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Abstract In this study we aimed to determine germination time impact on the proximate, minerals and phytochemicals content of malt barley, Abyssinian purple-colored barley and wheat grow in Southern highland of Tigray. Germination evenly affected protein, carbohydrate, iron, calcium, zinc, and phenolic. It also inversely affected the fiber, fat, ash, tannin, and anthocyanin content of the colored cereals. The crude protein content of raw cereals, which ranged from 6.30 to 8.40% increased after germination to 6.60–8.90%. Mineral element of mature cereals varied across cultivars and their level increased (171.4–223.3 to 227.3–249.8 mg/100 g) after germination. After 72 h germination time, condensed tannin concentration decreased from 2.27 to 5.24 into 0.20–3.6 mg GAE per 100 g. The phenolic content tripled from 63.5 to 189.6 mg GAE per 100 g in germinated samples. Anthocyanin of raw whole purple colored-barley had highest value (303.0 mg GAE/100 g) and followed by raw purple colored wheat (266.0 mg GAE/ 100 g). Both purple colored-barley and -wheat showed decreased TAC after germination, along with changes in protein, mineral and tannin. When after germination, it drastically decreased into 207.2 and 137.4 mg GAE/100 g. Germinated cereal which had higher protein and mineral content showed very strong positive correlation. A germination process should be accounted for improved utilization of these purple-colored cereals might be best alternative sources of malt. While germination inversely influenced to anthocyanins. Thus, it is vulnerable molecules that require special stabilization treatments during food preparation and processing.

Le climat et la fauche influencent la production fourragère au Sahel. Cependant, l’effet combiné de ces paramètres reste à évaluer. Cette étude vise à évaluer l’effet conjoint de la pluviométrie et des pratiques de fauche sur la quantité et la qualité des fourrages. Des échantillons de phytomasse ont été prélevés au cours et à la fin de la saison des pluies 2021 par coupe intégrale sur 68 parcelles : 20 parcelles avec différents régimes hydriques et 48 parcelles avec différentes quantités d’eau combinées à différentes hauteurs et périodes de fauche. Les valeurs de la phytomasse sèche étaient respectivement comprise entre 2 932,2 ± 1 672,1 et 6 383,6 ± 2 962,6 kg/ha, 2 397,7 ± 6 263,4 et 15 059,2 ± 9 782,9 kg/ha pour les traitements de régime hydrique et du cumul de phytomasse fauchée. Le taux de cellulose brute (en % de Matière sèche) était compris entre 5,5 ± 0,9 % et 6,4 ± 1,2 %. La matière azotée digestible a varié entre 21,8 ± 67,96 et 67,2 ± 15,8 %. Quelle que soit la quantité d’eau reçue, des quantités et qualités équivalentes de fourrages ont été produites par les parcelles non fauchées et celles fauchées au début du cycle de développement des espèces. Pour une fauche à 0 ou 5 cm au-dessus du sol, la quantité de phytomasse était la même. Les parcelles fauchées au stade de fructification des espèces ont produit des fourrages composés de jeunes plantes en quantités plus faibles et de bonne qualité. La quantité et la qualité de fourrage herbacé en fin de saison des pluies ont surtout été influencées par le stade phénologique. Les programmes de gestion des ressources fourragères devront privilégier des périodes et hauteurs de coupe permettant une couverture optimale du sol afin de réduire les risques d’érosion.

Abstract Traditional grazing management practices are central to rangeland productivity and biodiversity. However, the degradation of rangelands and loss of ecosystem services have raised concerns about the future of pastoralism as a form of land use. It is imperative to understand how these practices influence vegetation attributes, e.g., herbaceous species diversity and composition, growth forms (grass, forbs), life form (annuals, perennials), tree metrics (density, canopy cover, and biomass). This study evaluates vegetation shifts under three grazing management practices‐enclosures, open grazing, and browsing lands‐in the Somali pastoral ecosystem of Ethiopia. Enclosures exhibited the highest diversity in herbaceous species, with open grazing lands favoring forbs and annuals. Distinct compositional shifts in herbaceous species were observed across regimes, especially in grass and annuals. Enclosures had three times higher herbage biomass of open grazing and double that of browsing management practice. Conversely, browsing management practices presented optimal wood biomass, density, and canopy cover. The results highlight that a transition to combined enclosure and browsing practices can elevate plant production and diversity, benefiting the Somali rangeland economy. Consequently, dryland restoration should incorporate indigenous knowledge to ensure future rangeland sustainability and biodiversity preservation.

Abstract Background The savannah ecosystems of Sahel have experienced continuous and heavy grazing of livestock for centuries but still, their vegetation response to grazing pressure remains poorly understood. In this study, we analysed the herbaceous plant dynamics, measured by species diversity, composition, cover, and biomass in response to grazing pressure in the savannah ecosystems of Sahel. In Senegal, we selected four savannah sites represented with high, moderate, light and no grazing intensity levels. Transect survey methods were used for sampling the vegetation data within each of the sites. Species richness and composition were analysed using species accumulation curve and multivariate analyses. Furthermore, we used General Linear Models and a piecewise Structural Equation Model (pSEM) to examine the relationships between grazing intensity, vegetation cover, diversity and biomass. Results The herbaceous species diversity and composition varied significantly among the different grazing intensity levels (p

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

Clofazimine (CFZ) and bedaquiline (BDQ) are currently used for the treatment of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) strains. In recent years, adding CFZ and BDQ to tuberculosis (TB) drug regimens against MDR Mtb strains has significantly improved treatment results, but these improvements are threatened by the emergence of MDR and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Mtb strains. Recently, CFZ and BDQ have attracted much attention for their strong clinical efficacy, although very little is known about the mechanisms of action, drug susceptibility test (DST), resistance mechanisms, cross-resistance, and pharmacokinetics of these two drugs. In this current review, we provide recent updates on the mechanisms of action, DST, associated mutations with individual resistance and cross-resistance, clinical efficacy, and pharmacokinetics of CFZ and BDQ against Mtb strains. Presently, known mechanisms of resistance for CFZ and/or BDQ include mutations within the Rv0678, pepQ, Rv1979c, and atpE genes. The cross-resistance between CFZ and BDQ may reduce available MDR-/XDR-TB treatment options. The use of CFZ and BDQ for treatment in the setting of limited DST could allow further spread of drug resistance. The DST and resistance knowledge are urgently needed where CFZ and BDQ resistance do emerge. Therefore, an in-depth understanding of clinical efficacy, DST, cross-resistance, and pharmacokinetics for CFZ and BDQ against Mtb can provide new ideas for improving treatment outcomes, reducing mortality, preventing drug resistance, and TB transmission. Along with this, it will also help to develop rapid molecular diagnostic tools as well as novel therapeutic drugs for TB.

Abstract Background Hepatitis B and C viruses are the major public health concerns of the globe. The two hepatotropic viruses share common modes of transmission and their co-infection is common. Despite the provision of an effective prevention mechanism, the infections caused by these viruses remain a significant problem worldwide, particularly among developing countries like Ethiopia. Methods This institutional-based retrospective study was conducted between January 2014 December and December 2019 from documented laboratory logbooks of Adigrat general hospital serology laboratory, Tigrai, Ethiopia. data were collected and checked for completeness on a daily based, coded, entered, and cleaned using Epinfo version 7.1, exported and analyzed using SPSS version 23. Binary logistic regression analysis and Chi-square test (X2) assessed the association between dependent and independent variables. The corresponding variables with a P-value (P

Abstract The present study focused on evaluating the groundwater hydrogeochemical of shallow aquifers in the semi-arid areas of northern Ethiopia, using geospatial modelling and multivariate statistical techniques. Physico-chemical parameters, including pH, major ions, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), total hardness (TH), pollution index (PI) and other parameters, from 22 samples have been used to assess water quality, sources of various ions, water types and factors controlling groundwater chemistry. Results showed that the spatial distribution of major ions, EC, TDS, TH and PI values in these samples significantly differ from one location to another due to geological variations and anthropogenic activities of the area. The quality of most groundwater is generally unfit for drinking due to their PI, EC, TH, calcium, potassium, total iron and bicarbonate (HCO3 −) values that found to be above the permissible limits of WHO and Ethiopian standards. The parameters like sodium percentage, sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), residual sodium bicarbonate, permeability index, magnesium hazard and Kelly’s ratio revealed good quality of groundwater for irrigation utilization, whereas EC of irrigation water (ECiw), combined effects of ECiw − SAR and bicarbonate hazard values indicated that majority of groundwater are not suitable for irrigation use. Piper trilinear diagram classified majority of samples under temporary hardness with Ca–Mg–HCO3 type. Further, Gibbs diagram reveals that water–rock interaction is the major hydrogeochemical processes governing the water chemistry of the study area. Therefore, it is recommended to perform a constant water quality checking program and improvement of tangible management practices for sustainable utilization of groundwater resources.

Federated Learning (FL) is a state-of-the-art paradigm used in Edge Computing (EC). It enables distributed learning to train on cross-device data, achieving efficient performance, and ensuring data privacy. In the era of Big Data, the Internet of Things (IoT), and data streaming, challenges such as monitoring and management remain unresolved. Edge IoT devices produce and stream huge amounts of sample sources, which can incur significant processing, computation, and storage costs during local updates using all data samples. Many research initiatives have improved the algorithm for FL in homogeneous networks. However, in the typical distributed learning application scenario, data is generated independently by each device, and this heterogeneous data has different distribution characteristics. As a result, the data stream, often characterized as Big Data, used by each device for local learning is unbalanced and is not independent or identically distributed. Such data heterogeneity can degrade the performance of FL and reduce resource utilization. In this paper, we present the DSS-Edge-FL, a Dynamic Sample Selection optimization algorithm that aims to optimize resources and address data heterogeneity. The extensive results of the experiment demonstrate that our proposed approach outperforms the resource efficiency of conventional training methods, with a lower convergence time and improved resource efficiency.

Monitoring the changes of ecosystem functioning is pivotal for understanding the global carbon cycle. Despite its size and contribution to the global carbon cycle, Africa is largely understudied in regard to ongoing changes of its ecosystem functioning and their responses to climate change. One of the reasons is the lack of long‐term in situ data. Here, we use eddy covariance to quantify the net ecosystem exchange (NEE) and its components—gross primary production (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (Reco) for years 2010–2022 for a Sahelian semiarid savanna to study trends in the fluxes. Significant negative trends were found for NEE (12.7 ± 2.8 g C m2 year−1), GPP (39.6 ± 7.9 g C m2 year−1), and Reco (32.2 ± 8.9 g C m2 year−1). We found that NEE decreased by 60% over the study period, and this decrease was mainly caused by stronger negative trends in rainy season GPP than in Reco. Additionally, we observed strong increasing trends in vapor pressure deficit, but no trends in rainfall or soil water content. Thus, a proposed explanation for the decrease in carbon sink strength is increasing atmospheric dryness. The warming climate in the Sahel, coupled with increasing evaporative demand, may thus lead to decreased GPP levels across this biome, and lowering its CO2 sequestration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed at investigating the effects of sodium azide (NaN3) on quantitative and qualitative capsule traits in M2 generation of 14 Ethiopian sesame genotypes collected from Humera Agricultural Research Center (HuARC), Tigrai. Both the treatment and control seeds were sown in well-prepared beds in greenhouse to develop M2 plants. Data on quantitative and qualitative traits were collected and analyzed using GenStat 16 software. Results showed significant differences among the M2 seeds treated with 0.75% NaN3. The highest mean number of capsules per plant was recorded in ACC44 and Baha Necho genotypes, while the lowest was recorded in Gumero, Setit 2, Hirhir, ADI, Bounji and Aberghele. The highest mean number of seeds per capsule was recorded in Humera 1, Baha Necho, Zeri Tesfay, and Gondar 1 genotypes and the lowest was recorded in Setit 1, Setit 2 and ADI. The highest mean capsule length was observed in Zeri Tesfay while the lowest was recorded in Aberghele. The qualitative data reported that Hirhir, Setit 1 and Setit 2 were changed from completely shattering to partially shattering, Gumero and Bounji were changed from completely shattering to non-shattering, and Zeri Tesfay was changed from partially shattering to non-shattering. The 14 genotypes were clustered into four distinct groups including cluster I containing six genotypes, cluster II and III containing two genotypes each and cluster IV containing four genotypes. The mutants developed from Zeri Tesafy, ACC44 and Baha Necho genotypes are considered as potential candidate mutants for further utilization in sesame improvement.

The present study explored the effect of sodium azide (NaN3) on quantitative and qualitative leaf traits of M2 lines on 14 Ethiopian sesame genotypes collected from Humera Agricultural Research Center, Tigrai, Ethiopia. Qualitative data on leaf color, leaf hairiness, leaf arrangement, leaf shape, basal leaf profile, basal leaf margin, and leaf angle to main stem as well as quantitative data on length of basal leaf, length of top leaf, width of basal leaf, width of top leaf, length of marginal leaf, and width of marginal leaf were recorded and analyzed using analysis of variance, clustering analysis, Mahalanobis distance, and principal component analysis. Generally, treatment of seeds with NaN3 has brought many distinct and statistically significant phenotypic changes on both quantitative and qualitative leaf traits of the M2 lines. The changes in the NaN3 treated and locally adapted genotypes of Gumero and Zeri Tesfay are promising; producing the highest mean length of basal leaf (p ≤ 0.01). NaN3 treated seeds of Baha Necho, Gumero, and Hirhir developed the highest mean width of basal leaf. Locally adapted genotypes have responded positively to NaN3 treatment, generating better leaf traits as compared to the research improved ones. This study was the first of its kind in exploring the effects of NaN3 seed treatment on leaf traits of sesame genotypes. The findings of this study will, therefore, serve as a steppingstone to look into the effects of the changes in sesame yield and initiate future genetic and molecular studies on the responsive genotypes.

Abstract Background Anemia is a common complication of HIV/AIDS in children. There is lack of evidence on anemia prevalence among children living with HIV/AIDS on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in Tigray regional state, which the current study aimed to generate. Methods An institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 241 children living with HIV/AIDS on HAART attending the antiretroviral therapy (ART) clinic of Mekelle hospital from November 2018-January 2019. Socio-demographic data were collected using a structured pretested questionnaire. Participants’ hemoglobin level was utilized to determine the prevalence of anemia. WHO cut-off values for Hgb were used to categorise the severity of anemia. Microscopic examination was performed for morphological classification of anemia. Results Among the participants, 7 % (n = 16) were anemic in this study. Of these, 56 %, 19 %, and 25 % had mild, moderate, and severe anemia, respectively. Morphologically, normocytic-normochromic anemia was found the most common type of anemia in this study. Conclusions The prevalence of anemia among participants was low in this study. However, a considerable proportion of participants had severe anemia, requiring regular monitoring of anemia status in these patients for better clinical outcomes and quality of life improvements.

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 <0.05. Binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses were applied to see the association of the variables at a p < 0.05. Results. In this study, the overall proportion of neonatal sepsis was (60.2%) 95% CI (56, 68)]. Birth asphyxia [AOR = 2.04; 95%CI (1.07, 3.93)], maternal age of 15–19 [AOR = 2.00; 95% CI (1.81, 11.93)], duration of labor greater or equal to 24 hours [AOR = 3.00; 95% CI (2.67, 14.21)], history of oxygen administration [AOR = 2.37; 95% CI (1.18, 4.75)], neonatal age of greater or equal to seven days [AOR = 4.0595% CI (1.07, 3.93), and home delivery [AOR = 5.00; 95% CI (2.34, 18.92)] were the predictor variables for neonatal sepsis. Conclusion. In this study, neonatal sepsis was high. Birth asphyxia, intranasal oxygen administration, age of the mother, home delivery, and duration of labor were associated with neonatal sepsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Access to safe drinking water is one of the basic human rights and is critical to health. However, much of the world’s population lacks access to adequate and safe water. Approximately 884,000, 000 people in the world still do not get their drinking water from safe sources; Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for over one third of this number. It is estimated that 80% of all illnesses in the world are related to use of unsafe and contaminated water. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted from August 1st 2017 to July 30th 2018 in three randomly selected woreda (districts) of Eastern Zone Tigrai. Water samples were examined for total coliforms and thermotelorant coliforms using the most probable number method. Standard biochemical testing was performed on samples that tested positive to identify the genus of bacteria. The contaminant risk of water sources were assessed using the sanitary inspection checklist of the World Health Organization. The results were interpreted using World Health Organization guidelines for drinking water quality. Data was collected using laboratory checklist and sanitary inspection check list. It was entered, cleared and analyzed using SPSS version 21.0 and a variable having a P

Abstract Background Isoniazid prophylaxis therapy is a significant public health intervention to prevent the progression of latent tuberculosis to active tuberculosis disease among people living with HIV. Those with HIV are at high risk to develop active Tuberculosis from latent Tuberculosis than those without HIV. Even though there is strong evidence supporting Isoniazid Prophylaxis therapy for Tuberculosis prevention, there is limited information about the implementation of isoniazid prophylaxis therapy in Ethiopia as well as in the study area. Objective To determine the effects of Isoniazid Prophylaxis therapy and its associated factors among HIV positive clients taking antiretroviral therapy at Fre Semaetat primary Hospital, Hawzien districts, Tigray, northern Ethiopia. Method Institutional based cross-sectional study design was conducted from April to August 2019 among HIV positive clients who came to Fre Semaetat primary Hospital. Data related to socio-demographic characteristics and associated risk factors were taken from 372 HIV positive clients who were selected by a simple random sampling method. Data was coded and cleaned by using SPSS version 23.0 for the final analysis. Results A total of 372 HIV positive clients taking antiretroviral therapy were included in the study. Of those, the overall prevalence that took and completed their Isoniazid Prophylaxis therapy for 6 months was found to be 231(62.1%). From those who completed Isoniazid Prophylaxis therapy (IPT), 13(3.5%) was developed active Tuberculosis (TB) incidence. Gender, co-trimexazol Prophylaxis therapy users, HIV positive clients who took Anti-pain and married clients were the predictor among statistically significant variables of Isoniazid Prophylaxis therapy. Conclusions Isoniazid Prophylaxis therapy utilization found to below. Therefore, health education and counseling of patients who are in their first 2 months of therapy should be strengthened further. Prophylaxis should be given by service providers, medication side effects should be addressed rapidly.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious worldwide health issue, particularly in developing nations like Ethiopia. Patients with tuberculosis experience a range of hematological, immunological, and biochemical alterations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate immunological, hematological, and biochemical alterations of newly diagnosed TB patients at Dessie comprehensive specialized hospital, Dessie, Ethiopia. Methods: A comparative, cross-sectional study was carried out to evaluate the immuno-hematological and biochemical changes in patients with tuberculosis at Dessie comprehensive specialized hospital from January to July 2018. One hundred sixty-four (164) newly diagnosed TB patients, and 80 apparently healthy controls were included consecutively. The variables were expressed in frequency, percentage, and mean ± SD. To compare mean ± SD of the groups or within the groups, we used an independent sample t-test. Statistical significance was defined as a P value less than 0.05. Results: Male TB patients had significantly high mean absolute WBC count, neutrophil count, lymphocyte, platelet count, and systemic immune-inflammation compared with male healthy controls (P=0.001, P=0.011 P=0.021, P=0.001, and P=0.018, respectively). The mean platelet count of female TB patients was significantly higher than that of the female control group (P=0.015). However, mean RBC counts, Hgb, HCT, and MPV of TB patients were significantly lower than those of male (p< 0.001) and female healthy controls (P=0.022, 0.015, and 0.001, respectively). The TB patients had developed anemia (23.8%), WBC abnormalities (29.3%), thrombocytosis (11.6%), and thrombocytopenia (9.8%). The cases had significantly higher mean alanine amino transferase, total bilirubin, and glucose level, but the mean total protein, alkaline phosphatase, and total cholesterol of cases were significantly lower than healthy control groups. Conclusion: TB patients in this study showed significant alterations in a number of hematological and biochemical profiles. This indicates that hematological and biochemical profiles should be monitored and properly interpreted for the differential diagnosis of tuberculosis and evaluation of response to treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Food insecurity is the shortage of both the quantity and quality of food and a negative impact on the overall nutritional and health status of people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Ethiopia is intensely affected by food insecurity which is about 87.4% of adult people living with human immuno deficiency virus (HIV) are still facing shortage to have access to safe, sufficient, and nutritious food for themselves and their family. However, there is no concrete scientific evidence established at the national level in Ethiopia. Hence, this review gave special emphasis on adult people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to estimate the pooled prevalence of food insecurity and its associated factor at the national level in Ethiopia. Methods. Studies were retrieved from selected electronic data bases, including PubMed/Medlin, Cochrane library, Sciences Direct, Google, and Google Scholar. Random-effects model meta-analysis was used to estimate the pooled prevalence of food insecurity and its associated factors at 95% confidence interval with odds ratio (OR) using statistical R-software version 3.6.1. Moreover, quality appraisal of the included studies, publication bias was checked using the funnel symmetry test, and heterogeneity was checked using forest plot and inverse variance square (I2). The searches were restricted to articles published in the English language only, and Medical Subject Headings (MeSH terms) was used to help expand the search in advanced PubMed search. Result. A total of 650 articles were identified through the initial search of which 20 studies were included in the final review yielding a total sample size of 7,797 adult people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The pooled prevalence of food insecurity was 52% (95% CI, 40%, 63%). Cluster of differentiation 4 CD4 count

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.

Grazing management strategies tend to have different effects on rangeland plant production. Changes in grazing management can, therefore, affect the carbon stock potential of rangelands. Despite rangeland ecosystems being important global sinks for carbon, we know relatively little about the effect of traditional grazing management practices on their potential to store carbon. In this study, we evaluated the carbon stock and change rate of rangelands using three traditional grazing management practices in the semiarid pastoral ecosystem of eastern Ethiopia. By comparing data on vegetation and soil carbon stocks, we found that there was a strong significant difference (p < 0.001) between these different management practices. In particular, the establishment of enclosures was associated with an annual increase in carbon stocks of soil (3%) and woody (11.9%) and herbaceous (57.6%) biomass, when compared to communal open lands. Both enclosure and browsing management practices were found to have the highest levels of soil organic carbon stocks, differing only in terms of the amount of woody and herbaceous biomass. Thus, modest changes in traditional grazing management practices can play an important role in carbon storage and sequestration. Further research is required on a wider range of traditional pastoral management practices across space and time, as understanding these processes is key to combating global climate change.

BackgroundCytopenias affect the outcomes of highly active anti-retroviral therapy that results in higher morbidity, mortality, and impaired quality of life. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of cytopenia and its associated factors among HIV infected adults on highly active antiretroviral therapy at Mehal Meda Hospital, North Shewa Zone, Ethiopia.MethodA cross-sectional health facility based study was conducted among 499 consecutively selected adult HIV infected patients taking HAART for at least six months from January to April 2018. The study participant's socio-demographic and clinical information was collected using a pre-tested questionnaire and reviewing of medical records by trained clinical nurses. Complete blood count and CD4 T cell count were determined by Sysmex KX-21 N and BD FACS count respectively. Bivariate and multivariate analysis was performed to identify the independently associated factors of cytopenia and prevalence ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were estimated using Poisson regression model with robust error variance to quantify the strength of statistical association. In all cases, a P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultOut of the total study participants, 39.9% had at least one form of cytopenia, 23.2% had anemia, 13.8% had leukopenia, 12.4% had thrombocytopenia, 11.62% had bi-cytopenias, and only 1% had pancytopenia. In multivariate analysis, cytopenia was independently associated with older age groups, male gender, ZDV based regimen, and CD4 count less than 200 cells/mm3.ConclusionsIn this study, the magnitude of any cytopenia was 40% among adult HIV infected patients taking highly active antiretroviral therapy and the prevalence increased as the CD4 count decreases. Therefore, these warrant the need for monitoring hematological parameters of HIV infected patients on HAART to reduce morbidity and mortality.

BackgroundUnsafe food becomes a global public health and economic threat to humans. The health status, personal hygiene, knowledge, and practice of food handlers have crucial impact on food contamination. Hence, this study is aimed at assessing the knowledge, practice, and prevalence of Salmonella, Shigella, and intestinal parasites among food handlers in Eastern Tigrai prison centers, Northern Ethiopia.MethodsAn institutional-based cross-sectional study was carried out from April to September 2019 among food handlers in Eastern Tigrai prison centers, Northern Ethiopia. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the demographic characteristics, the knowledge, and the practice of the study participants. Direct wet mount and formol-ether concentration techniques were applied to identify intestinal parasites. Culture and biochemical tests were used to isolate the Salmonella and the Shigella species. Additionally, antimicrobial susceptibility tests to selected antibiotics were performed using Kirby-Baur disk diffusion method. We used SPSS version 23 software for statistical analysis.ResultsThirty-seven (62.7%, 37/59) of the participants had harbored one or more intestinal parasites. The protozoan Entamoeba histolytica/dispar was detected among 23.7% (14/59) of the study participants who provided stool specimen. Besides, 6.8% (4/59) of the samples were positive for either Salmonella or Shigella species. The Salmonella isolates (n = 2) were sensitive to Gentamicin, Ciprofloxacin, Ceftriaxone, and Clarithromycin but resistant to Amoxicillin, Ampicillin, and Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. Similarly, the two Shigella isolates were susceptible to Gentamicin, Ciprofloxacin, and Ceftriaxone but showed resistance to Amoxicillin, Tetracycline, and Chloramphenicol. Further, 60.6% (40/66) of the participants had good level of knowledge, and 51.5% (34/66) had good level of practice on foodborne diseases and on food safety.ConclusionsWe conclude that foodborne pathogens are significant health problems in the study areas. Regular health education and training programs among the food handlers are demanded to tackle foodborne diseases at the prison centers.

BackgroundAnemia is a global public health problem; but its burden is disproportionately borne among children in the African Regions. The 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey report showed that the prevalence of anemia among children 6-59 months of age was 57%; far exceeding the national target of 25% set for 2015. Although studies have been conducted in Ethiopia, multilevel analysis has rarely been used to identify factors associated with anemia among children. Therefore, this study aimed to identify individual and community-level factors associated with anemia among children 6-59 months of age by fitting a multilevel logistic regression model.MethodsThe data was obtained from the 2016 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey, conducted from January to June 2016, and downloaded from the website http://www.DHSprogram.com. The sample was taken using two-stage stratified sampling. In stage one, 645 Enumeration Areas and in stage two 28 households per Enumeration Area were selected. A sample of 7790 children 6-59 months of age was included. Data were analyzed using STATA version 14. A multilevel logistic regression model was fitted and an adjusted odds ratio with a 95% confidence interval was obtained.ResultFrom the individual-level factors, anemia was associated most strongly with child age, wealth index, maternal anemia and child stunting followed by child underweight, child fever and birth order whereas from the community-level, the strongest odds of anemia occurred among children from Somali, Harari, Dire Dawa and Afar region followed by Oromia and Addis Ababa. Low community-poverty is a protective factor for anemia. The odds of anemia were 0.81 (95% CI: 0.66, 0.99) times lower for children who were living in communities of lower poverty status than children who were living in communities of higher poverty status. Children from Somali and Dire Dawa had 3.38 (95% CI: 3.25, 5.07) and 2.22 (95% CI: 1.42, 3.48) times higher odds of anemia, respectively than children from the Tigray region.ConclusionsThis study shows that anemia among children 6-59 months of age is affected both by the individual and community level factors. It is better to strengthen the strategies of early detection and management of stunted and underweight children. At the same time, interventions should be strengthened to address maternal anemia, child fever and poverty, specifically targeting regions identified to have a high risk of anemia.

Aloe L. species (Aloaceae) are ethnobotanically very valuable plants in many communities and civilizations. Nonetheless, very few species are extensively studied to explore their applications in the pharmaceutical and medical, cosmetic and personal care, food and beverage, and detergent industries. This study evaluated the characteristics and quality of lab-based shampoos formulated from the gel of Aloe adigratana Reynolds. Five shampoo formulations, 20 mL each, were prepared from A. adigratana gel in combination with one to two drops of coconut oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, pure glycerin oil, lemon juice, and vitamin E. Gel mass is prepared from mature, healthy leaves collected from the natural stand. The phytochemistry of the gel of the plant was also studied using phytochemical screening, proximate composition, and GC-MS analysis studies. Shampoo formulations with higher proportion (40 to 50% v/v) of A. adigratana gel were found to have comparable characteristics and qualities with a marketed shampoo. They fall within the range of acceptable quality parameters of commercial shampoos. The phytochemical studies of A. adigratana gel showed that the plant is the source of highly valued compounds for the preparation of shampoos. The gel was found to be rich in saponins as well as dodecanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, and phytol. Future works should focus in the development of refined protocol towards formulating A. adigratana-based shampoos.

This study aimed to describe the gross phytochemical constituents of Aloe elegans Todaro gel and evaluate the characteristics and quality of lab-made hair washing formulations prepared from the gel to show its potential in formulating hair washing shampoos. A. elegans gel mass was prepared from mature, healthy leaves collected from natural stand. Samples of 100% methanol extract of the gel were subjected to standard phytochemical screening and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) analysis. Five hair washing formulations (Fs) were, likewise, prepared by mixing 4.0–10.0 mL of gel with one (0.05 mL) to two (0.10 mL) drops of six synthetic and natural ingredients, namely, coconut oil, jojoba oil, olive oil, pure glycerin oil, lemon juice, and vitamin E. The gel to the total ingredient ratios (v/v) of the five formulations were 93 : 7 (F1), 94.5 : 5.5 (F2), 96.4 : 3.6 (F3), and 96.6 : 3.4 (F4 and F5). The formulations were evaluated using sensory inspection and common physicochemical methods. The phytochemical screening and GC-MS analysis revealed that A. elegans gel is the source of important chemical constituents used in the formulation of shampoos and similar products including saponins, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, linoleic acid, stearic acid, and phytol. Lab-made A. elegans hair washing formulations, especially those with 96.4–96.6% gel, were found to have similar characteristics and qualities with a common marketed shampoo. All the formulations were turbid with characteristic odor as the marketed shampoo. The pH values of the hair washing formulations (6.4–4.6) were comparable to those of the marketed shampoo (6.7). Formulations with higher proportion of gel had better foam stability, higher solid content (26–29%), higher surface tension (33–38 dynes/cm), shorter wetting time (150–160 sec), equivalent viscosities (26.45–26.73 poise), and conditioning performance than the marketed shampoo. These findings demonstrate that A. elegans gel mass can be used in the formulation of good-quality hair washing shampoos. We recommend future studies that aim to develop the phytochemical profile of the plant and a refined protocol of hair washing shampoo formulation.

This study was conducted to develop an efficient regeneration protocol used for sesame genetic transformation. Published regeneration methods using 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), indol-3-butyric acid (IBA), and α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) were used in this experiment. Cotyledon explants of 14 Ethiopian genotypes collected from Humera Agricultural Research Center (HuARC) were used. Optimized culture conditions were used to investigate the regeneration response of different genotypes. Significant interactions between hormone treatments, MS media, and genotypes for shoot and root regeneration were recorded. Results showed that culture of cotyledons were developed and used as a source of explants for shoot regeneration. The highest shoot number, leaf number, and shoot length were recorded on explants cultured on 1.00 mg·L−1 BAP + 1.00 mg·L−1 NAA in Hirhir and Aberghele, 0.75 mg·L−1 BAP + 1.00 mg·L−1 NAA in Baha Zeyit, and 1.0 mg·L−1 BAP + 1.00 mg·L−1 NAA in Humera 1, respectively. The lowest shoot number, leaf number, and shoot length were observed on explants cultured on the control in Gondar 1, Borkana, and Baha Necho, Borkana and Beha Necho, and Baha Necho, respectively. Genotypes with well-developed shoots were transferred to root induction media. Under rooting media, the best mean, root number, and root length were observed in Aberghele and ACC44 at 0.1 mg·L−1 IBA and 0.2 mg·L−1 NAA, respectively. Standardizing genotypes trait data to mean 0 and unity variance has helped to group 14 genotypes into four distinct clusters. Hirhir, Abeghele, Baha Zeyit, and Humera 1 were the best genotypes. These findings lay ground to Ethiopian sesame to do further genetic transformation aiming at improving the crop.

Introduction. Uterine rupture is a leading cause of maternal death in Ethiopia. Despite strengthening the health care system and providing basic and comprehensive emergency obstetric care closer to the communities, uterine rupture continues to produce devastating maternal and fetal outcomes. Although risk factors of uterine rupture are context specific, there is lack of clarity in our context towards the contributing factors and untoward outcomes of uterine rupture. This study was conducted to identify the risk factors of uterine rupture and its impacts in public hospitals of Tigrai. Objective. This study would identify determinant factors of uterine rupture and its management outcomes among mothers who gave birth in public hospitals in Tigrai region, North Ethiopia. Method. A retrospective hospital-based unmatched case control study design was implemented with 135 cases of women with uterine rupture and 270 controls of women without uterine rupture. Cases were enrolled consecutively from case notes of women who gave birth from 1/9/2015 to 30/6/2019, while charts (case note) of women without uterine rupture found following the cases were selected randomly and enrolled. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression with 95% confidence interval was used to identify the determinants of uterine rupture. Result. Mothers referred from remote health institutions (AOR 7.29 (95% CI: 2.7, 19.68)), mothers who visited once for antenatal care (AOR 2.85 (95% CI: 1.02, 7.94)), those experiencing obstructed labor (AOR 13.33 (95% CI: 4.23, 42.05)), and birth weight of a newborn greater than four kilograms (AOR 5.68 (95% CI: 1.39, 23.2)) were significantly associated with uterine rupture. From 135 mothers who develop uterine rupture, 13 (9.6%) mothers died and 101 (74.8%) fetuses were stillborn. Obstetrical complications like abdominal hysterectomy in 75 (55.6%) of mothers and excessive blood loss in 84 (57.8%) were additional untoward outcomes of uterine rupture. Conclusion. Referrals from remote health institutions, once-visited antenatal care, obstructed labor, and birth weight of newborns greater than four kilograms were significant determinants of uterine rupture. Maternal death, stillbirth, hysterectomy, and hemorrhage were adverse outcomes. The findings of this study suggest early identification of factors that expose to uterine rupture during antenatal care, labor, and delivery must be attended to and further prospective studies are needed to explore predictors of untoward outcomes. Knowing the determinants of uterine rupture helps prevent the occurrence of a problem in pregnant women, which reduces maternal morbidity and mortality, and would have a tremendous help in identifying the best optional strategies in our current practices. This assertion was added to the abstract concluding session.

Edge Computing (EC) is a new architecture that extends Cloud Computing (CC) services closer to data sources. EC combined with Deep Learning (DL) is a promising technology and is widely used in several applications. However, in conventional DL architectures with EC enabled, data producers must frequently send and share data with third parties, edge or cloud servers, to train their models. This architecture is often impractical due to the high bandwidth requirements, legalization, and privacy vulnerabilities. The Federated Learning (FL) concept has recently emerged as a promising solution for mitigating the problems of unwanted bandwidth loss, data privacy, and legalization. FL can co-train models across distributed clients, such as mobile phones, automobiles, hospitals, and more, through a centralized server, while maintaining data localization. FL can therefore be viewed as a stimulating factor in the EC paradigm as it enables collaborative learning and model optimization. Although the existing surveys have taken into account applications of FL in EC environments, there has not been any systematic survey discussing FL implementation and challenges in the EC paradigm. This paper aims to provide a systematic survey of the literature on the implementation of FL in EC environments with a taxonomy to identify advanced solutions and other open problems. In this survey, we review the fundamentals of EC and FL, then we review the existing related works in FL in EC. Furthermore, we describe the protocols, architecture, framework, and hardware requirements for FL implementation in the EC environment. Moreover, we discuss the applications, challenges, and related existing solutions in the edge FL. Finally, we detail two relevant case studies of applying FL in EC, and we identify open issues and potential directions for future research. We believe this survey will help researchers better understand the connection between FL and EC enabling technologies and concepts.

Abstract Objective Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected patients are highly vulnerable to microbial and parasitic diseases due to the immune-suppression. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and assess the associated risk factors of intestinal parasites in HIV/AIDS patients who are under anti-retroviral therapy in Kombolcha, North-Central Ethiopia. Result A total of 223 HIV sero-positive individuals who are on ART in Kombolcha Health Centre were examined for intestinal parasites. Of the total study participants 153 (68.6%) were females, 205 (91.9%) were urban resident and 116 (52.0%) were married. Intestinal parasites were detected in 31 (13.9%) of the 223 study participants. Nine different intestinal parasite species were detected and the most prevalent intestinal parasite detected was E. histolytica, which accounts 7.2% (16/223). Majority of study participants had the habit of washing their hand before meal and after toilet 215 (96.4%) and most of the study participants 126 (56.5%) had private toilet.

Abstract Background Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors have morbidity and mortality benefits in heart failure. Failure to optimize treatment using these medications increases hospitalizations, worsens signs and symptoms of heart failure, and reduces the overall treatment outcome. Therefore, the main purpose of this study was to assess the practice of treatment optimization of these medications and associated factors. Results A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 61 ambulatory heart failure patients, recruited using a convenience sampling technique, from February 25 to May 24, 2016 at the cardiology clinic of Ayder Comprehensive Specialized Hospital. Descriptive, inferential and Kaplan–Meier ‘tolerability’ analyses were employed. All patients were taking only enalapril as part of their angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor treatment. According to the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guideline, about fourth-fifth (80.3%) of the patients were tolerating to the hypotensive effect of enalapril. The dose of enalapril was timely titrated (every 2–4 weeks) and was optimized for only 11.5 and 27.8% of the patients, respectively. Considering the tolerance, timely titration, and dose optimization, only 3.3% of the overall enalapril treatment was optimized. Multivariate regression results showed that the odds of having timely titration of enalapril for patients who were taking enalapril and calcium channel blockers were almost 20 times [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 21.68, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23–383.16, p