Worst-Case Optimal Scheduling and Real-Time Control of a Microgrid Offering Active Power Reserve

This work is focused on optimization problems within the predictive control framework for determining and engaging the flexibility of a microgrid in grid-microgrid energy exchange. The microgrid has a controllable battery storage and other components represented with a residual power flow. All major economic constituents of the grid-connected microgrid operation are considered: day-ahead, intra-day, peak power and battery degradation costs, as well as rewards and penalties for providing flexibility. The problems are posed as linear worst-case minimization programs in which all flexibility activation scenarios are taken into account. An analysis is conducted for various combinations of flexibility reservation and activation prices that can be bid to a grid entity. The technical and economic feasibility of the flexibility provision is confirmed by the use of an online model predictive controller that optimally meets the requirements of grid flexibility according to the declared reserve in the environment of online occurring disturbances and events

Balancing Between Efficiency and Equity in Publicly Funded Health Systems

The purpose of this paper is to provide a theoretical overview of efficiency and equity and give insights in the Croatian health system. Using selected indicators, a basic descriptive review of efficiency and equity in the Croatian health system was made, with an added comparison to other countries of the European Union. Observed at the macro level, Croatia shows relatively good efficiency of its health system, even above the average of the comparable countries by health expenditure per capita, but still significantly below the most developed EU countries. Still, Croatia requires further reforms that would enhance the efficiency of its health system (especially at the hospital level), without sacrificing equity which is a fundamental right of all citizens in need of health care. Although in total only small proportion of the population perceived an unmet need for health care, Croatia reported much larger inequalities in unmet need among different socio-economic groups, between high and low educated population, between women and men and among different age groups

Nacionalni registar pružatelja zdravstvene zaštite

Godišnji provedbeni plan statističkih aktivnosti u Republici Hrvatskoj predviđa istraživanje o ljudskim resursima u zdravstvu. Podatke o zaposlenima kontinuirano dostavljaju poslodavci u zdravstvu. S ciljem unaprjeđenja kvalitete statističkih istraživanja i podrške donošenju odluka o upravljanju i planiranju ljudskih potencijala u zdravstvu, Hrvatski zavod za javno zdravstvo utemeljuje i vodi Nacionalni registar pružatelja zdravstvene zaštite

Yield and Yield Components of Maize (Zea Mays L.) Hybrids as Affected by Irrigation Scheduling and Meteorological Conditions

During the last decade eastern Republic of Croatia have experienced several drought and flood events which seriously affected not only the crop production but also the effectiveness of irrigation practice, meaning irrigation scheduling and water use efficiency. This study was conducted to quantify the effect of irrigation scheduling on yield and yield components (hectolitre weight (HW), 1000-grain weight, cob weight (CW), cob length (CL), cob height (CH), grain weight (GW) and grain number/cob (GN/C) of maize (Zea Mays L.) hybrids during three growing seasons (2010 – 2012) characterised by extreme weather conditions. The study was conducted at the research site of Agricultural Institute in Osijek, Croatia. Three irrigation treatments (a1 = rainfed, a2 = 60 – 100% field water capacity (FWC), a3 = 80 – 100% FWC) and four maize hybrids (b1 = OSSK 596; b2 = OSSK 617; b3 = OSSK 602; b4 = OSSK 552) were studied. During the study grain yield ranged from 7.4 t ha-1 (2012, a1) to 10.3 t ha-1 (2012, a3) and was yearly-dependent. In 2010 irrigation significantly reduced CW (a1 = 0.8 kg; a3 = 0.7 kg), CH (a1 = 72 cm, a3 = 38 cm), 1000-GW (a1 = 284 g; a3 = 254 cm) and CL (a1 = 16 cm; a3 = 15 cm). In 2011 irrigation significantly increased only 1000-GW (a1 = 305 g; a3 = 330 g) while in 2012 irrigation increased all tested yield components as follows: 1000-GW (a1 = 340 g; a2 = 361 g); CH (a1 = 116 cm; a2 = 126 cm); CW (a1 = 1,15 kg; a3 = 1,79 kg), GN/C (a1 = 578; a2 = 701) and HW (a1 = 67 kg; a3 = 69 kg). As for maize hybrids (b), according to results of our study yield of maize grain varied (p<0.01) across tested hybrids in all three growing seasons while the significance for tested yield components was year dependent

Šećerna bolest kao kronična bolest – potreba redefiniranja modela pružanja skrbi

Tradicionalnim modelom zdravstvene skrbi, prilagođenim liječenju akutnih bolesnih stanja, nije moguće optimalno zbrinuti osobe koje boluju od šećerne bolesti. Kako bi se poboljšala regulacije bolesti, te unaprijedila kvaliteta života bolesnika i osobna kontrola nad zdravljem, potrebno je redefinirati odnos liječnik-bolesnik. Tradicionalni, liječniku usmjeren pristup, obilježen izradom plana liječenja za bolesnike i poticanjem njihova pristajanja uz preporuke, nastoji se zamijeniti bolesniku usmjerenim pristupom koji se oslanja na autonomiju, aktivno sudjelovanje, osnaženost bolesnika za donošenje informiranih odluka, te suradnu skrb o šećernoj bolesti. Podaci istraživanja potvrđuju da implementacija modela osnaživanja bolesnika pozitivno doprinosi zdravstvenom samozbrinjavanju i zdravstvenim ishodima u bolesnika koji boluju od šećerne bolesti

Presence of nitrates and nitrites in fresh cow milk from milk machines during winter and summer period in the city Zagreb and Zagreb County area

Introduction: The aim of the study was to determine the nitrites and nitrates content in fresh cow’s milk samples from milking machines, and to determine whether their amount is affected by the season of sampling (summer/winter). Methods: The methodology used was analytical transversal method at 2-time points. All milk samples were sampled at milk machines from the City of Zagreb and Zagreb County, during the summer and winter months in 2020. A total of 40 milk samples were sampled, with 20 samples in each monitored period (summer/winter). A high-performance liquid chromatography with a diode array detector was used to identify and quantify concentrations of the nitrate and the nitrite content. The results were processed using descriptive statistics and the statistics of differences. Results: The analysis determined the range of nitrate content from 1.28 mg/kg to 19.71 mg/kg and the range of nitrite content was from 0.49 mg/kg to 3.42 mg/kg in milk samples. The mean result of nitrates in fresh cow’s milk samples in the summer period was 9.12 mg/kg and in the winter period of 3.88 mg/kg. The mean value of nitrite in the summer was 1.23 mg/kg, while the mean value of nitrite in the winter period was 1.48 mg/kg. Conclusion: The research has shown that the nitrate and the nitrite levels in local fresh cow’s milk sampled in milk machines do not exceed the maximum allowable intake. The obtained results confirmed that the amounts of nitrates and nitrites in the milk samples differ significantly during the winter and summer periods and differences are depending on the location of the milk machine