DESIGN AND OPERATION OF MICROGRID

The need for new generation systems has motivated the development of microgrids. This new concept may provide significant benefits such as losses compensation, achieving high degree of efficiency and reliability to the transmission and distribution networks. This novel idea provides more advantages about Microgrids like general structure and different topologies. Also an original methodology for facilitating its design is proposed. Finally Simulink model of Microgrid is designed and then analyzed.Â

Certified Organic Production of Babycorn (Zea mays L.) based Legume Intercropping System as a Substitute Pathway for Sustainable Agriculture - A Review

Baby corn (Zea mays L.) refers to the whole, entirely edible cobs of immature corn harvested just before fertilization at 2-3 cm long silk emergence stage. The baby corn has a medium plant type and provides sweet, succulent and delicious green cobs within 65-75 days of sowing. Low quality yield of legumes and low yield of baby corn experienced due to continuous monoculture resulting from persistent soil depletion in the developing world have caused the need for a sustainable practice to improve quality and yield of aforementioned

Utilization of Marble Wastes in Clay Bricks: A Step towards Lightweight Energy Efficient Construction Materials

Marble dust is one of the hazardous byproducts of marble-processing factories and requires planned disposal. Its beneficial use as a construction material will add to the sustainability, and most importantly, might overcome the burden of marble waste disposal. However, the use of marble dust in concrete has a negative impact. Therefore, this research examines various properties related to the utilization of such material in ceramic clay, and therefore its effects on the use of clay bricks are investigated. The research activity covers the categorization of marble dust powder from three different sources: Ziarat in Mohmand Agency, Buneer, and Mullagori (Pakistan). Its utilization in different proportions preparation of bricks is also addressed. Through the partial replacement of clay with marble dust from 0 to 30% by weight with amplification of 5%, seven mix designs are examined. The test result includes Bulk density, water absorption, porosity, thermal insulation, and strength. The partial replacement of clay with marble dust reduced its weight, strength and increased its porosity, water absorption, and thermal insulation. Furthermore, the utilization of marble powder in bricks minimizes soil erosion and reduces pollution to the environment. Doi: 10.28991/cej-2021-03091738 Full Text: PD

Forage yield of berseem (Trifolium alaxandrium) as affected by phosphorus and potassium fertilization

This research was conducted with the aim to quantify the effect of phosphorus and potassium fertilization on forage yield of berseem (Trifolium alaxandrium). The experiment was carried out at the Research Farm of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Agricultural University Peshawar, Pakistan during the cropping season of 2004 to 2005. Randomized complete block design (RCBD) having four replications was used for the experiment. Significant differences were found among the treatments for number of branches per plant, fresh forage yield and dry forage yield. The highest number of branches per plant (9.15), fresh forage yield (6077 kg ha-1) and dry forage yield (156.83 kg ha-1) were recorded in plots with 60 kg P ha-1 x 30 kg K ha-1 treatments, while the lowest values of 6.93, 5430 kg ha-1 and 153.80 kg ha-1 for branches per plant, fresh forage yield and dry forage yield, respectively were recorded in the plots with no fertilizer (control). Emergence (m-2) and plant height of berseem were non-significantly affected by phosphorus and potassium fertilization. So, it was concluded that berseem showed better performance in terms of higher forage yield under 60 kg P ha-1 x 30 kg K ha-1 levels in Peshawar valley.Key words: Phosphorus, potassium, forage yield, berseem

DESIGN AND OPERATION OF MICROGRID

The need for new generation systems has motivated the development of microgrids. This new concept may provide significant benefits such as losses compensation, achieving high degree of efficiency and reliability to the transmission and distribution networks. This novel idea provides more advantages about Microgrids like general structure and different topologies. Also an original methodology for facilitating its design is proposed. Finally Simulink model of Microgrid is designed and then analyzed.

Board characteristics and the amount of capital raised in the Malaysian IPO market

This study examines the impact of board characteristics on the amount of capital raised through an IPO for a sample of 220 Malaysian IPOs over the period of 2005–2015, applying both ordinary least squares (OLS) and quantile regression (QR) techniques. The OLS results show that board with ethnic Malay directors has a significant and positive association with the amount of capital raised, while a weak significance is found for board size. However, the QR results reveal that other than board ethnicity, other board characteristics namely board size, board independence and CEO duality are significantly associated with the amount of capital raised. The additional results suggest that QR provides a more insightful and full picture into the association than does OLS. The overall empirical evidence lends support to the resource dependence role of the board of directors at the time of an IPO

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

Background Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide.Methods A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study-a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital.Findings Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3.85 [95% CI 2.58-5.75]; p<0.0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63.0% vs 82.7%; OR 0.35 [0.23-0.53]; p<0.0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer.Interpretation Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised

Pooled analysis of WHO Surgical Safety Checklist use and mortality after emergency laparotomy

Background The World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist has fostered safe practice for 10 years, yet its place in emergency surgery has not been assessed on a global scale. The aim of this study was to evaluate reported checklist use in emergency settings and examine the relationship with perioperative mortality in patients who had emergency laparotomy. Methods In two multinational cohort studies, adults undergoing emergency laparotomy were compared with those having elective gastrointestinal surgery. Relationships between reported checklist use and mortality were determined using multivariable logistic regression and bootstrapped simulation. Results Of 12 296 patients included from 76 countries, 4843 underwent emergency laparotomy. After adjusting for patient and disease factors, checklist use before emergency laparotomy was more common in countries with a high Human Development Index (HDI) (2455 of 2741, 89.6 per cent) compared with that in countries with a middle (753 of 1242, 60.6 per cent; odds ratio (OR) 0.17, 95 per cent c.i. 0.14 to 0.21, P <0001) or low (363 of 860, 422 per cent; OR 008, 007 to 010, P <0.001) HDI. Checklist use was less common in elective surgery than for emergency laparotomy in high-HDI countries (risk difference -94 (95 per cent c.i. -11.9 to -6.9) per cent; P <0001), but the relationship was reversed in low-HDI countries (+121 (+7.0 to +173) per cent; P <0001). In multivariable models, checklist use was associated with a lower 30-day perioperative mortality (OR 0.60, 0.50 to 073; P <0.001). The greatest absolute benefit was seen for emergency surgery in low- and middle-HDI countries. Conclusion Checklist use in emergency laparotomy was associated with a significantly lower perioperative mortality rate. Checklist use in low-HDI countries was half that in high-HDI countries.Peer reviewe