Climate policy costs of spatially unbalanced growth in electricity demand: the case of datacentres. ESRI Working Paper No. 657 March 2020

We investigate the power system implications of the anticipated expansion in electricity demand by datacentres. We perform a joint optimisation of Generation and Transmission Expansion Planning considering uncertainty in future datacentre growth under various climate policies. Datacentre expansion imposes significant extra costs on the power system, even under the cheapest policy option. A renewable energy target is more costly than a technology-neutral carbon reduction policy, and the divergence in costs increases non-linearly in electricity demand. Moreover, a carbon reduction policy is more robust to uncertainties in projected demand than a renewable policy. High renewable targets crowd out other low-carbon options such as Carbon Capture and Sequestration. The results suggest that energy policy should be reviewed to focus on technology-neutral carbon reduction policies

Capacity-constrained renewable power generation development in light of storage cost uncertainty. ESRI Working Paper No. 647 December 2019

The development of sustainable energy sources and their enabling infrastructures are often met by public opposition, resulting in lengthy planning processes. One proposed means of reducing public opposition is constraining the capacity of renewable energy projects onshore, leading to more small-scale, decentralised and possibly community-driven developments. This work computes the effects of same by performing a medium- and long-term generation expansion planning exercise considering two renewable development cases, in which renewable power expansion is spatially constrained to certain degrees, under high and low storage cost regimes. We employ an appropriately designed optimisation model, accounting for network effects, which are largely neglected in previous studies. We apply our study to the future Irish power system under a range of demand and policy scenarios. Irrespective of storage costs, the unconstrained portfolio is marginally cheaper than the constrained one. However, there are substantial differences in the final generation expansion portfolios. The network reinforcement requirements are also greater under the unconstrained approach. Lower storage costs only slightly mitigate the costs of capacity constraints but significantly alter the spatial distribution of generation investments. The differential in costs between the unconstrained and constrained cases increases non-linearly with renewable generation targets

Assessment on the levels of selected essential and non-essential metals in sesame seeds (Sesamum indicum L.) collected from Sheraro Town, Northwest Tigray, Ethiopia

The purpose of this study was to determine the levels of essential and non-essential metals in sesame seeds (Sesamum indicum L.). Six sesame seed samples (three red and three white) were purchased randomly from six shops in Sheraro, Tigray, Ethiopia. The levels of Fe, Zn, Cu, Cd and Pb in the sesame samples were determined by FAAS. 5 g of dried and homogenized samples were digested using 30 mL of HNO3 (70%) and 25 mL of HCl (37%) at 120 oC for 5 hours. The efficiency of the procedure was validated by spiking and the percent recovery for all studied metals varied from 90-120%. The mean levels of the metals (mg/kg) were found in the ranges 35.5-43.1, 58.1-67.0, 15.3-21.3, 0.202-0.262 and 0.08-0.114 for Fe, Zn, Cu, Cd and Pb, respectively. Analysis of variance at 95% confidence level indicated significant variations only for Cu and Zn. Thus, the sesame seeds analyzed are safe for human consumption.               KEY WORDS: Sesamum indicum L., Essential metals, Non-essential metals, FAAS, Shiraro, Tigray (Ethiopia) Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2019, 33(2), 191-202.DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v33i2.

Socio-demographic correlates of mental and behavioural disorders of children in Southern Ethiopia

Objective: To describe the magnitude and socio-demographic correlates of specific mental and behavioural disorders.Design: A cross-sectional survey.Setting: Butajira district, southern Ethiopia.Participants: The Amharic version of the Diagnostic Instrument for Children and Adolescents (DICA) was used to interview parents of 1,477 children.Main outcome measures: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Disruptive behaviour disorders, mood and anxiety disorders.Results: Using a multivariate logistic model, age was significantly associated with ADHD. Children between 10 and 14 years of age had more than three-fold increased risk of ADHD compared to younger children: adjusted odds ratio and 95% confidence interval (OR, 95%CI) = 3.17 (1.16, 8.67), p=0.02. Residence in urban area was also significantly associated with ADHD: adjusted OR (95% CI) = 2.84 (1.14-7.07), p=0.03. Disruptive behaviour disorders were significantly associated with increasing age: adjusted OR (95% CI)= 4.24 (1.43, 12.6). Mood and anxiety disorders were not significantly associated with any of the sociodemographic variable studied.Conclusion: The study shows that age and residence in urban areas are significant correlates of behavioural disorders in children

Developing the Business Process Management Performance of an Information System Using the Delphi Study Technique

Information systems are used to manage an organisation’s business process management (BPM), its operations and performance. Thus, organisations will benefit from systematic processes for evaluating their business information systems with the aim of developing BPM and business information systems performance. The Delphi Study Technique (DST) is a structured business study technique that can be used as a systematic and interactive assessment process based on controlled feedback from business experts, professionals, or others with relevant experience. The Delphi study technique (also known as the Delphi method) has produced significant achievements in evaluating and improving BPM through identifying BPM values to be used as key indicators. This paper describes the essential stages for measuring the performance of an information system by combining the Delphi method and BPM values to improve an organisation’s business performance. The paper provides examples of the use of DST and discusses empirical results from the published literature

Developing the Business Process Management Performance of an Information System Using the Delphi Study Technique

Information systems are used to manage an organisation’s business process management (BPM), its operations and performance. Thus, organisations will benefit from systematic processes for evaluating their business information systems with the aim of developing BPM and business information systems performance. The Delphi Study Technique (DST) is a structured business study technique that can be used as a systematic and interactive assessment process based on controlled feedback from business experts, professionals, or others with relevant experience. The Delphi study technique (also known as the Delphi method) has produced significant achievements in evaluating and improving BPM through identifying BPM values to be used as key indicators. This paper describes the essential stages for measuring the performance of an information system by combining the Delphi method and BPM values to improve an organisation’s business performance. The paper provides examples of the use of DST and discusses empirical results from the published literature

A descriptive analysis of admissions to Amanuel Psychiatric Hospital in Ethiopia

Background: The care of patients with severe mental disorder in Ethiopia remains centralized in the capital city. Objective: To assess pattern of psychiatric admission and its implication for service provision. Methods: A descriptive analysis of one-year admission data was undertaken from the only psychiatric hospital in Ethiopia. Results: The annual age-sex standardized admission rate was 4 per 100 000 (n=1564). Two-thirds of the patients came from Addis Ababa and the immediate surrounding areas. Nearly three-quarters were men, and aged 30 years or younger. Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder were the top two discharge diagnoses. The median length of hospital stay (LOS) was 63 days. Diagnosis of schizophrenia and place of residence, i.e. living outside of Addis Ababa independently predicted LOS above the median. Conclusion: Admission data demonstrated a huge mental health unmet need in Ethiopia. Providing adequate resources for modernization and well-supervised decentralization may be vital steps in the quest for accessible and equitable psychiatric care.The Ethiopian Journal of Health Development Vol. 21 (2) 2007: pp. 173-17

Background and objectives of launching The Ethiopian Journal of Health Development, 1984

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Incidence of neonatal morbidity at Gondar Town, Ethiopia

A CAJM article on rates of infant mortality in Gondar, Ethiopia.Perinatal, neonatal and infant mortality rates are now recognized indicators of child health in many countries and regions of the world. To this effect, there are numerous epidemiological and clinical studies that have focused on the causes of perinatal, neonatal and infant mortality in a given community or country. But, information on neonatal morbidity rates are not generally available.' The very limited data on neonatal morbidity also have problems of definition and are not as unambiguous and comprehensive as are the indices of mortality. Morbidity health interview surveys are widely used in developed countries to obtain information about sickness, disability, and the use of health facilities. An alternative method for collecting morbidity information is a survey based on physical examination where subjects are expected to attend a clinic or to be examined in their dwelling places. Use of clinical medical records also provide information on health as the need arises. Each of these systems of collecting information have their own advantages and disadvantages