Background: Tuberculosis is a leading cause of death globally, and the third leading cause of death in Zimbabwe. Death from any cause following a diag-nosis of tuberculosis is classified as a tuberculosis death. Bulaw...Background: Tuberculosis is a leading cause of death globally, and the third leading cause of death in Zimbabwe. Death from any cause following a diag-nosis of tuberculosis is classified as a tuberculosis death. Bulawayo Province reported high tuberculosis death rates from 15.3% in 2016 to 14.2% in 2019 against a threshold of 5%. We analyzed tuberculosis deaths for Bulawayo Province to characterize patients dying and to make recommendations for im-proving treatment outcomes for susceptible tuberculosis cases. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. We analyzed all (N = 469) records of tuberculosis deaths from 19/19 Bulawayo tuberculosis diagnosing centers from 01 January 2016 to 31 December 2019. Microsoft<sup>®</sup> Excel 2007 was used to generate graphs and Stata<sup>®</sup> version 17 was used to conduct chi-square tests for trends. Results: Males accounted for 278/469 (59.3%) of the deaths. The median age of death was 40 years (Q<sub>1</sub> = 33: Q<sub>3</sub> = 51). The proportion of TB deaths increased from 63/114 (55%) in 2016 to 57/90 (63%) in 2019 for males (p Conclusion: High death rates particularly in the intensive phase, could be attributed to sub-optimal clinical care. Tuberculosis programs should work towards adopting differentiated care models for tuberculosis patients and developing algorithms for patients at high risk of death.展开更多
Background: Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus Self-Testing (HIVST) is a process where an individual who wants to know their HIV status collects a specimen, performs a test and interprets the result by themselves. HIVST da...Background: Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus Self-Testing (HIVST) is a process where an individual who wants to know their HIV status collects a specimen, performs a test and interprets the result by themselves. HIVST data from the Zimbabwe AIDS and TB Program (ATP) directorate showed that between 2019-2020, only 31% of the target HIVST kits were distributed in the country. Mashonaland West Province was one of the least performing provinces in meeting targets for HIVST kits distribution. Gaps in the implementation of the HIVST in the province ultimately affect the nationwide scaleup of targeted testing, a key enabler in achieving HIV epidemic control. We analyzed HIVST trends in Mashonaland West Province to inform HIV testing services programming. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using HIVST secondary data obtained from the District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) electronic database. We conducted regression analysis for trends using Epi Info 7.2 and tables, bar graphs, pie charts and linear graphs were used for data presentation. Results: A total of 31,070 clients accessed HIVST kits in Mashonaland West Province from 2019-2020. A slightly higher proportion (50.4% and 51.7%) of females as compared to males accessed HIVST kits in 2019 and 2020 respectively. Overall, an increase in the trend of HIVST kits uptake was recorded (males R<sup>2</sup> = 0.3945, p-value = 0.003 and females R<sup>2</sup> = 0.4739, p-value = 0.001). There was generally a decline in the trend of community-based distribution of HIVST kits from the third quarter of 2019 throughout 2020 (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.2441, p-value = 0.006). Primary distribution of HIVST kits remained the dominant method of distribution, constituting more than half of the kits distributed in both 2019 (67%) and 2020 (86%). Conclusion: Mashonaland West Province was mainly utilising facility-based distribution model for HIVST over the community-based distribution model. We recommended training more community-based distribution agents to increase community distribution of HIVST kits.展开更多
A study was conducted to assess the heavy metal (As, Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn and Hg) contents of different sources of wastes generated in Dhaka city which was further used for a compost plant. The study consisted of both f...A study was conducted to assess the heavy metal (As, Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn and Hg) contents of different sources of wastes generated in Dhaka city which was further used for a compost plant. The study consisted of both field survey and laboratory analyses. Relevant primary and secondary sources of data were collected to identify the source and nature of wastes generated near the compost plant. A total of eight households, ten officers and ten waste collectors were surveyed for data collection. For laboratory analyses, wastes from various socio-economic niches (lower, lower middle, middle and high) were collected. The result showed that wastes generated in the lower income niche contained the minimum contents of heavy metals compared to middle and high niches. The increasing trend of heavy metal contents of the wastes from lower to high income groups has been found to be linked to the life style, attitude, profession, culture and food habit. Most of the heavy metals did not meet the standard level for almost all the niches. Most of the correlations were found to be insignificant between the contents of nutrient element (C, N and P) and heavy metals (As, Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn and Hg).展开更多
Background: Discontinuation remains a legitimate threat to the long-term success of antiretroviral therapy (ART) scale-up in Zimbabwe. Furthermore, the characteristics associated with ART discontinuation and trends ar...Background: Discontinuation remains a legitimate threat to the long-term success of antiretroviral therapy (ART) scale-up in Zimbabwe. Furthermore, the characteristics associated with ART discontinuation and trends are poorly understood in developing countries like Zimbabwe. We analysed the HIV/AIDS data to describe the characteristics associated with ART discontinuation and the trends from 2015 to 2019. Methods: We conducted an analytical cross- sectional study using secondary data from Electronic Patient Management System (ePMS) in Kadoma City. We interviewed eighteen health care workers to find the reasons for ART discontinuation. Data were analysed using Microsoft Office Excel 2016 and Epi info 7 version 7.2.2.6. Microsoft office excel was used to generate linear graphs to demonstrate the trends in ART discontinuation in Kadoma City in 2015-2019. Epi info 7 was used to generate frequencies, means, prevalence odds ratios p-values, and 95% confidence intervals (CI) and significance testing. Backward stepwise logistic regression analysis was done to determine the independent factors associated with discontinuation. Results: A total number of 2833 patients were enrolled on ART from 2015 to 2019. One hundred and seventy-three 173/2833 (6.1%) discontinued ART, 415/2833 (14.7%) transferred out, 69/2833 (2.4%) died and 2176/2833 (76.8%) were retained on ART. Out of those who discontinued ART, sixty-five percent (112/173) were females. Approximately two-thirds had immunological failure 110/173 (64%). The trend in ART discontinuation decreased over the years but was not statistically significant (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.57, p > 0.05). ART discontinuation was independently associated with being Conclusion: We concluded that the characteristics associated with ART discontinuation were having never attended school, being less than forty years of age and having immunological failure. The reasons why patients discontinue ART were health state not improving, participating in artisanal mining activities, change in marital status, medical side effects of ART, living far from health facilities, and relocating to neighbouring countries. We recommended continuous provision of health education, enhanced adherence counselling sessions to those with unsuppressed viral loads and investigating the cause of virologic failure.展开更多
The incidence of cybercrime in Zambia is rising, with perpetrators exhibiting a growing tendency to focus on corporate entities and private citizens. The Zambian government has tried to resolve the issue of network pr...The incidence of cybercrime in Zambia is rising, with perpetrators exhibiting a growing tendency to focus on corporate entities and private citizens. The Zambian government has tried to resolve the issue of network protection dangers through the execution of different approaches and procedures. Notwithstanding, the adequacy of these actions has been restricted. The present research investigates Zambia’s extant cybersecurity policies and strategies and delineates several domains where enhancements can be made. The research provides several suggestions on how the Zambian government can enhance its efforts to address cybercrime. This research employs a qualitative approach to investigate the extent of cybersecurity policies and strategies in Zambia by analyzing secondary data. The study seeks to offer valuable insights into the efficacy of Zambia’s cybersecurity framework in addressing the escalating menace of cybercrime by scrutinizing pertinent literature, government reports, and academic articles. The results of this study provide valuable insights into the difficulties encountered by the nation and propose suggestions for improving current policies and strategies.展开更多
In the dynamic environment of hospitals, valuable real-world data often remain underutilised despite their potential to revolutionize cancer research and personalised medicine. This study explores the challenges and o...In the dynamic environment of hospitals, valuable real-world data often remain underutilised despite their potential to revolutionize cancer research and personalised medicine. This study explores the challenges and opportunities in managing hospital-generated data, particularly within the Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute (MMCI) in Brno, Czech Republic. Utilizing Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology, MMCI generates substantial volumes of genomic data. Due to inadequate curation, these data remain difficult to integrate with clinical records for secondary use (such as personalised treatment outcome prediction and patient stratification based on their genomic profiles). This paper proposes solutions based on the FAIR principles (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability) to enhance data sharing and reuse. The primary output of our work is the development of an automated pipeline that continuously processes and integrates NGS data with clinical and biobank information upon their creation. It stores the data in a special secured repository for sensitive data in a structured form to ensure smooth retrieval.展开更多
In this study we address the impact of legacy-regional flight outsourcing and vertical alliances on ticket prices in the U.S.air transportation market.The sources of price premiums and airfare idiosyncrasies have been...In this study we address the impact of legacy-regional flight outsourcing and vertical alliances on ticket prices in the U.S.air transportation market.The sources of price premiums and airfare idiosyncrasies have been much debated in the literature.Market concentration,airline domination,airline share of passengers,and the presence of low-cost carriers,have been proven to influence airfares.In addition,the role of partnerships among airlines,such as alliances,code-sharing agreements,and mergers,have been demonstrated to be influential on the price heterogeneities.However,the role of flight outsourcing when legacy airlines contract flights to be operated by regional carriers has not been fully examined in the literature.In this study,we construct a 20-year quarterly panel dataset from the U.S.domestic passenger air transport market,at the route-level,to examine whether airfares are higher when the market share of regional airlines increases.Our results reveal that higher regional airline market shares are associated with higher fares on the routes where flight outsourcing occurs.展开更多
文摘Background: Tuberculosis is a leading cause of death globally, and the third leading cause of death in Zimbabwe. Death from any cause following a diag-nosis of tuberculosis is classified as a tuberculosis death. Bulawayo Province reported high tuberculosis death rates from 15.3% in 2016 to 14.2% in 2019 against a threshold of 5%. We analyzed tuberculosis deaths for Bulawayo Province to characterize patients dying and to make recommendations for im-proving treatment outcomes for susceptible tuberculosis cases. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. We analyzed all (N = 469) records of tuberculosis deaths from 19/19 Bulawayo tuberculosis diagnosing centers from 01 January 2016 to 31 December 2019. Microsoft<sup>®</sup> Excel 2007 was used to generate graphs and Stata<sup>®</sup> version 17 was used to conduct chi-square tests for trends. Results: Males accounted for 278/469 (59.3%) of the deaths. The median age of death was 40 years (Q<sub>1</sub> = 33: Q<sub>3</sub> = 51). The proportion of TB deaths increased from 63/114 (55%) in 2016 to 57/90 (63%) in 2019 for males (p Conclusion: High death rates particularly in the intensive phase, could be attributed to sub-optimal clinical care. Tuberculosis programs should work towards adopting differentiated care models for tuberculosis patients and developing algorithms for patients at high risk of death.
文摘Background: Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus Self-Testing (HIVST) is a process where an individual who wants to know their HIV status collects a specimen, performs a test and interprets the result by themselves. HIVST data from the Zimbabwe AIDS and TB Program (ATP) directorate showed that between 2019-2020, only 31% of the target HIVST kits were distributed in the country. Mashonaland West Province was one of the least performing provinces in meeting targets for HIVST kits distribution. Gaps in the implementation of the HIVST in the province ultimately affect the nationwide scaleup of targeted testing, a key enabler in achieving HIV epidemic control. We analyzed HIVST trends in Mashonaland West Province to inform HIV testing services programming. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study using HIVST secondary data obtained from the District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) electronic database. We conducted regression analysis for trends using Epi Info 7.2 and tables, bar graphs, pie charts and linear graphs were used for data presentation. Results: A total of 31,070 clients accessed HIVST kits in Mashonaland West Province from 2019-2020. A slightly higher proportion (50.4% and 51.7%) of females as compared to males accessed HIVST kits in 2019 and 2020 respectively. Overall, an increase in the trend of HIVST kits uptake was recorded (males R<sup>2</sup> = 0.3945, p-value = 0.003 and females R<sup>2</sup> = 0.4739, p-value = 0.001). There was generally a decline in the trend of community-based distribution of HIVST kits from the third quarter of 2019 throughout 2020 (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.2441, p-value = 0.006). Primary distribution of HIVST kits remained the dominant method of distribution, constituting more than half of the kits distributed in both 2019 (67%) and 2020 (86%). Conclusion: Mashonaland West Province was mainly utilising facility-based distribution model for HIVST over the community-based distribution model. We recommended training more community-based distribution agents to increase community distribution of HIVST kits.
文摘A study was conducted to assess the heavy metal (As, Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn and Hg) contents of different sources of wastes generated in Dhaka city which was further used for a compost plant. The study consisted of both field survey and laboratory analyses. Relevant primary and secondary sources of data were collected to identify the source and nature of wastes generated near the compost plant. A total of eight households, ten officers and ten waste collectors were surveyed for data collection. For laboratory analyses, wastes from various socio-economic niches (lower, lower middle, middle and high) were collected. The result showed that wastes generated in the lower income niche contained the minimum contents of heavy metals compared to middle and high niches. The increasing trend of heavy metal contents of the wastes from lower to high income groups has been found to be linked to the life style, attitude, profession, culture and food habit. Most of the heavy metals did not meet the standard level for almost all the niches. Most of the correlations were found to be insignificant between the contents of nutrient element (C, N and P) and heavy metals (As, Pb, Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn and Hg).
文摘Background: Discontinuation remains a legitimate threat to the long-term success of antiretroviral therapy (ART) scale-up in Zimbabwe. Furthermore, the characteristics associated with ART discontinuation and trends are poorly understood in developing countries like Zimbabwe. We analysed the HIV/AIDS data to describe the characteristics associated with ART discontinuation and the trends from 2015 to 2019. Methods: We conducted an analytical cross- sectional study using secondary data from Electronic Patient Management System (ePMS) in Kadoma City. We interviewed eighteen health care workers to find the reasons for ART discontinuation. Data were analysed using Microsoft Office Excel 2016 and Epi info 7 version 7.2.2.6. Microsoft office excel was used to generate linear graphs to demonstrate the trends in ART discontinuation in Kadoma City in 2015-2019. Epi info 7 was used to generate frequencies, means, prevalence odds ratios p-values, and 95% confidence intervals (CI) and significance testing. Backward stepwise logistic regression analysis was done to determine the independent factors associated with discontinuation. Results: A total number of 2833 patients were enrolled on ART from 2015 to 2019. One hundred and seventy-three 173/2833 (6.1%) discontinued ART, 415/2833 (14.7%) transferred out, 69/2833 (2.4%) died and 2176/2833 (76.8%) were retained on ART. Out of those who discontinued ART, sixty-five percent (112/173) were females. Approximately two-thirds had immunological failure 110/173 (64%). The trend in ART discontinuation decreased over the years but was not statistically significant (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.57, p > 0.05). ART discontinuation was independently associated with being Conclusion: We concluded that the characteristics associated with ART discontinuation were having never attended school, being less than forty years of age and having immunological failure. The reasons why patients discontinue ART were health state not improving, participating in artisanal mining activities, change in marital status, medical side effects of ART, living far from health facilities, and relocating to neighbouring countries. We recommended continuous provision of health education, enhanced adherence counselling sessions to those with unsuppressed viral loads and investigating the cause of virologic failure.
文摘The incidence of cybercrime in Zambia is rising, with perpetrators exhibiting a growing tendency to focus on corporate entities and private citizens. The Zambian government has tried to resolve the issue of network protection dangers through the execution of different approaches and procedures. Notwithstanding, the adequacy of these actions has been restricted. The present research investigates Zambia’s extant cybersecurity policies and strategies and delineates several domains where enhancements can be made. The research provides several suggestions on how the Zambian government can enhance its efforts to address cybercrime. This research employs a qualitative approach to investigate the extent of cybersecurity policies and strategies in Zambia by analyzing secondary data. The study seeks to offer valuable insights into the efficacy of Zambia’s cybersecurity framework in addressing the escalating menace of cybercrime by scrutinizing pertinent literature, government reports, and academic articles. The results of this study provide valuable insights into the difficulties encountered by the nation and propose suggestions for improving current policies and strategies.
基金funding from the project SALVAGE(P JACreg.no.CZ.02.01.01/00/22_008/0004644)-funded by the European Union and by the State Budget of the Czech Republic,from MH CZ-DRO(MMCI,00209805)+1 种基金BBMRI.cz(no.LM2023033)Computational resources were provided by the e-INFRA CZ project(no.LM2023054).
文摘In the dynamic environment of hospitals, valuable real-world data often remain underutilised despite their potential to revolutionize cancer research and personalised medicine. This study explores the challenges and opportunities in managing hospital-generated data, particularly within the Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute (MMCI) in Brno, Czech Republic. Utilizing Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology, MMCI generates substantial volumes of genomic data. Due to inadequate curation, these data remain difficult to integrate with clinical records for secondary use (such as personalised treatment outcome prediction and patient stratification based on their genomic profiles). This paper proposes solutions based on the FAIR principles (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability) to enhance data sharing and reuse. The primary output of our work is the development of an automated pipeline that continuously processes and integrates NGS data with clinical and biobank information upon their creation. It stores the data in a special secured repository for sensitive data in a structured form to ensure smooth retrieval.
文摘In this study we address the impact of legacy-regional flight outsourcing and vertical alliances on ticket prices in the U.S.air transportation market.The sources of price premiums and airfare idiosyncrasies have been much debated in the literature.Market concentration,airline domination,airline share of passengers,and the presence of low-cost carriers,have been proven to influence airfares.In addition,the role of partnerships among airlines,such as alliances,code-sharing agreements,and mergers,have been demonstrated to be influential on the price heterogeneities.However,the role of flight outsourcing when legacy airlines contract flights to be operated by regional carriers has not been fully examined in the literature.In this study,we construct a 20-year quarterly panel dataset from the U.S.domestic passenger air transport market,at the route-level,to examine whether airfares are higher when the market share of regional airlines increases.Our results reveal that higher regional airline market shares are associated with higher fares on the routes where flight outsourcing occurs.
