Rainfall Thresholding and Susceptibility assessment of rainfall induced landslides: application to landslide management in St Thomas, Jamaica

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10064-009-0232-zThe parish of St Thomas has one of the highest densities of landslides in Jamaica, which impacts the residents, local economy and the built and natural environment. These landslides result from a combination of steep slopes, faulting, heavy rainfall and the presence of highly weathered volcanics, sandstones, limestones and sandstone/shale series and are particularly prevalent during the hurricane season (June–November). The paper reports a study of the rainfall thresholds and landslide susceptibility assessment to assist the prediction, mitigation and management of slope instability in landslide-prone areas of the parish

Factors associated with prelacteal feeding practices in Debre Berhan district, North Shoa, Central Ethiopia: a cross-sectional, community-based study

Abstract Background Prelacteal feeding is one of the major harmful newborn feeding practices and is top on the list of global public health concerns. The practice deprives newborns of valuable nutrients and protection of colostrum and exposes them to preventable morbidity and mortality. Studying the prevalence and factors influencing the prelacteal feeding practice of mothers will help program managers and implementers to properly address broad major public health problems. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the prevalence of prelacteal feeding practices and its associated factors among mother-infant dyads in the Debre Berhan district of North Shoa administrative zone, central Ethiopia. Methods A community-based cross-sectional study design was conducted from January through to April 2014 among 634 mother-infant dyads. The data were entered into EPI Info version 3.5.1. (CDC, Atlanta, Georgia). All statistical analysis was conducted using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) research IBM version 20.0. The prevalence of prelacteal feeding was determined using the ‘recall since birth’ method. Multi-variable logistic regression analysis was employed to control confounders in determining the association between prelacteal feeding practices and selected independent variables. Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR), with 95% Confidence Interval (CI) and P < 0.05 was used to claim statistical significance. Results The prevalence of prelacteal feeding practice was 14.2% (95% CI: 11.00–17.00%). Slightly greater than half, 48 (53.3%) of prelacteal fed newborns were given butter. Home delivery was a major risk factor for practicing prelacteal feeding. Mothers who delivered their indexed infant at home practiced prelacteal feeding over four folds more than mothers who delivered in a health institution (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) 4.70; 95% CI: 2.56–8.60, p-value = 0.001). Mothers who did not initiate breastfeeding within an hour were six times more likely to practice prelacteal feeding (AOR 5.58; 3.21–9.46, p-value = 0.001). Similarly, with regards to the occupation of mothers, farmers practiced prelacteal feedings (AOR 4.33; 95% CI: 1.73–10.81, p-value = 0.002) up to four folds more than their counterpart housewives. Mothers who can read and write are 54% less likely to practice prelacteal feeding than their counterpart, illiterate mothers, with (AOR 0.46; 95% CI: 0.22–0.98, p-value = 0.044). Conclusions In the Debre Berhan town of North Shoa administrative zone, central Ethiopia, almost one-sixth of mothers practiced prelacteal feeding. Therefore, improving access to information about appropriate newborn feeding practices, encouraging mothers to deliver their babies in health institutions and inspiring them to initiate breastfeeding within an hour of birth is recommended

Characteristics of fruit and vegetable MSMEs in Ethiopia: Case of Addis Ababa and Ziway/Batu

This study documents the characteristics and functioning of fruit and vegetable (FV) value chains in select places in Ethiopia. The case study employed a mixed methods approach, including a survey of 340 FV traders, six focus group discussions (FGDs), and analysis of the policy environment with respect to food and nutrition, the business climate, and the role of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in delivering safe, affordable, and nutritious foods to consumers. Among the nine types of actors that participate in the FV market and were interviewed, the majority (more than 73 percent) were retailers operating either within or outside of wet markets

HIV care coverage among HIV-positive adolescent girls and young women in South Africa: Results from the HERStory Study

Background. Health service coverage cascades measure the proportion of a population in need of a service that experienced a positive health outcome from the service, and enable tracking of progress in achieving universal health coverage and inequities in care coverage.Objectives. To investigate HIV care coverage among HIV-positive adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) living in six South African districts, compare coverage by age and socioeconomic status (SES), and investigate other associated factors including participation in a combination HIV prevention intervention.Methods. The HERStory Study was an evaluation of the combination intervention, comprising a representative household survey of AGYW aged 15 - 24 years living in six intervention districts. From September 2017 to November 2018, biological, sociodemographic and behavioural data were collected. HIV-positive status, initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and viral suppression were determined through laboratory tests (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for HIV antibodies, antiretroviral (ARV) metabolites and viral load (VL) testing). Viral suppression was defined as a VL &lt;1 000 copies/mL. Knowledge of HIV-positive status was self-reported, and participants testing positive for ARV metabolites were assumed to have known their HIV-positive status. Unconditional HIV care cascades were created, stratified by age and SES. We used Pearson’s χ2 tests corrected for survey-based analysis to describe factors associated with knowledge of HIV status, and being on ART.Results. Of the 4 399 participants, 568 were HIV-positive (12.4%), of whom 60.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 57.1 - 64.5) knew their status, 50.6% (95% CI 46.6 - 54.0) were on ART, and 62.1% (95% CI 58.4 - 65.9) were virally suppressed. Most participants (84.9%) were in the lower SES group, and they had better coverage than the higher SES group: 61.9% (95% CI 58.3 - 65.4) knew their status, 52.1% (95% CI 48.4 - 55.9) were on ART, and 64.9% (95% CI 61.3 - 68.4) were virally suppressed, compared with 55.0% (95% CI 42.1 - 68.0), 40.0% (95% CI 29.2 - 50.8), and 46.6% (95% CI 34.5 - 58.7), respectively. Participants aged 15 - 19 years had slightly inferior coverage to the 20 - 24-year-old group: 57.5% knew their status, 46.1% were on ART and 59.5% were virally suppressed, compared with 62.3%, 52.2% and 63.3%.Conclusions. These findings emphasise the need to close the gaps in HIV care coverage among AGYW, of whom only 61% knew their HIV-positive status and only 62% were virally suppressed. There is pro-poor inequality in HIV care coverage, with those in lower socioeconomic groups more likely to be virally suppressed

Sulfur degassing at Erta Ale (Ethiopia) and Masaya (Nicaragua) volcanoes: Implications for degassing processes and oxygen fugacities of basaltic systems

We investigate the relationship between sulfur and oxygen fugacity at Erta Ale and Masaya volcanoes. Oxygen fugacity was assessed utilizing Fe3+/∑Fe and major element compositions measured in olivine‐hosted melt inclusions and matrix glasses. Erta Ale melts have Fe3+/∑Fe of 0.15–0.16, reflecting fO2 of ΔQFM 0.0 ± 0.3, which is indistinguishable from fO2 calculated from CO2/CO ratios in high‐temperature gases. Masaya is more oxidized at ΔQFM +1.7 ± 0.4, typical of arc settings. Sulfur isotope compositions of gases and scoria at Erta Ale (δ34Sgas − 0.5‰; δ34Sscoria + 0.9‰) and Masaya (δ34Sgas + 4.8‰; δ34Sscoria + 7.4‰) reflect distinct sulfur sources, as well as isotopic fractionation during degassing (equilibrium and kinetic fractionation effects). Sulfur speciation in melts plays an important role in isotope fractionation during degassing and S6+/∑S is 0.67 in Masaya melt inclusions. No change is observed in Fe3+/∑Fe or S6+/∑S with extent of S degassing at Erta Ale, indicating negligible effect on fO2, and further suggesting that H2S is the dominant gas species exsolved from the S2−‐rich melt (i.e., no redistribution of electrons). High SO2/H2S observed in Erta Ale gas emissions is due to gas re‐equilibration at low pressure and fixed fO2. Sulfur budget considerations indicate that the majority of S injected into the systems is emitted as gas, which is therefore representative of the magmatic S isotope composition. The composition of the Masaya gas plume (+4.8‰) cannot be explained by fractionation effects but rather reflects recycling of high δ34S oxidized sulfur through the subduction zone

Prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms and their determinant factors among patients with cancer in southern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

ObjectiveThe study was aimed to assess the prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms and their determinant factors among patients with cancer attending follow-up at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital cancer treatment centre, Ethiopia.DesignInstitution-based cross-sectional study design was implemented.SettingPatients with cancer at Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital cancer treatment centre from October 2019 to December 2019.ParticipantsRandomly selected 415 patients with cancer who had follow-up at cancer treatment centre.Main outcome measuresAnxiety and depression symptoms were assessed using Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.ResultThe prevalence rates of depression and anxiety symptoms were found to be 244 (58.8%) and 249 (60.0%), respectively. Older age (&gt;50 years) (AOR (adjusted OR)=2.24, 95% CI=1.14 to 4.40), being unemployed (AOR=1.96, 95% CI=1.08 to 3.56), advanced stage of cancer such as stage III (AOR=5.37, 95% CI=1.34 to 21.45) and stage IV (AOR=4.55, 95% CI=1.12 to 18.44), comorbid psychotic symptoms (AOR=1.67, 95% CI=1.07 to 2.61) and eating problem in the past 2 weeks (AOR=6.16, 95% CI=1.98 to 19.11) were independent factors significantly associated with depressive symptoms. In addition, cancer stage such as stage II (AOR=3.92, 95% CI=1.07 to 14.36) and stage IV (AOR=5.04, 95% CI=1.44 to 17.59) and comorbid psychotic symptoms (AOR=1.73, 95% CI=1.12 to 2.66) were significantly associated with anxiety symptoms.ConclusionDepression and anxiety symptoms among patients with cancer were considerably high. Age, occupation, cancer stage, comorbid psychotic symptoms and eating problem were determinant factors of depressive symptoms among patients with cancer. Moreover, cancer stage and comorbid psychosis were determinants of anxiety symptoms. Healthcare professionals working in the oncology unity need to conduct routine screening and treatment of depression and anxiety symptoms for patients with cancer.</jats:sec

An Inclusive Study on the Effect of Strain Rate on the Stress-Strain Behavior and the Undrained Shear Strength of Clay Soils in Kombolcha, Ethiopia

This research aims to study the effect of strain rate on the stress-strain association and shear strength of clay soils in Kombolcha, Ethiopia. Field and laboratory experimentations were conducted on 3 soil samples collected at 4.5m depth, considering the physical and engineering properties of the soil. Unconsolidated, undrained triaxial compression tests were performed under confining pressure on the specimens that were axially loaded at a rate of strain varying from 0.38mm/min to 1.14mm/min by taking 2 points above and below 1% of the specimen height. Stress-strain relations were developed under the stated different rates of strains to describe their effect. It was revealed that the strain rate effect was observed. By increasing the strain rate shifts the stress-strain curve upward, and the corresponding shear strength of the soil also increased under effective stress. Accordingly, the strain rate increased the shear parameters. The average angle of friction increased by 13.43%, 15.08%, 13.18%, and 14.33% when the rate of strain changed from 0.38 to 0.57mm/min, 0.57 to 0.76mm/min, 0.76 to 0.95mm/min, and 0.95 to 1.14mm/min respectively, while the average cohesion increased by 17.67%, 19.52%, 14.87%, and 16.48%. The failure at strain rate 1%/min of sample height (0.76mm/min) was uniformly distributed and there was uniform pore pressure distribution throughout the sample height. The effect is slightly more when the shear strength increased at the left side than at the right side. Average shear strength parameters such as cohesion and angle friction were recorded for strain rates from 0.57mm/min to 1.25mm/min specifically for the clay soils found in Kombolcha town, Ethiopia

Survey of Viruses Affecting Legume Crops in the Amhara and Oromia Regions of Ethiopia

Field surveys were undertaken to identify the viral diseases affecting lentil, faba bean, chickpea, pea, fenugreek and grass pea in two regions of Ethiopia. The surveys were conducted in the regions of Amhara (Gonder and Gojam administrative zones) and Oromia (Bale administrative zone) during the 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 growing seasons, respectively. The survey covered 138 randomly selected fields (48 faba bean, 10 pea, 38 grass pea, 34 chickpea, 8 lentil) in the Amhara region, and 51 legume fields (29 faba bean, 12 pea, 3 lentil, 5 fenugreek, 2 chickpea) in the Oromia region. Virus disease incidence was determined by laboratory testing of 100–200 randomly-collected samples from each field against the antisera of 12 legume viruses. Of the 189 fields surveyed, 121 and 7 had, at the time of the survey, a virus disease incidence of 1% or less and more than 6%, respectively, based on visual inspection in the field; later laboratory testing showed that the number of fields in these two categories was in fact 99 and 56, respectively. Serological tests indicated that the most important viruses in the Amhara region were Faba bean necrotic yellows virus (FBNYV), Bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV), Pea seed-borne mosaic virus (PSbMV) and the luteoviruses [e.g. Beet western yellows virus (BWYV), Bean leaf roll virus (BLRV), Soybean dwarf virus (SbDV)]. By contrast, only FBNYV and the luteoviruses were detected in the Oromia region. Other viruses, such as Broad bean mottle virus (BBMV) and Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV), were rarely detected in the Amhara region. This is the first report in Ethiopia of natural infection of faba bean, pea and fenugreek with SbDV, of fenugreek with BWYV, and of grass pea with BYMV, PSbMV and BWYV, and it is also the first recorded instance of BBMV infecting legume crops in Ethiopia