Prevalence of Hepatitis B Virus among VCT and PICT Clients in St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Background: -Hepatitis B virus is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections. Although HBV and HIV have the similar route of transmission, screening services for HBV are not common in most of the voluntary counseling and testing centers (VCT). Therefore, more information is required on prevalence of HBV in VCT and PICTcenters, and the rate of co-infection of HBV and HIV.METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from November 2011 to February 2012 in St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College. 292 consecutive samples were collected using convenient sampling method from PICT and VCT clients. Data on socio-demographic characteristics and sexual behaviors were collected using a questionnaire. Blood specimen was tested for the presence of Hepatitis B surface antigen and the data was analyzed using version16 SPSS software.Results: The prevalence of HBV was 14.7%.  Hepatitis B Virus prevalence among HIV positive clients was 25% while among HIV negative was 14.3%. Sex which is demographic data is statisticallysignificant (p=0.02).Conclusion: The prevalence of HBVis 14.7% and one fourth of the HIV positive attendants seen in the PICT and VCT centers have HBV and HIV Co-infections. Keywords: Co-infection, HIV, HBV, VCT, PICT, ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPI

Determinant of Employees’ Motivation in the Hotel Industry

The main objective of this research was to identify the significant motivational factors affecting frontline employees who are currently working in the three and above star hotels in Mekelle city, Mekelle, Ethiopia. Descriptive study design was used to analyze the data collected through questionnaire from a sample of 157 front-line employees. The survey questionnaires was distributed to  the randomly selected frontline employees to evaluate the priory predetermined motivational factors from different theories on a 5-point scale indicating the level of importance associated with each factor.  The obtained data was processed through STATA version 11.0 software applications and was analyzed via weighted mean score, frequency, standard deviation, percentage, histogram and charts. The research findings indicate that (1) service (2) autonomy (3) organizational policy (4) supervision and (5) growth are the top five motivational factors among frontline employees in the hotel industry. Based on the findings of the study, the researcher recommended that hoteliers need focus on the identified significant motivational factors so as to satisfy customer’s needs and should also consider the differences on  demographic factors to deliver tailored motivational factors to their frontline employees accordingly

Interrelationship and Path Analysis of Yield Components in Tef [Eragrostis tef) Zucc. Trotter] Genotypes at Axum Northern Ethiopia

Understanding the nature of correlations among characters facilitates selection. The present study was undertaken to assess the nature of association of agronomic traits in 37 tef recombinant inbred lines. The experiment was conducted in 2014 main cropping season at Axum Agricultural Research Center using randomized complete block design with three replications. Correlation and path coefficient analyses were conducted for thirteen traits at genotypic and phenotypic levels. The result reviled that grain yield production rate per day (0.94, 0.934) followed by biomass yield kg ha-1 (0.831, 0.865) at both phenotypic and genotypic level respectively was computed highest positive and significant correlation with grain yield kg ha-1. Twelve traits also considered in the path analysis. Base on its highest positive significant correlation, grain yield production rate per day exerted high positive genotypic direct effect (0.845) followed by biomass yield (0.342) on grain yield, respectively. This indicated that attention should be given for these traits in selection as these traits are helpful for direct selection. Highest unfavorable genotypic indirect effect was exerted on grain yield by Grain yield production rate per day through days to maturity. The overall study showed that grain yield production rate per day (0.845) and biomass yield (0.342) can be used as morphological markers for grain yield. Keywords: Correlation, Path coefficient and Tef

Adaptation of Tef {Eragrostistef(Zucc) Trotter} Varieties for Early Maturing Types in Tigray

Tef is the most important and wider adaptable cereal crop in Ethiopia. The most limiting tef productions are low yielding cultivars, biotic such as pest and diseases and abiotic such as drought, fertility depletion and inappropriate agronomic practice and difficulty nature of tef for mechanization. The objective of the study was to evaluate the adaptability of early maturing tef varieties. Tef varieties were evaluated for their earliness and adaptability at three locations and over two years. The trial included 8 varieties and one local check with the design of RCBD in three replications. The analysis of variance showed that there was significant difference (P<-0.001) between genotypes and locations for the days to heading, days to maturity, plant height, panicle length, grain yield and (P<-0.05) for biomass yield. However, it does not provide evidence for interaction between the varieties and locations on all traits except for days to maturity. Simada was early maturing and well performing, following Boset. Therefore, cultivation of both varieties enhances the production of tef in the study areas and similar agro-ecologies. Allocation of varieties to their niche might increase the productivity of tef. In general, evaluation tef varieties in the right place and development of target variety for earliness and yield performance increase production in the region as well as the nation. Further work needed breeding to develop drought tolerant and higher yielding

Effect of tillage frequency, seed rate, and glyphosate application on teff and weeds in Tigray, Ethiopia

Field experiments were conducted in 2015 and 2016 to study the effect of tillage frequency, seed rate, and glyphosate on teff and weeds. The experiments were arranged in a split plot design with three replications consisting of tillage frequency (conventional, minimum, and zero tillage) as the main plot and the combination of seed rate (5, 15, and 25 kg ha−1) and glyphosate (with and without) as subplots. Results showed that zero tillage reduced teff biomass yield by 15% compared to minimum tillage and by 26% compared to conventional tillage. Zero tillage and minimum tillage also diminished grain yield by 21% and 13%, respectively, compared to conventional tillage. Lowering the seed rate to 5 kg ha−1 reduced biomass yield by 22% and 26% compared to 15 and 25 kg ha−1, respectively. It also reduced the grain yield by around 21% compared to 15 and 25 kg ha−1 seed rates. Conventional tillage significantly diminished weed density, dry weight, and cover by 19%, 29%, and 33%, respectively, compared to zero tillage. The highest seed rate significantly reduced total weed density, dry weight, and cover by 18%, 19%, and 15%, respectively, compared to the lowest seed rate. Glyphosate did not affect weed density but reduced weed dry weight by 14% and cover by 15%. Generally, sowing teff using minimum tillage combined with glyphosate application and seed rate of 15 kg ha−1 enhanced its productivity and minimized weed effects.publishedVersio

Identifying determinants, pressures and trade-offs of crop residue use in mixed smallholder farms in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia

<p>Crop residues (CR) have become a limited resource in mixed crop-livestock farms. As a result of the increasing demand and low availability of alternative resources, CR became an essential resource for household activities, especially for livestock keeping; a major livelihood element of smallholder farmers in the developing world. Farmers' decisions on CR use are determined by farmers' preferences, total crop production, availability of alternative resources and demand for CR. Interaction of these determinants can result in pressures and trade-offs of CR use. Determinants, pressures and trade-offs are shaped by the specific socio-economic and agro-ecological context of these mixed farms. The objective of this paper is to provide a comparative analysis of the determinants of CR use and to examine some options to cope with pressures and trade-offs in 12 study sites across Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Drawing on socio-economic data at household and village level, we describe how cereal intensification and livestock feed demand influence use, pressures and trade-offs of CR use across study sites, specifically cereal residue. Our results show that in low cereal production and livestock feed demand sites, despite a low demand for CR and availability of alternative biomass, pressures and trade-offs of CR use are common particularly in the dry season. In sites with moderate cereal production, and low-moderate and moderate livestock feed demand, alternative biomass resources are scarce and most residues are fed to livestock or used to cover household needs. Subsequently, pressures and potential trade-offs are stronger. In sites with low cereal production and high livestock feed demand, pressures and trade-offs depend on the availability of better feed resources. Finally, sites with high cereal production and high livestock feed demand have been able to fulfil most of the demand for CR, limiting pressures and trade-offs. These patterns show that agricultural intensification, better management of communal resources and off-farm activities are plausible development pathways to overcome pressures and trade-offs of CR use. Although technologies can largely improve these trends, research and development should revisit past initiatives so as to develop innovative approaches to tackle the well-known problem of low agricultural production in many smallholder mixed systems, creating more sustainable futures.</p

HIV prevalence and risk factors in infants born to HIV positive mothers, measured by dried blood spot real-time PCR assay in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia

Tigray Regional Health Bureau and Mekelle University funding for this research. The funding body did not have any role in study design, data collection, analysis, and interpretation of data or in writing the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Integrated weed management in Teff - case of Tigray, Ethiopia

Teff (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) is among the small-grained cereal crops dominantly grown in Ethiopia for its grain and straw. It belongs to the family Poaceae. It is a self-pollinated, annual, warm season C4 grass, adapted to wide agroecological settings with best growth performance in the mid altitudinal ranges, 1500-2300 meters above sea level. As staple crop to more than half of Ethiopian population and highlanders in Eritrea, its demand increases domestically and globally as healthy food from time to time and its production area and volume are on the rise from year to year. However, weeds are the bottleneck during production incurring the farmers’ high labour cost and resulting in low productivity of the crop. A number of weed species affect the crop and cause yield loss. The objective of this study was twofold, (i) to provide knowledge about the dominant weeds in teff production, (ii) to develop integrated weed management strategy for teff that enhance and sustain its productivity while reducing its production costs. To achieve this objective, a field survey and field experiments were conducted in 2015 and 2016 in teff growing areas of Tigray, Ethiopia. All the field experiments were arranged in split plot design with three blocks replicated at locations Axum and Mekelle. Laboratory experiments were conducted at Campus Ås (NMBU/NIBIO). The survey was conducted to determine the weed species composition, importance and their agroecological distribution. Weed species composition was studied in 128 randomly sampled teff fields of the 26 major teff growing weredas (districts) of Tigray. The fields were situated at three altitudes: lowland (2500 m a.s.l.). Samples were collected at an average interval of 3–5 km in an inverted W zigzag fashion. Spatial extension of weed density levels were mapped and interpolated for the most frequent weed species to figure out their importance in all the major teff growing areas of Tigray using ARCGIS. From all the major teff growing weredas of Tigray surveyed, 42 weed species were identified. Altitude played a decisive role on number of weed species. The highest average number was from highland (17 species/sample) followed by midland (13.4 species/sample) and lowland (8.2 species/sample). The dominating weed species were Argomene mexicana, Plantago lanceolate, Cyperus esculentus, Erucastrum abyssinicum, Avena abyssinica and Galinsoga parviflora. Of the twelve most frequent weed species, four were perennials and eight were annuals. The weed species with wide spatial extension of higher density levels in most of the major teff growing weredas were Erucatrum abyssinicum, Plantago lanceolate and cyperus esculentus. One of the field experiments was conducted to clarify the effects of tillage frequency by ard ploughing, glyphosate application prior to sowing teff and seed rate. In this experiment, the most intensive soil cultivation, compared with the least intensive, increased grain yield by 26%, the use of glyphosate gave 10% higher grain yield and the two highest seed rates, compared with the lowest, increased grain yield by 26%. The following reductions of total weed biomass was found; the most intensive soil tillage, compared with no ard ploughing, gave a 29% reduction, the highest seed rate compared to the lowest, 20% reduction and glyphosate spraying a 13% reduction. Sowing teff immediately after one ard ploughing (minimum tillage), at a seed rate of 15 kg/ha and application of glyphosate significantly reduced weed density, dry weight and cover while enhancing teff vegetative and reproductive performance. Frequent tillage and use of the recommended seed rate (25 kg/ha) had almost similar results. In another field experiment, data related to teff vegetative and reproductive performance, weed density, biomass, and cover, and time required for hand weeding were collected for 10 teff varieties. The different teff varieties showed variation in their phenology (50% emergence, flowering, and maturity), height, tillering and yield. Between many of the varieties, there were no or minor differences in earliness of emergence, but the varieties ‘Boset' and 'DZ-01-1681' showed, in both sites and years, fewer days to 50% emergence than 'DZ-01-354' and 'DZ CR-358'. The two varieties with earlies emergence were also the two varieties with the lowest plant height. Furthermore, the two varieties with the latest emergence time, 'DZ-01-354' and 'DZ-Cr-358', were also the two varieties with the highest number of tillers. There were significant differences of weed growth in the different varieties, for example, there were 55% less total weed biomass in the two most competitive varieties ('DZ-01-2675' and 'Kora') compared to the two less competitive varieties ('DZ-01-354' and 'DZ-CR-358'). Grain yield of the different varieties varied considerably between locations and years, and often non-significant differences occurred. 'DZ-Cr-387' and 'Local' were the highest yielding varieties while the two varieties with the highest weed infestations ('DZ-01-354' and 'DZ-CR-358') yielded significantly lower than many of the other varieties in 2015. The hypothesis that teff varieties that yield high without weed competition yield low when exposed to weeds due to lack of competitiveness (trade-off) was partially rejected because the variety 'DZ-01-387' on average yielded highest both with and without hand weeding. On the other hand, differences in grain yield with and without weeds ranged from 271 kg ha-1 ('Kora') to 472 kg ha-1 ('DZ-01-354'). The laboratory experiment was done to determine the potential allelopathic activity (PAA) of teff varieties studied in the field experiment. It was measured as the effect of the varieties on root growth of both dicot and monocot weeds. Ryegrass (Lolium perenne cv. Mondiale; cv=cultivar) and radish (Raphanus sativus cv. Cherry Belle) were used as model monocot and dicot weeds respectively for the laboratory (bioassay) experiment. The laboratory experiment showed that all the teff varieties had potential allelopathic activity and inhibited early root growth and development of both monocot and dicot model-weeds. In particular, the local variety ('Local') but also other varieties such as 'Boset' and 'DZ-01-2675' were among those with the highest allelopathic potential. In the study of what traits that explain the difference in competitiveness between varieties, it was the three traits allelopathic potential, time of emergence and biomass production, best explained the differences between the varieties, though height growth and tillering had also visible contribution. Weed suppressive ability of teff was compared with the most commonly used cover crops in Tigray. Teff suppressed weeds and significantly lowered weed density, biomass and cover, compared to field pea and Vicia sp. Such an effect was consistently observed in unweeding plots. However, changing sowing method from broadcasting to row sowing and vice versa did not significantly change teff weed suppressive ability. Both globally and in Ethiopia, it is important to develop cropping practice that reduce the need for intensive soil cultivation and voracious use of pesticides. In this study, it was clearly demonstrated that less intensive soil tillage resulted in higher weed infestation and greater need for manual weed control later in the growing season. Spraying with glyphosate before sowing of teff reduced weed growth but not to the same extent as the most intensive soil tillage. However, the study showed that the competitiveness of teff can significantly be improved through the use of competitive varieties and high seed rates. We conclude that both variety selection and higher seed rates are important tools for integrated weed management and reduce the need for intensive soil cultivation.Teff (Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter) er en småfrøet kornart som hovedsakelig blir dyrket i Etiopia. Både kornavlingen men også halmavlingen er viktig. Teff er en ettårig, selv-pollinert, C4-plante som tilhører grasfamilien (Poaceae). Den trives best under relativt varme forhold og det meste av produksjonen i Etiopia foregår i områder som ligger 1500-2300 meter over havet. Teff utgjør en viktig og avgjørende del av kostholdet til mer enn halvparten av befolkningen i Etiopia og i høyereliggende områder av Eritrea. Etterspørselen øker både innenlands og globalt, ikke minst fordi teff i kostholdet blir betraktet som helsemessig gunstig, blant annet fordi den er uten gluten. Dette har forårsaket at både produksjonsareal og -volum øker fra år til år. En av de store flaskehalsene i produksjonen er ugras, både fordi ugraset konkurrer og dermed reduserer avlingene men også fordi det forårsaker mye arbeidskrevende manuell bekjempelse. Dette gir følgelig bøndene høye arbeidskraftkostnader og lav produktivitet. Målsetningen med dette PhD-studiet har vært to-delt, (i) å fremskaffe kunnskap om hvilke ugrasarter som er dominerende i teff-produksjonen og (ii) å finne metoder for integrert ugrasbekjempelse i teff slik at en kan heve bærekraftig produktivitet og redusere produksjonskostnadene. For å nå disse målsetningene har det blitt gjennomført både kartleggingsstudier og feltforsøk i områder hvor teff dyrkes i Tigray, Etiopia i 2015 og 2016. Alle feltforsøkene ble lagt opp som split-plot forsøk med tre blokker lokalisert til Axum og Mekelle. Laboratorieforsøkene ble utført på Campus Ås (NMBU/NIBIO). For å fremskaffe kunnskap om hvilke ugrasarter som er vanlig å finne i teff ble det gjennomført en kartlegging av sammensetning og utbredelse av ugrasarter i teff i ulike høydesoner i Tigray. Dette ble utført på til sammen 128 tilfeldig prøveruter fordelt på 26 av de viktigste distriktene for teff-produksjon. Prøverutene ble fordelt innenfor tre høydesoner: (1) 2500 moh. Prøverutene ble lagt med intervall på ca. 3-5 km i et ‘sikksakk’ mønster. Utbredelse og tetthet for de ulike ugrasartene ble registrert og framstilt på kart ved hjelp av dataprogrammet ARCGIS for ulike distriktene. På de undersøkte områdene ble 42 ugrasarter identifisert. Høydesone spilte en avgjørende rolle på antall ugrasarter. Høydesone > 2500 moh. hadde gjennomsnittlig 17 arter, etterfulgt av sone 2 med 13,4 arter og sone 1< 1500 moh. hadde 8,2 arter. De mest dominerende ugrasartene var Argomene mexicana, Plantago lanceolata, Cyperus esculentus, Erucastrum abyssinicum, Avena abyssinica og Galinsoga parviflora. Av de tolv vanligste ugrasartene var fire flerårige og åtte ettårige. Ugrasartene med stor romlig utbredelse og høy tetthet var Erucatrum abyssinicum, Plantago lanceolata og Cyperus esculentus. Ett av feltforsøkene ble utført for å se på effekten av jordarbeidingsfrekvensen med ard plog, sprøyting med glyfosat før såing og såfrømengde av teff. I dette forsøket ga den mest intensive jordarbeidinga, sammenlignet med minst intensive, økt kornutbytte med 26 %. Sprøyting med glyfosat ga 10 % høyere kornutbytte og de to høyeste såfrømengdene sammenlignet med den laveste økte kornutbyttet med 26 %. Følgende reduksjoner av den totale ugrasbiomasse ble funnet; Den mest intensive jordbearbeidingen sammenlignet med ingen ard pløying, gav en reduksjon på 29 % av ugraset. Den høyeste såfrømengden sammenlignet med den laveste gav 20 % reduksjon, mens glyfosat sprøyting før såing gav en reduksjon på 13 % av ugraset. Såing av teff umiddelbart etter en ard pløying (minimum jordbearbeiding), en såfrømengde på 15 kg / ha og bruk av glyfosat før såing gav en signifikant reduksjon av ugrastetthet, tørrvekt og dekning, samtidig som det forbedret avlingen av teff både vegetativ vekst og frøproduksjon. Hyppig jordbearbeiding og bruk av anbefalt såfrømengde på 25 kg/ ha hadde nesten like gode resultater. I et annet feltforsøk ble 10 sorter av teff undersøkt med hensyn på vegetativ vekst og frøavling, samt tilhørende ugrastetthet, biomasse, dekning og tid som kreves for håndluking. De forskjellige teffsortene viste variasjon i deres fenologi (50% spiring, blomstring, modning), høyde, busking og avling. Mellom mange av sortene var det ingen eller mindre forskjeller i tidlighet av spiring, men sortene 'Boset' og 'DZ-01-1681' hadde for begge lokalitetene og forskjellig år, færre dager til 50% spiring enn 'DZ-01-354' og 'DZ CR-358'. De to sortene med tidligst spiring var også de to sortene med lavest plantehøyde. Videre var de to sortene som spirte seinest, 'DZ-01-354' og 'DZ-Cr-358', også de to sortene med høyest antall sideskudd. Det var signifikante forskjeller i ugrasvekst i de forskjellige sortene. For eksempel var det 55% mindre ugrasbiomasse i de to mest konkurransesterke sortene 'DZ-01-2675' og 'Kora' sammenlignet med de to mindre konkurransesterke sortene 'DZ-01-354' og 'DZ-CR-358'. Frøavlingen av de forskjellige sortene varierte betydelig mellom steder og år, men ofte var det ikke-signifikante forskjeller. Imidlertid var 'DZ-Cr-387' og 'Local' de med høyest avling, mens de to sortene med mest ugras var 'DZ-01-354' og 'DZ-CR-358' og gav signifikant lavere frøavling enn mange av de andre sortene i 2015. Hypotesen om at teffsortene som gir stor kornavling uten ugraskonkurranse gir liten avling når de blir utsatt for ugras på grunn av dårlig konkurranseevne ble delvis avvist da sorten 'DZ-01-387' i gjennomsnitt gav høyest kornavling både med og uten håndlukning. På den annen side varierte forskjeller i kornavling med og uten ugras fra 271 kg ha-1 for 'Kora' til 472 kg ha-1 for 'DZ-01-354'. Laboratorieforsøket ble utført for å bestemme potensiell allelopatisk aktivitet (PAA) fra teffsortene som ble brukt i feltforsøkene i Etiopia og effekter på rotutviklingen hos både tofrøbladete og enfrøbladete ugras. Raigras (Lolium perenne cv. Mondiale; cv = cultivar) en enfrøbladet art og reddik (Raphanus sativus cv. Cherry Belle) en tofrøbladet art ble brukt som modellugras. Laboratorieforsøket viste at alle de testede teffsortene hadde allelopatisk potensiale og at de hemmet tidlig rotvekst og utvikling hos både det ett- og to-frøbladet model-ugraset. Spesielt den lokale sorten ‘Local’ men også andre sorter som ‘Boset’ og ‘DZ-01-2675’ var blant de med høyest allelopatisk potensiale. I studien av hvilke egenskaper hos teffsorter som forklarer forskjell i konkurranseevne var det de tre egenskapene allelopatisk potensiale, oppspiringstidspunkt og biomasseproduksjon som best forklarte forskjeller mellom sortene, men høydevekst og buskingsevne bidro også. Som en del av doktorgradsstudiet ble det også utført forsøk hvor dyrking av teff ble sammenlignet med andre kulturvekster for forskjeller på ugrasfremveksten. Disse forsøkene inngår ikke i de fire manuskriptene men noen resultater er vist i avhandlingens innledning. Evnen til teff å hindre ugrasvekst ble sammenlignet med de mest brukte dekkvekstene i Tigray. Teff reduserte signifikant bedre ugras tetthet, biomasse og dekning, sammenlignet med field peas og Viccia ssp. En slik effekt ble systematisk observert i ruter som ikke ble luket. Endring av såmetoden, fra breisåing til radsåing, endret ikke teff sin konkurranseevne. Både globalt og i Etiopia er det viktig å finne dyrkingsmetoder som reduserer behovet for jordarbeiding samtidig som behovet for bruk av plantevernmidler minimeres. Ikke uventet så vi i dette studiet at mindre intensiv jordarbeiding også ga mer ugras og større behov for manuell ugrasbekjempelse senere i vekstsesongen. Sprøyting med glyfosat før såing av teff reduserte ugrasmengden men ikke i samme grad som den mest intensive jordarbeidingen. Studiet viser imidlertid at konkurranseevnen til teff kan forbedres betydelig gjennom bruk av konkurransesterke sorter og større såfrømengder. Vi konkluderer at både sortsvalg og såfrømengde er viktige verktøy både for integrert bekjempelse av ugras og for å redusere behovet for jordarbeiding