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Background: Global evidence on psychosis is dominated by studies conducted in Western, high-income countries. The objectives of the Study of Context Of Psychoses to improve outcomes in Ethiopia (SCOPE) are (1) to generate rigorous evidence of psychosis experience, epidemiology and impacts in Ethiopia that will illuminate aetiological understanding and (2) inform development and testing of interventions for earlier identification and improved first contact care that are scalable, inclusive of difficult-to-reach populations and optimise recovery., Methods: The setting is sub-cities of Addis Ababa and rural districts in south-central Ethiopia covering 1.1 million people and including rural, urban and homeless populations. SCOPE comprises (1) formative work to understand care pathways and community resources (resource mapping); examine family context and communication (ethnography); develop valid measures of family communication and personal recovery; and establish platforms for community engagement and involvement of people with lived experience; (2a) a population-based incidence study, (2b) a case-control study and (2c) a cohort study with 12 months follow-up involving 440 people with psychosis (390 rural/Addis Ababa; 50 who are homeless), 390 relatives and 390 controls. We will test hypotheses about incidence rates in rural vs. urban populations and men vs. women; potential aetiological role of khat (a commonly chewed plant with amphetamine-like properties) and traumatic exposures in psychosis; determine profiles of needs at first contact and predictors of outcome; (3) participatory workshops to develop programme theory and inform co-development of interventions, and (4) evaluation of the impact of early identification strategies on engagement with care (interrupted time series study). Findings will inform development of (5) a protocol for (5a) a feasibility cluster randomised controlled trial of interventions for people with recent-onset psychosis in rural settings and (5b) two uncontrolled pilot studies to test acceptability, feasibility of co-developed interventions in urban and homeless populations., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Hanlon et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Workers in pulp and paper factories are continuously exposed to paper dust. Excessive exposure to paper dust can cause respiratory disease. Information about the prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms and dust exposure levels among workers in pulp and paper factories is not available in Ethiopia. The aim of this study was, therefore, to assess personal total dust exposure levels, the prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms and their associated risk factors among workers in Ethiopian pulp and paper factories. Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 40 dust measurements were carried out on 20 randomly selected workers. To assess chronic respiratory symptoms and associated factors, 434 workers from two paper factories and controls were interviewed using a standard questionnaire adapted from the American Thoracic Society (ATS). Gravimetric analyses of the filters were undertaken using a standard microbalance. Poisson regression was performed for comparing the prevalence of symptoms and risk factors for the two groups. Multivariable analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with chronic respiratory symptoms. Result: The arithmetic mean (AM) and geometric mean (GM) of dust exposure levels among the paper factories workers were 11.3 (± 7.7) and 10.2 (± 1.4) mg/m3 respectively. This exposure level exceeded the threshold limit value recommended for total dust (10 mg/m3). The prevalence of having at least one chronic respiratory symptom was about 51% among the workers in paper factories. The prevalence ratio of having chronic respiratory symptoms among paper factory workers was 5.6 times higher (PR = 6, 95% CI 3.5–10.3) than in the controls. Chronic respiratory symptoms were significantly associated with factors such as an educational status of less than grade 9, being employed in the work sections of the factories, having work experience of 5 years and above, working more than 8 h per day and having a past history of occupation and respiratory illnesses. Conclusion: The dust concentration in the paper factories exceeded the acceptable recommended limit value of 10 mg/m3. The prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms among paper factory workers was higher than among controls. The main determining factors for chronic respiratory symptoms among the workers were the specific work section such as production section, low income, having past history of respiratory illnesses, the number of years of working and low educational status. This finding indicated the need for improving the working conditions in paper factories in Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Ethiopia, the dairy cows' major feed resources are natural pasture and crop residues, both of which are nutritionally low and do not even satisfy the maintenance requirement. Consequently, dairy productivity per head is low in the country. This paper reviews the existing knowledge of negative energy balance (NEB) and summarizes its implication on production and reproduction parameters, as well as the monitoring tools as a means of intervention in minimizing the effect on dairy cows. The presence of NEB in late gestation and early lactation of dairy cows could contribute to both short and long-term negative effects on production and reproduction ability. Lower body condition, reduced milk production, a change in the milk fat to protein ratio, an increasing incidence of health problems, a late time to become estrus, delayed ovarian cycle, and a lower conception rate are the common implications. Through the knowledge created so far, it can be concluded that NEB is almost a common phenomenon in transitional high milking dairy animals, but there is a possibility to shorten its persistence through strategic supplementation using the NEB monitoring tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Briquetted biomass, like sugarcane bagasse, a by-product of sugar mills, is a renewable energy source. This study aimed at the production and characterization of bagasse briquettes. The production of briquettes was carried out with different blending ratios (5, 10, and 15%) and average particle sizes (0.75, 2.775, and 4.8 mm) with various binders of cow dung, waste paper, and admixture (molasses and wastepaper). The bagasse underwent drying, size reduction, sieving, binder addition, and densification using a manual press during the briquetting process. Characterization of the physical and combustion parameters of briquettes, such as density, shatter resistance, proximate, and calorific value, followed the American Society for Testing and Materials procedures. The result shows that the maximum density of briquettes was 0.804 g/cm3, while shatter resistance varied from 83.051 to 94.975% (4.8mm, 5% cow dung and 0.75mm, 5% admixture binders respectively). ANOVA analysis showed that the factors and their interactions had a significant influence (p value < 0.05) on the physical properties. The optimum parameters of briquettes achieved were 14.953% admixture binder, 0.776 mm particle size, 0.805 g/cm3 density, and 95.811% shatter resistance. Bagasse briquettes with a 5% cow dung binder achieved a high calorific value of 39927.05 kcal/kg. The ultimate analysis revealed a composition of 47.49% carbon (C), 5.133% hydrogen (H), 1.557% nitrogen (N), 0.374% sulfur (S), and 45.446% oxygen (O). Therefore, bagasse has a high calorific value and can be used for briquetting to replace fossil fuel and firewood in different applications. In addition, due to its availability, utilizing as fuel source has economic advantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mushroom cultivation is an economically feasible bio-technological process for conversion of various lignocellulosic wastes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the suitability of waste paper supplemented with corn stalk and wheat bran for oyster mushroom cultivation. Pure culture of Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus (Jacq.: Fr.) Kummer) was purchased from YB Plant Micropropagation Plc; Mekelle, Ethiopia. Then, the pure culture was used as inoculum for spawn preparation using sorghum prepared in Microbiology laboratory, Department of Biology, Aksum University. Waste paper supplemented with corn stalk and wheat bran with 0%, 25% and 50% were prepared. The substrates were mixed with the spawn that has been inoculated with pure culture of oyster mushroom aseptically for their productivity and biological efficiency (BE) for cultivation of P. ostreatus mushroom. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 20. Higher (26.20 ± 19.36) mean weight, pileus diameter (7.90 ± 2.66 cm), total yield (646.4 ± 273.1 g) and BE (64.64 ± 273%) were obtained from waste paper (50%) supplemented with cornstalk (25%) and wheat bran (25%). And lower (17.92 ± 81.95%) BE were obtained from waste paper (100%). Moreover, the highest (3.88 ± 0.32 cm) mean stalk length was obtained from waste paper (50%) supplemented with corn stalk (50%). This study revealed that waste paper supplemented with corn stalk and wheat bran resulted in high BE and total yield. Thus, utilization of waste paper appears to be a promising alternative for the cultivation of oyster mushroom when supplemented with other substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the Fascist regime, young Italians amused themselves by practicing the war games of adulthood. Paper soldiers marched across board games set in the newly established empire of Italian East Africa. To reveal how these vicious lessons worked, this article examines three types of toys. It starts with the design and deployment of paper soldiers: Italian Alpinisti, Eritrean Ascari, and Somali Dubat. Next, a playbook for The Conquest of Abyssinia boardgame provides a guide to military conquest. Finally, I examine where these toys come from, revealing the financial structures that underpinned colonial propaganda for Fascist government projects. Ultimately, toys wrote scripts for adult violence in the colonies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rapid reviews have emerged as an approach to provide contextualized evidence in a timely and efficient manner. Three rapid review centers were established in Ethiopia, Lebanon, and South Africa through the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, World Health Organization, to stimulate demand, engage policymakers, and produce rapid reviews to support health policy and systems decision-making. This study aimed to assess the experiences of researchers and policymakers engaged in producing and using rapid reviews for health systems strengthening and decisions towards universal health coverage (UHC)., Methods: Using a case study approach with qualitative research methods, experienced researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with respondents from each center (n = 16). The topics covered included the process and experience of establishing the centers, stimulating demand for rapid reviews, collaborating between researchers and policymakers, and disseminating and using rapid reviews for health policies and interventions and the potential for sustaining and institutionalizing the services. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis., Results: Major themes interacted and contributed to shape the experiences of stakeholders of the rapid review centers, including the following: organizational structural arrangements of the centers, management of their processes as input factors, and the rapid reviews as the immediate policy-relevant outputs. The engagement process and the rapid review products contributed to a final theme of impact of the rapid review centers in relation to the uptake of evidence for policy and systems decision-making., Conclusions: The experiences of policymakers and researchers of the rapid review centers determined the uptake of evidence. The findings of this study can inform policymakers, health system managers, and researchers on best practices for demanding, developing and using rapid reviews to support decision- and policymaking, and implementing the universal healthcare coverage agenda., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: Paper currency is used for every type of commerce and plays an important role in the life of human beings. However, the combination of its widespread use and constant exchange make paper currency a likely agent for disease transmission. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the microbial load and safety of Ethiopian paper currencies collected from some food vendors in Jimma town., Methods: Standard microbiological methods were used for the enumeration of various microbial groups, isolation and characterization of pathogenic bacteria and their growth potential in selected weaning foods. A total of 100 samples of Ethiopian paper currencies, consisting of five denominations, from street food venders, hotels and cafeterias in Jimma town were collected aseptically. Sterile cotton swabs moistened with buffered peptone water solution were used for swabbing and the swabs were separately soaked into 10 ml sterile buffered peptone water solution., Results: Mean microbial counts of Aerobic mesophilic bacteria, Staphylococci, Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms and Aerobic bacterial spores were (log CFU/cm2) 6.32, 4.43, 3.14, 2.98 and 3.78, respectively. However, mean counts of Yeasts and Moulds were below detectable levels. There was statistically significant variation (p<0.05) among the mean counts of microbes isolated from samples of paper currencies. The predominantly isolated microbial groups were Staphylococcus spp. (34.06%) followed by Bacillus spp. (31.88%), Enterobacteraceae (13.39%), Micrococcus spp. (9.55%) and Streptococcus spp. (9.03%). Overall, 25% and 10% of the samples were positive for S. aureus and Salmonella spp, respectively. In challenge study, Salmonella spp. and S. aureus reached the infective dose within 12 to 18 hours of inoculation., Conclusion: Thus, paper currencies could be considered as one of the possible vehicles for transmission of disease causing microorganisms. Poor handling practices and personal hygiene of the food vendors could contribute to the observed microbial counts. Thus, it calls for awareness development on the potential risks associated with poor handling of paper currencies at all level of the food establishments.

This review paper attempted to assess the tax compliance behavior of taxpayers in Ethiopia. The objectives were specifically to identify determinants and challenges of tax compliance behavior of taxpayers in Ethiopia. Taxes are the most important sources of the government that make it possible to finance infrastructure, investment, and the provision of services for citizens. Tax compliance involves being aware and complying with tax laws and regulations set by the government and tax authorities. Tax non-compliance is an unwillingness in obeying tax laws and regulations. Tax non-compliance has been a challenge to the government and tax authorities in collecting as much tax as required for the nation. Failure to comply with tax prevents adequate revenue collection of the state. The major challenges of tax compliance in Ethiopia are the complexity of the tax system, inefficiency of tax authorities, lack of tax knowledge and awareness, negative perception of taxpayers, a negative act of tax assessors, absence of tax training, lack of transparency of tax system, arbitrary estimation of taxes, personal financial constraints, political instability and lack of timely tax audit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals are among the major contaminants of vegetables. A study was conducted at Wonji Gefersa farms where paper wastewater is used for cultivation of vegetable crops. Four vegetable samples, namely Swiss chard, carrot, tomato, green pepper, as well as paper wastewater were examined for heavy metal [Lead (Pb), Zinc (Zn), Cadmium (Cd), Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Chromium (Cr) and Cobalt (Co)] contamination using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The levels of Pb, Cd and Cr in paper wastewater were all above the safe limit for FAO standards for wastewater quality for irrigation. The concentration of Pb in Swiss chard and Green peeper was exceeded the permissible limits. The study reveals that Pb metal contamination in the study area which poses health risk with time unless an urgent step is taken by relevant agencies to address this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethiopia is experiencing deterioration in river quality resulting in adverse effects on human health and hydrobionts. This study aimed to analyse the effects of specific environmental stressors on the distribution and abundance of macroinvertebrates in the Upper Awash River. The study was conducted from January 2018 to March 2018. Macroinvertebrates were collected from five sites using standard handheld nets. Physicochemical parameters including electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total phosphorous, nitrate-nitrogen, pH, dissolved oxygen and water temperature that can affect the distribution and abundance of macroinvertebrates were assessed. A total of 14,465 individuals belonging to 33 families of insects and 5 families of the noninsect group were identified. Among all recorded taxa, Diptera was the most abundant and diversified order. Macroinvertebrates among the five sites showed variation in species evenness, richness, and Shannon Diversity Index. Values obtained from biotic indices and environmental parameters indicated the presence of organic pollution at different levels. The impacted downstream site paper mill waste (Walgata) had the relatively highest H-FBI index followed by Osole (more agricultural activities) indicating that Walgata and Osole were poorer in benthic faunal diversity than other sites. In addition, as habitat and water quality degradation increased, the number and percentage of Plecoptera, Ephemeroptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) decreased. The selected metrics will be also useful for the monitoring and assessment of the riverine systems and to access the impact of different stressors. As perturbation increased, species diversity, ETHbios index, Average Score Per Taxon, and family richness decreased, while the percentage of Chironomidae, Diptera, Dominant Taxa, and Hilsenhoff Family-Level Biotic Index increased indicating that tolerant species become abundant in degraded river bodies. Environmental protection agencies of governmental and nongovernmental organizations should make awareness for the local people so that they reduce activities that affect the river. Paper factory should also monitor its effluent from directly discharging into the Upper Awash River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Periodic demographic health surveillance and surveys are the main sources of health information in developing countries. Conducting a survey requires extensive use of paper-pen and manual work and lengthy processes to generate the required information. Despite the rise of popularity in using electronic data collection systems to alleviate the problems, sufficient evidence is not available to support the use of electronic data capture (EDC) tools in interviewer-administered data collection processes., Objective: This study aimed to compare data quality parameters in the data collected using mobile electronic and standard paper-based data capture tools in one of the health and demographic surveillance sites in northwest Ethiopia., Methods: A randomized controlled crossover health care information technology evaluation was conducted from May 10, 2016, to June 3, 2016, in a demographic and surveillance site. A total of 12 interviewers, as 2 individuals (one of them with a tablet computer and the other with a paper-based questionnaire) in 6 groups were assigned in the 6 towns of the surveillance premises. Data collectors switched the data collection method based on computer-generated random order. Data were cleaned using a MySQL program and transferred to SPSS (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 24.0) and R statistical software (R version 3.4.3, the R Foundation for Statistical Computing Platform) for analysis. Descriptive and mixed ordinal logistic analyses were employed. The qualitative interview audio record from the system users was transcribed, coded, categorized, and linked to the International Organization for Standardization 9241-part 10 dialogue principles for system usability. The usability of this open data kit-based system was assessed using quantitative System Usability Scale (SUS) and matching of qualitative data with the isometric dialogue principles., Results: From the submitted 1246 complete records of questionnaires in each tool, 41.89% (522/1246) of the paper and pen data capture (PPDC) and 30.89% (385/1246) of the EDC tool questionnaires had one or more types of data quality errors. The overall error rates were 1.67% and 0.60% for PPDC and EDC, respectively. The chances of more errors on the PPDC tool were multiplied by 1.015 for each additional question in the interview compared with EDC. The SUS score of the data collectors was 85.6. In the qualitative data response mapping, EDC had more positive suitability of task responses with few error tolerance characteristics., Conclusions: EDC possessed significantly better data quality and efficiency compared with PPDC, explained with fewer errors, instant data submission, and easy handling. The EDC proved to be a usable data collection tool in the rural study setting. Implementation organization needs to consider consistent power source, decent internet connection, standby technical support, and security assurance for the mobile device users for planning full-fledged implementation and integration of the system in the surveillance site., (©Atinkut Alamirrew Zeleke, Abebaw Gebeyehu Worku, Adina Demissie, Fabian Otto-Sobotka, Marc Wilken, Myriam Lipprandt, Binyam Tilahun, Rainer Röhrig. Originally published in JMIR Mhealth and Uhealth (http://mhealth.jmir.org), 11.02.2019.)

Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.), is called "beles" in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, where it is used for multiple purposes, such as food, fodder, and fences; however, in recent years the introduction of the cochineal (Dactylopius coccus Costa) to this region has caused it to become a plague that has affected thousands of hectares, causing an economic and social problem. Six cultivars: three from Opuntia ficus-indica ('Atlixco', 'Chicomostoc', and 'Rojo Pelón') and three others O. cochenillifera ('Nopalea' and 'Bioplástico') and O. robusta ('Robusta') were tested for resistance to D. coccus in completely randomized design (CRD) experiment with six replications under greenhouse conditions, for two seasons (cycles). Matured cladodes were infested by attaching a paper bag with ten ovipositing female D. coccus. The number of insects at different stages and yields were recorded, log transformed (insect count data), and subjected to statistical analysis. The number of nymphs (stages I and II) was significantly different in both cycles (P=0.0000). The insects died at the nymph I stage at 'Rojo Pelón' and 'Robusta', in contrast, they completed their life cycle at 'Atlixco', 'Chicomostoc', and 'Nopalea' cultivars. Insects at 'Bioplástico' cultivar remained in the nymph I stage the whole experimental period; the molting was hampered. Although some crawlers started settling (nymph I) at 'Rojo Pelón', they couldn't survive and developed, and this confirms that this O. ficus-indica cultivar is resistant to D. coccus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In most low-resource settings, microscopy still is the standard method for diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis, despite its limited sensitivity. In Ethiopia, the more sensitive molecular methods are not yet routinely used. This study compared five PCR methods with microscopy on two sample types collected from patients with a suspected lesion to advise on optimal diagnosis of Leishmania aethiopica. Between May and July 2018, skin scrapings (SS) and blood exudate from the lesion spotted on filter paper (dry blood spot, DBS) were collected for PCR from 111 patients of four zones in Southern Ethiopia. DNA and RNA were simultaneously extracted from both sample types. DNA was evaluated by a conventional PCR targeting ITS-1 and three probe-based real-time PCRs: one targeting the SSU 18S rRNA and two targeting the kDNA minicircle sequence (the 'Mary kDNA PCR' and a newly designed 'LC kDNA PCR' for improved L. aethiopica detection). RNAs were tested with a SYBR Green-based RT-PCR targeting spliced leader (SL) RNA. Giemsa-stained SS smears were examined by microscopy. Of the 111 SS, 100 were positive with at least two methods. Sensitivity of microscopy, ITS PCR, SSU PCR, Mary kDNA PCR, LC kDNA PCR and SL RNA PCR were respectively 52%, 22%, 64%, 99%, 100% and 94%. Microscopy-based parasite load correlated well with real-time PCR Ct-values. Despite suboptimal sample storage for RNA detection, the SL RNA PCR resulted in congruent results with low Ct-values. DBS collected from the same lesion showed lower PCR positivity rates compared to SS. The kDNA PCRs showed excellent performance for diagnosis of L. aethiopica on SS. Lower-cost SL RNA detection can be a complementary high-throughput tool. DBS can be used for PCR in case microscopy is negative, the SS sample can be sent to the referral health facility where kDNA PCR method is available. Author summary: Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease and causing a public health problem in Ethiopia. Microscopy is still the standard method for detection of the parasite in Ethiopia, and also in many other low resource settings. A more sensitive method is needed for timely diagnosis and treatment. In this study, we compared five molecular methods on samples collected from patients with a skin lesion suspected of cutaneous leishmaniasis to advice on optimal diagnosis of L. aethiopica. We collected two sample types from the same lesion (skin scrapings and lesion fluid on filter paper) and isolated both DNA and RNA of them. Majority (90.1%) of the samples from skin scrapings were positive in two or more methods and the molecular methods had a higher sensitivity than the conventional methods. Interestingly, we evaluated for the first time a new molecular method designed to improve L. aethiopica detection. Also, we showed that RNA detection performed well for samples that were collected under difficult field conditions. Samples collected on filter paper showed less positive results than skin scraped samples, but could still be the method of choice for easy sampling and transport in resource-limited settings as it performed better than microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of learning theories, present societal needs, and the positive empirical findings in the relevant literature support the thesis that inquiry-based learning (IBL) is promising for teaching and learning, which deserves further development. Few studies have been conducted on content analysis of IBL in science education at the international level. However, the overall trends of IBL in science education research trends in Ethiopia are not well known. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the nature and status of inquiry-based learning research in Ethiopia by employing a quantitative method. A total of 23 studies, including 14 theses, eight articles, and one dissertation were analyzed in terms of the methodological approaches used and the subjects studied. The most frequently investigated IBL science areas were biology (43.5%) and chemistry (34.75%). Guided inquiry (69.6%) (5E model = 65.2% and 7E model = 4.4%) studies were the most frequently investigated inquiry types. Teaching (47.8%) and learning (43.5%) were the most frequently focused subject matters of the studies reviewed, while cognitive elements (58.6%) were the most frequently used research elements in IBL studies, and quantitative studies with predominantly quasi-experimental methods (60.9%) were widely employed. The findings of this study indicated that IBL was found to be a new research area in Ethiopia where it has been practiced in science education at the primary level. This study is considered useful to develop an understanding of the nature and status of IBL research in Ethiopia and provide information on what could be done about IBL in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to isolate pathogenic bacteria and their antimicrobial resistance pattern from Ethiopian paper currency notes in Wolaita Sodo town. A total of 240 Ethiopian paper currency notes samples in different denominations were collected from four different sources such as market, taxi drivers, fruit sellers and hotels. All the samples were processed to isolate bacterial pathogens using standard techniques and identified by different biochemical tests. Further all identified isolates were used to know the sensitivity/resistant patterns by Bauer-Kirby method based on the zone formation. Out of 240 paper currency notes samples, 120 were showed positive with four different genus such as Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Shigella sp. and Salmonella sp. Among these four different genera, S. aureus were highly prevalent (20.8%) followed by E. coli (14.58%), Shigella sp. (10.81%), and Salmonella sp. (3.74%). From the selected four different sources of currency notes such as market, taxi drivers, fruit sellers and hotel, currency notes collected from market area showed the highest rate of contamination followed by taxi drivers, fruit sellers and hotel. S.s aureus, E. coli, Salmonella spp. and Shigella sp. showed resistivity varied from 70-100% against all the antibiotics. Tobramycin showed 20% effective against S. aureus, 11.5% effective against Shigella spp. and 33% effective against Salmonella spp. while E. coli showed 14% sensitivity against Metronidazole antibiotics. Therefore, the present study concludes that the Ethiopian Paper currency notes contaminated with bacterial pathogens and play significant role in the transmission of human pathogenic microorganisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to fill gap in the literature and explore policy options for resolving the problems of accountability by framing three research questions. The research questions are (i) whether certain elements of Scott's (2014) institutional pillars attenuate (accentuate) corporate and public accountability; (ii) whether the presence of ruling party-affiliated enterprises (RPAEs) create an increase (decrease) in the degree of corporate (public) accountability; and (iii) whether there is a particular form of ownership change that transforms RPAEs into public investment companies. Design/methodology/approach: Using a qualitative research methodology that involves term frequency and thematic analysis of publicly available textual information, the paper examines Mechkova et al.'s (2019 forms of government accountability. The paper analyzes the gaps between the de jure and de facto accountability using the institutional pillars framework. Findings: The findings of the paper are three. First, there are gaps between de jure and de facto in all three (vertical, horizontal and diagonal) forms of government (public) accountability. Second, the study finds that more than three fourth of the parties that contested the June 2021 election did have regional focus. They did not advocate for accountability. Third, Ethiopia's RPAEs are unique. They have regional focus and are characterized by severe forms of agency and information asymmetry problems. Research limitations/implications: The main limitation of the paper is its exploratory nature. Extending this research by using cross-country data could provide a more complete picture of the link between corporate (public) accountability and a country's institutional pillars. Practical implications: Academic research documents that instilling modern corporate (public) governance standards in the Sub Sahara Africa (SSA) region has shown mixed results. The analysis made in this paper is likely to inform researchers and policymakers about the type of change that leads to better corporate (and public) accountability outcomes. Social implications: The institutional change proposed in the paper is likely to advance the public interest by mitigating agency and information asymmetry problems and enhancing government accountability. The changes make the enterprises investable, save scarce jobs, enhance diversity and put the assets in RPAEs to better use. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first paper that uses the institutional pillars analytical framework to examine an SSA country's corporate (public) accountability problem. It demonstrates that accountability is a domestic and a (novel) traveling theory. The paper identifies the complexity of resolving the interlock between political institutions and business enterprises. It theorizes that it is impossible to instill modern corporate (public) accountability standards without changing regulatory, normative and cultural cognitive pillars of institutions. The paper contributes to the change management and public interest literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The smallholder agricultural commercialization and market participation is a key precondition for the transformation of agriculture sector from subsistence to commercial production. However, the contribution of smallholder agricultural commercialization and participation remains low. As a result, this paper aimed to discover the conceptual understanding, the role of smallholder agricultural commercialization and participation, its determinants and to identify the initiative mechanisms to enhance it. In Ethiopia the average landholding size of smallholder farm is 1.18 hectares per farm household which meets the conventional meaning of smallholder farms (less than 2 ha). Ethiopian smallholders agricultural plow over 96% of the full agricultural land, although average smallholder cultivates less than one hectare, and consumes greater than 65% of total. In addition, despite all these efforts, commercialization of smallholder farmers' products is still at a low level. The low-level smallholder agricultural commercialization which in turn low level of value addition as a result -low level of total marketed supply forces the country to import different crops and livestocks. Accordingly, this review identified the major determinants of smallholder agricultural commercialization were technology adoptions, markets and their integration, asset holdings and policy aspects. Therefore, an initiative mechanism to enhance smallholder agricultural commercialization and participation in Ethiopia is an imperative strategy which includes, providing better access to agricultural technologies; encouraging farmers' cooperatives and establishing agro-industry parks. Therefore, this review paper recommends interventions geared towards improving smallholder farmers' organization, producers' association and ensuring appreciable reduction in transaction costs and also farmers' access to productive assets and technologies which is capable of stimulating profitable smallholders' market participation and as a result deemed important to transform subsistence to commercialization agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the bureaucratic processes required to establish and manage a single international capacity‐development project that brought together a funding council (AHRC), UK University (SOAS University of London) and universities and other research organisations in Myanmar and Ethiopia. Drawing from ethnographic critiques of the planning and audit practices employed in international development and in the UK University sector, we track the formal certification of partnership as enacted through due diligence and contracts, budgets and timeframes, and reconciliations and reporting. These practices point to pervasive assumptions about capacity transfer and the unequal basis of international research coalitions spanning the Global North and Global South. In this article, we challenge these assumptions by documenting how the allocation of capacity is constrained in hierarchies of time and space. For equitable partnership arrangements to be achieved, we recommend that capacity development be considered a long‐term exchange that flows from mutual reflection and learning from one another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deletions in Plasmodium falciparum histidine rich protein 2(pfhrp2) gene threaten the usefulness of the most widely used HRP2-based malaria rapid diagnostic tests (mRDTs) that cross react with its structural homologue, PfHRP3. Parasites with deleted pfhrp2/3 genes remain undetected and untreated due to 'false-negative' RDT results. As Ethiopia recently launched malaria elimination by 2030 in certain selected areas, the availability of RDTs and the scale of their use have rapidly increased in recent years. Thus, it is important to explore the presence and prevalence of deletion in the target genes, pfhrp2 and pfhrp3. From a total of 189 febrile patients visited Adama Malaria Diagnostic centre, sixty-four microscopically-and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-confirmed P. falciparum clinical isolates were used to determine the frequency of pfhrp2/3 gene deletions. Established PCR assays were applied to DNA extracted from blood spotted onto filter papers to amplify across pfhrp2/3 exons and flanking regions. However, analysis of deletions in pfhrp2, pfhrp3 and flanking genomic regions was successful for 50 of the samples. The pfhrp2 gene deletion was fixed in the population with all 50(100%) isolates presenting a deletion variant. This deletion extended downstream towards the Pf3D7 0831900 (MAL7PI.230) gene in 11/50 (22%) cases. In contrast, only 2/50 (4%) of samples had deletions for the Pf3D7 0831700 (MALPI.228) gene, upstream of pfhrp2. Similarly, the pfhrp3 gene was deleted in all isolates (100%), while 40% of the isolates had an extension of the deletion to the downstream flanking region that codes for Pf3D7 13272400 (MAL13PI.485).The pfhrp3 deletion also extended upstream to Pf3D7 081372100 (MAL13PI.475) region in 49/50 (95%) of the isolates, exhibiting complete absence of the locus. Although all samples showed deletions of pfhrp2 exon regions, amplification of an intron region was successful in five cases. Two different repeat motifs in the intron regions were observed in the samples tested. Pfhrp2/3 gene deletions are fixed in Ethiopia and this will likely reduce the effectiveness of PfHRP2-based mRDTs. It will be important to determine the sensitivity PfHRP 2/3-based RDTs in these populations and conduct a countrywide survey to determine the extent of these deletions and its effect on routine RDT-based malaria diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this study is to compare the process of the senior secondary school mathematics curricula development in Ethiopia and Australia. The study was investigated qualitatively with document analysis and semi-structured interview research methods. The documents were collected from Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Ministry of Education website and Australian curriculum website. The documents were analyzed and supported by interviews. The study was conducted based on four themes needs assessment, developing/writing the curriculum, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation. The study revealed both similarities and differences. The considerable differences in the senior secondary school mathematics curriculum development process are (1) emphasis given to international research results and contemporary issues on mathematics education as inputs for curriculum development (2) the underlying principle of content standard organizations (3) trialing the curriculum before implementation initiated, and (4) monitoring and evaluation strategies. Even though substantial differences exist, the similarities are (1) conducting needs assessment and (2) the adoption of the constructivism approach. Depending on the findings of the study, the suggested recommendations were presented under conclusion section.

The successful use of anaerobic technologies, especially up-flow sludge blanket (UASB) reactors for the treatment of raw domestic sewage and industrial wastewaters in tropical and subtropical countries opened the opportunity to substitute the aerobic processes with anaerobic reactors in removal of organic matter. Proper management of domestic and industrial wastewaters in developing nations is negligible. Even cost effective integrated green technologies like anaerobic reactor with constructed wetland technologies are not applied. Hence the objective of the present review was to assess the pollutant removal efficiency of the up flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor coupled with a constructed wetland (CW) in treating these wastewaters and their capability to produce quality water for sustainable reuse. To achieve the objectives, the review was organized using reputable journals, articles, and review papers. The interpretation of the result of each document was done using tables, bar graphs, Pie chart and lines. The results were reorganized again by calculating average flow rate, hydraulic loading rate, and percentage removal efficiencies. Most research results revealed that use of UASB-CW integrated treatment system is a promising technology in wastewater treatment and able to complying the effluent discharge standards. Globally, the following abatement efficiencies ranged from 79.2-93.9%, 89.2-92.9%, 87.2-96.3%, 22.6-96.9%, 33-85.9%, and 97.9-99.99% were achieved for Chemical oxygen demand (COD), Biological oxygen demand (BOD), Total suspended solid (TSS), Total Kjeldhal Nitrogen (TKN), Total phosphorus (TP) and fecal Coliforms (FC), respectively using UASB-CW treatment systems. UASB-CW technologies are effectively integrated treatment systems and can be used for resource scarce developing countries. Since, both treatment technologies are cost-effective, easy operation and maintenance and capable of meeting effluent standards. Hence, the indiscriminate disposal of wastewaters and their environmental impacts in Ethiopia can be resolved using these low-cost combined treatment technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The combination of rapid urbanization and industrialization expansion increased waste volumes. Most of the wastewaters generated from either domestic or industrial sources are still discharged without adequate treatment processes, and impact on the environment and public health. The objective of this paper was to provide a comprehensive literature review on the application of horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands in treating a variety of wastewaters, discussing its feasibility in pollutant removal efficiency and additional benefit in climate change mitigation through carbon sequestration. The following results were obtained: 98%, 96%, 85%, 90%, 92%, 88% for BOD5, COD, TSS, TN, NH4 -N, PO43- respectively in Kenya; 98.46% and 98.55% for COD and BOD5 in Indonesia; and ranges from 94-99.9%, 91.7-97.9% and 99.99% for BOD5, COD and TFC respectively in Costa Rica. Whereas in Ethiopia, the HSSFCW achieved the following abatement efficiencies: COD ranges from 58 to 80%, BOD ranges from 66 to 77%, TKN ranges from 46-61%, sulfates ranges from 53 to 82%, and NH4 - N range from 64 to 82.5% for tannery wastewater treatment. For domestic wastewater treatment; 99.3%, 89%, 855, 84.05%, 77.3%, 99% and 94.5% were achieved for BOD5, COD, TSS, TN, PO4³-, TP, Sulfate, and TFC, respectively. In addition to improving water quality, CWs have a CSP. For example, CWs showed CO2 equivalent of 4119.54 g C/m²/yr CSP (carbon sequestration potential) which is 15118.7118 g CO2. The methane equivalent to this amount of carbon sequestration is 604.748472 g/m²/yr. Generally, research results indicated that constructed wetlands are efficient wastewater treatment techniques and should be encouraged for wastewater management as a strategy to reduce wastewater pollution. However, constructed wetland performance efficiency sustainability is affected by the operational conditions of HSSFCW including plant species, media/substrate types, water depth, hydraulic loading, and hydraulic retention time and feeding mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]