In what ways can Community Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illnesses (C-IMNCI) improve child health?

Background: In addition to access to quality health services, family child care practices play a major role in improving child health and achieving reduction in childhood mortality.Objective: To assess the effect of community integrated management of neonatal and childhood illness interventions on family practices for child care.Methods: A comparative cross-sectional survey was conducted in Dabat District, northwest Ethiopia. A total of 800 mothers or caretakers of children of under two years form the Community Integrated Management of Childhood Illnesses intervention and non-intervention areas were selected using a multistage sampling procedure and interviewed in November 2007.Result: Three hundred thirty seven (84.3%) of the mothers from the intervention area and 358 (89.5%) from nonintervention area were illiterate. Thre vast majority (99.5%) of the fathers in each of the areas were farmers. Mothers/care takers from community IMNCI intervention areas reported better child care practices in terms of time of breastfeeding initiation (OR=9.10, 95% CI=5.45, 12.43), avoiding prelacteal feeding (OR=11.01, 95% CI=7.98, 15.43), initiation of supplementary feeding (OR=3.63, 95% CI=2.23, 5.93) compared to mothers/care takers form non intervention areas. Regarding water, personal hygiene and environmental sanitation, statistical significant differences were observed in using a safe drinking source of water (OR=6.36, 95% CI=4.49, 9.01) and availability of pit latrines (OR=43.52, 95% CI=25.46, 67.89) between the intervention and non-intervention areas. The likelihood of seeking care for diarrhea was about five times and that of fever is three times higher in the intervention areas compared to the non-intervention one.Conclusion: Community IMNCI has positive effects on child feeding, disease prevention, health care seeking practices and these practices are expected to improve child health and survival. Thus the program needs to be scaled up in other areas. Further studies may assess the actual effect of the intervention on child morbidity and mortality. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2011;25(2):143-149

Sharing Thoughts

(No abstract

Patterns of language and auditory dysfunction in 6-year-old children with epilepsy

In a previous study we reported difficulty with expressive language and visuoperceptual ability in preschool children with epilepsy and otherwise normal development. The present study analysed speech and language dysfunction for each individual in relation to epilepsy variables, ear preference, and intelligence in these children and described their auditory function. Twenty 6-year-old children with epilepsy (14 females, 6 males; mean age 6:5 y, range 6 y–6 y 11 mo) and 30 reference children without epilepsy (18 females, 12 males; mean age 6:5 y, range 6 y–6 y 11 mo) were assessed for language and auditory ability. Low scores for the children with epilepsy were analysed with respect to speech-language domains, type of epilepsy, site of epileptiform activity, intelligence, and language laterality. Auditory attention, perception, discrimination, and ear preference were measured with a dichotic listening test, and group comparisons were performed. Children with left-sided partial epilepsy had extensive language dysfunction. Most children with partial epilepsy had phonological dysfunction. Language dysfunction was also found in children with generalized and unclassified epilepsies. The children with epilepsy performed significantly worse than the reference children in auditory attention, perception of vowels and discrimination of consonants for the right ear and had more left ear advantage for vowels, indicating undeveloped language laterality

The impact of water hyacinth biochar on maize growth and soil properties: The influence of pyrolysis temperature

Introduction: Options for managing water hyacinths (WHs) include converting the biomass into biochar for soil amendment. However, less has been known about the impact of WH‐based biochar developed in varying pyrolysis temperatures on plant growth and soil qualities. Materials and Methods: A pot experiment was undertaken in a factorial combination of WH biochars (WHBs) developed at three temperatures (350°C, 550°C and 750°C) and two application rates (5 and 20 t ha−1), plus a control without biochar. Maize was grown as a test crop for 2 months under natural conditions. Results: Our study showed that applying WHB developed between 350°C and 750°C at 20 t ha−1 increased maize shoot and root dry biomass by 47.7% to 17.6% and 78.4% to 54.1%, respectively. Nevertheless, raising the biochar pyrolysis temperature decreased maize growth, whereas increasing the application rate displayed a positive effect. The application of WHB generated at 350°C and 550°C at 20 t ha−1 resulted in significant improvements in soil total nitrogen (17.9% to 25%), cation exchange capacity (27.3% to 20.2%), and ammonium‐nitrogen (60.7% to 59.6%), respectively, over the control. Additionally, applying WHB produced from 350°C to 750°C at 20 t ha−1 enhanced soil carbon by 38.5%–56.3%, compared to the control. Conversely, applying biochar produced at 750°C resulted in higher soil pH (6.3 ± 0.103), electrical conductivity (0.23 ± 0.01 dSm−1) and available phosphorus (21.8 ± 2.53 mg kg−1). Conclusion: WHBs developed at temperatures of 350°C and 550°C with an application rate of 20 t ha−1 were found to be optimal for growing maize and improving soil characteristics. Our study concludes that pyrolysis temperature significantly governs the effectiveness of biochar produced from a specific biomass source

Sustainable weed management and soil enrichment with water hyacinth composting and mineral fertilizer integration

Composting water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) presents a promising approach for managing the weed and the aquatic environment while increasing agricultural production and soil fertility. However, limited research reported on the impact of water hyacinth compost on soil properties and crop production under field conditions. This study aimed to evaluate impact of water hyacinth compost and its combined application with mineral fertilizer on soil properties and crop production. Before field experiments, the compost's phytotoxicity was assessed through bioassays, confirming it was safe for agricultural use with a seed germination index exceeding 80 %. Field trials were conducted using a factorial design with four application rates of water hyacinth compost (0, 8, 16, and 24 t ha-1) and three rates of the recommended mineral fertilizer for teff production (0/0, 40/23, and 80/46 kg N/P2O5 ha-1). The results indicated that compared to the control group, applying water hyacinth compost increased soil pH by up to 0.69 units and reduced bulk density by 10.3 %. Soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, cation exchange capacity, and exchangeable potassium increased by 24.3 %, 28.6 %, 80.2 %, 26.2 %, and 112.7 %, respectively. Furthermore, exchangeable acidity and aluminum were reduced by 72.5 % and 78.6 %, respectively. The maximum grain yield (1826 kg ha-1) and total biomass (8020 kg ha-1) of teff were achieved by applying 24 t ha-1 of water hyacinth compost coupled with the full rate of mineral fertilizer. However, compared to adding only full fertilizer, the grain yield that resulted from applying water hyacinth compost at 16 and 24 t ha-1 along with half of the suggested mineral fertilizer was superior. This implies that water hyacinth compost could substitute 50 % of the mineral fertilizer required. In conclusion, composting water hyacinth offers a dual benefit of weed management and soil enrichment. This could be a sustainable strategy to mitigate weed proliferation while improving soil quality and crop production

Clinical-pathological study on β-APP, IL-1β, GFAP, NFL, Spectrin II, 8OHdG, TUNEL, miR-21, miR-16, miR-92 expressions to verify DAI-diagnosis, grade and prognosis

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most important death and disability cause, involving substantial costs, also in economic terms, when considering the young age of the involved subject. Aim of this paper is to report a series of patients treated at our institutions, to verify neurological results at six months or survival; in fatal cases we searched for βAPP, GFAP, IL-1β, NFL, Spectrin II, TUNEL and miR-21, miR-16, and miR-92 expressions in brain samples, to verify DAI diagnosis and grade as strong predictor of survival and inflammatory response. Concentrations of 8OHdG as measurement of oxidative stress was performed. Immunoreaction of β-APP, IL-1β, GFAP, NFL, Spectrin II and 8OHdG were significantly increased in the TBI group with respect to control group subjects. Cell apoptosis, measured by TUNEL assay, were significantly higher in the study group than control cases. Results indicated that miR-21, miR-92 and miR-16 have a high predictive power in discriminating trauma brain cases from controls and could represent promising biomarkers as strong predictor of survival, and for the diagnosis of postmortem traumatic brain injury

Mio-Pliocene Faunal Exchanges and African Biogeography: The Record of Fossil Bovids

The development of the Ethiopian biogeographic realm since the late Miocene is here explored with the presentation and review of fossil evidence from eastern Africa. Prostrepsiceros cf. vinayaki and an unknown species of possible caprin affinity are described from the hominid-bearing Asa Koma and Kuseralee Members (∼5.7 and ∼5.2 Ma) of the Middle Awash, Ethiopia. The Middle Awash Prostrepsiceros cf. vinayaki constitutes the first record of this taxon from Africa, previously known from the Siwaliks and Arabia. The possible caprin joins a number of isolated records of caprin or caprin-like taxa recorded, but poorly understood, from the late Neogene of Africa. The identification of these two taxa from the Middle Awash prompts an overdue review of fossil bovids from the sub-Saharan African record that demonstrate Eurasian affinities, including the reduncin Kobus porrecticornis, and species of Tragoportax. The fossil bovid record provides evidence for greater biological continuity between Africa and Eurasia in the late Miocene and earliest Pliocene than is found later in time. In contrast, the early Pliocene (after 5 Ma) saw the loss of any significant proportions of Eurasian-related taxa, and the continental dominance of African-endemic taxa and lineages, a pattern that continues today

Unexpectedly rapid evolution of mandibular shape in hominins

Members of the hominins – namely the so-called ‘australopiths’ and the species of the genus Homo – are known to possess short and deep mandibles and relatively small incisors and canines. It is commonly assumed that this suite of traits evolved in early members of the clade in response to changing environmental conditions and increased consumption of though food items. With the emergence of Homo, the functional meaning of mandible shape variation is thought to have been weakened by technological advancements and (later) by the control over fire. In contrast to this expectation, we found that mandible shape evolution in hominins is exceptionally rapid as compared to any other primate clade, and that the direction and rate of shape change (from the ape ancestor) are no different between the australopiths and Homo. We deem several factors including the loss of honing complex, canine reduction, and the acquisition of different diets may have concurred in producing such surprisingly high evolutionary rates. This study reveals the evolution of mandibular shape in hominins has strong morpho-functional and ecological significance attached

Alcohol use as a risk factor for tuberculosis – a systematic review

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>It has long been evident that there is an association between alcohol use and risk of tuberculosis. It has not been established to what extent this association is confounded by social and other factors related to alcohol use. Nor has the strength of the association been established. The objective of this study was to systematically review the available evidence on the association between alcohol use and the risk of tuberculosis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Based on a systematic literature review, we identified 3 cohort and 18 case control studies. These were further categorized according to definition of exposure, type of tuberculosis used as study outcome, and confounders controlled for. Pooled effect sizes were obtained for each sub-category of studies.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The pooled relative risk across all studies that used an exposure cut-off level set at 40 g alcohol per day or above, or defined exposure as a clinical diagnosis of an alcohol use disorder, was 3.50 (95% CI: 2.01–5.93). After exclusion of small studies, because of suspected publication bias, the pooled relative risk was 2.94 (95% CI: 1.89–4.59). Subgroup analyses of studies that had controlled for various sets of confounders did not give significantly different results and did not explain the significant heterogeneity that was found across the studies.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The risk of active tuberculosis is substantially elevated in people who drink more than 40 g alcohol per day, and/or have an alcohol use disorder. This may be due to both increased risk of infection related to specific social mixing patterns associated with alcohol use, as well as influence on the immune system of alcohol itself and of alcohol related conditions.</p