A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TECHNO-ECONOMIC DECISION SUPPORT TOOL FOR VALIDATING LONG-TERM ECONOMIC VIABILITY OF BIOREFINING PROCESSES

Increasing demand for energy and transportation fuel has motivated researchers all around the world to explore alternatives for a long-term sustainable source of energy. Biomass is one such renewable resource that can be converted into various marketable products by the process of biorefining. Currently, research is taking strides in developing conversion techniques for producing biofuels from multiple bio-based feedstocks. However, the greatest concern with emerging processes is the long-term viability as a sustainable source of energy. Hence, a framework is required that can incorporate novel and existing processes to validate their economic, environmental and social potential in satisfying present energy demands, without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own energy needs. This research focuses on developing a framework that can incorporate fundamental research to determine its long-term viability, simultaneously providing critical techno-economic and decision support information to various stakeholders. This contribution links various simulation and optimization models to create a decision support tool, to estimate the viability of biorefining options in any given region. Multiple disciplines from the Process Systems Engineering and Supply Chain Management are integrated to develop the comprehensive framework. Process simulation models for thermochemical and biochemical processes are developed and optimized using Aspen Engineering Suite. Finally, for validation, the framework is analyzed by combining the outcomes of the process simulation with the supply chain models. The developed techno-economic model takes into account detailed variable costs and capital investments for various conversion processes. Subsequently, case studies are performed to demonstrate the applicability of the decision support tool for the Jackson Purchase region of Western Kentucky. The multidisciplinary framework is a unique contribution in the field of Process Systems Engineering as it demonstrates simulation of process optimization models and illustrates its iterative linking with the supply chain optimization models to estimate the economics of biorefinery from multi-stakeholder perspective. This informative tool not only assists in comparing modes of operation but also forecasts the effect of future scenarios, such as, utilization of marginal land for planting dedicated energy crops and incorporation of emerging enzymatic processes. The resulting framework is novel and informative in assisting investors, policy makers and other stakeholders for evaluating the impacts of biorefining. The results obtained supports the generalizability of this tool to be applied in any given region and guide stakeholders in making financial and strategic decisions

Retrospective analysis of breech deliveries in tertiary care center

Background: Breech presentation is the commonest malpresentation accounting for 3-4% of all deliveries at term. The most common cause for breech presentation is preterm delivery. The safest route of delivery for breech had long been a topic of debate and after the results of term breech trial mode of delivery has become abdominal route even in teaching institutions.Methods: This is a retrospective cross sectional study conducted at department of obstetrics and gynaecology, Government medical college, Kozhikode, for a period of 2 years from 01 January 2016 to 31 December 2017. Mothers with gestational age between 28 weeks to 41 weeks with singleton live fetus with breech presentation who had either vaginal or caesarean delivery were included. The case notes were retrieved from the medical records department.Results: A total of 823 breech deliveries occurred during the study period. Of the total mothers 429 were primies and 394 were multies. Common causes identified were prematurity, intrauterine growth restriction, uterine and fetal anomalies. Mode of delivery was caesarean in more than 80% of cases.Conclusions: Incidence of breech presentation was 3.2% during the study period. Increasing incidence of caesarean delivery is seen in breech presentation. Persistent breech presentation at term is most commonly seen in patients with associated oligamnios, intrauterine growth restriction, and uterine anomalies

Fetomaternal outcome in fibroid complicating pregnancy: a retrospective study

Background: Fibroids are the commonest benign tumour arising from the smooth muscle from uterus. Effects of fibroids on pregnancy and the effects of pregnancy on fibroids are a frequent clinical concern since these tumors are common in women of reproductive age. Most pregnant women with fibroids do not have any complications during pregnancy related to the fibroids. Pain is the most common problem and there may be a slightly increased risk of obstetrical complications like miscarriage, preterm labor and delivery, malpresentation and placental abruption.Methods: A retrospective study was carried out to study the fetomaternal complications in fibroid complicating pregnancies. Duration of study period was one year. Study was from 1 January 2019 to 31 December 2019 in government medical college, Kozhikode. Patients beyond 28 weeks of gestational age with fibroid complicating pregnancies were included. Case records were reviewed from medical records library government medical college, Kozhikode. Detailed review of patients including history, examination and ultrasound scan reports, mode of delivery, antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum complications and details of babies were also taken.Results: During the study period a total of 112 cases of fibroid complicating pregnancies were included in the study out of 15875 total number of deliveries. Majority of patients belonged to age group between 30 to 35 years (40.17%) and 28.1% belonged to between 35 and40 years. 63.39% of patients were multies. In most of the cases fibroid was diagnosed by the first trimester ultra sound itself. Size of uterus remained corresponding to gestational age in more than half of cases (56.25%). There was increased incidence of caesarean delivery (56.25%), preterm delivery (7.2%) and placenta praevia (2.8%) postpartum haemorrhage (10.71%) in the studied cases.Conclusions: Fibriod complicating pregnancies are associated with higher incidence of obstetric complications during all the phases of pregnancy. Proper antenatal care and assessment can reduce the adverse outcomes to a greater extent

R&D investments in emerging market firms:the role of institutional investors and board interlocks

Despite the increase in institutional investor shareholdings in emerging market firms, their impact on R&D investments has received scant attention in the literature. By integrating agency and resource dependence perspectives, we examine the role of different types of institutional investors and their interactions with board interlocks in shaping their preference for R&D investment in their portfolio firms. We test our hypotheses on a sample of 2,478 Indian firm‐year observations from 2005 to 2019, using various estimation techniques. Our results indicate that different categories of institutional investors have distinct preferences for R&D investment. Specifically, we find that ownership by both foreign institutional investors and mutual fund investors negatively impacts R&D investments in firms. While board interlocks positively moderate the impact of institutional investors such as banks and financial institutions and foreign institutional investors on R&D investments in firms, this moderation is negative in the case of mutual fund investors and R&D investments in firms. We contribute to the understanding of the determinants of R&D investments in emerging market firms, with a specific focus on institutional investor ownership and add to the nascent literature on the interaction between two forms of governance, i.e., ownership and board characteristics, in shaping this firm strategy

Failure assessment of cracked uni-planar square hollow section T-, Y- and K-joints using the new BS 7910:2013+A1:2015

This paper covers the validation of standard safety assessment procedure in the new BS 7910:2013+A1:2015 for cracked uni-planar square hollow section (SHS) T-, Y- and K-joints using the finite element analyses. The procedure is based on the failure assessment diagram (FAD) method. A completely new and robust finite element mesh generator is developed, and it is validated using the full-scale experimental test results. FAD curves are constructed using the elastic J-integral (J e Je ), the elastic-plastic J-integral (J ep Jep ) and the plastic collapse load (P c Pc ) values calculated using the 3D cracked models of the joints. The results reveal that the standard Option 1 FAD curve of the new BS code is not always safe in assessing the safety and integrity of cracked uni-planar SHS joints. Therefore, a penalty factor of 1.2 for plastic collapse load is recommended to move all the constructed Option 3 FAD curves above the standard Option 1 curve. The new Option 3 FAD curves are found to generate optimal solutions for cracked uni-planar SHS T-, Y- and K-joints

A Multi-Scale, Multi-Disciplinary Approach for Assessing the Technological, Economic, and Environmental Performance of Bio-Based Chemicals

In recent years, bio-based chemicals have gained interest as a renewable alternative to petrochemicals. However, there is a significant need to assess the technological, biological, economic and environmental feasibility of bio-based chemicals, particularly during the early research phase. Recently, the Multi-scale framework for Sustainable Industrial Chemicals (MuSIC) was introduced to address this issue by integrating modelling approaches at different scales ranging from cellular to ecological scales. This framework can be further extended by incorporating modelling of the petrochemical value chain and the de novo prediction of metabolic pathways connecting existing host metabolism to desirable chemical products. This multi-scale, multi-disciplinary framework for quantitative assessment of bio-based chemicals will play a vital role in supporting engineering, strategy and policy decisions as we progress towards a sustainable chemical industry.</jats:p