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Introduction: The incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC) has been increasing in Sub-Saharan countries, including Ethiopia. However, the real mortality rate for CRC patients in Ethiopia has not been established. Therefore, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the overall mortality rate and identify predictors among CRC patients in Ethiopia. Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar were searched to identify relevant articles. The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) were followed. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale Critical Appraisal checklist. A random effect model was used to estimate the pooled mortality rate and adjusted hazard ratio (AHR). Publication bias was assessed using funnel plots and Egger's regression test, while heterogeneity was evaluated through the Cochran Q test and I2 statistics. Results: After reviewing 74 articles, only 7 studies met the criteria and were included in the analysis. The analysis revealed that the overall mortality rate among CRC patients in Ethiopia was 40.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 32.05, 48.87) while the survival rates at 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years were 82.3% (95% CI: 73.33, 91.31), 48.8% (95% CI: 43.35, 54.32), and 26.6% (95% CI: 21.26, 31.91) respectively. Subgroup analysis indicated that studies conducted after 2017 had higher mortality rates compared to those studied earlier (43.0% vs. 38.2%). Older age (AHR: 1.89, 95% CI: 1.27, 2.82); being married (AHR: 2.53, 95% CI: 1.79, 3.57); having comorbidities (AHR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.45, 2.35); having high CEA levels (AHR: 2.06, CI: 1.35, 3.13); being in stage II (AHR: 4.13, 95% CI: 1.85, 9.22), III (AHR: 8.62, 95% CI: 3.88, 19.15), and IV (AHR: 8.06, CI: 2.89, 22.49) were the most important predictors. Conclusion: In Ethiopia, the mortality rate among individuals diagnosed with CRC is high, with two out of five patients dying from this disease. Age, marital status, CEA level, comorbidities, and cancer stage were identified as predictors of mortality in CRC patients. Therefore, early detection and screening should be prioritized, particularly for older patients, those who are married, have comorbidities, elevated CEA levels, and advanced cancer stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advanced stage at diagnosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) may be related to individual factors, socioeconomic conditions, and healthcare service availability. The objective of the study was to analyze the prevalence of advanced stage CRC at the time of diagnosis and its association with individual, contextual, socioeconomic, and healthcare service indicators. An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted, analyzing cases of malignant neoplasms of the colon and rectum in individuals of both sexes, aged between 18 and 99 years, diagnosed between 2010 and 2019 in Brazil (n = 69,047). Data were collected from the Hospital Cancer Registry (HCR), Atlas of Human Development in Brazil, and from the National Registry of Health Institutions (NRHI). A Multilevel Poisson Regression model with random intercept was used. The prevalence of advanced stage CRC at diagnosis was 65.6%. Advanced stage was associated with older age groups prevalence ratio (PR) 4.40 and younger age groups (PR 1.84), low Human Development Index (HDI) (PR 1.22), and low density of family health strategy teams (PR 1.10). The study highlights the unequal distribution of social determinants of health in the diagnosis CRC in Brazil, revealing the need to evaluate and redirect public policies aimed at improving early detection and prevention of CRC in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Mozambique is one of the poorest countries in the world. Because of the limited number of human and material resources, priority is usually given to infectious diseases because they are the main cause of death in Mozambique. However, with the increasing adoption of an unhealthy lifestyle, the number of deaths attributed to cancer is also increasing. This review summarizes cancer incidence and mortality, cancer prevention and screening, cancer care resources, and trends in cancer training and research in Mozambique, providing a background for the development of cancer care policies in the country. Mozambique is one of the poorest countries worldwide, with nearly two thirds of the population living below the poverty line. Similarly to other less developed countries, there is a weak provision of health care for non-communicable diseases due to competing priorities with infectious diseases. Although the leading causes of death in Mozambique in 2019 were Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome/Human Immunodeficiency Virus and other sexually transmitted diseases and respiratory infections and tuberculosis, with increasing urbanization and westernization of lifestyles, deaths attributed to cancer are also on the rise. This review summarizes cancer burden, cancer prevention and screening, cancer care resources, and trends in cancer training and research in Mozambique, providing a background for the development of cancer care policies in the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Normal concrete, with bulky aggregate generally results to large amount of energy and natural resource requirement. Normal aggregates mining and river sand extraction, if done in unsustainably, potentially results in adverse environmental, health or hazardous impacts. There is therefore the need to research and utilize alternative more sustainable construction materials. This main aim is to review properties of alternative aggregate or mixes with those aggregates within Eastern Africa. In this study, 23 reviews, at optimum aggregate replacement using volcanic materials, crushed rock sand and also fired bone generally indicated good strength performance. Majority of the alternative materials mixes presented indicated higher water absorption, lower slumps/workability and density, compared with the reference. Lower slump could affect compaction, strength or increase costs. Appropriate cost-effective admixtures or plasticizers are recommended while materials exhibiting lower strengths could be explored for non-structural use. Utilization of recycled waste for aggregate could help address resource scarcity and reduce construction environmental footprint. There should be more research and development of proper procedures and techniques so as to ensure adequate bondage, optimal water/cement ratio and compaction and also use of cost-effective admixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compared the physical and mechanical properties of river sand concrete with quarry dust concrete. The constituent materials were batched by weight. The water-cement ratio and mix ratio selected for the experimental investigation were 0.55 and 1:2:4, respectively. The specimens were cured for 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. Slump, density and compressive strength tests were carried out. The results showed that river sand concrete had greater density and compressive strength than quarry dust concrete for all curing ages. At 28 days of curing, river sand concrete exceeded the target compressive strength by 36%, whereas quarry dust concrete was less than the target compressive strength by 12%. Both river sand concrete and quarry dust concrete for the selected water/cement ratio and mix ratio are suitable for non-structural applications and lightly-loaded members where high strength is not a prerequisite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byline: Rabia Asif and Sabahat Nisar Keywords: Capital Adequacy, Distress, Soundness, Banks Introduction Capital adequacy ratios (CAR here onwards) denote the risk cushion available within the banks to safeguard them [...]