The enigma of informal rural land deals in Ethiopia: evidence from peri-urban areas of Hawassa City

The 1995 FDRE Constitution and all statutes pertaining to the land law regime of Ethiopia either prohibited or strictly regulated transfer of rural land use rights. However, land transaction has been going on informally against prohibitions or strict requirements for transfer of rural land use rights. Thus, this study investigates nature, manner and status of informal rural land deals vis-à-vis formal statutes, court decisions, and expert views of key informants. The focus of this article is on peri-urban areas where transfer is made mainly for the construction of dwelling houses (squatting). In addition, acquiring land for other uses like farm land and small businesses (poultry, dairy farms, for planting perennials etc.) are considered. Consequently, informal rural land deals is defined in this paper as any transactions in land except those allowed by law. The nature of informal rural land deals include transferring land use rights through donation and inheritance without fulfilling legal conditions related to family member, minimum holding size, and willingness to live on agriculture by the transferee, and in a manner that does not displace the landholders. It also includes sale and mortgage in any manner, and rent without following preconditions such as: minimum holding size, rent period, consent of the family, registration and writing contract. Hence, informal land transition is found to be rife in the study area. The formal laws and institutions are unable or incapable to control it and in effect the rule of law is being undermined. The government is well advised to study the matter and bring order by paying attention to the realities on the ground.Keywords: land deals (transactions), land use rights, mortgage, peri-urban land, rural lan

Ethnomedicine claim directed in Silico prediction of anticancer activity

Background: The merits of ethnomedicine-led approach to identify and prioritize anticancer medicinal plants have been challenged as cancer is more likely to be poorly understood in traditional medicine practices. Nonetheless, it is also believed that useful data can be generated by combining ethnobotanical findings with available scientific studies. Thus, this study combined an ethnobtanical study with ligand based in silico screening to identify relevant medical plants and predict their anticancer potential based on their phytoconstiutents reported in scientific literatures.Methods: First, relevant medicinal plants were identified through an ethnobotanical survey. A list of phytochemicals was prepared based on literature review of articles which reported on the natural products of identified medicinal plants. Then, their phytochemicals were subjected to in silico evaluation, which included a hybrid score similarity measure, rule of five, Ghose–Viswanadhan–Wendoloski (GVW)-indices and structural features criteria, to predict their anticancer activity and drugability.Results: A total of 18 medicinal plants and 265 phytoconstituents were identified. The natural product pool constituted 109(41.13%) terpenoids, 67(25.28%) phenolics, 29(10.94%) simple and functionalized hydrocarbons, 26(9.81%) alkaloids, 25(9.43%) glycosides and 9(3.40%) compounds belonging to different phytochemical classes. The similarity measure using CDRUG identified 34(12.73%) phytochemicals with high (p-Value < 0.05) and 35(13.21%) with moderate possibility (p-Value < 0.1) of anticancer activity. In fact, three of the predicted compounds had the same structure with known anticancer compounds (HSCORE=1). The 80% GVW-indices based antineoplastic drugabilityranges were all mate by 25 of the predicted compounds. Predicted compounds were also shown to have ring structures and functional groups deemed important for anticancer activity. Conclusions: Given the findings, there is a promising anticancer activity by thetraditionally used medicinal plants and a potential for the predicted phytochemicals to be pursued as possible hits or me-too drugs.Keywords: Ethnobotany, phytochemicals, in silico, anticancer, medicinal plant

Assessment of Self-Medication Practices Among Medical, Pharmacy, and Health Science Students in Gondar University, Ethiopia

The study was aimed at assessing the magnitude and factors of self-medication among medical, pharmacy, and health science students of GCMHS (Gondar College of Medicine and Health Sciences). A cross-sectional study with two-month illness recall was conducted. A Questionnaire consisting of demographic questions and questions on illnesses in the last two months prior to the interview and treatment strategies was prepared and administered to the 414 students, selected as the sample population, from the GCMHS students. Of a total of 414 students, 213 (51.5%) reported at least one episode of an illness, and 82 (38.5%) of them practiced self-medication. Most drugs for self-medication were obtained from the pharmacy or drug shops; and the most commonly used drugs were Paracetamol and NSAIDs (Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). Common reported illnesses were fever and headache (24.8%) followed by cough and common cold (23.9%). Prior experience and the non-seriousness of the illness were the top two reported factors for self-medication. Reading materials were the top reported source of information. In conclusion, self-medication was practiced with a range of drugs from the conventional anti-pains to antibiotics. Although the practice of self-medication is inevitable; drug authorities and health professionals need to educate students about the pros and cons of self-medication

Tratamiento conservador en los hematomas intracerebrales supratentoriales espontáneos

Se realiza un estudio prospectivo de 50 pacientes diagnosticados por medio de tomografía computarizada craneal (TC) y angiografía carotídea de hematomas intracerebrales espontáneos (HIS) tratados de forma conservadora. Se analizan características clínicas y radiológicas de la fase aguda y la evolución de los pacientes durante el tiempo de ingreso hospitalario. La mortalidad global fue del 32%. Los factores que influyeron significativamente en el pronóstico fueron: el mayor grado de déficit motor al ingreso, el empeoramiento neural post-ingreso, el mayor volumen del hematoma y la presencia de efecto de masa en los estudios de TC y de angiografía carotídea. Todos los pacientes fueron evaluados clínicamente atendiendo a la escala de Glasgow para el Coma (EGC), con índice de mal pronóstico en todos aquellos que tenían una puntuación igual o inferior a ocho puntos. Se concluye que, de todos los factores evaluados en nuestro estudio, el volumen del hematoma con valor crítico de 50 ml y una puntuación menor de ocho puntos en la EGC son las principales causas en la mala evolución de estos enfermos

Proteins and Transcriptional Dysregulation of the Brain Extracellular Matrix in Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review

The extracellular matrix (ECM) of the brain is a dynamic structure made up of a vast network of bioactive macromolecules that modulate cellular events. Structural, organizational, and functional changes in these macromolecules due to genetic variation or environmental stressors are thought to affect cellular functions and may result in disease. However, most mechanistic studies to date usually focus on the cellular aspects of diseases and pay less attention to the relevance of the processes governing the dynamic nature of the extracellular matrix in disease pathogenesis. Thus, due to the ECM’s diversified biological roles, increasing interest in its involvement in disease, and the lack of sufficient compiled evidence regarding its relationship with Parkinson’s disease (PD) pathology, we aimed to compile the existing evidence to boost the current knowledge on the area and provide refined guidance for the future research. Here, in this review, we gathered postmortem brain tissue and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-related studies from PubMed and Google Scholar to identify, summarize and describe common macromolecular alterations in the expression of brain ECM components in Parkinson’s disease (PD). A literature search was conducted up until 10 February 2023. The overall hits from the database and manual search for proteomic and transcriptome studies were 1243 and 1041 articles, respectively. Following a full-text review, 10 articles from proteomic and 24 from transcriptomic studies were found to be eligible for inclusion. According to proteomic studies, proteins such as collagens, fibronectin, annexins, and tenascins were recognized to be differentially expressed in Parkinson’s disease. Transcriptomic studies displayed dysregulated pathways including ECM–receptor interaction, focal adhesion, and cell adhesion molecules in Parkinson’s disease. A limited number of relevant studies were accessed from our search, indicating that much work remains to be carried out to better understand the roles of the ECM in neurodegeneration and Parkinson’s disease. However, we believe that our review will elicit focused primary studies and thus support the ongoing efforts of the discovery and development of diagnostic biomarkers as well as therapeutic agents for Parkinson’s disease

Water infrastructure resilience and water supply and sanitation development challenges in developing countries

Water supply and sanitation development in developing countries, specifically in Ethiopia, appear to be making substantial progress. Governments, international organizations, and other organizations are contributing to the development of water supply and sanitation systems. Water supply and sanitation challenges are linked to climate change effects and the quest for climate-resilient development. This paper evaluates the current challenges in water supply and sanitation development in developing countries and infrastructure resilience. The research is based on the data collected throughout the practical development task. Some of the findings were the climate change effect and temporary adaptation mechanisms, such as intermittent supply causing further pressure variation and water loss in the system. Resilient water supply and sanitation development require an integrated approach based on practical experiences, the latest technological development in water supply and sanitation system operation and management tools, and climate change adaptation. A seamless understanding of engineering, management, and technology is required for the development and management of water supply and sanitation systems. Dispersed skills may be available that were not effective at this time, which calls for a different approach to training provision and skill development as a package on design, management, and recent technological support. HIGHLIGHTS Challenges in water supply and sanitation development in developing countries.; Improved development needs pervious skills, recent technology, climate change, and resilience.; Adaptations as a temporary solution to climate change in water supply system that makes water distribution systems inefficient.

Evaluation of anti-malarial drugs' use in Fitche Hospital, North Shoa, Oromia Region, Ethiopia

Objective: Retrospective evaluation of anti-malarial drugs' use in Fitche Hospital, North Shoa, Oromia Region, Ethiopia. Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional study design was conducted using selected patients cards of 1-year (January 2012–January 2013 G.C) with anti-malarial agents from January 18 to 30, 2013. The sample size was calculated by using Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Health care Organization criteria and sampling was done by using a systematic random sampling technique. Results: One hundred and twenty-five patient cards with anti-malarial drugs were reviewed of which 32.8%, 21.6%, 15.2% belongs to age range of 20–29, 10–19, and 30–39, respectively. Chloroquine prescription accounts for 50.4% from total anti-malarial drugs. 71.2% and 78.4% of patients received antibiotics and analgesics, respectively, with anti-malarial drugs. 77.6% of drugs were prescribed by generic name while the brand name was 22.39%. Conclusions: The study done in Fitche Hospital revealed that the use of anti-malarial agent was not in complete agreement with the current guideline of Ethiopia despite good practice