Introduction: Countries have set a central policy to achieve universal health coverage by 2030. Resource constraint and the variety of ways to fulfill the purposes of the universal health coverage, ...however, have led policymakers to face ethical challenges. An elaboration of ethical frameworks can facilitate the right move in this direction. Aim: This study examines the ethical frameworks used by countries and postulated by studies for policy-making on universal health coverage. Materials and Methods: This systematic review built on the PRISMA guidelines to search the Scopus and PubMed databases for papers published from January 2010 to March 2018. Studies will be considered for inclusion that have focused on the dimensions of policy-making ethics on universal health coverage and referring to the role of ethics in policy-making on health universal coverage. State and organisational reports, book’s chapters, proceedings and editorials were not included.The data were analysed using the thematic analysis method and categorised into two groups according to the data extraction forms. The first was related to articles that were the result of a research study and recommendations from international organisations; the second concerned with articles that reflected the experiences of different countries. The extracted data of both groups were classified into three themes, including the role of ethics in universal health, ethical principles, and ethical criteria. Results: Out of the 685 articles found in the initial search, 24 met the inclusion criteria. Findings indicate that ethics acts as the driving force, guidance for decision-making, provider of public acceptance, and a guarantee for justice administration. The ethical framework contains principles of fairness, justice, equality, maximisation of benefits, solidarity, sustainability, good governance, human rights, financial risk protection measures, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. Most studies have emphasised the principles of human rights, solidarity, justice and fairness, cost-effectiveness, and financial risk conservation in the policy-making of health universal coverage. Varying cultural and social conditions, the political orientation of countries, and local values underlie the difference in the contents of the moral framework. Conclusion: In their attempts to realise universal health coverage, countries must undertake a selection of principles and criteria for their ethical framework through a research process. Given the emergence of the scientific field of ethics for health policy-making, researchers can review the ethical principles and criteria identified in this study in other areas of health policy-making and determine the generalisability of these principles.
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Overoxidation is the principal barrier against commercializing propane oxidative dehydrogenation (PODH) catalysts for propylene production. The current approach to reducing ...overoxidation, i.e., coating the non-selective support surface with a monolayer of active phase, can itself increase the probability of overoxidation of the produced propylene due to polymerization of active phase species. Incorporating the “confinement agents” onto the metal oxide support might be considered as an alternative solution to prevent hydrocarbons from reaching the support and overoxidizing. Herein, the UiO-66 metal–organic framework, which contains numerous organic ligands connected to the zirconia nodes, was used as support for the vanadia active phase to highlight the role of support's confinement effects on the overall catalytic performance toward the PODH. The UiO-66 supported vanadia catalysts with various vanadium loadings were fabricated via an ultrasonic-assisted wet impregnation procedure. The catalytic function is related to the underlying chemical processes at catalyst surfaces using physicochemical characterization techniques, PODH performance measurements, and machine learning tools. The results showed that the catalyst with a relatively low vanadia density of 2.7 nm−2, equivalent to less than half of the entire support surface coverage, could achieve propylene productivity of 4.43 gC3H6gcat-1h-1, propane conversion of 17.1%, and propylene selectivity of 49.7% at 350 °C.
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Introduction: The prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in Iran amounts to 15.14%, which is higher than the global average. Given the substantial cost of this disease, health insurance companies ...need evidence of the cost-effectiveness of screening for the disease in adults at risk so that they can control the prevalence of the disease and the associated incremental medical costs by implementing a nationwide screening. Aim: To explore the cost-effectiveness of screening for CKD among adults as compared with having a non-intervention strategy. Materials and Methods: The study had a cross-sectional design and uses the cost-effectiveness analysis approach to compare the costs and outcomes of screening versus nonscreening CKD. The estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR) was used for primary screening of the population. For this purpose, blood creatinine was measured; subsequently, urine creatinine and volume were analysed. However, some complementary measures and diagnostic tests were employed for positive cases, including the kidney ultrasonography. Costs and outcomes of the two strategies was calculated using a Markov decision model. This model is designed based on the natural course of CKD and GFR as a five-stage model. Costs of services required for patients were calculated based on Iran Health Insurance Organisation database, and outcome data were extracted in terms of the Quality-Adjusted Life-Year (QALY) index. Using TreeAge software, costs and outcomes were simulated for 1000 patients, and sensitivity analysis was used to test the reliability of the model data. Results: For an adult population, the cost-effectiveness ratio for screening versus non-screening was 277,686,954 Rials per QALY, which was the effective cost. The results of one-way sensitivity analysis on the variables of the model shows that the screening strategy can be considered a dominant strategy in different domains. Conclusion: Given the high prevalence of CKD in Iran, early detection of this disease via adult population screening is cost-effective for health insurance companies, and these organisations can control the costs of dialysis and kidney transplantation by reducing the rate of patient transitions from early to the final stages of the disease.
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This research investigates the impact of electrochemical activation on cobalt-tin (Cox-Sn100-x) bimetallic nanocatalysts for the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) in acidic conditions. Two ...electroactivation protocols, namely activation in a phosphate buffer (PB) solution and in-situ activation, using chronoamperometry, were developed. The electrochemical performance of the MOR electrocatalyst was evaluated through cyclic voltammetry analysis within a specific electrode potential range. Optimal activation conditions for the PB solution were achieved at a pH of 3.0 and an activation potential of −1.3 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), while the in-situ activation process showed the best results at an activation potential of −0.7 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). Both the in-situ and PB electroactivated Co65–Sn35 catalysts exhibited significant enhancements in MOR activity, with the in-situ activation resulting in a 10-fold increase and the PB activation leading to an 8.5-fold increase. The proposed mechanism for this substantial enhancement involves simultaneous hydrogen evolution and water electrolysis during the electroactivation treatments of the Co65–Sn35 electrocatalyst. In fact, the formation of OHads species during the electroactivation treatment could provide a fraction of OHads which was essential for the MOR. These findings might present opportunities for the engineering and design of bimetallic noble metal-free nanocatalysts for efficient utilization in high-performance acidic direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs).
•Phosphate buffer (PB) and in-situ electroactivation developed for Co65–Sn35 nanocatalyst.•In-situ and PB-activated Co65–Sn35 catalysts show 10-fold and 8.5-fold MOR activity increase respectively.•Optimal activation achieved at pH 3.0 and −1.3 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) for PB, −0.7 V for in-situ.•Local pH increases at the electrode – electrolyte interface due to acidic HER.•Simultaneous hydrogen evolution and water electrolysis generate H2Oads and crucial OHads for MOR.
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•A novel cooling system with nanofluid is presented for photovoltaic panels.•Performance parameters of the thermosyphon-type heat pipe array was investigated.•Nano particles concentrations in the ...working fluid was manipulated.•The new deployed working fluid increased electrical power generation of the panel.•Considerable amount of thermal energy was recovered by the introduced module.
In this study, a novel two phase closed thermosyphons (TPCTs) photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) system was constructed that was able to generate electrical and thermal power simultaneously. Methanol and Al2O3/methanol nanofluid were used as working fluid of the thermal system. The effect of filling ratio (at levels of 30, 40, 50, and 60%) as well as Al2O3 nanoparticles concentration in the working fluid (at values of 1.0, 1.5, and 2 wt%) on electrical and thermal performance of the PV/T module was investigated experimentally. The results suggested an optimum value for the filling ratio and the nanoparticles concentration at 50% and 1.5 wt%, respectively. The PV/T module at these conditions had 14.52 °C lower panel temperature and generated 1.42 W more electrical power output than an equivalent conventional PV panel. Furthermore, energy and exergy efficiencies of the system were calculated. The average electrical energy, the average total energy (including thermal efficiency), and the total exergy efficiencies for PV/T module (working with nanofluid) at optimum operating conditions increased about 1.0, 27.3%, and 1.1% respectively compared to the conventional PV module.
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In response to expanding requests towards natural gas usage as a key energy source and vital feedstock, revamping current gas refineries to provide additional capacity and meet the sustainability ...limitations is considered a crucial essence. In this work, the behavior of a gas refinery after switching its amine solution from diethanolamine to methyldiethanolamine was evaluated. The plant's main goals by this change, i.e., increase sweetening capacity and lowering energy consumption intensity was fulfilled. However, after some overhaul services, the hydrogen sulfide content of final treated gas raised from permissible limit, i.e., 3 ppm at least for three initial months of operation, and then progressively reduced to around 2 ppm. Systematic investigation of plant data shows that carbonyl sulfide hydrolysis in the dehumidification section as downstream of the sweetening section would increase the hydrogen sulfide content of the treated stream. Meanwhile, the gradual formation of heat stable amine salts in amine solution promotes its absorption capacity, which can counterpoise the effect of further hydrogen sulfide generation due to carbonyl sulfide hydrolysis in the subsequent section. Monitoring heat stable amine salts concentration in amine solution suggests that there should be a minimum level of 0.25 wt.% of these compounds to achieve suitable hydrogen sulfide content in final treated gas.
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Methanol crossover is one of the major problems which reduces the performance of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). Utilization of methanol tolerant cathode electrocatalysts with comparable ...activity, lower cost, and higher durability than those of current Pt-based electrocatalysts is an essential step towards commercialization of DMFCs. In this research, for the first time the performance of hydrothermally produced nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (NRGO) with nitrogen content of 4.6 wt% was compared with that of commercial 20 wt% Pt/C as cathode electrocatalysts of passive DMFC. The polarization curves of cells with various methanol concentrations (1.5, 3.0, and 4.5 M) were recorded. The results suggested the cell with NRGO cathode could operate at higher optimum methanol concentration in contrast to the cell with Pt/C cathode. The results showed that at the same methanol concentration the maximum power density, the fuel efficiency, and the current stability for the cell with NRGO cathode are higher than those of Pt/C cathode about 208%, 269%, and 77%, respectively. Higher temperature of cathode current collector of the cell with Pt/C cathode, in spite of its lower power output, presented an evidence of oxidation of permeated methanol on its cathode surface. Also, EIS measurements clarified that COads oxidation reaction, an intermediate of methanol oxidation reaction (MOR), on cathode side of cell with Pt/C cathode implies a relatively huge impedance on the overall cell operation. By contrast, in the case of cell with NRGO cathode due to its inertness towards MOR, the overall cell impedance significantly reduced.
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Over the past decade the tremendous development of Wireless Communications has changed human life incredibly. Considerable advancement has been made in the design and architecture of communications ...related RF and Microwave circuits. This book is focused on special circuits dedicated to the RF level of wireless Communications. From Oscillators to Modulation and Demodulation and from Mixers to RF and Power Amplifier Circuits, the topics are presented in a sequential manner. A wealth of analysis is provided in the text alongside various worked out examples. Related problem sets are given at the end of each chapter.
N-doped graphene due to its higher selectivity towards ORR has superior performance (power output) than commercial Pt/C electrocatalyst in real fuel cell conditions.
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•Green and ...one-pot hydrothermal synthesis of pyridinic rich N-doped graphene.•Higher ORR activity than previous hydrothermally prepared ones.•Revealing of role of π-electrons and LP-electrons of pyridinic-N towards ORR.•Superior performance than commercial Pt/C electrocatalyst in real fuel cells.
Nitrogen-doped graphenes are promising oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts for replacement of Pt-based electrocatalysts. In this paper, 3-D mesoporous nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxides (NRGOs) with different nitrogen contents (1.0–4.7%) were hydrothermally synthesized through manipulation of relative amount of the graphite oxide (GtO) and melamine. Eight characterization techniques including FESEM, TEM, BET, XRD, Raman, FTIR, UV–vis, and XPS were used to evaluate the structural and electronic properties of the prepared nanomaterials. The ORR performance of NRGOs and commercial 20wt% Pt/C were examined in three electrode cell and direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) setups. It was revealed that N-content of NRGOs (regardless of their bonding configurations) promotes ORR performance at lower potentials due to activation and strengthen of π-electrons of graphene framework while pyridinic-N content has significant role in ORR at higher potentials because of activation of their lone pair electrons. Furthermore, the DMFC with NRGO containing 4.1% (4.6wt%) nitrogen as cathode electrocatalyst, due to its higher selectivity towards ORR, presents superior output power compared to the commercial 20wt% Pt/C one.
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