Flexible Load Participation in Peaking Shaving and Valley Filling Based on Dynamic Price Incentives

Considering the widening of the peak-valley difference in the power grid and the difficulty of the existing fixed time-of-use electricity price mechanism in meeting the energy demand of heterogeneous users at various moments or motivating users,the design of a reasonable dynamic pricing mechanism to actively engage users in demand response becomes imperative for power grid companies.For this purpose,a power grid-flexible load bilevel model is constructed based on dynamic pricing,where the leader is the dispatching center and the lower-level flexible load acts as the follower.Initially,an upper-level day-ahead dispatching model for the power grid is established,considering the lowest power grid dispatching cost as the objective function and incorporating the power grid-side constraints.Then,the lower level comprehensively considers the load characteristics of industrial load,energy storage,and data centers,and then establishes a lower-level flexible load operation model with the lowest user power-consuming cost as the objective function.Finally,the proposed method is validated using the IEEE-118 system,and the findings indicate that the dynamic pricing mechanism for peaking shaving and valley filling can effectively guide users to respond actively,thereby reducing the peak-valley difference and decreasing users’purchasing costs.

Imperative for long-term management and surveillance in Kawasaki disease

Kawasaki disease(KD)is a significant pediatric vasculitis known for its potential to cause severe coronary artery complications.Despite the effectiveness of initial treatments,such as intravenous immunoglobulin,KD patients can experience long-term cardiovascular issues,as evidenced by a recent case report of an adult who suffered a ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction due to previous KD in the World Journal of Clinical Cases.This editorial emphasizes the critical need for long-term management and regular surveillance to prevent such complications.By drawing on recent research and case studies,we advocate for a structured approach to follow-up care that includes routine cardiac evaluations and preventive measures.

Patient attitudes about financial incentives for diabetes self-management:A survey

AIM:To study the acceptability of incentives for behavior changes in individuals with diabetes,comparing financial incentives to self-rewards and non-financial incentives.METHODS:A national online survey of United States adults with diabetes was conducted in March 2013(n = 153).This survey was designed for this study,with iterative testing and modifications in a pilot population.We measured the demographics of individuals,their interest in incentives,as well as the perceived challenge of diabetes self-management tasks,and expectations of incentives to improve diabetes self-management(financial,non-financial and self-rewards).Using an ordered logistic regression model,we assessed the association between a 32-point score of the perceived challenge of the self-management tasks and the three types of rewards.RESULTS:Ninety-six percent of individuals were interested in financial incentives,60% in non-financial incentives and 72% in self-rewards.Patients were less likely to use financial incentives when they perceived the behavior to be more challenging(odds ratio of using financial incentives of 0.82(95%CI:0.72-0.93) for each point of the behavior score).While the effectiveness of incentives may vary according to the perceived level of challenge of each behavior,participants did not expect to need large amounts to motivate them to modify their behavior.The expected average amounts needed to motivate a 5 lb weight loss in our population and to maintain this weight change for a year was $258(interquartile range of $10-100) and $713(interquartile range of $25-250) for a 15 lb weight loss.The difference in mean amount estimates for 5 lb and 15 lb weight loss was significant(P < 0.001).CONCLUSION:Individuals with diabetes are willing to consider financial incentives to improve diabetes selfmanagement.Future studies are needed to explore incentive programs and their effectiveness for diabetes.

Lessons from the Real World: Financial Incentives to Improve Glycemic Control in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Objectives: While the value of glycemic control to minimize adverse health outcomes among patients with diabetes is clear, achieving hemoglobin A1c (A1c) goals remain a challenge. We evaluated the use of financial incentives to increase enrollment and improve glycemic control among patients invited to participate in a monthly diabetes group appointment (DGA) as part of their enrollment in DaVita HealthCare Partners, a large southern California managed care organization. Methods: Adult diabetes patients (≥18 years) with a currently uncontrolled hemoglobin A1c level (>8.0% if 9.0% if ≥ 65 years) were randomized to 1) no DGA, 2) DGA with no financial incentives (non-incentive DGA) or 3) DGA with financial incentives (incentive DGA). Results: Nine sites among four regions of the greater Los Angeles area participated. Each site offered one non-incentive DGA and one incentive DGA. Over 1500 patients were identified for recruitment and at the peak of enrollment, 299 patients were enrolled in 18 DGAs. On average, hemoglobin A1c values dropped more for patients participating in the incentive DGA (9.9% to 8.7%, -1.2%) versus non-incentive DGA (9.7% to 9.0%, -0.7%) versus no DGA group (9.1% to 8.7%, -0.4%). Several unexpected implementation challenges arose which complicated evaluation but provide important learning lessons. Conclusions: Management of chronic diseases like diabetes is challenging for patients and the primary care system alike. Continuing to implement and evaluate programs under “real-world” conditions can provide further insight into how best to support patients with diabetes and their primary care teams in order to achieve glycemic control and avoid preventable complications.

Firm Risk Profile, Agency Incentives and Corporate Performance： Corporate Governance Perspective of Uganda

This paper focuses on the relationship between firm risk profile, agency incentives and corporate performance using correlation study and cross-sectional approach. We conceptualise firm risk profile using the balanced score card and differ from previous studies, on the above variables, by capturing the perceptual sets of strategic leadership of Ugandan firms who are members of corporate governance of Uganda. We post a significant negative relationship between firm risk profile and corporate performance, a significant negative relationship between firm risk profile and agency incentives and a positive relationship between agency incentives and corporate performance By employing Joseph and Scott （2006）＇s utilization of the balanced score card to identify the four forms of firm risk （namely, financial, customer, internal and learning and growth risks）, our results support the application of agency theory as a relevant theoretical framework for dealing with managers who are risk averse.

The Potential Impact of Incentives on Managed Lane Travel

The use of managed lanes to control and maximize freeway throughput is increasing. One way of encouraging more managed lane use is through the implementation of incentives. In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, a managed lane is being added to the I-30 (Tom Landry freeway) and incentives to maximize the use of this lane were planned. Since the managed lanes were not yet open and the incentives were hypothetical, a stated preference survey was used to gauge the potential impact of the incentives on traveler behavior. The stated preference questions were designed using Db-efficient and random adaptive designs. The incentives were chosen by looking at other programs around the country and through discussion with transportation experts. Once ready, the survey was administered online to travelers in the area and a total of 898 usable responses were gathered. From the responses, a mixed-logit model was developed to describe and predict traveler behavior. From the model, elasticities were calculated to predict the impact of the incentives on mode choice. The model found that incentives with discounts and free trips (a transit fare discount, express bus service to downtown, a free trip for every X number of paid trips, and a discount offered to select businesses) were more effective at encouraging managed lane use. The other incentives (gift card worth $5 for every X number of trips and $5 in credit for every X number of trips taken by transit) had less of an impact.

Clinical manifestations,diagnosis and long-term prognosis of adult autoimmune enteropathy:Experience from Peking Union Medical College Hospital

BACKGROUND Autoimmune enteropathy(AIE)is a rare disease whose diagnosis and long-term prognosis remain challenging,especially for adult AIE patients.AIM To improve overall understanding of this disease’s diagnosis and prognosis.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed the clinical,endoscopic and histopathological characteristics and prognoses of 16 adult AIE patients in our tertiary medical center between 2011 and 2023,whose diagnosis was based on the 2007 diagnostic criteria.RESULTS Diarrhea in AIE patients was characterized by secretory diarrhea.The common endoscopic manifestations were edema,villous blunting and mucosal hyperemia in the duodenum and ileum.Villous blunting(100%),deep crypt lymphocytic infiltration(67%),apoptotic bodies(50%),and mild intraepithelial lymphocytosis(69%)were observed in the duodenal biopsies.Moreover,there were other remarkable abnormalities,including reduced or absent goblet cells(duodenum 94%,ileum 62%),reduced or absent Paneth cells(duodenum 94%,ileum 69%)and neutrophil infiltration(duodenum 100%,ileum 69%).Our patients also fulfilled the 2018 diagnostic criteria but did not match the 2022 diagnostic criteria due to undetectable anti-enterocyte antibodies.All patients received glucocorticoid therapy as the initial medication,of which 14/16 patients achieved a clinical response in 5(IQR:3-20)days.Immunosuppressants were administered to 9 patients with indications of steroid dependence(6/9),steroid refractory status(2/9),or intensified maintenance medication(1/9).During the median of 20.5 months of followup,2 patients died from multiple organ failure,and 1 was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.The cumulative relapse-free survival rates were 62.5%,55.6%and 37.0%at 6 months,12 months and 48 months,respectively.CONCLUSION Certain histopathological findings,including a decrease or disappearance of goblet and Paneth cells in intestinal biopsies,might be potential diagnostic criteria for adult AIE.The long-term prognosis is still unsatisfactory despite corticosteroid and immunosuppressant medications,which highlights the need for early diagnosis and novel medications.

Measuring the Effectiveness of Safety Incentives in Construction Sites in Korea

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of motivation factors that actively induce construction workers participate in safety prevention activities and to investigate the effect of incentive program as motivation factor by conducting questionnaire survey. The survey was conducted for construction workers from September, 2017 to October, 2018, and the number of respondents was 256. The results of this study are that the factor of the greatest role in encouraging workers to voluntarily participate in accident prevention activities is management factors and that the introduction of new management methods such as safety incentives to reduce safety accidents is necessary. These results indicate that the accident prevention facilities and safety education and training have their limitations. Therefore, it is necessary to thoroughly reconsider what has already been done, and to find more innovative methods to reduce construction accidents.

Payments for Ecosystem Services Incentives and Adoption of Land Use Interventions in Uluguru Mountains, Tanzania

The role played by Payments for ecosystem services (PES) in promoting land use interventions is increasingly being recognized as an important instrument for changing land use management worldwide. Despite the increase, adoption of land use interventions promoted by PES and factors influencing it are not well understood. This study was carried out to assess the adoption of land use interventions promoted by PES scheme four years after its implementation in the Uluguru Mountains, Tanzania. The specific objectives of this study were to assess the adoption and factors that influenced it. The study employed questionnaire survey method to collect data from 219 households selected randomly. Focus group discussions and key informant interviews were also conducted to complement information obtained through questionnaire surveys. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were employed. Binary logistic regression was used to analyse quantitative data obtained, while content analysis was applied to qualitative data. Results revealed that during the project implementation, 40% of the households did not adopt any of the promoted interventions. Unexpectedly, four years after the project ended, every household sampled had adopted the interventions. Households headed by younger heads and those with land ownership, households which received PES incentives and lived for a long time in the same area and those with more labour force and access to extension services were found to have adopted more interventions (p ≤ 0.05). Thus, the study concludes that socioeconomic characteristics, agricultural extension services and incentives initially provided to farmers are key factors influencing the adoption of land use interventions. Therefore, it is recommended to the government that it should support farmers to get land tenure and to provide them with more incentives to improve their farms through adopting technologies.

Do Research Incentives Promote Researchers’Mental Health?

Background:Researchers have a higher risk of anxiety and depression than the general population,so it is important to promote researchers’mental health.Method:Based on the data from 3210 global researchers surveyed by the journal Nature in 2021,confirmatory factor analysis,OLS regression and other regressions were used to explore the research incentive dimensions and their effects on researchers’mental health.Results:(1)Material incentive factors,work-family life balance factors,good organizational environment and spiritual motivation had significant positive effects on researchers’mental health.(2)The spiritual motivation could better promote researchers’mental health than the other factors.(3)Heterogeneity analysis showed that material incentive factors and spiritual motivation created more significant stimulating effects on the mental health of humanities and social sciences researchers.Work-family life balance factors were more effective in promoting the mental health of the mid-career group and the overtime group.Conclusion:Application of the four research incentives resulted in lower likelihood of anxiety or depression among researchers,and special attention should be paid to the role of the spiritual motivation.In order to promote researchers’mental health,different incentives should be applied to different researcher groups to better improve researchers’mental health.

Incentives to Invest in Improving Quality in the Telecommunications Industry

This paper investigates the incentives of invest in improving quality （as opposed to investments in new activities） in the telecommunications industry, based on the example of wireless markets. What is the impact of competition on incentives to invest, and on capacities to invest？ What is the role of the rate of penetration and technical progress？ This paper highlights the fact that investment incentives are positively related to potential for technical progress. Investment incentives also depend on market structure, competition intensity, and penetration rate, but not monotonically. This paper consists of a theoretical part which, under assumptions of full market coverage and market share symmetry, shows that for each national market, there is a target level of investment which companies strive to achieve but had not exceeded, and an empirical part that confirms the findings of the theoretical part and explains the differences with the theoretical part by relaxing the assumptions of full coverage and market share symmetry. This target level on the one hand depends on the potential for technical progress and on the other hand, depends on the rate of penetration. From a social perspective, this target level is the best amount that companies are encouraged to invest. Non-achievement of the target level entails underinvestment and a decrease in consumer surplus and welfare and may slow down technical progress. A data set covering 30 countries over a period of eight years is used to empirically prove the existence of a change in investment behavior depending on whether or not the target level is achieved. A low margin per user may hamper achievement of the target level. As a result, maximum consumer surplus and welfare occur under imperfect competition but not under perfect competition.

Development of a new Cox model for predicting long-term survival in hepatitis cirrhosis patients underwent transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts

BACKGROUND Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt(TIPS)placement is a procedure that can effectively treat complications of portal hypertension,such as variceal bleeding and refractory ascites.However,there have been no specific studies on predicting long-term survival after TIPS placement.AIM To establish a model to predict long-term survival in patients with hepatitis cirrhosis after TIPS.METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted on a cohort of 224 patients who un-derwent TIPS implantation.Through univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses,various factors were examined for their ability to predict survival at 6 years after TIPS.Consequently,a composite score was formulated,encompassing the indication,shunt reasonability,portal venous pressure gradient(PPG)after TIPS,percentage decrease in portal venous pressure(PVP),indocyanine green retention rate at 15 min(ICGR15)and total bilirubin(Tbil)level.Furthermore,the performance of the newly developed Cox(NDC)model was evaluated in an in-ternal validation cohort and compared with that of a series of existing models.RESULTS The indication(variceal bleeding or ascites),shunt reasonability(reasonable or unreasonable),ICGR15,post-operative PPG,percentage of PVP decrease and Tbil were found to be independent factors affecting long-term survival after TIPS placement.The NDC model incorporated these parameters and successfully identified patients at high risk,exhibiting a notably elevated mortality rate following the TIPS procedure,as observed in both the training and validation cohorts.Additionally,in terms of predicting the long-term survival rate,the performance of the NDC model was significantly better than that of the other four models[Child-Pugh,model for end-stage liver disease(MELD),MELD-sodium and the Freiburg index of post-TIPS survival].CONCLUSION The NDC model can accurately predict long-term survival after the TIPS procedure in patients with hepatitis cirrhosis,help identify high-risk patients and guide follow-up management after TIPS implantation.

Long-term outcomes after endoscopic removal of malignant colorectal polyps:Results from a 10-year cohort

BACKGROUND Choosing an optimal post-polypectomy management strategy of malignant colorectal polyps is challenging,and evidence regarding a surveillance-only strategy is limited.AIM To evaluate long-term outcomes after endoscopic removal of malignant colorectal polyps.METHODS A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted to evaluate outcomes after endoscopic removal of malignant colorectal polyps between 2010 and 2020.Residual disease rate and nodal metastases after secondary surgery and local and distant recurrence rate for those with at least 1 year of follow-up were invest-igated.Event rates for categorical variables and means for continuous variables with 95%confidence intervals were calculated,and Fisher’s exact test and Mann-Whitney test were performed.Potential risk factors of adverse outcomes were RESULTS In total,135 lesions(mean size:22.1 mm;location:42%rectal)from 129 patients(mean age:67.7 years;56%male)were enrolled.The proportion of pedunculated and non-pedunculated lesions was similar,with en bloc resection in 82%and 47%of lesions,respectively.Tumor differentiation,distance from resection margins,depth of submucosal invasion,lymphovascular invasion,and budding were reported at 89.6%,45.2%,58.5%,31.9%,and 25.2%,respectively.Residual tumor was found in 10 patients,and nodal metastasis was found in 4 of 41 patients who underwent secondary surgical resection.Univariate analysis identified piecemeal resection as a risk factor for residual malignancy(odds ratio:1.74;P=0.042).At least 1 year of follow-up was available for 117 lesions from 111 patients(mean follow-up period:5.59 years).Overall,54%,30%,30%,11%,and 16%of patients presented at the 1-year,3-year,5-year,7-year,and 9-10-year surveillance examinations.Adverse outcomes occurred in 9.0%(local recurrence and dissemination in 4 patients and 9 patients,respectively),with no difference between patients undergoing secondary surgery and surveillance only.CONCLUSION Reporting of histological features and adherence to surveillance colonoscopy needs improvement.Long-term adverse outcome rates might be higher than previously reported,irrespective of whether secondary surgery was performed.

The Impact of Firm Characteristics, Industry Types, and Financial Ratios on SMEs＇ Utilization of Tax Incentives

This study aims to contribute to the growing literature on issues of tax incentives for small and medium-sized enterprises （SMEs）. Through comprehensive exploration of data, the study investigates factors leading to successful and unsuccessful utilization of tax incentives among SMEs. Financial ratios were calculated based on the information retrieved from the companies＇ annual financial statement. Apparently, these financial ratios are evidence of how successful the companies are in utilizing the tax incentives. In this study, 129 small companies and 71 medium-sized companies were selected as samples for the period of 2003-2007. The result indicates that financial structure such as retained earnings, tax burden, cash flow, and inventory level determined the ability of companies to utilize tax incentives; hence leading to higher earnings generated from the business operation. The age of the companies affects the utilization of tax incentives and this denotes that older companies are more capable of generating higher earnings. Hence, a thorough analysis of the data allows us not only to determine the success of the company in utilizing tax incentives but also to identify the determinants that impact their performance.

Car Sales Service 4s Shop Incentives and Related Competitions

In order to improve the car sales service 4S shop management level,improve the economic and social benefits of enterprises,incentives are used to encourage their own 4s shops.In this paper,throughout the related analysis of the quarterly and annual awards incentive program in large-scale domestic automobile enterprises,entropy method with MATLAB software is applied to establish the dimensional fit function.In the data processing,the multiple linear regression function into Lingo software is employed to get the best solution;and C language is used to run the screening data program through the consistency test program in the sensitivity and error analysis.First of all,consider the company to maximize profits and maximize the amount of complaints in the store to maintain a low target;in terms of staff,we should consider providing more incentives for employees;in the customer,the overall satisfaction,service Attitude,vehicle cleanliness based should be improved.And two programs for the monthly profit and excess profits of progressive incentives should also be improved.

Corporate Environmental Awareness Incentives and Recommendations

China＇s environmental problems become increasingly serious. In the context of the enterprise, which does not have the motivation to take the initiative to improve the environment, we realize the importance of environmental consciousness. The necessity of the incentive of the environmental awareness will be elaborated by psychology aspect. In the meantime, some suggestions are advanced in knowledge and experience, government policy and financial institution fields, to really motivate the China＇s environmental consciousness, to really change environmental protection problem into the internal problems of the enterprise. Finally, it can enable the enterprises to protect environment actively, and promote the smooth implementation of environmental accounting.

Internal Control, Equity Incentives and Accrued Earnings Management

In recent years, there have been a lot of domestic and foreign earnings manipulations. Therefore, it is of great significance to study earnings management and its influencing factors in order to restrict earnings management and ensure the quality of accounting information. This paper studies the impact of internal control related earnings management, and incorporates equity incentives into the impact analysis framework of internal control related earnings management, and studies the effect of equity incentives on the relationship between internal control and accrued earnings management.

The Research about Earnings Management Incentives of Listed Companies in China

This paper overviews earnings management incentive of listed companies and finds the incentives of cost in transactions with stockholders, a comparative performance advantage and a rational response to that market behavior which is anticipated. This paper tells us that even if there were no agency problems, earnings management should exist all the time.

Study on Financial and Taxation Incentives to Promote Innovation and Entrepreneurship in China

Mass entrepreneurship and innovation are the key to the continued economic and social development in China For long,the nation's financial and taxation policies have been playing an active role in promoting innovation,entrepreneurship and overall social and economic growth in China.This paper makes an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the current financial and taxation policies,and explores the opportunities and challenges faced by the current financial and taxation policies.To cultivate a sound environment across China for sustainable innovation and entrepreneurship,it calls for a multi-layered financial and taxation incentive mechanism featuring dynamically monitored taxation policies on hi-tech enterprisos,more favorable tax incentives for medium-and small-enterprises.