Participatory Technology and Constraints Assessment to Improve the Livelihood of Beekeepers in Tigray Region, northern Ethiopia

Beekeeping is a long-standing practice in the rural communities of Ethiopia and appears as ancient history of the country. A three–part assessment and diagnostic study (Livelihood systems assessment, integrated honeybee management needs assessment and diagnostic survey) was undertaken from 2006-2008 in Tigray, Ethiopia to identify market and technological constraints facing the honey sub sector and asses bee pests and the control measures taken. Information was gathered through PRA, interview with key informants and integrated honeybee management diagnostic survey in the rural areas. The assessment and diagnostic activities were undertaken in six zones (Western, North western, Central, Eastern, Southern and Southeastern zones of the region). One hundred nineteen beekeepers were randomly selected. Information on the adoption of new technology, availability of honeybee pests, average annual harvest of honey, honeybee pest controlling measures, market and technological constraints etc. were sought from the beekeepers. Honey yield was markedly different for the traditional and modern hives. On average, it was about 8-15 kg/hive and 20-30 kg/hive from the traditional and modern hives respectively. Lack of adequate bee forages, poor market, lack of trained development agents, inadequate government support, bee pests and inadequate training are mainly the problems facing the honey sub sector in the region. There are different kinds of bee pests and predators. Honey is harvested twice a year. From this study it was realized that almost all beekeeping practices are traditional except little intervention with improved beekeeping practices. Key words: Beekeeping, Bee management, Beehive, Tigray

Intestinal Helminthes Infections and Re-Infections with Special Emphasis on Schistosomiasis Mansoni in Waja, North Ethiopia

To determine the status of infection and re-infection caused by Schistosoma mansoni in a small town of Waja, northern Ethiopia, stool samples were collected from primary school children in two rounds (in mid June and mid September 2004) and were examined using the Kato thick smear method. In addition, water bodies that might serve as biotopes for the intermediate host snails were located and searched using scoops. During the first survey, the prevalence of S. mansoni among the 224 children (119 male and 105 females) sampled was 27.1%. S. mansoni prevalence increased from 27.1% to 36.4% (P< 0.05), during the 2nd survey, three months following the treatment of the positive cases. Similarly, an increase in the prevalence of T. trichiura was observed (from 16 to 30.7%), whereas that of Ascaris lumbricoides decreased during the second survey (from 50 to 42.8%) (

Environmental and Social Sustainability of Urban And Periurban Agriculture (UPA) In Selected Towns Of Ethiopia

Today nearly a billion of world population makes their daily bread from UPA, the sector that has received only little attention. This paper tries to assess the sustainability of urban agriculture from social and environmental point of view. The paper used a combination of primary and secondary data.  The primary data is collected through questionnaires and structured interview specially designed for this study. About 280 households are selected using proportionate-stratified sampling techniques, the stratification being the size of urban farmers in each of the town. The study shows that the environmental and health aspect of sustainability is closer to the yellow line mainly due to extensive use of chemical inputs. From social and political point of view, UPA is inclined to be unsustainable. Thus, city municipalities and national policy makers have provide the necessary support and grant legal recognition that matches the contribution of UPA to the national economic development. Key words: sustainability, urban and peri-urban, agriculture, Ethiopi

Plasma Soluble Human Elastin Fragments as an Intra-Aneurysmal Localized Biomarker for Ruptured Intracranial Aneurysm

Background—Fragmentation of the tunica media is a hallmark of intracranial aneurysm formation, often leading to aneurysmal progression and subsequent rupture. The objective of this study is to determine the plasma level of elastin fragments in the lumen of ruptured versus unruptured human intracranial aneurysms. Methods and Results—One hundred consecutive patients with/without ruptured saccular intracranial aneurysms undergoing endovascular coiling or stent-assisted coiling were recruited. Blood samples were collected from the lumen of intracranial aneurysm using a microcatheter. The tip of the microcatheter was placed inside the aneurysm’s sac in close proximity to the inner wall of the dome. Plasma levels of elastin fragments were measured using an ELISA-based method. Mean plasma level of soluble human elastin fragments was significantly greater in ruptured aneurysms when compared with nonruptured aneurysms (102.0±15.5 versus 39.3±9.6 ng/mL; P\u3c0.001). Mean plasma level of soluble human elastin fragments did not have significant correlation with age, sex, size, or aneurysm location. Conclusions—The present study revealed that a significantly higher concentration of soluble human elastin fragments in the lumen of ruptured intracranial aneurysms when compared with nonruptured ones. © 2018 The Authors

The Genetics of Adverse Drug Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes:A Systematic Review

Background: Adverse drug reactions (ADR) are a major clinical problem accounting for significant hospital admission rates, morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. One-third of people with diabetes experience at least one ADR. However, there is notable interindividual heterogeneity resulting in patient harm and unnecessary medical costs. Genomics is at the forefront of research to understand interindividual variability, and there are many genotype-drug response associations in diabetes with inconsistent findings. Here, we conducted a systematic review to comprehensively examine and synthesize the effect of genetic polymorphisms on the incidence of ADRs of oral glucose-lowering drugs in people with type 2 diabetes. Methods: A literature search was made to identify articles that included specific results of research on genetic polymorphism and adverse effects associated with oral glucose-lowering drugs. The electronic search was carried out on 3rd October 2020, through Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Web of Science using keywords and MeSH terms. Result: Eighteen articles consisting of 10, 383 subjects were included in this review. Carriers of reduced-function alleles of organic cation transporter 1 (OCT 1, encoded by SLC22A1) or reduced expression alleles of plasma membrane monoamine transporter (PMAT, encoded by SLC29A4) or serotonin transporter (SERT, encoded by SLC6A4) were associated with increased incidence of metformin-related gastrointestinal (GI) adverse effects. These effects were shown to exacerbate by concomitant treatment with gut transporter inhibiting drugs. The CYP2C9 alleles, (*)2 (rs1799853C>T) and (*)3 (rs1057910A>C) that are predictive of low enzyme activity were more common in subjects who experienced hypoglycemia after treatment with sulfonylureas. However, there was no significant association between sulfonylurea-related hypoglycemia and genetic variants in the ATP-binding cassette transporter sub-family C member 8 (ABCC8)/Potassium Inwardly Rectifying Channel Subfamily J Member 11 (KCNJ11). Compared to the wild type, the low enzyme activity C allele at CYP2C8(*)3 (rs1057910A>C) was associated with less weight gain whereas the C allele at rs6123045 in the NFATC2 gene was significantly associated with edema from rosiglitazone treatment. Conclusion: In spite of limited studies investigating genetics and ADR in diabetes, some convincing results are emerging. Genetic variants in genes encoding drug transporters and metabolizing enzymes are implicated in metformin-related GI adverse effects, and sulfonylurea-induced hypoglycemia, respectively. Further studies to investigate newer antidiabetic drugs such as DPP-4i, GLP-1RA, and SGLT2i are warranted. In addition, pharmacogenetic studies that account for race and ethnic differences are required

Treatment outcome of children with severe acute malnutrition admitted to therapeutic feeding centers in Southern Region of Ethiopia

Background: Inadequate intake of carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals is one of the causes for malnutrition. It often affects young children and contributes to more than 60% of deaths in children in developing countries. One in four of malnourished children receiving traditional treatment die during or soon after treatment. The study aimed to assess the treatment outcome of children treated in therapeutic feeding centers (TFC) in southern Ethiopia.Methods: A retrospective review of reports submitted by the TFCs was done during 2003-2004. Data was collected from the monthly reports using standardized formats. The variables included age, treatment centers, type of malnutrition and treatment outcome which were analyzed using descriptive statistics.Results: Of 11,335 cases of malnutrition, 47% (5447) had severe wasting and 53% (6103) had edematous malnutrition. Of the total, 87% (11,191) were cured while 3.6% (468) had died. The average length of stay was 25 and 21 days with an average weight gain of 14 and 13.4 g/kg/d for children with severe wasting and edematous malnutrition, respectively. With increasing age, the death rate decrease  and cure rate increased (p < 0.05 for both).Discussion: Our results show that the new management approach  implemented in the TFC improved the treatment outcome of malnourished children compared to the minimum international standard set for  management of severe acute malnutrition which is cure rate of at least 75% and death rate less than 10%, average length of stay of less than30 days and average weight gain of 8g/kg/day

Performance of Local Light Microscopy and the ParaScreen Pan/Pf Rapid Diagnostic Test to Detect Malaria in Health Centers in Northwest Ethiopia

Background: Diagnostic tests are recommended for suspected malaria cases before treatment, but comparative performance of microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) at rural health centers has rarely been studied compared to independent expert microscopy. Methods: Participants (N = 1997) with presumptive malaria were recruited from ten health centers with a range of transmission intensities in Amhara Regional State, Northwest Ethiopia during October to December 2007. Microscopy and ParaScreen Pan/PfH RDT were done immediately by health center technicians. Blood slides were re-examined later at a central laboratory by independent expert microscopists. Results: Of 1,997 febrile patients, 475 (23.8%) were positive by expert microscopists, with 57.7 % P.falciparum, 24.6 % P.vivax and 17.7 % mixed infections. Sensitivity of health center microscopists for any malaria species was.90 % in five health centers (four of which had the highest prevalence),.70 % in nine centers and 44 % in one site with lowest prevalence. Specificity for health center microscopy was very good (.95%) in all centers. For ParaScreen RDT, sensitivity was $90$70 % in six and,60 % in four centers. Specificity was $90 % in all centers except one where it was 85%. Conclusions: Health center microscopists performed well in nine of the ten health centers; while for ParaScreen RDT they performed well in only six centers. Overall the accuracy of local microscopy exceeded that of RDT for all outcomes. Thi

Evaluation of light microscopy and rapid diagnostic test for the detection of malaria under operational field conditions: a household survey in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: In most resource-poor settings, malaria is usually diagnosed based on clinical signs and symptoms and not by detection of parasites in the blood using microscopy or rapid diagnostic tests (RDT). In population-based malaria surveys, accurate diagnosis is important: microscopy provides the gold standard, whilst RDTs allow immediate findings and treatment. The concordance between RDTs and microscopy in low or unstable transmission areas has not been evaluated. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of malaria parasites in randomly selected malarious areas of Amhara, Oromia, and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' (SNNP) regions of Ethiopia, using microscopy and RDT, and to investigate the agreement between microscopy and RDT under field conditions. METHODS: A population-based survey was conducted in 224 randomly selected clusters of 25 households each in Amhara, Oromia and SNNP regions, between December 2006 and February 2007. Fingerpick blood samples from all persons living in even-numbered households were tested using two methods: light microscopy of Giemsa-stained blood slides; and RDT (ParaScreen device for Pan/Pf). RESULTS: A total of 13,960 people were eligible for malaria parasite testing of whom 11,504 (82%) were included in the analysis. Overall slide positivity rate was 4.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.4-5.0%) while ParaScreen RDT was positive in 3.3% (95% CI 2.6-4.1%) of those tested. Considering microscopy as the gold standard, ParaScreen RDT exhibited high specificity (98.5%; 95% CI 98.3-98.7) and moderate sensitivity (47.5%; 95% CI 42.8-52.2) with a positive predictive value of 56.8% (95% CI 51.7-61.9) and negative predictive value of 97.6% (95% CI 97.6-98.1%) under field conditions. CONCLUSION: Blood slide microscopy remains the preferred option for population-based prevalence surveys of malaria parasitaemia. The level of agreement between microscopy and RDT warrants further investigation in different transmission settings and in the clinical situation