Investigating the mechanism behind the feedback regulation of the Exon Junction Complex component MAGOH

RNA binding proteins are critical for regulation of RNA function, and therefore maintaining appropriate levels of these proteins is important for cellular regulation. I focus on MAGOH, an essential subunit of the Exon Junction Complex (EJC) that is necessary for stable binding of the EJC to mRNA. Like all key regulatory proteins, MAGOH levels in the cell are tightly controlled. Reductions in MAGOH can lead to defects in embryonic development. We have found that, in human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells, when an externally introduced copy of MAGOH (exogenous FLAG-MAGOH) is forcibly expressed from a tetracycline-inducible promoter, it causes the levels of endogenous MAGOH protein to go down. Thus, there is a feedback mechanism that maintains appropriate levels of MAGOH. The molecular details of this mechanism remain largely unknown and are the subject of my research. Here, I test if the regulation of MAGOH occurs at the transcriptional or post-transcriptional level. My results show that when increasing amounts of FLAG-MAGOH mRNA and protein are expressed in the cell, the endogenous MAGOH mRNA and pre-mRNA levels are unchanged. This data suggests that neither the degradation nor the synthesis of endogenous MAGOH mRNA is affected by more FLAG-MAGOH protein expression. Interestingly, I find that when cells are treated with a proteasome inhibitor (MG-132), the endogenous MAGOH protein does not decrease as observed in the untreated cells. Therefore, MAGOH protein levels are regulated by proteasome-mediated degradation of the protein. Additionally, the incorporation of MAGOH into the EJC seems to play a role in its regulation.No embargoAcademic Major: Molecular Genetic

Technical Efficiency of Smallholder Dairy Farmers in the Central Ethiopian Highlands

Despite having the second largest livestock population in Africa and favorable climate, the contribution of the livestock, especially the dairy sector to the Ethiopian economy is minimal. The per capita consumption of dairy products of 16 liters is one of the lowest in the world. With increasing income and urbanization, the demand for dairy products is expected to increase. A number of studies have examined the potential of the dairy sector to satisfy existing as well as future demand for dairy products. Most of the studies, however, focus on technological constraints such as poor genotype of indigenous animals, tropical animal diseases, availability of feed and other related services and recommend costly technological solutions aimed to alleviate those constraints. Yet there is evidence of inefficiency and significant post harvest losses of milk. We used a Cobb- Douglas stochastic production function to analyze the inefficiencies of a random sample of 74 smallholder dairy farmers in the Central Ethiopian Highlands. Results show that forage and concentrate feed, number of cross breed cows and expenditures on veterinary services are significant determinants of milk output. We also found evidence of systematic inefficiency in dairy production associated with farmers' educational level and livestock training that explains almost 90% of the variation in milk production. The average efficiency score of farmers in the sample is 79%. Thus milk output can be increased on average by 21% with existing technology by training farmers in modern management practices in feeding, calving, milking, storing, processing and marketing.Smallholder dairy, technical efficiency, stochastic production function, Ethiopia, Livestock Production/Industries, Productivity Analysis,

Determinants of Poverty in Rural Tigray:Ethiopia Evidence from Rural Households of Gulomekeda Wereda

The  study was carried out at Gulomekeda wereda of Tigray National Regional State with the main objectives to describe correlates or determinants of rural poverty   in the study area. In order to attain this objective the study made use of cross-sectional household survey  data collected by Relief Society of Tigray (REST) from 191 sample households .The data collected were analyzed and discussed applying poverty index, descriptive statistics and logit regression model analyses. To this end, identifying poor and non poor households; examining the incidence, depth and severity of poverty in the community;  demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of poor and non poor households and measurement of the dimensions of poverty have been made.Using cost of basic needs approach the study found that total poverty line (food and non food poverty line) of the area is 2094 birr per year per adult equivalent. Using this poverty line as bench mark the study indicated that 51 percent of the households are poor. The result of the logistic regression model revealed that out of 12 variables included in the model, 8 explanatory variables are found to be significant up to less than 10% probability level. Accordingly, total family size & dependency ratio were found to have positive association with poverty of the household and statistically significant. Meanwhile, farm size, total livestock owned(TLU), value of asset, educational status of the household head, access to credit and access to off farm income were found out to have strong negative association with the households poverty status and statistically significant up to less than 10 percent level of significance

Estimates of Growth of Agricultural Sector in East Africa Pastoral Regions: Evidence from Ethiopia (Afar Regional State)

Employing commonly used national account estimation methodology we find  livestock sub sector contributed the greatest share to the agricultural regional Real Gross Domestic Product  which is 88.40 percent in 2010/11 and  87.80 percent 2011/12which is almost similar with rest of east Africa countries like in Sudan and Uganda contributing 86%and 80% respectively. Livestock sub sector is followed by crop sub sector with 6.89 and 7.44 percent in 2010/11 and 2011/12, respectively. The remaining balance was occupied by the forest sub sector. During the year 2011/12, the real growth rate of agriculture and allied activities of the region was 5.16 percent

The Determinants Factors of Household Food Security in the Case of Agro-Pastoral Kebeles of Yabello District, Southern Ethiopia

This study was commenced to examine the determinants of household food security in the agro- pastoral kebeles of Yabello woreda. The analysis was based on household survey data gathered from 168 randomly selected household heads in three agro-pastoral kebeles following probability proportional to population size sampling approach (PPS).Descriptive statistics, independent sample t- test, chi-squire tests and binary logistic regression model were used to analyze the data. The results of the analysis show that from the total surveyed households 39.9% were found to be food secured while the remaining 60.1% were food insecure. Five variables which include livestock ownership, household size, size of cultivated land, use of chemical fertilizer and distance to the market were found to be significant factors affecting household status of food security in the logistic regression model output. The findings suggest the need to improve the provision of services that improve livestock and agricultural production and microfinance to encourage the adoption of agricultural technologies. More training is important to encourage diversified crop production by the household. It is also important to improve the provision of basic infrastructural services such as rural roads and markets (especially livestock market centers) to facilitate livelihood diversification. Keywords: Household Food security, Logistic regression, Agro-pastoral, Yabello DOI: 10.7176/DCS/10-7-03 Publication date:July 31st 202

The English Grammer Learning Strategies of High and Low Ranking Grade Ten Students Jiren Secondary School: a Comparative Study

The main aim of this comparative study is to assess the English grammar learning strategies of high ranking students and low ranking students. To achieve this objective, the three modes of learning namely implicit learning, explicit-inductive learning and explicit-deductive learning were studied in relation to the stated basic question. For the study descriptive survey method was used. The extreme or deviant case sampling technique was employed to select the subjects for the study. Questionnaire and focus group discussion were used as data collection instruments. The data obtained through questionnaire were then analyzed by using SPSS version 16 in terms of rnean score, standard deviation and t-test. For the focus group discussion open-ended questions were used and the data were analyzed by using content analysis technique. In general the findings of the study reveal that there were significant differences on the three modes of learning particularly in memory and compensation strategies related to implicit learning, cognitive strategies related to explicit-inductive leaming and also to explicit-deductive learning. As the overall mean values indicate the high ranking students used English grammar learning strategies at a higher level than the low ranking students in all classifications except social strategies related to implicit and explicit deductive modes.Jimma Universit

Review on Barely Yellow Dwarf Viruses

Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) is distributed worldwide, and infects most cereals and grasses. It is a phloem-restricted pathogen, causing yellowing, reddening, and brittleness of leaves, dwarfing, and reduction in size and number of ears and grains. BYDV is a luteovirus with small isometric particles containing an ssRNA genome, and is transmitted persistently by more than 20 aphid species. Five virus isolates have been distinguished and divided into two subgroups on the basis of cytopathology and serology. Recent serological evidence also indicates that BYDV isolates are related to other luteoviruses, suggesting that a continuous, over lapping range of viruses may be implicated in the barley yellow dwarf syndrome. Until future research clarifies this point, the term BYDV continues to be used to indicate the agent(s) involved. Perennial wild or cultivated grasses constitute a large and permanent virus pool. Primary and secondary virus spread depends on the aphid vector reproduction and flight which, in turn, are influenced by climatic conditions. Recent research on monitoring and control of aphid vectors and on development of resistant cereal cultivars has improved the prospect of minimizing losses from BYDV infections. Because of the economic importance of the BYDVs, more research is needed. The specific locations and timing of virus outbreaks, and the particular causal isolates, need to be monitored. This is will allow breeders to decide which BYDV isolate to target with transgenic resistance in a given locality. It will help growers decide whether to pay the extra premium for BYDV-resistant crops. Another area of applied research may be to engineer aphid-resistant crops. With the growing number of sequenced or partially sequenced isolates of BYDV and CYDV around the world, it’s important 1) to develop rapid means of nucleic acid-based detection (e.g., PCR), 2) to understand the epidemiology of BYDV/CYDV, and 3) to develop transgenic and other means of disease control. The better understanding of BYDV molecular mechanisms that ultimately lead to new means of controlling or mitigating the effects of the disease, and it sheds light on processes relevant to medically important viruses. In addition, further review is needed to identify all recovered BYDV and evaluation of promising treatments for use in integrated disease management strategy to manage not only BYDV but also other related viral diseases of plant. Keywords: Barley, Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV), and luteovirus

Interaction Effects of In-organic N- Fertilizer and Seed Rates on Yield and Quality Traits of Malt Barley Varieties in the Highland of Tigray, North Ethiopia.

A new brewery factory has been constructed in Tigray region. In response, farmers are concerned to produce and earn premium price from malt barley. Besides, quality prerequisites for malting barley are objectively strict and mostly controlled by the growers crop management practice. However, there is limited/no information on the fertilizer and seed rate requirement of the crop that can achieve high quality malt without compromising yield and profit. Therefore, this research was aimed to determine the appropriate levels of inorganic N-fertilizer and seed rate on the yield and quality of malt barley varieties in three districts of Southern Tigray, North of Ethiopia. Treatments include two malt barley varieties (V1=Bekoji-1 and V2=Bhatty), seven N- rates (N0=0, N1=23, N2=34, N3=46, N4= 57.5, N5= 69 and N6=80.5 Kg N ha-1) in the form of Urea and two levels of seed rates (SR1=100, SR2=150 kg ha-1). The design was split-split plot with three replications. Varieties were put as a main plot, seed rate as a sub plot and the N-rates as a sub sub-plot treatment. The analysis of the separate and combined over locations revealed significant differences on grain yield (GY) and malt quality traits due to the main effect of treatments and some interactions. The effect of variety and seed rate were non-significant in response to GY. Highest value of grain yield (GY), hectoliter weight, plumpness, thousand kernel weight and acceptable grain protein content (GP) for malt barley was recorded at N5. The treatment without N-fertilizer application showed the least performance in above ground biomass and grain yield and malt quality traits. From the interaction of factors acceptable GP and higher grain yields were obtained from combinations: V2xSR1xN5 (GP=11.22%) and V1xSR1xN5 (GP=12.50%) at Ofla and V2xSRIxN6 (GP=12.28%) and V2xSRIxN5 (GP=12.09%) at Enda-Mekoni and V1xSR1xN5 (GP=11.94%) and V2xSR1xN5 (GP=11.44%) at Emba-Alaje. V2 x SR1 x N5 was selected as best combination in all locations. Bekoji-1(V1) at higher N-rates (N5 & N6) and SR1 at Enda-Mekoni was beyond the maximum acceptable limit in grain protein content. Regarding the profitability of the package highest net benefit and MRR were obtained from the application of N5 fertilizer rate at SR1 for both varieties in all study areas. Therefore, under similar environmental conditions the combination of V2 x SR1 x N5 is the best agronomic package for both grain yield and acceptable malt quality at all locations. In addition combinations of V1xSR1 xN5 can also be recommended for Ofla and Emba-Alaje districts. Keywords: Grain Protein, grain yield, N-fertilizer, Profit, seed rate, variety

Opportunities and Barriers of Exclusive Breastfeeding in South Western Oromia, Ethiopia

Breast milk is an optimal nutrition with no substitute for an infant The advantage gained from exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months is paramount for the infant s health To understand mothers practice of exclusive breastfeeding identifying and examining factors affecting exclusive breastfeeding is vital The aim of the current study was therefore to identify major factors that determine the practice of exclusive breastfeeding among South Western Oromia specifically in Jimma and Wo liso towns Towards this end a cross-sectional study was conducted using both quantitative and qualitative study approaches A total of 135 mother-infant pairs attending maternal and child health MCH at public hospitals in the two selected towns were interviewed Six 6 key informant interviews 6 FGDs and observations of mother-infant conditions were conducted Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS and qualitative information was thematically analyzed The breast milk initiation is 100 at the study site out of which 80 of them were exclusively breastfed up to two months of age while only 48 9 continue exclusive breastfeeding up to six months Factors identified as facilitators of exclusive breast feeding include knowledge of mothers personal satisfaction family support media and visits to health institutions Working condition of some employed woman perception of insufficient milk health condition and advises from their family member or neighborsare identified as barriers to the practice of mothers exclusive breastfeeding The significance of having knowledge on practice of exclusive breastfeeding was evidenced with the logistic regression model and results from the qualitative analysis A linear regression analysis shows that increase in mother s educational level have strong statistically significant association with level of exclusive breastfeeding The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding was relatively low 48 9 hence to promote the practice of excl