Transformer Support-Base:Design & Analysis

Engineering design is vitally important and is the backbone of any industrial organization. The innovative approach to engineering design requires extensive calculations, estimations, workability and economic considerations to achieve a high level of customer satisfaction. Our project, for the ABB Group, was to design a structural frame-base for their transformers, and develop a set of design-standards to accommodate a range of transformer sizes. A transformer is used to step-up or step-down the voltage as needed to satisfy the electrical power needs of a facility. Industrial size transformers are an extremely heavy, sensitive and precise electrical devices that require a reliable support structure throughout their assembly, transport and usage by the customer. Therefore, a thorough design analysis must be performed to consider the engineering aspects of design, e.g. stress analysis, finite element analysis and commissioning of the design. The structural design analysis is of great importance because it involves human safety as well as asset safety. So for these reasons, we conducted several stress test analyses using SolidWorks CAD software to further refine our design. Since ABB wants to consider fabricating the frame-bases in their workshop, the designs’ simplicity is also important for this project. Several designs and multiple iterations were considered in this project. By including the considerations of function, scalability and economic viability, we have suggested our frame-base design for ABB Transformers to include their desired functions and low-cost materials. We are looking forward to the practical implementation and in-service commissioning of our design.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/capstone/1218/thumbnail.jp

Why has Africa reported relatively few COVID-19 cases so far? A web-based survey

Abstract Background: Africa’s first COVID-19 case was identified in Egypt on 14 February 2020. Since then, almost all African countries have reported cases. The pandemic is transitioning to more widespread community transmission in most African countries, underscoring the need to further scale-up COVID-19 testing with a much wider geographic coverage. In Africa, the expected devastation caused by COVID-19 has been ‘delayed’ compared to some European countries and the USA. The reason behind this is not well understood. The aim of this Google survey was to collect speculations about the phenomena in Ethiopia, in particular. Methods: This web-based survey used Google Forms to collect data from 28 April to 13 May 2020. Participants from the general public with different expertise were invited via email to take part in the survey. Participants’ voluntarism to fill in the form, and their age, sex and educational status, were recorded. In addition, they were asked whether they worried about COVID-19 and the role of lockdowns to minimize the transmission rate of the disease in Africa. Multiple suggestions about the possible reasons behind the relative low number of COVID-19 case and fatalities were recorded, and the collected data were summarized using a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Results: A total of 102 participants took part in the web-based survey. Respectively, 92.1% and 64.4% of the participants worried about COVID-19 in Africa and believed that lockdowns could contain the disease in Africa. As for the question why, Africa still has a low number of COVID-19 cases and fatalities compared to other continents, participants reported the following points as the main factors: poor COVID-19 screening practice in the continent (71.3%); God is saving Africa (33.7%); Africans are immune to the virus (18.8%); and poor connection to the rest of the world (18.8%). Conclusions: There is a big concern about COVID-19 in Africa. Timely and accurate epidemiological data is one of the most important tools to inform and drive the COVID-19 response on the continent. Until researchers know exactly what is going on with COVID-19 in Africa, its member states need to keep on measuring and testing. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 2020; 34(4):313-316] Key words: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Afric

Delay of emergency surgical interventions in Ethiopia: Patient and health system factors

Background: The objectives of this study were to evaluate outcomes among patients with acute abdomen and abdominal trauma who presented at either of 2 referral hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and to determine the factors associated with delay as well as the effects of prehospital and in-hospital delay on outcome. Methods: We conducted a 1-year prospective cross-sectional study, which included all cases of surgically treated acute abdomen and abdominal trauma admitted to St Paul General Specialized Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Gondar University Hospital, Gondar, Ethiopia. Standardized data collection forms were completed for all cases from 1 May 2008 to 30 April 2009. Data were analyzed using Epi Info version 6 and SPSS version 13. Results: A total of 504 patients were studied. Diagnoses were: intestinal obstruction (34.6 %), appendicitis (33 %), and perforated peptic ulcer (3.6 %). Sixty-six percent of patients over 45 years of age, 60% of females, and 61% of intestinal obstruction cases were operated on within 3 days of illness onset. The 35% of patients who were operated on more than 3 days after the development of symptoms had a mortality of 67%. Fifty-four percent of the cases with a total prehospital and in-hospital time of more than 3 days had initially visited other health institutions. Conclusions: Delay of surgical intervention of more than 3 days for acute abdomen or abdominal trauma adversely affected outcomes. Women, patients older than 45 years of age, patients with intestinal obstruction, and those who were referred from other health facilities were delayed and had adverse outcomes. Keywords: delay in surgery; acute abdomen; abdominal trauma; surgical systems improvement

The effectiveness of pictogram intervention in the identification and reporting of adverse drug reactions in naïve HIV patients in Ethiopia : A cross-sectional study

Acknowledgement: The authors are grateful to all the participants of the study. In addition, the abstract of this paper was presented at the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) 20th Annual European Congress as a poster presentation with interim findings. The poster’s abstract was published in “Poster Abstracts” in Value in Health, October–November 2017, Volume 20, Issue 9. In addition, the abstract of this manuscript was also published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases, August 2018, Volume 73, Supplement, Page 245 as part of the 18th International Congress on Infectious Diseases/XVIII Congreso SADI 2018.Peer reviewe

Editorial: Altered expression of proteins in cancer: function and potential therapeutic targets, volume II

[no abstract available

The variable prevalence of bovine tuberculosis among dairy herds in Central Ethiopia provides opportunities for targeted intervention.

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is an important disease for dairy productivity, as well as having the potential for zoonotic transmission. Previous prevalence studies of bTB in the dairy sector in central Ethiopia have suggested high prevalence, however, they have been limited to relatively small scale surveys, raising concerns about their representativeness. Here we carried out a cross sectional one-stage cluster sampling survey taking the dairy herd as a cluster to estimate the prevalence of bTB in dairy farms in six areas of central Ethiopia. The survey, which to date is by far the largest in the area in terms of the number of dairy farms, study areas and risk factors explored, took place from March 2016 to May 2017. This study combined tuberculin skin testing and the collection of additional herd and animal level data by questionnaire to identify potential risk factors contributing to bTB transmission. We applied the single intradermal cervical comparative tuberculin (SICCT) test using >4mm cut-off for considering an individual animal as positive for bTB; at least one reactor animal was required for a herd to be considered bTB positive. Two hundred ninety-nine dairy herds in the six study areas were randomly selected, from which 5,675 cattle were tested. The overall prevalence of bTB after standardisation for herd-size in the population was 54.4% (95% CI 48.7-60%) at the herd level, and it was 24.5% (95% CI 23.3-25.8) at the individual animal level. A Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM) with herd and area as random effect was used to explore risk factors association with bTB status. We found that herd size, age, bTB history at farm, and breed were significant risk factors for animals to be SICCT positive. Animals from large herds had 8.3 times the odds of being tuberculin reactor (OR: 8.3, p-value:0.008) as compared to animals from small herds. The effect of age was strongest for animals 8-10 years of age (the oldest category) having 8.9 times the odds of being tuberculin reactors (OR: 8.9, p-value:<0.001) compared to the youngest category. The other identified significant risk factors were bTB history at farm (OR: 5.2, p-value:0.003) and cattle breed (OR: 2.5, p-value: 0.032). Our study demonstrates a high prevalence of bTB in central Ethiopia but with a large variation in within-herd prevalence between herds, findings that lays an important foundation for the future development of control strategies

Elimination of Guinea Worm Disease in Ethiopia; current status of the diseases, eradication strategies and challenges to the endgame

Background: Dracunculiasis, also named Guinea Worm Disease (GWD), is one of the diseases listed under Neglected Tropical Diseases caused by a parasitic nematode known as Dracunculus medinensis. Given, its feasibility for eradication, the Guinea Worm Eradication Program (GWEP) was launched in 1980 with the aim of eradicating the disease. This paper reviews the current status of the global Guinea worm eradication in Ethiopia and intervention strategies. Methods: Published papers related to infectious diseases elimination, particularly of GWD were extracted from PubMed, WHO, CDC, and Google Scholar. Of these, the CDC website, WHO online atlas (GW data store) and recent data from EDEP were extensively used. Results: In Ethiopia, the Ethiopian EDEP which was established in 1993 has made remarkable move towards interruption of disease transmission and now the endgame is fast approaching. The EDEP with support mainly from partners has reduced GWD by more than 99% from 1994 to 2015. In 2016, 3 human cases, 14 dogs and 2 baboon infections were reported. Refugee influx from the Republic of South Sudan, increased animal infections with unknown role in transmission of Dracunculiasis, the presence of hard to reach communities and lack of safe water sources in remote non-village areas remain among important challenges at this final stage of GWD eradication in Ethiopia. Conclusion: Eradication strategies encompassing community education for behavioral change including raising awareness towards cash reward for reporting Guniea Worm Disease (GWD) and animal infection, case containment, surveillance systems, provision of safe water supply, and ABATE chemical application are discussed

Hepatitis B virus infection among medical aste handlers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Healthcare wastes contain a wide range of microorganisms among which hepatitis B virus (HBV) are the most significant pathogens. No data about the prevalence of HBV among medical waste handlers is available in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Therefore; this study was conducted to describe the prevalence of HBV infection among medical waste handlers in Government hospitals of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>A cross sectional study was conducted among 252 medical and non-medical waste handlers working in three Government hospitals of Addis Ababa between May to July, 2010. Predesigned and tested questionnaire was used to collect soiociodemographic information. Blood sample was taken from 252 waste handlers and serum was tested for Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti-Hepatitis core antigen (anti-HBcAg) using Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay.</p> <p>Of the 126 Medical Waste Handlers and 126 Non Medical Waste Handler, HBsAg was detected in 8 (6.3%) and 1 (0.8%), and anti-HBcAg in 60 (47.6%) and 40 (31.7%), respectively. Significant differences were observed in the detection rates of HBsAg (OR: 8, 95% CI: 1.02, 63.02; <it>p </it>= 0.01), Anti-HB c Ag (OR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.1, 2.1; <it>p </it>= 0.01) and either markers (OR: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.2, 2.2; <it>p </it>= 0.001) in medical waste handlers compared to non medical waste handlers. 19.8% were trained to handle medical waste and none was immunized against HBV.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study shows a high prevalence of HBV infection in medical waste handlers compared to non medical waste handlers. Lack of training on how to handle medical waste among medical waste handlers was high.</p