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Ayano Shanko,1 Lonsako Abute,2 Temesgen Tamirat2 1Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wachemo University, Hossana, Ethiopia; 2Public Health Department, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Wachemo University, Hossana, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Temesgen Tamirat, Email temesgentamirat58@yahoo.comBackground: Prostate cancer is a disease of the prostate gland. It is a recognized tumour in men and is common worldwide. It is the second most frequent cancer and the fifth leading cause of death in males worldwide. Worldwide, prostate cancer screening continues to be a highly contested topic with a variety of differences in recommendations for screening uptake. However, for men considered to be at risk, screening continues to be the most effective method for lowering death through early identification of prostate cancer.Objective: To determine prostate cancer screening practice and associated factors among adult men in public health facilities of Hossana Town, Ethiopia.Methods: Facility-based cross-sectional design was used. All adult men, whose age > 40 years attending public health facilities found in Hossana town were included in this study. From each public health facility, representative numbers of participants who fulfilled inclusion criteria were included in the study. A total of 422 sample sizes of adult men were used. A consecutive sampling technique was used to select study participants in each health facility. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was employed to collect data. Both descriptive and advanced analyses were performed using SPSS software version 26.0. In bivariable analysis, variables with a p-value < 0.25 were considered for multivariable analysis. Finally, odds ratio with 95% CI and p-value < 0.05 were used to declare factors as significantly associated with the outcome variable.Results: About 7.2% (30) of the participants were screened for prostate cancer in this study. Ever heard about prostate cancer [AOR=26 (7.06– 96.90)], family history of prostate cancer [AOR=15.5(5.18– 46.77)] and awareness of anyone who has undergone prostate cancer screening [AOR= 6.8(1.95– 23.64)] were identified independent predictors for prostate screening practice.Conclusion: In this study, prostate cancer screening practice is low. Ever heard about prostate cancer, family history of prostate cancer and awareness of anyone who has undergone prostate cancer screening were independent predictors of prostate cancer screening practice. Intervention measures aiming to increase awareness about prostate cancer and prostate cancer screening should be done.Keywords: prostate cancer, screening practice, adult men, health facilities, Hossana

Summary:. Popliteal pterygium syndrome is a rare congenital disorder characterized by facial, genitourinary, and musculoskeletal anomalies, with popliteal webbing being notably challenging. A 4-year-old boy presented with progressive limping, cleft palate, and genital malformations. He had no follow-up care after an intraoral band excision at 15 days old. The boy underwent surgery for left-sided popliteal webbing, followed by genital and cleft palate repair. A modified jumping man Z-plasty flap was used for the popliteal webbing, followed by splinting. Subsequent follow-ups showed no complications. Enhancing care in resource-constrained settings requires addressing challenges such as delayed interventions due to late follow-up, limited awareness between communities and healthcare professionals, social stigma, and inadequate healthcare understanding. These obstacles hinder timely diagnosis and intervention, underscoring the need for increased awareness and effective early intervention strategies. Early detection and parental counseling are critical in managing popliteal pterygium syndrome. Timely surgical planning, including addressing orofacial and genital deformities and using Z-plasty for webbing release, is essential. Postoperative splinting significantly improves outcomes.

The implementation of a School Improvement Program (SIP) is a means to enhance the overall quality of education and ultimately improve students’ academic outcomes. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the extent of SIP implementation with respect to its main domains in primary schools of Gamo Gofa Zone, South Ethiopia Region. Accordingly, the current study focuses on four key areas in schools, which include teaching-learning, school leadership and management, parent-community school relations, and healthy school environment. A descriptive survey research design was used with a quantitative research method. From 16 primary schools; 99 teachers, 32 principals, 44 school improvement committees and 396 students were selected using a simple random sampling technique. The research utilized close-ended questionnaires and document reviews as data-gathering instruments. Quantitative data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and one-way ANOVA, while qualitative data were analyzed using descriptive narration. The findings revealed that the implementation of SIP in the four main domains was moderate status. However, the domains of teac hing-learning and school leadership exhibited a high level of implemen tation. The study also identified significant differences among districts regarding the extent of implementation in the teaching-learning and community participation domains. Moreover, the results of grade four zonal and grade eight regional examinations indicated that SIP is not yet properly implemented and needs high consideration. Therefore, raising awareness about the revised school improvement Blueprint and framework through short-term training, establishing an incentive system to encourage best practices and implementing formal monitoring and evaluation tools are suggested to boost the status of SIP implementation in the study area.

BackgroundAlmost everywhere, neonatal mortality can be decreased with ease if competent obstetricians give the necessary treatment. Unfortunately, observational techniques were not used to examine basic essential newborn care practice among obstetric care providers in Ethiopia. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate factors related to essential newborn care practice using observational techniques among obstetric care providers in public hospitals in the Gamo, Gofa, and Wolayta zones, southern Ethiopia.MethodsAn institutional-based cross-sectional study carried out from May 15 to June 30, 2022. A simple random sampling method was used. Structured self-administered questionnaires with a clinical observational checklist were used to collect data. Data imported into Epidata version 4.6 and analyzed using the SPSS Version 25. Bivariable and multivariable analyses were used to identify factors associated with essential newborn care practices. An odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was used to assess the direction and strength of the association.ResultsThe overall magnitude of good essential newborn care practice among obstetric care providers was 53.5% (95% CI = 49, 58). Factors positively associated with the practice of essential newborn care were having interest on working in delivery room (AOR = 3.16, 95% CI = 1.71,5.83), having no work load (AOR = 2.96, 95% CI = 1.78,4.49), received in-service training (AOR = 3.09, 95% CI = 1.75,5.45), having supportive supervision (AOR = 3.41, 95% CI = 1.25, 9.24), and having good knowledge on essential newborn care (AOR = 3.04, 95% CI = 1.89,4.90).ConclusionThe observed level of essential newborn care practices among obstetric care providers underscores the necessity for targeted interventions that stimulate interest in delivery room work, effectively manage workloads, and offer comprehensive training along with supportive supervision. By concentrating on these aspects and enhancing providers' knowledge, we can significantly improve essential newborn care practices.

Background: Almost everywhere, neonatal mortality can be decreased with ease if competent obstetricians give the necessary treatment. Unfortunately, observational techniques were not used to examine basic essential newborn care practice among obstetric care providers in Ethiopia. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate factors related to essential newborn care practice using observational techniques among obstetric care providers in public hospitals in the Gamo, Gofa, and Wolayta zones, southern Ethiopia. Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study carried out from May 15 to June 30, 2022. A simple random sampling method was used. Structured self-administered questionnaires with a clinical observational checklist were used to collect data. Data imported into Epidata version 4.6 and analyzed using the SPSS Version 25. Bivariable and multivariable analyses were used to identify factors associated with essential newborn care practices. An odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was used to assess the direction and strength of the association. Results: The overall magnitude of good essential newborn care practice among obstetric care providers was 53.5% (95% CI = 49, 58). Factors positively associated with the practice of essential newborn care were having interest on working in delivery room (AOR = 3.16, 95% CI = 1.71,5.83), having no work load (AOR = 2.96, 95% CI = 1.78,4.49), received in-service training (AOR = 3.09, 95% CI = 1.75,5.45), having supportive supervision (AOR = 3.41, 95% CI = 1.25, 9.24), and having good knowledge on essential newborn care (AOR = 3.04, 95% CI = 1.89,4.90). Conclusion: The observed level of essential newborn care practices among obstetric care providers underscores the necessity for targeted interventions that stimulate interest in delivery room work, effectively manage workloads, and offer comprehensive training along with supportive supervision. By concentrating on these aspects and enhancing providers' knowledge, we can significantly improve essential newborn care practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The common bean is the crop used as food, feed, and to improve soil fertility. However, the production and productivity were affected by poor nutrition and fertilizer management, inappropriate interrow spacings, and the poor genetic makeup of the crops in Ethiopia. Hence, a study was conducted in two research stations at Arsi Negele and Melkasa Agricultural Research Center (MARC), during 2019 cropping season. The treatments consisted of three interrow spacings (30 cm, 40 cm, and 50 cm) and three common bean varieties (Dame, SER-119, and KAT-B9) combined in a factorial arrangement laid out in the field using (randomized complete block design) RCBD with three replications. Data on growth and yield parameters obtained were subjected to analysis of variance. Regarding the interaction effect, leaf area, number of seed pods−1, and grain yield were significantly influenced by the interrow spacings and common bean varieties at both locations. Plant height, number of pods plant−1, total dry biomass, leaf area index, hundred seed weight, and harvest index were significantly influenced by the interrow spacings and common bean varieties at Arsi Negele, whereas they were nonsignificant for MARC. In this study, the highest grain yields (2.23 and 2.17 tons/ha) were obtained from narrow interrow spacings (30 and 40 cm) combined with variety SER-119 at both locations. Hence, the highest net benefits (30848.7 and 29970.4 ETB) were obtained from SER-119 (30 cm × 10 cm, and 40 cm × 10 cm) at Arsi Negele and MARC, respectively. It was recommended that the narrow (30 cm) interrow spacing be used with variety SER-119 for common bean production in the study areas and similar agro-ecologies. On the other hand, the use of wider interrow spacings (40 cm or 50 cm) had a significant importance in improving hundred seed weight, seed quality, and disease incidences of common bean varieties at the given studied sites.

The implementation of a School Improvement Program (SIP) is a means to enhance the overall quality of education and ultimately improve students' academic outcomes. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the extent of SIP implementation with respect to its main domains in primary schools of Gamo Gofa Zone, South Ethiopia Region. Accordingly, the current study focuses on four key areas in schools, which include teaching-learning, school leadership and management, parent-community school relations, and healthy school environment. A descriptive survey research design was used with a quantitative research method. From 16 primary schools; 99 teachers, 32 principals, 44 school improvement committees and 396 students were selected using a simple random sampling technique. The research utilized close-ended questionnaires and document reviews as data-gathering instruments. Quantitative data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, and one-way ANOVA, while qualitative data were analyzed using descriptive narration. The findings revealed that the implementation of SIP in the four main domains was moderate status. However, the domains of teac hing-learning and school leadership exhibited a high level of implemen tation. The study also identified significant differences among districts regarding the extent of implementation in the teaching-learning and community participation domains. Moreover, the results of grade four zonal and grade eight regional examinations indicated that SIP is not yet properly implemented and needs high consideration. Therefore, raising awareness about the revised school improvement Blueprint and framework through short-term training, establishing an incentive system to encourage best practices and implementing formal monitoring and evaluation tools are suggested to boost the status of SIP implementation in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relevance. The problem of effective prevention and treatment of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) of various etiologies has not been resolved in all countries of the world. Primary brain damage from trauma initiates secondary damage to the nervous tissue. As a result, the interaction of brain neural networks is disrupted and the control of somatic and visceral functions of the body is weakened. The article is based on our own clinical observations and comparison of results with literature data and provides a discussion of the prospects for the use of cell technologies in the prevention of fatal disorders of vital functions control in traumatic brain injuries. Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of intranasal perineural implantation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the complex therapy of patients with TBI. Materials and methods. The technique intranasal perineural administration of MSCs was used in complex therapy of 15 patients with severe TBI. The patients were 19÷69 years old, 13 men and two women. A cell suspension was isolated from the adipose tissue of the patient's abdominal wall and centrifuged for 10 min at 1500 rpm. The cell pellet was washed in phosphate buffered saline and DMEM. Cells were cultured in plastic culture flasks in a humidified atmosphere with 5% CO2 content. The cell mass was trypsinized according to standard technique and resuspended in physiological saline on the day of implantation. Dynamics of culture growth, pluripotency, phenotyping of MSCs were monitored. MSCs were injected under general anesthesia into the submucosa of the nasal cavity 3-4 times with an interval of 3-7 days, depending on the growth rate of MSCs, in a single dose from 12.0×106 to 35.0×106 cells. Results. The use of allogeneic and predominantly autologous MSCs of adipose tissue in the complex treatment of patients with severe TBI by intranasal perineural delivery to the area of traumatic brain injury does not cause complications and is a safe technique. 8 patients with severe TBI showed from 4 to 7 points according to the Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended, with an average of 5.4±1.1 points after 6 months. The main result is that complex therapy, including intranasal implantation of MSCs in acute and subacute periods of severe TBI, contributes to the survival of patients and restoration of neurological – including cognitive – functions control. Conclusions. The effectiveness of intranasal perineural implantation of MSCs in the complex therapy of patients with TBI has been demonstrated. The mechanisms of the beneficial effects of perineural implantation of MSCs in patients with TBI require further research.

We conducted a review of 26 articles published between 2009 and 2021 to determine human-wildlife conflict based on spatial and temporal patterns, biological components, drivers of conflict, and mitigation methods used. We employed search, synthesis, appraisal, and analysis framework for review and VOSviewer software for network analysis. We included articles that only focused on relations between terrestrial wildlife and humans, while others deal with ecology, distribution, and biology of wildlife because it does not go with HWC. Forty-seven species of terrestrial vertebrates were reported in conflict-related studies, being Bovidae and Cercopithecidae the most frequently studied groups, of which eleven are found in threatened list species. The main drivers reported were land use change, proximity to protected areas, and illegal resource exploitation. In the management case, the use of traditional protection techniques such as fencing, guarding, and physical barriers was reported. About 178 keywords’ analysis revealed a focus on “coexistence,” “mitigation,” and “food security.” The literature focused mainly on larger mammals, led by Ethiopian authors, and excluded the social dimensions of HWC. Therefore, identifying conflict-prone species focuses on the social dimensions of coexistence, such as human attitudes towards terrestrial wildlife, and broadening the taxonomic and cultural breadth of HWC is required.

Inactivated vaccines are promising tools for tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. We applied several protocols for SARS-CoV-2 inactivation (by β-propiolactone, formaldehyde, and UV radiation) and examined the morphology of viral spikes, protein composition of the preparations, and their immunoreactivity in ELISA using two panels of sera collected from convalescents and people vaccinated by Sputnik V. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) allowed us to distinguish wider flail-like spikes (supposedly the S-protein’s pre-fusion conformation) from narrower needle-like ones (the post-fusion state). While the flails were present in all preparations studied, the needles were highly abundant in the β-propiolactone-inactivated samples only. Structural proteins S, N, and M of SARS-CoV-2 were detected via mass spectrometry. Formaldehyde and UV-inactivated samples demonstrated the highest affinity/immunoreactivity against the convalescent sera, while β-propiolactone (1:2000, 36 h) and UV-inactivated ones were more active against the sera of people vaccinated with Sputnik V. A higher concentration of β-propiolactone (1:1000, 2 h) led to a loss of antigenic affinity for both serum panels. Thus, although we did not analyze native SARS-CoV-2 for biosafety reasons, our comparative approach helped to exclude some destructive inactivation conditions and select suitable variants for future animal research. We believe that TEM is a valuable tool for inactivated COVID-19 vaccine quality control during the downstream manufacturing process.

Digitalization has brought ease in managing the operations of organizations in the world. However, education and digital literacy become hurdles for involving marginalized people. The participation of women is crucial for the overall development of humankind. "Gender equality and women's empowerment are essential for achieving sustainable development and creating a more just and equitable world"[1]. Indeed, greater women's participation can significantly boost qualitative and quantitative output in all fields. Promoting women's participation in rural areas can significantly impact agricultural economies, including increasing food production and dairy output. However, the participation of women in decision-making, particularly in rural areas, is often limited. This paper focuses on Identifying and analyzing the factors that prevent women from playing a more significant role in rural economies, which is an essential step towards promoting women's economic empowerment and achieving more equitable and sustainable development outcomes in the digital era. The study's finding suggests that education levels, lack of adequate training, and household work are key factors that limit the participation of women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: optimization microsurgical methods of meningioma resection in foramen occipitalis magnum.Materials and methods. Our study includes 34 observations, patients aged 18 to 75 years (median age 52.8 years) in the period from 1991 to 2016. There were 7 men, 27 women (ratio M : F — 1 : 3.9). This amounted to about 1.6% of the total number of patients with symptomatic meningiomas. To assess the extent of surgical treatment, we used the gradation system of D. Simpson.Results. Total tumor resection was performed in 24 (70.6%) cases, subtotal — in 6 (17.6%) cases, partial — in 4 (11.8%) patients. There was no postoperative mortality. Tumor recurrence was not observed during the whole observation period. Tumor resection was performed in two stages, in one case, because of decrease in blood pressure to 60 mm Hg and bradycardia during the first intervention, probably due to brainstem dislocation. The remaining tumor portion was completely removed after 5 months.In the early postoperative period, lower cranial nerves and C1-C2 rootlets dysfunctions were registered in 19 (55.9%) patients, and 13 (38.2%) patients had mild or moderate pyramidal disorders. Cerebellar ataxia was revealed in 22 (64.7%) observations. Clinically significant pneumocephalus was diagnosed in 3 (8.8%) cases, which required air extraction (patients were operated in the sitting position). There were no hemorrhagic complications in any case.Postoperative radiosurgery (gamma-knife) was carried out in 1 (2.9%) case (after subtotal tumor removal), radiotherapy — in 4 (11.8%) cases after partial and subtotal fossa magnum meningioma resection.Functional outcomes were initially estimated according to the Karnofsky performance status scale in the period from 6 to 14 months after the surgery. Twenty-three patients (67.7%) experienced 90–100% (no disability or vital activity), 8 (23.5%) patients had 70–80% (mild disability and vital dysfunction), 3 (8.8%) patients experienced 50–60% (moderate disability and life-support needed), whose tumor was partially removed. There were no gross neurological disorders, which significantly restricted the ability to work and live.All patients were or continue to be monitored according to clinical protocols, all of them were recommended to undergo a control MRI at least once a year. Catamnesis was up to 19 years. There were no repeated complaints about recurrence or continued fossa magnum meningioma growth in either case, even after subtotal or partial tumor removal.Conclusions. The suboccipital lateral approach with laminectomy to the level of the lower tumor pole was sufficient enough to provide adequate microsurgical craniovertebral meningioma resection without resection of the atlantooccipital articulation. The approach to neoplasm matrix was performed after tumor partial resection without brain stem traction. The use of intraoperative neuromonitoring provided the control of brain stem functions at all stages of tumor resection and vertebral artery isolation.

Summary: The advanced wireless communication system requires abridged energy consumption, enhanced data rate, and good signal coverage. The massive MIMO technology for 5G systems has been developed to accommodate several users simultaneously with superior throughput. The claim for high data rate wireless communication services is expanding quickly as time goes. Thus, the key difficulty is that as the number of users grows, the number of phase shifters grows as well, causing the system to consume more power; as a result, the system's energy efficiency decreases. Hybrid beamforming has recently emerged as an attractive technique for millimeter‐wave (mmWave) communication systems. The analog beamformer in the RF domain and digital beamformer in the baseband are coupled through a minimal number of RF chains in hybrid beamforming architecture. Hybrid beamforming utilizes fewer RF (radio frequency) chains than the total number of antennas to have a lower energy consumption design. The hybrid beamforming for a mmWave‐based massive MIMO system through different phase shifter selection mechanisms is proposed to achieve the highest energy efficiency for mmWave communications systems. The fully connected with phase shifter selection, sub‐connected with phase shifter selection (SPSS), and fully connected and sub‐connected with phase shifter selection with halved and doubled switches are considered for this research. The simulation results show the SPSS with halved switch outperforms on energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple studies of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genetic variability and its relationship with the disease pathogenesis are currently ongoing, stemming from growing evidence of the clinical significance of HBV mutations. It is becoming increasingly evident that patients with hematologic malignancies may be particularly prone to a higher frequency of such mutations. The present report is the first extensive study of the prevalence of escape mutations in S-HBsAg, performed using isolates from 59 patients from hospital hematology departments with diagnoses of leukemia (n = 32), lymphoma (n = 20), multiple myeloma (n = 3), and non-tumor blood diseases (n = 4). The isolates were serologically examined for the presence of HBV markers and sequenced using either next-generation sequencing (NGS) or Sanger sequencing. Occult hepatitis B was found in 5.1% of cases. Genetic analysis of the region corresponding to S-HBsAg demonstrated an exceptionally high mutation frequency in patients with leukemias (93.4%) and lymphomas (85.0%), along with the prominent mutation heterogeneity. Additionally, more than 15 mutations in one sample were found in patients with leukemias (6.3% of cases) and lymphomas (5.0% of cases). Most of the mutations were clinically significant. The study analyzes the mutation profile of HBV in different oncohematological diseases and the frequency of individual mutations. The data strongly suggest that the NGS method, capable of detecting minor populations of HBV mutations, provides a diagnostic advantage, lays the foundation for the development of screening methods, and allows for the study of the virological and pathogenetic aspects of hepatitis B.

A series of commercial inactivated influenza vaccines (IIVs) used in the Russian National Immunization Program were characterized to evaluate their protective properties on an animal model. Standard methods for quantifying immune response, such as hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) assay and virus neutralization (VN) assay, allowed us to distinguish the immunogenic effect of various IIVs from that of placebo. However, these standard approaches are not suitable to determine the role of various vaccine components in immune response maturation. The expanded methodological base including an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and a neuraminidase ELISA (NA-ELISA) helped us to get wider characteristics and identify the effectiveness of various commercial vaccines depending on the antigen content. Investigations conducted showed that among the IIVs tested, Ultrix®, Ultrix® Quadri and VAXIGRIP® elicit the most balanced immune response, including a good NA response. For Ultrix®, Ultrix® Quadri, and SOVIGRIPP® (FORT LLC), the whole-virus specific antibody subclass IgG1, measured in ELISA, seriously prevailed over IgG2a, while, for VAXIGRIP® and SOVIGRIPP® (NPO Microgen JSC) preparations, the calculated IgG1/IgG2a ratio was close to 1. So, the immune response varied drastically across different commercial IIVs injected in mice.

Background: today’s standard quality control methods used to control the protein composition of inactivated influenza vaccines only take into account a few key reference components. They do not allow for thorough characterization of protein compositions. As a result, observation of unpredictable variations in major viral constituents and admixtures of cellular proteins within manufactured vaccines that may seriously influence the immunogenicity and safety of such vaccines has become a pressing issue in vaccinology. This study aims at testing a more sophisticated approach for analysis of inactivated split influenza vaccines licensed in the Russian Federation. The formulations under study are the most available on the market and are included in the Russian National Immunization Program. Methods: liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis, in combination with label-free protein quantitation via the intensity-based absolute-quantitation (iBAQ) algorithm, as well as a number of standard molecular analysis methods, such as sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and negative-stain transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were applied. Results: the methods implemented were able to identify dozens of viral and host proteins and quantify their relative amounts within the final formulations of different commercially available inactivated split influenza vaccines. Investigation of molecular morphology of the vaccine preparations using TEM revealed typical rosettes of major surface proteins (hemagglutinin and neuraminidase). DLS was used to demonstrate a size distribution of the rosettes and to test the stability of vaccine preparations at increased temperatures. Conclusions: a holistic approach based on modern, highly productive analytical procedures was for the first time applied for a series of different commercially available inactivated split influenza vaccines licensed in Russia. The protocols probed may be suggested for the post-marketing quality control of vaccines. Comparison of different preparations revealed that the Ultrix® and Ultrix® Quadri vaccines produced by pharmaceutical plant FORT LLC and trivalent vaccine Vaxigrip® produced by pharmaceutical company Sanofi Pasteur have well-organized antigen rosettes, they contain fewer admixture quantities of host cell proteins, and demonstrate good correlation among mostly abundant viral proteins detected by different methods.

Purpose. To estimate efficacy of intraoperative local chemotherapy with drug Cisplcel in the combined and complex treatment of patients with high-grade (III–IV) brain gliomas.Materials and methods. 114 patients were included in the study, combined or complex treatment was conducted; in 57 patients at surgery performing in the bed of the tumor after it’s removal Cisplacel — a drug for intraoperative chemotherapy was implanted; in 57 — local chemotherapy was not used.Results. In patients aged 50 years and younger after radical or subtotal removal of high-grade brain glioma Cisplacel application significantly increased the median survival from 14 to 21 months; 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates — respectively from (67.6±10.1), (12.1±7.9) and (12,1±7.9)% to (90.9±6.1), (25.3±10,9) and (16.8±10,0)% (p=0.048). In patients older than 50 years, significant differences in survival rates were not identified.Conclusions. 1. Cisplacel including in the scheme of combined and complex treatment of patients aged 50 years and younger with high-grade brain glioma after it’s radical or subtotal removal significantly increased the median survival and 1-, 3- and 5-year survival rates (p=0.048).2. Justification of indications for Cisplacel use in other patients needs further study and careful analysis and estimation of prognostic factors affecting treatment outcomes.

For the period from 2001 till 2007 51 patients with craniofacial tumours were operated by joint brigade of neurosurgeons, oncologists, plastic surgeons; 28 patients had non malignant, 23 — malignant tumours. Primary surgical interventions were performed to 14 (61%) patients, repeated — to 9 (39%). The block-resection was performed at 17 (74%) patients. The comparative analysis of patients’ survival rates at craniofacial tumours was made. Surviving rates for 5 years with and without relapses was 53%, the relapsfree period for 3 years was 31,2%, for 5 years — 21,8%.

Introduction. The incidence of a pressure ulcer in intensive care units (ICU) is significantly higher than in noncritical care settings. The patients in the ICU are the most vulnerable group to disruption of the skin's integrity. Prior studies in Ethiopia failed to evaluate pressure ulcers in intensive care units and were limited to general wards. The purpose of this study was to identify the incidence and predictors of pressure ulcers in adult patients admitted to intensive care units in Southern Ethiopia. Methods. A single-arm prospective open cohort of 216 patients was used to determine the presence of a pressure ulcer in the intensive care units from June 2021 to April 2022. A consecutive sampling was used until the sample size was reached. The data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using Stata 14. A cumulative incidence of a pressure ulcer was computed. The life table was used to estimate the cumulative survival. A multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression was used to identify independent predictors of a pressure ulcer. An adjusted hazard ratio with a 95% CI was used to measure the degree of association; a P value ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. Results. Twenty-five patients developed a pressure ulcer (PU), making a cumulative incidence of 11.57%. Out of 25 incident cases of pressure ulcers, four-fifths (80%) of the study patients developed PU within 6 days of their admission to the ICUs. The incidence rate was 32.98 PU per 1000 person-days of ICU stay. Pressure ulcers were most commonly found on the sacrum, followed by the shoulder. Among the incident cases, 52% were stage 2 ulcers. The presence of friction or shearing forces, as well as being 40 years of age or older, was independently associated with pressure ulcers. Conclusion. The overall cumulative incidence of the pressure ulcer was lower than that in other studies but occurred at a faster rate. Age (40 years of age or older) and the presence of friction or shearing forces were the main predictors of pressure ulcers in the intensive care units. Therefore, nurses working in ICUs should continually anticipate the risk of a pressure ulcer. Moreover, special attention should be given to patients of advanced ages. Furthermore, monitoring the installation of a mattress, keeping bed linens unwrinkled, and keeping patients in a proper position on a bed to prevent or reduce friction or shearing forces are very crucial in the prevention of pressure ulcers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Slavic branch of the Balto-Slavic sub-family of Indo-European languages underwent rapid divergence as a result of the spatial expansion of its speakers from Central-East Europe, in early medieval times. This expansion-mainly to East Europe and the northern Balkans-resulted in the incorporation of genetic components from numerous autochthonous populations into the Slavic gene pools. Here, we characterize genetic variation in all extant ethnic groups speaking Balto-Slavic languages by analyzing mitochondrial DNA (n = 6,876), Y-chromosomes (n = 6,079) and genome-wide SNP profiles (n = 296), within the context of other European populations. We also reassess the phylogeny of Slavic languages within the Balto-Slavic branch of Indo-European. We find that genetic distances among Balto-Slavic populations, based on autosomal and Y-chromosomal loci, show a high correlation (0.9) both with each other and with geography, but a slightly lower correlation (0.7) with mitochondrial DNA and linguistic affiliation. The data suggest that genetic diversity of the present-day Slavs was predominantly shaped in situ, and we detect two different substrata: 'central-east European' for West and East Slavs, and 'south-east European' for South Slavs. A pattern of distribution of segments identical by descent between groups of East-West and South Slavs suggests shared ancestry or a modest gene flow between those two groups, which might derive from the historic spread of Slavic people.

Inactivated vaccines are promising tools for tackling the COVID-19 pandemic. We applied several protocols for SARS-CoV-2 inactivation (by β-propiolactone, formaldehyde, and UV radiation) and examined the morphology of viral spikes, protein composition of the preparations, and their immunoreactivity in ELISA using two panels of sera collected from convalescents and people vaccinated by Sputnik V. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) allowed us to distinguish wider flail-like spikes (supposedly the S-protein's pre-fusion conformation) from narrower needle-like ones (the post-fusion state). While the flails were present in all preparations studied, the needles were highly abundant in the β-propiolactone-inactivated samples only. Structural proteins S, N, and M of SARS-CoV-2 were detected via mass spectrometry. Formaldehyde and UV-inactivated samples demonstrated the highest affinity/immunoreactivity against the convalescent sera, while β-propiolactone (1:2000, 36 h) and UV-inactivated ones were more active against the sera of people vaccinated with Sputnik V. A higher concentration of β-propiolactone (1:1000, 2 h) led to a loss of antigenic affinity for both serum panels. Thus, although we did not analyze native SARS-CoV-2 for biosafety reasons, our comparative approach helped to exclude some destructive inactivation conditions and select suitable variants for future animal research. We believe that TEM is a valuable tool for inactivated COVID-19 vaccine quality control during the downstream manufacturing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The common bean is the crop used as food, feed, and to improve soil fertility. However, the production and productivity were affected by poor nutrition and fertilizer management, inappropriate interrow spacings, and the poor genetic makeup of the crops in Ethiopia. Hence, a study was conducted in two research stations at Arsi Negele and Melkasa Agricultural Research Center (MARC), during 2019 cropping season. The treatments consisted of three interrow spacings (30 cm, 40 cm, and 50 cm) and three common bean varieties (Dame, SER-119, and KAT-B9) combined in a factorial arrangement laid out in the field using (randomized complete block design) RCBD with three replications. Data on growth and yield parameters obtained were subjected to analysis of variance. Regarding the interaction effect, leaf area, number of seed pods−1, and grain yield were significantly influenced by the interrow spacings and common bean varieties at both locations. Plant height, number of pods plant−1, total dry biomass, leaf area index, hundred seed weight, and harvest index were significantly influenced by the interrow spacings and common bean varieties at Arsi Negele, whereas they were nonsignificant for MARC. In this study, the highest grain yields (2.23 and 2.17 tons/ha) were obtained from narrow interrow spacings (30 and 40 cm) combined with variety SER-119 at both locations. Hence, the highest net benefits (30848.7 and 29970.4 ETB) were obtained from SER-119 (30 cm × 10 cm, and 40 cm × 10 cm) at Arsi Negele and MARC, respectively. It was recommended that the narrow (30 cm) interrow spacing be used with variety SER-119 for common bean production in the study areas and similar agro-ecologies. On the other hand, the use of wider interrow spacings (40 cm or 50 cm) had a significant importance in improving hundred seed weight, seed quality, and disease incidences of common bean varieties at the given studied sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a review of 26 articles published between 2009 and 2021 to determine human-wildlife conflict based on spatial and temporal patterns, biological components, drivers of conflict, and mitigation methods used. We employed search, synthesis, appraisal, and analysis framework for review and VOSviewer software for network analysis. We included articles that only focused on relations between terrestrial wildlife and humans, while others deal with ecology, distribution, and biology of wildlife because it does not go with HWC. Forty-seven species of terrestrial vertebrates were reported in conflict-related studies, being Bovidae and Cercopithecidae the most frequently studied groups, of which eleven are found in threatened list species. The main drivers reported were land use change, proximity to protected areas, and illegal resource exploitation. In the management case, the use of traditional protection techniques such as fencing, guarding, and physical barriers was reported. About 178 keywords' analysis revealed a focus on "coexistence," "mitigation," and "food security." The literature focused mainly on larger mammals, led by Ethiopian authors, and excluded the social dimensions of HWC. Therefore, identifying conflict-prone species focuses on the social dimensions of coexistence, such as human attitudes towards terrestrial wildlife, and broadening the taxonomic and cultural breadth of HWC is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]