Microsoft Research Articles

Development of a new function in ms Excel to assess differences between sample groups

Statistical analysis plays a crucial role in several areas, including engineering, where it helps in making impartial decisions to optimize production processes. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) is often used to compare sample groups, allowing the simultaneous evaluation of several means, although it does not identify which groups differ from each other. Post-hoc tests, such as Tukey's test, solve this problem, but their reliability decreases with larger amounts of groups. In this work, a new function was developed for Microsoft (MS) Excel, taking advantage of integration with Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), to simplify direct comparisons between sample groups. This function makes it possible to perform an ANOVA for two sample groups based on the provided size, mean, and standard deviation, generating the P value as a result, which can be directly compared to the significance level adopted by each user. The developed function proved to be effective and resulted in significant productivity gains due to its integration with native MS Excel functions.

Assessment of mass drug administration for lymphatic filariasis elimination in the Armori and Chamorshi blocks of Gadchiroli District, Maharashtra: A cross-sectional study.

Medical colleges regularly examine mass drug administration (MDA) programs to determine their effectiveness and pinpoint areas for development. These analyses frequently show a discrepancy between the program's coverage and actual drug use. This study was conducted in the Chamorshi and Armori blocks of the Gadchiroli District in Maharashtra. This study aimed to find out the coverage and compliance of MDA in the Chamorshi and Armori blocks of Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. This study was a cross-sectional study. Thirty houses from each of the three randomly chosen villages and a ward were surveyed in each implementing unit. Thus, a total of 120 households' worth of data were gathered and examined. Information was gathered from each individual in the chosen home at the individual level. Data were collected and duly filled out on questionnaire forms, which were then entered in Microsoft (MS) Excel. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0 (Chicago) was used as a statistical tool in the analysis. Consumption rates in rural areas were much higher than in urban areas. A minimum consumption rate was found in the 2- to 5-year-old age range. In this study, the percentage of coverage and compliance rates was 89.5% and 99.4% and 90.81% and 99.2% for the Armori and Chamorshi blocks, respectively. In comparison, coverage was better in rural areas than in urban areas. The MDA program must therefore be significantly strengthened in urban areas, particularly by guaranteeing improved compliance through monitored drug consumption.

Achieving Accurate In-Text Citations with EndNote in Academic Writing

EndNote, alongside other citation management software programs like RefWorks, Mendeley, and Zotero, functions as a crucial instrument for archiving, structuring, accessing, and referencing sources in scholarly composition. This study delves into my personal experience of refining EndNote’s default in-text citations across various reference types, for achieving accurate in-text citations adhering to the American Psychological Association (APA) style. To do so, I compiled my personal, albeit disjointed, experiences with refining the default in-text citation format sourced from the EndNote library. The findings are presented and discussed in a thematic manner, focusing on the in-text citation types and how they can be effectively managed within Microsoft (MS) Word documents. The findings ultimately affirm that EndNote’s default in-text citations can be tailored to accurately cite a broader spectrum of citation types. This implies that judicious use of EndNote facilitates precise and systematic citations, with minimal manual adjustments. This consequently streamlines and accelerates the entirety of the course of academic writing.

Cost analysis of different medical oxygen sources for a healthcare facility in India.

Multiple sources of medical oxygen, namely liquid medical oxygen (LMO) tanks, pressure swing adsorption (PSA) plants, concentrators, and gaseous cylinders, are available at different healthcare facilities. These sources of oxygen have varying installation and operational costs. In low-resource settings, it is imperative to utilise these assets optimally. This study investigated the operational costs of multiple oxygen sources available at a healthcare facility. A Microsoft (MS) Excel-based model was developed to analyse and compare the oxygen manufacturing costs (in ₹/m3) using PSA plants and procurement costs (in ₹/m3) of LMO and third-party vendor-refilled cylinders. The oxygen manufacturing costs for PSA plants of different capacities and running times on electricity and diesel generators (DGs) as a power source were calculated. This study highlights the cost-benefit of using PSA plants over LMO and third-party vendor-refilled cylinders as a source of oxygen. PSA plants are most economical when they are of higher capacity and used to their maximum capacity on electricity as the power source. On the contrary, they are most expensive when used on a DG set as a power source. Furthermore, this study provides evidence of PSA plants being more cost-effective for refilling cylinders using a booster compressor unit when compared to third-party vendor-cylinder refilling. Given their cost-effectiveness and low third-party dependence, they should be utilised to their maximum capacity as medical oxygen sources at healthcare facilities.

Improving availability and accuracy of the junior doctors’ on-call handover through digitalisation

Clinical handovers from out-of-hours activity are essential for relaying information about events such as new admissions, outstanding or complete investigations, physical health reviews, ward jobs and risk. This information enables...

Touch or click friendly: Towards adaptive user interfaces for complex applications.

This study evaluated the usability of a direct manipulation device (touchscreen) vs. indirect manipulation devices (mouse and touchpad) on the selected Microsoft (MS) Word tasks as per ISO-9241-11 standard. MS Word was taken as an example of a complex application. The tasks were evaluated in terms of touch-friendly or click-friendly using efficiency, effectiveness, and satisfaction parameters to propose a customized task menu. The experiment was conducted with fifty-four participants, divided into three MS Word usage-based expertise groups. Each participant performed fifty-six tasks using a mouse, a touchpad, and a touchscreen. To assess task-level usability, individual one-way ANOVAs were performed for each task to gauge both efficiency and effectiveness. It's worth noting that the touchscreen significantly outperformed other input methods in just one specific task regarding effectiveness. Consequently, an ANCOVA was employed, with task completion time as the independent variable and the number of errors as a covariate, to further investigate effectiveness. A total of 19 (34%) of the total tasks were found to be significantly efficient with a mouse, while 21 (37.5%) were significantly efficient with a touchscreen. Based on the results, a customized menu is recommended for MS Word-like applications that combine actions in touch-friendly tasks and mouse-friendly tasks separately.

Research on portfolio in the US stock

Due to the global recession caused by the effects of pandemics, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the Fed's interest rate hike, investors are wary of the U.S. stock market. In this paper, we will focus on how to find quality portfolios by using Harry Markowitz's variance portfolio model. Firstly, the data is retrieved to see the return distribution of each stock in this article four stocks are used which are Amazon (AMZN), Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT) and Tesla (TSLA), the expected return and standard deviation of the portfolio are modelled using the Monte Carlo model, and finally Scipy is used to solve for the minimum variance frontier and the most assets portfolio to obtain the optimal asset portfolio return case, the global minimum variance portfolio point, and finally bring it into the CML market for display, the chart can clearly observe the most assets portfolio and the distribution of the asset portfolio, which plays a key role in the later market practice of the investor.

Factors associated with the use of digital health among healthcare workers in the Buea and Tiko health districts of Cameroon: a cross-sectional study.

digital health has been demonstrated to improve the efficiency and scale of health service delivery in resource-limited settings. Understanding factors influencing its use could accelerate the process of its implementation in routine practice. we conducted a cross-sectional analytic study in Buea and Tiko health districts from January to May 2021. We included healthcare workers selected using multistage stratified sampling. Use of digital health was defined as using at least two digital tools and one digital health intervention (DHI) or at least two DHIs by a healthcare worker. Epi Info was used for statistical analysis. Binary logistic regression was used to evaluate factors associated with the use of digital health. in total, 221 participants were included in the study. The mean age was 33±9.1 years and 76.5% were female. Only 39.4% (n=87) of participants used digital health. The most frequently used digital tools for health-related purposes included: Microsoft (MS) Excel (29.9%), MS PowerPoint (26.8%) and MS Word (39.1%). The main DHIs used were research (30.2%) and diagnosing (24.1%) software. The main use of digital health was for research (75.6%). Owning a laptop (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=1.98, 95% CI, 1.01 - 3.86), availability of internet connection in the health facility (1.99, 1.05 - 3.7) and receiving professional training in ICT/Computer Sciences (2.04, 1.06 - 3.93), were associated with higher odds of using digital health. this study shows a low level of use of digital health by healthcare workers. Providing newer devices, internet connection in health facilities and training in ICT for healthcare workers could improve its uptake.

Morphometric Assessment of Condyle and Glenoid Fossa using Cone Beam Computed Tomography in Gujarati Population: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Several morphological alterations and remodelling occur in the mandibular condyle and glenoid fossa to adapt to trauma, malocclusion and other developmental disorders. Understanding these changes will aid healthcare providers in comprehending the pathophysiology of various Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) problems. Aim: To evaluate the morphometric attributes of the condyle and glenoid fossa in the Gujarati population using Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional radiographic morphometric investigation was conducted at the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology at the College of Dental Sciences and Research Centre in Bopal, Gujarat, India using departmental archives from September 2019 to September 2022. A total of 40 CBCT scans (80 TMJs) were performed and analysed using the Papaya 3D and Genoray CBCT machines, along with Triana imaging software. Measurements were taken for condylar length, width, height, joint space (anterior, superior, posterior, medial, lateral) and the thickness of the Roof of the Glenoid Fossa (RGF) (sagittal, coronal) on the CBCT images. The aforementioned parameters were compared between genders, age groups and sides using a paired t-test and statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software package (Chicago, IL, USA), version 21.0 for Microsoft (MS) Windows. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 34±9.6 years. The condylar width between males and females was the only condylar characteristic that differed significantly (p-value 0.001). Apart from the gender analysis, no statistically significant variations (p>0.05) were found in the thickness of the RGF when comparing age or side. However, in the genderwise examination of joint space, males had significantly higher measurements of Superior Joint Space (SJS), Medial Joint Space (MJS) and Lateral Joint Space (LJS) than females. Conclusion: Gujarati males had a significantly larger condylar width compared to females. When considering gender-specific data, males also exhibited greater SJSs, MJSs and LJSs, as well as increased thickness of the RGF. The results of the present study may provide a relevant and comparable reference for the clinical assessment of individuals with healthy, functional, or pathological TMJs.

Foetal Autopsy: A Cross-sectional Study of 41 Cases at a Tertiary Care Centre in Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, India

Introduction: Perinatal mortality includes both late foetal deaths and early neonatal deaths. The perinatal mortality rate in India was 23/1000 live births for the year 2016, with congenital anomalies being the major cause of perinatal mortality. Thus, foetal autopsy plays an important role in identifying various types of congenital anomalies, determining the cause of foetal death, and thereby helping in counselling the parents. Aim: To identify various causes of foetal death and determine the most prevalent cause of foetal death. Materials and Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Pathology, PES Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (rural tertiary care referral Institute), Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, India, from January 2018 to December 2022. Autopsies were performed according to a standard protocol and categorised using the Cunningham and Hollier classification. The data were entered into Microsoft (MS) Excel 2007 and further analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 26.0. Results: The maternal age ranged from 19-36 years with a mean±Standard Deviation (SD) of 24.1±3.37 years. Out of the 41 cases, 29 (70.73%) cases were terminated, and 12 (29.26%) cases had intrauterine foetal death. The majority of cases were in the second trimester, with 37 (90.24%) cases, followed by 4 (9.75%) cases in the third trimester. Foetal causes constituted the majority of cases, 23 (56.09%), followed by placental causes, 12 (29.26%) and maternal causes, 6 (14.63%). Conclusion: The present study concluded that congenital anomalies constituted the most prevalent cause of foetal death, with central nervous system anomalies being the most common. This information helps clinicians in early intervention and counselling parents to avoid similar outcomes in subsequent pregnancies.

Histopathological Analysis of Lung Lesions in Cases of Sudden Death: An Autopsy-based Study

Introduction: Cardiovascular and respiratory causes account for the major chunks in sudden death cases in various Western studies. Overall, a very limited number of studies have been conducted on respiratory system changes in cases investigated as sudden and unknown death in India. Pathological respiratory findings are said to be common in the autopsy population; however, their nature and prevalence are not well documented. Aim: To document the morphologic changes in lungs (both gross and microscopic) in cases of sudden death. Materials and Methods: The present study was a cross- sectional, prospective, and observational study conducted over a period of 12 months from 1st April 2010 to 31st March 2011. It was conducted on autopsy lung specimens received in the Department of Pathology, RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. For the purpose of present study, sudden death was defined as death occurring within 24 hours of the onset of the terminal symptoms. Unidentified subjects who were declared “Brought Dead” at the emergency room were also included in the study. The lungs were fixed in 10% formalin, weighed, and dimensions measured. Grossly, the lungs were examined for colour, volume, consistency, presence of any pathological changes, the status of bronchi and pleura, and findings were recorded. After routine processing and paraffin embedding, histological sections were stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) stain and special stains as and when necessary. All the histological sections were examined microscopically, and findings were recorded. The obtained data were subjected to appropriate statistical analysis by entering the data in Microsoft (MS) excel 2010. Results: There were 46 males (88.46%) and 6 females (11.54%). The age range was 26-86 years, with a mean age of 51.02 years. Among the 52 cases, significant pulmonary pathology was found in 26 cases (50%), excluding postmortem changes. Extensive fibrocaseous pulmonary Tuberculosis (TB) 15 (28.85%) was the most common pulmonary lesion found, present in all age groups. The other major pathological lesions encountered were lobar pneumonia 4 (7.69%), emphysema 3 (5.77%), bronchopneumonia 2 (3.85%), etc. Conclusion: A significant number of cases with pathological lesions in the lung were detected during the histopathological examination of sudden death cases. All the lesions may or may not have contributed to death in a direct or indirect way. The undetected lung pathologies emphasise the importance of autopsy in cases of sudden death.

Evaluation of Drug Prescription using WHO Prescription Indicators at a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital, Raipur Chhattisgarh, India: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Prescription patterns significantly impact healthcare quality and patient outcomes. Evaluating these patterns using World Health Organisation (WHO) indicators helps identify areas for improvement and ensures rational drug use. The present study was conducted to evaluate prescription patterns via WHO indicators, aiming to uncover insights, identify discrepancies and enhance prescription quality within the institute for improved healthcare outcomes. Aim: To evaluate drug prescription patterns using WHO prescription indicators in the prescriptions of outdoor patients at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Chhattisgarh, India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Pharmacology at Department of Pharmacology, Pt. J.N.M. Medical College, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India, from July 15, 2023, to October 15, 2023 (a duration of 3 months), involving 1,000 outpatient prescriptions at Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Memorial Hospital (BRAM), Raipur, Chhattisgarh. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC) (No./MCI/Ethics/2023/45 Raipur, dated 12/07/2023). Data were collected using a digital form and analysed statistically. Parameters evaluated included the average number of medicines per prescription, the percentage of drugs prescribed by generic name, the percentage of prescriptions containing antibiotics, the percentage of prescriptions containing injections, and the percentage of drugs prescribed from the Essential Drug List (EDL). Descriptive statistics were used to summarise the data, and analysis was performed using Microsoft (MS) Excel 2021. Results: The present study included 1,000 prescriptions. A total of 4,320 medicines were prescribed across these prescriptions, with 2,853 (66.04%) prescribed by their generic name. Injections accounted for 483 (11.18%) prescriptions, while antibiotics were included in 663 (15.34%) prescriptions. Additionally, 2,973 (68.81%) medicines were prescribed from the EDL. The average number of medicines prescribed per prescription was 4.3. Conclusion: The study revealed that while certain aspects of prescription practices aligned with WHO indicators, notable discrepancies persisted. The percentage of antibiotics prescribed per prescription was in accordance with WHO guidelines. Strategic measures are needed to enhance prescription practices and align them more closely with WHO guidelines.

HipHop2SToP a community-led health promotion initiative empowering Aboriginal youth in the Kimberley region of Western Australia: a process evaluation.

For millennia, Aboriginal people's ways of knowing, doing and being were shared through art, song, and dance. Colonisation silenced these ways, affecting loss of self-determination for Aboriginal people. Over the past decade in Australia, hip-hop projects have become culturally appropriate approaches for health promotion. When community led, and Aboriginal worldviews centralised, hip-hop workshops are more likely to be effective. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, a community-led health promotion hip-hop music video, 'HipHop2SToP' was produced involving young people in Dampier Peninsula communities address healthy skin and healthy living practices. We report here a qualitative process evaluation of the HipHop2SToP project. Participants who had been involved in the planning and production of HipHop2SToP were selected using a purposive approach and invited either by email or face-to-face to participate in semi-structured interviews and share their experiences. Semi-structured interviews ranged from 30 to 60 min in duration and were conducted either face-to-face or virtually over MS Teams. Due to personal time constraints, two participants provided written responses to the semi-structured questions. All interviews were audio-recorded with consent and saved as a digital recording in a de-identified format. All audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and uploaded into QSR NVivo v12 along with written responses. As a health promotion project, the critical success factors were community-ownership and discovering novel ways to collaborate virtually with remote communities using Microsoft (MS) software. Highlights included observing the young people actively engaged in the project and their catchy lyrics and key messaging for environmental health and skin infections. COVID-19 presented some challenges. Gaps in communication, clarification of stakeholder roles and expectations, and post-production outcomes were also identified as challenges. HipHop2SToP validates the need for Aboriginal community led health promotion programs. While creating some challenges COVID-19 also strengthened community ownership and created novel ways of maintaining relationships with remote Aboriginal communities. Future hip-hop projects would benefit from clarity of roles and responsibilities. Strengthening post-production outcomes by including a launch and well-planned, targeted communication and dissemination strategy will ensure the wider translation of important health messages and potential strengthen sustainability.

A Mediation Model of the Usability and Intergroup Relation for Online Project Management Community Effectiveness with Microsoft Teams

Effective international project team development and management is a crucial aspect of project management that directly influences the performance and satisfaction of team members. As reductions in travel and physical mobility are prioritized for sustainability efforts, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic, it is of paramount importance to identify and share effective innovative remote, online project management practices. The purpose of this study is to address the scarcity of related research and investigate the impact of Microsoft (MS) Teams usability on team management effectiveness as mediated by intergroup relation. The population of this study includes university personnel that have participated in the Erasmus+ project Benefit, with a sample size of 52 respondents. The data was analyzed using SmartPLS 4.0. The findings revealed that the usability of MS Teams had a direct, positive, and substantial influence on intergroup interactions and team performance. Further intergroup relations have a direct and significant impact on team effectiveness. The findings of the mediation study indicated that the association between MS Teams usability and team effectiveness is partially mediated by intergroup interactions.

Effect of Chemical Pre-treatment on Screen Printed Fabric Performance Properties

Printing is the process of transferring a specific pattern or design onto the surface of textile fabric. In the printing process, screen printing is one of the fundamental printing methods on textiles and is widely used worldwide. However, screen-printed fabrics have specific properties like fastness, water absorbency, and whiteness index that increase the end-use properties of the printed fabrics. There are several factors that affect the technical characteristics of printed fabrics. This research focuses on an experimental approach to ascertain and confirm the pre-treatment process as one of the most important factors in pigment dye screen-printed fabrics. The main raw material used in this research was 100% cotton fabric with a plain weave structure. The experimental method used in this research involved the pre-treatment (singeing, scouring, and bleaching) process with different recipes and four samples. Screen-printed fabric after printing was tested for its technical properties using standard test methods. The results of a one-way ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) were analysed using MINITAB and Microsoft (MS) Excel software. The results indicate superior fabric technical properties like color fastness to rubbing and washing, coupled with improved water absorbency and excellent whiteness index values of samples printed after bleaching with Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2). In this research, we conclude that printed fabric after bleaching with H2O2 has the best color fastness, and bleaching with NaOCl is the next one. However, printed fabric has a low fastness property after scouring and singeing.

Analyzing the Impact of Financial News Sentiments on Stock Prices—A Wavelet Correlation

This study investigates the complex interplay between public sentiment, as captured through news titles and descriptions, and the stock prices of three major tech companies: Microsoft (MSFT), Tesla (TSLA), and Apple (AAPL). Leveraging advanced analytical methods including Pearson correlation, wavelet coherence, and regression analysis, this research probes the degree to which stock-price fluctuations can be attributed to the polarity of media sentiment. The methodology combines statistical techniques to assess sentiment’s predictive power for stock opening and closing prices, while wavelet coherence analysis unveils the temporal dynamics of these relationships. The results demonstrate a significant correlation between sentiment polarity and stock prices, with description polarity affecting Microsoft’s opening prices, title polarity influencing Tesla’s opening prices, and a positive impact of title polarity on Apple’s closing prices. However, Tesla’s stock showed no significant coherence, indicating a potential divergence in how sentiment affects stock behavior across companies. The study highlights the importance of sentiment analysis in forecasting stock-market trends, revealing not only direct correlations but also lagged influences on stock prices. Despite its focus on large-cap tech firms, this research provides a foundational understanding of sentiment’s financial implications, suggesting further investigation into smaller firms and other market sectors.

Exploring the logistics and supply chain services of HIV/AIDS facilities in north-western Nigeria

This study aimed to assess the logistics services of HIV/AIDS facilities in the northwestern states of Nigeria, with a particular focus on the National HIV/AIDS Supply Chain Unification Project. The project aimed to streamline the distribution of antiretroviral drugs, HIV rapid test kits, and co-trimoxazole by establishing a coordinated axial storage location for all healthcare facilities providing HIV/AIDS services in Nigeria. A field visit was conducted, covering hospitals under the Supply Chain Unification Project in the Phase 4 region, which includes Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara States. Fourteen (14) assessors visited one hundred and four (104) health facilities comprising thirty-nine (39) providing comprehensive care sites and sixty-nine (69) sites providing Prevention of Mother-To-Child Transmission (PMTCT) services. An adapted Logistics Indicators Assessment Tool (LIAT) was administered. Data were collated and entered into the pre-designed database on Microsoft (MS) Access. The significant gaps identified during this research included inadequately trained personnel, low levels of availability of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) manuals, a dearth of firefighting gadgets, and non-use of Personal Computers (PCs) and internet availability for transmission of reports. All these require urgent attention from stakeholders in most of the sites visited. Findings were documented, with follow-up actions to be implemented as appropriate. Findings and recommendations have been communicated to the government, implementing partners, and sub-recipients supporting the facilities. It is expected that the findings from these visits will be used in developing appropriate solutions/next steps to improve the HIV/AIDS commodities supply chain management in the country.

How the EndNote Gives Accurate In-Text Citations in Academic Writing

End Note is a reference management software programme among many others—such as Mendeley, Ref Works, and Zotero—for storing, managing, retrieving, and using sources for citation in an academic writing. This phenomenological study deals with how the use of the software gives accurate in-text citations of all types of references, such as, books, book sections, theses, journal articles, WebPages, and newspaper articles with reference to APA 7th style of academic writing. For this, I draw reflections on my own direct experience of using End Note for the purpose of citation as a practitioner, tutor, and trainer during the last four years. I categorize the in-text citations into themes on the basis of the way they can be accurately managed in MS (Microsoft) word file, and describe how to enter the input so that the resultant output gives accurate in-text citation with special reference to APA 7th. Drawing on the findings, I have concluded that the use of End Note helps to accurately and systematically manage the citation with very little manual adjustment, and thereby to accelerate and systematize the academic writing as a whole.

Managing Risk: a Decision Tool to Enhance Yield and Quality of Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) in Ghana

Peanut cultivation in Ghana is influenced by abiotic (e.g., drought, fertilization, etc.) and biotic (e.g., pests, diseases, etc.) factors that must be managed effectively to maximize yields. These factors differ across agro-ecologies and pose significant risks to yields and aflatoxin contamination and can limit financial returns to farmers. Knowledge of interactions among key production practices such as pest management, crop rotation sequence, varietal selection, tillage systems, and chemical inputs is required to mitigate these risks and to provide quality advice to peanut farmers by Agricultural Extension Agents (AEAs) and/or similar advisory groups. This paper describes the development of a comprehensive, Microsoft (MS) Excel based risk management tool to help farmers and their advisors implement practices that minimize the risk of yield loss and aflatoxin contamination while providing production cost estimates. This tool is based on a similar one developed for peanut production in North Carolina (USA). Three risk tools were developed; one for the interior savannah zone of northern Ghana which has a unimodal rainfall pattern, and two for the forest and transition zones of southern Ghana which are characterized by a bimodal rainfall pattern. These tools will aid AEAs and farmers to make informed decisions on the best combinations of production practices that will minimize risk and increase yields in Ghana. The development process considered the differences in selection of varieties, plant density, fertilization, and pest management between savannah and the forest-transition regions as well as the impact of their interactions on peanut yield and aflatoxin contamination. Overall, this risk management tool benefits extension service providers (government and private), breeding, agronomy, and plant protection programs as well as teaching in higher education institutions.

An Update to Converting Zip Code Data into Distances Using Microsoft Excel Geography Data Type, Maps, and Including Driving Distances

In the article “Converting Zip Code Data into Distances: A Case Study for Teaching Business Analytics” [Huggins E (2019) INFORMS Trans. Ed. 19(2):105–107], the author demonstrates how to convert a column of zip code data into approximate distances from a default zip code using standard Microsoft (MS) Excel functions and a zip code database. In this case article, we update that case in three specific areas. First, we explore using the relatively new MS Excel Geography Data Type that, in theory at least, eliminates the need to use the zip code database by accessing required information about each zip code directly from the web. Second, we show how to apply the MS Excel Maps feature to this data. Third, although the original article uses approximate straight-line distances, we show how to extract driving distances between two zip codes using public maps and an application programming interface with MS Excel’s =WEBSERVICE() function. Two of these updates are not as straightforward as one might hope: The Geography Data Type returns a significant number of errors and, although driving distances can be determined, there is no “easy” way to do so yet. We discuss these issues in the case teaching note. Supplemental Material: The Teaching Note and data files are available at https://www.informs.org/Publications/Subscribe/Access-Restricted-Materials .