Determination of Levels of Essential and Toxic Heavy Metals in Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik) by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy

The concentrations of trace essential metals (Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni and Zn) and toxic heavy metals (Cd and Pb) in lentil samples collected from Dejen (East Gojjam), Boset (East Shewa) and Molale (North Shewa), Ethiopia, were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. A wet digestion procedure, using mixtures of HNO3, HClO4 and H2O2 was developed for the decomposition of powdered lentil samples. The accuracy of the method was checked by the standard addition method. The contents of heavy metals in lentil samples were in the range of 0.009-0.013 for Cd, 0.285-0.360 for Co, 0.226-0.282 for Cu, 9.17-11.91 for Fe, 6.7-8.2 for Mn, 0.120-0.244 for Ni, 0.142-0.176 for lead and 8.62-10.03 for Zn, all in mg/100 g. The results were compared with values reported in the literature

Challenges of Retaining Skilled Employees, The Case of Eritrean Public Sector

This article uses the public sector in the sub-Saharan nation of Eritrea to illustrate how the problem of brain drain poses severe challenges to developing countries. Following its analysis of the views of 313 Eritrean public servants, the article comes to the conclusion that deteriorating economic conditions, lack of good governance and political instability are the major causes of the brain drain in developing countries. On that basis, the article suggests some policy implications as well as frontiers for possible future research

Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Zinc and Copper, Compositions of Human Milk from Populations with Cereal and ‘Enset’ Based Diets

Backround: As breast milk is normally the only source of food in the early stages of life, the dietary levels of the essential elements in the milk of lactating mothers are significantly important. Ethiopia is a country of many nations and nationalities with distinct dietary habits. This variation in food habit may result in the variation of the nutritional quality of milk of lactating mothers who live in different part of the country, which in turn may affect the intake of nutrients by breast-fed infants. Therefore, a cross-sectional study of the levels of Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn and Cu in milk of mothers from societies with cereal and ‘enset’ based dietary habits was carried out to assess the influence of maternal diet on the levels of the elements in human milk.Methods: Milk samples were collected from 27 voluntary mothers in Jimma and in 18 rural areas of Welkite. Breast milk samples were collected within four days postpartum and the concentrations of the elements were determined by using FAAS.Results: Average concentrations (mg/L) of the elements determined in the milk of mothers from Jimma and rural Welkite respectively were: Ca (758 ± 107, 579 ± 168); Mg (22.6 ± 7.87, 30.5 ± 13.4); Fe (0.50 ± 0.08, 0.41 ± 0.17); Zn (2.3 ± 1.2, 2.49 ± 0.88) and Cu (0.28 ± 0.14, 0.16 ± 0.08).Conclusions: Milk samples from Jimma were found to have significantly higher levels of Ca and Cu than those of rural Welkite (P < 0.05). Breast milk Ca and Cu levels were thus found to be influenced by dietary intake.Keywords: Human milk, Ethiopia, Welkite, Jimma, Essential elements, ‘Teff’, ‘Enset’

Partograph utilization and associated factors among obstetric care providers in North Shoa Zone, Central Ethiopia: a cross sectional study

Background: Globally, prolonged and obstructed labor contributed to 8% of maternal deaths which can be reduced by proper utilization of partograph during labor.Methods: An Institution based cross-sectional study was conducted in June, 2013 on 403 obstetric care providers. A pre-tested and structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Data was entered to EpiInfo version 3.5.1 statistical package and exported to SPSS version 20.0 for further analysis. Logistic regression analyses were used to see the association of different variables.Results: Out of 403 obstetric care providers, 40.2% utilized partograph during labor.Those who were midwives by profession were about 8 times more likely to have a consistent utilization of the partograph than general practitioners (AOR=8. 13, 95% CI: 2.67, 24.78). Similarly, getting on job training (AOR=2. 86, 95% CI: 1.69, 4.86), being knowledgeable on partograph (AOR=3. 79, 95% CI: 2.05, 7.03) and having favorable attitude towards partograph (AOR=2. 35, 95% CI: 1.14, 4.87) were positively associated with partograph utilization.Conclusion: Partograph utilization in labor monitoring was found to be low. Being a midwife by profession, on job training, knowledge and attitude of obstetric care providers were factors affecting partograph utilization. Providing on job training for providers would improve partograph utilization.Keywords: Ethiopia, obstetric care providers, partograp

Risk Factors Associated with Invasive Cervical Carcinoma among Women Attending Jimma University Specialized Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia: A Case Control Study

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is a more serious public health problem than other cancers in women in Sub-Saharan Africa in general and in Ethiopia in particular. Thus, this study assessed risk factors related to invasive cervical carcinomas in southwestern Ethiopia.METHODS: Unmatched case control study was conducted in Jimma University Specialized Hospital from April 1 to September 30, 2010. The study consisted of 60 cases (women who had cervical cancers based on histopathologic examination) and 120 controls (women with no cervical cancers). Semi-structured questionnaire was utilized for data collection. Vaginal examinations often visualized with speculum insertions were done for both cases and controls. Punch cervical biopsies were then performed for the suspected cases at Jimma University Hospital that serves about 15 million people in a catchment radius of 250 kms. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 13.0 software. Univariate and multivariate analyes were done to describe and identify independent predictors of cervical cancer.RESULTS: The mean ages of cases and controls were 47.7 (SD=10.8) and 35.5 (SD =10.5) years respectively. Older women (40-59 years), (OR= 4.7; 95%CI= 2.3-9.6), more than one husband (OR= 2.0; 95%CI=1.0-3.9), as well as more than one wife in lifetime, (OR= 3.0; 95% CI= 1.5-5.9), women who had more than 4 children, (OR =10.3, 95% CI= 3.6-29.0), and age greater than 25 years at first full term delivery, (OR= 8.8; 95% CI= 3.5-22.0) were statistically significant and the latter two were  independently associated with invasive cervical cancer. Only 7(11.7 %) of cases and 58(48.3%) of  controls ever heard of cervical cancers; however, 2(3.3%) of cases and 7(5.8%) of controls had ever had history of papaneocolous (pap) smear tests done.CONCLUSION: Poor knowledge on cervical cancer was observed that required more work to be done to increase knowledge of mothers on cervical cancer and on associated risk factors. Behavioral  communication activities and establishment of cervical cancer screening programs for the young could help reduce the advancement of cervical cancer particularly among the less knowledgeable, older and grand multiparous women in our parts of the world.KEYWORDS: invasive cervical carcinoma, risk factors, Jimma, south west Ethiopi

Polyaniline-tin(IV) molybdophosphate composite exchanger: Photocatalytic behavior and antibacterial activitiy

ABSTRACT. Polyaniline-tin(IV)molybdophosphate composite exchanger was prepared using sol–gel method by mixing polyaniline gel into the inorganic precipitates of tin(IV)molybdophosphate. The composite ion exchanger was characterized by various techniques such as XRD, UV-Vis, FTIR, SEM-EDX, and PL. Photocatalytic activities and antibacterial efficiencies of the bare polymer polyaniline (PANI), the inorganic exchanger tin(IV)molybdophosphate (TMP) and the composite polyaniline-tin(IV)molybdophosphate (PANI-TMP) were evaluated using methylene blue (MB) dye as a model organic pollutant and Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria as test microbes, respectively. Photocatalytic and antibacterial activities of polyaniline[1]tin(IV)molybdophosphate composite was found to be higher than that of organic (polyaniline) and inorganic (tin(IV)molybdophosphate) counterparts. The results obtained indicated the degradation efficiency of approximately 73% in 180 min exposure time. Effect of scavengers study evidenced the most important species in the degradation process to be (·O2 - ) and (·OH). Highest photocatalytic degradation efficiency for the composite exchanger studied was obtained at initial concentration of 10 mg/L MB, 100 mg/L of catalyst load and a pH of 8. Antibacterial efficiency of the exchanger over both Gram negative and Gram positive bacteria was found to be higher than the single counterparts. KEY WORDS: Ion exchangers, Antimicrobial activity, Composites, Photocatalysis, Polyaniline Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2023, 37(1), 59-76.                                                                  DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v37i1.6                                                                                                      &nbsp

Sensitive electrochemical determination of ethambutol in pharmaceutical formulation and human urine at nickel nanoparticles/electrochemically reduced graphene oxide modified electrode

This paper describes the application of nickel nanoparticles decorated electrochemically reduced graphene oxide modified glassy carbon electrode (NiNPs/ERGO/GCE) for the determination of ethambutol (ETB), an anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug. The modified electrode showed remarkable electrocatalytic properties accompanied with a significant enhancement in the peak current response towards ETB compared to the bare electrode. The results showed that the composite modified electrode played a significant catalytic role due to the synergetic effect of NiNPs and ERGO. The NiNPs/ERGO modified electrode demonstrated excellent square wave voltammetric response towards ETB determination at the NiNPs/ERGO/GCE in the range 0.05‒100 µM. The sensor demonstrated outstanding sensitivity towards ETB determination with limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.023 and 0.075 µM, respectively. The developed sensor was effectively validated for real sample study using drug formulation and urine samples which showed an acceptable recovery (99.6‒109%). The electrode also exhibited good precision (RSD < 1%, n = 20), reproducibility (RSD < 1.9%, n = 3), long-term stability (92% of its initial response after two weeks) and selectivity towards interfering substances in the determination of ethambutol.               KEY WORDS: Ethambutol, Glassy carbon electrode, Square wave voltammetry, Electrochemically reduced graphene oxide, Nickel nanoparticles Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2019, 33(2), 215-228.DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v33i2.