Search Results (196)

This study proposes a fuzzy logic-based approach to better manage supply chain uncertainty and improve decision-making flexibility. The developed framework categorizes supply chain activities into procurement, production, distribution and reverse logistics and integrates Lean, Agile, Resilient, and Green (LARG) KPIs within a hierarchical structure. The tool was implemented using Microsoft Excel^TM to enhance usability for practitioners. To test its applicability, the model was applied to a real case study. The results show that lean and resilient practices are consistently well-established across all supply chain phases, while agility and green practices vary significantly depending on the operational area—particularly between internal function (i.e., production and reverse logistics) and external ones (i.e., procurement and distribution). These findings help to better understand how the LARG capabilities are distributed across the different operational areas of the supply chain and offer practical guidance for managers seeking targeted performance improvement. Although the numerical results are context-specific, the framework’s adaptability makes it suitable for diverse supply chain environments. Full article

The West Africa Power Pool (WAPP) Interconnected Transmission System (WAPPITS) has faced challenges with frequency control due to limited primary frequency control reserves (PFRs). Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESSs) have been identified as a possible solution to address frequency control challenges and to support growing levels of variable renewable energy in the WAPPITS. This paper uses a dynamic PSS/E grid simulation to evaluate the effectiveness of BESSs and conventional power plants for the maximum N-1 contingency scenario in WAPPITS—the loss of 400 MW of generation. BESSs outperform conventional power plants in fast frequency response; a BESS-only PFR mix produces the best technical performance for the metrics analyzed. However, this approach does not have the best marginal cost; a balanced mix of BESSs and conventional reserves achieves adequate performance on all metrics to meet grid requirements. This hybrid approach combines BESSs’ rapid power injection with the lower cost of conventional units, resulting in improved nadir frequencies (e.g., 49.70–49.76 Hz), faster settling times (1.00–2.20 s), and cost efficiency. The study indicates that an optimal approach to frequency control should include a combination of regulatory reforms and coordinated reserve procurement that includes BESS assets. Regulatory reforms should require or incentivize conventional plant to provide PFRs, possibly through creation of a (new to WAPPITS) market for ancillary services. While not a comprehensive analysis of all variables, these findings provide critical insights for policymakers and system operators. Full article

Background: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant threat to public health, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where surveillance infrastructure is underdeveloped. Bihar, India’s third most populous state and one of its least-resourced states, has remained largely absent from national AMR monitoring initiatives. Methods: This study aimed to characterize the AMR infection landscape across five public tertiary care hospitals in Bihar over three years (2022–2024) and to assess the feasibility of integrating digital workflows for real-time microbiological reporting. Standardized antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) was performed on >48,000 urine, pus, and blood samples using CLSI guidelines. Facility-level data were digitized into an open-source AMR reporting system, enabling automated antibiogram generation. Results: The findings revealed substantial resistance: high resistance to beta-lactams, carbapenems, and fluoroquinolones across pathogens. For instance, E. coli sensitivity to nitrofurantoin varied from 86.5% at NMCH (Patna) to 44.7% at JLNMCH (Bhagalpur), while cephalosporin sensitivity in Klebsiella spp. dropped below 2% in several hospitals. MRSA prevalence exceeded 65% in two facilities, far above the national average of 47.8%. Digital integration led to a four-fold increase in culture testing in all facilities and improved data completeness and turnaround times. Spatial analysis and microbiology laboratory assessment revealed significant geographic disparities in diagnostic access, with facilities in remote districts facing delays of over four hours for basic testing. Conclusions: Our study is the first study from India to create such a broad, facility-associated AMR picture over time at a state level. Policy implications include the need for a state-level AMR surveillance dashboard, alignment of procurement with facility-specific resistance patterns, and routine stewardship audits. Clinically, this study demonstrates the utility of localized antibiograms for guiding empirical therapy in resource-limited settings. This study provides a scalable framework for embedding AMR surveillance into routine health system workflows in LMICs. Full article

Background: Economic logistics in fire and rescue services is a critical determinant of operational readiness, fiscal sustainability, and resilience to large-scale emergencies. Despite its strategic importance, logistics remains under-researched in Central and Eastern European contexts, where legacy governance structures and EU-funded modernization coexist with systemic inefficiencies. This study focuses on the Slovak Fire and Rescue Service (HaZZ) as a case to explore how economic logistics systems can be restructured for greater performance and value. Objective: The objective of this paper was to evaluate the structure, performance, and reform potential of the logistics system supporting HaZZ, with a focus on procurement efficiency, lifecycle costing, digital integration, and alignment with EU civil protection standards. Methods: A mixed-methods design was applied, comprising the following: (1) Institutional analysis of governance, budgeting, and legal mandates based on semi-structured expert interviews with HaZZ and the Ministry of Interior officers (n = 12); (2) comparative benchmarking with Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, and the Netherlands; (3) financial analysis of national logistics expenditures (2019–2023) using Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) principles, completed with the visualization of cost trends and procurement price variance through original heat maps and time-series graphs. Results: The key findings are as follows: (1) HaZZ operates a formally centralized but practically fragmented logistics model across 51 district units, lacking national coordination mechanisms and digital infrastructure; (2) Maintenance costs have risen by 42% between 2019 and 2023 despite increasing capital investment due to insufficient lifecycle planning and asset heterogeneity; (3) Price variance for identical equipment categories across regions exceeds 30%, highlighting the inefficiencies in decentralized procurement; (4) Slovakia lacks a national Logistics Information System (LIS), unlike peer countries which have deployed integrated digital platforms (e.g., CELIS in the Czech Republic); (5) Benchmarking reveals high-impact practices in centralized procurement, lifecycle-based contracting, regional logistics hubs, and performance accountability—particularly in Austria and the Netherlands. Impacts: Four high-impact, feasible reforms were proposed: (1) Establishment of a centralized procurement framework; (2) national LIS deployment to unify inventory and asset tracking; (3) adoption of lifecycle-based and performance-based contracting models; (4) development of regional logistics hubs using underutilized infrastructure. This study is among the first to provide an integrated economic and institutional analysis of the Fire and Rescue Service logistics in a post-socialist EU member state. It offers a structured, transferable reform roadmap grounded in comparative evidence and adapted to Slovakia’s hybrid governance model. The research bridges gaps between modernization policy, procurement law, and digital public administration in the context of emergency services. Full article

This study aims to investigate a chronological review of the term museum, defined by the International Council of Museums (“ICOM”) and Korean laws, and explore how the museum definitions have been revised historically. Then, it argues how the museum architecture has been spatially changed and explores whether the revised social roles and ethical responsibilities would impact the restructuring of the spatial changes. To this end, it scrutinized new ideas, significant issues, orders of words, and implicit intentions of the museum definitions over time. It analyzed the data of spatial change projects, which were collected through web crawling of the Korean National e-Procurement System. Then, the spatial changes were categorized regarding functions and characteristics. Through an in-depth investigation of a literature review and case studies, the findings suggest that museums had been understood as a place for collecting, exhibiting, and enjoying materials. However, they have been required to play diverse roles, such as collecting, conserving, exhibiting, researching, and communicating heritage for education, reflection, and sharing knowledge over time. However, the issue of cultural enjoyment has come into focus in Korean laws after 2007, and, as a result, spatial changes (e.g., creating immersive experience center, renovating exhibition spaces, and improving convenience spaces) have taken place exclusively in national museums. Thus, it is clear that national museums are aware of the need to actively think about their role with regard to the public and how architecture corresponds to this. Full article

Background: Participation in home and wild food procurement (HWFP) activities (i.e., gardening, hunting, fishing, foraging, preserving food, raising livestock, and raising poultry for eggs) skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Procuring food through HWFP activities may have important food security and nutrition benefits, while also enhancing food sovereignty and food system resilience. This cross-sectional study examined the effect of HWFP activities on food security status, fruit and vegetable intake, and meat consumption. Methods: We used data collected in 2021 and 2022 from adults (n = 2001) through two statewide representative surveys in Maine and Vermont, United States. Dietary intake was assessed using the Dietary Screener Questionnaire. Food security status was assessed using the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 6-item short-form food security module. We analyzed the data using linear regression, logistic regression, and ordinal logistic regression models. Results: Sixty-one percent of respondents engaged in HWFP activities; the majority of those gardened. Households engaging in most individual HWFP activities had greater odds of being food insecure. HWFP engagement was positively associated with fruit and vegetable consumption. Specifically, gardening was associated with an additional one cup-equivalent in fruit and vegetable consumption per week compared to respondents that did not garden. Furthermore, when exploring these relationships disaggregated by food security status, we find that this effect is stronger for food insecure households than food secure households. Respondents from households that hunted were more likely to eat wild game meat and also consumed red and white meat more frequently compared to households that did not hunt. Conclusions: Overall, our results indicate potential nutrition and food security benefits from engaging in HWFP activities. Future research should continue to examine a full suite of HWFP activities and their relationship to diet, health, food security, and food sovereignty. Full article

Background: Saudi Arabia is undertaking a comprehensive reform of its healthcare system to improve the efficiency and accessibility of public healthcare services. A key aspect of this initiative is outsourcing outpatient pharmacy services within the public health sector to retail pharmacies through an electronic prescribing platform known as Wasfaty. The National Unified Procurement Company (NUPCO) manages this platform to ensure spending efficiency and patient accessibility to essential medications. However, there has been a lack of research evaluating the adherence of the Wasfaty e-prescribing platform to established best practices for Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE), which are commonly used to assess the performance of various ambulatory e-prescribing systems globally. Objective: This study aimed to assess the level of adherence of Wasfaty to best practices for CPOE. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional single-center study reviewed filled prescriptions through Wasfaty from May 2022 to December 2023. A list of 60 functional features, including but not limited to patient identification and data access, medication selection, alerts, patient education, data transmission and storage, monitoring and renewals, transparency and accountability, and feedback, was utilized to evaluate adherence. The adherence level was categorized into four groups: fully implemented, partially implemented, not implemented, and not applicable. Two pharmacy interns, a clinical pharmacist, and a researcher, reviewed the prescriptions to determine the platform’s adherence to these 60 CPOE features. Results: From May 2022 to December 2023, a total of 1965 prescriptions were filled in retail pharmacies for out-of-stock medications for 1367 patients. These prescriptions included medications for various areas, with the following distribution: gastroenterology (44.10%), cardiology (18.14%), anti-infectives (2.42%), urology (8.85%), dermatology (3.6%), hematology (0.29%), muscle relaxants (0.8%), neurology (19.17%), pulmonology (1.46%), and other categories (1.23%). Of the 60 functional characteristics a CPOE platform should include, only 19 (31.66%) were fully implemented, while 10 (16.66%) were partially implemented. Conclusions: The Wasfaty platform is deficient in several key functional features necessary for e-prescribing, which are essential for ensuring patient safety and enhancing the satisfaction of both prescribers and patients. This study underscores the importance of improving the Wasfaty platform to reduce the risk of adverse drug events. Full article

Dental fear and anxiety are frequently identified as major contributing factors to non-compliance, uncooperativeness, and difficulties during dental procedures in pediatric patients. These issues can lead to avoidance of dental treatment, resulting in long-term negative consequences for oral health and overall well-being. The assessment and quantification of psychological functioning (i.e., dental fear, anxiety, and self-perceived stress) has traditionally relied on self-reported questionnaires validated for the pediatric population. While this approach is cost-effective and non-invasive, it relies on subjective self-reported data, oftentimes influenced by parental or guardian interaction, especially in young children. Salivary diagnostics has recently emerged as an objective method for the procurement of biological molecules that serve as biomarkers for a variety of oral and systemic conditions. This literature review aims to comprehensively summarize the available literature on the correlation between psychological and salivary physiological measurements assessing dental fear, dental anxiety, and self-perceived stress in pediatric dental patients, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of each method of assessment. Four databases (PubMed^®, PsycInfo, Dentistry & Oral Sciences Source, and Web of Science) were searched for published articles, in the English language, assessing the correlation between psychological and physiological distress in children undergoing dental procedures. Studies on pediatric patients reveal positive correlations between salivary cortisol and dental fear, stress, and anxiety, especially in returning patients. Conversely, findings on salivary alpha-amylase and secretory immunoglobulin A were inconsistent, with some studies suggesting correlations with dental fear and prior dental experiences. Full article

This paper highlights the transition from traditional procurement systems to the newly introduced eProcurement system in Saudi Arabia, emphasizing the differences and improvements and their implications for sustainable development. The new system aims to enhance transparency, clarify purchasing methodologies, and build trust with the government through effective governance of government purchases and tender management. Guided by Royal Decree, this system aligns with the eProcurement Program to transition into digital processes for proficient bids and government purchases, contributing to more efficient and sustainable procurement practices. While some public agencies have attempted to adopt the new model contract for executing construction projects, it has faced challenges due to its lack of alignment with the best practices and sustainability considerations. The authors argue that many large projects remain exempt from this system, which poses obstacles to achieving the goals of sustainable economic development. The objective of this paper is to explore the newly revised Saudi procurement contracts in comparison with traditional public works contracts, with a focus on how they address socio-economic and environmental sustainability. The research provides an overview of various aspects related to public works contracts (PWCs) in Saudi Arabia, including framework agreements, online reverse auctions, industry localization, knowledge transfer, traditional lump sum contracts, two-phase tenders, and construction project competitions, analyzing their alignment with sustainable development goals. There is limited literature on recent models introduced by the Saudi government, but there are extensive resources on general contract law principles and international public policy. This foundation helps with understanding the legal aspects of public works contracts in Saudi Arabia, their alignment with international standards, and their implications for fostering sustainable development. By examining the literature, researchers can gain insights into the legal and policy framework governing public works contracts in Saudi Arabia and their role in promoting sustainability. The importance of this research lies in its comparative analysis, offering valuable insights into the evolution of procurement practices in Saudi Arabia and their contribution to sustainable socio-economic growth. Full article

In recent years, there has been a call for a shift to transportation with lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in order to combat global warming. One of the ecofriendly transportation methods is an electric moped scooter (e-moped)-sharing service that does not emit GHG when it runs. It is necessary to plan the location of charging stations and the material procurement through the manufacturing of e-mopeds in order to reduce the cost and GHG emissions and to improve the accessibility of the service. In this study, a two-stage design on the e-moped-sharing services is proposed to allocate charging stations and select material suppliers for e-mopeds using integer programming. The analysis method to determine the suitable charging station locations and sizes and supplier selection are also presented. Numerical experiments are conducted to illustrate the proposed design and analysis method by assuming Kumpan’s 1954 i model installation in Bochum city, Germany. In the numerical experiments, set covering and maximal covering location problems with small coverage radius of charging stations would be better by evaluating accessibility, GHG emissions, and cost comprehensively. Moreover, 11 prioritized demand points were picked out by introducing new indexes such as geographical and demand importance. Full article

Accurate long-term cloud demand forecasting is critical for optimizing resource procurement and cost management in cloud computing, yet it remains challenging due to dynamic demand trends, limited historical data, and the poor generalization of existing models in few-shot scenarios. This paper proposes DimAug-TimesFM, a dimension-augmented framework for long-term cloud demand forecasting, which addresses these challenges through two key innovations. First, Delivery Period Extracting identifies critical resource delivery phases by analyzing smoothed utilization trends and differencing thresholds, enabling focused modeling on periods reflecting actual demand. Second, Dimension-Augmented TimesFM enhances the pretrained TimesFM model by integrating cross-pool data via Dynamic Time Warping based similarity matching, enriching training data while mitigating distribution discrepancies. Experiments on real-world cloud resource utilization data demonstrate that DimAug-TimesFM significantly outperforms SOTA baselines (e.g., TimesFM, DLinear, PatchTST) in both short-term (16-day) and long-term (64-day and 128-day) forecasting tasks, achieving average reductions 72.9–81.7% in RMSE. DimAug-TimesFM also exhibits better robustness in scenarios where TimesFM fails, attributed to its synergistic integration of temporal feature enhancement and cross-pool data augmentation. This work provides a practical solution for few-shot cloud demand forecasting, enabling enterprises to align resource allocation with dynamic usage patterns and reduce operational costs. Full article

This study addresses the scientific issue of the insufficient systematization of knowledge about the barriers to electronic tendering (E-Tendering) in the construction industry. This study is critical because it can potentially promote more effective, transparent, and environmentally friendly procurement practices, which can help with sustainable development. The key scientific goals of this study are to identify and categorize the barriers to E-Tendering adoption across six (6) geographical regions and to make recommendations to overcome the identified barriers. This research used a systematic literature review technique to identify these barriers from relevant scientific databases. This study identified and categorized the main obstacles to E-Tendering and grouped the barriers according to six geographical regions. Eight (8) significant barriers were common across six geographical locations. They are (1) Inadequate technical/ICT skilled personnel, (2) Inadequate data security, (3) Inadequate policy or uniform standard and Inadequate legal framework, (4) resistance to change, (5) Inadequate ICT and internet infrastructure, (6) High investment cost of implementation, (7) Lack of support, and (8) Technical challenges. Furthermore, this study identified 10 significant barriers to E-Tendering implementation in the construction industry. This study contributes to improving knowledge of these barriers. It contributes to creating policies that promote the long-term reform of procurement processes in the construction sector. This study also supports sustainable development goals by promoting more efficient, transparent, and environmentally friendly procurement processes. Full article

Predicting forage biomass yield is critical in managing livestock since it impacts livestock stocking rates, hay procurement, and livestock marketing strategies. Only a few biomass yield prediction studies on pasture and rangeland exist despite the need. Therefore, this study focused on developing a biomass yield prediction methodology through remote sensing satellite imagery (multispectral bands) and climate data, employing open-source software technologies. Biomass ground truth data were obtained from local pastures, where Kentucky bluegrass is the predominant species among other forages. Remote sensing data included spatial bands (6), vegetation indices (30), and climate data (16). The top-ranked features (52 tested) from recursive feature elimination (RFE) were short-wave infrared 2, normalized difference moisture index, and average turf soil temperature in the machine learning (ML) model developed. The random forest (RF) model produced the highest accuracy ($R^2=0.83$) among others tested for biomass yield prediction. Applications of the developed methodology revealed that (i) the methodology applies to other unseen pasters ($R^2=0.79$), (ii) finer satellite spatial resolution (e.g., CubeSat; 3 m) better-predicted pasture biomass, and (iii) the methodology successfully developed for a combination of Kentucky bluegrass and other forages, extended to high-value alfalfa hay crop with excellent yield prediction accuracy ($R^2=0.95$). The developed methodology of RFE for feature selection and RF for biomass yield modeling is recommended for biomass and hay forage yield prediction. Full article

As global income levels and population increase, meat consumption and production are rising, raising concerns about climate change, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability. Offal offers a sustainable, nutrient-rich, and economical alternative to muscle meat, providing proteins, vitamins, and minerals. This study was triggered by the scarcity of information on the microbiological quality of edible bovine offal, which is often associated with poor hygienic conditions during handling and processing at slaughterhouse. This study assessed the superficial microbiota present on cattle liver and tongue in a vertical slaughterhouse across various stages of the procurement process and on days with different slaughter volumes, with three sampling points: immediately after post-mortem inspection (Point 1); after the arrival of the viscera in the preparation room (Point 2); and in the refrigeration chamber at 3 °C (Point 3). Samples were analysed according to ISO methods for enumeration of mesophilic aerobic bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, generic Escherichia coli, presumptive Escherichia coli O157, and Staphylococcus aureus and detection of presumptive Escherichia coli O157, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella spp. Microbiological counts were within the acceptability values stipulated in the amendment of Regulation EC 1441/2007 to Regulation EC 2073/2005 for cattle carcasses. In general, both viscera showed higher microbial counts on days with higher slaughter volumes, with the exception of Enterobacteriaceae and Staphylococcus counts on the tongue. There was also an increase in microorganism levels across the offal processing stages. Out of 144 samples, 20.83% were contaminated with presumptive Escherichia coli O157, 3.47% Salmonella spp., and 25% S. aureus. Therefore, although 20.83% of the samples tested were presumptive for E. coli O157, it is important to note that a considerable number of these presumptive positives may in fact have been negative after confirmation by molecular methods. However, the presence of presumptive E. coli O157 at high levels is one reason that the prevention of offal contamination requires more stringent measures. Preventing offal contamination requires stricter measures during slaughter procedures to ensure safety, reduce food losses, and enhance sustainability in meat production. Full article

In response to the existing gaps in the carbon footprint assessment framework for core electrical equipment transformers, which impedes power companies from effectively supporting low-carbon procurement of materials and products, this study proposes a novel evaluation method for transformer carbon footprints. This method comprehensively considers all stages of the transformer lifecycle, including manufacturing, transportation, installation, operation, and decommissioning. A review of mainstream carbon footprint accounting schemes, both domestic and international, is first presented, summarizing established accounting methods and calculation processes. The paper then introduces a novel, integrated carbon footprint accounting approach for transformers, covering the entire ‘cradle-to-grave’ lifecycle, along with an associated calculation model. This framework analyzes the carbon footprint composition across production, assembly, transportation, usage, and recycling stages for four commonly used, high-efficiency transformers at State Grid Xinjiang Electric Power Company, the carbon footprint of an oil-immersed 100 kVA/10 kV transformer is 2.353 × 106 kg CO₂e, approximately half that of a conventional 100 kVA/10 kV transformer. Finally, the study provides recommendations for carbon reduction pathways for transformers, considering both functional substitution and technological carbon reduction strategies. Full article