of seasonality of WWIF with distinct summertime and wintertime variations of +/-17% compared to the power plant average (0.64gal/kwh) which itself is found to be significantly higher than the literature average (0.53gal/kwh). Both the streamflow and WWIF are found to be highly correlated with monthly average temperature (r-sq = 89%) and monthly precipitation (r-sq of 38%) enabling stochastic simulation of future WWIF under moderate climate change scenario. Future risk to electric power generation also showed the risk to be underestimated significantly when using either the literature average or the power plant average WWIF. Seasonal variation in WWIF along with seasonality in streamflow, electricity demand and other municipal water demands along with storage are shown to be important factors for more realistic risk estimation. The unlimited investment in power generation and/or cooling technologies is also

Management of stomal varices with transvenous obliteration utilizing sodium tetradecyl sulfate foam sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Saad, Wael E A; Schwaner, Sandra; Lippert, Allison; Sabri, Saher S; Al-Osaimi, Abdullah; Matsumoto, Alan H; Angle, John F; Caldwell, Stephen

2014-12-01

The management of parastomal varices is not established. Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) creation is the most commonly described treatment; however, the rebleed rate after TIPS is 21-37%. The purpose of the study is to determine the effectiveness of transvenous obliteration using sodium tetradecyl sulfate (STS) and to describe a new simplified technique in obliterating these varices. Four patients are presented who underwent transvenous obliteration using STS. One was obliterated using balloon occlusion from the systemic veins, the second was obliterated without balloon from a transhepatic antegrade approach, and the last two patients were obliterated using the direct antegrade technique. This simplified technique requires only a micropuncture kit (not requiring balloons or coils) and ultrasound transducer compression of the systemic draining veins, relying on high portal pressure to keep the sclerosant confined to the varices. The sclerosant is essentially trapped between the portal pressure and the ultrasound-transducer compression (10-15 min). Technical success was achieved in all four patients without procedural or postprocedural complications and no rebleeding for a mean follow-up of 17 (range 2-33) months. Transvenous obliteration of parastomal varices utilizing STS as a sclerosant is safe and effective. The newly described technique is simple, feasible, and requires minimal equipment (no balloons or coils or catheters).

Seaweed utilization and its present status in India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Untawale, A.G.; Dhargalkar, V.K.

various applied aspects like evaluation of seaweed resources, utilization, management, harvesting techniques and conservation in India. there seems to be a vast potential of using seaweeds for food, feed, fertilization and medicine in the 21st century...

How gender, age, and geography influence the utilization of radiation therapy in the management of malignant melanoma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

French, John; McGahan, Colleen; Duncan, Graeme; Lengoc, Sonca; Soo, Jenny; Cannon, Jerry

2006-01-01

Purpose: Comparing radiation therapy utilization rates (RTUR) to those predicted by best evidence is a useful measure of the equity and accessibility of service delivery. In this study the RTUR for melanoma was established for British Columbia, Canada, and compared with the rate suggested by the evidence. Demographic variables, specifically age, gender, and geography that influenced the RTUR were examined with a view to identifying methods of improving underutilization. Methods and Materials: The RTUR in the management of malignant melanoma was taken from British Columbia Cancer registry data for 1986 to 1998. Variations in utilization based on age, gender, health authority, stage of disease, and referral patterns were analyzed. Results: An RTUR of 11% was identified. This was consistent over time. Referral rates decreased between 1986 and 1998. RT is used mostly for later stage disease. Males were more likely to receive RT than females, related to later stage of disease in men. Referral rates decreased, but RTUR for referred cases increased, in health authorities that did not have a cancer center. Conclusions: Use of RT is influenced by age and by stage of disease. Overall RTUR in British Columbia is lower than suggested by best evidence. Referral patterns are influenced by geography. RTUR was higher in males, consistent with a different pattern of disease in males compared with females

Evolution of an outage management organization in a small utility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oubre, R.P.; Shetler, J.

1985-01-01

Six refueling outages with a number of major equipment failure outages have taught Rancho Seco management three main items. One is that a dedicated management organization must be formed for the purpose of controlling work functions at Rancho Seco. This dedicated organization must have the experience of the plant and not have the responsibility for the actual maintenance. Second, upper management within a power plant must get directly involved in the outage. Upper management must show their presence, give input, and be available when needed. The third item learned is that the scheduling organization must be adequately staffed. Although Rancho Seco completed a refueling outage in 1978 within only 36 days, additional inspection requirements due to regulatory changes and/or previous equipment failures requiring follow-up actions would place the shortest possible outage today at approx.70 days. The only way an organization can keep this outage time down is with the proper scheduling of the resources and the timely coordination of activities to reduce conflicts

Perestroika for public utilities? (Second thoughts on a conservation incentive)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whitehouse, S.

1990-01-01

This article examines the various sides of the debate over whether financial incentives should be offered those utilities with aggressive conservation programs as part of their load management scheme. The author feels that the desire of some of the utilities to operate as pure businesses instead of as public service companies that have obligations to their community and society beyond the obligations of ordinary business will lead to the surrender of an ideal where electric utilities are public service corporations obligated to do the right thing

Transporter engineering in biomass utilization by yeast.

Science.gov (United States)

Hara, Kiyotaka Y; Kobayashi, Jyumpei; Yamada, Ryosuke; Sasaki, Daisuke; Kuriya, Yuki; Hirono-Hara, Yoko; Ishii, Jun; Araki, Michihiro; Kondo, Akihiko

2017-11-01

Biomass resources are attractive carbon sources for bioproduction because of their sustainability. Many studies have been performed using biomass resources to produce sugars as carbon sources for cell factories. Expression of biomass hydrolyzing enzymes in cell factories is an important approach for constructing biomass-utilizing bioprocesses because external addition of these enzymes is expensive. In particular, yeasts have been extensively engineered to be cell factories that directly utilize biomass because of their manageable responses to many genetic engineering tools, such as gene expression, deletion and editing. Biomass utilizing bioprocesses have also been developed using these genetic engineering tools to construct metabolic pathways. However, sugar input and product output from these cells are critical factors for improving bioproduction along with biomass utilization and metabolic pathways. Transporters are key components for efficient input and output activities. In this review, we focus on transporter engineering in yeast to enhance bioproduction from biomass resources. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

41 CFR 101-27.209 - Utilization and distribution of shelf-life items.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... distribution of shelf-life items. 101-27.209 Section 101-27.209 Public Contracts and Property Management... PROCUREMENT 27-INVENTORY MANAGEMENT 27.2-Management of Shelf-Life Materials § 101-27.209 Utilization and distribution of shelf-life items. Where it is determined that specified quantities of both Type I and Type II...

Effects of Geographic Diversification on Risk Pooling to Mitigate Drought-Related Financial Losses for Water Utilities

Science.gov (United States)

Baum, Rachel; Characklis, Gregory W.; Serre, Marc L.

2018-04-01

As the costs and regulatory barriers to new water supply development continue to rise, drought management strategies have begun to rely more heavily on temporary conservation measures. While these measures are effective, they often lead to intermittent and unpredictable reductions in revenues that are financially disruptive to water utilities, raising concerns over lower credit ratings and higher rates of borrowing for this capital intensive sector. Consequently, there is growing interest in financial risk management strategies that reduce utility vulnerabilities. This research explores the development of financial index insurance designed to compensate a utility for drought-related losses. The focus is on analyzing candidate hydrologic indices that have the potential to be used by utilities across the US, increasing the potential for risk pooling, which would offer the possibility of both lower risk management costs and more widespread implementation. This work first analyzes drought-related financial risks for 315 publicly operated water utilities across the country and examines the effectiveness of financial contracts based on several indices both in terms of their correlation with utility revenues and their spatial autocorrelation across locations. Hydrologic-based index insurance contracts are then developed and tested over a 120 year period. Results indicate that risk pooling, even under conditions in which droughts are subject to some level of spatial autocorrelation, has the potential to significantly reduce the cost of managing financial risk.

Managing an evolution: Deregulation of the electric utility industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skinner, S.K.

1994-12-31

The author discusses the emerging competitive situation in the electric power industry as deregulation of electric utilities looms on the horizon. The paper supports this change, and the competition it will bring, but urges caution as changes are instituted, and the regulatory bodies decide how and how much to free, and at what rates. The reason for his urge for caution comes from historical experience of other industries, which were smaller and had less direct impact on every American.

Knowledge and Utilization of the Partograph among obstetric care ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

elearning

The partograph is utilized mainly in tertiary health facilities; knowledge about the partograph is poor. Though affordable ... management is a mandatory component of care ..... World Health Organization. World ... UNICEF/World Bank Statement.

Road to excellence through industry self-management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, J.H. Jr.

1985-01-01

In March 1984, nuclear utilities in the US took the initiative to make regulations in management and people-related areas unnecessary, as such regulations would interfere with our ability to manage ourselves. Such an initiative is the Nuclear Utility Management and Human Resources Committee (NUMARC), which was formed because the authors believe the electric utility industry is best capable of managing itself. NUMARC works with the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and its staff to develop a new approach to improving management and people-related areas of nuclear plant operation. In a recent NRC policy statement on training and qualification, the NRC recognized that the industry, through the initiatives of NUMARC and the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations (INPO), has made progress in developing programs to improve nuclear utility training and personnel qualification. It also recognized the importance of the industry's initiative and encouraged further self-improvement. The NRC stated it will refrain from new rulemaking in the area of training for a minimum of 2 yr, while monitoring industry efforts

Resource management in utility and cloud computing

CERN Document Server

Zhao, Han

2013-01-01

This SpringerBrief reviews the existing market-oriented strategies for economically managing resource allocation in distributed systems. It describes three new schemes that address cost-efficiency, user incentives, and allocation fairness with regard to different scheduling contexts. The first scheme, taking the Amazon EC2? market as a case of study, investigates the optimal resource rental planning models based on linear integer programming and stochastic optimization techniques. This model is useful to explore the interaction between the cloud infrastructure provider and the cloud resource c

Mothers Value and Utilize Early Outpatient Education on Breast Massage and Hand Expression in Their Self-Management of Engorgement.

Science.gov (United States)

Witt, Ann M; Bolman, Maya; Kredit, Sheila

2016-11-01

Breast engorgement is a major cause of pain and weaning in the early postpartum period. While protocols reinforce the need for anticipatory engorgement advice and continued outpatient health professional breastfeeding support, there remains limited information on the efficacy of focused postdischarge engorgement education. This study sought to explore if outpatient postpartum engorgement education changed mothers' home management and if mothers found instruction on specific massage and hand expression techniques helpful. This was a prospective descriptive cohort study. Subjects received engorgement-specific postpartum support from a healthcare professional at the posthospital discharge (PD) newborn visit. Email surveys at 1, 2, and 12 weeks postpartum collected data on engorgement home management, clinical course, and postpartum education. After the office visit, mothers changed their engorgement home management. Significantly more mothers utilized massage toward the axillae (25% versus 1%, p ≤ 0.001), reverse pressure softening (18% versus 3%, p = 0.001), and feeding more frequently (32% versus 16%, p = 0.04). Sixty-one percent would not have used massage and hand expression before education in the office. At 12 weeks, 96% of women reported massage and hand expression instruction as helpful. Mothers reported engorgement peaked at a median of 5 days postpartum, corresponding well to the office visit at a median of 4 days postpartum. Maternal engorgement symptoms are commonly present at the PD newborn visit. Education on engorgement, massage, and hand expression at this visit significantly changes home management strategies. Mothers find massage and hand expression instruction helpful.

A Novel Approach to Improving Utilization of Laboratory Testing.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Yaolin; Procop, Gary W; Riley, Jacquelyn D

2018-02-01

- The incorporation of best practice guidelines into one's institution is a challenging goal of utilization management, and the successful adoption of such guidelines depends on institutional context. Laboratorians who have access to key clinical data are well positioned to understand existing local practices and promote more appropriate laboratory testing. - To apply a novel approach to utilization management by reviewing international clinical guidelines and current institutional practices to create a reliable mechanism to improve detection and reduce unnecessary tests in our patient population. - We targeted a frequently ordered genetic test for HFE-related hereditary hemochromatosis, a disorder of low penetrance. After reviewing international practice guidelines, we evaluated 918 HFE tests and found that all patients with new diagnoses had transferrin saturation levels that were significantly higher than those of patients with nonrisk genotypes (72% versus 42%; P < .001). - Our "one-button" order that restricts HFE genetic tests to patients with transferrin saturation greater than 45% is consistent with published practice guidelines and detected 100% of new patients with HFE-related hereditary hemochromatosis. - Our proposed algorithm differs from previously published approaches in that it incorporates both clinical practice guidelines and local physician practices, yet requires no additional hands-on effort from pathologists or clinicians. This novel approach to utilization management embraces the role of pathologists as leaders in promoting high-quality patient care in local health care systems.

Atomic energy policy of Japan, especially plutonium utilization policy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moriguchi, Y.

1993-01-01

The necessity of plutonium use in Japan is discussed. Basic policy regarding plutonium use and future plutonium utilization programme is described including such an aspect as management of plutonium from dismantled nuclear weapons

Managing carbon regulatory risk in utility resource planning: Current practices in the Western United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barbose, Galen; Wiser, Ryan; Phadke, Amol; Goldman, Charles

2008-01-01

Concerns about global climate change have substantially increased the likelihood that future policy will seek to minimize carbon dioxide emissions. As such, even today, electric utilities are making resource planning and investment decisions that consider the possible implications of these future carbon regulations. In this article, we examine the manner in which utilities assess the financial risks associated with future carbon regulations within their long-term resource plans. We base our analysis on a review of the most recent resource plans filed by 15 electric utilities in the Western United States. Virtually all of these utilities made some effort to quantitatively evaluate the potential cost of future carbon regulations when analyzing alternate supply- and demand-side resource options for meeting customer load. Even without federal climate regulation in the US, the prospect of that regulation is already having an impact on utility decision-making and resource choices. That said, the methods and assumptions used by utilities to analyze carbon regulatory risk, and the impact of that analysis on their choice of a particular resource strategy, vary considerably, revealing a number of opportunities for analytic improvement. Though our review focuses on a subset of US electric utilities, this work holds implications for all electric utilities and energy policymakers who are seeking to minimize the compliance costs associated with future carbon regulations

Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program environmental compliance assessment checklists

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Levine, M.B.; Sigmon, C.F.

1989-09-29

The purpose of the Environmental Compliance Assessment Program is to assess the compliance of Formerly Utilized Site Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) sites with applicable environmental regulations and Department of Energy (DOE) Orders. The mission is to identify, assess, and decontaminate sites utilized during the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s to process and store uranium and thorium ores in support of the Manhattan Engineer District and the Atomic Energy Commission. To conduct the FUSRAP environmental compliance assessment, checklists were developed that outline audit procedures to determine the compliance status of the site. The checklists are divided in four groups to correspond to these regulatory areas: Hazardous Waste Management, PCB Management, Air Emissions, and Water Discharges.

Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program environmental compliance assessment checklists

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Levine, M.B.; Sigmon, C.F.

1989-01-01

The purpose of the Environmental Compliance Assessment Program is to assess the compliance of Formerly Utilized Site Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) sites with applicable environmental regulations and Department of Energy (DOE) Orders. The mission is to identify, assess, and decontaminate sites utilized during the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s to process and store uranium and thorium ores in support of the Manhattan Engineer District and the Atomic Energy Commission. To conduct the FUSRAP environmental compliance assessment, checklists were developed that outline audit procedures to determine the compliance status of the site. The checklists are divided in four groups to correspond to these regulatory areas: Hazardous Waste Management, PCB Management, Air Emissions, and Water Discharges

Frisby v. Schultz, 27 June 1988.

Science.gov (United States)

1988-01-01

The plaintiffs, anti-abortion protesters, challenged a Brookfield Wisconsin ordinance making it "unlawful for any person to engage in picketing before or about the residence or dwelling of any individual" and declaring that the primary purpose of the ban is to "protec[t] and preserv[e] the home" through assurance "that members of the community enjoy in their homes . . . a feeling of well-being, tranquillity, and privacy." They claimed that the ordinance violated their First Amendment rights of free speech. The Court reversed lower court rulings finding the ordinance unconstitutional. It held that the ban on picketing did not ban all picketing in residential areas, but, rather, only "focused picketing" taking place solely in front of a specific residence, and that the ordinance left ample means of alternative channels of communication. It concluded that the ordinance served a significant government interest of protecting residential privacy and that there was no constitutional right to force speech into the home of an unwilling listener. In 1988, US courts reached the following decisions with respect to the activities of anti-abortion protesters: 1) action charging anti-abortionists with conspiracy under federal laws is allowed (Portland Feminist Women's Health Center vs. Advocates for Life, US District Court, D. Oregon, 28 June 1988 [712 F.Supp. 165]); 2) action charging anti-abortionists with conspiracy under federal laws not allowed, but action charging anti-abortionists with violation of racketeering laws allowed (Feminist Women's Health Center vs. Roberts, US District Court, W.D. Washington, 11 March 1988 [1988 US Dist. Lexis 16325]); 3) action charging anti-abortionists with violation of racketeering laws allowed (Northeast Women's Center, Inc. vs. McMonagle, US District Court, E.D. Pennsylvania, 31 March 1988 [689 F.Supp. 465]); and 4) action charging anti-abortionists with conspiracy under federal laws and with violation of racketeering laws is allowed (Roe vs. Operation Rescue, US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 19 December 1988 [1988 US District Lexis 14484]). full text

Industry perspective on digital upgrades: A utility perspective on digital upgrades

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blauw, R.J.

1994-01-01

Nuclear utilities face the need to upgrade aging and obsolete safety related and other critical equipment. This is the result of operation and maintenance concerns for reliability and maintainability. Digital technology is an option for these upgrades. A number of utilities have attempted exercising the digital option. The regulatory licensing results have been inconsistent and have raised a variety of issues. These issues and the subsequent licensing uncertainties have caused some utilities to temporarily drop digital technology as an upgrade option. Resolution of these issues and the need for regulatory stability is driving the development of industry standards and guidelines. These will provide guidance to support consistent design and implementation of digital upgrades. Successful completion of these documents is necessary for renewed consideration of the use of digital technology. This paper will present a utility perspective on how project management, configuration control, and a rigorous design process can serve to address the present regulatory issues. These issues include commercial grade dedication, reliability, electromagnetic interference, and failure and error management. This perspective is consistent with the standards and guidelines development effort

Update on the clinical utility of once-daily tacrolimus in the management of transplantation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Revollo J

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Jane Revollo Department of Pharmacy, Jackson Memorial Hospital, University of Miami Leonard M Miller School of Medicine Miami, FL, USAThe review by Posadas Salas and Srinivas of the clinical utility of once-daily tacrolimus formulations in the management of transplant patients1 was timely and relevant. It is worth noting, however, the data were presented in a way that overlooked several key differences between two distinct once-daily tacrolimus formulations. These formulations differ in bioavailability, Cmax, Tmax, dose required to achieve target trough levels, and time to reach target trough. The specific formulation and dosing information of one product was detailed in this review (described as modified release 4 [MR-4]; Astagraf®, Astellas Pharma Inc., Tokyo, Japan, but no formulation or dosing details were provided for a very different once-daily tacrolimus formulation (LCP-Tacro™; Veloxis Pharmaceuticals A/S, Hørsholm, Denmark for which a thorough review was recently published.2 The latter product is currently approved in Europe and under review by the US Food and Drug Administration in the US. In presenting data in this review, the authors did not identify which product was investigated in each of the studies discussed. This could easily lead to misinterpretation of results or erroneous conclusions, ie, that both once-daily formulations are the same. In fact, a careful parsing of the data clearly demonstrates that they are not equivalent. Misunderstanding of this point could have a potentially serious impact on appropriate dosing, safety, and patient management in the post-transplant setting. Differentiation between the two products is needed to clarify what appear to be conflicting results of the studies presented in this review.View original paper by Posadas Salas and Srinivas

Shift level analysis of cable yarder availability, utilization, and productive time

Science.gov (United States)

James R. Sherar; Chris B. LeDoux

1989-01-01

Decision makers, loggers, managers, and planners need to understand and have methods for estimating utilization and productive time of cable logging systems. In making an accurate prediction of how much area and volume a machine will log per unit time and the associated cable yarding costs, a reliable estimate of the availability, utilization, and productive time of...

Developing utility emergency preparedness exercises

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sjoeblom, K.

1986-01-01

Utility emergency preparedness exercises constitute an important link in upgrading the response to nuclear power plant emergencies. Various emergency exercises are arranged annually at the Loviisa nuclear power plant. The on-site simulator is a practical tool in developing suitable accident scenarios and demonstrating them to the site emergency players and spectators. The exercises concentrate on emergency management and radiological activities. It is important to create a high degree of motivation. (author)

Multiattribute utility theory without expected utility foundations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wakker, P.P.; Miyamoto, J.

1996-01-01

Methods for determining the form of utilities are needed for the implementation of utility theory in specific decisions. An important step forward was achieved when utility theorists characterized useful parametric families of utilities, and simplifying decompositions of multiattribute utilities.

Multiattribute Utility Theory without Expected Utility Foundations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stiggelbout, A.M.; Wakker, P.P.

1995-01-01

Methods for determining the form of utilities are needed for the implementation of utility theory in specific decisions. An important step forward was achieved when utility theorists characterized useful parametric families of utilities, and simplifying decompositions of multiattribute utilities.

Utility Energy Services Contracts: Enabling Documents, May 2009 (Book)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2009-05-01

Enabling Documents, delivered by the U.S. Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) to provide materials that clarify the authority for federal agencies to enter into utility energy services contracts (UESCs).

Utilization of a computer using programless language for radiation protection management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masuko, Syozi; Kasahara, Shigeru

1985-01-01

The practice of radiation management is different for each laboratory both in point of view and in the form of recording. Therefore, the computer program for the radiation management, especially for the management of radioisotopes is required to meet many amendments. In this standpoint, we have developed a ''programless language'' or ''programless software'' and have used in our work for several years. As the result of our experience, we have found that the programless language is quite satisfactory for the management of radioisotopes and that it has an advantage in some aspects over conventional programs. It is thought that this ''programless language'' is effective not only for our own works, but also applicable to other radioisotope laboratories. (author)

Baseline non-traditional resource use in the Aurora Mine EIA local study area and the Syncrude/Suncor regional study area

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-12-31

As part of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) in the regional and local study area of Syncrude`s proposed Aurora Mine, the use of natural resources by non-aboriginal residents and non-residents in the area was documented. The objective of the study was to determine what specific resources are being used, how much, when, where and why. The topics included hunting, fishing, camping and canoeing. Public opinion regarding opportunities for resource use was also documented. The report focused on the dynamic nature of resource use, secondary economies (tourist accommodations) and quality of life. A telephone survey was conducted in which 17 respondents from recreational organizations answered a resource use questionnaire which contained 38 questions on consumptive and non-consumptive uses of wildlife, fish, berries, timber, non-resident use and resource management policies. The three environmentally significant areas of the local study area included the Muskeg River, Kearl Lake and East Jackpine Creek. The regional study are contained the Horse River Diversity area, La Saline Natural area, Schultz`s Bog Diversity area, Athabasca Tar Sands Reach, Clearwater River, McClelland Lake Patterned Fens, McClelland Lake, and the Fort Hills. Agriculture in both areas is limited because of unfavourable climate and generally low-quality soil. 13 refs., 7 tabs., 6 figs.

THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF BASIC PROVISIONS OF THE ENERGY SAVING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IN THE FIELD OF HOUSING AND PUBLIC UTILITIES THROUGH INTRODUCTION OF SMALL INNOVATIVE ENTERPRISES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kiseleva Ekaterina Alexandrovna

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The author addresses solutions to problems of the housing and utilities sector (including a substantial depreciation of fixed assets of the municipal infrastructure, a gap between domestic utilities management technologies and those employed worldwide, and the fund raising problem through power saving actions to be facilitated by small innovative enterprises. The proposed solutions contribute to formation of new jobs in the regions, reduction of power consumption and higher efficiency of regional economies due to reduced costs and rates (prices set for utilities-related services, and improvement of the standard and quality of living. The principal objective is to develop a set of procedures and criteria to serve as the basis for the selection of tools of power saving innovations in the housing and utilities sector of regions and municipalities. The above actions are to be implemented through the involvement of small innovative enterprises. The basic tools (instruments of the state social and economic (including innovation-related policy, that are to stimulate subjects of innovative activities to implement innovative projects in this sector stimulate energy efficiency innovations in the housing and utilities sector. The proposed set of tools includes tax holidays, subsidies, grants, soft loans, concessional loans, state and municipal orders, etc. The procedure of selection of instruments of state-initiated innovations designated for the improvement of the power efficiency of the housing and public utilities sector to be implemented by regional and municipal authorities is proposed by the author. The author identifies several types of energy saving innovations in the housing and utilities sector, based on their systemic effects. Upon identification of the top-priority recipients of state support, financial resources are to be distributed. Advantages of innovative energy saving projects in the housing and utilities sector, developed and implemented

Sentinel Asia step 2 utilization for disaster management in Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moslin, S I; Wahap, N A; Han, O W

2014-01-01

With the installation of Wideband InterNetworking engineering test and Demonstration Satellite (WINDS) communication system in the National Space Centre, Banting; officially Malaysia is one of the twelve Sentinel Asia Step2 System Regional Servers in the Asia Pacific region. The system will be dedicated to receive and deliver images of disaster struck areas observed by Asia Pacific earth observation satellites by request of the Sentinel Asia members via WINDS satellite or 'Kizuna'. Sentinel Asia is an initiative of collaboration between space agencies and disaster management agencies, applying remote sensing and web-GIS technologies to assist disaster management in Asia Pacific. When a disaster occurred, participating members will make an Emergency Observation Request (EOR) to the Asian Disaster Reduction Centre (ADRC). Subsequently, the Data Provider Node (DPN) will execute the emergency observation using the participating earth observation satellites. The requested images then will be processed and analysed and later it will be uploaded on the Sentinel Asia website to be utilised for disaster management and mitigation by the requestor and any other international agencies related to the disaster. Although the occurrences of large scale natural disasters are statistically seldom in Malaysia, but we can never be sure with the unpredictable earth climate nowadays. This paper will demonstrate the advantage of using Sentinel Asia Step2 for local disaster management. Case study will be from the recent local disaster occurrences. In addition, this paper also will recommend a local disaster management support system by using the Sentinel Asia Step2 facilities in ANGKASA

[Guidelines for wise utilization of knee imaging].

Science.gov (United States)

Finestone, Aharon S; Eshed, Iris; Freedman, Yehuda; Beer, Yiftah; Bar-Sever, Zvi; Kots, Yavvgeni; Adar, Eliyahu; Mann, Gideon

2012-02-01

The knee is a complex structure afflicted with diverse pathologies. Correct management of knee complaints demands wise utilization of imaging modalities, considering their accuracy in the specific clinical situation, the patient's safety and availability and financial issues. Some of these considerations are universal, while others are local, depending on medical and insurance systems. There is controversy and unclearness regarding the best imaging modality in different clinical situations. To develop clinical guidelines for utilizing knee imaging. Leading physicians in specialties associated with knee disease and imaging were invited to participate in a panel on the guidelines. Controversies were settled in the main panel or in sub-panels. The panel agreed on the principles in choosing from the various modalities, primarily medical accuracy, followed by patient safety, availability and cost. There was agreement that the physician is responsible to choose the most appropriate diagnostic tool, consulting, when necessary, on the advantages, limitations and risks of the various imaging modalities. A comprehensive table was compiled with the importance of the different imaging modalities in various clinical situations. For the first time, Israeli guidelines on wise utilization of knee imaging are presented. They take into consideration the clinical situations and also availability and financial issues specific to Israel. These guidelines will serve physicians of several disciplines and medical insurers to improve patient management efficiently.

Building Foundations for Nuclear Security Enterprise Analysis Utilizing Nuclear Weapon Data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Josserand, Terry Michael [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Nuclear Security Enterprise and Cost Analysis; Young, Leone [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Nuclear Security Enterprise and Cost Analysis; Chamberlin, Edwin Phillip [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States). Nuclear Security Enterprise and Cost Analysis

2017-09-01

The Nuclear Security Enterprise, managed by the National Nuclear Security Administration - a semiautonomous agency within the Department of Energy - has been associated with numerous assessments with respect to the estimating, management capabilities, and practices pertaining to nuclear weapon modernization efforts. This report identifies challenges in estimating and analyzing the Nuclear Security Enterprise through an analysis of analogous timeframe conditions utilizing two types of nuclear weapon data - (1) a measure of effort and (2) a function of time. The analysis of analogous timeframe conditions that utilizes only two types of nuclear weapon data yields four summary observations that estimators and analysts of the Nuclear Security Enterprise will find useful.

An Architecture for Cross-Cloud System Management

Science.gov (United States)

Dodda, Ravi Teja; Smith, Chris; van Moorsel, Aad

The emergence of the cloud computing paradigm promises flexibility and adaptability through on-demand provisioning of compute resources. As the utilization of cloud resources extends beyond a single provider, for business as well as technical reasons, the issue of effectively managing such resources comes to the fore. Different providers expose different interfaces to their compute resources utilizing varied architectures and implementation technologies. This heterogeneity poses a significant system management problem, and can limit the extent to which the benefits of cross-cloud resource utilization can be realized. We address this problem through the definition of an architecture to facilitate the management of compute resources from different cloud providers in an homogenous manner. This preserves the flexibility and adaptability promised by the cloud computing paradigm, whilst enabling the benefits of cross-cloud resource utilization to be realized. The practical efficacy of the architecture is demonstrated through an implementation utilizing compute resources managed through different interfaces on the Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) service. Additionally, we provide empirical results highlighting the performance differential of these different interfaces, and discuss the impact of this performance differential on efficiency and profitability.