Effects of antenatal care and institutional delivery on exclusive breastfeeding practice in northwest Ethiopia: a nested case–control study

Background: For the first six months of life, breast milk is the ideal food to provide adequate quality and quantity of nutrients. Exclusive breastfeeding has a profound effect to reduce the risk of respiratory and gastrointestinal related morbidities as well as all-cause and infection-related neonatal mortalities. Despite the immense benefits of exclusive breastfeeding, the practice is suboptimal in Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to assess whether antenatal care and institutional delivery contributes to mothers' practice of exclusive breastfeeding in rural communities of northwest Ethiopia. Methods: A community-based nested case–control study was conducted in northwest Ethiopia from November 2009 to August 2011. About 1769 mother-infant pairs were included and followed for six months after birth. Interviews with mothers were conducted in the first week, at 1st, 4th, and 6th month. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were carried out to determine associations between independent variables and exclusive breastfeeding practice. Results: Of the total respondents, 30.7 % (95 % CI: 27 %, 35 %) of mothers exclusively breastfed their infants. In multivariate analysis, own business activity (AOR= 3.06; 95 % CI: 1.29, 7.25), being a housewife (AOR= 3.41; 95 % CI: 1.28, 9.11), having antenatal care (AOR= 1.32; 95 % CI: 1.01, 1.73), giving birth in a health institution (AOR= 1.29; 95 % CI: 1.02, 1.62), and possessing a microfinance bank account (AOR= 2.35; 95 % CI: 1.80, 3.07) were positively associated with exclusive breastfeeding practice. Conclusions: Despite underutilization of maternal health services, these services contributed to mothers exclusive breastfeeding practice. Strengthening utilization of antenatal care and institutional delivery would have an added benefit in improving exclusive breastfeeding practice. Moreover involving mothers in business activities is important.Gashaw Andargie Biks, Amare Tariku, and Gizachew Assefa Tessem

Розподіл бокового тиску в бетонних сумішах різного складу, зпресовуваних під час виготовлення дорожнього каменю

Наведено аналітичні закономірності, отримані в результаті регресійного аналізу експериментальних даних, щодо впливу зусилля пресування на розподіл бокового тиску в процесі пресування бетонних сумішей різного складу та режиму ущільнення у прес-формі. Виконано порівняння отриманих результатів за методиками різних авторів. Показано, що В/Ц-фактор однозначно впливає на величину розподілу бокового тиску в сумішах різних складів та режимів ущільнення

Branching Transport Model of Alkali-Halide Scintillators

We measure the time dependence of the scintillator light-emission pulses in NaI(Tl) crystals at different temperatures, after activation by gamma rays. We confirm that there are two main nonexponential components to the time decay and find that their amplitude ratio shows Arrhenius temperature dependence. We explain these nonexponential components as arising from two competing mechanisms of carrier transport to the Tl activation levels. The total light output of the NaI(Tl) detectors shows a linear temperature dependence explained by our model

Level of immunization coverage and associated factors among children aged 12–23 months in Lay Armachiho District, North Gondar Zone, Northwest Ethiopia: a community based cross sectional study

BACKGROUND: Immunization against childhood disease is one of the most important public health interventions with cost effective means to preventing childhood morbidity, mortality and disability. However, complete immunization coverage remains low particularly in rural areas of Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the level of immunization coverage and associated factors in Lay Armachiho District, North Gondar zone, Northwest Ethiopia. A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in March, 2014 among 751 pairs of mothers to children aged 12–23 months in Lay Armachiho District. A two stage sampling technique was employed. Logistic regression analysis was carried out to compute association between factors and immunization status of children. Backwards stepwise regression method was used and those variables significant at p value 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Seventy-six percent of the children were fully immunized during the study period. Dropout rate was 6.5% for BCG to measles, 2.7% for Penta1 to Penta3 and 4.5% for Pnemonia1 to Pnemonia3. The likelihood of children to be fully immunized among mothers who identified the number of sessions needed for vaccination were higher than those who did not [AOR = 2.8 (95% C1 = 1.89, 4.2)]. Full immunization status of children was higher among mothers who know the age at which the child become fully immunized than who did not know [AOR = 2.93 (95% CI = 2.02, 4.3)]. Taking tetanus toxoid immunization during pregnancy showed statistically significant association with full immunization of children [AOR 1.6 (95% CI = 1.06, 2.62)]. Urban children were more likely to be fully immunized than rural [AOR = 1.82 (95% CI = 1.15, 2.80)] and being male were more likely to be fully immunized than female [AOR = 1.80 (95% CI = 1.26, 2.6)]. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: Vaccination coverage was low compared to the Millennium Development Goals target. It is important to increase and maintain the immunization level to the intended target. Efforts should be made to promote women‘s’ awareness on tetanus toxoid immunization, when the child should start vaccination, number of sessions needed to complete immunization, and when a child become complete vaccination to improve immunization coverage through health development army and health professionals working at antenatal care, postnatal care and immunization units

Прогнозування міцності та розподілу бокового тиску при виробництві пресованих бетонних дорожніх каменів

У монографії висвітлено питання прогнозування міцності та розподілу бокового тиску при виробництві пресованих бетонних виробів з викорис-танням теорії нечіткої логіки та регресійного аналізу. Викладено результа-ти теоретичних та експериментальних досліджень величини прогнозованої міцності бетонних виробів. На базі апарату нечіткої логіки розроблено програмний модуль, який можна адаптувати до цільової функції шляхом навчання моделі. Матеріал монографії може бути корисним для студентів інженерно-будівельних спеціальностей, аспірантів, інженерних робітників.The monograph covers the issues of the strength prediction and lateral pressure’s distribution in the manufacture of pressed concrete products by using the theory of fuzzy logic and regression analysis. The results of theoretical and experimental research of predicted strength of concrete products value are shown. The software module is developed on the basis of fuzzy logic that can be adapted to the objective function by model learning. Material of the monograph can be useful to students of engineering and construction specialties, graduate students, engineering workers

THERMAL PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT OF WALL ASSEMBLIES: CRITERIA IMPORTANCE THEORY AND AHP APPROACH

The problem of the “best” choice in terms of the ecological, durable, cheap and energy-effective material of envelope construction has been considered in the paper. For the numerical assessment of the thermal performance, the MCDA techniques as Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and Criteria Importance Theory (CIT) were used. There were proposed eight types of wall assemblies from a natural material, namely: Hempcrete, Adobe, Strawbale panel, Earthbag, Cordwood, SIP (plywood+ecofiber), Hempcrete+straw and Compositional building thermo-block. As a objective function for the search of the best alternative the integral index was proposed which consist of thermo-physical and economic criteria. As the thermo-physical criteria component of the index were taken the u-value of the envelope W/m2K, the dimensionless decrement factor of the envelope f and the internal areal heat capacity of the envelope k1, kJ/m2K according to ISO 13786:2017. As economic criteria of the integral index, the authors proposed the cost of the wall material Q, UAH/m2 and the mass of the wall m, kg/m2. The analysis of the conducted research has shown, that from the one hand there is no absolute “leader” in the ranking of the wall assemblies according to the proposed criteria and MCDA technique, but from the other hand by comparison of the results, there were revealed that the top three alternatives in both AHP and CIT technique are walls of “B”, “D” and “E” type with different point order, achieved in each MCDA calculation technique

National mortality burden due to communicable, non-communicable, and other diseases in Ethiopia, 1990–2015: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015

Background: Ethiopia lacks a complete vital registration system that would assist in measuring disease burden and risk factors. We used the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk factors 2015 (GBD 2015) estimates to describe the mortality burden from communicable, non-communicable, and other diseases in Ethiopia over the last 25 years. Methods: GBD 2015 mainly used cause of death ensemble modeling to measure causes of death by age, sex, and year for 195 countries. We report numbers of deaths and rates of years of life lost (YLL) for communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional (CMNN) disorders, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and injuries with 95% uncertainty intervals (UI) for Ethiopia from 1990 to 2015. Results: CMNN causes of death have declined by 65% in the last two-and-a-half decades. Injury-related causes of death have also decreased by 70%. Deaths due to NCDs declined by 37% during the same period. Ethiopia showed a faster decline in the burden of four out of the five leading causes of age-standardized premature mortality rates when compared to the overall sub-Saharan African region and the Eastern sub-Saharan African region: lower respiratory infections, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, and diarrheal diseases; however, the same could not be said for ischemic heart disease and other NCDs. Non-communicable diseases, together, were the leading causes of age-standardized mortality rates, whereas CMNN diseases were leading causes of premature mortality in 2015. Although lower respiratory infections, tuberculosis, and diarrheal disease were the leading causes of age-standardized death rates, they showed major declines from 1990 to 2015. Neonatal encephalopathy, iron-deficiency anemia, protein-energy malnutrition, and preterm birth complications also showed more than a 50% reduction in burden. HIV/AIDS-related deaths have also decreased by 70% since 2005. Ischemic heart disease, hemorrhagic stroke, and ischemic stroke were among the top causes of premature mortality and age-standardized death rates in Ethiopia in 2015. Conclusions: Ethiopia has been successful in reducing deaths related to communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional deficiency diseases and injuries by 65%, despite unacceptably high maternal and neonatal mortality rates. However, the country’s performance regarding non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory disease, was minimal, causing these diseases to join the leading causes of premature mortality and death rates in 2015. While the country is progressing toward universal health coverage, prevention and control strategies in Ethiopia should consider the double burden of common infectious diseases and non-communicable diseases: lower respiratory infections, diarrhea, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. Prevention and control strategies should also pay special attention to the leading causes of premature mortality and death rates caused by non-communicable diseases: cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes. Measuring further progress requires a data revolution in generating, managing, analyzing, and using data for decision-making and the creation of a full vital registration system in the country

Prevention and treatment of suspected pneumonia in Ethiopian children less than five years from household to primary care.

AIM: Ethiopia has implemented the integrated community case management to reduce mortality in childhood diseases. We analysed prevention, care seeking and treatment of suspected pneumonia from household to health facility in Ethiopia. METHODS: Analyses were based on a survey in four regions that included modules covering 5714 households, 169 health posts with 276 health extension workers and 155 health centres with 175 staff. Caregivers of children aged 2-59 months responded to questions on awareness of services and care seeking for suspected pneumonia. Pneumonia-related knowledge of health workers was assessed. RESULTS: When a child had suspected pneumonia, 46% (95% CI: 25,68) sought care at health facilities, and 27% (95% CI: 12,51) received antibiotics. Forty-one per cent had received full immunisation. One-fifth (21%, 95%: 19,22) of the caregivers were aware of pneumonia treatment. Sixty-four per cent of the health extension workers correctly mentioned fast or difficult breathing as signs of suspected pneumonia, and 88% suggested antibiotics treatment. CONCLUSION: The caregivers' awareness of suspected pneumonia treatment and the utilisation of these services were low. Some of the health extension workers were not knowledgeable about suspected pneumonia. Strengthening primary health care, including immunisation, and enhancing the utilisation of services are critical for further reduction of pneumonia mortality