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Besufekad Mulugeta,1 Esubalew Tesfahun,2 Tadesse Mamo,2 Erzik Mohammaed,1 Ermiyas Endewent,1 Mollawork Ayele1 1Department of Internal Medicine, Debre Berhan University, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia; 2Department of Epidemiology, Debre Berhan University, Debre Berhan, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Besufekad Mulugeta, Department of Internal Medicine, Debre Berhan University, 445, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia, Tel +251913625319, Email besufekad521@gmail.com; besufikadmulugeta@dbu.edu.etBackground: Community-acquired pneumonia among adults remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality in both industrialized and developing countries, including Ethiopia. Moreover, despite the availability of the best clinical standards, morbidity and mortality from community-acquired pneumonia have not improved over the last few decades. Therefore, prompt assessment and correction of modifiable risk factors are crucial to reduce morbidity and mortality. However, there are limited data on the determinants of community-acquired pneumonia among adults in the current study area.Purpose: This study aimed to identify the determinants of community-acquired pneumonia among adult patients visiting Debre Berhan University Hospital, Ethiopia, May 2023.Methods: A hospital-based unmatched case–control study design was conducted to select 113 cases and 113 controls using a consecutive sampling technique. Using the SPSS version 25 software bi-variable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the determinants of community-acquired pneumonia. Adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals and p-values < 0.05 were used to assess the level of significance.Results: In this study, recent history of common cold [AOR: 4.35, 95% CI: (2.22, 8.51)], recent history of toothache [AOR: 2.51, 95% CI: (1.18, 5.33)], and not brushing teeth regularly [AOR, 2.79; 95% CI: (1.32, 5.88)] were significantly associated with community-acquired pneumonia.Conclusion: In this study, common cold, recent history of toothache, and lack of regular oral hygiene were significantly associated with community acquired pneumonia in adults. Therefore, health promotion of oral hygiene and the common cold is recommended to decrease the risk of pneumonia.Keywords: community acquired pneumonia, determinants, case control, oral hygiene

Tamirat Mamo,1 Lama Yimer2 1Seyo District Livestock Development Office, Dembi Dollo, Ethiopia; 2School of Veterinary Medicine, Wollega University, Nekemte, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Lama YimerSchool of Veterinary Medicine, Wollega University, Nekemte, EthiopiaTel +251 917081237Email lemayimer@gmail.comPurpose: Newcastle disease causes considerable loss in the poultry industry worldwide and its outbreaks are regularly reported from all continents of the world, including Ethiopia. The investigation was conducted from October 2020 to June 2021 to determine the prevalence of Newcastle disease (ND) in districts selected from Buno Bedele zone, Western Oromia.Methods: The study design used was a cross-sectional type. For this study, a total of 480 serum samples were collected as per sample collection guideline from randomly selected chickens that were apparently healthy and had no history of vaccination against Newcastle disease. Indirect ELISA was performed and all data were analyzed using SPSS statistical software.Results: From serological investigation, overall seroprevalence of Newcastle disease was 30%. Seroprevalence of Newcastle disease was 34.94%, 22.22%, and 31.76% in Didessa, Chora, and Gachi districts, respectively. Among computed risk factors, breed showed statistically significant difference and the odds of infection were lower in adult than in young chickens. Similarly, the odds of infection with Newcastle disease virus were significantly higher in crossbred than in locally bred backyard chickens.Conclusion: This study revealed Newcastle disease was prevalent in the study areas; therefore, regular investigation of Newcastle disease should be conducted along with detailed studies on molecular characterization of circulating field strains in the area.Keywords: Buno Bedele, Ethiopia, indirect ELISA, Newcastle disease

Michael Amera Tizazu,1 Nigussie Tadesse Sharew,2 Tadesse Mamo,3 Abayneh Birlie Zeru,3 Eyosiyas Yeshialem Asefa,1 Nakachew Sewnet Amare1 1Department of Midwifery, College of Health Science, Debre Berhan University, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia; 2Department of Nursing, College of Health Science, Debre Berhan University, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia; 3Department of Public Health, College of Health Science, Debre Berhan University, Debre Berhan, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Eyosiyas Yeshialem AsefaDepartment of Midwifery, College of Health Science, Debre Berhan University, P. Box: 445, Debre Birhan, EthiopiaTel +251-913836869Email eyosi143@gmail.comBackground: The continuum of maternity care is the continuity of maternal health care services that a woman practices antenatal care, skilled birth attendant, and postnatal care. Even though there are positive inclinations towards the continuum of maternity care, the problem is still significant. So, the purpose of this study was to assess the utilization of continuum maternity care and associated factors among women who gave birth in the last 12 months before the data collection period in Debre Berhan town.Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from February 17 to March 15/2020. The respondents were selected by using the cluster sampling technique. Face-to-face interview was used for data collection. EpiData software version 3.1 was used for data entry and exported to SPSS version 21 for further analysis. In multivariable logistic regression, a statistically significant association has declared a p-value < 0.05.Results: In this study, the proportion of women who completed the continuum of maternity care was 37.2% (95% CI: 33.4– 41.1). Completing primary education (AOR: 2.73, 95% CI: 1.17– 6.38), secondary education (AOR: 3.11, 95% CI: 1.32– 7.31), college and above educational level (AOR: 4.15, 95% CI: 1.79– 9.57), initiation of first ANC visit ≤ 16wks (AOR: 2.57, 95% CI: 1.41– 4.68), knowing key pregnancy danger signs (AOR: 1.91, 95% CI: 1.15– 3.19), and well prepared on birth and complication readiness (AOR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.10– 2.32) were found to positively increase the chance of completing maternity care in our study area.Conclusion: Even if a higher proportion of mothers completed the continuum of maternity care in the study area than the finding at national level of 9.1% basing EDHS 2016 data, further interventions are mandatory to reach the acceptable level. Therefore, health promotion programs targeting mothers with no education and lower educational level are important to increase their awareness about the importance of completing all levels of maternity care, health education, and counseling regarding early initiation of ANC, pregnancy danger signs, and birth preparedness and complication readiness plan.Keywords: completion, continuum, maternity care, Ethiopia

Due to the depletion of fossil fuels and the destruction wrought by global warming caused by the combustion of fossil fuels, the search for renewable energy sources has become a major global concern. This study aimed to assess the bio-oil production from teff husk via slow pyrolysis process. The pyrolysis of teff husk took place in a batch reactor at a temperature between 400 °C and 500 °C with a 120 min retention time. At 450 °C, the pyrolysis process produced 32.96 wt.% of optimum bio-oil yield and had a HHV of 25.32 MJ/kg. TGA, FTIR, and SEM-EDX were used to analyze the produced bio-oil to investigate its thermal decomposition, functional groups, and surface morphology with its elemental composition, respectively. Alcohols, aromatic, phenols, alkanes, esters, and ethers were the primary compounds of the bio-oil produced by the slow pyrolysis of teff husk. The HHV of the biochar ranged from 21.22 to 22.85 MJ/kg. As a result, teff husk can be used to make biofuel; however, further bio-oil upgrading is needed for the produced teff husk bio-oil to be used effectively and commercially. Overall, the slow pyrolysis of teff husk offers a chance to produce biofuels with enhanced value that can be used for additional purposes.

Historical account of the festival is utterly embedded in the culture and history of the existing society. The Yahoode festival of the Hadiya people of south-central Ethiopia is a historically and culturally significant New Year festival deemed an intangible cultural heritage. Much of the festival is documented through oral traditions and, at best, written in the Amharic or other Ethiopian languages. Through interviews and snowball sampling, the article maps historical perspectives of the festival and finds it endowed with socio-economic and cultural values that balance individual and community values. These include respect for one another, industriousness, the culture of saving, building peace, active participation and wise use of time. However, the article revealed that there has been change and continuity in the celebration in the course of history, it foregrounds the significance of the Yahoode festival in the cultural and economic life of the Hadiya people and identifies its socio-economic opportunities.

Binyam Tariku Seboka,1 Samuel Hailegebreal,2 Misrak Negash,3 Tizalegn Tesfaye Mamo,1 Helen Ali Ewune,1 Girma Gilano,2 Delelegn Emwodew Yehualashet,1 Gelila Gizachew,3 Abel Desalegn Demeke,4 Aynadis Worku,5 Habtamu Endashaw,1 Chalachew Kassawe,3 Endris Seid Amede,3 Reta Kassa,1 Getanew Aschalew Tesfa1 1School of Public Health, Dilla University, Dilla, Ethiopia; 2Department of Health Informatics, Arbaminch University, Arbaminch, Ethiopia; 3Department of Psychiatry, Dilla University, Dilla, Ethiopia; 4Department of Nursing, Dilla University, Dilla, Ethiopia; 5Department of Health Informatics, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Binyam Tariku Seboka, School of Public Health, Dilla University, P.O Box: 419, Dilla, Ethiopia, Tel +251 920612180, Fax +251 46-331-2568, Email bini555tar@gmail.comBackground: This paper investigated mental health literacy level and information seeking behavior, and mental health-related information sources in limited-resource settings, in the case of Ethiopian university students.Methods: A cross-sectional, self-administered web-based survey was conducted among Dilla University students, from 1 January to 29 February 2022, with a total of 780 respondents. We presented descriptive statistics using mean, standard deviations, and proportions. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were employed to identify factors associated with mental health literacy and information seeking behavior of students. Further, path analysis was also employed.Results: The result showed 71 (9.1%) respondents had a diagnosed history of mental illness. Overall, 397 (50.9%) respondents were identified as having adequate mental health literacy and 420 (53.8%) sought mental health information. In multivariate analysis, mental health literacy was significantly associated with: being female (AOR = 2.8; 95% CI (1.5– 5.4)), higher digital health literacy (AOR=2.8; 95% CI (1.5– 5.4), seeking mental health-related information (AOR=1.6; 95% CI: (1.1– 2.5)), having family with mental illness, and students in health-related programs (AOR = 2.1; 95% CI (1.0– 4.2)). Furthermore, health-related programs, level of mental health literacy, exposure to mental health problems in the family, and were associated with information seeking behavior regarding mental health. Further, path analysis revealed significant positive associations of information seeking behavior and digital health literacy with mental health literacy.Conclusion: The result indicated the status of university students’ mental health literacy level and information seeking behavior were low and inadequate. This study suggests the need to improve students’ digital health competencies by designing mental health literacy programs by collaboration of different stakeholders, and mental health literacy programs need to optimize access to internet and online resources in the university settings.Keywords: mental health, mental health literacy, information seeking, information source, university students

Delelegn Emwodew Yehualashet,1 Binyam Tariku Seboka,1 Getanew Aschalew Tesfa,1 Tizalegn Tesfaye Mamo,1 Mulugeta Namaro Yawo,1 Samuel Hailegebreal2 1School of Public Health, Dilla University, Dilla, Ethiopia; 2School of Public Health, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Delelegn Emwodew Yehualashet, School of Public Health, Dilla University, Dilla, Ethiopia, Tel +251 976061907, Email delelegn1244@gmail.comIntroduction: Although vaccination is the most effective way to end the COVID-19 pandemic, there are growing concerns that vaccine hesitancy may undermine its effectiveness. In Ethiopia, vaccine hesitancy forms a major challenge to the uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. This systematic review examined the prevalence and determinants of the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among the Ethiopian population.Methods: A systematic search of articles was conducted in PubMed, EBSCO, Google Scholar, and Semantic Scholar. Studies that evaluated the prevalence and determinants of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Ethiopia were included. The identified determinants of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy were analyzed based on the frequency of occurrence in the included studies.Results: The overall COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy level in the Ethiopian population ranged from 14.1% to 68.7%. The high COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy rate observed in this study was due to contextual factors, individual factors, and vaccine-specific factors. Young age, female sex, living in rural areas, lack of adequate information, and lower education are the most common contextual determinants of the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Lack of awareness about the COVID-19 vaccine, low risk of COVID-19, poor adherence to COVID-19 prevention strategies, and negative attitude towards the COVID-19 vaccine are the most frequently reported personal factors. Common vaccine-specific determinants of COVID-19 vaccine hesitation are the side effects of the vaccine and doubts about its effectiveness of the vaccine.Conclusion: Our review showed that COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy remains highly prevalent and varied across regions of Ethiopia, with a wide variety of factors associated with it. Potential interventions on the benefits of vaccination and the adverse effects of vaccine rejection are crucial to enhance COVID-19 vaccine uptake among the Ethiopian population.Keywords: COVID-19, vaccine, hesitancy, acceptance, systematic review, Ethiopia

Abstract To adapt to climate change and ensure food security, major interventions are required to transform current patterns and practices of food production, distribution and consumption. The scientific community has an essential role to play in informing concurrent, strategic investments to establish climate-resilient agricultural production systems, minimize greenhouse gas emissions, make efficient use of resources, develop low-waste supply chains, ensure adequate nutrition, encourage healthy eating choices and develop a global knowledge system for sustainability. This paper outlines scientific contributions that will be essential to the seven policy recommendations for achieving food security in the context of climate change put forward by the Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change. These include improved understanding of agriculture’s vulnerability to climate change, food price dynamics, food waste and consumption patterns and monitoring technologies as well as multidisciplinary investigation of regionally appropriate responses to climate change and food security challenges.

Introduction: Ludwig angina is a rare, rapidly spreading submaxillary, submandibular, and sublingual necrotizing life-threatening widespread cellulitis of the soft tissue on the floor of the mouth that can cause fatal complications because of airway obstruction. Currently, there are few published studies assessing the efficacy of superficial cervical plexus block for airway surgery and there is no agreement in the literature about airway management. The published recommendations differ and are based on the authors' own experiences and available resources. This report aimed to provide insight into critical patient management by performing regional anesthesia with fewer complications to the cardiovascular and respiratory systems., Case Presentation: We report the case of a 70 year-old hypertensive Black Ethiopian woman with American Society of Anesthesiologist-Physical Status class III and hypertension, who was admitted to the hospital for treatment by her surgeon. The surgeon diagnosed her with Ludwig angina. After adequate physical examination and laboratory investigation, she arrived at the operation room for exploration and drainage of the abscess with a superficial cervical plexus block. She arrived safely at the adult intensive care unit for frequent suctioning. The block was effective until 6 h after the procedure with visual analogue scale (2/10), her vital signs remained stable throughout the postoperative period, and then the tracheostomy tube was removed by the surgeon after 10 days. The patient's hemodynamic status and breathing effort were satisfactory, and she was discharged 15 days later., Clinical Discussion: Proper airway management is critical for the survival of patients diagnosed with Ludwig angina. According to recent studies, an increasing number of patients with Ludwig angina require intensive care unit admission for tracheal intubation and mechanical breathing. However, it is uncertain whether intensive care reduces the death rate in patients with Ludwig angina. Finally, it is suggested that studies with large sample sizes and strong levels of evidence be conducted to conclude the effectiveness of superficial cervical plexus block for airway emergency surgeries., Conclusion: Management of the airway in patients with Ludwig angina is challenging. Clinicians must take precautions and make sharp decisions on the basis of a variety of circumstances, including the availability of equipment at medical facilities, such as fiberoptic intubation equipment; the anesthetist's level of experience, such as performing superficial regional block and good mask ventilation; and the patient's medical status at the time of presentation. As a result, intervention needs to be quick so as to avoid airway obstruction and further complications., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background and Aim: An essential aspect of ensuring availability and stability of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) products for clinical use is that these cells are cryopreserved before individual infusion into patients. Currently, cryopreservation of MSCs involves use of a cryoprotectant solution containing dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). However, it is recognized that DMSO may be toxic for both the patient and the MSC product. In this Production Assistance for Cellular Therapies (PACT) and Biomedical Excellence for Safer Transfusion (BEST) Collaborative study, we compared a novel DMSO-free solution with DMSO containing cryoprotectant solutions for freezing MSCs., Methods: A DMSO-free cryoprotectant solution containing sucrose, glycerol, and isoleucine (SGI) in a base of Plasmalyte A was prepared at the University of Minnesota. Cryoprotectant solutions containing 5-10% DMSO (in-house) were prepared at seven participating centers (five from USA, one each from Australia and Germany). The MSCs were isolated from bone marrow or adipose tissue and cultured ex vivo per local protocols at each center. The cells in suspension were frozen by aliquoting into vials/bags. For six out of the seven centers, the vials/bags were placed in a controlled rate freezer (one center placed them at -80°C freezer overnight) before transferring to liquid nitrogen. The cells were kept frozen for at least one week before thawing and testing. Pre- and post-thaw assessment included cell viability and recovery, immunophenotype as well as transcriptional and gene expression profiles. Linear regression, mixed effects models and two-sided t-tests were applied for statistical analysis., Results: MSCs had an average viability of 94.3% (95% CI: 87.2-100%) before cryopreservation, decreasing by 4.5% (95% CI: 0.03-9.0%; P: 0.049) and 11.4% (95% CI: 6.9-15.8%; P< 0.001), for MSCs cryopreserved in the in-house and SGI solutions, respectively. The average recovery of viable MSCs cryopreserved in the SGI was 92.9% (95% CI: 85.7-100.0%), and it was lower by 5.6% (95% CI: 1.3-9.8%, P < 0.013) for the in-house solution. Additionally, MSCs cryopreserved in the two solutions had expected level of expressions for CD45, CD73, CD90, and CD105 with no significant difference in global gene expression profiles., Conclusion: MSCs cryopreserved in a DMSO-free solution containing sucrose, glycerol, and isoleucine in a base of Plasmalyte A had slightly lower cell viability, better recovery, and comparable immunophenotype and global gene expression profiles compared to MSCs cryopreserved in DMSO containing solutions. The average viability of MSCs in the novel solution was above 80% and, thus, likely clinically acceptable. Future studies are suggested to test the post-thaw functions of MSCs cryopreserved in the novel DMSO-free solution., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest AH is the Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Evia Bio, a company that was established after the current study was completed and is commercializing the proprietary SGI solution used in this study., (Copyright © 2024 International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

There is a notable lack of continuous monitoring of air pollutants in the Global South, especially for measuring chemical composition, due to the high cost of regulatory monitors. Using our previously developed low-cost method to quantify black carbon (BC) in fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) by analyzing reflected red light from ambient particle deposits on glass fiber filters, we estimated hourly ambient BC concentrations with filter tapes from beta attenuation monitors (BAMs). BC measurements obtained through this method were validated against a reference aethalometer between August 2 and 23, 2023 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, demonstrating a very strong agreement ( R 2 = 0.95 and slope = 0.97). We present hourly BC for three cities in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and one in North America: Abidjan (Côte d'Ivoire), Accra (Ghana), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), and Pittsburgh (USA). The average BC concentrations for the measurement period at the Abidjan, Accra, Addis Ababa Central summer, Addis Ababa Central winter, Addis Ababa Jacros winter, and Pittsburgh sites were 3.85 μg/m 3 , 5.33 μg/m 3 , 5.63 μg/m 3 , 3.89 μg/m 3 , 9.14 μg/m 3 , and 0.52 μg/m 3 , respectively. BC made up 14-20% of PM 2.5 mass in the SSA cities compared to only 5.6% in Pittsburgh. The hourly BC data at all sites (SSA and North America) show a pronounced diurnal pattern with prominent peaks during the morning and evening rush hours on workdays. A comparison between our measurements and the Goddard Earth Observing System Composition Forecast (GEOS-CF) estimates shows that the model performs well in predicting PM 2.5 for most sites but struggles to predict BC at an hourly resolution. Adding more ground measurements could help evaluate and improve the performance of chemical transport models. Our method can potentially use existing BAM networks, such as BAMs at U.S. Embassies around the globe, to measure hourly BC concentrations. The PM 2.5 composition data, thus acquired, can be crucial in identifying emission sources and help in effective policymaking in SSA.

Background: Reference intervals are an important method tool for identifying abnormal laboratory test results. Complete blood count reference values are useful to interpret complete blood count (CBC) results and make clinical decisions, but these values have not been established for geriatrics in Asella town. Therefore, this study aimed to establish reference intervals (RIs) for complete blood count (CBC) parameters from geriatric participants/subjects in Asella town, Southeast Ethiopia., Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2019 to May 2020. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on sociodemography and other characteristics from 342 eligible geriatric participants. Weight, height, and vital signs were measured, and 8 mL of blood sample was collected. Screening tests such as HIV, HBsAg, HCV, syphilis, stool examination, and urinalysis were performed. The hematological parameter was measured using a Sysmex kx-21 hematology analyzer. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 21 software. The non-parametric independent Kruskal-Wallis test and Wilcoxon rank-sum test (Mann-Whitney U test) were used to compare the parameters between age groups and genders. The 97.5 and 2.5th percentile were the upper and lower reference limit for the population., Results: According to the study's findings, the reference intervals of red blood cell, white blood cell, platelet count, hemoglobin (HGB), and hematocrit (HCT) in male geriatrics were 3.8-5.85 × 10 12 /L, 3.1-9.66 × 10 9 /L, 115.8-353 × 10 9 /L, 12.4-17.76 g/dL, and 35.06-50.2%, respectively. The respective values for women were 3.94-5.48 × 10 12 /L, 3.13-8.4 × 10 9 /L, 137.5-406 × 10 9 /L, 12.5-16.4 g/dL, and 36.09-48.2%. Most of the hematological parameters showed significant differences between the two genders ( p value <0.05)., Conclusion: Accurate gender and age-specific reference intervals are crucial in managing patient health. The current study offers essential CBC hematological parameters that can assist clinicians in interpreting laboratory results and can improve healthcare quality in the geriatric population. Therefore, it is more relevant to use the current RIs in the geriatric set-up., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Hashim Harka, Siraj, Dibaba, Zerihun Mamo, Ajema, Tsegaye and Wordofa.)

Global ground-level measurements of elements in ambient particulate matter (PM) can provide valuable information to understand the distribution of dust and trace elements, assess health impacts, and investigate emission sources. We use X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy to characterize the elemental composition of PM samples collected from 27 globally distributed sites in the Surface PARTiculate mAtter Network (SPARTAN) over 2019-2023. Consistent protocols are applied to collect all samples and analyze them at one central laboratory, which facilitates comparison across different sites. Multiple quality assurance measures are performed, including applying reference materials that resemble typical PM samples, acceptance testing, and routine quality control. Method detection limits and uncertainties are estimated. Concentrations of dust and trace element oxides (TEO) are determined from the elemental dataset. In addition to sites in arid regions, a moderately high mean dust concentration (6 μg/m 3 ) in PM 2.5 is also found in Dhaka (Bangladesh) along with a high average TEO level (6 μg/m 3 ). High carcinogenic risk (>1 cancer case per 100000 adults) from airborne arsenic is observed in Dhaka (Bangladesh), Kanpur (India), and Hanoi (Vietnam). Industries of informal lead-acid battery and e-waste recycling as well as coal-fired brick kilns likely contribute to the elevated trace element concentrations found in Dhaka., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2024 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Background: Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has revolutionized treatment of hematologic malignancies and holds promise for solid tumors. While responses to CAR T-cell therapy have surpassed other available options for patients with refractory malignancies, not all patients respond the same way. The reason for this variability is not currently understood. Therefore, there is a strong need to identify characteristics of patients as well as cellular products that lead to an effective response to CAR T-cell therapy., Content: In this review, we discuss potential biomarkers that may predict clinical outcomes of CAR T-cell therapy. Based on correlative findings from clinical trials of both commercially available and early-phase products, we classify biomarkers into categories of pre- and post-infusion as well as patient and product-related markers. Among the biomarkers that have been explored, measures of disease burden both pre- and post-infusion, as well as CAR T-cell persistence post-infusion, are repeatedly identified as predictors of disease response. Higher proportions of early memory T cells at infusion appear to be favorable, and tracking T-cell subsets throughout treatment will likely be critical., Summary: There are a growing number of promising biomarkers of CAR T-cell efficacy described in the research setting, however, none of these have been validated for clinical use. Some potentially important predictors of response may be difficult to obtain routinely under the current CAR T-cell therapy workflow. A collaborative approach is needed to select biomarkers that can be validated in large cohorts and incorporated into clinical practice., (© Association for Diagnostics & Laboratory Medicine 2024. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Children's consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) is increasing in Ethiopia, but relatively little is known about the specific feeding practices that underlie this pattern. The objective of this study was to explore patterns of consumption of UPF by infants and young children within a broader context of inappropriate complementary feeding practices in extremely poor households in rural Oromia, Eastern Ethiopia. A formative qualitative study was conducted using semistructured interview questionnaires developed drawing on a socioecological model. A total of 16 focus group discussions with mothers (45 respondents), fathers (21 respondents) and grandmothers (23 respondents) of children aged 6-23 months in households that were beneficiaries of the Productive Safety Net Program were conducted, along with four key informant interviews with health workers. Qualitative transcripts were complemented with field notes before qualitative content analysis was applied. The key findings suggest that UPF were widely provided to infants and young children as part of a pattern of suboptimal complementary feeding, including both early and late initiation of complementary foods. In particular, UPF (including juice, biscuits and lipid-based nutrient supplements) were diluted with or dissolved in water and fed to infants via bottle, often before the recommended age of initiation of 6 months. Mothers and caregivers reported that they perceived the products to be affordably priced and packaged, ready to use and convenient given their time constraints. The level of consumption of UPF and its effects on infant and young child feeding feeding practices and children's nutritional status in rural Ethiopia should be further explored., (© 2023 The Authors. Maternal & Child Nutrition published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Higher doses of infused nucleated cells (NCs) are associated with improved clinical outcomes in bone marrow transplantation (BMT) recipients. Most clinicians recommend infusing at least 2.0 × 10 8 NCs/kg. BMT clinicians request a target NC dose, but the harvested NC dose may be below the requested NC dose even before cell processing. We conducted this retrospective study to investigate the quality of bone marrow (BM) harvest and factors that influence infused NC doses at our institution. We also correlated infused NC doses with clinical outcomes. The study population included 347 BMT recipients (median age, 11 years; range, <1 to 75 years) at the University of Minnesota between 2009 and 2019. Underlying diagnoses mainly included 39% malignant and 61% nonmalignant diagnoses. Requested, harvested, and infused NC doses, as well as cell processing data, were obtained from the Cell Therapy Laboratory; clinical outcomes data were obtained from the University of Minnesota BMT Database. BM harvests were facilitated either by our institution (61%) or by the National Marrow Donor Program (39%). Associations of infused doses with baseline characteristics were assessed using the general Wilcoxon test/Pearson's correlation coefficient. The association of infused dose with neutrophil engraftment (absolute neutrophil count >500) by day 42, platelet engraftment (>20,000) by 6 months, acute graft-versus-host disease grade II-IV, and overall survival (OS) at 5 years were evaluated using regression and Kaplan-Meier curves. The median requested NC dose was 3.0 × 10 8 /kg (range, 2 to 8 × 10 8 /kg), and the median harvested and infused NC doses were 4.0 × 10 8 /kg and 3.6 × 10 8 /kg, respectively. Only 7% of donors had a harvested dose below the minimum requested dose. Moreover, the correlation between requested doses and harvested doses was adequate, with a harvested/requested dose ratio <.5 observed in only 5% of harvests. Additionally, the harvest volume and cell processing method were significantly correlated with the infused dose. Harvest volume exceeding the median of 948 mL was related to a significantly lower infused dose (P < .01). Moreover, hydroxyethyl starch (HES)/buffy coat processing (used to reduce RBCs with major ABO incompatibility) led to a significantly lower infused dose (P < .01). Donor age (median, 19 years; range, <1 to-70 years) and sex did not significantly influence the infused dose. Finally, the infused dose was significantly correlated with neutrophil and platelet engraftment (P < .05) but not with 5-year OS (P = .87) or aGVHD (P = .33). In our program's experience, BM harvesting is efficient and meets the requested minimum dose for 93% of recipients. Harvest volume and cell process play significant roles in determining the final infused dose. Minimizing harvest volume and cell processing could lead to increased infused dose and thus improved outcomes. Moreover, a higher infused dose leads to a better rate of neutrophil and platelet engraftment but not to improved OS, which may be linked to the sample size of our study., (Copyright © 2023 The American Society for Transplantation and Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Soil acidity is challenging agricultural production in Ethiopia. Above 43% of the farmland is under soil acidity problem and it leads to low crop yields and production losses. Ag-lime is widely considered as an effective remedy for amending soil acidity. This study assesses the current structure of ag-lime value chain and its functionality focusing on central parts of Ethiopia where lime is produced and channeled to acidity affected areas. The study uses Ethiopia as a case study and applies qualitative methods such as key informant interviews and focus group discussions to collect data from different actors in the ag-lime value chain. Key findings indicate that both public and private ag-lime producing factories are operating below their capacity. Due to limited enabling environments, the engagement of private sector in ag-lime value chain is minimal. In addition, farmers have a good awareness of soil acidity problem on their farms, and its causes and mitigation strategies in all regions. However, the adoption of ag-lime by smallholders was minimal. Overall, the current structure of the ag-lime value chain appears fragmented and needs improvement. Addressing soil acidity challenge through efficient ag-lime value chain could narrow lime supply-demand mismatches and increase widespread adoption by farmers to enhance crop productivity and food security in acidity-prone areas of the country., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

Globally, emergency laparotomy is a frequently performed type of surgery with high morbidity and mortality rates, even in the best healthcare systems. There is limited knowledge regarding the outcome of emergency laparotomy performed in Ethiopia., Objective: To assess perioperative mortality and its predictors among patients undergoing emergency laparotomy at selected southern Ethiopian governmental hospitals., Methods: A multicenter prospective cohort study was conducted, and data were collected at selected hospitals after obtaining ethical approval from the Institutional Review Board. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26., Results: The rate of postoperative complications after emergency laparotomy surgery was 39.3%, with an in-hospital mortality rate of 8.4% and a length of hospital stay of 9±6.5 days. The predictors of postoperative mortality were the age of the patient greater than 65 [adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=8.46, 95% CI=1.3-57.1], presence of intraoperative complications (AOR=7.26, 95% CI=1.3-41.3), and postoperative ICU admission (AOR=8.5, 95% CI=1.5-49.6)., Conclusion: Our study revealed a significant level of postoperative complications and in-hospital mortality. The identified predictors should be sorted and applied to the preoperative optimization, risk assessment, and standardization of effective postoperative care following emergency laparotomy., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest.Sponsorships or competing interests that may be relevant to content are disclosed at the end of this article., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: Despite appropriate treatment of epilepsy, the treatment outcome is poor in developing country. Therefore, the study was aimed to identify the magnitude and associated factors of epileptic patients at ambulatory clinic of south western Ethiopian hospital., Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted on epileptic patients who had follow-up at Mettu Karl Comprehensive Specialized Hospital (MKCSH). Data collection was done through patient interview and medical charts review. The pharmaceutical care network Europe foundation classification system was used to assess the drug therapy problem and Naranjo algorithm of adverse drug reaction was employed to identify the probability of adverse drug reaction. The data were analyzed by SPSS version 23 after data were entered by Epidemiological Information (Epi Info) 7.2.1. The multivariable logistic regressions were utilized and P < 0.05 was used to declare association., Results: Over the study period, more than half of the participants 172(57.7%) were males. The magnitude of drug-related problems was found to be 164(55.0%). Among epileptic patients about 323 drug-related problems (DRPs) were identified on average, 1.084 drug-related problems (DRPs) per patient. The widely occurred types of drug-related problems were needs additional drug therapy 72(22.29%), dose too low 52(16.09%) and dose to high which accounts 50(15.48%). Regarding the predictors of drug-related problems, being a female (AOR = 3.57, 95% CI:1.85-6.88, P ≤ 0.001), having frequent seizures (AOR = 2.47, 95% CI%:1.33-4.61, P = 0.004) and the presence of poly-pharmacy (AOR = 3.57, 95% CI: 1.49-8.5, P = 0.004) were predictors of drug-related problems., Conclusion: More than half of the patients had a drug therapy problem. Number of medications taken by the patients, gender and the seizure frequency had a significant association with occurrence of drug therapy problems (DTPs). Therefore, the pharmaceutical care in general and drug information services in particular should be established to hinder any undesirable medication effects in our study area., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a disease with impact on dairy productivity, as well as having the potential for zoonotic transmission. Understanding the genetic diversity of the disease agent Mycobacterium bovis is important for identifying its routes of transmission. Here we investigated the level of genetic diversity of M. bovis isolates and assessed the zoonotic potential in risk groups of people working in bTB-infected dairy farms in central Ethiopia. M. bovis was isolated and spoligotyped from tissue lesions collected from slaughtered cattle as well as from raw milk collected from bTB positive cows in dairy farms from six urban areas of central Ethiopia. From consented dairy farm workers, knowledge and practices related to zoonotic TB transmission, together with demographic and clinical information, was collected through interviews. Sputum or Fine Needle Aspirate (FNA) samples were collected from suspected TB cases. Spoligotyping of 55 M. bovis isolates that originated either from cattle tissues with tuberculous lesion or from raw milk revealed seven spoligotype patterns where SB1176 was the most prevalent type (47.3%). Most isolates (89.1%) were of the M. bovis African 2 clonal complex. All sputum and FNA samples from 41 dairy farm workers with symptoms of TB were culture negative for any mycobacteria. Among the 41 TB suspected farm workers, 61% did not know about bTB in cattle and its zoonotic potential, and over two-third of these workers practiced raw milk consumption. Our spoligotype analysis suggests a wider transmission of a single spoligotype in the study area. The results reported here may be useful in guiding future work to identify the source and direction of bTB transmission and hence design of a control strategy. Isolation of M. bovis from milk, knowledge gap on zoonotic TB and practice of consumption of raw milk in the study population showed potential risk for zoonotic transmission., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests., (© 2022 The Authors. Zoonoses and Public Health published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Poor ventilation and polluting cooking fuels in low-income homes cause high exposure, yet relevant global studies are limited. We assessed exposure to in-kitchen particulate matter (PM 2.5 and PM 10 ) employing similar instrumentation in 60 low-income homes across 12 cities: Dhaka (Bangladesh); Chennai (India); Nanjing (China); Medellín (Colombia); São Paulo (Brazil); Cairo (Egypt); Sulaymaniyah (Iraq); Addis Ababa (Ethiopia); Akure (Nigeria); Blantyre (Malawi); Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania) and Nairobi (Kenya). Exposure profiles of kitchen occupants showed that fuel, kitchen volume, cooking type and ventilation were the most prominent factors affecting in-kitchen exposure. Different cuisines resulted in varying cooking durations and disproportional exposures. Occupants in Dhaka, Nanjing, Dar-es-Salaam and Nairobi spent > 40% of their cooking time frying (the highest particle emitting cooking activity) compared with ∼ 68% of time spent boiling/stewing in Cairo, Sulaymaniyah and Akure. The highest average PM 2.5 (PM 10 ) concentrations were in Dhaka 185 ± 48 (220 ± 58) μg m -3 owing to small kitchen volume, extensive frying and prolonged cooking compared with the lowest in Medellín 10 ± 3 (14 ± 2) μg m -3 . Dual ventilation (mechanical and natural) in Chennai, Cairo and Sulaymaniyah reduced average in-kitchen PM 2.5 and PM 10 by 2.3- and 1.8-times compared with natural ventilation (open doors) in Addis Ababa, Dar-es-Salam and Nairobi. Using charcoal during cooking (Addis Ababa, Blantyre and Nairobi) increased PM 2.5 levels by 1.3- and 3.1-times compared with using natural gas (Nanjing, Medellin and Cairo) and LPG (Chennai, Sao Paulo and Sulaymaniyah), respectively. Smaller-volume kitchens (<15 m 3 ; Dhaka and Nanjing) increased cooking exposure compared with their larger-volume counterparts (Medellin, Cairo and Sulaymaniyah). Potential exposure doses were highest for Asian, followed by African, Middle-eastern and South American homes. We recommend increased cooking exhaust extraction, cleaner fuels, awareness on improved cooking practices and minimising passive occupancy in kitchens to mitigate harmful cooking emissions., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)