Enhancing cognitive learning in Veterinary Osteology through student participation in skeleton preparation project

Despite anatomy is considered the language of medicine, the 21st century veterinary curriculum has often shown to reduce the hours dedicated towards anatomy education and new teaching methods should be introduced. This study is focused at Veterinary anatomy education. The objective was to assess the importance of student participation in skeletal preparation. The hypothesis that the students would be more interested in the discipline if the teaching methodology used is based on creative and constructivist methods. Thirteen animal skeletons were prepared. At the end of the project students were asked to write a written report. The sample comprised 40 students. Respondents (n = 40) were asked to rate the extent that they agreed (-2 = strongly disagree; -1 = disagree; 0 = neutral; 1 = agree; and 2 = strongly agree. attitudes toward the laboratories and 90% of students had a positive attitude about the hands on practice attending laboratories. This increased their confidence and motivation. Also students’ grades were compared to other allied subjects; there was a positive correlation between osteology and other systems and between anatomy and histology, embryology physiology and biochemistry. Furthermore the project motivated student and were able to upgrade from superficial to deep learning strategies. It also encouraged collaboration among students and they were able to form spontaneously a study group which functioned as a unit of team base learning

Surgical dummy: A surrogate to live animal in teaching Veterinary Surgery

The objective of this study was to evaluate a non animal teaching model referred as surgical dummy, for teaching surgery, to novice veterinary students. Students’ confidence level and experience in surgical practice was evaluated via questionnaire. In addition student observation was done during the practices by the instructor. The results show that students who first practiced using the surgical dummy had better psychomotor and basic surgical skills. Comments made by the students were positive in relation to sensation of tissue during handling rated as natural. Their confidence increased during surgical procedure due to freedom from worry of consequences of surgical errors. Students had the opportunity to practice adlibitum as the dummy was economical and simple to make. The skill gained in the dummy was adaptable to live animal surgery and decreased the use of cadaver or live animal utilization

Concepts of disease in Ethiopia: From macro predator to microorganism

Knowledge and understanding of concepts of disease is important in the delivery of veterinary services and how students learn in veterinary medicine. This study analyzes the conceptual and philosophical basis for epidemiologic advances and changing paradigms in Ethiopia from the historical and modern viewpoint of disease concepts. Our finding shows that, there existed a multiple of concepts of disease, in an interface of science and spirituality namely: predator, evil spirit, religious and biomedical; in chronology. Despite these concepts were diametrically opposing each other, the general public had not reject old concepts, simply all were amalgamated. Hence, Ethiopian farmers seek assistance from sorcery, traditional healers, priests and veterinary doctors. In traditional Ethiopian disease concept, major cause of disease was supposed evil spirit, which originated from metaphysics and cosmological belief. A similar crosscutting of concepts were observed among veterinary students and professionals. We suggest if an antagonistic relationship between science and religion is perceived by student the learning outcome will be superficial and will suppress further scientific progress. While a symbiotic relationship between science and religion will alleviate the apathy

Total polyphenol content of green, roasted and cooked Harar and Yirgacheffee Coffee, Ethiopia

The effect of solvent composition on the total polyphenols content of green, roasted coffee and traditional coffee beverage preparation stages (Abol, Tona and Bereka) were studied by UV-Vis spectroscopy. The maximum extracted polyphenol of 640.3 mg GAE/100 g and 641.9 mg GAE/100 g were obtained at Harar and Yirgacheffee green coffee extracts with at 85% methanol, respectively. The results showed that total phenolic contents of extracts were found to be in the order of green> roasted >cooked (Abol>Tona>Bereka) in both coffee samples. Application of ANOVA revealed that a significant variation (p <0.05) was noted between the green, roasted, Abol, Tona and Breka coffee processing procedures. In general, this study revealed that there was a loss of substantial amount of total polyphenols through the traditional way of coffee brewing, probably ascribed to continuous provision of heating leads to degradation of existing polyphenols and formation of less stable and volatile products.Keywords: Coffee, Green, Roasted, Cooked, Polypheno

Reproductive Characteristics of Abyssinian Jennies Exposed to Stallions and Jackasses

The aim of the study was to describe the intraspecies and interspecies sexual interactions and reproductive features Abyssinian type jennies exposed to jackasses and stallions. Twenty post-pubertal jennies, 3 jackasses and 4 stallions were used in the study. Jennies were divided in to two groups of ten each (stallion group and jack group). PGF2a was used to induce heat. A vasectomized jackass was used to assist heat detection. Jennies in the jack group were bred by two jackasses and jennies in the stallion group were bred by a stallion. Mating was on the 6th and 8th days after PGF2a injection and within the last three days after spontaneous return to heat. The durations of estrus and the estrus cycle were 7.4 ± 0.9 (mean ± SD) and 24.3 ± 2.1 (mean ± SD) days respectively. All jennies were receptive to jackasses but not to stallions. The number of cycles per pregnancy in the intraspecies mating was lower than the number of cycles in the interspecies mating (p < 0.05). The lengths of gestation of jennies in foal with jackasses and a stallion were 370.2 ± 4.5 (mean ± SD) and 330 days respectively. The mating resulted in five donkey foals and a hinny. The study showed that Abyssinian jennies have a high intraspecies reproductive potential but low pregnancy rate and abortion appear limitations in interspecies hybridization.Key words: Hinny, Jackass, Jenny, Reproduction, Stallio

Predictors of under-five childhood diarrhea: Mecha District, West Gojam, Ethiopia

Background: Diarrheal disease is widely recognized as a major cause of child morbidity and mortality in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa including Ethiopia. There exist variations in explanatory variables of diarrhea depending on the context of the study.Objective: To examine the effects of selected environmental, socio-economic and behavioral factors on childhood diarrhea in Mecha District, West Gojjam, Ethiopia.Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was carried out in February 2009. A proportionate stratified random sampling technique was used to select 768 households that had at least one under-five child. Data was collected using a pre-tested structured questionnaire by trained data collectors. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were undertaken to identify predictors of childhood diarrhea.Results: The prevalence of diarrhea among mothers and under-five children was 8.2% and 18.0%, respectively. Maternal education (AOR=5.6, 95% CI: 1.5 - 19.4), maternal history of recent diarrhea (AOR, 5.5; 95% CI, 2.9 - 9.8), availability of latrine facility (AOR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.1-3.4), duration of breast feeding (AOR=2.7, 95% CI: 1.1- 7.3), and age of the child (AOR=2.8; 95% CI: 1.3 - 5.9) had a significant association.Conclusion: From this study, variation in the level of diarrheal morbidity is well explained by maternal factors and presence of latrine facility. Educating mothers focusing on sustained behavioral changes in the use of latrine integrated with personal hygiene is an important intervention for the prevention and control of diarrhea among children. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2011;25;(3):192-200

Household water harvesting and small scale irrigation schemes in Amhara Region

Water harvestingWellsDomestic waterIrrigation programs

Self-Regulatory Behavior of Adolescent Students in Ethiopia –The Case of Ayer Tena High School, Kolfe Keranio Sub City, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Self-regulatory behavior is an important personal skill that strengthens in the course of transition from childhood to adulthood. While self-regulation promotes healthy and successful transitioning to adulthood, deficiency in self-regulation would expose the growing persons to a host of undesirable behaviors including impulsivity, violence, health risky behaviors etc. The aim of this study was to examine adolescents. self-regulatory behavior and how it was associated with parental involvement and such other background factors as age, gender, family structure, and socio-economic status. A total of 211 secondary school adolescent students were selected as data sources. Socio-Economic Status Inventory, Self-Regulation Scale and Parental Involvement Scale were employed for data collection. Findings indicated that the level of self-regulatory behavior was significantly higher among the adolescents. The same pattern was exhibited in all the three dimensions of self-regulation. While sex and parental involvement were found to have significant relationship with self-regulatory behavior, age, socio-economic status, fathers. educational level, and family structure were, however, minimally correlated. Discussing the findings against a backdrop, basically of, socio-cultural reality of the study setting, further research was suggested to unveil this context of self-regulation using mixed research design

First report of soybean witchesbroom disease caused by Group 16SrII phytoplasma in soybean in Malawi and Mozambique

Soybean (Glycine max L.) is an important grain legume cultivated on approximately 1.24 million ha in Africa (1). Malawi ranks fourth in area of production in Africa, with 75,000 ha in 2009 (1). Soybean is also gaining importance in Mozambique and several other southern African countries due to diversification programs. During a field survey conducted in March 2010, soybean plants with phyllody and witches'-broom disorders typical of phytoplasma infection were observed in three of five fields surveyed in Lilongwe (Chitedze Research Station) and Salima (Channa, Chitala) districts in Malawi and three of four fields surveyed in Zambezia Province in Mozambique. Symptoms consisted of shoot proliferation, reduced leaflets, shortened internodes, proliferated auxiliary shoots producing witches'-brooms, virescence, and phyllody. Incidence of symptomatic plants was <1% in Malawi and 10 to 15% in Mozambique. Yield loss was 100% in affected plants. Five leaf samples each from symptomatic and asymptomatic plants were collected from six fields; total genomic DNAs were isolated and used as templates in PCR using phytoplasma-universal primer pair P1 and P7 for 16S-23S ribosomal RNA encoding region (3). PCR amplicons (1,709 bp) were produced from only templates derived from symptomatic plants. Amplicons from a symptomatic plant each from Malawi (Channa, Salima District) and Mozambique (Mutequelse, Zambezia Province) were directly sequenced in both directions and submitted to the GenBank (Accession Nos. HQ840717 and HQ845208). Nucleotide sequences of the two African soybean witches'-broom (SoyWB) phytoplasma strains were 100% identical. The virtual restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) pattern derived from these sequences using iPhyClassifier software (4) was similar to the reference pattern of the 16Sr group II, subgroup C (cactus phytoplasma, Accession No. AJ293216), with a pattern similarity coefficient of 0.99. A BLASTn search revealed that the African SoyWB phytoplasma sequences had a nucleotide sequence identity of 99% with those of soybean phytoplasma from Thailand (Accession No. EF193353), cactus phytoplasma from China (Accession No. EU099561), and several other members of 16SrII group. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the clustering of these strains with members of 16SrII group. In 1984, the occurrence of phyllody and witches'-broom symptoms in soybean in Mozambique was reported (2), however, no comprehensive details on the pathogen are available. To our knowledge, this is the first report of phyllody and witches'-broom disease in soybean in Malawi and the first molecular evidence of association of a 16SrII-C group ‘Candidatus phytoplasma’ with the disease in Malawi and Mozambique. Phyllody and witches'-broom is a destructive disease, and its widespread occurrence can adversely affect soybean production in sub-Saharan Africa. Identification of alternative hosts and vector species would improve our understanding of the disease's epidemiology and contribute to development of appropriate tactics to prevent escalation of this problem into a major disease