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The increasing global meat demand raises concerns regarding the spoilage of meat caused by microbial invasion and oxidative decomposition. Natural substances, as a gift from nature to humanity, possess broad-spectrum bioactivity and have been utilized for meat preservation. However, their limited stability, solubility, and availability hinder their further development. To address this predicament, advanced organic nanocarriers provide an effective shelter for the formation of nano-natural substances (NNS). This review comprehensively presents various natural substances derived from plants, animals, and microorganisms, along with the challenges they face. Subsequently, the potential of organic nanocarriers is explored, highlighting their distinct features and applicability, in addressing these challenges. The review methodically examines the application of NNS in meat preservation, with a focus on their pathways of action and preservation mechanisms. Furthermore, the outlook and future trends for NNS applications in meat preservation are concluded. The theory and practice summary of NNS is expected to serve as a catalyst for advancements that enhance meat security, promote human health, and contribute to sustainable development. HIGHLIGHTS: Diversified organic nanocarriers conquer the limitations of natural substances NNS based on organic nanocarriers are a reliable and health-promoting option NNS can manifest their effectiveness through diverse pathways and mechanisms The utilization of NNS in meat preservation represents a transformative strategy [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamins are essential components of enzyme systems involved in normal growth and function. The quantitative estimation of the proportion of dietary vitamins, that is in a form available for utilization by the human body, is limited and fragmentary. This review provides the current state of knowledge on the bioavailability of thirteen vitamins and choline, to evaluate whether there are differences in vitamin bioavailability when human foods are sourced from animals or plants. The bioavailability of naturally occurring choline, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K in food awaits further studies. Animal-sourced foods are the almost exclusive natural sources of dietary vitamin B-12 (65% bioavailable) and preformed vitamin A retinol (74% bioavailable), and contain highly bioavailable biotin (89%), folate (67%), niacin (67%), pantothenic acid (80%), riboflavin (61%), thiamin (82%), and vitamin B-6 (83%). Plant-based foods are the main natural sources of vitamin C (76% bioavailable), provitamin A carotenoid β-carotene (15.6% bioavailable), riboflavin (65% bioavailable), thiamin (81% bioavailable), and vitamin K (16.5% bioavailable). The overview of studies showed that in general, vitamins in foods originating from animals are more bioavailable than vitamins in foods sourced from plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are critical for communication within a mile radius and industrial applications. These networks are very prone to failure due to their enormous number of nodes and their unique hardware and software restrictions. To make sure network performance, a lot of study needs to be done to improve failure tolerance and stability. This study looks at how to judge the availability and dependability of WSNs that have long‐term issues. The suggested method checks how well a network works in various failure cases by using fault trees and Markov chain analysis. Such methods help us find and study possible failure scenarios and how they might impact the network's dependability in a planned way. The results show that WSNs have major flaws and give useful suggestions for making the systems work better. The findings show that using these evaluation methods may greatly enhance the ability to handle faults, lower the risk of damage, and allow developers of WSNs to make smart choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the availability, affordability, and accessibility of antidiabetic medications in Herat, Afghanistan, in 2023. Methods: Adhering to WHO and HAI guidelines, a systematic survey approach was utilized to collect data on the pricing, availability, and affordability of commonly prescribed antidiabetic medications. Data collection spanned a month and involved four investigators using a standardized template. Data on the most-sold generic (MSG) and least expensive generic (LPG) options were compiled from pharmacies, and descriptive statistics were employed. Results: The study reveals a heavy reliance on imported medications, mainly from Pakistan, with limited local production. Availability in pharmacies exhibited notable disparities, with essential medications sometimes lacking consistency. The financial analysis identified affordability challenges, particularly for certain Iranian and Pakistani brands. Notably, Metformin 500 mg emerged as the most consumed medication. Sitagliptin 50 mg had the highest average consumption when considering Pakistani brands, whereas Insulin Regular topped the list for Iranian brands. Conclusions: The findings emphasize the need for comprehensive strategies to address diabetic patients' challenges in Herat, Afghanistan. Strengthening the pharmaceutical supply chain, bolstering local production, and implementing measures to enhance medication affordability are crucial for improving diabetic care and advancing public health in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drug policies and interventions require an ongoing understanding of the local demand for illegal drugs. How illegal drugs are distributed to consumers is critical in the demand process. To overcome barriers to purchasing illegal drugs, people utilize their peers to purchase substances for them. These brokered drug sales allow buyers to leverage their peer networks to make purchases. For brokers, this form of exchange allows them to obtain drugs for free. This drug acquisition strategy is underappreciated in understanding how local drug market's function. Methods: This paper presents findings from a brief survey on brokering collected from a random sample (N = 241) of active illegal drug injectors recruited from two syringe services programs in Ohio, USA. Results: Findings indicate that 30-day and lifetime brokering behavior is common (71% and 90% respectively). Respondents who brokered in the last 30 days (n = 181) purchased drugs for an average of 7 people and from an average of 4 different sellers. Among this group, over 84% indicated that they used drugs with the person they brokered for, 49% reported often or always inflating the price to the buyer, and 27% indicated they removed some drug before returning to the buyer. Conclusion: Measuring brokering offers new insight on the dynamics of drug markets, how they operate, and ways to measure their activity. The demand for illegal drugs incorporates the increased use of a drug, changes in the use of different drugs, and/or a novel drug being used. Accessing drugs via brokering accommodates these dynamics. By including brokering in drug market activity, the concept and scope of illegal drug markets transform into networks and not places. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A key aspect in evaluating the performance of a UAV or its swarm is reliability. The reliability is calculated based on various mathematical models. Traditionally, Binary-State System (BSS) models, which assess two states—operational and faulty—are employed. However, some studies suggest using a Multi-State System (MSS) model, which allows for a detailed analysis by considering multiple states beyond just operational and faulty. Both mathematical models allow for the evaluation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) swarms based on availability, which is considered as a probability of swarm mission implementation. There is one more similar assessment computed based on MSS, which is named the probabilities of the performance level. There are not any recommendations for applications of these mathematical models and assessments for reliability analyses of UAV swarms. This paper introduces a comparative study on the availability of UAV swarms using both BSS and MSS models and the probability of performance levels of UAV swarms. This study provides quantitative and qualitative recommendations to exploit these mathematical models and assessments for UAV swarms according to computational complexity and informativeness. The comparative analysis shows that the evaluation of UAV swarm failure should be based on BSS, and the analysis of operation states should be implemented based on probabilities' performance levels instead of swarm availability. These results are confirmed by quantitative and statistical examinations of UAV swarms of different types based on both BSS and MSS. The number of UAVs is changed from 2 to 20 in these examinations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Inequity in asthma and COVID-19 outcomes and research among Hispanic or Latino individuals is well established. Patient centered outcomes research (PCOR) may help address these inequalities. This report describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of a virtual conference series program titled "Unidos Hablemos de/United, Let's Talk About" intended to address the health literacy of the Hispanic/Latino community regarding asthma and COVID-19 and to encourage involvement in PCOR. Methods: A Project Advisory Group consisting of Hispanic/Latino patient advisors who had been diagnosed with asthma and/or COVID-19, healthcare providers, researchers, a Hispanic faith-based leader, and a program evaluator designed and implemented a six-month series of monthly one-hour virtual sessions. Speakers and topics were selected that fit the Hispanic/Latino community and culture regarding asthma, COVID-19, and PCOR. Recruitment was through a multichannel digital promotion strategy, including social media. The virtual sessions were free on the ZOOM webinar platform and included interactive polling questions, live chat box, and Q&A. All audio and written materials from the sessions were translated into Spanish and English. Evaluations were used to rate the overall satisfaction with the program. Results: An average of 382 participants attended each of the six sessions, and participation generally increased with each session. The proportion of participants who considered themselves a Hispanic/Latino patient with asthma, caregiver, or clergy who served Hispanic/Latino communities increased by 100% from session one to session two. Preference for materials in Spanish ranged from 12 to 20% of participants over the six sessions. Among the sessions, 74–84% of polling question respondents indicated they would be willing to participate in research or a study, and 88% said they would be willing to serve as a patient partner/advocate. Program evaluations consistently indicated high satisfaction with the session content, session format, and feeling of inclusion. Conclusions: Unidos Hablemos provided a voice to the Hispanic/Latino community that will inform future strategies to improve equity in asthma management, COVID-19, and PCOR. Patient speakers generated trust from the participants and "bridged the gap" between physicians, researchers, and the Hispanic/Latino community. Providing evidence-based, current information will empower patients and caregivers to make informed healthcare decisions. Plain English summary: Hispanic/Latino patients have more emergency visits, hospitalizations, and deaths from asthma and COVID-19 than non-Hispanic/Latino White patients. Puerto Rican patients may have these outcomes more often than other Hispanic/Latino patients. Hispanic/Latino patients may not seek healthcare or take part in research because of language barriers and cultural differences. Patient centered outcomes research (PCOR) can be a solution to these issues. This type of research uses information from real-world situations to improve inequalities in research. A group of Hispanic/Latino patients, caregivers, and experts led the planning of a free webinar series that focused on asthma, COVID-19, and how patients can get involved in PCOR. The webinars and material were offered in both English and Spanish. Spanish was the preferred language for some of the webinar participants. During the sessions, most people indicated they would be willing to participate in research and be an advisor for PCOR. The patient speakers were important in generating the trust of the participants. Patients and caregivers were satisfied with the content and format and said they felt included. Programs, like this one, help patients make informed decisions about their medical care and take part in PCOR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applying inorganic phosphorus fertilizer is less effective in increasing crop yields in tropical soils due to precipitation and adsorption reactions. However, research suggests that partial substitution of organic and inorganic fertilizers has shown to improve the efficiency of applied phosphorus fertilizer by reducing its adsorption and enhancing desorption due to their synergistic effects. This study aimed to investigate the impact of treating the soil with mixed manure (MM) rates and blended nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, and boron (NPSB) fertilizer on the soil's phosphorus adsorption and desorption characteristics. Results showed increased adsorbed phosphorus in all treatments, with increased added phosphorus (P) concentration from 100 to 500 mg kg−1. However, the efficiency of adsorbed P decreased significantly as added P concentration rates increased from 100 to 400 mg·kg−1 in all treatments and then decreased as the added P concentration advanced to 500 mg·kg−1. Moreover, in all treatments that received combined applications of MM and blended NPSB, both quantity and percentage of desorbed P showed a significant increase. The Freundlich adsorption coefficient and constant were also significantly reduced because of the combined application of MM and blended NPSB, compared to the control and their sole applications. Overall, the soil treated with a combined application of 15 t·ha−1 of MM with 100 kg·ha−1 of blended NPSB showed the highest reduction in the efficiency of adsorbed P, percentage of desorbed P, Freundlich adsorption capacity, and intensity by 8%, 37.5%, 60%, and 58%, respectively, as compared to the control. These findings indicate that the combined application of MM and blended NPSB can improve the P availability and uptake by maize by reducing its adsorption while increasing desorption characteristics. Finally, this experiment recommends further research on the long‐term effects of MM and blended NPSB on P adsorption and desorption characteristics of vertisols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Examine how student demographics and perception of on-campus counseling service availability, accessibility, acceptability, and quality is related to utilization. Participants: A total of 262 students from 49 Georgia (U.S.) higher education institutions. Methods: A logistic regression examined student perception of on-campus counseling services and associations with service utilization, controlling for covariates. Results: (1) Non-heterosexual students were more likely to use on-campus counseling services than heterosexual students, (2) students in rural areas were more likely to utilize services than students in urban areas, (3) insured students had higher odds of utilizing services than uninsured students, and (4) higher ratings of perceived accessibility were associated with likelier service use. Conclusions: The perception of accessibility was significantly associated with higher odds of on-campus service use. Thus, a better understanding of student perception of on-campus counseling center accessibility is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The accessibility of Parkinson's disease medicines is limited across sub‐Saharan Africa, which can have negative health, social and financial consequences for people with Parkinson's disease and their families. However, there is a stark gap in the literature regarding the impact of poor access to medicines on individuals. Objectives: The study objective was to understand the accessibility of Parkinson's disease medicines in Kenya from the perspective of people with Parkinson's disease, their caregivers and neurologists. Methods: In‐depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 55 people with Parkinson's disease, 23 caregivers and 8 neurologists to understand their experience regarding challenges with accessing Parkinson's disease medicines and the health, social and financial impact of poor availability and affordability. Results: Medicines for Parkinson's disease were deemed to be largely unavailable and unaffordable across Kenya. People with Parkinson's disease, caregivers and neurologists expressed the financial burden caused by long‐term treatment in the absence of health insurance coverage. Further, barriers accessing medicines negatively impacted symptom control, social relations, and quality of life. Conclusions: Access to Parkinson's disease medicines in Kenya is limited, with severe implications for symptom management and quality of life. People with Parkinson's disease should be able to access and afford the medicines they need to manage their condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable diets can achieve considerable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and improvements in human health, but changing dietary behavior remains a challenge. We assessed the impacts of two behavioral insights strategies on bridging the intention-action gap related to sustainable and healthy food choices amongst hospital cafeteria patrons. In a pilot survey of hospital staff (N = 1,165), 56% identified limited awareness and availability of sustainable food as barriers to purchasing, although 46% were extremely willing to try sustainable dishes. We examined increasing salience (Study 1), varying availability (Study 2a), and decreasing availability (Study 2b) on sustainable and healthy dish purchases in three hospital cafeterias. Each study ran for seven weeks from March to April, 2023. In total, 10,616 dishes were purchased. In Study 1, increasing salience was associated with significant uptake of sustainable and healthy dishes, but the effect disappeared once the salience intervention was removed. In Study 2a, increasing availability of sustainable dishes corresponded to a significant increase in purchases of sustainable dishes, while decreasing availability in Study 2b followed a downward trend in purchases, suggesting that availability drove dietary choices. We recommend hospitals consider these choice architecture interventions to support the adoption of sustainable and healthy diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Pearl River is the property of Pearl River Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Network Function Virtualization (NFV) is a promising technology that can transform how internet service providers deliver their services. However, recent studies have identified several challenges in adopting NFV. Two key challenges are central to the operation and capacity planning of NFV Data Centers (DCs): (i) Service Function Chain (SFC) realization—determining if a new request with a known profile can be accommodated—and (ii) Network Function Virtualization (NFV) traffic bounds estimation—estimating the total traffic that a data center can handle considering all service requests and their performance constraints. To address these challenges, we propose a model that leverages stochastic network calculus to effectively dimension an NFV DC while ensuring delay and availability bounds for all service requests. Our theoretical model provides a mathematical framework to assess the realization of a single SFC request without delving into the specifics of the realization process. We utilize established availability-aware Virtual Network Function (VNF) placement patterns to obtain traffic bounds essential to planning data center capacity. We analyze NFV data center traffic under various scenarios over a Fat-tree DC topology. The results demonstrate that data center capacity is significantly influenced by the VNF placement strategy. Additionally, for data centers hosting latency-sensitive services, Service Level Objective (SLO) constraints on availability and delay are crucial in determining the number of such requests that can be accommodated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: With the developments of new materials and technologies for adsorption, it is necessary to develop new kinetic models to describe some more complex adsorption processes. This study aimed to evaluate the availability of a modified intraparticle diffusion model qt = k1t1/2 (0 ≤ t ≤ t1) and qt-qt=t1 = k2 (t-t1)1/2 (t1 < t ≤ t2) for the adsorption of chlorobenzene pollutants (CBs) on biochar and to explore the corresponding mechanisms. Materials and methods: The adsorption kinetics of the four CBs with different numbers of Cl substituents were investigated in mono- or multi-CB adsorption experiments (equal or unequal initial concentration) with the corn straw-based biochar pyrolyzed at 500 °C. The kinetics process was fitted by the classical model (qt = kt1/2 + b) with linearization or nonlinearly regression, and by the modified intraparticle diffusion model qt = kt1/2 (0 ≤ t ≤ t1) and qt-qt=t1 = k2 (t-t1)1/2 (t1 < t ≤ t2). The optimal break point of t1 separating the stages of 0 ≤ t ≤ t1 and t1 < t ≤ t2 was obtained by comparing the parameters of adjR2 and AICc calculated from different t1 values. Combined with the characteristics of biochar morphology and structure, variation of initial concentrations and performances of competitive adsorption of CBs, the adsorption mechanisms were analyzed. Results and discussion: The modified model performed well the nonlinear fitting of the kinetic processes with R2 values between 0.917 and 0.981, higher than that of the nonlinear and linear fitting of the classical model. The adsorption rate of k1 was usually larger than k2 regardless of the number of chlorine substitutions, or in the scenario of mono-/multi-CBs adsorption. In the mono-adsorption, the k1 and k2 values of low-chlorinated CBs were mostly greater than those of the high-chlorinated CBs. In multi-adsorption, competitive adsorption decreased the intraparticle diffusion rates of each CBs. And the rates varied with the initial concentration of CBs, and with the numbers of chlorine substitutions which had an effect on the affinities of CBs to biochar and steric hindrance via hydrophobicity, electrophilicity and molecule sizes. Conclusions: The modified intraparticle diffusion model was suggested to be suitable to describe the diffusion processes of CBs with high aqueous phase concentrations on biochar. The modified model indicated the intraparticle diffusion and pore wall adsorption were two closely linked processes. The initial concentration, the number of chlorine substitutions and the morphology structure of biochar were suggested to be the key factors affecting the adsorption of CBs on the biochar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ensuring healthcare services are equipped to offer; emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC) is crucial for improving the quality of maternal and newborn care in low- and middle-income countries. We assessed the temporal trends of the availability and readiness of the healthcare system to provide EmONC in Burkina Faso. Methods: We analyzed the data from three national health facilities surveys, conducted in 2014, 2016 and 2018, using the WHO Service Availability and Readiness Assessment tool. We performed multivariable linear regression models to examine the trends. Results: Between 2014 and 2018, the percentage of healthcare facilities providing delivery service and blood transfusion significantly decreased (88.1% to 75.4% for delivery services and 67.3% to 50.2% for blood transfusion, p < 0.001). The readiness index of healthcare facilities to provide basic EmONC showed a negative trend according to public healthcare, primary healthcare, and Centre-Nord, Centre-sud, Hauts-Bassins, Nord, Plateau Central and Sud-ouest health regions. Conclusions: We observed multiple indications of a decline in the readiness of healthcare services to offer EmONC in Burkina Faso from 2014 to 2018. As such, bolstering the capabilities of health facilities to deliver EmONC is essential for hastening the decrease in maternal mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Methods Results Discussion and Conclusions Reducing alcohol availability and restricting alcohol advertising are effective ways to reduce harm from alcohol. Implementation of public health policies involves collaboration between different stakeholders, and is influenced by public opinion. This paper explores public and professional stakeholders' perceptions of alcohol advertising and availability policies. It is the first to capture consensus and divergence in narratives of these stakeholders.We conducted semi‐structured interviews with 14 stakeholders from third sector organisations, government, public health and alcohol licensing in Scotland. We conducted 11 online focus groups with 45 participants, living in neighbourhoods in Scotland characterised by varying levels of urbanity, deprivation and retail density change. We gave participants a list of policies and discussed their views on acceptability, feasibility and likely success.Despite general consensus that regulation of alcohol advertising is an important priority, public stakeholders were concerned about the feasibility of advertising interventions and potential unintended consequences. While professional stakeholders were in favour of regulating alcohol availability, public stakeholders had misgivings about feasibility and effectiveness. When prompted to discuss specific interventions, similar views about protecting children and achieving cultural change emerged.This study highlights the importance of policy makers and other stakeholders to consider public stakeholders' opinions on alcohol policy and understanding that their views may be influenced by competing framings of alcohol problems. Attempts to increase support for alcohol control policies need to consider people's concerns about the effectiveness and potential unintended consequences of these policies, and the wider social context of alcohol consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims Methods Results Conclusion Low boron (B) availability is associated with strongly weathered, coarse‐textured, and low organic matter soils, widespread in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). It is unknown to what extent B fertilization can increase maize yields in SSA. This study aims to understand the soil properties controlling B availability to field‐grown maize.Boron fertilizer omission trials with maize were executed at 15 sites in Kenya, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Yield, B uptake, and soil parameters potentially relevant for B availability, including extractable soil B (hot water, 0.01 M CaCl2, and 0.43 M HNO3), were determined.Soil B pools were strongly intercorrelated and were positively correlated with organic carbon, suggesting the relevance of organic matter for soil B availability. Soil parameters described limited variation in B uptake and the yield response to B fertilization. Boron fertilization did not increase yields in any of the 15 sites but increased uptake in 11 sites. Yields were reduced through B fertilization in five sites, likely because B application induced toxicity. No clear critical soil or plant B concentrations indicating deficiency could be derived, but positive yield responses to B fertilization were absent with hot water B levels above 0.69 mg kg−1.Assessing B fertilizer needs in maize grown in tropical soils based on soil or plant tissue concentrations remains challenging. Improving soil organic matter status could potentially alleviate B deficiency in crops when present. Recommendations are given to overcome the identified challenges associated with studying B availability in tropical soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuclear energy is increasingly being considered for such targeted energy applications as data centers in light of their high capacity factors and low carbon emissions. This paper focuses on assessing the tradeoffs between economies of scale versus mass production to identify promising reactor sizes to meet data center demands. A framework is then built using the best cost estimates from the literature to identify ideal reactor power sizes for the needs of the given data center. Results should not be taken to be deterministic but highlight the variability of ideal reactor power output against the required demand. While certain advocates claim that with the gigawatts of clean, firm energy needed, large plants are ideal, others advocate for SMRs that can be deployed in large quantities and reap the benefits from learning effects. The findings of this study showcase that identifying the optimal size for a reactor is likely more nuanced and dependent on the application and its requirements. Overall, the study does show potential economic promise for coupling nuclear reactors to data centers and industrial heat applications under certain key conditions and assumptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Among the most important challenges associated with the gluten-free diet are the high costs and limited availability of gluten-free products, accompanied by the lower nutritional value of gluten-free products. The aim of the presented study was to assess gluten-free products' availability and satisfaction in a Polish population of coeliac-disease patients and their caregivers. Methods: The study was conducted in a population of Polish female coeliac-disease patients and female family members/relatives of patients diagnosed with coeliac disease, being members of the Polish Coeliac Society and purchasing gluten-free products. A population of n = 819 was included in the studied group based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria (n = 547 of patients and n = 272 of family members/relatives of patients). The study was conducted as a part of an international project to assess the opinions of coeliac-disease patients about gluten-free products, as well as the availability and prices of gluten-free products in various countries, while an identical questionnaire was applied in all participating countries, with transcultural adaptation applied. Opinions concerning the availability of and satisfaction with gluten-free products were assessed based on a questionnaire of agreement with fixed statements about the accessibility, range and quality of gluten-free products in Poland, with a five-point Likert scale to declare the agreement. This was stratified by the following variables: age, place of residence, being diagnosed with coeliac disease, place of purchasing major grocery shopping, gluten-free products at least occasionally bought online, declared problem(s) with the availability and quality of gluten-free products. Results: While comparing the studied sub-groups, it may be stated that some of them were more satisfied than the other sub-groups with the gluten-free products, including their availability and quality; namely, older respondents were more satisfied than younger ones (p < 0.05), respondents living in small towns/villages were more satisfied than those living in big cities (p < 0.05), respondents undertaking major grocery shopping in hypermarkets were more satisfied than those not doing this (p < 0.05), and respondents not buying gluten-free products online were more satisfied than those undertaking this at least occasionally (p < 0.05). At the same time, respondents diagnosed with coeliac disease were more satisfied with the availability and less satisfied with the quality of gluten-free products, while respondents with diagnosed family members/relatives were less satisfied with the availability and more satisfied with the quality (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The group of female coeliac-disease patients and female family members/relatives of patients diagnosed with coeliac disease was highly diverse in terms of their satisfaction with gluten-free products' availability and quality, whilst older respondents, respondents living in small towns/villages, respondents doing major grocery shopping in hypermarkets, and respondents not buying gluten-free products online were more satisfied. Respondents with family members/relatives diagnosed with coeliac disease declared serious efforts and sacrifice to purchase gluten-free products, which was associated with their higher satisfaction with quality and lower satisfaction with availability, while respondents diagnosed with coeliac disease chose easier options, resulting in their higher satisfaction with availability and lower satisfaction with quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractTo address concerns regarding economic risks and reliability issues in existing maintenance practices, this study introduces a novel condition-based maintenance model that considers failure risks in terms of both cost and availability. Utilizing a Markov decision process, this model determines inspection intervals and maintenance policies aimed at minimizing the nested conditional Value-at-Risk of cumulative costs while satisfying operational availability constraints. By applying this model to the plasma etching process, we demonstrate its effectiveness compared with existing maintenance models. Additionally, we found that higher risk levels do not necessarily lead to stricter maintenance policies, whereas achieving better operational availability incurs additional costs. These findings highlight the importance of balancing cost and availability risks when determining an optimal maintenance policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction/purpose: The aim of this paper is to obtain quantitative and qualitative indicators of vehicle condition and reliability based on operational data which can be used to determine the optimal periodicity of preventive maintenance for special purpose vehicles, and to more accurately manage the maintenance process and the operational readiness of these vehicles. Methods: Based on operational failure data and statistical methods, a mathematical model of the reliability of special purpose vehicles was determined. Using this model and operational data, the periodicity of preventive maintenance for the vehicles was determined through multicriteria optimization, considering both readiness and minimum maintenance costs. The same methodology was applied to determine the optimal preventive maintenance periodicity for 15 components of the mechanical system of special purpose vehicles. A group analysis was conducted using Minitab 15 statistical software, based on the theory of similarity in preventive maintenance periodicity for the 15 components, and a statistical analysis of the conducted research was performed using Minitab 16 statistical software. Results: Models for preventive maintenance of special purpose vehicles were developed based on the recorded vehicle failures and the failures of fifteen vital components. A group analysis grouped the fifteen components into optimal maintenance groups, similar in terms of working time between failures. The statistical analysis of the research determined a functional relationship for the optimal periodicity of preventive maintenance for special purpose vehicles. Conclusion: The maintenance periodicity obtained through multi-criteria analysis is optimal, as it achieves satisfactory vehicle readiness with optimal maintenance costs. The statistical analysis of the research concluded that the maintenance periodicities of the vehicle components are different. In both fleets, the engine and the transmission block have the longest maintenance intervals. The research results can be used to rationalize the existing preventive maintenance concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research focuses on the reliability analysis of a complex system comprising two interconnected subsystems. Each subsystem consists of three identical units arranged in parallel. The operational policy employed is the 1-out-of-3: G policy, which means that as long as at least one unit is operational in each subsystem, the system as a whole remains functional. The failure rates of the units within the subsystems are consistent and follow an exponential distribution. To address unit failures and repair them, the Gumbel-Hougaard copula repair method is employed. The research investigates various reliability metrics, including system availability, system reliability, mean time to failure (MTTF), and sensitivity analysis. The researchers employ stochastic theory, differential equations, and supplementary variables to model and analyze the reliability behavior of the system. Moreover, the model's findings can guide decision-making processes related to system design, component selection, and maintenance strategies. System engineers and managers can utilize the insights gained from the reliability analysis to optimize the system's performance, enhance its reliability, and reduce costs associated with maintenance and repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing reliability studies on K-out-of-N: G repairable retrial systems with mixed standbys mainly consider the case where the standby switching is completely reliable and the repair time follows an exponential distribution, and most of them directly analyze the system reliability indices based on probability theory. Given the existence of such phenomenon as standby switching failure in engineering, this paper proposes a novel reliability model of K-out-of-N: G repairable retrial system with switching failure, and performs statistical inference on the reliability to realize the modeling and evaluation of the system. The considered system consists of mixed standbys and a repairer with vacation. When an operating component fails, the warm standby one is switched to the operating one immediately, and the probability of switching failure during the switchover process is p. In the case where the repair time of failed components follows a general distribution, based on the supplementary variable method and recursive algorithm, the steps for calculating the system steady-state availability are presented. In the case of unknown parameters for repair time and retrial time, the Bayesian estimator of the steady-state availability under the squared error loss function and highest posterior density (HPD) confidence interval are obtained. In numerical simulation, the system reliability inference is realized by using the Monte Carlo (MC) method, and the validity of the inference method is analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, James Gibson's influential notion of "perceptual affordances" is applied to the romantic realm. The core idea of Gibson's view rests on the possible, meaningful actions that the perceptual environment offers the animal. In order to sustain this idea, Gibson posits two additional major characteristics of affordances: (a) affordances are perceived in a direct cognitive manner, and (b) affordances have a unique ontological status that is neither subjective nor objective. While I accept the core idea, I have doubts as to whether the two other characteristics are necessary in other types of affordances, such as social and romantic affordances. The romantic realm offers an abundance of many enticing affordances. In this regard, I discuss phenomena like the availability of a romantic alternative, romantic ambivalence, choosing a romantic partner, sexual fantasies, the road not taken, reciprocity, playing hard to get, cultivating backup mates, romantic affordances in old age and in the digital realm. In light of the abundance and complexity of romantic affordances in our current romantic environment, knowing the nature of these affordances is most useful from both pragmatic and theoretical viewpoints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research study entails the determination of the due time required for carrying out hot gas path inspection of a gas turbine. Delay in execution of HGPI may result in machine failure, extra cost and loss in revenue while early execution may result in unnecessary cost, waste, and loss in revenue due to downtime. Hence, the aim of the research study, to model and evaluate the due time for carrying out hot gas path inspection for a GE frame 9E machine. This study was conducted using GT17 of Transcorp Power Limited, Ughelli, Delta State. The methodological approach considered for this study was to carry out a mathematical modelling approach in determining the due time for carrying out HGPI. A corrosion rate formula was developed, presented and used in the modelling process. The two main parts considered for the experiment were turbine buckets and shroud blocks, which is considered critical for the turbine clearance when undertaking HGPI. Based on the mathematical modelling analysis, the due time for the turbine buckets were 24134.9hrs for stage 1, 235456hrs for stage 2 and 24727.5hrs for stage 3. In correspondence, turbine shroud blocks due time were computed at 24805.3hrs, 24497.8hrs and 23346.1hrs for stages 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Based on the efficiency computed, it was discovered that the efficiency of the gas turbine reduces gradually until maintenance activities are carried out to improve the efficiency, reliability and availability of the gas turbine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Satellite swarm networks have occupied a prominent position in many modern applications due to their low cost, simplicity of design, and flexibility. Reliability is an influential factor in the design of satellite networks with different structures. Usually, small satellites are based on COST components, which may reduce continues operability due to the lack of using backup system on board the sagecraft. Any failure in one subsystem means a complete loss of the function and data stored in this subsystem; hence the need for a reliable and applicable solution for this matter is a crucial topic. Using the redundancy strategy in satellite swarm networks increases reliability and availability. Blockchain is characterized by using a distributed ledger which enables the database to be replicated across nodes in the network and results in increasing transparency, security, and trust. This paper suggests adoption of blockchain technology in distributed multi-satellite mission swarm networks to provide a high level of reliability and availability of the entire system; the blockchain is usually used to secure system transactions in multilayer approach by storage of the key parameters in more than one node; here we suggest the adoption of this approach not only to secure satellite network transaction, but also to increase system reliability so that failure of one node can be recovered by other nodes. We compared this approach with similar traditional networks that do not use blockchain. The results show a higher reliability efficiency of 95.3% for applying blockchain technology compared to 64.3% without the use of blockchain, as well as a higher availability of 99% compared to 91%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To optimize the operational availability of the series-parallel system and provide useful insights for maintenance planning, the study attempts to investigate the availability of a ball mill unit. These four different components make up the ball mill production system: "drum," "ring-gear," "gearbox," and "electric motor." There is a chain mechanism connecting all four components. The "ring gear" and "electric motor" components are composed of two independent units, one of which serves the desired purpose and the other is maintained in cold standby. The "drum" and "gearbox" of the components each contain only one unit. Therefore, a novel mathematical model is designed and implemented in this work by assuming arbitrary repair rates and exponentially distributed failure rates using the Markov process and Chapman-Kolmogorov equations. This study explored the availability with a normalization method and used genetic algorithm techniques to optimize ball mill availability. Putting this article into practice is of great benefit when developing an appropriate maintenance program. Through this, the study achieves maximum production. To investigate the behavior of several performance characteristics of the ball mill production system, numerical results and corresponding graphs are also specifically created for specific values of subsystem parameters, such as failure rate, and repair rate to increase the system's overall efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accepted by: M. Zied Babai We study an aged-based replacement policy with two control limits. The first triggers opportunistic replacement and the second triggers a guaranteed replacement. The policy is novel because: the instances for component replacement are restricted to instances of time, which we call slots, that arise periodically; and a slot provides an opportunity for replacement with a particular probability. The policy models contexts in which maintenance is periodic, and resources are limited or execution of maintenance is not guaranteed. The policy is important for practice because it is simple and reflects the common reality of time-based maintenance planning. Long-run cost per unit time and average availability are calculated in a renewal-reward framework. Numerical study indicates that, if opportunities are rare, guaranteed replacement is beneficial and opportunities should be taken early in the life of a system. Using the policy, a maintainer can evaluate the cost–benefit of investing more resources to reduce the time between slots. Specific analysis and policy comparisons can be carried out using a web-application developed by the authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inherent uncertainties of biomass-driven systems including seasonality, supply chain problems, and energy conversion limitations put reliability and availability of such systems under question. The optimization of the energy systems taken into account the reliability, availability and maintainability (denoted by RAM), parameters, and constraints can dramatically change the system design, configuration, and operation. An enviro-economic optimization of biomass-powered energy systems, considering the impact of the reliability and maintainability parameters in the final optimal cost of the energy generation and after-commissioning operation, is pinpointed in this study. The objective function was developed as an explicit function to provide the system performance parameters such as rated capacities and utilization times and reliability elements such as maintenance intervals and mean time to failure (denoted by MTTF) as independent parameters for the multivariable nonlinear optimization problem. Such parameters are then used for deriving maintainability and availability parameters such as mean time to repair (denoted by MTTR) to assure the required availability levels. Developing a methodology to be used for performing the same analysis for other configurations using distinguished energy systems, storage or biomass fuel is another problem that was considered in this research. The results showed that integrating RAM parameters to optimization analysis still keeps the biomass-fueled systems competitive economically with other energy systems. The study showed that a biomass-powered system is more sensitive to electrical module performance parameters than to thermal module and biomass types. Furthermore, thermal module requires more frequent maintenance activities in comparison with electrical module in order to retain a system reliability level above the thresholds. Moreover, reliability can be integrated as a nonlinear constraint into the above-mentioned optimization problem, resulting in optimal rated capacities closer to maximum nominal capacities in case of electrical module. RAM integration to optimization changes the performance parameters of an enviro-economic optimization analysis. The sensitivity to parameters and approaches could be high, and other fuels, technologies, or system configurations shall be considered to deliver more confident results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Diabetes mellitus and thyroid dysfunction are prevalent endocrine disorders that impose enormous burdens on patients and countries. However, access to essential medicines remains inadequate in many low-income countries. This study evaluated medications’ availability, price, and affordability for these conditions. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at health facilities in the South Wollo zone in 2022. Following World Health Organization (WHO)/Health Action International (HAI) guidelines, 34 medicines were evaluated across 60 medicine outlets. Data were collected using a standardized tool adapted from WHO/HAI. Availability was measured by the percentage of facilities where the medicines were in stock. Prices were reported as median prices and median price ratios (MPR). Affordability was assessed based on the number of days’ wages required for the lowest-paid government workers to cover the full course of therapy. Results The availability of lowest-priced generic (LPG) diabetes and thyroid dysfunction medicines in the public sector was 24.4% and 28.7%, respectively. In private pharmacies, availability was 26.3% for diabetes and 21% for thyroid dysfunction medicines. Median prices for LPG medicines were higher in private pharmacies than in public health facilities, with 81.81% showing a statistically significant difference (p

Abstract Sustainable diets can achieve considerable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and improvements in human health, but changing dietary behavior remains a challenge. We assessed the impacts of two behavioral insights strategies on bridging the intention-action gap related to sustainable and healthy food choices amongst hospital cafeteria patrons. In a pilot survey of hospital staff (N = 1,165), 56% identified limited awareness and availability of sustainable food as barriers to purchasing, although 46% were extremely willing to try sustainable dishes. We examined increasing salience (Study 1), varying availability (Study 2a), and decreasing availability (Study 2b) on sustainable and healthy dish purchases in three hospital cafeterias. Each study ran for seven weeks from March to April, 2023. In total, 10,616 dishes were purchased. In Study 1, increasing salience was associated with significant uptake of sustainable and healthy dishes, but the effect disappeared once the salience intervention was removed. In Study 2a, increasing availability of sustainable dishes corresponded to a significant increase in purchases of sustainable dishes, while decreasing availability in Study 2b followed a downward trend in purchases, suggesting that availability drove dietary choices. We recommend hospitals consider these choice architecture interventions to support the adoption of sustainable and healthy diets.

Introduction/purpose: The aim of this paper is to obtain quantitative and qualitative indicators of vehicle condition and reliability based on operational data which can be used to determine the optimal periodicity of preventive maintenance for special purpose vehicles, and to more accurately manage the maintenance process and the operational readiness of these vehicles. Methods: Based on operational failure data and statistical methods, a mathematical model of the reliability of special purpose vehicles was determined. Using this model and operational data, the periodicity of preventive maintenance for the vehicles was determined through multicriteria optimization, considering both readiness and minimum maintenance costs. The same methodology was applied to determine the optimal preventive maintenance periodicity for 15 components of the mechanical system of special purpose vehicles. A group analysis was conducted using Minitab 15 statistical software, based on the theory of similarity in preventive maintenance periodicity for the 15 components, and a statistical analysis of the conducted research was performed using Minitab 16 statistical software. Results: Models for preventive maintenance of special purpose vehicles were developed based on the recorded vehicle failures and the failures of fifteen vital components. A group analysis grouped the fifteen components into optimal maintenance groups, similar in terms of working time between failures. The statistical analysis of the research determined a functional relationship for the optimal periodicity of preventive maintenance for special purpose vehicles. Conclusion: The maintenance periodicity obtained through multi-criteria analysis is optimal, as it achieves satisfactory vehicle readiness with optimal maintenance costs. The statistical analysis of the research concluded that the maintenance periodicities of the vehicle components are different. In both fleets, the engine and the transmission block have the longest maintenance intervals. The research results can be used to rationalize the existing preventive maintenance concept.

Abstract Background Ensuring healthcare services are equipped to offer; emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC) is crucial for improving the quality of maternal and newborn care in low- and middle-income countries. We assessed the temporal trends of the availability and readiness of the healthcare system to provide EmONC in Burkina Faso. Methods We analyzed the data from three national health facilities surveys, conducted in 2014, 2016 and 2018, using the WHO Service Availability and Readiness Assessment tool. We performed multivariable linear regression models to examine the trends. Results Between 2014 and 2018, the percentage of healthcare facilities providing delivery service and blood transfusion significantly decreased (88.1% to 75.4% for delivery services and 67.3% to 50.2% for blood transfusion, p

The demand for computing resources, including storage and processing capabilities, has surged in recent years. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, many activities typically conducted using local resources transitioned to online platforms. However, post-pandemic, services that were previously offered for free or at a reduced cost have become more expensive for companies or even for educational institutes. Consequently, it is crucial to analyze alternative solutions in terms of quality and services provided. This study conducts an availability analysis of Nextcloud, a file system hosted in a private cloud, through stochastic Petri net (SPN) and reliability block diagram (RBD) models. These models were validated via measurements performed on a real testbed cloud service, ensuring trust in the achieved results. Experiments were utilized to demonstrate the practical applicability of these models in real-world configurations. The outcomes of these studies revealed a significant reduction of nearly 85% in downtime compared to the base architecture, underscoring the effectiveness of the proposed approach in enhancing system availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the contemporary landscape characterized by heightened competitive pressures, adept maintenance management assumes a pivotal and strategic role in cost mitigation and profit augmentation. This paper applies the risk-based maintenance (RBM) methodology to the hydraulic system of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) owned by an oil and gas services company. To achieve this, it was necessary to gather information on the system failures, followed by determining the critical subsystems. By analyzing the frequency and severity of identified failures, a risk matrix could be constructed. Using the '5 Whys' technique, an analytical framework was used to uncover the root causes of the failures observed in the handlers and propellant subsystems. Subsequently, a risk matrix is formulated again after the implementation of the RBM and the mitigation measures adopted by the authors to elucidate the discernible impact of the maintenance methodology on improving the availability of the ROV and the incidence of failures outlined in the study.

Xingyuan Gao,1,2 Man Yu,3 Yuyang Sun,3 Tiansi Zhang,1 Xin Li,1,3,4 Lingli Zhang,5 Changqing Wang1 1School of Health Policy and Management, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China; 2Simcere Zaiming Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Nanjing, People’s Republic of China; 3School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China; 4Center for Global Health, School of Public Health, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China; 5School of International Pharmaceutical Business, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Changqing Wang, School of Health Policy and Management, Nanjing Medical University, Jiangning District, Nanjing, 211166, People’s Republic of China, Email cqwang@njmu.edu.cn Lingli Zhang, School of International Pharmaceutical Business, China Pharmaceutical University, Jiangning District, Nanjing, 211198, People’s Republic of China, Email zhanglingli@cpu.edu.cnPurpose: The increasing global burden of cancer has become a significant challenge for public health. The Chinese government introduced the National Drug Price Negotiation (NDPN) policy with the goal of lowering the prices of innovative drugs and enhancing their accessibility. This study aims to evaluate the impact of the 2021 NDPN policy on the availability, utilization, and cost of anticancer medicines in China.Methods: Data was gathered from 1519 hospitals between April 2021 and December 2022, with a focus on eight anticancer drugs affected by the 2021 NDPN policy. The availability, Defined Daily Doses (DDDs), and cost per Defined Daily Dose (DDDc) before and after the intervention were evaluated through interrupted time series analysis.Results: The NDPN policy resulted in a substantial 5.10% increase in the availability of anticancer drugs (p < 0.001). Utilization also experienced a significant surge, with an immediate increase of 11,254.36 DDDs (p < 0.001) and a monthly increase of 1208.28 DDDs (p < 0.001) following policy implementation. The DDDc decreased by US&dollar; 111.00 (p < 0.001) immediately after the policy. Disparities in regional drug utilization were evident, with higher usage in the eastern region.Conclusion: The 2021 NDPN policy has notably enhanced the availability and utilization of anticancer medications in China while reducing their cost, in line with the policy’s objectives. However, continuous monitoring is essential to ensure sustained access and to tackle regional disparities in drug utilization.Keywords: anticancer medicines, national drug price negotiation, China, availability, utilization, cost, interrupted time series analysis

Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) is a key indicator to measure the effectiveness of production systems. This paper aims to evaluate and improve a plastic production line based on OEE evaluation. An integrated framework is proposed to enhance the production system efficiency. This paper presents the data for a Plastic production line in Jordan under real working conditions. The data covers three months. A framework process to improve the OEE of the Plastic production system was proposed. Six major stoppage losses were inspected with the help of Pareto analysis. Furthermore, the actual availability, efficiency, and quality rate measures, together with the whole OEE for each working day, week, and month of the production line were shown. The methodology is based on determining the OEE of a Plastic production line after determining the causes of failures. The fishbone diagram tool is used to determine the root causes of failures. To improve the OEE measure, several losses are identified. The results reveal that the company should improve its policy to improve the production line’s performance and reduce losses. Top management should also pay attention to reducing the speed losses, which consist of 58.1%, and eliminate the planned and unscheduled disruptions covering 12.73% of all losses. This can be achieved by establishing a proper operation management procedure and strategy. This, in turn, optimized the equipment’s effectiveness. The quality procedure should include the changeover program that may be executed every day. Similarly, all preventive maintenance procedures for the six machines should be properly executed in predetermined intervals. There are several limitations in the research. Firstly, the research case study is only the plastic production system. Secondly, the research is related to the downtime or stoppage by analyzing it using fishbone diagram. Further, supported by other techniques such as the Pareto chart, six big losses analyses and CED. This research conducted on a Plastic industry. However, similar studies can be carried out in future in other manufacturing industries like electronic, pharmaceutical, textile industries, etc., and service industry. However, as future research work the contributions of this paper with other lean manufacturing concept like six sigma, quality function deployment, TQM, and just-in-time manu-facturing, can also be conducting to assess the overall production line efficiency. On the other hand, several statistical tests can be implemented based on data collected of TPM performance indicators. The proposed method supports policymakers in their decision-making process on the operations management line. Further-more, it improves the production systems’ productivity quality, and performance, reducing unplanned stop-pages and breakdowns, and reducing maintenance costs.

Abstract Background High clinical value national reimbursement anticancer medications (NRAMs) are pivotal treatments for patients with cancer. However, the availability of NRAMs in medical institutions is unknown. This study aimed to assess the availability of NRAMs in national and provincial medical institutions. Methods This cross-sectional study utilized national health insurance data to access the availability of NRAMs in national and provincial medical institutions. Further statistical analyses and visualizations were conducted in terms of medical institution level and daily cost. Using the Spearman’s rank correlation test (α = 0.05), we calculated the correlation between the availability rates of NRAMs and their negotiation access time, daily cost, per capita disposable income, provincial gross product, and number of policy releases. Results Overall, 81 NRAMs, with an average availability rate of approximately 1.01% nationwide, were included. There were significant differences between provinces for each drug, and the availability of NRAMs gradually decreased in tertiary (13.41%), secondary (1.58%), and primary medical institutions (

Abstract Satellite swarm networks have occupied a prominent position in many modern applications due to their low cost, simplicity of design, and flexibility. Reliability is an influential factor in the design of satellite networks with different structures. Usually, small satellites are based on COST components, which may reduce continues operability due to the lack of using backup system on board the sagecraft. Any failure in one subsystem means a complete loss of the function and data stored in this subsystem; hence the need for a reliable and applicable solution for this matter is a crucial topic. Using the redundancy strategy in satellite swarm networks increases reliability and availability. Blockchain is characterized by using a distributed ledger which enables the database to be replicated across nodes in the network and results in increasing transparency, security, and trust. This paper suggests adoption of blockchain technology in distributed multi-satellite mission swarm networks to provide a high level of reliability and availability of the entire system; the blockchain is usually used to secure system transactions in multilayer approach by storage of the key parameters in more than one node; here we suggest the adoption of this approach not only to secure satellite network transaction, but also to increase system reliability so that failure of one node can be recovered by other nodes. We compared this approach with similar traditional networks that do not use blockchain. The results show a higher reliability efficiency of 95.3% for applying blockchain technology compared to 64.3% without the use of blockchain, as well as a higher availability of 99% compared to 91%.

Abstract Background The burden of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria pose significant public health challenges in Ethiopia. This study aimed to the explore service availability and readiness for NTD care among Ethiopian health facilities treating tuberculosis (TB), HIV/AIDS, and/or malaria. Methods This study utilized secondary data from the Ethiopian Service Provision Assessment 2021–22 survey. The availability of services was calculated as the percentage of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, or malaria facilities providing NTD services. Facilities were considered highly prepared to manage any type of NTD if they scored at least half (> 50%) of the tracer items listed in each of the three domains (staff training and guidelines, equipment, and essential medicines). Descriptive statistics and logistic regression models were employed to present the study findings and analyze factors influencing facility readiness, respectively. Results Out of 403 health facilities providing NTD care nationally, 179, 183, and 197 also offer TB, HIV/AIDS, and malaria services, respectively. The majority of TB (90.1%), HIV/AIDS (89.6%), and malaria (90.9%) facilities offer soil-transmitted helminth services, followed by trachoma (range 87–90%). The percentages of the aforementioned facilities with at least one trained staff member for any type of NTD were 87.2%, 88.4%, and 82.1%, respectively. The percentage of facilities with guidelines for any type of NTD was relatively low (range 3.7–4.1%). Mebendazole was the most widely available essential medicine, ranging from 69 to 70%. The overall readiness analysis indicated that none of the included facilities (TB = 11.9%; HIV/AIDS = 11.6%; and malaria = 10.6%) were ready to offer NTD care. Specifically, a higher level of readiness was observed only in the domain of medicines across these facilities. Hospitals had better readiness to offer NTD care than did health centers and clinics. Furthermore, a significant associations were observed between facility readiness and factors such as facility type, region, presence of routine management meetings, types of NTD services provided, and fixed costs for services. Conclusions Ethiopian health facilities treating TB, HIV/AIDS, and malaria had an unsatisfactory overall service availability and a lack of readiness to provide NTD care. Given the existing epidemiological risks and high burden of TB, HIV/AIDS, malaria, and NTDs in Ethiopia, there is an urgent need to consider preparing and implementing a collaborative infectious disease care plan to integrate NTD services in these facilities.

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the availability, cost, affordability of anti-cancer medicines in Nanjing, Jiangsu. Methods A longitudinal tracking investigation study was performed to collect information about 24 essential anti-cancer medicines (EAMs) and 17 innovative anti-cancer medicines (IAMs) in 26 healthcare institutions in Nanjing from 2016 to 2020. The availability, cost, drug utilization and affordability of EAMs and IAMs were investigated. Results The availability of EAMs showed no significant changes in Nanjing, but the availability of IAMs showed a significant increase in 2018 and 2019 and tended to stabilize in 2020. For EAMs, the DDDc(Defined Daily Dose cost) of LPGs (Lowest-Priced Generics) showed no significant changes, and the DDDc of OBs (Originator Brands) and IAMs significantly decreased. The DDDs(Defined Daily Doses) of EAMs (LPGs) showed a decreasing trend since 2016 and rose again in 2019. Overall, the DDDs of EAMs (LPGs) decreased by 25.18% between 2016 and 2020, but the proportion selected for clinical treatment remained at 67.35% in 2020. The DDDs of EAMs (OBs) and IAMs both showed an increasing trend year by year, with a proportional increase of 207.72% and 652.68%, respectively; but the proportion selected for clinical treatment was only 16.09% and 16.56% respectively in 2020. EAMs (LPGs) had good affordability for urban residents but poor affordability for rural residents; the affordability of EAMs (OBs) and IAMs was poor for both urban and rural residents. Conclusions There were no significant changes in the availability and cost of EAMs (LPGs), whose lower prices showed better affordability. Although their relative change in drug utilization showed a decreasing trend, they still dominated clinical treatment. Driven by the national drug price negotiation (NDPN) policy, the availability of IAMs was on the rise. It is necessary to further develop and strengthen policies for essential medicines procurement assessment to improve the accessibility of EAMs.

Cognitive biases often influence investor behavior in developing capital markets, leading to market anomalies and affecting overall market efficiency. With the increasing integration of global financial markets and the growing participation of retail investors, understanding these biases is more critical than ever. While market anomalies have been extensively studied in developed markets, their influence in developing economies remains under-explored. This study aims to examine the impact of heuristic biases on investment decisions, focusing on Nepal’s stock market. Structural Equation Modeling is used to assess how perceived market efficiency mediates the relationship between heuristic biases and investor behavior. Data were collected from purposively selected 403 active individual investors in Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE). The findings reveal that representative and overconfidence biases significantly and positively influence investment decisions and market efficiency. Specifically, investors exhibiting these biases are more likely to make confident and bold investment choices, believing in their ability to predict market movements accurately. Furthermore, the study finds that perceived market efficiency mediates the relationship between anchoring and adjustment bias and investment decisions, suggesting that investors who rely heavily on initial information (anchors) adjust their decisions based on their perceptions of market efficiency. The results highlight the critical role of heuristic biases in shaping investor behavior and stress the importance of market efficiency in this process. The study emphasizes the need to enhance investor awareness of these biases and implement policies to improve market transparency and efficiency. Such measures are vital for mitigating risks and fostering a more robust and resilient financial market in developing economies like Nepal.