Ethiopian Language Policy and Health Promotion in Oromia

In the time of HIV/AIDS, epidemics for which we have no vaccination or cure, public health is bound entirely to depend on the traditional health education strategies to stop or contain this disease. This reality demands that we travel extra miles and thoroughly employ every health promotion tool at our disposal. The Ottawa Charter for health promotion stressed the need for public policy to create supportive social conditions for health. This necessitates a commitment to enduring social conditions for health and raises topics that have been neglected by the traditional public health scholars. A close examination of the colonial language policy of Ethiopia reveals that language is not value free and is intermingled with power and has significant public health impacts. In this paper, I critically examine Ethiopian language policy within the framework of health promotion and demonstrate the ways in which such policy creates a barrierf or the Oromo people in making life choices. Additionally it hinders them from ensuring the conditions in which they can be healthy. This paper addresses a gap in the research literature on the impacts of colonial language policies on health promotion

Household energy and recycling of nutrients and carbon to the soil in integrated crop-livestock farming systems : a case study in Kumbursa village, Central Highlands of Ethiopia

Acknowledgements We are grateful to the farmers of Kumbursa village for their wholehearted cooperation in providing genuine responses to interview questions during the household survey. We are also thankful to the Development Agent of Kumbursa village, Mr Dinku Chala, for facilitating our relations with farmers of the study area and for participating in data collection. We are indebted to Addis Ababa University and AUC funded Afri-Flame project (Adaptation of small-scale biogas digesters for use in rural households in Sub-Saharan Africa) for their joint financial support. Our heartfelt gratitude also goes to the staff of Debre Zeit Agricultural Research Center for their cooperation in nutrient content analysis of crop residues and dung cakes. Finally, we owe our heartfelt indebtedness to the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments which greatly contributed to the improvement and final refinement of this paperPeer reviewedPublisher PD

In vitro Production of Virus-Free Sweet Potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam] by Meristem Culture and Thermotherapy

Viral disease is the major factor causing significant yield loss in sweet potato. Production of disease-free clones by tissue culture technique increases yield and income of farmers. Meristems from three varieties of sweet potato were cultured at different combinations of BAP, GA3 and NAA in MS basal medium. Among the combinations, 1 mg/l BAP and 1 mg/l GA3 with 0.01 mg/l NAA resulted in 66.67% shoot induction for Awassa-83 and Guntute while 63.33% shoot induction was obtained using 1 mg/l BAP, 2 mg/l GA3 and 0.01 mg/l NAA for Awassa local. There was 100% sweet potato virus elimination from all the three varieties by meristem culture as observed by using NCM-ELISA technique. Shoot thermotherapy was done for Awassa-83 and Awassa local at 37°C for 31 days and 88.89% and 100% SPFMV and SPCSV virus elimination was achieved for the two varieties, respectively. Best shoot multiplication was obtained in MS medium containing 2 mg/l BAP for Awassa-83 (5.26 ± 0.02 shoots/explant) and Awassa local (5.12 ± 0.02 shoots/explant). For Guntute it was 2.48 ± 0.03 shoots/explant on 3 mg/l BAP. The best root length was 9.5 ± 0.10 cm, 9.68 ± 0.02 cm, and 11.03 ± 0.02 cm for Awassa-83, Awassa local and Guntute, respectively on growth regulators free ½ MS medium. The highest number of roots per shoot (6.34 ± 0.01) was obtained from Awassa-83 on 0.1 mg/l IBA. Acclimatizations were 100%, 91.11% and 90.10% for Guntute, Awassa-83 and Awassa local, respectively. This work indicates the practical applicability of plant tissue culture using meristem culture and thermotherapy to produce virus-free planting materials of sweet potato

Analysis of the Design of Grade 9 Listening Lessons in the Student’s Book and Teacher's Guide of English for Ethiopia

The study was conducted to examine the design of the listening lessons in the Grade 9 English for Ethiopia. The objective of the study was to see how the listening lessons were presented to identify if there were problems related to the design. The study employed a descriptive research design using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. It used content analysis as data gathering tool, where both the Student Textbook and the Teacher's Guide were analyzed based on the checklist adapted from NCLRC (2004) and Lingzhu (2008). The findings of the study have shown that the three stages of listening were not properly addressed in the materials evaluated, with the exclusion of the pre-listening activities in the majority of the listening lessons and the post-listening stage was missing in the majority of cases. The finding also showed that the input sources and the text types were not proportionally treated in the Textbook evaluated and the activities are comprehension exercises dominated, giving little attention to the other listening sub- skills. Hence, the study recommended that if the listening skill has to be taught effectively and the listening proficiency has to be properly addressed, the design of the listening lessons have to be reconsidered

Genetic Variability, Yield and Yield Associations of Lentil (Lens culinaris Medic.) Genotypes Grown at Gitilo Najo, Western Ethiopia

The study was conducted to evaluate the variability in yield, heritability, genetic advance and associations among characters, to estimate contribution of each trait in yield of the eighteen lentil genotypes. The genotypes were grown at Wollega University, Shambu Campus, Gitilo Najo Research Site. The genotypes were planted in RCBD and replicated three times. Data were collected for 12 morpho-agronomic traits. The results of the analysis of variance showed significant (P< 0.05) difference for all traits among the genotypes except for number of primary branches and hundred seed weight. The heritability values for the 12 characters ranged from 4.3% (hundred seed weight) to 94.3% (days to emergency). Estimates heritability values for days to emergence, plant height, number of pods per plant, biomass yield are >60% while for days to flowering, days to maturity, grain filling period and harvest index are between 40 % and 60%. Estimates of genetic advance as percent of mean at 5% selection intensity ranged from 0.59 % (hundred seed weight) to 78.1% (number of pods per plant). High heritability values coupled with high genetic advance as percent mean were observed for number of pods per plant and biomass yield which indicates the traits are controlled by additive type of genes. A low genotypic coefficient of variability and low genetic advance as a percent mean observed for characters hundred seed weight and pod length indicated that the characters were under high environmental influence, and that phenotypic selection based on these characters would be ineffective. Days to 50 % flowering showed positive and highly significant correlation with days to 95 % maturity at genotypic and phenotypic levels. Both at genotypic and phenotypic levels, grain yield was positively and significantly correlated with plant height and biomass yield while it was negatively and significantly correlated with harvest index. The result revealed wide variability for yield and yield determining traits for the tested genotypes which will help in the improvement of lentil genotypes for the area

Practices in the Teaching of Listening in Grade 9 EFL Classrooms of Mote Secondary School

This study was designed to examine the practices in the teaching of listening in Grade 9 EFL classrooms of Mote Secondary School. The study employed a descriptive survey design to attain the objective. The research used 108 Grade 9 students and 6 English language teachers who were teaching English as subjects of the study. To gather proper data for the study, questionnaire (both for students and teachers) and classroom observations were used. The data collected through questionnaire and classroom observations were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The findings of the study indicated that the teaching of listening in EFL classrooms (and that of English language teaching in general) is at a critical risk since teachers do not use the pre-listening, the while-listening and the post-listening activities to promote and facilitate the development of listening comprehension and because they never adapt or adopt activities which help students learn the skill effectively. Hence, the study recommended that an intensive training on classroom teaching and on the teaching materials which are currently in use are required for EFL teachers

Environmental and financial benefits of improved cookstove technologies in the Central Highlands of Ethiopia

The authors are grateful to the participating households in stove performance test and end-users’ stove satisfaction survey without whose assistance the accomplishment of the research undertaking could have been possible. We would like to give our deep gratitude to the African Union Commission (AUC) for funding the installation of biogas digesters and mirt stoves in Kumbursa Village as part of Afriflame project under the adaptation of small-scale biogas digesters for use in rural households in Sub-Saharan Africa. The assistance from Green Heat- Uganda in installing biogas digesters in Kumbursa Village is appreciated. Finally, we are thankful to the staff of Debrezeit Agricultural Research Center for analyzing the nutrient contents of dung cake, crop residues and bioslurry samples.Peer reviewedPostprin

Distinct Clades of Protein Phosphatase 2A Regulatory B’/B56 Subunits Engage in Different Physiological Processes

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a strongly conserved and major protein phosphatase in all eukaryotes. The canonical PP2A complex consists of a catalytic (C), scaffolding (A), and regulatory (B) subunit. Plants have three groups of evolutionary distinct B subunits: B55, B’ (B56), and B’’. Here, the Arabidopsis B’ group is reviewed and compared with other eukaryotes. Members of the B’α/B’β clade are especially important for chromatid cohesion, and dephosphorylation of transcription factors that mediate brassinosteroid (BR) signaling in the nucleus. Other B’ subunits interact with proteins at the cell membrane to dampen BR signaling or harness immune responses. The transition from vegetative to reproductive phase is influenced differentially by distinct B’ subunits; B’α and B’β being of little importance, whereas others (B’γ, B’ζ, B’η, B’θ, B’κ) promote transition to flowering. Interestingly, the latter B’ subunits have three motifs in a conserved manner, i.e., two docking sites for protein phosphatase 1 (PP1), and a POLO consensus phosphorylation site between these motifs. This supports the view that a conserved PP1-PP2A dephosphorelay is important in a variety of signaling contexts throughout eukaryotes. A profound understanding of these regulators may help in designing future crops and understand environmental issues.publishedVersio

AWARENESS OF OBSTETRIC DANGER SIGNS AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN WHO ATTEND ANTENATAL CARE IN PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTIONS OF ADAMA CITY, OROMIA, ETHIOPIA

Improving awareness of women about obstetric danger signs of pregnancy, labor, and postpartum period is the crucial first step in accepting appropriate and timely health care service. In Ethiopia, where pregnancy related complications and maternal death is high, little is known about level of awareness of obstetric danger signs. The aim of this study was to assess Awareness of Obstetric Danger Signs and Associated Factors among Pregnant Women who attend Ante-natal care in Public Health Institutions of Adama City, Oromia, Ethiopia, 2018.Institutional based cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2017 to April 2018 and a total of 381 pregnant women were selected using Systematic random sampling technique. Interviewer administered structured Questionnaire was used to collect data. Data were cleaned and analyzed using EPI-INFO version 7 and SPSS window version 20. Bivariate and multi variable Logistic regression was used to assess association between awareness of obstetric danger signs and various independent variables.A total of 381 pregnant women were participated with 100% response rate. Of all participants about 44.4% knew seven and above obstetric danger signs of pregnancy, labor, and postpartum period. Out of the 381 participants 261 (68.5%), 240 (63%) and 164 (43%) knew at least two danger signs during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum period, respectively. Vaginal bleeding was the most commonly mentioned danger signs of pregnancy (59.8%), labor (66.1%) and postpartum (60.4%). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, maternal and husband educational status, residence, and sources of obstetric danger signs related information were significantly associated with awareness of obstetric danger signs. Awareness of women about obstetric danger signs of pregnancy, labor, and postpartum period was low and affected by Partner & maternal educational status, sources of obstetric danger signs related information, and residence. Therefore, it needs to raise women’s awareness of danger signs and associated factors through maternal and child health service by designing appropriate strategies including provision of targeted information, education, and communication

Antibiotic use in two hospitals in West Wollega, Ethiopia

In the last decades, there has been an escalating consumption of antibiotics with the number of antibiotic prescriptions increasing worldwide. Overuse or inappropriate use of antibiotics has resulted in a major increase in the development of multi-drug resistant pathogens. Antimicrobial resistance is one of the world’s most serious public health problems with great implication in terms of morbidity, mortality, and costs. To date, there has been no formal antibiotic use study conducted in the West Wollega zone of Ethiopia to assess antibiotic utilization. The objective of this study was to determine the pattern of antibiotic use in two hospitals in the West Wollega zone of Ethiopia, namely Gimbie Adventist Hospital and Nedjo Hospitals, using drug utilization metrics and the costs associated. In addition it was to assess the correlation between diagnosed infectious diseases and antibiotic prescriptions. This study was a cross-sectional, retrospective, descriptive review of antibiotic usage in the two hospitals in the year 2007. Prescriptions dispensed in the first month of each quarter of 2007 were reviewed. The number of prescriptions screened, antibiotic courses started, antibiotic days by specific agent and overall, the cost of individual and all antibiotics, the number and type of infectious diseases diagnosed were collected from which core drug use indicators were calculated. The correlation between infectious disease diagnosed and the antibiotic days prescribed were analyzed. A total of 18568 antibiotic and non-antibiotic prescriptions were reviewed retrospectively in the four months of the study period, 47 percent of which contained at least one antibiotic. The average number of antibiotics per prescription was 1.33 and 1.09 whilst the percentage of injectable antibiotics prescribed was 83.2 percent and 3.76 percent to outpatients and inpatients respectively. Antibiotics prescribed from the Essential Drug List (EDL) and List of Drugs for District Hospital (LDDH) were 63.0 percent, 74.8 percent, and 90.8 percent and 76.1 percent for outpatients and inpatients respectively. 98.6 percent of outpatient and 97.0 percent inpatient prescribed antibiotics were actually dispensed. Penicillins and quinolones were the most prescribed antibiotics in both inpatient and outpatient departments constituting 43.46 percent and 24.08 percent respectively. The antibiotic utilization ratio, incidence of outpatient antibiotic use, incidence of inpatient antibiotic use, the number of Defined Daily Doses (DDD)/1000inhabitants/year and DDD/100 Occupied Bed Days (OBD) for the zone was 0.16, 17.25, 23.56, 158.61, and 70 respectively. Antibiotic cost constituted 33.7 percent of all expenditure on drug, cost of antibiotic per patient care day and cost per antibiotic day was 3.84 Ethiopian Birr (ETB) ($0.40) and 6.29 ETB ($0.66) respectively. The correlation between infectious diseases diagnosed and antibiotic prescription shows significant variation. At outpatient departments alone an average number of antibiotic courses started was 2.7 at Gimbie Adventist Hospital and 7.6 for Nedjo Hospital. When overall antibiotic days prescribed and required was compared in both hospitals, there were 2.4 and 5 times more antibiotic days prescribed than were required for Gimbie and Nedjo Hospitals respectively. This suggests that the overuse of antibiotic is worse in the government hospital (Nedjo Hospital) than in the mission hospital (Gimbie Adventist Hospital). This study suggested that there was overuse of antibiotics in the West Wollega hospitals although further investigation is needed to identify its underlying causes and nature. It is recommended that the health personnel, the hospital management, the zonal and regional Health Bureau, the regulatory bodies and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) work hand-in-hand to promote the rational use of antibiotics in this region so that the consequences and financial cost of antimicrobial resistance can be prevented