Using Search Queries to Understand Health Information Needs in Africa

The lack of comprehensive, high-quality health data in developing nations creates a roadblock for combating the impacts of disease. One key challenge is understanding the health information needs of people in these nations. Without understanding people's everyday needs, concerns, and misconceptions, health organizations and policymakers lack the ability to effectively target education and programming efforts. In this paper, we propose a bottom-up approach that uses search data from individuals to uncover and gain insight into health information needs in Africa. We analyze Bing searches related to HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis from all 54 African nations. For each disease, we automatically derive a set of common search themes or topics, revealing a wide-spread interest in various types of information, including disease symptoms, drugs, concerns about breastfeeding, as well as stigma, beliefs in natural cures, and other topics that may be hard to uncover through traditional surveys. We expose the different patterns that emerge in health information needs by demographic groups (age and sex) and country. We also uncover discrepancies in the quality of content returned by search engines to users by topic. Combined, our results suggest that search data can help illuminate health information needs in Africa and inform discussions on health policy and targeted education efforts both on- and offline.Comment: Extended version of an ICWSM 2019 pape

Distribution and importance of Ethiopian vertisols and location of study sites

This chapter describes the distribution, use and importance of Vertisols in Ethiopia and indicates the study sites of the Joint Vertisol Project. Land and soil features are examined with particular reference to parent materials and landscape features, soil characterisation (colour, texture and depth-to-root-restricting layer). Distribution of Vertisols along the 12 physiographic regions of Ethiopia is described, the major agro-ecological zones of Ethiopia is listed, and distribution of Vertisols and their associations in Ethiopia is shown. Also grain yields some food crops on Vertisols under traditional management in the central Ethiopian highlands and potential arable areas of Vertisols in the different thermal and growing period zones

A Generalized Solution of Bianchi Type-V Models with Time-dependent GG and Λ\Lambda

We study the homogeneous but anisotropic Bianchi type-V cosmological model with time-dependent gravitational and cosmological "constants". Exact solutions of the Einstein field equations (EFEs) are presented in terms of adjustable parameters of quantum field theory in a spatially curved and expanding background. It has been found that the general solution of the average scale factor R as a function of time involved the hypergeometric function. Two cosmological models are obtained from the general solution of the hypergeometric function and the Emden-Fowler equation. The analysis of the models shows that for a particular choice of parameters in our first model, the cosmological "constant" decreases whereas the Newtonian gravitational "constant" increases with time, and for another choice of parameters, the opposite behaviour is observed. The models become isotropic at late times for all parameter choices of the first model. In the second model of the general solution, both the cosmological and gravitational "constants" decrease while the model becomes more anisotropic over time. The exact dynamical and kinematical quantities have been calculated analytically for each model.Comment: 21 pages, 12 figures. Published versio

Constrained evolution of effective equation of state parameter in non-linear f(R,Lm)f(R, L_m) dark energy model: Insights from Bayesian analysis of cosmic chronometers and Pantheon samples

We conduct a Bayesian analysis of recent observational datasets, specifically the Cosmic Chronometers (CC) dataset and Pantheon samples, to investigate the evolution of the EoS parameter in dark energy models. Our study focused on the effective EoS parameter, which is described by the parametric form $\omega_{eff}=-\frac{1}{1+m(1+z)^n}$, where $m$ and $n$ are model parameters. This parametric form is applicable within the framework of $f(R,L_m)$ gravity, where $R$ represents the Ricci scalar and $L_m$ is the matter Lagrangian. Here, we examine a non-linear $f(R,L_m)$ model characterized by the functional form $f(R,L_m)=\frac{R}{2}+L_m^\alpha$, where $\alpha$ is the free parameter of the model. We examine the evolution of several cosmological parameters, including the effective EoS parameter $\omega_{eff}$, the deceleration parameter $q$, the density parameter $\rho$, the pressure $p$, and the statefinder parameters. Our analysis revealed that the constrained current value of the effective EoS parameter, $\omega_{eff}^{0}=-0.68\pm0.06$ for both the CC and Pantheon datasets, points towards a quintessence phase. Moreover, at redshift $z=0$, the deceleration parameter, $q_0 = -0.61^{+0.01}_{-0.01}$, indicates that the present Universe is undergoing accelerated expansion.Comment: The European Physical Journal Plus published versio

Community-based interventions for the prevention and control of cutaneous leishmaniasis: A systematic review

We reviewed the evidence on community-based interventions for the prevention and control of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL). Community initiatives tailored towards awareness and mobilisation are regarded as a priority area in the Neglected Tropical Disease Roadmap 2021–2030 by the World Health Organization. We searched nine electronic databases for intervention-based studies. Two independent reviewers screened and assessed the articles for methodological quality using predefined criteria. We conducted a meta-analysis using a random effects model, along with narrative synthesis. Thirteen articles were eligible for inclusion, of which 12 were quantitative studies (quasi-experimental with control group and pre-post interventions) and one qualitative study. All articles reported on health education interventions aimed at changing people’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) in relation to CL. Participant groups included students, mothers, housewives, volunteer health workers, and residents in general. An increased score was recorded for all outcomes across all interventions: knowledge (SMD: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.23, 2.47), attitudes (SMD: 1.36, 95% CI: 0.56, 2.15), and practices (SMD: 1.73, 95% CI: 0.99, 2.47). Whilst our findings show that educational interventions improved people’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices about CL, we argue that this approach is not sufficient for the prevention and control of this disease. Knowledge does not always translate into action, particularly where other structural barriers exist. Therefore, we recommend the design of more innovative community-based interventions with a broader focus (e.g., stigma, financial barriers, and healthcare access)

High utility of active tuberculosis case finding in an Ethiopian prison

SETTING: Hawassa Prison, Southern Region of Ethiopia. OBJECTIVE: To determine the burden of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) using active case finding among prisoners. DESIGN: In this cross-sectional study, prisoners were screened for TB using a symptom screen. Those with cough of 2 weeks had spot and morning sputum samples collected for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear microscopy and molecular diagnostic testing (Xpert® MTB/RIF). RESULTS: Among 2068 prisoners, 372 (18%) had a positive cough screen. The median age of these 372 persons was 23 years, 97% were male and 63% were from urban areas. Among those with a positive symptom screen, 8 (2%) were AFB sputum smear-positive and 31 (8%) were Xpert-positive. The point prevalence of pulmonary TB at the prison was 1748 per 100 000 persons. In multivariate analysis, persons with cough >4 weeks were more likely to have TB (OR 3.34, 95%CI 1.54–7.23). CONCLUSION: A high prevalence of TB was detected among inmates at a large Ethiopian prison. Active case finding using a cough symptom screen in combination with Xpert had high utility, and has the potential to interrupt transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in correctional facilities in low- and middle-income, high-burden countries

Cellular and Cytokine Responses in the Granulomas of Asymptomatic Cattle naturally infected with Mycobacterium bovis in Ethiopia

Cells (CD3+ T cell and CD68+ macrophages), cytokines (IFN-γ+ and TNF-α+) and effector molecule (iNOS+) responses were evaluated in the lymph nodes and tissue of cattle naturally infected with Detailed post mortem and immunohistochemical examinations of lesions were performed on 16 cows positive for single intradermal cervical comparative tuberculin (SICCT) test which were identified from dairy farms located around the Addis Ababa City. The severity of the gross lesion was significantly higher (p=0.003) in culture positive (n=12) cows than in culture negative (n=4). Immunohistochemical techniques showed that in culture positive cows, the mean immunolabeling fraction of CD3+ T cells decreased as the stage of granuloma increased from stage I to stage IV (p<0.001). In contrast, the immunolabelling fraction of CD68+ macrophages, IFN-γ+, TNF-α+ and iNOS+ increased from stage I to stage IV (p< 0.001). In culture negative cows, early stages showed a significantly higher fraction of CD68+ macrophages (p=0.03) and iNOS+ (p=0.007) when compared to culture positive cows. Similarly, at advanced granuloma stages, culture negative cows demonstrated significantly higher mean proportions of CD3+ T cells (p< 0.001) compared to culture positive cows. Thus, this study demonstrates that following natural infection of cows with , as the stage of granuloma increases from stage I to stage IV, the immunolabelling fraction of CD3+ cells decreases while the immunolabeling fraction of CD68+ macrophages, IFN-γ+, TNF-α+ and iNOS+ increases. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2020 Tulu et al.

First report of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum causing stem rot on soybean (Glycine max) in Ethiopia

Open Access ArticleSclerotinia sclerotiorum causes a devastating disease on soybean (Sclerotinia stem rot) and attacks over 500 other hosts (Grau and Hartman 2015). In October 2018, research plots at Jimma Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopia, were evaluated for soybean diseases. A sample of 100 randomly selected plants of soybean line T44-15-T110-16SH1 were evaluated for Sclerotinia stem rot in a research plot that was 4 × 2.4 m with 60 cm between the four rows and 5 cm between plants within a row. All but 16 stems had stem rot symptoms with an average plant severity rating of 3.5 (SE = 0.18) based on an adapted 1 (1 to 10% of the stem affected) to 5 (91 to 100% of the stem affected) rating scale (Little and Hills 1978). Five infected stems were selected and sent to the USDA-ARS Soybean Disease and Pest Research Laboratory, Urbana, IL. Three sclerotia removed from each of three infected stems ranged from 4 to 18 mm long and 1 to 2 mm wide. Sclerotia were placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA) in 9.8-cm-diameter Petri plates and incubated at 24°C with a 16-h photoperiod for 4 days. The white, appressed mycelia grew from the sclerotia and covered the entire plate after 48 h, with sclerotia forming on the edge of the plate by 4 days. To confirm pathogenicity, a mycelial plug was removed from the margin of a 2-day-old colony of one of the isolates, was obtained by pressing the large end of a 200-μl pipette tip into the culture, and was placed on top of a cut stem above the second trifoliolate of four 3-week-old plants of soybean cultivar Williams 82. Plants were then incubated in a moist chamber for 48 h prior to being placed in a greenhouse held at 22°C with a 16-h photoperiod. Necrotic lesions and white mycelia appeared on the stems 4 days postinoculation. The pathogen was reisolated and cultured on PDA. After 4 days, the reisolated cultures with sclerotia appeared morphologically to be S. sclerotiorum