Determinants of Adoption of Soil and Water Conservation Practices at Household Level in Aletawendo District, Sidama Zone, SNNPR, Ethiopia

It is attested by various studies that implementation of soil and water conservation technologies is a must to tackle an ever expanding degradation in farmlands and marginal lands and to increase soil fertility. However, there is a gap in adoption of these technologies in Aletawendo district to the extent it should be. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate determinants of adoption decision of farmers. To achieve this objective, both primary and secondary data were collected. Primary data were collected from randomly selected 372 farm households and 25 natural resources management experts found in the district. Secondary data were collected from different published and unpublished sources. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics and econometric model (logit model) with the help of STATA computer program. The study result indicated that seven variables were affecting adoption decision of farmers significantly and positively. These were education level of the household head, training participation, total income, perception of farmers for SWCs, preference of farmers, extension contact, and land ownership certificate

Systematic review of Ethiopian medicinal plants used for their anti-inflammatory and wound healing activities

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Plant materials are used worldwide as complementary and alternative therapeutics for the treatment of various illnesses. In Ethiopia, folk medicines are utilized across a wide range of cultures and settings. Ethiopia has numerous plant species of which around 12% are endemic, making it a rich source of medicinal plants that are potentially important for human wellbeing. Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to assess Ethiopian medicinal plants with anti-inflammatory or wound healing activities, in an attempt to compile the information required for further investigation of their potential role in the management of lymphoedema. Methods: A systematic review protocol was developed according to the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols (PRISMA-P) statement. The protocol for this review was registered on PROSPERO with registration number CRD42019127471. This review considers all controlled in vivo and in vitro anti-inflammatory and wound healing studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of Ethiopian medicinal plants. The search strategy included all articles containing descriptors such as Ethiopia, medicinal plants, herbal products, care, management, lymphoedema, lymphedema, swelling, podoconiosis, elephantiasis, wound, wound healing, inflammation, and anti-inflammatory that were published up to June 28, 2019. Outcomes were measured as the percentage of inflammatory and pro-inflammatory cell inhibition, as the percentage of carrageenan-induced oedema (anti-inflammation) inhibition, and the percentage of cell migration and proliferation (wound healing). For quality assessment of individual animal studies, the Risk of Bias tool for animal intervention studies (SYRCLE’s RoB tool) criteria was used. For quality assessment of individual in vitro studies, the OECD guidelines and the WHO Good Laboratory Practice (GLP) handbook were used. Results: A total of 46 articles on anti-inflammatory and 17 articles on wound healing properties were reviewed. For the in vivo studies, Swiss albino mice and Wistar rats were used, and the concentration of plant extracts or fractions administered to the lab animals varied considerably. Acetone extract of Vernonia amygdalina showed the fastest anti-inflammatory activity at lower concentrations in carrageenan-induced paw oedema. Conclusion: Lawsonia inermis, Azadirachta indica, Achyranthes aspera, and Cuminum cyminum are the most studied plant species in terms of anti-inflammatory activity, while Lawsonia inermis and Azadirachta indica are the most studied for wound healing. The most common in vivo techniques used for the anti-inflammatory and the wound healing assays were carrageenan-induced paw oedema, and excision and incision wound models, respectively

Roles and responsibilities of student nurses/clinical staff towards clinical teaching and learning at Limpopo College of Nursing -Sovenga Campus

MCurDepartment of Advanced Nursing Scienc

Opportunities and Constraints in Honey Production and Marketing: The Case of Shebedino District, Sidama Zone, SNNPR, Ethiopia

Apiculture is considered as one of the income-generating activities for resource-poor farmers including women, youth and the unemployed sectors of the community. It also provides attractive options for rural employment and income generation in harsh agro-ecosystems where crop production is marginal and the risk of crop failure is high. Even though, various constraints were hindering production and marketing of honey in Shebedino district of Sidama zone, SNNPR, Ethiopia which is the second highest producer of honey in Sidama Zone. Therefore, this study was conducted with the objective of investigating opportunities and constraints hindering honey production and marketing in Shebedino district. To achieve this objective, both primary and secondary data have been collected from 156 farm households, 31 traders, 7 processors and 30 consumers and various literatures. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics with the help of SPSS statistical package. The result of the study indicated that farmers’ indigenous knowledge of beekeeping; agro-ecological condition of the Woreda; support of governmental organizations and some other NGOs; availability of strong domestic market for honey, high production, and ease of licensing were identified as the main opportunities in honey production and marketing. Changes in weather condition, pests and predators, some pesticides used in crops, absconding, absence of some modern beekeeping equipment, lack of scientific knowledge on beekeeping, low participation of women in the sector, seasonality of honey and price fluctuation were identified as constraints in honey production and marketing in the study district. Keywords: Apiculture, opportunities, challenges DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/9-23-06 Publication date: December 31st 201

A comprehensive sexual and reproductive health programme for secondary school learners in Capricorn and Mopani Districts of Limpopo Province, South Africa

DNURSexual and reproductive health services include family-planning or contraception, pre-natal care, safe births and post-natal care, safe and accessible post-abortion care and where legal, access to safe abortion services, prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted infections and cervical cancers, sexual health information, and counselling. Adolescents face many sexual and reproductive health risks, ranging from teenage pregnancy, early unprotected sex, and sexually transmitted infections. Every year one in twenty young people worldwide contracts sexually transmitted infections, and currently, fifty percent of HIV infections occur in young people aged 15-24 years. Teenage pregnancy is at alarming rate among school girls. The overall aim of this study was to develop a comprehensive sexual and reproductive health programme for secondary school learners in Capricorn and Mopani Districts of Limpopo Province, South Africa. Three objectives which guided programme development were: 1. to assess the knowledge of secondary school learners about SRH issues, 2. to assess teachers’ views about the impact of the existing SRH programmes for adolescents and 3. to explore the perceptions of parents towards the provision of SRH services in schools. Sequential mixed methods approach was used where the initial quantitative phase was followed by qualitative phase. Three steps were used as the basis for developing the programme. Step 1 used quantitative descriptive survey to assess the knowledge of learners about sexual and reproductive health issues. Step 2 also used quantitative descriptive survey to assess teachers’ views about the impact of the existing sexual and reproductive health programmes provided in schools. An exploratory qualitative method was used in step 3 to explore the perceptions of parents towards the provision of sexual and reproductive health services in schools. The study population comprised of learners, teachers and parents. Probability and non-probability sampling methods were used. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data from learners and teachers, while in-depth face-to-face interviews were used to collect qualitative data from parents. Quantitative data was analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 23. Qualitative data was analysed using Techs’ technique. Reliability and validity as well as trustworthiness were ensured. Ethical principles were adhered to throughout the study. Results indicated that (63%; n=69) learners were sexually active lacked knowledge about contraception (80%; n=40), STIs (38%; n=32) and (33%; n=37) had been pregnant and the mean age was 17. Eighty six (86%; n= 97) reported inaccessibility to sexual and reproductive health services. About (55%, n= 19) teachers were found to be inadequately trained and lacked training manuals. Most teachers reflected ineffectiveness of the existing programmes as evidenced by high pregnancy rates. Parents reflected difficulty in communicating sexual and reproductive health issues with teenagers and lack of knowledge, thus indicating the importance of the programme in schools. Parents also indicated the relevancy of teachers in facilitating the programme and collaboration between the Department of Education and the Department of Health. Dickoff’s six elements of the survey list was used to develop the programme. Programme validation was done by involving participants to evaluate it by completing questionnaires. The programme will empower learners to deal with sexual and reproductive health issues, resulting in decreased teenage pregnancy and other sexual risks. Collaboration and support were the recommendations directed to both the Department of Education and the Department of Health. Further research was also recommended.NR

The effects of advertising on alcohol consumption: a case of perceptions of women in Spruitview, South Africa

The primary research objective of this study was to investigate the perceptions of women in Spruitview, South Africa towards alcohol advertising. Literature review revealed that alcohol beverage companies use different strategies to target women in an attempt of enticing them to consume more and more alcohol. The research approach of this study was qualitative, and the target population comprised of twelve women residing in Spruitview, South Africa. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, online interviews were utilised by the researcher, and the semistructured interview framework to solicit data from the participants was employed. Data collected was analysed manually and was interpreted and categorised into themes. The findings of this study indicated that there are positive and significant relationships between alcohol advertising and alcohol consumption practises by women in Spruitview. In light of those findings, this study presented appropriate recommendations to the law makers, the alcohol beverage industry, as well as to women in Spruitview. A number of gaps in this study were outlined that require further investigation to allow for a better understanding of the impact of alcohol advertising on women and the society in general

Valorization of khat (Catha edulis) waste for the production of cellulose fibers and nanocrystals.

Cellulose fibers (C40 and C80) were extracted from khat (Catha edulis) waste (KW) with chlorine-free process using 40% formic acid/40% acetic acid (C40), and 80% formic acid/80% acetic acid (C80) at the pretreatment stage, followed by further delignification and bleaching stages. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs40 and CNCs80) were then isolated from C40 and C80 with sulfuric acid hydrolysis, respectively. Thus, the current study aims to isolate cellulose fibers and CNCs from KW as alternative source. The KW, cellulose fibers, and CNCs were investigated for yield, chemical composition, functionality, crystallinity, morphology, and thermal stability. CNCs were also evaluated for colloidal stability, particle size, and their influence on in vitro diclofenac sodium release from gel formulations preliminarily. The FTIR spectra analysis showed the removal of most hemicellulose and lignin from the cellulose fibers. The XRD results indicated that chemical pretreatments and acid hydrolysis significantly increased the crystallinity of cellulose fibers and CNCs. The cellulose fibers and CNCs exhibited Cellulose Iβ crystalline lattice. TEM analysis revealed formation of needle-shaped nanoscale rods (length: 101.55-162.96 nm; aspect ratio: 12.84-22.73). The hydrodynamic size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential of the CNCS ranged from 222.8-362.8 nm; 0.297-0.461, and -45.7 to -75.3 mV, respectively. CNCs40 exhibited superior properties to CNCs80 in terms of aspect ratio, and colloidal and thermal stability. Gel formulations containing high proportion of CNCs sustained diclofenac sodium release (< 50%/cm2) over 12 h. This study suggests that cellulose fibers and nanocrystals can be successfully obtained from abundant and unexploited source, KW for value-added industrial applications

Anti-inflammatory Activities of Extracts of Some Traditionally Used Medicinal Plants in Ethiopia on Carrageenan-Induced Mouse Paw Oedema

Hydroalcoholic extracts of some traditional medicinal plants used in Ethiopia for the treatment of skin diseases, were investigated for their anti-inflammatory activities in carrageenan-induced mouse paw oedema at doses of 300 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg body weight. The extracts were obtained from the leaves of Bidens pilosa L. (Asteraceae), Malva verticillata L. (Malvaceae), Syzygium guineense DC. (Myrtaceae); and from the rhizomes of Ferula communis L. (Apiaceae), and from the aerial part of Ranunculus multifidus Forssk (Ranunculaceae). Except for the extract of F. communis, all the extracts showed oedema inhibition at both 300 and 500 mg/kg doses. The extract of R. multifidus displayed not only the greatest oedema inhibition at 300 mg/kg; it also exhibited better oedema inhibition than the reference drug indomethacin (10 mg/kg) three h after carrageenan injection. The extracts of B. pilosa, M. verticillata and S. guineense also demonstrated time and dose dependent inhibition of oedema. The anti-inflammatory activities of these plants may partially justify the rationale for their traditional use in the treatment of skin diseases.Keywords: hydroalcoholic plant extracts, anti-inflammatory activity, carrageenan, mouse paw oedema inhibition, Ranunculus multifidu

Analysis of proximate composition, mineral contents, and anti-nutritional factors of enset (Ensete ventricosum) landraces commonly used for amicho preparation in Hadiya Zone, Southern Ethiopia: Implications for food security and mineral bioavailability

Enset (Ensete ventricosum) is a primarily starchy staple food crop for over 20 million people. Some landraces are widely favored for amicho (boiled corm) preparation and consumption. However, little information is available on its nutritional profile. Therefore, this study was aimed at identifying the proximate, mineral, and anti-nutritional contents of the seven commonly consumed corms of the cultivated enset landraces. The proximate was determined using the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) standard methods. Minerals, phytate, and tannin contents were determined using the different models of spectrophotometer method, and oxalate was analyzed using the standard procedure. Also, the physiochemical parameters and the molar ratios were estimated to the relevant standards. The results revealed that the proximate composition (%) ranged in moisture content from 68.2 to 79.4, crude protein (2.43–11.90), crude fat (0.61–0.89), crude fiber (2.42–4.11), and total ash (2.01–4.60), while the total carbohydrates came to 80.89–89.92, and gross energy was 369.96–385.12 kcal/100 g. The mineral concentrations (mg/100 g) were also varied and ranged: calcium (22.46–49.74), potassium (28.51–86.56), magnesium (16.46–29.34), phosphorus (3.10–13.58), sodium (7.13–8.67), iron (0.9–3.85), and zinc (0.38–1.44) on a dry weight basis. The anti-nutritional contents (mg/100 g) for phytate, tannin, and oxalate ranged from 221.75 to 276.12, 27.97–113.74, and 5.69–9.10, respectively. Hayiwona and Gishira had the highest values in most proximate and minerals than other tested landraces, respectively. Compared to other landraces, Astara had higher total carbohydrate and phytate contents. Except for phytate × calcium to zinc, and oxalate to calcium, the molar ratios were above the critical values, which indicated that the studied enset corms had a considerable phytate value, which reduces mineral bioavailability. Overall, the present study revealed that the corm of the evaluated enset landraces contains appreciable amounts of nutritional value and can subsidize Ethiopia's sustained food security

Performance of Mycobacterium Growth Indicator Tube BACTEC 960 with Lowenstein–Jensen method for diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis at Ethiopian National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract Background Bacteriological confirmed active case detection remains the corner stone for diagnosing tuberculosis. Non-radiometric liquid culture system Mycobacterium Growth Indicator Tube with automated interface had been recommended by expert groups in addition to conventional solid culture media such as Lowenstein–Jensen. However in high burden resource limited countries advanced non-radiometric based tuberculosis diagnostic methods such as MGIT 960 is limited. Therefore we have evaluated the performance of MGIT 960 system compared to LJ for recovery of Mycobacterium complex (MTBC) from clinical specimens. Methods A cross sectional study was conducted from a total of 908 samples between January 1st, 2013 to December 31st, 2014. Clinical specimens were processed following standard procedures and the final suspension was inoculated to MGIT tubes and LJ slant. Identification and confirmation of MTBC was done by ZN staining and SD Bioline test. Data was analyzed by SPSS version 20. The sensitivity, specificity, recovery rate and the average turnaround time to recover the organism was computed. Results From a total of 908 clinical specimens processed using both LJ and BACTEC MGIT liquid culture methods the recovery rate for LJ and MGIT, for smear positive samples was 66.7% (74/111) and 87.4% (97/ 111) respectively while for smear negative samples was 13.4% (108/797) and 17.4% (139/797) for LJ and MGIT methods respectively. The overall recovery rate for MGIT is significantly higher than LJ methods [26% (236/908; vs. 20%, 182/908, P = 0.002)]. The average turnaround time for smear positive samples was 16 and 31 days for MGIT and LJ respectively. Turnaround time for smear negative samples was 20 and 36 days for MGIT and LJ respectively. The overall agreement between MGIT and LJ was fairly good with Kappa value of 0.59 (P < 0.001). In the present study the contamination rate for MGIT is higher than the LJ methods, 15 and 9.3% respectively. Conclusions The BACTEC MGIT liquid culture system has better MTBC recovery rate with shorter turnaround time for both smear positive and negative clinical specimens compared to Conventional LJ method. However, efforts should be made in order to reduce the high contamination rate in BACTEC MGIT system and to lesser extent to LJ methods