Surface Sterilization Protocol for Nodal Cultures of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

The process of surface sterilizing plant materials is a difficult step in constructing a plant tissue culture technique. Nodal explants from potted plants of Solanum tuberosum L. grown in the screenhouse were given various surface sterilization procedures before being introduced into sterile Murashige and Skoog (MS) culture. A total of 16 treatments were performed with varied periods of immersion in two sterilant successions: 70% (v/v) ethanol (20 s, 1 min, 3 min, and 5 min) and 10% (w/v) calcium hypochlorite (Ca(ClO)2) granules (5, 10, 15, and 20 min) at varying times, followed by three sterile distilled water rinses. After 4 weeks in culture, 70 % ethanol (20 s)+10 % Ca(ClO)2 (15 min) and 70 % ethanol (3 min)+10 % Ca(ClO)2 (20 min) treatments yielded 100 % clean culture. 70 % ethanol (20 seconds) Plus 10% calcium (ClO) 2 (15 min) is recommended as the optimum surface sterilizing protocol since it produced 90% growth compared to 60% growth in 70% ethanol (3 min) + 10% Ca(ClO)2 (20 min). This is a preliminary study, and more research is needed to develop an efficient, successful, and repeatable methodology for surface sterilization of various explants utilized for tissue culture of S. biafrae acquired from the open field. Keywords: calcium hypochlorite (Ca(ClO)2, Murashige & Skoog, nodal explant, Solanum tuberosum L., surface sterilization. DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/12-13-01 Publication date:July 31st 202

Development of Resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Toxin by Insect Pests

Insect pests are the primary scourge of agriculture down the ages. It is estimated that 14% of crop productivity is misplaced to insect pests on a global scale. To decrease reliance on insecticide sprays, scientists have genetically engineered plants to make insecticidal proteins encoded through genes from the common bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Currently, due to their importance, more than 70 kinds of Cry genes are described (cry1 up to cry70). These endotoxins have been categorized as Cry1–Cry69 and Cyt1–Cyt3 and specific subgroups relying on their amino acid sequence. Of these, some Bt genes such as cry1Ab, cry1Ac, cry2Ab, and cry9C are already being commercially used in GMP. The crystalline proteins get solubilized in midgut at high pH, releasing d-endotoxin proteins. The exquisite capability of insects to adapt to Bt-toxin and different manage systems helps the conclusion that evolution of resistance by means of pests is the important hazard to the persevered success of transgenic Bt crop. This paper ambitions to overview the resistance improvement of insect pests towards Bt toxin.  Insect populations regularly have herbal genetic variant affecting response to a toxin, with some alleles conferring susceptibility and others conferring resistance. Many laboratory and field researches showed, resistance improvement of insects in opposition to Bt toxin. Field-evolved resistance happens when exposure of a discipline populace to a toxin increases the frequency of alleles conferring resistance in subsequent generations. The chance insect resistance poses to the future use of Bt plant-incorporated protectants haveled into emergence of insect resistance management concept. IRM is of received with the aid of actions taken to prolong the improvement of insect resistance to pest control measures in goal pest populations or by way of practices aimed at decreasing the achievable for insect pests to grow to be resistant to a gene. The danger insect resistance poses to the future use of Bt plant-incorporated protectants have led into emergence of insect resistance management concept. Keywords:Bt-crops, Resistance development, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), Resistance management DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/14-1-04 Publication date: January 31st 202

Beyond Exception and Supremacy: Adwa in the Black Radical Imaginary

Stories of Adwa have anchored multiple forms of exceptionalism that underpin some Ethiopians’ sense of superiority over others of African descent. This narrative mode goes hand-in-hand with certain toxic, solidarity destroying tendencies of some diasporic Ethiopians. Following the methodology of Tizita, innovated in Centime Elleni Zeleke’s Ethiopia in Theory, I analyse two such tendencies, social distancing and victim-blaming, in some depth. These forms of enacted exceptionalism weaken social movements like Black Lives Matter. This article offers a way out by thinking of Adwa as part of the black radical imaginary, a concept I develop drawing on the thinking of Cedric Robinson and Robin DG Kelley, and recent work by political theorists Paula Diehl and Craig Browne. The Battle of Adwa was one episode in a centuries-long process of resistance to racial capitalist patriarchy, a world system that still persists in many ways. Adwa must also be re-narrated if it is to be a viable source of solidarity among Ethiopians and within Ethiopia. Re-narrating Adwa with an eye toward non-Amhara and non-Tigre, and toward the anonymous, contributors to collective self-defense, is one way to tell a story geared toward an egalitarian politics focused on redressing historic wrongs. Gigi comes close to such a reading in her song Adwa

Surface Sterilization Protocol for Nodal Cultures of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

The process of surface sterilizing plant materials is a difficult step in constructing a plant tissue culture technique. Nodal explants from potted plants of Solanum tuberosum L. grown in the screenhouse were given various surface sterilization procedures before being introduced into sterile Murashige and Skoog (MS) culture. A total of 16 treatments were performed with varied periods of immersion in two sterilant successions: 70% (v/v) ethanol (20 s, 1 min, 3 min, and 5 min) and 10% (w/v) calcium hypochlorite (Ca(ClO)2) granules (5, 10, 15, and 20 min) at varying times, followed by three sterile distilled water rinses. After 4 weeks in culture, 70 % ethanol (20 s)+10 % Ca(ClO)2 (15 min) and 70 % ethanol (3 min)+10 % Ca(ClO)2 (20 min) treatments yielded 100 % clean culture. 70 % ethanol (20 seconds) Plus 10% calcium (ClO) 2 (15 min) is recommended as the optimum surface sterilizing protocol since it produced 90% growth compared to 60% growth in 70% ethanol (3 min) + 10% Ca(ClO)2 (20 min). This is a preliminary study, and more research is needed to develop an efficient, successful, and repeatable methodology for surface sterilization of various explants utilized for tissue culture of S. biafrae acquired from the open field. Keywords: calcium hypochlorite (Ca(ClO)2, Murashige & Skoog, nodal explant, Solanum tuberosum L., surface sterilization. DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/11-13-03 Publication date:July 31st 202

The Effective of Task Based Instruction in Improving Learners’ Speaking Skills: The Case of Micha Preparatory School

The main objective of this study is to investigate whether TBI had an effect on the speaking performance of EFL students of grade eleven at Micha Preparatory School. To achieve this, quasi–experimental research design and mixed research method were employed. From the total population of twelve section of grade 11 students, two sections with a total of 84 students were selected randomly as control and experimental group respectively. To investigate students’ perceptions towards TBI, questionnaire and interview were used with the experimental group. The collected data were statically analyzed by employing SPSS version 20, T-test, P value, Tables and Percentages for the respondents’ trends analyzed. The data were analyzed using both quantitative and qualitative procedures. The analysis of the students’ pre-oral tests showed no significant difference in the overall speaking performance between the experimental and control group students.  However, in the post –oral test there was a significant difference between these groups in features of speaking. The results of the questionnaire and interview revealed that the experimental students had positive attitude towards the practice of speaking skill by using TBI. Based on the findings, it was suggested that TBI should be used primarily to encourage students to make their speech accurate and fluent learning speaking. DOI: 10.7176/JEP/10-34-02 Publication date: December 31st 201

Dust Exposure Associations with Lung Function among Ethiopian Steel Workers

Background: Booming industrial development in Ethiopia, including a growing steel industry, may result in increased prevalence of pulmonary conditions. In this study, we evaluated steel workers’ exposure to dust as well as its potential impact on lung function. Methods: Cross-sectional study of 75 steel workers in Ethiopia, interviewed from April to June 2015. We obtained information on respiratory symptoms and personal protective equipment use via interview and conducted spirometry testing to assess lung function. Dust samples were collected from different factory sections. Correlation analyses were used to assess associations between variables. Results: Maximum dust levels were recorded in the induction furnace, where both galvanized and non-galvanized metals are melted. Steel factory workers with higher levels of particulate matter exposure had increased rate of respiratory symptoms (r = 0.96). Forced vital capacity values showed a strong negative correlation with numbers of years at work (r = –0.86, p = 0.03) and responders age (–0.85, p = 0.49) and weak negative correlation with level of particular matter (PM) (r = –0.02, p = 0.07). Similarly, forced expiratory volume in 1 second was strongly negatively correlated with the number of years of exposure (r = –0.82, p = 0.05) and workers age (r = –0.85, p = 0.08) and weakly negatively correlated with PM level (r = 0.25, p = 0.67). Conclusions: Occupational exposure continues to be a major problem among steel factory workers in Ethiopia and is associated with lung function abnormalities. Ensuring the availability of proper personal protective equipment, regular factory inspections, and training may help mitigate the impact of occupational exposures among these workers

Cost effectiveness of community-based and in-patient therapeutic feeding programs to treat severe acute malnutrition in Ethiopia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This study estimated the cost effectiveness of community-based therapeutic care (CTC) for children with severe acute malnutrition (SAM) in Sidama Zone, Ethiopia compared to facility based therapeutic feeding center (TFC).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cost effectiveness analysis comparing costs and outcomes of two treatment programmes was conducted. The societal perspective, which considers costs to all sectors of the society, was employed. Outcomes and health service costs of CTC and TFC were obtained from Save the Children USA (SC/USA) CTC and TFC programme, government health services and UNICEF(in kind supplies) cost estimates of unit costs. Parental costs were estimated through interviewing 306 caretakers. Cost categories were compared and a single cost effectiveness ratio of costs to treat a child with SAM in each program (regardless of outcome) was computed and compared.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 328 patient cards/records of children treated in the programs were reviewed; out of which 306 (157 CTC and 149 TFC) were traced back to their households to interview their caretakers. The cure rate in TFC was 95.36% compared to 94.30% in CTC. The death rate in TFC was 0% and in CTC 1.2%. The mean cost per child treated was $284.56 in TFC and$134.88 in CTC. The institutional cost per child treated was $262.62 in TFC and$128.58 in CTC. Out of these institutional costs in TFC 46.6% was personnel cost. In contrast, majority (43.2%) of the institutional costs in CTC went to ready to use therapeutic food (RUTF). The opportunity cost per caretaker in the TFC was $21.01 whereas it was$5.87 in CTC. The result of this study shows that community based CTC was two times more cost effective than TFC.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>CTC was found to be relatively more cost effective than TFC in this setting. This indicates that CTC is a viable approach on just economic grounds in addition to other benefits such improved access, sustainability and appropriateness documented elsewhere. If costs of RUTF can be reduced such as through local production the CTC costs per child can be further reduced as RUTF constitutes the highest cost in these study settings.</p

Genotype by Environment Interaction and Grain Yield Stability Analysis for Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn) Genotypes from Western Oromia

Crop yield is a complex trait influenced by a number of component characters along with the environment directly or indirectly. Genotype performance&nbsp; depends on its genetic potential and the environment where it is grown. Genotypes by environment (GxE) interactions are generally considered to be&nbsp; among the major factors limiting response to selection and the efficiency of breeding programs. Ten advanced finger millet genotypes and one standard&nbsp; check were evaluated at Bako and Gute research center for three years (2013-2015) and at Bilo Boshe for one year (2014) with objectives of identifying&nbsp; high yielding and stable genotypes. Analysis using additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) model revealed highly significant (P≤0.01)&nbsp; variations among environments, genotype and GxE interaction. This implied that the tested genotypes respond differently over environments as the test&nbsp; environments are highly variable. Only the first IPCA-I was significant (p ≤0.01) and contributed 41.57% of the total genotype by environment interaction.&nbsp; It is found that genotypes 214995 and BKFM0063 are high yielding and IPCA value closer to zero, an indicator of stable yield performance across years&nbsp; and location. Analysis using Eberhart and Russell regression model showed that genotypes 214995, BKFM0063 and BKFM0052 were the most stable&nbsp; candidates with better grain yield of 2.99, 2.70 and 2.53 ton ha-1, regression coefficients of 0.9879, 1.22 and 0.9459 and reasonably acceptable deviation&nbsp; from regression 0.0321, -0.01135 and 0.0607, respectively, further confirming that these genotypes are stable and widely adaptable. Genotype and&nbsp; genotype by environment interaction biplot (GGE) also portrayed the stability of Acc. 214995. Overall, the AMMI, Regression and GGE Biplot revealed&nbsp; similar results and both 214995 and BKFM0063 genotypes were proposed for possible release. Finally, 214995 was released and recommended for the&nbsp; test environments and similar agro-ecologies of western Ethiopia based on farmers preferences, stable yield performance and disease tolerance across&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; locations