Excel Sheet Research Articles

Ultrasound Blood-Brain Barrier Opening and Aducanumab in Alzheimer's Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

The blood-brain barrier(BBB) presents a significant challenge in treating Alzheimer's disease, as it restricts the delivery of therapeutic medications to brain tissue. Reversible breaking of the BBBusing low-intensity focused ultrasound guided by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may benefit patients with Alzheimer's disease and other neurological illnesses, such as brain tumors, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease. This systematic study and meta-analysis aimed to assess aducanumab and the ultrasonography of BBB opening in Alzheimer's patients. According to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), the study was conducted by searching six digital repositories for relevant scholarly literature, focusing on English papers published between 2015 and 2024; the data was extracted using an Excel sheet, and data was analyzed using Revman 5.4.1 software. The study's findings indicate that the groups receiving ultrasound and aducanumab treatment benefited from it; however, overall, the effect was not statistically significant (P=0.29) at 95% CI 0.86 (0.75, 1.00). With regardto side effects, the results indicate that the treatment had fewer side effectscompared to the control group; however, the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.94) at 95% CI 0.93 (0.70, 1.22). The study found a positive effect of ultrasound and aducanumab on the treatment groups, but it was not statistically significant. The control group had less side effects than the treatment group. Therefore, future studies should focus on the quantity or combination of the drug that yields more effective results.

Unraveling the Relationship Between Vitamin D and Oxidative Stress: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Vitamin D, beyond bone metabolism, has played a significant role in various physiological processes, including modulation of oxidative stress and maintenance of vascular architecture. Oxidative stress, a state of altered balance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants, is a critical factor in the pathogenesis of various chronic diseases. Our study aims to explore the intricate relationship between serum vitamin D levels and markers of oxidative stress in normotensive and hypertensive individuals. A total of 108 age-matched participants (35 to 50 years) of both genders (54 males and 54 females) were included in this cross-sectional study according to the study design and assessed for their serum vitamin D level by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method and serum malondialdehyde (MDA) level by using a spectrophotometer at 540 nm after measurement of the blood pressure. The data were entered in a Microsoft Excel sheet and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) software version 20. Our findings demonstrate a significant inverse correlation between serum vitamin D levels and MDA (r = -0.71, p < 0.001), indicating lower lipid peroxidation with higher vitamin D levels. Our study concludes by evident higher serum vitamin D levels associated with reduced oxidative stress, reflected by lower MDA. These findings suggest a potential protective role of vitamin D against oxidative damage, which could have implications for the prevention of oxidative stress-related diseases.

Empirical Review on Determinants of Willingness to Pay for Natural and Environmental Resource Valuation: Meta-Analysis

Even if natural and environmental resource plays detrimental role prosperity of nations, measuring their value is highly problematic. Lack of realistic markets data to estimate its value for the goods and services necessitates the use of nonmarket valuation techniques. The meta-analysis was carried out to see the mean size effect of certain demographic, socioeconomic and institutional factors on willingness to pay of natural resources conservation and improvement. The empirical analysis review was done on about 57 published articles for total of 116 observations. The data synthesis was done from published articles include coefficients of explanatory variable and standard error, model used, value measured, study region, sample size and publication from the year of 2002 up to 2019 year. The data analyzed in excel sheet and SPSS software. The study countries were Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Guinea, Nigeria, Malaysia, USA, Iraq, China and India. The result confirmed that measurement errors and heterogeneity of case studies, interviewed resulted difference in willingness to pay estimate. The result implied inverse relationship between willingness estimate and environmental resource valued and study destination [Eat Africa]. The meta-analysis indicated mean size effect of willingness to pay defined as function of income, age, bid value, occupation, sex, knowledge, and education level of respondents. The empirical analysis result showed that increasing awareness, enabling to expand income earning believed to increase the willingness to pay value.

Comparative Analysis of Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel

An emerging landscaping and lawn care service company (GreenLawn) is seeking to transition from manual record-keeping to digital solutions. With significant growth over two years, GreenLawn requires efficient software to manage operations and finances while avoiding complexity and extensive training costs. The company evaluates Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets, weighing features, collaboration capabilities, ease of use, and pricing. GreenLawn's specific needs include service scheduling, workforce management, client information storage, inventory tracking, marketing, expense tracking, and financial modeling. The comparison highlights Excel's advanced features and integration with Microsoft Office versus Google Sheets' real-time collaboration and cost-effective accessibility. Questions address software selection, task management, collaboration strategies, cost-effectiveness, integration with industry tools, scalability, training, and adoption. Ultimately, GreenLawn's decision hinges on aligning software capabilities with its unique requirements and growth objectives.

The Theme Progression Patterns in Popular Science Book Writing: A Systemic Functional Linguistics Approach

Despite the proliferation of digital mediums such as documentary series, video essays, and science podcasts, popular science books are still the primary medium for promoting science to the public as an epistemic way to understanding and being aware of our natural world. That said, in the domain of systemic functional linguistics, there exists a dearth of studies investigating popular science books. Hence, this study aims to investigate the organization of popular science discourse from the perspective of Theme Progression. A 93,078-word corpus was collected and divided into two main science categories: hard and soft&amp;mdash;three disciplines under each main category and six texts under each discipline. The analysis of the corpus followed a mixed-method design where a Theme-counting excel sheet, created by the researcher, was used to calculate the most occurring Theme patterns. The results of the analysis indicate that the hard science disciplines give a logical presentation of the scientific text that intends to unpack and explain the intricacy behind the scientific notion whereas the soft science disciplines focus on expository narrative to connect and relate the scientific text to the target reader. Given these writing behaviors between the two science categories, it is recommended that future SFL studies explore the potentially arising differences within the broader aspect of the popular science genre, for instance, to juxtapose books from articles in the way discoursal features (e.g., coherence and cohesion) are structured in the text.

THE EFFECT OF GAMIFICATION ON STUDENTS’ MOTIVATION TOWARD LEARNING ENGLISH

The current study investigates the effect of gamification (i.e., Duolingo) on students' motivation and engagement toward learning English. Gamification incorporates game elements into non-game contexts like education to increase user engagement. By using quantitative methods for collecting the data, a questionnaire of 15 statements was utilized and distributed on 60 (12-17 years old) participants. After obtaining the data, and using Excel sheets, the results showed that most students found Duolingo easy to use for learning English. Over half felt the games were engaging and helped improve their skills, especially speaking and writing. However, some found the games ineffective or time consuming. Most students were motivated and challenged yet also needed support in using Duolingo effectively. The students preferred Duolingo over traditional methods and planned to continue using it. Generally, to know the impressions of a sample of students about using gamification for their education will be helpful for students as well as teachers to boost learning outcomes and provide more guidance on effective usage.

A Study of the Prevalence of Anemia in Children With Severe Acute Malnutrition at a Pediatric Tertiary Care Hospital in South India.

Introduction In developing countries such as India, severe acute malnutrition (SAM) has been a cause for great concern in the pediatric population. SAM is associated with significant morbidity and mortality in children less than 60 months of age and leaves them vulnerable to diseases due to a decrease in immunological response. Children with SAM are prone to infections, and due to nutritional deficiency, many have anemia whichmay be a direct or indirect cause of morbidity and mortality. They are affected by frequent respiratory and gastrointestinal infections. Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted for a period of two months, from December 1,2023, to January 31, 2024, in children with SAM aged less than 60 months. A detailed history and demographic profile were taken and recorded in a predesigned proforma. Anthropometric measurements of the study subjects were recorded, and lab investigations included complete blood picture, serum iron, serum ferritin, serum folate, and serum vitamin B12 levels. The prevalence and severity of anemia were determined by assessing the hemoglobin levels. The data collected was analyzed in Excel sheets (Microsoft Corporation, Redmond, Washington, United States) and the results were depicted in the form of graphs. Results A total of 300 children were included in the study of which 22 children were aged less than six months and 278 children were in the age group of 6-60 months. The overall gender distribution was 124 (41.4%) males and 176 (58.6%) females. In the age group of <6 months, of the 22 children, six (27.27%) were females while 16 (72.72%) were male. In the age group of 6-60 months, of the 278 children, 170 (61%) were females while 108 (39%) were males. Of the total 300 children, 232 (77.3%) were found to be anemic, of which 54 (23.2%) had mild anemia, 162 (69.8%) had moderate anemia, and 16 (6.89%) had severe anemia. Low serum iron levels were detected in 134 (44.6%) with iron deficiency being more common in females; below-normal ferritin levels were seen in 153 (51%) cases. Folate levels were found to be deficient in 97 (32.3%) children while vitamin B12 levels were deficient in 186 (62%). Conclusion Anemia is a common occurrence in children with SAM. Prevention of anemia starts from the womb by improvement of maternal nutrition and iron, and folic acid supplementation during pregnancy. Exclusive breastfeeding up to six months of age and further continuation of breastfeeding coupled with initiation of home-available complementary feeding from the age of six months onwards go a long way in maintaining healthy nutrition status inchildren in the vulnerable age group of less than 60 months. Healthcare professionals should utilize thewell-baby and well-child visits to educate the parents and primary caretakers regarding the feeding practicesto prevent, detect, and treatanemia, which will help reduce the morbidity and mortality in children with SAM.

Unconventional Intersection Design to reduce The Delay Time for Bab Al Mashhad Intersection in Hilla City

Abstract The study aims to evaluate and improve traffic movements for an intersection in Bab al-Mashhad in Hilla City, the improvement for this intersection is done by changing the intersection from a conventional model to an unconventional model. The video techniques were utilized to gather the traffic data. The traffic information was collected from the video by using the event program and arrangement by Excel sheet, the VISSUM software was used for the simulation process. This simulation shows the level of service before improvement (F) and after improvement (C) and emission co decreased with 64% so this is lead to activate the sustainability principles in the intersection. The results refer to the traffic volume had big effect on intersection sustainability classification The results refer to a good acceptance of using the unconventional intersection to improve this traffic movement intersection.

Effect of Electromagnetic Radiation Induced DRY EYE Conditions in Human Eye

Purpose-The aim of this study is to determine the impact of dry eye induced due to electromagnetic radiation produced during use of digital screen. Methodology- The project was held through camping and OPD work during the clinical posting in Haryana and New Delhi. The invitation to participate in the camping was done through social media, hoarding and pamphlet. Data collection was done in Microsoft excel sheet basis on age group. To detect dry eye in patents eye few test was done such as shimmer test, TBUT test, by slit lamp examination few things were observed which was essential to detect dry eye such as Conjunctival Congestion, Meibomitis Dots, and Corneal shine. After all this the statistical analysis was done. Result- The EMR affected individuals were excessively used mobile phones, laptops, tablets, and PCs. According to this data, 60% of child experiences mild dry eye, 66.6% of young experiences moderate dry eye, 74 % of adult experiences serve dry eye. The test results of the present investigative study suggest that all the test results were significant at p &lt; 0.05. Conclusion- The result of the study suggests that excess use of mobile phones, tablets, laptop, and computer leads to dry eye among the patients specially having working hours more than or at least 8-10 hours.

Sharenting: characteristics and awareness of parents publishing sensitive content of their children on online platforms

BackgroundThe term “sharenting” describes the increasingly popular habit of parents to share photos, videos, or other information regarding their children on their social profiles, through online platforms. It is highly likely that many parents are posting content about their underage children online with little knowledge of the risks associated with this practice. This study aims to investigate whether variables such as parents’ age, gender, marital status, occupation and educational level influence the practice of sharing child-related content and the degree of awareness.MethodsWe performed a pilot cross-sectional study, based on an anonymous questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered to parents of underage children attending the pediatric outpatient clinic of the Umberto I Hospital, Sapienza University, in Rome, Italy, by researchers, through the google forms platform; qualitative variables were generated on excel sheets and a statistical analysis was performed on SPSS Ibm-statistics using the chi-square test.ResultsTwo hundred twenty-eight parents of children under 18 years of age completed the questionnaire (82% mothers, 18% fathers); 98% of the respondents used social media and 75% of them published their children’s related content online. Thirty-one percent of the compilers started their practice of sharenting in the first 6 months of life of their child. Our analysis showed that compared to parents who do not post online, parents who usually post online their children are significantly more likely to be partial employees or unemployed (p = 0,002), with lower educational level (p = 0,05), younger (less than 35 years of age (p = 0,01)) and have a higher number of followers (p < 0,001). Finally, 93% of the compilers were not aware of the current legislation and of the risks related to the practice of sharenting.ConclusionsPediatricians, healthcare assistants and preventive healthcare professionals should play a central role in alerting parents and families to the risks of sharenting; the results of our study could draw their attention to the increasing practice of sharenting and make healthcare professionals active part in the protection of children.

Effectiveness of Structured Teaching Programme Regarding Immediate Management of Myocardial Infarction on Level of Knowledge Among Hypertensive Patients at Selected Tertiary Care Hospitals, Coimbatore

Myocardial infarction is the irreversible death of heart muscle secondary to prolonged lack of oxygen supply. Methods: The Pre experimental study was undertaken Knowledge regarding myocardial infarction was assessed among hypertensive patients. Purposive sampling technique was used and data was collected using demographic variables Performa &amp; knowledge Questionnaire. The collected data was entered into Excel sheet and analysed. Results: The result of the study reveals that pre – test mean score of patients knowledge on immediate management of myocardial infarction was 4.8±2 and post – test mean score was 12.9±3.The mean difference score was 8.1. The calculated paired t-test value was t=18.23, was found to be statistically significant at P &lt;0.05 level. Conclusion: The study concluded that there was significant improvement in the level of knowledge regarding myocardial infarction among hypertensive patients after intervention of structured teaching programme. Key words: Effectiveness, Knowledge, Myocardial infarction, Hypertensive patients, Structured teachingprogramme.

Feto-maternal outcome of Rh-Negative pregnancy presenting in a tertiary healthcare centre

Background: The term "Rhesus incompatibility" describes the mismatched Rh types of the mother and the fetus. It is linked to the onset of hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) ranging from haemolytic anemia to hydrops fetalis and also related to maternal Rh sensitization. The disease incidence is currently declining globally, having dropped from 1.3%–1.7% in the 1980s to 0.17% in the 1990s1. Erythroblastosis foetalis is one of the most terrible consequences of an ABO incompatible or Rh incompatible pregnancy. About 10% of all Rh-negative pregnancies result in Rh incompatibility in the Rh-negative mother carrying a Rh-positive fetus. Methods: This observational study was carried out among 60 Rh negative pregnant women attending our antenatal clinic and delivered in our institution from October 2022 to March 2024.The Rh negative women were followed up with a series of investigations such as Indirect Coombs Test (ICT), MCA-PSV and with regular antenatal care (ANC). After birth neonates were followed up with blood grouping and Rh typing, direct coombs test (DCT), duration of phototherapy, duration of NICU stay , need for immunoglobulin and exchange transfusion were recorded to evaluate the maternal and neonatal outcomes.The data was collected and tabulated in Microsoft excel sheet and the percentages were calculated. Results: This study included a total of 60 Rh negative mothers ,where 48 (80%) of them were aged less than 30 years and 12 of them (20%) were more than 30 years of age. Antenatally, 51 (85%) women were ICT negative and received RAADP, 9(15%) women were ICT positive and anti D titres were less than 1:16 followed up with MCA-PSV which was normal/less than 1.5MoM. The total preterm births were 6(10%).The total admissions to NICU were 12(20%) in our study. All the 9 babies born to ICT positive mothers turned out to be Direct Coombs test (DCT) positive and were managed with double surface phototherapy. For 2(3.3%) babies, human immunoglobulin was given. Only 1(1.6%) baby required exchange transfusion. Conclusion: We conclude that, severe hyperbilirubinemia and hydrops foetalis, which were observed previously are drastically reduced with recent advances and the use of Routine antenatal Anti D prophylaxis (RAADP). Neonatal morbidity and mortality reduced drastically with newer advances like immunoglobulin reducing the need for exchange transfusion and better NICU care. ICT positivity of 15% despite of postnatal immunisation suggest that there is chances of silent fetomaternal haemorrhage during antenatal period, health care professionals should be more knowledgeble with prenatal screening, the value of blood grouping and Rh typing, anti-D immunisation following sensitising events like MTP, abortion, ectopic pregnancy, ECV and regular implementation of RAADP in clinical practice.

Knowledge and Perceptions of Self-Medication Among Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) Students: A Cross-Sectional, Questionnaire-Based Study.

Self-medication (SM) is a common practice worldwide, and the irrational use of drugs is a cause of concern. Self-medication has various forms, including taking medications without a physician's prescription, using a previous prescription for a similar condition, or using drugs obtainable at home without getting a physician's advice. The youth are highly influenced by the media and the internet, which promote SM behavior. To determine the knowledge and perceptions of SM in Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) students in all professional years, including interns in Acharya Shri Chander College of Medical Sciences (ASCOMS) and Hospital, Jammu. The present study was conducted at ASCOMS Hospital, Jammu. A total of 200 students of MBBS were included in the study. A self-structured questionnaire was used to assess the knowledge and awareness level. The collected data were recorded in a Microsoft Excel sheet (Microsoft Corp., Redmond, WA) and analyzed with the help of IBM SPSS Statistics software for Windows, version 21.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). The present study reveals that 60% of the subjects were males and 65% of the students practiced SM, which indicates that SM is highly prevalent amongst MBBS students. It was observed that minor illness and quick relief were the major reasons for SM. Further, headache, cold/cough, and fever were the major indications for SM, whereas antipyretics and analgesics were the most commonly used drugs for SM. Conclusion: The present study concluded that there was a high prevalence of SM practice among medical students, especially among females. However, the knowledge and perceptions of SM were not insufficient.

Computed Tomography Scan Correlation of Position of Appendix with Present Literature

Abstract Background The appendix exhibits varied anatomical orientations, which significantly influence the diagnosis and treatment of appendicitis. Existing literature predominantly relies on cadaveric studies to delineate common appendix positions, lacking comprehensive computed tomography (CT)-based investigations on a large scale. Thus, our study endeavors to delineate the prevailing position of the appendix on CT scans and ascertain its concordance with existing literature, thereby augmenting our understanding of this anatomical entity. This cross-sectional study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital setting. Materials and Methods A total of 1,068 patients aged 18 years and older, undergoing abdominal CT scans at the hospital between July 2020 and July 2021, were enrolled in the study, with exclusion criteria applied to conditions that could distort anatomical features. The position of the appendix was meticulously documented for each patient, alongside measurements including diameter, wall thickness, and origin. Data collection utilized a predefined Microsoft Excel sheet. Subsequently, numerical and relative frequencies were computed for appendiceal positions and origins. Additionally, diameter and wall thickness were assessed, and pertinent parameters were derived. Results The relative frequencies of various potential appendiceal positions observed in our study were as follows: subcecal: 6.6%; paracecal: 1.2%; pelvic: 21.9%; postileal: 32.9%; preileal: 6.7%; retrocecal: 28.5%; subhepatic: 2.2%. Conclusion In contrast to traditional assumptions, our findings reveal that the most prevalent positions of the appendix are postileal, retrocecal, and pelvic, challenging historical beliefs.

Understanding Workplace Spirituality Through a Bibliometric Analysis

Purpose – The goal of the current study is to investigate the bibliometric analysis of research articles on workplace spirituality that have been included in the Web of Science index. Methodology/approach – The VOS viewer software tool and Biblioshiny, which is used to produce maps, were used in conjunction with Excel sheets to analyze the data in terms of frequency and percentage. A total of 367 research papers that were published between 2020 and 2022 were chosen for this study. Findings – The analysis of the findings revealed instrumental knowledge, including top contributing countries in publication, affiliation, top contributing authors, also author keyword co-occurrence and authors keyword overlay. It is observed from the analysis that a high volume of the research was initiated from India followed by China and Indonesia. The trend show growth in year 2021. Novelty/value – These results hope will provide future researchers more options to take into account as a starting point before beginning a study on workplace spirituality. Keywords Workplace Spirituality, Bibliometric,Web of Science

Effectiveness of community-based interventions for prevention and control of hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review.

Hypertension poses a significant public health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa due to various risk factors. Community-based intervention for prevention and control of hypertension is an effective strategy to minimize the negative health outcomes. However, comprehensive systematic review evidence to inform effective community-based interventions for prevention and control of hypertension in low resource settings is lacking. This study aimed to synthesize the effectiveness of community-based interventions on prevention and control of hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa. A comprehensive search for studies was carried out on PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science Core Collection, Embase, Scopus, and Google scholar databases. The result of the review was reported according to PRISMA guidelines. Studies published in English language were included. Two independent reviewers conducted critical appraisal of included studies and extracted the data using predefined excel sheet. Experimental, quasi experimental, cohort and analytical cross-sectional studies conducted on adults who have received community-based interventions for prevention and controls of hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa were included. In this systematic review, a total of eight studies were included, comprising of two interventional studies, two quasi-experimental studies, three cohort studies, and one comparative cross-sectional study. The interventions included health education, health promotion, home-based screening and diagnosis, as well as referral and treatment of hypertensive patients. The sample sizes ranged from 236 to 13,412 in the intervention group and 346 to 6,398 in the control group. This systematic review shows the effect of community-based interventions on reduction of systolic and diastolic blood pressure. However, the existing evidence is inconsistence and not strong enough to synthesize the effect of community-based interventions for the prevention and control of hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa. Hence, further primary studies need on the effect of community-based interventions for the prevention and control of hypertension in sub-Saharan Africa. Systematic review registration number: PROSPERO CRD42022342823.

A CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY OF KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF P-DRUG IN A TEACHING HOSPITAL.

Objective: Postgraduates represent the future generation of practitioners and there aren't many studies on the P-drug idea that specifically target them. Hence, we have taken up this study to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of P-drug among the postgraduates. Methods: A prospective observational study with a cross-sectional design was conducted at a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital. Participants' responses were gathered using a pre-validated questionnaire. It evaluated participants' understanding of the P-drug concept, attitudes about P-drugs as treatments for illnesses, and actual P-drug prescribing behaviours. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 26 was used to analyze data after compiling data in the Excel sheet. Results: Out of 230 participants, majority were the females (67.8%). 63% of participants were aware of the “rational use of medicines,” and around 57% of them knew about the P-drug concept. 44.8% were aware of STEP criteria which is applied to select P-drug. Only 66 were practising with the P-drug list and the majority of them opined that teaching programmes are necessary to create awareness about the practice of the P-drug. Conclusion: It is encouraging that the current study's findings point to reasonable drug usage rather than irrational use. The P-drug idea is a useful instrument for enhancing medical treatment and encouraging ethical drug usage. Furthermore, additional research has to be done to determine how P-drug use affects patient outcomes and healthcare expenditures over the long run.

ROLE OF PROBIOTICS IN DENTISTRY: A QUESTIONNAIRE BASED STUDY

Aim: To assess the awareness and knowledge of dental students and practitioners regarding the role of probiotics in dentistry. Methods: Questionnaire was administered to the students of a SGT University, Gurgaon and general practitioners to assess their knowledge, attitude and practice about rational use of probiotics with respect to oral health. Data was analysed after entering in to a Microsoft excel sheet and by using descriptive statistics. Results : The study found that practicing dentists had the highest knowledge of probiotics, followed by postgraduates and undergraduates. Enhancing education on probiotics is necessary to improve their integration into dental practice. Conclusion: The study underscores the need for improved probiotic education across all levels of dental training to enhance clinical integration. By addressing knowledge gaps, dental professionals can better utilize probiotics to improve patient care. The survey indicates a broad acceptance and awareness of probiotics among dental professionals, with significant emphasis on their benefits for oral and overall health. Both male and female respondents show strong support for incorporating probiotics into oral care, highlighting the potential for greater educational outreach and product development to meet this interest. KEYWORDS: Probiotics, Oral health, Knowledge Aptitude Practice, Questionnaire

Prevalence of transfusion-transmitted infection and reactive donor response rate in a tertiary care hospital in South India: A retrospective observational study

Abstract Background: Transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) are a serious problem to our blood centers as they necessitate utilization of massive resources and labor to detect and remove infected blood donations and also turn out to be a source of great distress to the patients recieving blood components and the doctors treating them. The main diseases that are made mandatory by the government to be screened are hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus (HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and syphilis. Adding to this, India does not have a centralized donor notification system to notify the donors of their TTI positivity status causing the blood centers to be blind and not having a system to verify the credentials of donors making sure they were not tested positive in other centers in the country. Materials and Methods: We have done a retrospective study that aims to analyze blood center samples and look for the number of TTI positivity in our donations and compare with the total number of donations during the period of January 2016 to March 2023. The data were collected from the blood donor questionnaire and data were put up in an Excel sheet which was later analyzed on the Statistical P program. Results: During the study period, 14,257 donors donated blood. Of which 11,674 (83%) were voluntary donors and 2413 (17%) were replacement donors. About 98.7% were male donors. Among the total donors, 182 (1.27%) were positive for transfusion-transmitted infections. Among the 182 serology-positive donors, 179 (98.3%) were males and 3 (1.7%) were females. Among the 14,257 donors, 160 (1.12%) were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HbsAg), 2 (0.014%) for HCV, 2 (0.014%) for HIV, and 18 (0.126%) for syphilis. Among the 182 positive TTI, 160 (87.9%) donors were positive for HBsAg, 18 (9.9%) were positive for syphilis, 2 (1.1%) donors with HIV, and 2 (1.1%) with HCV positivity. Among the 182 donors positive for TTI, 81 (44.5%) donors had donated previously in various hospitals and they were not aware of their positive status. Conclusion: This study mainly aims to bring awareness to the problems that blood centers face in TTI from having to screen every sample to independently verifying donors making sure that they have never tested positive for TTI and counseling them on further tests and referrals.

Assessment of Nutritional Status among the School-going Adolescents in a Rural Community of Bankura District, West Bengal: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract Background: Adolescent is a very crucial period of life for the growth and development of the body and mind. Nutrition influences growth and development throughout infancy, childhood and adolescents. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the sudy was to assess the nutritional status in terms of thinness, overweight and obesity and stunting amongst the school-going adolescents and to find out the factors related to nutritional status amongst the study subjects. Methodology: Community-based descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted amongst six rural schools of Bankura-I community development block in Bankura district from July to September 2017. With the help of a pre-designed, pre-tested, semi-structured schedule, a total of 600 adolescent students were interviewed, and clinical examinations were done. The collected information was entered into Microsoft Excel sheet and analysed using SPSS-20. Results: The mean age of the study population was 13.2 ± 2.19 years. About one-third (32.8%) of adolescent students were thin, as per body mass index for age Z-score category. Normal nutritional status was found in the majority of students (63.8%), but overweight and obesity were only 3.4% amongst the adolescent students. Stunting (31.0%) was higher amongst the late adolescents, and also that the percentage of stunting was higher in adolescent girls (35.8%) than boys (15.0%). Stunting was also significantly related with caste, SE class, family type according to number of family members and birth order of study subjects. Conclusions: School-based as well as community-based adolescent-friendly health and nutrition education and services and economic development may improve the overall health and nutritional knowledge and status of adolescents.