Radiological Features and Postoperative Histopathologic Diagnosis of Intracranial Masses at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital and MCM Hospital

Background: Intracranial mass lesions are common causes of neurological morbidity and are detectable by cranial imaging. Given the wide range of pathological processes that can present as intracranial mass lesions, the radiologist can limit the differential diagnosis to inform clinical decision-making. The main objective of this review was to analyze radiologicfeatures and postoperative histopathology diagnosis of intracranial mass lesions.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted on 96 patients who underwent surgery for intracranial mass lesions at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital (TASH) and Myungsung Christian Medical Center (MCM) in a period of 3 years (Feb 2009-Dec 2011). Patients werelimited to those who had histopathologic result and either CT (n=67), MRI (n=14) scan report or both (n=15).Results: Histopathologically confirmed intracranial masses constituted meningioma = 32 (39%), glioma =15 (18.3%), pituitary adenoma = 14 (17%), and tuberculoma = 6 (7.3%).The CT scan sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy in differentiating meningiomas from other intracranial masses, taking the first differential as most likely diagnosis, was 80%, 95% and 88.6% whereas for gliomas it was 71%, 85.7% and 83% respectively. The higher rate of meningiomas found in this study may result from surgeons bias toward preference of resection of extra axial tumors or longer survival of meningioma patients.Conclusion: Meningiomas were the commonest histologically diagnosed intracranial mass lesions followed by glioma, but their prevalence may have been overestimated in this study because surgeons are more likely to resect them and confirm their diagnosis. Tuberculoma was the commonest non-tumor lesion. CT scan was more accurate, sensitive and specific in diagnosing benign than malignant masses

Feed resources availability, utilization and marketing in central and eastern Tigray, northern Ethiopia

This survey explored the situation of different feed resources for ruminant livestock in two zones (central and eastern) in Tigray region of northern Ethiopia. These two zones account for the region’s 12% of the total land mass, 23% of the human population, 28% of the cattle population, and 56% of the small ruminant population. Farmers feed their livestock a variety of feed resources that range from crop residues to non-conventional feeds.The overall contribution of crop residues exceeds 50% of the livestock feeds currently used by smallholder farmers, and this reflects the level of integration between crop and livestock farming. Overall, the management and utilization of crop residues with particular attention to collection and transportation is constrained by factors such as labour shortage, distance from harvesting field to animals and delayed harvest in the project districts. Grazing land management and improvement is seldom considered by farmers or the extension system. Acute shortages of AIBPs supply from the sources and high price fluctuation in the main towns of the districts are discouraging smallholder dairy and small ruminant farmers from using them on a regular basis. The contribution of improved forage plants is not as expected and forage genetic material multiplication sites are operating with insufficient budget and manpower, and not supported by proper research. The overall feed supply to demand ratio in four districts in the eastern zone is not enough to cover the annual maintenance requirements of the present stock

Hormonal oestrus synchronization in four sheep breeds in Ethiopia: Impacts on genetic improvement and flock productivity

Global Affairs Canad

Balanced feeding could improve productivity of cross-breed dairy cattle in smallholder systems (Tigray, northern Ethiopia)

The study was conducted to assess the feed baskets of lactating Holstein Friesian crossbred cows and to formulate suggestions for optimisation of the ration to balance crude protein and metabolisable energy (ME) supply for optimal milk production under smallholder dairy farming in Agula and Hagereselam districts of Tigray region, northern Ethiopia. A total of 60 smallholder dairy farmers (30 from each district) who owned 1-5 lactating cows were involved in the study during the months of July and August 2015. Feed intake and milk production were recorded. Weende and Van Soest analysis was done on representative feed samples from which ME content was assessed. The observed diets offered to lactating cows of both study sites were grouped into five categories based on the inclusion rate of wheat and barley straw (WBSM), noug seed cake (NSC) and atella (local brewery by-product). The average ration composition in the groups were: group 1 (60.4% WBSM, 30.8% wheat bran (WB) and 8.7% atella), group 2 (49.8% WBSM, 21.8% WB, 17.5% NSC and 10.8% atella), group 3 (53.5% WBSM, 24.5% WB, 13.3% NSC and 8.7% atella), group 4 (40.7% WBSM, 24% WB, 13.1% NSC and 22.2% atella) and group 5 (49.8% WBSM, 21.8% WB, 17.5% NSC and 10.8% atella). The potential milk yield was calculated based on ME and crude protein (CP) intake from the rations of each group. Protein and ME supply only seemed balanced in group 5 (18% of the farms). In the other groups imbalanced diets were fed, of which 26% were protein deficient (group 1), whereas (surprisingly) 56 % of the farms included more than 10% NSC in their diet, which resulted in an excessive protein supply. The milk yield of group 1 potentially could be increased by 114% with an additional supplement of 1.6 kg of NSC. Overall, NSC could be an excellent protein corrector, when included at a proportion of about 10% in the diet in combination with 43-58% WBSM, 23-31%WB and 9-20% atella

LIVES poultry value chain development interventions: Approaches and scalable interventions

Global Affairs Canad

The COVID-19 pandemic and healthcare systems in Africa: a scoping review of preparedness, impact and response.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has overwhelmed health systems in both developed and developing nations alike. Africa has one of the weakest health systems globally, but there is limited evidence on how the region is prepared for, impacted by and responded to the pandemic. METHODS: We conducted a scoping review of PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL to search peer-reviewed articles and Google, Google Scholar and preprint sites for grey literature. The scoping review captured studies on either preparedness or impacts or responses associated with COVID-19 or covering one or more of the three topics and guided by Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework. The extracted information was documented following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension checklist for scoping reviews. Finally, the resulting data were thematically analysed. RESULTS: Twenty-two eligible studies, of which 6 reported on health system preparedness, 19 described the impacts of COVID-19 on access to general and essential health services and 7 focused on responses taken by the healthcare systems were included. The main setbacks in health system preparation included lack of available health services needed for the pandemic, inadequate resources and equipment, and limited testing ability and surge capacity for COVID-19. Reduced flow of patients and missing scheduled appointments were among the most common impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Health system responses identified in this review included the availability of telephone consultations, re-purposing of available services and establishment of isolation centres, and provisions of COVID-19 guidelines in some settings. CONCLUSIONS: The health systems in Africa were inadequately prepared for the pandemic, and its impact was substantial. Responses were slow and did not match the magnitude of the problem. Interventions that will improve and strengthen health system resilience and financing through local, national and global engagement should be prioritised