Blockchain-Based Power Energy Trading Management

Distributed peer-to-peer power energy markets are emerging quickly. Due to central governance and lack of effective information aggregation mechanisms, energy trading cannot be efficiently scheduled and tracked. We devise a new distributed energy transaction system over the energy Industrial Internet of Things based on predictive analytics, blockchain, and smart contract technologies. We propose a solution for scheduling distributed energy sources based on the Minimum Cut Maximum Flow theory. Blockchain is used to record transactions and reach consensus. Payment clearing for the actual power consumption is executed via smart contracts. Experimental results on real data show that our solution is practical and achieves a lower total cost for power energy consumption.

The cost-effectiveness of hypertonic saline inhalations for infant bronchiolitis

Background Pharmacological treatment for bronchiolitis is primarily supportive because bronchodilators, steroids, and antibiotics, show little benefit. Clinical studies have suggested that nebulized 3% hypertonic solution is useful for infants with bronchiolitis. This study aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the HS inhalations in infant bronchiolitis in a tropical country. Methods Decision tree analysis was used to calculate the expected costs and QALYs. All cost and use of resources were collected directly from medical invoices of 193 patient hospitalized with diagnosis of bronchiolitis in tertiary centers, of Rionegro, Colombia. The utility values applied to QALYs calculations were collected from the literature. The economic analysis was carried out from a societal perspective. Results The model showed that nebulized 3% hypertonic solution, was associated with lower total cost than controls (US $200vs US $240 average cost per patient), and higher QALYs (0.92 vs 0.91 average per patient); showing dominance. A position of dominance negates the need to calculate an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. Conclusion The nebulized 3% hypertonic solution was cost-effective in the inpatient treatment of infant bronchiolitis. Our study provides evidence that should be used by decision-makers to improve clinical practice guidelines and should be replicated to validate their results in other tropical countries.

The Application of Total Cost of Ownership Method to Automotive Industry

Transport currently has the largest share of air pollution, among all sectors. Increasing air pollution caused by conventional cars brings an opportunity to develop electric cars, which are a green alternative in transport. The main aim of the article was to explain the terms related to electromobility through the literature and then to examine the total cost of electric cars and conventional cars on the example of selected four models. The comparison was made on the example of the best-selling four selected models: electric car, hybrid car, plug-in hybrid car and standard petrol car. The methods were used in the elaboration of the article: analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction and comparison. We used the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) method to process the results. The intention of the article was to point out the lower total cost of ownership for electric cars and to confirm the fact that electric cars are a profitable investment in the future.

The cost‑effectiveness of hypertonic saline inhalations for infant bronchiolitis.

BackgroundPharmacological treatment for bronchiolitis is primarily supportive because bronchodilators, steroids, and antibiotics, show little benefit. Clinical studies have suggested that nebulized 3% hypertonic solution is useful for infants with bronchiolitis. This study aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the HS inhalations in infant bronchiolitis in a tropical country Methods Decision tree analysis was used to calculate the expected costs and QALYs. All cost and use of resources were collected directly from medical invoices of 193 patient hospitalized with diagnosis of bronchiolitis in tertiary centers, of Rionegro, Colombia. The utility values applied to QALYs calculations were collected from the literature. The economic analysis was carried out from a societal perspective.ResultsThe model showed that nebulized 3% hypertonic solution, was associated with lower total cost than controls (US $200vs US $240 average cost per patient), and higher QALYs ( 0.92 vs 0.91 average per patient); showing dominance. A position of dominance negates the need to calculate an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio.Conclusion The nebulized 3% hypertonic solution was cost-effective in the inpatient treatment of infant bronchiolitis. Our study provides evidence that should be used by decision-makers to improve clinical practice guidelines and should be replicated to validate their results in other tropical countries.

The cost ‑effectiveness of hypertonic saline inhalations for infant bronchiolitis.

Background Pharmacological treatment for bronchiolitis is primarily supportive because bronchodilators, steroids, and antibiotics, show little benefit. Clinical studies have suggested that nebulized 3% hypertonic solution is useful for infants with bronchiolitis. This study aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the HS inhalations in infant bronchiolitis in a tropical country Methods Decision tree analysis was used to calculate the expected costs and QALYs. All cost and use of resources were collected directly from medical invoices of 193 patient hospitalized with diagnosis of bronchiolitis in tertiary centers, of Rionegro, Colombia. The utility values applied to QALYs calculations were collected from the literature. The economic analysis was carried out from a societal perspective.Results The model showed that nebulized 3% hypertonic solution, was associated with lower total cost than controls (US $200vs US $240 average cost per patient), and higher QALYs ( 0.92 vs 0.91 average per patient); showing dominance. A position of dominance negates the need to calculate an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio.Conclusion The nebulized 3% hypertonic solution was cost-effective in the inpatient treatment of infant bronchiolitis. Our study provides evidence that should be used by decision-makers to improve clinical practice guidelines and should be replicated to validate their results in other tropical countries.

Optimal power generation for wind-hydro-thermal system using meta-heuristic algorithms

In this paper, Cuckoo search algorithm (CSA) is suggested for determining optimal operation parameters of the combined wind turbine and hydrothermal system (CWHTS) in order to minimize total fuel cost of all operating thermal power plants while all constraints of plants and system are exactly satisfied. In addition to CSA, Particle swarm optimization (PSO), PSO with constriction factor and inertia weight factor (FCIWPSO) and Social Ski-Driver (SSD) are also implemented for comparisons. The CWHTS is optimally scheduled over twenty-four one-hour interval and total cost of producing power energy is employed for comparison. Via numerical results and graphical results, it indicates CSA can reach much better results than other ones in terms of lower total cost, higher success rate and faster search process. Consequently, the conclusion is confirmed that CSA is a very efficient method for the problem of determining optimal operation parameters of CWHTS.

The Cost ‑effectiveness of Hypertonic Saline Inhalations for Infant Bronchiolitis

Background Pharmacological treatment for bronchiolitis is primarily supportive because bronchodilators, steroids, and antibiotics, show little benefit. Clinical studies have suggested that nebulized 3% hypertonic solution is useful for infants with bronchiolitis. This study aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the HS inhalations in infant bronchiolitis in a tropical country Methods Decision tree analysis was used to calculate the expected costs and QALYs. All cost and use of resources were collected directly from medical invoices of 193 patient hospitalized with diagnosis of bronchiolitis in tertiary centers, of Rionegro, Colombia. The utility values applied to QALYs calculations were collected from the literature. The economic analysis was carried out from a societal perspective. Results The model showed that nebulized 3% hypertonic solution, was associated with lower total cost than controls (US $200vs US $240 average cost per patient), and higher QALYs ( 0.92 vs 0.91 average per patient); showing dominance. A position of dominance negates the need to calculate an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. Conclusion The nebulized 3% hypertonic solution was cost-effective in the inpatient treatment of infant bronchiolitis. Our study provides evidence that should be used by decision-makers to improve clinical practice guidelines and should be replicated to validate their results in other tropical countries.

A STUDY OF THE PHYSICO-MECHANICAL PROPERTIES IN SHORT BLEACHING SEQUENCES

ABSTRACT The kraft pulp of Eucalyptus spp. is relatively easy to be bleached. Therefore, studies have been carried out to reduce the number of stages of bleaching in the plant and minimize process costs. The present work aimed to evaluate the use of two short bleaching sequences in the physico-mechanical properties of cellulosic pulp as well as to compare these values to the ones obtained by usual bleaching sequences. The four bleaching sequences were ECF (elemental chlorine free), D0(E+P)D1P, AHTD0(E+P)D1P, and AHTDP and AHTD (PO). For each bleaching sequence the brightness, brightness reversion and total cost of reagents were evaluated. Physical and mechanical analyses were performed according to the methodologies of the Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry (TAPPI, 2002). The AHTD (PO) sequence showed higher brightness, less brightness reversion, lower total cost and better smoothness compared to the reference sequences. However, it had a lower tear index and a lower compression index. The AHTDP sequence did not reach target brightness, however, it presented brightness reversion and lower total cost than the reference sequences. The AHTDP sequences showed high compression and smoothness, but presented a low compression index.