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In 2012, Anopheles stephensi, a primary malaria vector in South Asia, was detected in Djibouti, a country in Africa that was approaching malaria preelimination status (1). Unlike typical malaria vectors [...]

As globalization continues to shape the global economic landscape, understanding its intricate relationship with economic growth remains paramount in regions like sub-Saharan Africa. Hence, this study presents a comprehensive analysis of globalization's impact on economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa from 1971 to 2019. Using panel data from reputable databases on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), World Development Indicators, Penn World Table 10.0, and Our World Data, the paper explores various dimensions of globalization, including economic, social, and political factors. The feasible generalized least square (FGLS) estimation technique was used to analyze data. Findings reveal nuanced dynamics, with social and financial globalization indices showing positive effects on economic growth and statistically significant at 1% significance level. Additionally, this study uncovers the influence of demographic indicators, government consumption, and the rule of law on economic growth. The result of the study revealed demographic indicators, government consumption, and the rule of law had statistically significant impacts on the economic growth of sub-Sahara Africa. In contrast, certain aspects of economic globalization exhibit negative impacts. However, political, trade, information, and cultural globalization had no significant impact on economic growth of the region. It is important to recognize that the absence of significant effects does not necessarily imply an absence of impact, but rather reflects the multifaceted nature of globalization's influence on economic growth. Several factors, including differences in the periods analyzed, may account for the differences in these results compared to previous studies. This study not only adds to the existing literature on globalization and economic growth but also offers valuable insights for policymakers tasked with promoting sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa. By acknowledging the complexities of globalization's impact, policy makers can formulate more effective strategies to harness its benefits while mitigating its potential drawbacks. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of globalization's role in economic development, laying the foundation for evidence-based policy interventions tailored to the unique challenges and opportunities facing sub-Saharan Africa. Key words: Social globalization, financial globalization, government consumption, economic growth, INTRODUCTION Globalization, a multifaceted and dynamic process [1,2], has emerged as a transformative force shaping economies worldwide [3]. Its influence extends beyond national borders, impacting societies, economies, and governance structures [...]

Objective To demonstrate how the new internationally comparable instrument, the People's Voice Survey, can be used to contribute the perspective of the population in assessing health system performance in countries of all levels of income. Methods We surveyed representative samples of populations in 16 low-, middle- and high-income countries on health-care utilization, experience and confidence during 2022-2023. We summarized and visualized data corresponding to the key domains of the World Health Organization universal health coverage framework for health system performance assessment. We examined correlation with per capita health spending by calculating Pearson coefficients, and within-country income-based inequities using the slope index of inequality. Findings In the domain of care effectiveness, we found major gaps in health screenings and endorsement of public primary care. Only one in three respondents reported very good user experience during health visits, with lower proportions in low-income countries. Access to health care was rated highest of all domains; however, only half of the populations felt secure that they could access and afford high-quality care if they became ill. Populations rated the quality of private health systems higher than that of public health systems in most countries. Only half of respondents felt involved in decision-making (less in high-income countries). Within countries, we found statistically significant pro-rich inequalities across many indicators. Conclusion Populations can provide vital information about the real-world function of health systems, complementing other system performance metrics. Population-wide surveys such as the People's Voice Survey should become part of regular health system performance assessments. [phrase omitted] [phrase omitted] Objectif Montrer comment l'enquete People's Voice Survey, un nouvel instrument comparable au niveau international, peut etre utilise pour nourrir la perspective d'une evaluation des performances du systeme de sante par la population dans des pays de tous les niveaux de revenus. Methodes Nous avons interroge des echantillons representatifs d'habitants de 16 pays a revenu faible, intermediaire et eleve sur leur recours aux soins de sante, leur experience en la matiere et la confiance qu'ils y accordent sur la periode 2022-2023. Nous avons ensuite resume et visualise les donnees correspondant aux principaux domaines du cadre de l'Organisation mondiale de la Sante relatif a la couverture sanitaire universelle pour evaluer les systemes de sante. Enfin, nous avons examine la correlation avec les depenses individuelles en soins de sante en calculant les coefficients Pearson, ainsi que les disparites de revenus au sein de chaque pays a l'aide de l'indice de pente de l'inegalite. Resultats Dans le domaine de l'efficacite des soins, nous avons decele des lacunes considerables au niveau des examens medicaux et de l'approbation envers l'offre publique de soins de sante primaires. Seul un repondant sur trois a fait etat d'une excellente experience en tant que patient lors des visites sanitaires, le pourcentage etant moins eleve dans les pays a revenu faible. Tous domaines confondus, c'est l'acces aux soins de sante qui a recu la meilleure note; toutefois, a peine la moitie des personnes interrogees avaient la conviction de pouvoir beneficier de soins de qualite a prix abordable si elles venaient a tomber malades. La qualite des systemes de sante prives a ete jugee superieure a celle des systemes de sante publics dans la plupart des pays. Enfin, la moitie seulement des repondants se sent impliquee dans la prise de decisions (voire moins dans les pays a revenu eleve). Par ailleurs, nous avons trouve au sein de chaque pays des inegalites statistiquement significatives en faveur des categories les plus aisees et ce, pour de nombreux indicateurs. Conclusion Les populations peuvent fournir des informations vitales sur le fonctionnement reel des systemes de sante, ce qui permet de completer les autres mesures de performances. Les enquetes telles que People's Voice Survey, menees aupres de l'ensemble des habitants, devraient desormais etre integrees aux evaluations periodiques des performances des systemes de santes. [phrase omitted] Objetivo Demostrar como el nuevo instrumento de comparacion internacional, la People's Voice Survey, se puede utilizar para aportar la perspectiva de la poblacion al evaluar el desempeno del sistema sanitario en paises de todos los niveles de ingresos. Metodos Se encuestaron muestras representativas de poblaciones de 16 paises de ingresos bajos, medios y altos sobre la utilizacion de la atencion sanitaria, la experiencia y la confianza durante 2022 y 2023. Se resumieron y visualizaron los datos correspondientes a los ambitos clave del marco de cobertura sanitaria universal de la Organizacion Mundial de la Salud para la evaluacion del desempeno de los sistemas sanitarios. Se examino la correlacion con el gasto sanitario per capita calculando los coeficientes de Pearson y las desigualdades basadas en los ingresos dentro de los paises utilizando el indice de desigualdad de la pendiente. Resultados En el ambito de la eficacia de la atencion, se encontraron importantes deficiencias en los examenes de salud y en la aprobacion de la atencion primaria publica. Solo uno de cada tres encuestados declaro tener una experiencia de usuario muy buena durante las visitas sanitarias, con porcentajes mas bajos en los paises de ingresos bajos. El acceso a la atencion sanitaria fue el mejor valorado de todos los ambitos; sin embargo, solo la mitad de las poblaciones se sentian seguras de poder acceder y costearse una atencion de alta calidad en caso de enfermar. En la mayoria de los paises, la poblacion valoro mas la calidad de los sistemas sanitarios privados que la de los publicos. Solo la mitad de los encuestados se sentian implicados en la toma de decisiones (menos en los paises de ingresos altos). Dentro de los paises, se encontraron desigualdades estadisticamente significativas a favor de los mas ricos en muchos indicadores. Conclusion Las poblaciones pueden proporcionar informacion vital sobre el funcionamiento real de los sistemas sanitarios, como complemento de otras metricas de desempeno del sistema. Las encuestas poblacionales, como la People's Voice Survey, deberian formar parte de las evaluaciones periodicas del funcionamiento de los sistemas sanitarios., Introduction The notion that health systems should be people-centred seems unexceptional. Health systems are occupied with serving people, are funded by people and aim to improve people's health as their [...]

Objective To explore the feasibility of building a primary care performance dashboard using DHIS2 data from Ethiopia's largest urban (Addis Ababa), agrarian (Oromia) and pastoral (Somali) regions. Methods We extracted 26 data elements reported by 12 062 health facilities to DHIS2 for the period 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023. Focusing on indicators of effectiveness, safety and user experience, we built 14 indicators of primary care performance covering reproductive, maternal and child health, human immunodeficiency virus, tuberculosis, noncommunicable disease care and antibiotic prescription. We assessed data completeness by calculating the proportion of facilities reporting each month, and examined the presence of extreme outliers and assessed external validity. Findings At the regional level, average completeness across all data elements was highest in Addis Ababa (82.9%), followed by Oromia (66.2%) and Somali (52.6%). Private clinics across regions had low completeness, ranging from 38.6% in Somali to 58.7% in Addis Ababa. We found only a few outliers (334 of 816 578 observations) and noted that external validity was high for 11 of 14 indicators of primary care performance. However, the 12-month antiretroviral treatment retention rate and proportions of patients with controlled diabetes or hypertension exhibited poor external validity. Conclusion The Ethiopian DHIS2 contains information for measuring primary care performance, using simple analytical methods, at national and regional levels and by facility type. Despite remaining data quality issues, the health management information system is an important data source for generating health system performance assessment measures on a national scale. [phrase omitted] [phrase omitted] Objectif Determiner s'il est possible de creer un tableau de bord des performances de soins de sante primaires en utilisant les donnees du DHIS2 issues des plus grandes regions urbaines (Addis-Abeba), agricoles (Oromia) et pastorales (Somali) d'Ethiopie. Methodes Nous avons extrait 26 elements de donnees transmis au DHIS2 par 12 062 etablissements de sante pour la periode allant du 1er juillet 2022 au 30 juin 2023. En nous focalisant sur l'efficacite, la securite et l'experience vecue par les patients, nous avons defini 14 indicateurs de performances pour les soins de sante primaires, couvrant des domaines tels que la sante reproductive, maternelle et infantile, le virus de l'immunodeficience humaine, la tuberculose, la prise en charge des maladies non transmissibles et la prescription d'antibiotiques. Nous avons evalue l'exhaustivite des donnees en calculant le pourcentage d'etablissements produisant un rapport mensuel, avant d'examiner la presence de valeurs aberrantes extremes et la validite externe. Resultats A l'echelle regionale, c'est a Addis-Abeba (82,9 %) que l'exhaustivite moyenne pour l'ensemble des elements de donnees etait la plus elevee, suivie d'Oromia (66,2 %) et de Somali (52,6 %). Dans toutes les regions, les cliniques privees affichaient un faible taux d'exhaustivite compris entre 38,6 % au Somali et 58,7 % a Addis-Abeba. Nous n'avons trouve que quelques valeurs aberrantes (334 sur 816 578 observations) et avons constate un haut degre de validite externe pour 11 des 14 indicateurs de performances des soins de sante primaires. Toutefois, le degre de validite du taux de maintien du traitement antiretro viral sur 12 mois ainsi que de la proportion de patients avec une hypertension ou un diabete sous controle s'est revele moindre. Conclusion Le DHIS2 ethiopien contient des informations utiles pour mesurer les performances des soins de sante primaires a l'aide de methodes analytiques simples, tant au niveau national que regional et selon les types d'etablissements. Malgre les quelques problemes qui subsistent en termes de qualite, ce dispositif de gestion des informations sanitaires represente une precieuse source de donnees pour elaborer des outils permettant d'evaluer les performances du systeme de sante a l'echelle nationale. [phrase omitted] Objetivo Explorar la viabilidad de crear un tablero de rendimiento de la atencion primaria utilizando datos DHIS2 de las principales regiones urbanas (Addis Abeba), agrarias (Oromia) y pastorales (Somali) de Etiopia. Metodos Se extrajeron 26 elementos de datos notificados por 12 062 centros sanitarios a DHIS2 para el periodo comprendido entre el 1 de julio de 2022 y el 30 de junio de 2023. A partir de indicadores de eficacia, seguridad y experiencia de los usuarios, se elaboraron 14 indicadores del rendimiento de la atencion primaria que abarcan la salud reproductiva, materna e infantil, el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana, la tuberculosis, la atencion de enfermedades no transmisibles y la prescripcion de antibioticos. Se evaluo la exhaustividad de los datos al calcular el porcentaje de centros que informaban cada mes y se examino la presencia de valores atipicos y de la validez externa. Resultados A nivel regional, el nivel medio de exhaustividad de todos los datos fue mas alto en Addis Abeba (82,9%), seguida de Oromia (66,2%) y Somalia (52,6%). Las clinicas privadas de todas las regiones presentaban un bajo nivel de exhaustividad, que oscilaba entre el 38,6% en Somalia y el 58,7% en Addis Abeba. Solo se encontraron unos pocos valores atipicos (334 de 816 578 observaciones) y se observo que la validez externa era alta para 11 de los 14 indicadores de rendimiento de la atencion primaria. Sin embargo, la tasa de retencion del tratamiento antirretroviral a los 12 meses y los porcentajes de pacientes con diabetes o hipertension controladas mostraron una escasa validez externa. Conclusion El DHIS2 etiope contiene informacion para medir el rendimiento de la atencion primaria, utilizando metodos analiticos sencillos, a escala nacional y regional y por tipo de centro. A pesar de los problemas de calidad de los datos que aun persisten, el sistema de informacion sobre la gestion sanitaria es una fuente de datos importante para generar medidas de evaluacion del rendimiento del sistema sanitario a escala nacional., Introduction Functioning primary care is essential for improving population health. A greater emphasis on primary care in the health-care system can reduce costs, improve access and reduce inequities in population [...]

Coffee is the foundation of Ethiopia's economy with a quarter of the population dependent on coffee production and exports for livelihood. However, most empirical research in coffee production focuses on the productivity factors like yields rather than socio-economic factors that can significantly influence the level of coffee production. Thus, this essay explores the determinants of smallholders' coffee production in Wolaita zone, Ethiopia by applying the ordered logistic regression model. This model estimates the coffee production status of smallholders by combining the effect of multiple productivity related biophysical and socio-economic factors. Using a multistage sample procedure, two farmers associations from each district were chosen for the research. Overall sample sizes of 250 households were interviewed door-to-door to generate quantitative data. Data was analyzed by using SPSS software and descriptive statistical techniques were applied in order to determine the coffee production status of the farm households. The results indicated that about 88.8% of the smallholder farm households fell under the yield category of 'low producer', which is an indicator that numerous variables provide challenges to the smallholder coffee production in the studied area. The results of the regression study showed that of the eighteen variables in the model, seven variables including irrigation access, pruning practice, household farm land size, training access, pesticide utilization, manure application, and cultivated land allocation were discovered to be the important predictors of farm families' coffee production status in the research region. It can be recommended that establishment of government sponsored irrigation systems, empowerment on utilization of appropriate coffee farm technologies and inputs for the areas, enhancing extension services to improve farmers' skill and knowledge on coffee production system and risk alleviating mechanisms, developing soil fertility mechanisms, establishment of farmers training centers in the vicinities of producers, building capacity of institutions are vital to motivate coffee producers and increase productivity and coffee output in the research area and areas with similar situations. Key words: coffee, Ethiopia, ordered logit production, yields, smallholder farmers, INTRODUCTION Ethiopia, an agriculture-dependent nation, is the birthplace of the world-famous Arabica Coffee and is one of the largest coffee producers [1]. Coffee is the foundation of Ethiopia's economy, with [...]

In accordance with the recommendations of the International Commission for the Certification of Dracunculiasis Eradication (ICCDE), WHO has certified 200 countries, areas and territories (including 188 WHO Member States) as [...]

INTRODUCTION The world is facing a complex food and nutrition crisis with various dimensions, ranging from extreme hunger to obesity. All forms of malnutrition are responsible for significant negative economic, [...], Ethiopia has demonstrated a commitment to tackling the high burden of Food and Nutrition Security (FNS) challenges by developing and implementing various policies, strategies, and programs. Despite the efforts, the current FNS situation is of significant public health concern observed by various nutrition indices. The narrative review aimed to appraise multisectoral policy, strategic and programmatic initiatives aimed at addressing FNS challenges and identify entry points for enhancing coherent and integrated FNS approaches. The review involved broad literature research using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A total of 1,086 articles and grey literature were identified. Out of this, 47 full-text articles and documents met the selection criteria and were included in this review. Evidence was synthesized in themes to characterize the successes and challenges of key FNS policies, strategies, and programs and identify potential areas of improvement to enhance multisectoral actions and address FNS challenges. Overall, Ethiopia has made considerable progress in enhancing FNS through the implementation of a range of FNS policies, strategies, and programs such as the National Nutrition Program (NNP), Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP), and Agricultural Growth Program (AGP) among others. These efforts have resulted in notable achievements, such as the reduction of the prevalence of undernourishment from 47.0% in 2000 to 24.9% in 2020 and the reduction of stunting among children under five years from 57.4% to 35.2% over the same period. Nonetheless, the pace of progress has been hindered by various contextual and programmatic challenges such as climatic shocks, poverty, high inflation, political instability, limited access to production resources, inadequate coverage of FNS interventions, inadequate financing, and inadequate multisectoral coherence and integration. A comprehensive and integrated multisectoral FNS approach focusing on enhancing commitment, planning, coordination, financing, capacity building, and accountability across sectors and levels is imperative. Strengthening coherence across various sectors, alongside the operationalization of robust multisectoral monitoring and evaluation systems highlighted in the National Food and Nutrition Strategy, constitutes the most suitable entry points for ensuring sustainable advancement in mitigating the prevailing FNS challenges in Ethiopia. Key words: Food and nutrition security, policy and program, multisectoral approaches, Integration, Ethiopia

Postharvest loss reduction, which will contribute to several sustainable development goals (SDGs) including SDG 1, 2, 3, 9, 12 and 13, is an important strategy for food and nutrition security. It requires interventions designed based on timely and reliable statistical data. However, lack of produce-specific loss data and associated factors along the postharvest value chain stages remains a challenge to implement appropriate interventions. Therefore, a survey was conducted on socio-demographic characteristics, postharvest practices, extent and causes of losses, and factors influencing postharvest loss of potato crops in Tiyo district of Arsi Zone, Ethiopia in 2022. A multistage sampling method was used to select a total of 209 smallholder potato farming household heads through a combination of purposive and simple random sampling techniques. Quantitative data collection was carried out online using computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) by programming a semi-structured questionnaire in KoboCollect software for tablets. Descriptive statistics and ordinal probit regression model were used to analyze the collected data and determinant factors influencing postharvest loss of potatoes at various farm-level stages, respectively. An aggregate of 15-46% loss exists between harvesting and marketing. Losses during harvesting, sorting, cleaning, packaging, field-to-storage transport, storage, and storage-to-market transport were 58.9%, 6.2%, 2.9%, 2.4%, 3.8%, 20.1%, and 5.7%, respectively. Elevated loss during harvesting and storage in the area is likely to reflect poor handling and storage practices. The primary causes of losses were poor harvesting and handling techniques, poor storage facility, and insects and worms. Moreover, regression model estimations of categorical losses, as perceived by farmers, reveal that socio-demographic variables and postharvest factors influenced potato loss. During the harvest stage, working family members significantly (p Key words: CAPI, Ethiopia, ordinal probit regression, postharvest practices, potato loss determinants, INTRODUCTION Agriculture is the most important sector in Ethiopia; it accounts for 46% of GDP, 80% of export value, and about 73% of employment [1]. Vegetable production is becoming an [...]

In recent years, interest has been growing among policymakers in how to leverage special economic zone (SEZ) policies to support local entrepreneurship. With a few recent exceptions, the academic literature to date has been silent on the matter. This article aims to contribute to addressing this gap. First, it develops a conceptual framework linking SEZ policies and entrepreneurship development. Second, it explores the state of play of entrepreneurship promotion in SEZs in Africa using a survey of African SEZs and two case studies. We And significant appetite among African SEZs to promote local entrepreneurship; however, it is less clear how best to accomplish the task. Many of the policies, facilities and services offered are open to local entrepreneurs rather than being tailored specifically to their needs. The support required in some policy areas also seems to be more straightforward than in others. Adapting the SEZ offering to the needs of local entrepreneurs is one of the key challenges to increasing the effectiveness of the support. Keywords : special economic zones, entrepreneurship, developing countries, local economic development, knowledge spillovers, sourcing linkages JEL classification codes : L26, O31, O55, O25, R58, 1. Introduction Special economic zones (SEZs) are an ever-popular policy tool for promoting investment, generating employment and stimulating innovation. Policymakers put their hopes in them to overcome key developmental challenges [...]

Teff farming in Ethiopia is commonly seen as being dominated by men, with women playing supporting roles on some aspects of the growing process. This study is rooted in existing literature on drivers of Best Practices (BP) adoption and decision-making theory and is unique in that it focuses primarily on understanding how gender-specific factors influence decision-making on the adoption of BPs. To this end, the study assessed the intra-household gender dynamics at play within farming households in Amhara, Ethiopia, and their influence on deciding whether or not to adopt agricultural best practices for teff farming. These gender dynamics include the division of labor between women and men, intra-household decision-making processes, social and cultural norms and access factors (such as access to information, training, credit and control over income). Using data from a three-round quantitative survey with one woman and one man in 555 households, as well as focus group discussions and in-depth interviews, this study is uniquely placed to assess the impact of these gender-specific and intra-household factors on the adoption of best practices. The findings show that households where women are more involved in teff farming, have less input into decision-making, less control over income, and more access to information and adopt on average more best practices. However, there is significant heterogeneity when looking at individual best practices, with women's decision-making power or access to resources particularly important for specific practices such as sowing in rows. This study implies that designing more gender-sensitive agricultural programs and extension services in Ethiopia--specifically on practices relevant to women and men--can increase best practice adoption, with the ultimate aim of increasing productivity and income for teff farming households, and empowering women. Since male and female farmers are involved in different practices, access to resources and decision-making power have different impacts depending on the gender of the respondent and the practice analyzed, and there is no 'one size fits all' solution to improve teff farming productivity. Key words: intra-household dynamics, decision-making, gender roles, best practice adoption, teff, INTRODUCTION Teff is one of the most important cereal crops in Ethiopia, accounting for twelve percent of Ethiopians' food expenditures [1]. Teff farmers, therefore, play a critical role in feeding [...]

The emerging need for a sustainable environment prompts the research community to develop functional materials with bio- and organic waste. This research advocates biodegradable waste management and its performance evaluation. The involvement of Caesalpinia decapetala (CD) as a potential reinforcement in the epoxy matrix and its analytical evaluation of thermal stability are novel ideas for disposing of bio and organic waste. Three different variants (10, 20, and 30wt%) of CD seed particles are used to develop the epoxy composite, and further, their influence on dynamic mechanical characteristics such as damping type, loss modulus, and storage modulus has been investigated. The results corroborate that the higher CD seed content (30 wt%) in the epoxy matrix enhances the storage modulus, loss modulus, and damping on a scale of 1.14,1.25, and 1.07 times that of the neat epoxy matrix. The reason behind the improved dynamic properties has been validated through theoretical modeling. A substantial increment in the degree of entanglement and activation energy in the band of 8.33 * [10.sup.-3] moles/[m.sup.3] and 20.201 kJ/mol, respectively, in comparison with neat epoxy, is considered to be good authentication for the thermal stability of the CD 30 specimen. The analytical prediction of storage modulus is executed with five different models, whereas damping behavior is executed with two different models. The analytically estimated results are matched with the experimental ones, and we conclude that they are in fair agreement with the experimental findings. KEYWORDS Caesalpinia decapetala seed, damping, loss modulus, storage modulus Highlights * Novel Caesalpinia decapetala (CD) epoxy composite is examined using dynamic mechanical analysis test. * 30 wt% CD composites reveal the highest improvement in storage modulus and damping. * Theoretical modeling to evaluate dispersion effectiveness and degree of entanglement. * Storage modulus and damping are validated with numerous theoretical models., 1 | INTRODUCTION Polymer matrix composites, which are very well known for their exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, were frequently used but had several drawbacks. These drawbacks include being non-renewable, non-recyclable, and [...]

Pumice, which is prevalent in Ethiopia, is formed naturally during the quick cooling and solidifying of molten lava. Pumice is a naturally occurring mineral that, due to its high thermal resistance and lightweightness, can be an excellent candidate for reinforcing material for polymers. The present study investigates epoxy-based composites reinforced with pumice particles by varying the pumice content (0,10, 20, and 30 vol%). The densities of all composites reduce in comparison with neat epoxy as the volume proportion of pumice increases credited to the low density pumice particles. Tensile stress-strain curves depict neat epoxy with higher deformation than other pumice particulate-filled composites in the linear elastic area followed by rapid brittle failure. Tensile modulus of all the composites increases in the range of 13%-67% in comparison with neat epoxy. The compressive characteristics of composites are greatly improved by the addition of pumice. Compressive moduli and specific compressive moduli of all composites increase with increasing volume fraction of pumice by 54%-58% and 65%-93%, respectively, in comparison with neat epoxy. The fracture toughness of P-10, P-20, and P-30 composites improved by 18%, 54%, and 59%, respectively, as compared with neat epoxy mainly attributed to the foam-like structure of pumice particles. SEM micrographs are used to analyze the morphology of compression-tested specimens. Property mapping highlights the advantages of utilizing composites from present work over numerous syntactic foams. KEYWORDS composites, compression, epoxy, pumice, tensile Highlights * Novel lightweight pumice particles reinforced epoxy composites are fabricated to study the physical and mechanical properties. * Tensile modulus of all the composites increases in the range of 13%-67% in comparison with neat epoxy. * The compressive characteristics of composites are greatly improved by the addition of pumice. * Property mapping highlights the advantages of utilizing pumice over numerous syntactic foams., 1 | INTRODUCTION Nowadays, businesses all over the world require materials with intricate material qualities that conventional materials such as ceramics, metals, and polymeric materials do not offer. (1) Material [...]

This survey aimed to establish nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes and practices, and to observe how gender influences household food-related decision-making processes in the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) intervention areas in the Oromia and Southern Nation Nationalities and People regions of Ethiopia. The findings would inform implementation of communication for nutrition social and behaviour change among small-holder farmers as part of the SAA corporate strategy on nutrition-sensitive agriculture. The study population was smallholder farmers supported by SAA from which 311 respondents were selected through multistage sampling. Data were collected via a mixed methods approach consisting of a household survey, focus group discussions (FGDs) and key informant interviews (KIIs). Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics while qualitative data was analysed using a narrative and content approach. The study focused on knowledge, attitudes and practices related to production and consumption of micronutrient-rich foods. Majority (59.5%) of the respondents were male. Men were the main decision makers on staple or commercial food crop production and proportion of produced crops to be consumed at home or sold in the market. Women mainly made decisions regarding production and consumption of fruits and vegetables, intra-household food distribution, preservation and storage. There was a lack of knowledge on iron and vitamin A fortified or biofortified sources of food. Nearly three quarters (72%) of women did not meet the minimum dietary diversity for women, a proxy indicator of adequacy of micronutrient intake and diet quality. The mean dietary diversity score was 3.8 with animal source foods being the least consumed. Not having sufficient money to buy food, unavailability of different food groups and poor intra-household food distribution were among the key reasons for lack of diverse diets. Majority of the respondents were aware of the importance of production and consumption of micronutrient-rich foods. However, there was a gap in practice and awareness about biofortified and fortified foods. While most of the respondents had produced fruits and vegetables in home gardens in the three months prior to this survey, more than half (54%) of the respondents thought it was not likely that they would produce fruits and vegetables for home consumption. More targeted nutrition campaigns are required to increase the ability of small-holder farmers to adopt best practices while reducing the barriers associated with access and consumption. Promotion of fruit and vegetable production in home gardens could be considered as option for improving household dietary quality as well as empowering women to make more decisions. Key words: Sasakawa Africa Association, Small-holder farmers, Nutrition, Knowledge, Practices, INTRODUCTION Malnutrition in all its forms is a global burden that leads to serious public health risks and incurs high economic costs. Improvements in nutrition contributes significantly to stimulating economic [...]

This study investigated the usability of an electronic learning administration system for learners, aiming to explore their perspectives on technology-integrating teaching and learning at Hawassa University. The study employed both quantitative and subjective strategies. We collected quantitative data from 50 students using a Google survey. Additionally, we purposely selected two ICT professionals to participate in the interview. We used descriptive statistics (frequency count, percentage, mean, and standard deviation) to analyze quantitative data, as well as narration to qualitative data to identify the ease of use and extent of electronic learning management systems at Hawassa University. The study's findings concluded that an e-learning system is most useful for saving time because of its simplicity and ease of use, is available at any time and place, assists in obtaining knowledge from various sources, and provides assistance in obtaining course materials without time waste or cost. The university administration and teachers should play an important role in improving the e-learning management system's usability and conducting further advanced investigations in the area., Author(s): Bekele Tunsisa (corresponding author) [1]; Dereje Demissie [1] 1. Introduction Information and communication technology (ICT) can be a powerful and vital tool for educational growth, development, change, modification, advancement, [...]

Background The urease-producing Helicobacter pylori increase the likelihood that pathogenic intestinal protozoa will use the stomach's increased hydrogen potential to propagate the disease. Coinfections exacerbate the onset and severity of gastrointestinal symptoms. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of intestinal parasites/Helicobacter pylori coinfection and contributing factors in patients with gastrointestinal symptoms at Addis Zemen Primary Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods From April to July 2023, patients with gastrointestinal problems participated in a cross-sectional study carried out in a hospital. To collect the clinical and sociodemographic data, a questionnaire was employed. Intestinal parasites and Helicobacter pylori were detected using the saline stool wet mount and Helicobacter pylori stool antigen tests, respectively. SPSS version 20 was used to analyze the data and variables with p-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Result The study included 384 participants in total, of which 47.3% (182/384) were farmers and 50.3% (193/384) were women. Of the study subjects, 69/384 or approximately 18%, had intestinal parasitic infections. In 12% of cases (46/384), Helicobacter pylori were detected. A coinfection of Helicobacter pylori and intestinal parasites was found in 5.5% (21/384) of the subjects. Multiple logistic regression revealed increased risk of coinfection of Helicobacter pylori and intestinal parasites in patients who drink surface water (AOR: 10.7, p = 0.03) family history of Helicobacter pylori (AOR: 3.3, p = 0.024) and those with untrimmed fingers (AOR: 4.9, p = 0.031). Conclusions Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica/dispar/ moshkovskii/ bangladeshi complex are the most common protozoans that cause coinfection with Helicobacter pylori. Drinking surface water, family history of Helicobacter pylori and untrimmed fingers are the contributing factors to intestinal parasites/Helicobacter pylori coinfection. Keywords: Coinfection, Helicobacter Pylori, Intestinal parasites, Prevalence, Factors, Ethiopia, Author(s): Andargachew Almaw[sup.1] , Ayenew Berhan[sup.1] , Addisu Ayele[sup.1] , Alemie Fentie[sup.1] , Aynework Abebaw[sup.1] , Birhanemaskal Malkamu[sup.1] , Birhanu Getie[sup.1] , Mulat Erkihun[sup.1] , Yenealem Solomon[sup.1] , Tahir Eyayu[sup.1] [...]

During the 15th century many of the monasteries of Ethiopia were found in the highlands, in the region of Tigray. They are renowned for being built into cliffs, in a [...]

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as African sleeping sickness, is caused by different subspecies of the blood parasite Trypanosoma brucei. T. brucei rhodesiense mainly affects livestock and wildlife but [...]

The Anopheles stephensi mosquito is a major vector of malaria in south Asia, the Middle East, and southern China, where it is endemic and is known to transmit both Plasmodium [...]

Globally, agroforestry and its capacity to offer a high yielding system are well known as a pathway for providing multiple benefits of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to the households. In Uganda, household farmers adopt on-farm trees for various benefits such as soil erosion prevention, maintaining soil fertility, provision of shade, windbreaks, and climate regulation among others beyond food security. The study aimed at assessing the benefits of agroforestry beyond food security in Isingiro District. The study used a cross-sectional survey design to obtain qualitative and quantitative data. The number of household participants was 284. Multiple Linear Regression to analyse the association between dependent variable and numerous independent variables were employed. The study used Chi-Square tests to find out the statistical value of variables and their effect on agroforestry adoption. The study also used Multiple Regression Model to determine the degree to which selected variables were accountable for influencing agroforestry benefits beyond food security. The results indicated that 41% households in Kabaare, 37.0% in Kikokwa, and 22.0% in Kigyendwa practiced agroforestry. These percentages mean that agroforestry adoption is below the average (50%). The low adoption is attributed to factors such as land shortage, limited financial capacity, poor attitudes and perceptions. Of all the agroforestry adopters, only 21% of the households indicated that they had benefited from on-farm trees. This implies that majority 79% of those who did not practice agroforestry realized no benefits. The socio-economic factors that were positive and insignificant with a positive influence on household agroforestry benefits were the main occupation and income (0.001) while the family size and land size (0.288), land acreage used for food production and household size (0.553), land acreage and marital status (0.182) were insignificant. The study recommends intensive studies on household attitude, and perceptions about agroforestry practice in relation to other factors. The local government needs to review land policy, and strengthen its support to households in utilising their resources productively through on-farm tree adoption to attain diversified benefits. Key words: Agroforestry, Benefits, Food security, Governance, Livelihood, Policy review, Household, INTRODUCTION Since its creation in the mid-1970s, the International Council for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) has scaled up agroforestry research and development activities. The earlier study by Gopraju et al. [...]

Maize is a popular staple food among the urban population of South Sudan. However, due to inadequate food safety surveillance and enforcement systems, there is limited information on the aflatoxin safety of maize grains at farm and market levels. Therefore, this study aimed at assessing aflatoxins awareness and handling practices of maize grains among randomly selected farmers (n=30) and traders (n=30) as well as determining the moisture content, Aspergillus species counts and aflatoxins contamination. A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out in Magwi maize producing areas, Juba retail/wholesale markets and Nimule border points of South Sudan. Moisture content, fungal and aflatoxins contamination in maize grain samples were determined using dry air oven method, dilution plating technique, and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), respectively. The respondent results showed that farmers (97%) and traders (83%) were unaware of aflatoxins. About 83% of the farmers dried their maize grains on tarpaulins, for 4 - 5 days (77%). In addition, most farmers (77%) stored their maize grain bags on raised platforms, whereas most traders (73%) stored grains on bare ground. All the maize grains met the required moisture content limit (below 13.5%). Maize from Nimule main park had the highest levels of contamination with Aspergillus flavus (9 log CFU/g), Aspergillus parasiticus (12 log CFU/g), aflatoxin [B.sub.1] (505.56 [micro]g/kg) and total aflatoxins (1,032.19 [micro]g/kg). Maize from Gudele market was contaminated with Aspergillus parasiticus (12 log CFU/g), and aflatoxin [B.sub.1] (76.55 [micro]g/kg), and had a total aflatoxin content of 94.09 [micro]g/kg. Omeo farmers' maize grains had the least levels of contamination of Aspergillus parasiticus (6 log CFU/g), aflatoxin [B.sub.1] (4.39 [micro]g/kg), and total aflatoxins (7.83 [micro]g/kg). In addition, Aspergillus flavus was not detected from Omeo farmers' maize grains and no aflatoxins were detected from Agoro and Paluonganyi farmers' grains. This study recommends wider aflatoxins awareness and regular aflatoxin screening of maize grains by the relevant stakeholders in South Sudan. Key words: aflatoxins, aflatoxigenic fungi, awareness, farmers, handling practices, maize, South Sudan, traders, INTRODUCTION Maize is an important staple food for more than 1.2 billion people in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America [1]. In South Sudan, sorghum and maize are the major cereals [...]

Stunting currently affects 37% (1.1 million) of Malawian children and causing unfavorable impact for both children and their households. Identifying risk factors to stunting would go a long way in developing appropriate interventions. The objective of this study was to identify the risk factors of stunting among children aged below 60 months from Balaka, Dedza and Mzimba districts in Malawi. A matched cross-sectional case-control study was conducted among 913 (446 controls; 467 cases) children aged below 60 months from three regions of Malawi. Household demographic, anthropometric measurements, dietary intake, food security, and morbidity information were collected. Case-Control Stepwise multiple logistic regression models are used to determine risk factors of stunting. The following were identified as risk factors for stunting including; age of child (AOR= 6.3; 95% CI: 2.9, 8.9), polygamy (AOR= 8.9; 95%, CI: 3.3, 13.03), maternal education (AOR= 9.9; 95%, CI: 2.8, 20.1), access to markets (AOR= 1.3; 95%, CI: 0.2, 2.4), childhood infections (AOR= 2.11; 95%, CI: 1.4, 4.2) and presence of oedema (AOR= 2.5; 95%, CI: 1.3, 4.1). Also, lack of food any month (AOR= 1.31; 95%, CI: 1.01, 4.9), purchasing food on credit (AOR= 1.48; 95%, CI: 1.4, 1.7), begging for food (AOR= 1.55; 95%, CI: 1.2, 2.1), mothers or caregivers consuming less than 5 food groups (MDD-W) (AOR = 4.83; 95% CI: 1.9, 16.4), exclusive breastfeeding (AOR= 5.45; 95%, CI: 4.33, 7.61) children weaned on plain water (AOR= 1.6; 95%, CI: 1.6, 2.41), powdered milk (AOR= 0.63; 95%, CI: 0.4, 1.32), juices (AOR= 0.44; 95%, CI: 0.12, 0.96) and children fed on sugary food (AOR= 0.66; 95%, CI: 0.4, 0.99) were significantly related to stunting. Stunting is associated with increasing age of children, boys, polygamous households, lack of education by mothers or caregivers, inaccessible markets, childhood infections and presence of oedema, food insecurity, breastfeeding and complementary feeding among children and dietary diversity of mothers or caregivers. These results suggest that interventions against childhood stunting should be designed according to the factors that significantly affect stunting. Key words: child growth, Malawi, stunting and complementary feeding, Regression, Food Security and Health, INTRODUCTION Childhood stunting is one of the most serious health problems faced by most sub-Saharan African countries, including Malawi. Globally, Africa is the only region, where the number of stunted [...]