Search

ABSTRACT Background Globally, infectious diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria are the leading causes of death for children under 5. Diarrheal disease is a significant public health concern and causes the death of approximately 525,000 children under the age of 5 every year. In Ethiopia, studies revealed that the prevalence of diarrhea among children under 5 years is alarming. However, there has been a shortage of studies regarding the predictors of diarrheal disease in Geshiyaro project implementation sites in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to fill this gap. Methods A community‐based cross‐sectional study was conducted from June to July 2023. A total of 2937 participants were enrolled in this investigation. Descriptive and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed using STATA version 16. Results The 2‐week prevalence of diarrhea among children under 5 years was 11.8%. The following factors were significantly associated (p

Abstract The Arabian Gulf (AG) exports hypersaline, dense waters into the Sea of Oman (SOO), replaced by fresher inflowing surface waters from the Indian Ocean. We investigate the impact of recent AG warming on its exchange with the SOO and the implications this has on the AG biogeochemistry. Using an eddy‐resolving hindcast model simulation, we analyze the hydrography and biogeochemistry of the AG and the SOO from 1980 to 2018. Our study reveals that changes in summer surface winds have accelerated AG warming and weakened it in the SOO, reducing the density gradient and water exchange between the two seas during late summer. This has led to nutrient buildup, increased productivity, and heightened deoxygenation and acidification in the AG. These findings underscore how subtle wind changes can exacerbate the vulnerability of marginal seas to climate change and stress the need to properly represent regional winds in global climate models.

Abstract Aging is a multifaceted process impacting cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems of the body. Like other systems, aging affects both the adaptive and the innate components of the immune system, a phenomenon known as immunosenescence. The deregulation of the immune system puts elderly individuals at higher risk of infection, lower response to vaccines, and increased incidence of cancer. In the Western world, overnutrition has increased the incidence of obesity (linked with chronic inflammation) which increases the risk of metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Aging is also associated with inflammaging a sterile chronic inflammation that predisposes individuals to age‐associated disease. Genetic manipulation of the nutrient‐sensing pathway, fasting, and calorie restriction (CR) has been shown to increase the lifespan of model organisms. As well in humans, fasting and CR have also been shown to improve different health parameters. Yet the direct effect of fasting and CR on the aging immune system needs to be further explored. Identifying the effect of fasting and CR on the immune system and how it modulates different parameters of immunosenescence could be important in designing pharmacological or nutritional interventions that slow or revert immunosenescence and strengthen the immune system of elderly individuals. Furthermore, clinical intervention can also be planned, by incorporating fasting or CR with medication, chemotherapy, and vaccination regimes. This review discusses age‐associated changes in the immune system and how these changes are modified by fasting and CR which add information on interventions that promote healthy aging and longevity in the growing aging population.

Key Clinical Message Pulmonary sequestration is uncommon congenital malformation. It is important to consider pulmonary sequestration even in young adults presenting with recurrent pneumonic symptoms because prompt surgical intervention is both feasible and curative. Moreover, in health settings lacking CT/MRI angiography service, pulmonary sequestration can be easily misdiagnosed as smear negative pulmonary tuberculosis. Therefore, strong clinical suspicion is required to prevent patient mismanagement.

Results: Quantitative traits such as live weight, breast width, keel length, thigh circumference, chest circumference, shank length, wing length, earlobe length, and comb length were significantly higher (p

In this paper, a numerical scheme for a time-dependent singularly perturbed parabolic convection–diffusion problem with boundary turning points is presented. The problem exhibits a left boundary layer in the spatial domain. We use the Crank–Nicolson method for temporal discretization and a nonstandard finite difference approach for spatial discretization on uniform meshes. Through rigorous error analysis, it has been shown that the scheme is stable and parameter-uniform convergence with a second-order accuracy in time and a first-order accuracy in space. Three model examples are provided to show the applicability of the scheme. It is shown that the numerical results are in agreement with the theoretical findings.

Purpose. Neonatal sepsis contributes substantially to neonatal mortality and morbidity and is an ongoing major global public health problem particularly in developing countries. A significant proportion of mothers give birth in primary health care, but studies regarding neonatal sepsis and its associated factors among admitted neonates are limited to the hospital which may not be generalized to the primary health care unit. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the proportion of neonatal sepsis and associated factors in the study areas. Objective. To assess the magnitude of neonatal sepsis and its associated factors among neonates admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) of Hawzen Primary Hospital, Eastern Zone, Tigray, North Ethiopia, 2020. Methods. An institution-based cross-sectional study design was carried out among 290 study participants in Hawzen Primary Hospital in January–March/2020. A systematic random sampling method was applied to select the study participants, and pretested and structured questionnaires were used to collect data. The collected data were coded, entered, cleaned, and analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 software. Binary logistic regression analyses with a confidence interval of 95% were used to select determinant factors. Statistically significant factors were identified using the adjusted odds ratio (AOR). Statistical significance was determined at p value

Abstract Occupancy modeling is an essential tool for understanding species‐habitat associations, thereby helping to plan the conservation of rare and threatened wildlife species. The conservation status and ecology of several avian species, particularly ground‐dwelling birds, are poorly known in Ethiopia. We used camera trap‐based occupancy modeling to investigate habitat covariate influence on occupancy (Ψ) and detection probability (ρ) estimates of Moorland Francolins Scleroptila psilolaema from spatially replicated surveys across both relatively pristine and disturbed landscapes in the Afroalpine biome of Ethiopia. Model‐averaged estimate of ψ̂ across all sites was 0.76 (SD = 0.28) and ρ̂ was 0.77 (SD = 0.13) in the pristine landscape. The ψ̂ of the species in the disturbed landscape was 0.56 (SD = 0.19) and ρ̂ was 0.48 (SD = 0.06). As hypothesized, based on our model‐averaged beta coefficient estimates (βmean ± SE), predators significantly negatively influenced the occupancy of Moorland Francolins in pristine habitat. We also found a significant positive association of occupancy with herb species richness. Contrary to our prediction, distance to road significantly negatively influence the occupancy of the species, suggesting that occupancy probability was highest in proximity to roadsides and trails in the pristine habitat. There was no significant influence of habitat covariates on the occupancy of the species in the disturbed habitat. The most important covariates that significantly influence the detectability of the species in pristine habitat included sampling occasion and precipitation. The greater occupancy and detectability of this endemic species in the pristine habitat could be linked with the particular conservation status and management of this biodiversity hotspot in the central highlands of Ethiopia. Our results suggest that strict legal enforcement is required to sustainably preserve Moorland Francolins and the ecological integrity of the entire Afroalpine biome. We recommend using camera traps in order to develop realistic and effective conservation and management strategies for rare, sensitive, cryptic, and ground‐dwelling animals in the region.

Introduction Despite the well‐established potent benefit of mechanical thrombectomy (MT) for large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke, access to MT remains low globally, particularly in Africa. We compared the access to MT in Africa versus access in other regions of the globe. Methods Mission Thrombectomy conducted a survey in 75 countries between November 22, 2020, and February 28, 202 to assess the access to mechanical thrombectomy and its determinants. Mechanical thrombectomy access (MTA) was defined as the estimated proportion of patients with LVO receiving MT annually. The current MT operator availability was defined as ([current MT operators x 50/current annual number of estimated thrombectomy‐eligible LVOs] x 100) and the current MT center availability was defined as ([current MT centers x 150/current annual number of estimated thrombectomy‐eligible LVOs] x 100). Baseline survey responses in Africa versus the rest of the world were summarized using descriptive statistics. Between group differences in baseline characteristics were evaluated using the Wilcoxon rank‐sum test Results Of all 61 countries included in the final analysis, 14.8% (n=9) were from the African continent. Median MT access in Africa (0.4%) was about 10% of that of the rest of the world (4.9%). Country‐level summary characteristics of different determinants of MT access in Africa vs the rest of the world are presented in Table 1. Less than 50% of African countries (44.4%) have prehospital medical services, compared to 84.6% in the rest of the world (p‐value for comparison =0.007). In generalized linear models, LVO stroke patients in Africa had 90% lower odds of MT access when compared to the rest of the world (OR 0.10, 95%CI 0.04‐0.22). Conclusion Access to MT in Africa is extremely low and far below that of other regions of the globe. Public health interventions must be prioritized to increase access to MT in the continent of Africa.

Abstract Background Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is the cause of one of the most important mosquito‐borne emerging diseases negatively affecting the health of humans and animals, particularly in Africa. In Ethiopia, the status of RVFV and the existence of potential vectors are unknown. Objectives This study aimed to survey the mosquito vectors of RVFV and the detection of the virus in selected sites (Batu, Hawassa, Arba Minch and Borana) in Ethiopia. Methods CDC light traps baited with the sugar‐yeast solution were set up at various locations for a total of 29 trap nights. Mosquitoes identification were made morphologically using a stereomicroscope and for RVFV detection by reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). Results Among a total of 132 trap efforts conducted, 60 (45%) captured the mosquitoes. A total of 1576 adult mosquitoes were collected and identified. Including Aedes (n = 407; 25.8%), Anopheles (n = 493; 32.3%), Culex (n = 466; 29.6%) and Mansonia (n = 210; 13.32%). The genome material of RVFV was not detected by RT‐PCR. Conclusions The existence of a potential Aedes species may pose a risk for the occurrence of the RVF outbreak in Ethiopia. Based on the current study, we recommend further monitoring for potential mosquito vectors of RVFV, particularly with a view to targeting the seasons during which the mosquitoes can be abundant along with a serological survey of susceptible hosts.

Abstract Corn (Zea mays L.) stover is an abundant biomass source with multiple end‐uses including cellulosic biofuel production. However, stover removal may increase soil compaction by reducing organic matter inputs and increasing vehicle loads during harvest. While numerous studies have reported stover removal impacts on soil physical quality, few have assessed the role played by traffic compaction. Our objective was to quantify subsurface soil compaction after 13 years of chisel plow versus no‐till management and no, moderate (3.5 ± 1.1 Mg ha−1 year−1), or high (5.0 ± 1.7 Mg ha−1 year−1) stover harvest rates. Penetration resistance was measured in most‐ and least‐trafficked interrow spaces. Chisel plowed plots with moderate and high levels of stover removal had higher penetration resistance in trafficked areas relative to least‐trafficked areas, whereas there was no evidence of traffic compaction when stover was retained. Traffic compaction did not negatively impact yields, which were greater with high levels of stover removal compared to no removal. The no‐till practice led to very small increases in penetration resistance with wheel traffic and had no evidence of increased compaction with residue removal. This lack of traffic compaction indicated soils under no‐till practice have a higher load‐bearing capacity than soils under chisel plow practice. Overall, there were no yield‐limiting effects of tillage practice or stover removal, and no evidence of soil compaction below the plow layer, suggesting stover removal with both tillage practices can be effectively employed without detrimental effects on plant or soil health.

Introduction COVID‐19 has been linked to hypercoagulability and acute ischemic stroke, though the precise mechanism is not well understood [1]. Various mechanisms have been suggested, including the potential release of autoantibodies‐ either via self‐production or exacerbation of the release of already produced autoantibodies [2‐3]. Antiphospholipid antibodies have been identified in severe disease [3‐4] and implicated in thrombosis [1‐2], though the significance is unclear. In this report, we describe a young woman with asymptomatic COVID‐19 presenting with acute ischemic stroke and postulate it was a manifestation of activated autoimmunity from COVID‐19. Methods Case Report Results A 22 year‐old previously healthy woman presented with acute onset dysarthria and right upper extremity weakness and numbness. On presentation, blood pressure was 158/101. NIHSS was 2 for right upper extremity drift and decreased sensation. Neurologic exam was otherwise unremarkable. Thrombolytic therapy was not administered given presentation outside the time window. CT head showed scattered left centrum semiovale hypodensities without hemorrhage. MRI brain demonstrated multifocal areas of diffusion restriction in the left centrum semiovale, anterior frontal lobe, and parietal lobe. CT angiogram demonstrated a possible thrombus at the left carotid bifurcation which was redemonstrated on MR angiography of the neck. No atherosclerotic plaque, hemodynamically significant stenosis, nor other vascular abnormality were appreciated. Heparin drip was started. Hemoglobin was 6.9 for which 1 unit of packed red blood cells was transfused. White blood cell count was 9.02. Platelet count was 761. PT/INR and PTT were 13.4/1.2 and 30.1. HIV was negative, RPR was positive at 1:128 titer, and COVID PCR was positive. She did not experience respiratory symptoms. Urine drug screen was positive for cannabinoids. LDL was 66. Transthoracic echo demonstrated minimal right to left shunting, suggesting patent foramen ovale. Ejection fraction was 60–65% and chamber sizes were normal. Bilateral lower extremity ultrasound was negative for deep vein thrombosis as a potential embolic source given cardiac shunt. Given history of miscarriage and extensive family history of sickle cell trait, possible lupus anticoagulant, and thrombosis at young ages, hypercoagulable workup was sent. Sickle cell preparation and ANA were negative. ESR was 12. High sensitivity CRP was 2.71. Anticardiolipin IgM antibody was elevated significantly at 125.9 MPL and IgG antibody was indeterminately elevated at 19.2 GPL. Beta‐2 glycoprotein IgM antibodies were also elevated at 42 SMUnits. Atypical neurosyphilis was considered given positive titer, middle cerebral artery distribution, and young age, but deemed unlikely given embolic rather than inflammatory stroke pattern [5]. Ultimately, with a possible diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome, anticoagulation was transitioned to warfarin via enoxaparin bridge with plan for repeat hypercoagulable workup as outpatient. Conclusions COVID‐19 has been observed in association with hypercoagulable states such as deep venous thrombosis and stroke. Here we present a case of COVID‐19 associated ischemic stroke with concomitant antiphospholipid antibodies. This case highlights the potential for even asymptomatic/mild COVID‐19 to induce autoimmunity through modulation of host antibody activity. This may be more profound in those with a predisposition to thrombosis. Autoimmunity should be considered in cases of concurrent COVID‐19 and acute ischemic stroke without clear etiology.

We intend to analyze the consequence of considering thermal radiation on time-dependent flow of the Casson fluid due to an exponentially accelerated inclined surface along with thermal as well as solutal convective boundary conditions. Fundamental equations governing an isotropic incompressible radiative Casson fluid flow are defined through a set of linear partial differential equations, and exact solutions are derived by using the Laplace transform approach. The numerical findings, obtained using MATLAB software, are presented in graphical and tabular representations based on the obtained analytical solutions of the fundamental equations. This investigation shows that the increment in thermal radiation results in the increment in fluid velocity and temperature distribution including thermal and momentum boundary layer thicknesses. Most interestingly, increasing the mass transfer coefficient results in an increment in the species concentration, velocity profiles, and mass transfer rate. However, the fluid velocity diminishes near the plate upon the increase in plate inclination. The scientific community will benefit greatly from this work since the findings can serve as benchmark solutions using numerical approaches to solve fully nonlinear flow governing problems.

Abstract With the growing demand for rectangular and square hollow steel sections in the last few decades, the cold roll forming process has become a widely acknowledged manufacturing method. However, the residual stress generated during the roll forming process is one of the primary concerns on roll‐formed products. One of the leading sources of residual stress is the severe plastic deformation that sheet metal experiences. It is well‐known that residual stress significantly affects the product's service life. In this regard, several researchers have conducted numerical and experimental investigations of residual stress distributions on roll‐formed steel sections. However, most of the studies found in the literature have been confined to the measurement of residual surface stresses. On the other hand, experimental studies conducted on fatigue and load‐carrying capacity of hollow structural steels have shown that there is indeed a simple relation between the through‐thickness residual stress distributions and mechanical properties of structures. Thus, this article employed a proper numerical modeling procedure using LS‐DYNA's finite element code to explore through‐thickness residual stress distributions generated during the roll forming process of rectangular and square hollow steel sections from different material grades. Moreover, a small‐scale parametric study was conducted to explore the effects of the partial heating roll forming method on through‐the‐thickness residual stress distributions.

Abstract The severe manipulation of soil that occurs in the right‐of‐way (ROW) easement areas for pipeline installation leads to soil degradation and yield loss. The objectives of this study were to investigate the use of the Visual Evaluation of Soil Structure method (VESS) and root litter sampling as alternative ways to characterize pipeline installation impacts on soil degradation. Digital images of aggregate specimens and root samples were obtained from disturbed (trenched and highly trafficked ROW areas) and undisturbed (adjacent to the ROW) soil profiles one month after maize (Zea mays L.) harvest in Iowa. Images of soil aggregates indicated that pipeline installation deteriorated soil structure. Root attributes were significantly (p

Understanding hydroclimatic variability and trend for the past four decades in the Upper Tekeze River basin is significant for future sustainable water resource management as it indicates regime shifts in hydrology. Despite its importance for improved and sustainable water allocation for water supply-demand and food security, varying patterns of streamflow and their association with climate change are not well understood in the basin. The main objective of this study was to characterize, quantify, and validate the variability and trends of hydroclimatic variables in the Upper Tekeze River basin at Ghba subbasin using graphical and statistical methods for homogeneous stations for the time period from 1953 to 2017, not uniform at all stations. The rainfall, temperature, and streamflow trends and their relationships were evaluated using the regression method, Mann–Kendall (MK) test, Spearman’s rho (SR) test, Sen’s slope, and correlation analysis. The analysis focused on rainfall, temperature, and streamflow collected from 11 climate and six hydrostations. For simplicity to discuss the interannual and temporal variability the stations were categorized into two clusters according to their record length, category 1 (1983–2017) and category 2 (1953–2017). About 73% and 27% of the rainfall stations exhibited normal to moderate annual rainfall variability. The MK and SR test showed that most of the significant trends in annual rainfall were no change except in one station decreasing and the test also showed no significant change in temperature except in three stations showed an increasing trend. Overall, streamflow trends and change point timings were found to be consistent among the stations and all have shown a decreasing trend. Changes in streamflow without significant change in rainfall suggest factors other than rainfall drive the change. Most likely the observed changes in streamflow regimes could be due to changes in catchment characteristics of the subbasin. These research results offer critical signals on the characteristics, variability and trend of rainfall, temperature, and streamflow necessary to design improved and sustainable water allocation strategies.

Addis Ababa road construction projects fail to be executed on time, within the allocated budget, and with the desired quality. To solve this problem, a new management concept is introduced, namely, lean construction. It is known to increase productivity and minimize waste. And, to realize this solution, last planner system (LPS) is used; it is a tool of lean construction and it involves a person or group of people with the task to control the production unit. The objectives of this study are to examine the current construction process management practice in Addis Ababa city road construction projects, to identify and prioritize the expected barriers of the last planner system implementation in Addis Ababa road construction projects using the super decision model, to identify and prioritize last planner system implementation benefits to Addis Ababa road construction projects using the super decision model, and to develop a conceptual framework for the last planner system implementation to enhance the current construction management system in Addis Ababa city road construction projects. To address the problems, questioners, observations, interviews, focus group discussions, and recently published journals were employed as qualitative and quantitative data collection tools and analyzed using statistical package for the social science version 26 and super decision model version 3.2. The finding shows that the construction management process adopted in all three sites is more or less similar, as they use a push planning system and critical path method to determine the duration following the master schedule but have no weekly work plan and lookahead schedule to forecast the coming week’s duty; also, they use a push planning system, for materials. The LPS implementation expected barriers are also ranked from one to five: Labor related, internal working environment related, stakeholders related, exogenous related, and material related expected barriers, respectively. The last planner system has many benefits as agreed by different scholar. Time-related, cost-related, claim-related, and quality-related benefits are the main benefits obtained through the LPS implementation, and it is possible to conclude that LPS is useful for road construction management process. Moreover, the LPS implementation conceptual framework was also developed based on the last planner system principles.

The proximate compositions and elemental contents of sesame (Sesamum indicum) seeds and the underlying soil from different cultivation areas of Tsegede, Ethiopia, were investigated. The ash, protein, fiber, fat, and carbohydrate contents of the sesame seeds were determined following standard methods. Essential major (Ca and Mg) and trace metals (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, and Ni) in the sesame seeds and the underlying soil were determined by using flame atomic absorption spectroscopy. The sesame seeds contained high levels of fat (52.9 ± 1.5%), followed by protein (23.5 ± 0.9%). The seeds contained 525 ± 1 and 453 ± 38 mg/kg of Mg and Ca, respectively. Iron was the most abundant (37.8 ± 1.4 mg/kg) of the trace metals, followed by Zn (14.6 ± 2.2 mg/kg) and Cu (7.26 ± 0.84). Manganese and Ni were found only in minute amounts. The concentrations of the trace metals varied significantly across the different cultivation areas. Similar to the sesame seeds, iron was found in higher amounts (212.6 ± 2.6 mg/kg) in the underlying soil followed by Zn and Cu, which were both 28.8 mg/kg. The amounts of the trace elements, Fe, Cu, and Zn found in the soils were about 2 to 6 times higher than that found in the sesame seeds. Whereas, the concentrations of Mg and Ca present in the seeds were comparable with that determined in the soils. Correlation analysis indicated that the Fe and Cu contents of the sesame seeds are negatively influenced by the amounts of Mg and Ca present in the soil. Ca in the seeds was also negatively associated with the Mg levels in soil.

Quantifying the available and useable water is critical work in any water resource study and design project. However, it is challenging to provide a robust and accurate estimation of water use and distribution for better water resource management and planning. This study aims to estimate the water use by different sectors, including water supply and irrigation sectors, by adopting estimated demand and supply water quantity. The current total population of the subbasin has been estimated to be 1.21 million. Thus, in the subbasin, current water use is estimated as follows: domestic and nondomestic water use in the rural area is 3.5 Mm3/year and 0.174 Mm3/year, respectively. The domestic water use of the towns is 12.77 Mm3/year. The industrial water use of the urban areas is 21.2 Mm3/year, whereas the commercial, public, and institutional water use are 1.87 Mm3/year. The real loss for all the water supply uses is 7.8 Mm3/year. Thus, the total current water supply uses are about 47.225 Mm3/year. From the existing irrigation schemes, about 10,254.8 ha areas are irrigated by both smallholders and different investors, growing vegetables, cereals, and fruit trees. The annual irrigation water requirements of these schemes are computed to be 151.55 Mm3. Livestock water demand of the subbasin was assessed and estimated based on the population and consumption rates of the species. Currently, the subbasin has a total livestock population of 1,527,835, and the water demand of which is estimated at 5.3 Mm3 per annum. Hence, the total current water use estimate of the subbasin is 204.1 Mm3.

The emerging oilseed crop Sesamum indicum, also known as the queen of oilseeds, is being grown globally for its oil content for medicinal and nutritional values. One of the key challenges of sesame cultivation is its low productivity. In the present study, sodium azide (NaN3) was used as a chemical mutagen. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of NaN3 on quantitative and qualitative stem traits in the M2 generation of Ethiopian sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) genotypes. Seeds of fourteen sesame genotypes were used in this study and germinated and grown under greenhouse conditions. Different qualitative and quantitative data were collected and analyzed. Traits such as plant height, ground distance to first distance, and internode length were significantly affected by NaN3 treatment. The highest plant height was recorded in the control on Humera 1 and Baha Necho genotypes, while the lowest was observed on Setit 2 and Hirhir treated with the chemical. The highest ground distance to the first branch was observed in Gumero, while the least ground distance was recorded in Setit 1 in the treated and control genotypes, respectively. The best internode length was recorded on Setit 2 and ADI in the control, while the lowest internode length was observed in Setit 1 genotype treated with sodium azide. Genotypes such as ACC44, ADI, Baha Necho, Borkena, Gonder 1, and Setit 1 treated with NaN3 have showed glabrous type of stem hairiness. All the fourteen genotypes (both treated and control) were clustered into four groups. In conclusion, we observed a highly significant variation among the genotypes due the effect of the chemical and genotypes themselves. Hence, this report would create more genetic diversity for further sesame genetic research improvements.

Background. WHO clinical staging has long been used to assess the immunological status of HIV-infected patients at initiation of antiretroviral therapy and during treatment follow-up. In setups where CD4 count determination is not readily available, WHO clinical staging is a viable option. However, correlation between CD4 count and WHO clinical staging is not known in an Ethiopian setting, and hence, the main aim of this study was to assess predictability of CD4 T-lymphocyte count using WHO clinical staging among ART-naïve HIV-infected adolescents and adults in northern Ethiopia. Methods. A retrospective cross-sectional study was done in the Tigray Region, Ethiopia, from April 2015 to January 2019 from a secondary database of 19525 HIV-infected patients on antiretroviral treatment. Analysis was done using STATA-14.0 to estimate the frequencies, mean, and median of CD4 T-cell count in each WHO stages. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, kappa test, and correlations were calculated to show the relationships between WHO stages and CD T-cell count. Results. The sensitivity of WHO clinical staging to predict CD4 T-cell counts of

Objectives. Early antiretroviral therapy (ART), isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT), and isoniazid-rifapentine (3HP) are effective strategies for preventing tuberculosis (TB) among people living with HIV (PLHIV). The study aimed to determine the effect of IPT on the TB incidence, follow-up CD4+ T cells, and all-cause mortality rate. Participants. Eligible patients on ART (n = 1, 863) were categorized into one-to-two ratios of exposed groups to IPT (n = 621) and nonexposed groups to IPT (n = 1, 242). Exposed groups entered the cohort at their first prescription of IPT, and unexposed groups entered into the study at the first prescription of ART and then followed until the occurrence of the outcome or date of administrative censoring (June 30, 2017). The outcome endpoints were TB incidence, follow-up CD4+ T cells, and all-cause mortality rate. Results. The follow-up CD4+ T cells for the exposed and nonexposed groups were 405.74 and 366.95 cells/mm (World Health Organization (WHO), 2017), respectively, a statistically significant finding (t1861 = −3.770, p

Leaf samples of Urtica simensis collected from different locations of Ethiopia were analyzed for their proximate compositions, total phenolic and flavonoid contents, antioxidant activities, and fatty acid profiles. The proximate analysis results revealed the presence of ash in the range 17.2–24.3%, crude fat 3.19–3.50%, crude protein 3.42–6.38%, crude fiber 9.37–14.0%, and carbohydrate 56.7–63.7%. The determined total polyphenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant activities ranged 2.18–4.84 mg gallic acid, 1.35–4.46 mg catechin, and 1.58–3.36 mg ascorbic acid, respectively, equivalents per gram of dry sample. High variability was observed for polyphenol and flavonoid contents while only random variation was observed for crude fat and carbohydrate among samples from different locations. In addition, the fatty acid profiles of the leaves were analyzed by using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. A total of 16 different fatty acids were detected in the samples. Linolenic, palmitic, and linoleic acids were the major fatty acids with average compositions of 36.6, 20.7, and 15.5%, respectively, of the total fatty acid. The result of this study revealed that the carbohydrate and ash contents of leaves of Urtica simensis are exceptionally high to make the leaves a significant source of the dietary important chemicals. Additionally, the lipid fraction of the leaves was found to be rich in essential fatty acids (α-linolenic and linoleic acids) that are critically required in the human diet.

Background. Postoperative undesirable anesthesia outcomes are common among patients undergoing surgery. They may affect body systems and lead into more serious postoperative problems. This research is conducted in the Eritrean National Referral Hospitals with the aim of assessing the prevalence of undesirable anesthesia outcomes during the postoperative period. Method. A cross-sectional study design was applied on 470 patients who underwent different types of surgeries within a three-month period. Patients were interviewed 24 hours after operation (POD 1) using the Leiden Perioperative care Patient Satisfaction questionnaire (LPPSq). This study reports one component of a large study conducted. The dimension “Discomfort and needs” of the LPPSq was considered, and the measurements of that dimension are presented in this report. Items of the dimension were standardized and measured using a five-point Likert scale from “Not at all” to “Extremely.” Multivariable logistic regression was used to look for the association of the outcomes with the types of surgery and types of anesthesia using SPSS (Version 22). Results. The prevalence were computed in two manners, prevalence of those with ‘at least a little bit’ outcomes, which was computed to see the total occurrence of these outcomes, and prevalence of those having ‘more than moderate’ outcomes to see the severe experience of these outcomes. Prevalence of the predominant undesirable outcome, postoperative pain, for ‘at least a little bit’ and ‘more than moderate’ were 82.6% and 43.6%, respectively. The rest of the postoperative undesirable outcomes were less frequently reported. Conclusion. Postoperative pain was found to be the most prevalent undesirable outcome. Enhancement of proper assessment and management of postoperative pain through the development and implementation of specific pain management modalities is needed.

Adults with sickle cell disease can develop pulmonary hypertension from a multitude of etiologies. Classified as WHO Group 5, there are no therapies approved for the treatment of sickle cell disease-pulmonary hypertension. Thromboembolic disease is prevalent in sickle cell disease and can lead to pulmonary hypertension. The only approved medical therapy for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension is riociguat. We report the experience, safety and tolerability of riociguat use in a series of sickle cell disease patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.