Excel Spreadsheet Research Articles

A pilot study of electronic blood pressure interpretation of home blood pressure readings in primary care.

Home blood pressure (BP) monitoring is an acceptable method with high accuracy and acceptability amongst patients. It has the potential to save many hours of clinical time and is less likely to suffer from white coat bias. However, it can raise anxiety in patients who may not interpret readings immediately. A pilot study using an auto formatted excel spreadsheet which gave instantaneous colour coded feedback was sent to patients to assess its acceptability. This auto interpretation tool was sent to patients with their consent. It enabled patients to receive immediate feedback about this blood pressure control. A follow-up questionnaire was later sent to ask the patients and the staff about their experience. Hypertensive patients under 75 years of age who were sending regular home BP readings were enrolled (n = 96); of these, 31 responded within 1 month. Patient satisfaction was high; 74% preferred the electronic tool, 77% found the colour indicator reassuring, and 87% wanted to continue the electronic interpretation tool regardless of their initial preference. Staff satisfaction was excellent at 100%. This hypertension triage tool allows for interpretation by patients and non-clinicians with benefits of instantaneous reassurance, user and provider satisfaction all at reduced costs. Patients without MS Excel could not use this tool. The pilot study reinforced our hypothesis that such a modality has the potential to increase patient satisfaction and safety, and can be applied to a larger number of patients. Eventually an NHS app could be developed and rolled out for the large population.

Differentiated instruction in reading in elementary schools: a systematic review

<span lang="EN-US">Increasingly diverse learners in today’s classroom might require teachers to implement differentiated instruction (DI) to create an effective learning process. This systematic review provides an overview of how DI was implemented in reading instruction in elementary education. For this purpose, the researchers systematically searched five databases (APA PsycINFO, Education Research Complete, ERIC, Scopus, and Web of Science). Based on the inclusion criteria, 28 empirical studies from 2002 to 2022 were selected for review. To be included in the review, the studies should be empirical, written in English, peer-reviewed, focusing on reading in elementary education, and include students with or without disabilities. The researchers created content coding in Microsoft Excel spreadsheet to extract relevant information from the selected studies. The findings indicated that implementing DI in reading instruction to elementary school students includes differentiation in content, process, and product, increased quality and quantity of explicit reading instruction, assessments informed instructions, and integrating DI with other instructional models. This emphasizes that although differentiation might seem complex, it is possible to implement it in reading instruction.</span>

Assessing the Nutritional Gap among Under-five Children in Urban Mysore – Cross-sectional Study

Abstract Introduction: Malnutrition in children under 5 years is one of the leading problems affecting their growth and development. According to the National Family Health Survey-5 data in urban areas in India, 27.3% were undernourished, 30.1% were stunted, 18.5% were wasted, 7.6% were severely wasted, and 4.2% were overweight. Therefore, it is necessary to determine their nutritional gap and its factors to prevent complications. Materials and Methods: The analytical cross-sectional study was done in urban Mysore. The sample size was 171 under-five children. Malnutrition was assessed using the WHO standards by calculating weight for height. A questionnaire on associated factors was used. The calorie intake was calculated using the 24-h recall method. Statistical Analysis Used: Data were entered into an Excel spreadsheet and analyzed using SPSS software version 26 and inferential analysis was done using the Chi-square test. Results: The prevalence of nutritional gap is 28.1% among 171 under-five children. Factors such as socioeconomic status, education of the head of the family, energy requirement, and midupper arm circumference also were found to be have significant effects on nutritional status. Conclusion: Most of the under-five children were found to be deficient in calorie intake and the prevalence of wasting in the field practice area is lower than the national average. Few risk factors are associated with the nutritional gap in children under the age of five.

Prevalence of iodine deficiency and associated factors among school-age children in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundCurrently, iodine deficiency has become a significant burden globally; where 2 billion people and 29.8% of school-age children are iodine deficient. It is a leading cause of preventable brain damage among children, resulting in impaired cognitive and motor development. Even though salt iodization was started to be implemented to alleviate this burden in Ethiopia, primary studies assessing iodine deficiency in the country show highly variable findings, and no systematic review was conducted to determine the pooled prevalence of the problem which makes it difficult to assess the effect of the intervention as well as to design appropriate and timely measures. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the pooled prevalence of iodine deficiency and the common factors affecting its occurrence among school-age children in Ethiopia.MethodTo obtain the eligible studies, databases (EMBASE, Scopus, Hinari, and PubMed), websites (Google and Google Scholar), and references of the eligible studies were searched systematically. Data were extracted using an Excel spreadsheet and analyzed using the STATA 17 version. The I2 test was used to assess heterogeneity between the studies. A DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model was used to estimate the pooled prevalence and pooled odds ratio. A funnel plot and Egger’s test were used to detect publication bias.ResultA total of 15 eligible studies, representing 15,611 school-age children, were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of iodine deficiency among school-age children in Ethiopia was found to be 58% (95%CI 44.00–77.00), while the highest prevalence was recorded in the Oromia Region, which was 64% (95% CI 49–79). Goitrogenic food consumption (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 2.93, 95% CI 1.60–5.35) and being female (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.87, 95% CI 1.43–2.44) showed a significant association with the prevalence of iodine deficiency.ConclusionIodine deficiency among school-age children in Ethiopia was noticeably high. Goitrogenic food consumption and the sex of the child were determinant factors for the occurrence of iodine deficiency among the children. Therefore, appropriate advice should be given to households to limit goitrogenic foods in the diet of their children by giving due attention to their female children.

Customizing pyfao56 for evapotranspiration estimation and irrigation scheduling at the Limited Irrigation Research Farm (LIRF), Greeley, Colorado

Estimation of evapotranspiration (ET, the water used by soil evaporation and plant transpiration) and soil water depletion (Dr, the amount of water to bring the soil water in the root zone to field capacity) are critical in irrigation water management. The open-source Python-based crop ET and water balance modeling package named “pyfao56” was originally developed based on the dual crop coefficient approach as described in the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, Irrigation and Drainage Paper No. 56 (FAO-56). The package later expanded on the seminal FAO-56 document to consider various options relevant to ET and water balance modeling, including both short (grass) and tall (alfalfa) reference crops, optional discretization of variable soil layers based on field capacity, and interpretation of readily available water (RAW) and Dr based on both a dynamic (growing) root zone and maximum root zone. The package requires two input data objects; the “Parameters” class defines variables affecting soil water balance and ET and the “Weather” class specifies relevant meteorological data. Other optional input data objects include the “Irrigation” class for irrigation events, the “Soil_Profile: class for defining stratified soil layer data, and the “Update” class for assimilation of measured data. Additional tools are available for estimating and forecasting standardized reference ET (ETref), providing seasonal water balance summaries, computing goodness-of-fit statistics between measured and modeled values, and visualizing time series plots of daily Dr, ET, and crop coefficients. The current pyfao56 release (v1.2.1) was incorporated into a customized workflow for specific use at the USDA-ARS Limited Irrigation Research Farm (LIRF) in Greeley, Colorado, and named the LIRF Implementation of Pyfao56 (LIRFIP). Field data from 2023 full and limited irrigation field trials were used to demonstrate the functionality of LIRFIP and its customizations and integration of pyfao56 into the LIRF workflow. Specific customizations included use of pyfao56 “customload” functions to input data from various sources, including weather from an on-site micrometerological station (using the application programming interface (API) developed by the maintainers of the Colorado Agricultural Meteorological (CoAgMet) weather station network), irrigation events (via a shared Google docs sheet), field capacity values by plot and soil layer (via an Excel spreadsheet), and measured soil water content as well as basal crop coefficient (Kcb) calculated from fractional canopy cover (fc) (via an SQLite database). To evaluate multiple research plots, LIRFIP was designed to iterate simulations from multiple instances of pyfao56 and to produce customized output summary files and interactive hypertext markup language (html) graphs as an aid for irrigation management decisions for LIRF field trials. This study demonstrated pyfao56 as a useful, flexible, customizable, and repeatable ET-based water balance model by showcasing its integration within a specific computational workflow for irrigation management field research at LIRF. The approach serves as an example for pyfao56 integration in other water management tools as conceived by water managers, researchers, and practitioners worldwide.

Analysis Of Profile And Growth Of Retail Government Bond Investors (Ori Bonds) From Ori001 To Ori015 Periods

Retail Government Bonds or ORI have become one of the investment instrument options officially launched by the Indonesian Government and protected by the law for Indonesian Citizens. With the existence of investment instruments issued by the government intended for the sustainability of the Indonesian economy, it is necessary to consider the involvement of Indonesian Citizens as investors in these Government Bonds. The purpose of this research is to determine the development and changes in the profile of ORI investors, both in terms of Demographic and Geographic classification, as the issuance of ORI progresses. The research method used is Descriptive Research through data analysis using Microsoft Excel and Google Spreadsheets as analytical tools. The results obtained through the analysis show that the profile of ORI investors in ORI001-ORI015 has experienced development during each issuance period, but no significant changes were found in the profile of ORI investors.

Use of Accounting Information Systems in the Perception of Accountants

Objective: To investigate how accountants perceive the use of Accounting Information Systems (SIC) in their professional activities. Theoretical Framework: Considering the current context, in order to maintain themselves, organizations need useful and timely information, which will support the decision-making process. Such information is generated by accounting, through SIC - which were essentially manual, however, through disruptive technological advances and Information Technology resources, they have become increasingly robust and effective in contributing to the execution of accounting activities. Method: Descriptive research, field research type, with a questionnaire (survey), with 267 responses obtained, analyzed using the Microsoft Excel spreadsheet tool. Results and Discussion: They suggest that the majority of professionals have previous experience with SIC, and currently use computerized and integrated systems, which provides greater speed to the information cycle. It was observed that professionals who participated in continuing education courses focused on Information Systems were more critical about them and their specificities, in addition to working with more complex systems, which suggests that the more technical qualifications the professional possesses, you will become more capable of working with complex systems. Research Implications: The research highlights the historical evolution of Accounting Information Systems (SIC) from ancient times to the present day, emphasizing their importance in generating information for business decisions. Originality/Value: A gap was identified in the existence of studies that specifically address Accounting Information Systems (SIC) from the accountants' point of view. There is a lack of research that establishes a direct connection between the activities performed by accountants and the use of these systems.

Knowledge and Practice of Amran University Students toward Ear and Hearing Health

The World Health Organization (WHO) has detected an urgent need for action to prevent and manage ear diseases and hearing loss. However, the first step is to identify the areas of knowledge deficiency within the population. The aim of the study was to evaluate knowledge of university students' community in managing and preventing ear disease and hearing loss. This was a cross-sectional study conducted during February 2023 at Amran University using an online ontological questionnaire. Data was retrieved and processed in Excel spreadsheet and analyzed using SPSS version 29. A total of 330 participants responded to the online questionnaire, of whom 84.5% were male, with a mean age of 21.43 ± 1.77. Among them, 15.8% reported previous ear problems, while 41.2% had relatives with ear or hearing problems. Exposure to loud noise was reported by 37.6%, and 52.2% reported listening to headphones loudly. The overall correct response rate to the statements was 73.2%, indicating a lack of certain important knowledge. The study results showed a need for official campaigns to educate the Yemeni population. Moreover, they indicated the necessity of conducting a survey on a much wider scale to aid in the development of appropriate health communication strategies and the promotion of ear and hearing health.

Effects of standardized mindfulness programs on burnout: a systematic review and original analysis from randomized controlled trials.

To assess the effects of standardized programs of mindfulness on burnout, we carried out a systematic review using an exhaustive inventory of the international literature based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The articles were selected according to PRISMA recommendations. The Embase, PubMed/MEDLINE, EBSCOhost, HAL databases were searched with the keywords "mindfulness," "burnout," and "randomized" in the title and abstract of each article. The data were all collected in an Excel spreadsheet and analyzed in pivot tables, which were then presented in graphs and maps. A total of 49 RCTs were thus selected, the majority of which were of good methodological quality, of American origin (43% of studies), concerned professionals in the health sector (64% of participants included), and mostly women (76%). The RCTs assessed the effects of 31 different mindfulness programs, mostly with the Maslach Burnout Inventory (78% of RCTs). More than two-thirds of RCTs (67%) showed a significant beneficial effect on burnout measurement indicators, with emotional exhaustion being the most impacted component. This systematic review shows that mindfulness-based interventions could be approaches of choice to prevent emotional distress of burnout. Further studies are still needed to determine which type of program is best suited to impact the two other components of burnout.

Clinicopathological features and management of obstructive jaundice at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Malawi. A retrospective cohort analysis

IntroductionThe diagnosis of obstructive jaundice (OJ) is a challenge and is often made late especialy in low-resource settings. There is a paucity of data on the aetiology and prognosis of patients with obstructive jaundice in Malawi and Sub-Saharan Africa. The objective of this study was to determine the aetiology, clinical presentations, and short-term treatment outcomes of patients managed for OJ in Malawi. MethodologyA review of case notes of all patients admitted with a clinical diagnosis of OJ from 2012 to 2022 was done. We reviewed the clinical presentation, laboratory findings, management, intra and post–operative complications, and patient outcomes. Data was entered into an Excel spreadsheet and analysed using SPSS version 25. ResultsOf 26,796 patient admissions, 5339 (19.9%) were for non-trauma abdominal symptoms, of which 164 (0.6% of surgical admissions and 3% of abdominal symptoms) were for obstructive jaundice. Ages varied from 16 to 89 years. Females were 45 (58.4 %) of the population. The commonest presenting complaint was jaundice followed by abdominal pain and distention. The mean duration of symptoms at presentation was 8.5 weeks. The most frequent imaging modality was abdominal ultrasound 50(65 %). Twenty-six patients (33.8 %) were discharged with a diagnosis of obstructive jaundice of undetermined pathogenesis. The commonest diagnosis was pancreatic cancer 20(26.0 %) followed by Choledocholithiasis11(14.3 %). Patients younger than 50 years had the same likelihood of presenting with cancer as those older than 50 years. ConclusionIt is important to have a high index of suspicion in all adult patients presenting with obstructive jaundice as patients younger than 50 years have a similar risk of malignancy as older patients.

Virtual Fracture Clinic Patients' Satisfaction Outcomes.

Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a need to balance optimum treatment service and the safety of patients and hospital staff. The British Orthopaedic Association recommended a virtual fracture clinic to give the right first-time decision and to minimize patient exposure to disease. This study aimed to evaluate the patients' satisfaction outcomes for the service provided through the virtual fracture clinic. Methodology From January to May 2022, all patients seen by the staff in the Emergency Department (ED) at Queens Burton Hospitals were enrolled in a prospective study. An Excel spreadsheet was provided to both ED personnel and the orthopaedic team for accessibility. Patients were continually added to the spreadsheet, and their cases were reviewed by the on-call consultant to devise treatment plans. A satisfaction questionnaire was collected from patients about their virtual clinic experience as a route to provide treatment service. Results The study comprised 150 patients, with an average age of 40 years. Distal radial fractures represented one-third of the cases. Different modalities of management were offered such as a sling, splint, cast, or referral to physiotherapy. Around 75% of cases were satisfied, understood the advice given over the phone, and were not required to attend the actual clinic. The remaining quarter attended the clinic either for further reassessment by an orthopaedic surgeon or for discussion of their injury as they could not get the full message over the phone due to fast calls, hearing struggles, or just listening to messages. Conclusions The virtual fracture clinic is an effective standalone service that gained around 75% satisfaction in patients' outcome questionnaires. It saved the actual fracture clinic slots and hospital resources. It is recommended to be part of the standard daily practice throughout the United Kingdom.

Efficiently recording and processing data from arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization assays using AMScorer and AMReader.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi engage with land plants in a widespread, mutualistic endosymbiosis which provides their hosts with increased access to nutrients and enhanced biotic and abiotic stress resistance. The potential for reducing fertiliser use and improving crop resilience has resulted in rapidly increasing scientific interest. Microscopic quantification of the level of AM colonization is of fundamental importance to this research, however the methods for recording and processing these data are time-consuming and tedious. In order to streamline these processes, we have developed AMScorer, an easy-to-use Excel spreadsheet, which enables the user to record data rapidly during from microscopy-based assays, and instantly performs the subsequent data processing steps. In our hands, AMScorer has more than halved the time required for data collection compared to paper-based methods. Subsequently, we developed AMReader, a user-friendly R package, which enables easy visualization and statistical analyses of data from AMScorer. These tools require only limited skills in Excel and R, and can accelerate research into AM symbioses, help researchers with variable resources to conduct research, and facilitate the storage and sharing of data from AM colonization assays. They are available for download at https://github.com/EJarrattBarnham/AMReader, along with an extensive user manual.

Toxoplasmosis and Chlamydophilosis in Small Ruminant Farms in Cameroon: Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices, and Perception of Zoonotic Risks of Farmers.

Zoonotic abortive diseases represent a significant health and economic risk for national public health. This cross-sectional survey was conducted from April to October 2021 among 200 selected small ruminant farmers in the three northern regions of Cameroon. Data collection was done through questionnaires administered by exchange with the herder, and responses were coded and recorded on an Excel spreadsheet. The data were then analyzed with R software, version 2.13.0. An ANOVA test was used to assess significant differences in mean of Knowledge, Attitudes, Practices, and Perception of zoonotic risks (KAPP) scores between regions. Pearson correlations were used to calculate the association between KAPP scores within regions. Small ruminant farmers surveyed had low mean scores for knowledge of abortive toxoplasmosis and chlamydophilosis (0.1 ± 0.2), desirable attitude (0.32 ± 0.07), appropriate practice (0.36 ± 0.13) in managing abortion, and positive perception of zoonotic risks of toxoplasmosis and chlamydophilosis in small ruminants (0.12 ± 0.33), respectively. KAPP was significantly (P < 0.01) and positively associated with knowledge (r = 0.98) and risk perception (r = 0.99). However, attitudes (r = 0.06), practices (r = 0.05), and risk perception of toxoplasmosis (r = 0.07) and chlamydophilosis (r = 0.08) were not associated with farmers' knowledge. This study revealed significant knowledge gaps, low levels of desired attitudes, and high-risk behavioral practices. These results therefore call for capacity building of health professionals and farmers to better integrate the One Health concept in the management of neglected zoonotic diseases.

To study the socio-demographic profile and clinical profile of abnormal uterine bleeding cases attending new civil hospital, Surat, Western India

There are so many concerns and worries about menstruation. With the use of advance method of contraception, women are experiencing more menstrual related problems. Now a days, menstrual related complaints are more common in gynaec clinic. So, we had conducted this study to document the sociodemographic and clinical profile among the attendees of gynaec clinic with menstrual related problem. Observational cross-sectional study carried out in western part of India with 100 patients after their written informed consent. Data were collected on pre-designed semi structured questionnaire which consist of sociodemographic and clinical questions. All data were entered in MS excel spreadsheet and analyzed with the help of SPSS V.20. Current study reported 8% of new Gynaec attendees had problem of abnormal uterine bleeding. Majority of patients were belonging to age group 21 years to 40 years (83%) and most of the patients were multipara (75%). Commonest complains among patients were menorrhagia (80%). Most of the patients were reported haemoglobin of less than 12 mg/dl.: Abnormal uterine bleeding is a distressing problem for women in their reproductive age groups especially in 21 years to 40 years.

Parameterization of Maxwell - Cremona Diagram for Determining Forces in Elements of a Scissors Truss

An analysis of changing patterns of the values of member forces in a scissors truss, depending on the position of connections of its lower chords to the upper chords, is performed. Exploring effective truss structure designs in terms of balanced combination of maximum strength and minimum weight is a sustainable approach to a more rational use of building materials and the development of green construction. This determines the relevance of this area of research. The analysis of configurations of the truss under study was performed using the parameterized Maxwell - Cremona diagram. Such diagram is a visually informative tool in presenting the calculation results and it fully reflects the relationship between the member forces and the parameters of the structure. The research process was performed using the MS Excel spreadsheet editor. This eventually developed into a software tool for finding effective scissors truss designs, which has full potential for further improvement and development. Thus, the functionality of the tool can be easily expanded to designing scissors trusses made of various structural materials, as well as with various crosssectional shapes of its elements. The proposed approach to the calculation of such structures can serve as a basis for parameterization of trusses with other types of web.

Sleep, Sleepiness, and Memory.

Objective To evaluate the relationship between sleep and sleepiness with memory complaints. Materials and Methods Patients who were submitted to polysomnography between May and September of 2022 and answered the prospective and retrospective memory questionnaire and the Epworth sleepiness scale were included, respectively. Data were entered into an Excel spreadsheet and converted to a file compatible with the SPSS software. Results The sample consisted of 98 subjects, 62.2% male, mean age of 45.9 years, 73.4% overweight, 54.1% with comorbidities, and 51% with excessive sleepiness. There was a significant difference in sleep efficiency, respiratory disturbance index (RDI), slow wave sleep (SWS), and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep for the group with comorbidities; in latency to sleep and SWS between genders; and in RDI for the body mass index group. No correlation between RDI and memory could be identified, but there were statistically significant correlations between REM and sleep efficiency; RDI and REM sleep; RDI and SWS; SWS and sleep efficiency; and sleep efficiency and latency to sleep onset. Older adults performed better on memory tests when total sleep time (TST) is longer than 5 hours and excessive daytime sleepiness is related to complaints of prospective, retrospective, and total memory. Conclusion Elderly people with TST longer than 5 hours have a better memory. Although a correlation between RDI and memory was not observed, a correlation between excessive daytime sleepiness-one of the main symptoms of patients with sleep disorders-and memory was.

МОДЕЛЬ ОБРАЩЕНИЯ ЛЕКАРСТВЕННЫХ ПРЕПАРАТОВ НА БАЗЕ ОТЕЧЕСТВЕННОЙ АНАЛИТИЧЕСКОЙ ПЛАТФОРМЫ LOGINOM

Striving to improve the economic efficiency of pharmaceutical business in an unstable market situation and high competition requires the subjects of drug circulation to implement modern approaches to the organization of their activities. In these conditions, an important problem that the management has to solve in the process of circulation of medicines is the problem of quality of source information accompanying the business processes of pharmaceutical activities. The source information is not intended for the purposes of analysis, is presented, as a rule, rather raw material that requires preliminary processing by special methods, including their sampling, purification and transformation. The article discusses the advantages of practical application of the capabilities of Loginom analytical platform, which implements the above mentioned methods of pre-processing of raw material and allows solving the tasks of modeling the characteristics of drug circulation. Based on the concept of low-code architecture that provides visual design of complex data analysis scenarios, without involving IT-specialists and realize programming tasks by the business user. The object of the research was the current data obtained from the accounting system of material assets of a wholesale pharmaceutical organization. When organizing a request to the accounting system, based on the considerations of commercial confidentiality, it was decided to limit the 12-month time period and the assortment group, including only antibiotics. During the research, a data processing scenario was developed in the Loginom environment, representing the sequence of actions that need to be carried out to analyze the data. A processing script is a combination of data processing nodes configured by the developer to solve a specific problem. Each script node performs a separate operation on specific data. The drug circulation model scenario developed during the study, consisting of five nodes, includes two nodes with initial data “Receipt Data” and “Consumption Data”, as well as nodes “Data Combination”, “Sorting” and “Grouping”. The developed drug circulation model is an alternative to modeling based on the popular Excel spreadsheet processor, the capabilities of which are limited by the volume of processed data, low productivity on large volumes, the difficulty of automating the execution of sequences of actions, and the inconvenience of reusing processing scripts.

Dynamic life cycle assessment of European electricity generation based on a retrospective approach

The composition of electricity varies significantly throughout the year. As a result, the environmental impact of the electricity mix is also highly variable. However, most LCA studies assume a static annual average electricity mix and neglect these fluctuations. Therefore, this study examines the time-varying environmental impacts of electricity generation in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and Poland using a dynamic life cycle assessment. It shows that the impacts of environmental categories vary considerably depending on when the electricity is generated, resulting from the different energy generation patterns throughout the day and year. In particular, the integration of renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic systems and wind turbines leads to significant fluctuations of environmental impacts. To determine the magnitude of the variation, coefficients of variation are calculated for each environmental impact category for a representative year. High coefficients of variation of more than 20% can be observed for several environmental impact categories. In addition, both a production-based and a consumption-based approach were used for the dynamic life cycle assessment. Comparing these two approaches shows significant differences in impact category results, for example, for Italy, with an average of 15%. These differences highlight the importance of including cross-border electricity flows in assessing the environmental profile of electricity. Overall, the results of the study emphasize the need to implement dynamic electricity mix models in life cycle assessments, especially for systems with time-varying electricity consumption. The provided Excel spreadsheet files with hourly time profiles of environmental impacts for the countries studied facilitate the adoption of the developed models by other practitioners and provide a valuable tool for assessing environmental impacts.

VALORIZATION OF WASTE FRUIT PEELS: A COMPUTATIONAL STUDY ON PREDICTION OF GASIFICATION PRODUCT COMPOSITION

In this work, a variety of discarded fruit peels are investigated using a computational technique in order to anticipate the products of their gasification when subjected to higher temperatures, namely 800°C and 900 °C. The proximate and ultimate analyses of eight different fruit peels were collected from a variety of published sources, and the composition of gasification was predicted by applying the Gibbs free energy minimization method to each fruit peel individually and to both temperatures using the Solver Tool feature of the Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet. As input for the simulation, the thermodynamic constants for each gaseous component and the elemental analysis of each fruit peel were needed. The predicted gaseous composition was compared with some of the data obtained in the literature, and it was determined to be in a close match based on the root mean square error for each number. This was done while taking into account the fact that the carbon conversion process during gasification was only partially successful. For citation: Khedkar R.S., Khonde R.D., Meshram P. Valorization of waste fruit peels: a computational study on prediction of gasification product composition. ChemChemTech [Izv. Vyssh. Uchebn. Zaved. Khim. Khim. Tekhnol.]. 2024. V. 67. N 6. P. 127-134. DOI: 10.6060/ivkkt.20246706.6959. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Mortality and its predictors among human immunodeficiency virus-infected children younger than 15 years receiving antiretroviral therapy in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundDespite antiretroviral treatment (ART), the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to pose a considerable health burden in resource-poor countries. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the pooled incidence density of mortality and identify potential predictors among HIV-infected children receiving ART, from studies conducted in various parts of Ethiopia.MethodsA comprehensive database search was made in Excerpta Medica, PubMed, Web of Science, African Journals Online, Google Scholar, and Scopus. We reported results following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis 2020. Excel Spreadsheet and STATA Version 14 software were used for data abstraction and meta-analysis, respectively. Statistical heterogeneity among studies was assessed using I2 statistics. Meta-regression and subgroup analysis were performed to further explore the sources of statistical heterogeneity. Moreover, publication bias and a leave-out-one sensitivity analysis were performed.ResultsTwenty-two articles involving 8,731 participants met inclusion criteria and were included. The pooled incidence density of mortality was 3.08 (95% confidence interval (CI), 2.52 to 3.64) per 100 child years. Predictors of mortality were living in rural areas (hazard ratio (HR), 2.18 [95% CI, 1.20 to 3.98]), poor adherence to ART (HR, 2.85 [ 95% CI, 1.39 to 5.88]), failure to initiate co-trimoxazole preventive therapy (HR, 2.16 [95% CI, 1.52 to 3.07]), anemia (HR, 2.28 [95% CI, 1.51 to 3.45]), opportunistic infections (HR, 1.52 [ 95% CI, 1.15 to 2.00]), underweight (HR, 1.74 [95% CI, 1.26 to 2.41]), wasting (HR, 2.54 [95% CI, 1.56 to 4.16]), stunting (HR, 2.02 [95% CI, 1.63 to 2.51]), World Health Organization classified HIV clinical stages III and IV (HR, 1.71 [95% CI, 1.42 to 2.05]), and Nevirapine-based regimens (HR, 3.91 [95% CI, 3.09 to 4.95]).ConclusionsThis study found that the overall mortality rate among HIV-infected children after ART initiation was high. Therefore, high-level commitment and involvement of responsible caregivers, healthcare providers, social workers, and program managers are of paramount importance to identify these risk factors and thus enhance the survival of HIV-infected children receiving ART.