Sustainable organisation performance evaluation using balance scorecard and analytical hierarchical process

The present study uses the Analytic Hierarchy Process and Fuzzy Comprehensive method to evaluate the sustainable performance index with different sustainable dimensions on organisational performance measures. Limited integration methods available, inadequate exploration of sustainable dimensions, insufficient attention to key performance indicators, and lack of comparative studies have prompted the present study. This empirical study reveals that a balanced scorecard can be effectively applied to an aerospace organisation for sustainable performance evaluation. It is essential to select proper key performance indicators for a performance measuring system. This paper presents the study carried out on the sustainable performance evaluation in an aerospace organization in the Indian context and found the sustainability of the Organisation as moderate Level. The survey also identifies the Levels of different segments such as learning and growth, internal business, social and environmental dimensions, finance, customer dimension, etc. Suggestions are also included for the improvement of levels of various segments. The paper also covers the impact of locational differences or product segments on sustainable performance

PHOTO VOLTAIC PEAK-POWER TRACKER USING A SQUARE-WAVE INVERTER

Energy conversion from PV arrays received a lot of attention, especially in outer-space power system applications. Different methods of peak-power tracking have been proposed to capture the maximum power at different levels of insulation. Many peak-power trackers are implemented with a microprocessor or microcontroller, by using different control strategies. Water pumping from a PV array is a valid option to pollution-generating diesel and human-powered water pumps. However, with the battery module, the battery needs to be checked regularly. In the system with a battery, the peak power tracking can be handled by varying the duty ratio of a dc-dc converter, which is generally installed between the battery and the PV array. But in this paper we are not using battery. We are generating the power from PV module and by using MPPT feeding power to the induction by an inverter

Evaluation of the risk factors associated with low birth weight babies: a case control study

Background: Birth weight is one of the most important determinants of the chance of the newborn to survive & to experience healthy growth & development. So the present case control study was done to find some risk factors associated with low birth weight (LBW) among women delivering at VIMS Pawapuri in Bihar, India. Aim: to evaluate the risk factors associated with low birth weight babies at VIMS Pawapuri in Bihar, India. Material and methods: This case control study was done the Department of Paediatrics, Vardhman Institute of Medical Science, Pawapuri, Nalanda,Bihar, India, for 15 months. Total 100 cases (mothers having LBW singleton babies) and 100 controls (mothers having normal birth weight singleton babies) were include in this study. Results: A total of 50 case and 50 matched controls were studied. The maternal risk factors which were found to be significantly associated with LBW. The risk from various maternal factors as determined by Odds Ratio (OR) and Attributable Risk Proportion (ARP) in order of decreasing order was unfavourable outcome of previous pregnancy (OR=2.47), place of residence (rural) (OR=2.15), height <145 cms (OR=1.193), weight <40 kgs (OR=1.89), birth interval of <24 months (OR=1.82), WHPI d”100 (OR=1.82), Hb level <11 gram% (OR=1.64), BMI <18.5 kg/m2 (OR=1.55) and presence of any morbid condition during current pregnancy (OR=1.41). The distribution of various maternal risk factors which were found to be significantly associated with LBW by using Multiple Logistic Regression (MLR) Analysis. After MLR only 3 maternal factors i.e. place of residence (rural) (AOR=2.27), unfavourable outcome of previous pregnancy (AOR=1.96) and presence of any morbid condition during current pregnancy (AOR=1.63) were observed to be significant risk factors when adjusted for all other risk factors. Mother’s education, occupation, socio-economic status, physical activity during pregnancy (light, moderate & hard), sleep & rest duration, age at marriage, tobacco consumption, time of registration of pregnancy, number of ANC visits, tetanus toxoid immunization, days of iron, folic acid & calcium supplementations all were found to be not significantly associated with low birth weight. Conclusion: This study shows that bio-demographic and prenatal care variables have the strongest influence in determining the birth weight of a baby. However, Socio-economic and demographic factors are significantly associated with prenatal care, which is one of the behavioral factors associated with low birth weigh

Cross-sectional observational study to assess the clinic-demographic profile in children with Acute Encephalitis Syndrome

Aim: to evaluate the clinical profile and outcome of AES in hospitalized children. Material and Methods: This Cross-sectional, observational study was done the Department of Paediatrics,Vardhman Institute of Medical Science, Pawapuri, Nalanda, Bihar, India, for 1 year.. Children between age 1 month to 15 years with the acute onset of fever and a change in mental status such as confusion, disorientation, coma or inability to talk and/or new onset of seizures (excluding simple febrile seizure) were included in study. All cases were investigated Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) analysis, dengue serology, radiological investigation as per clinical presentation. Results: among 100 AES cases most of them were above 10 years of age (34%). Majority of them were males 65(65%), and 35(35%) were females. Most of the cases were reported during monsoon period 55(55%), followed by post-monsoon 34(34%) and pre-monsoon 11(11%). Out of 100 cases, all had fever; 72 (72%) had altered sensorium, 57 (57%) had convulsion; 27 (27%) had headache; 43 (43%) had vomiting. On fundus examination 29 (29%) showed papilledema. Out of 100 cases 55(55%) had viral etiology, 23(23%) had dengue, 6(6%) had malaria, 4 (4%) bacterial etiology, 6 (6%) had tuberculosis, 5 (5%) had other causes. Those patients who had shock and need inotropes showed significant mortality (p-value: 0.015. Out of 23 patients put on mechanical ventilation 10 died which was statistically significant with p -value 0.001. Those patients had deranged Liver Function Test (LFT) profile also had significant higher mortality (p- value: 0.027). Out of 100 children of AES admitted in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) 69(69%) were discharge, 18(18%) were succumbed, 13(13%) were got Discharge against Medical Advice. Conclusion: Majority of cases were in the age-group of above 10 years, with male predominance. The peak in occurrence of cases was during post-monsoon period

Assessment of the prevalence of congenital heart diseases in children: an observational study

Background: Early detection of congenital heart disease is of paramount importance to improve the quality of life of children and prevent morbidity and mortality. Early detection among school children is a novel approach which is time saving and cost effective. Aim: to determine the prevalence of congenital heart diseases in children in a tertiary care hospital. Material and methods: This Prospective observational study was done in the Department of Paediatrics,Vardhman Institute of Medical Science, Pawapuri, Nalanda,Bihar, India, for 13 months. Total number patients studied were 22,500, sample included all children aged (0-15 years) were included in this study. Clinical Examination, 2D Echocardiography and color Doppler were considered for diagnosis of CHD. Clinically suspected cases were subjected for 2D Echocardiography and color Doppler. Results: During the study periods we observed 22,500 new patients aged between (0-15 years), including OPD and IPD, of these 80 children were diagnosed to be having some type of CHD, with a prevalence of 1.88 per 1000 patients. ASD was the most common heart lesion(46.25%). Maximum number of cases were seen in 0-1 year age group(n=58, 72.5%). Atrial Septal Defect(ASD)-46.25%, Ventricular Septal Defect(VSD)-16.25%, Patent Foramen Ovale(PFO)-12.5%, Patent Ductus Arteriosus(PDA)-7.5%, VSD+ASD-7.5%, Dextrocardia+ Biscupid Aortic Valve+ Aortic Regurgitation-2.5%, Partial Anamolus Pulmonary Venous Connection(PAPVC)-2%, Pulmonary Stenosis(PS)-2%, PDA+ASD+Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension(PAH)-2.5%, of total cases.  Conclusion: Prevalence of congenital and rheumatic heart disease was 1.88 per 10,000. VSD and ASD were the most common types of congenital heart disease. Keywords: Congenital heart disease, Prevalence, Pattern, children

Photo Voltaic Peak-power Tracker Using A Square-wave Inverter

Energy conversion from PV arrays received a lot of attention, especially in outer-space power system applications. Different methods of peak-power tracking have been proposed to capture the maximum power at different levels of insulation. Many peak-power trackers are implemented with a microprocessor or microcontroller, by using different control strategies. Water pumping from a PV array is a valid option to pollution-generating diesel and human-powered water pumps. However, with the battery module, the battery needs to be checked regularly. In the system with a battery, the peak power tracking can be handled by varying the duty ratio of a dc-dc converter, which is generally installed between the battery and the PV array. But in this paper we are not using battery. We are generating the power from PV module and by using MPPT feeding power to the induction by an inverter

Elevated level of pro inflammatory cytokine and chemokine expression in chicken bone marrow and monocyte derived dendritic cells following LPS induced maturation

The study was designed to characterize and compare chicken bone marrow and peripheral blood monocyte derived dendritic cells (chBM-DC and chMoDC) and to evaluate inflammatory cytokine and chemokine alterations in response upon LPS stimulation. Typical morphology was observed in DCs from 48h of culture using recombinant chicken GM-CSF and IL-4. Maturation of DCs with LPS (1μg/ml) showed significant up regulation of mRNA of surface markers (CD40, CD80, CD83, CD86, MHC-II and DC-LAMP (CD208)), pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α (LITAF)), iNOS, chemokine CXCli2 and TLRs4 and 15. Basal level of TLR1 mRNA expression was higher followed by TLR15 in both DCs irrespective of their origin. Expression of iNOS and CXCLi2 mRNA in mature DCs of both origins were higher than other surface molecules and cytokines studied. Hence, its level of expression can also be used as an additional maturation marker for LPS induced chicken dendritic cell maturation along with CD83 and CD40. LPS matured DCs of both origins upregulated IL-12 and IFN-γ. Based on CD40 and CD83 mRNA expression, it was observed that LPS induced the maturation in both DCs, but chMoDCs responded better in expression of surface markers and inflammatory mediator genes

Evaluation of long-term conservation agriculture and crop intensification in rice-wheat rotation of Indo-Gangetic Plains of South Asia: Carbon dynamics and productivity

Not AvailableIn the context of deteriorating soil health, stagnation of yield in rice-wheat cropping system (RWCS) across Indo Gangetic plains (IGP) and environmental pollution, a long term field experiment was conducted during 2009–2016 taking four crop scenarios with conservation agriculture (CA), crop intensification and diversified cropping as intervening technology aiming to evaluate the sustainability of the systems. Scenario 1 (S1) re presented conventional farmers’ practice of growing rice and wheat with summer fallow. In scenario 2 (S2) and scenario 3 (S3), legume crop was taken along with rice and wheat with partial CA and full CA, respectively. Conventional RWCS was replaced with rice-potato + maize- cowpea cropping system with partial CA in scenario 4 (S4). The S3 scenario registered highest total organic carbon (TOC) stock of 47.71 Mg C ha−1 and resulted in significant increase of 14.57% over S1 (Farmer’s practice) in 0–30 cm soil depth after 7 years of field trial. The S4 scenario having intensified cropping systems recorded lowest TOC of 39.33 Mg C ha−1 and resulted in sig nificant depletion of 17.56% in C stock with respect to S3 in 0–30 cm soil depth. The TOC enrichment was higher in S2, S3 and S4 scenario in the surface soil (0–10 cm) compared to S1. At lower depth (20–30 cm), the TOC enrichment was significantly higher in S2 (12.82 Mg C ha−1 ) and S3 (13.10 Mg C ha−1 soil) over S1 scenario. The S2 and S3 scenario recorded highest increased allocation of TOC (3.55 and 6.13 Mg C ha−1 ) to passive pool over S1. The S2 (15.72 t ha−1 ), S3 (16.08 t ha−1 ) and S4 (16.39 t ha−1 ) scenarios recorded significantly higher system rice equivalent yield over S1 (10.30 t ha−1 ). Among the scenarios, S3 scenario had greater amount of total soil organic carbon, passive pool of carbon and higher system rice equivalent yield, thus, is considered the best cropping management practice to maintain soil health and food security in the middle IG