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Background: Global evidence on psychosis is dominated by studies conducted in Western, high-income countries. The objectives of the Study of Context Of Psychoses to improve outcomes in Ethiopia (SCOPE) are (1) to generate rigorous evidence of psychosis experience, epidemiology and impacts in Ethiopia that will illuminate aetiological understanding and (2) inform development and testing of interventions for earlier identification and improved first contact care that are scalable, inclusive of difficult-to-reach populations and optimise recovery., Methods: The setting is sub-cities of Addis Ababa and rural districts in south-central Ethiopia covering 1.1 million people and including rural, urban and homeless populations. SCOPE comprises (1) formative work to understand care pathways and community resources (resource mapping); examine family context and communication (ethnography); develop valid measures of family communication and personal recovery; and establish platforms for community engagement and involvement of people with lived experience; (2a) a population-based incidence study, (2b) a case-control study and (2c) a cohort study with 12 months follow-up involving 440 people with psychosis (390 rural/Addis Ababa; 50 who are homeless), 390 relatives and 390 controls. We will test hypotheses about incidence rates in rural vs. urban populations and men vs. women; potential aetiological role of khat (a commonly chewed plant with amphetamine-like properties) and traumatic exposures in psychosis; determine profiles of needs at first contact and predictors of outcome; (3) participatory workshops to develop programme theory and inform co-development of interventions, and (4) evaluation of the impact of early identification strategies on engagement with care (interrupted time series study). Findings will inform development of (5) a protocol for (5a) a feasibility cluster randomised controlled trial of interventions for people with recent-onset psychosis in rural settings and (5b) two uncontrolled pilot studies to test acceptability, feasibility of co-developed interventions in urban and homeless populations., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Hanlon et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Workers in pulp and paper factories are continuously exposed to paper dust. Excessive exposure to paper dust can cause respiratory disease. Information about the prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms and dust exposure levels among workers in pulp and paper factories is not available in Ethiopia. The aim of this study was, therefore, to assess personal total dust exposure levels, the prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms and their associated risk factors among workers in Ethiopian pulp and paper factories. Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 40 dust measurements were carried out on 20 randomly selected workers. To assess chronic respiratory symptoms and associated factors, 434 workers from two paper factories and controls were interviewed using a standard questionnaire adapted from the American Thoracic Society (ATS). Gravimetric analyses of the filters were undertaken using a standard microbalance. Poisson regression was performed for comparing the prevalence of symptoms and risk factors for the two groups. Multivariable analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with chronic respiratory symptoms. Result: The arithmetic mean (AM) and geometric mean (GM) of dust exposure levels among the paper factories workers were 11.3 (± 7.7) and 10.2 (± 1.4) mg/m3 respectively. This exposure level exceeded the threshold limit value recommended for total dust (10 mg/m3). The prevalence of having at least one chronic respiratory symptom was about 51% among the workers in paper factories. The prevalence ratio of having chronic respiratory symptoms among paper factory workers was 5.6 times higher (PR = 6, 95% CI 3.5–10.3) than in the controls. Chronic respiratory symptoms were significantly associated with factors such as an educational status of less than grade 9, being employed in the work sections of the factories, having work experience of 5 years and above, working more than 8 h per day and having a past history of occupation and respiratory illnesses. Conclusion: The dust concentration in the paper factories exceeded the acceptable recommended limit value of 10 mg/m3. The prevalence of chronic respiratory symptoms among paper factory workers was higher than among controls. The main determining factors for chronic respiratory symptoms among the workers were the specific work section such as production section, low income, having past history of respiratory illnesses, the number of years of working and low educational status. This finding indicated the need for improving the working conditions in paper factories in Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Ethiopia, the dairy cows' major feed resources are natural pasture and crop residues, both of which are nutritionally low and do not even satisfy the maintenance requirement. Consequently, dairy productivity per head is low in the country. This paper reviews the existing knowledge of negative energy balance (NEB) and summarizes its implication on production and reproduction parameters, as well as the monitoring tools as a means of intervention in minimizing the effect on dairy cows. The presence of NEB in late gestation and early lactation of dairy cows could contribute to both short and long-term negative effects on production and reproduction ability. Lower body condition, reduced milk production, a change in the milk fat to protein ratio, an increasing incidence of health problems, a late time to become estrus, delayed ovarian cycle, and a lower conception rate are the common implications. Through the knowledge created so far, it can be concluded that NEB is almost a common phenomenon in transitional high milking dairy animals, but there is a possibility to shorten its persistence through strategic supplementation using the NEB monitoring tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Briquetted biomass, like sugarcane bagasse, a by-product of sugar mills, is a renewable energy source. This study aimed at the production and characterization of bagasse briquettes. The production of briquettes was carried out with different blending ratios (5, 10, and 15%) and average particle sizes (0.75, 2.775, and 4.8 mm) with various binders of cow dung, waste paper, and admixture (molasses and wastepaper). The bagasse underwent drying, size reduction, sieving, binder addition, and densification using a manual press during the briquetting process. Characterization of the physical and combustion parameters of briquettes, such as density, shatter resistance, proximate, and calorific value, followed the American Society for Testing and Materials procedures. The result shows that the maximum density of briquettes was 0.804 g/cm3, while shatter resistance varied from 83.051 to 94.975% (4.8mm, 5% cow dung and 0.75mm, 5% admixture binders respectively). ANOVA analysis showed that the factors and their interactions had a significant influence (p value < 0.05) on the physical properties. The optimum parameters of briquettes achieved were 14.953% admixture binder, 0.776 mm particle size, 0.805 g/cm3 density, and 95.811% shatter resistance. Bagasse briquettes with a 5% cow dung binder achieved a high calorific value of 39927.05 kcal/kg. The ultimate analysis revealed a composition of 47.49% carbon (C), 5.133% hydrogen (H), 1.557% nitrogen (N), 0.374% sulfur (S), and 45.446% oxygen (O). Therefore, bagasse has a high calorific value and can be used for briquetting to replace fossil fuel and firewood in different applications. In addition, due to its availability, utilizing as fuel source has economic advantage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the Fascist regime, young Italians amused themselves by practicing the war games of adulthood. Paper soldiers marched across board games set in the newly established empire of Italian East Africa. To reveal how these vicious lessons worked, this article examines three types of toys. It starts with the design and deployment of paper soldiers: Italian Alpinisti, Eritrean Ascari, and Somali Dubat. Next, a playbook for The Conquest of Abyssinia boardgame provides a guide to military conquest. Finally, I examine where these toys come from, revealing the financial structures that underpinned colonial propaganda for Fascist government projects. Ultimately, toys wrote scripts for adult violence in the colonies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rapid reviews have emerged as an approach to provide contextualized evidence in a timely and efficient manner. Three rapid review centers were established in Ethiopia, Lebanon, and South Africa through the Alliance for Health Policy and Systems Research, World Health Organization, to stimulate demand, engage policymakers, and produce rapid reviews to support health policy and systems decision-making. This study aimed to assess the experiences of researchers and policymakers engaged in producing and using rapid reviews for health systems strengthening and decisions towards universal health coverage (UHC)., Methods: Using a case study approach with qualitative research methods, experienced researchers conducted semi-structured interviews with respondents from each center (n = 16). The topics covered included the process and experience of establishing the centers, stimulating demand for rapid reviews, collaborating between researchers and policymakers, and disseminating and using rapid reviews for health policies and interventions and the potential for sustaining and institutionalizing the services. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis., Results: Major themes interacted and contributed to shape the experiences of stakeholders of the rapid review centers, including the following: organizational structural arrangements of the centers, management of their processes as input factors, and the rapid reviews as the immediate policy-relevant outputs. The engagement process and the rapid review products contributed to a final theme of impact of the rapid review centers in relation to the uptake of evidence for policy and systems decision-making., Conclusions: The experiences of policymakers and researchers of the rapid review centers determined the uptake of evidence. The findings of this study can inform policymakers, health system managers, and researchers on best practices for demanding, developing and using rapid reviews to support decision- and policymaking, and implementing the universal healthcare coverage agenda., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

This review paper attempted to assess the tax compliance behavior of taxpayers in Ethiopia. The objectives were specifically to identify determinants and challenges of tax compliance behavior of taxpayers in Ethiopia. Taxes are the most important sources of the government that make it possible to finance infrastructure, investment, and the provision of services for citizens. Tax compliance involves being aware and complying with tax laws and regulations set by the government and tax authorities. Tax non-compliance is an unwillingness in obeying tax laws and regulations. Tax non-compliance has been a challenge to the government and tax authorities in collecting as much tax as required for the nation. Failure to comply with tax prevents adequate revenue collection of the state. The major challenges of tax compliance in Ethiopia are the complexity of the tax system, inefficiency of tax authorities, lack of tax knowledge and awareness, negative perception of taxpayers, a negative act of tax assessors, absence of tax training, lack of transparency of tax system, arbitrary estimation of taxes, personal financial constraints, political instability and lack of timely tax audit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethiopia is experiencing deterioration in river quality resulting in adverse effects on human health and hydrobionts. This study aimed to analyse the effects of specific environmental stressors on the distribution and abundance of macroinvertebrates in the Upper Awash River. The study was conducted from January 2018 to March 2018. Macroinvertebrates were collected from five sites using standard handheld nets. Physicochemical parameters including electrical conductivity, dissolved oxygen, total phosphorous, nitrate-nitrogen, pH, dissolved oxygen and water temperature that can affect the distribution and abundance of macroinvertebrates were assessed. A total of 14,465 individuals belonging to 33 families of insects and 5 families of the noninsect group were identified. Among all recorded taxa, Diptera was the most abundant and diversified order. Macroinvertebrates among the five sites showed variation in species evenness, richness, and Shannon Diversity Index. Values obtained from biotic indices and environmental parameters indicated the presence of organic pollution at different levels. The impacted downstream site paper mill waste (Walgata) had the relatively highest H-FBI index followed by Osole (more agricultural activities) indicating that Walgata and Osole were poorer in benthic faunal diversity than other sites. In addition, as habitat and water quality degradation increased, the number and percentage of Plecoptera, Ephemeroptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) decreased. The selected metrics will be also useful for the monitoring and assessment of the riverine systems and to access the impact of different stressors. As perturbation increased, species diversity, ETHbios index, Average Score Per Taxon, and family richness decreased, while the percentage of Chironomidae, Diptera, Dominant Taxa, and Hilsenhoff Family-Level Biotic Index increased indicating that tolerant species become abundant in degraded river bodies. Environmental protection agencies of governmental and nongovernmental organizations should make awareness for the local people so that they reduce activities that affect the river. Paper factory should also monitor its effluent from directly discharging into the Upper Awash River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.), is called "beles" in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, where it is used for multiple purposes, such as food, fodder, and fences; however, in recent years the introduction of the cochineal (Dactylopius coccus Costa) to this region has caused it to become a plague that has affected thousands of hectares, causing an economic and social problem. Six cultivars: three from Opuntia ficus-indica ('Atlixco', 'Chicomostoc', and 'Rojo Pelón') and three others O. cochenillifera ('Nopalea' and 'Bioplástico') and O. robusta ('Robusta') were tested for resistance to D. coccus in completely randomized design (CRD) experiment with six replications under greenhouse conditions, for two seasons (cycles). Matured cladodes were infested by attaching a paper bag with ten ovipositing female D. coccus. The number of insects at different stages and yields were recorded, log transformed (insect count data), and subjected to statistical analysis. The number of nymphs (stages I and II) was significantly different in both cycles (P=0.0000). The insects died at the nymph I stage at 'Rojo Pelón' and 'Robusta', in contrast, they completed their life cycle at 'Atlixco', 'Chicomostoc', and 'Nopalea' cultivars. Insects at 'Bioplástico' cultivar remained in the nymph I stage the whole experimental period; the molting was hampered. Although some crawlers started settling (nymph I) at 'Rojo Pelón', they couldn't survive and developed, and this confirms that this O. ficus-indica cultivar is resistant to D. coccus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of learning theories, present societal needs, and the positive empirical findings in the relevant literature support the thesis that inquiry-based learning (IBL) is promising for teaching and learning, which deserves further development. Few studies have been conducted on content analysis of IBL in science education at the international level. However, the overall trends of IBL in science education research trends in Ethiopia are not well known. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the nature and status of inquiry-based learning research in Ethiopia by employing a quantitative method. A total of 23 studies, including 14 theses, eight articles, and one dissertation were analyzed in terms of the methodological approaches used and the subjects studied. The most frequently investigated IBL science areas were biology (43.5%) and chemistry (34.75%). Guided inquiry (69.6%) (5E model = 65.2% and 7E model = 4.4%) studies were the most frequently investigated inquiry types. Teaching (47.8%) and learning (43.5%) were the most frequently focused subject matters of the studies reviewed, while cognitive elements (58.6%) were the most frequently used research elements in IBL studies, and quantitative studies with predominantly quasi-experimental methods (60.9%) were widely employed. The findings of this study indicated that IBL was found to be a new research area in Ethiopia where it has been practiced in science education at the primary level. This study is considered useful to develop an understanding of the nature and status of IBL research in Ethiopia and provide information on what could be done about IBL in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to fill gap in the literature and explore policy options for resolving the problems of accountability by framing three research questions. The research questions are (i) whether certain elements of Scott's (2014) institutional pillars attenuate (accentuate) corporate and public accountability; (ii) whether the presence of ruling party-affiliated enterprises (RPAEs) create an increase (decrease) in the degree of corporate (public) accountability; and (iii) whether there is a particular form of ownership change that transforms RPAEs into public investment companies. Design/methodology/approach: Using a qualitative research methodology that involves term frequency and thematic analysis of publicly available textual information, the paper examines Mechkova et al.'s (2019 forms of government accountability. The paper analyzes the gaps between the de jure and de facto accountability using the institutional pillars framework. Findings: The findings of the paper are three. First, there are gaps between de jure and de facto in all three (vertical, horizontal and diagonal) forms of government (public) accountability. Second, the study finds that more than three fourth of the parties that contested the June 2021 election did have regional focus. They did not advocate for accountability. Third, Ethiopia's RPAEs are unique. They have regional focus and are characterized by severe forms of agency and information asymmetry problems. Research limitations/implications: The main limitation of the paper is its exploratory nature. Extending this research by using cross-country data could provide a more complete picture of the link between corporate (public) accountability and a country's institutional pillars. Practical implications: Academic research documents that instilling modern corporate (public) governance standards in the Sub Sahara Africa (SSA) region has shown mixed results. The analysis made in this paper is likely to inform researchers and policymakers about the type of change that leads to better corporate (and public) accountability outcomes. Social implications: The institutional change proposed in the paper is likely to advance the public interest by mitigating agency and information asymmetry problems and enhancing government accountability. The changes make the enterprises investable, save scarce jobs, enhance diversity and put the assets in RPAEs to better use. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first paper that uses the institutional pillars analytical framework to examine an SSA country's corporate (public) accountability problem. It demonstrates that accountability is a domestic and a (novel) traveling theory. The paper identifies the complexity of resolving the interlock between political institutions and business enterprises. It theorizes that it is impossible to instill modern corporate (public) accountability standards without changing regulatory, normative and cultural cognitive pillars of institutions. The paper contributes to the change management and public interest literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the bureaucratic processes required to establish and manage a single international capacity‐development project that brought together a funding council (AHRC), UK University (SOAS University of London) and universities and other research organisations in Myanmar and Ethiopia. Drawing from ethnographic critiques of the planning and audit practices employed in international development and in the UK University sector, we track the formal certification of partnership as enacted through due diligence and contracts, budgets and timeframes, and reconciliations and reporting. These practices point to pervasive assumptions about capacity transfer and the unequal basis of international research coalitions spanning the Global North and Global South. In this article, we challenge these assumptions by documenting how the allocation of capacity is constrained in hierarchies of time and space. For equitable partnership arrangements to be achieved, we recommend that capacity development be considered a long‐term exchange that flows from mutual reflection and learning from one another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of financial sectors is considered as one of vital determinants of the growth of Ethiopian economy, and for secure equitable distribution of the benefits to the society. However, financial distress has an effect on the sectors. This review was conducted to assess financial distress situation of financial sectors in Ethiopia. The objective is specifically to identify the determinants of financial distress, opportunities of financial sectors, and challenges and constraints of financial distress in Ethiopia. Ethiopia is a developing country with majority of unbanked population. Liquidity, profitability, leverage, firm size, capital adequacy, management efficiency, earning ability, inflation and interest rate are major determinant of financial distress in Ethiopia. Moreover, Ethiopian financial sectors have an opportunity of trade openness, rapid economic growth, unexploited resource, population growth and encouragement of privatization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of all injury-related deaths and disabilities in the world, especially in low to middleincome countries (LMICs) which also suffer from lower levels of funding for all levels of the health care system for patients suffering from TBI. These patients do not generally get comprehensive diagnostic workup, monitoring, or treatment, and return to work too quickly, often with undiagnosed post-traumatic deficits which in turn can lead to subsequent incidents of physical harm. Methods: Here, we share methods and results from our research project to establish innovative, simple, and scientifically based practices that dramatically leverage technology and validated testing strategies to identify post-TBI deficits quickly and accurately, to circumvent economic realities on the ground in LMICs. We utilized paper tests such as the Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA), line-bisection, and Bell's test. Furthermore, we combined modifications of neuroscience computer tasks to aid in assessing peripheral vision, memory, and analytical accuracies. Data from seventy-one subjects (51 patients and 20 controls, 15 females and 56 males) from 4 hospitals in Ethiopia are presented. The traumatic brain injury group consists of 17 mild, 28 moderate, and 8 severe patients (based on the initial Glasgow Comma Score). Controls are age and education-matched subjects (no known history of TBI, brain lesions, or spatial neglect symptoms). Results: We found these neurophysiological methods can: 1) be implemented in LMICs and 2) test impairments caused by TBI, which generally affect brain processing speed, memory, and both executive and cognitive controls. Discussion: The main findings indicate that these examinations can identify several deficits, especially the MoCA test. These tests show great promise to assist in the evaluation of TBI patients and support the establishment of dedicated rehabilitation centers. Our next steps will be expansion of the cohort size and application of the tests to other settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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As the world's population rises, there is a greater need for additional pulpwood for paper production worldwide. Therefore, this research aimed to evaluate the pulp and papermaking characteristics of Melia azedarach. Proximate chemical analysis, fiber morphology, pulping, bleaching, and physical tests were carried out to check the suitability of raw material. The proximate chemical analysis results showed that M. azedarach has a holocellulose content of 72.95% and a lignin content of 22.14%. Fiber morphology assessment revealed that the fibers were 0.571 mm long, 13.45 μm wide, and had a 2.52 μm cell wall thickness. Kraft pulping of M. azedarach was performed at different active alkali contents (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25%) and temperatures (150 °C, 160 °C, 170 °C, 180 °C, and 190 °C), keeping the sulfidity constant at 25%. The maximum pulp yield was 41.81% at an active alkali content of 15%, a temperature of 170 °C, and a cooking time of 90 min. The effect of pulping on the fiber morphology was studied using scanning electron microscopy, which showed that the fiber's surface before pulping was tight and arranged in an orderly way, with a relatively complex texture. After pulping, lignin, hemicellulose, and cellulose were removed, and the fiber became softer and more loosened, containing micropores. The pulp produced was bleached, and sheet preparation and testing were performed. The prepared paper sheets had a tensile index of 23.3 Nm/g, a burst index of 1.4 kPa m2/g, and a tear index of 4.0 mN m2/g. This study concluded that M. azedarach could be a raw material for the pulp and papermaking industries. The results indicated that M. azedarach is also a potential alternative resource for pulp and paper production in Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are ongoing calls in the humanitarian and development sectors to localise aid, make it more participatory and involve communities. A common response to these calls by INGOs and national governments is to work with local actors to jointly deliver local, community-based, participatory aid. However, this setup tends to be hierarchical, with external actors taking the lead on project design and local actors on implementation. As a result, key outcomes envisioned for localisation and participation in aid often do not materialise. This paper explores the role legitimacy work plays in maintaining this unhelpful status quo. To this end, it provides a qualitative case study analysis of an aid project in Ethiopia (2016–2020) that was initiated by two INGOs and built on government structures designed to facilitate mass volunteering at community level: the Women's Development Army. The paper argues that externally driven localisation is often organised around project models that are shaped by two contradictory paradigms: one centring resilience and one centring surveillance. As a result, local aid workers and civil servants are faced with incompatible legitimacy requirements in their work. This paper uses a paradox perspective as a theoretical lens to explore how these local actors navigate these conflicting needs. It finds that they use impression management, especially visuals and performances, to sidestep the contradictions. This imagery conceals the disconnects between project strategy, implementation and the reality on the ground. As a side effect, it renders the problems with the externally driven approach invisible and legitimises the hierarchical status quo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Executive Summary: This paper examines the cultural influences on irregular migration to South Africa from the Kembata-Tembaro Zone of Ethiopia. It reports on a mixed methods study, with a cross-sectional household survey (n = 316) to examine indicators about society's perceptions, cultural values, and the impact of remittances on migration. In-depth interviews (n = 24) with migrant returnees and experts in the Kembata-Tembaro Zone Labor and Social Affairs Office explored their experiences and perceptions of irregular migration. The study established a connection between cultural influences and irregular migration of Ethiopians to the Republic of South Africa. Overall, the study demonstrates that the culture of migration among the Kembatas is primarily driven by a cumulative migration experience facilitated through migrant social networks. Economic incentives, such as prospects of better income and improved living conditions, are the main drivers for individuals to embark on this migratory journey. In addition, social factors, including familial networks, community ties, and remittances from migrants, significantly influence households' attitudes toward migration. The paper ends with recommendations to address the problems related to irregular Ethiopian migration to South Africa, to enhance the well-being of Kembata emigrants, and to maximize the benefits of migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An earthquake is one of the most significant and shocking natural disasters ever documented anywhere on the planet. Throughout history, it has claimed millions of lives and wreaked devastation on infrastructure. Because earthquake forces are spontaneous and unpredictable, engineering methods must be honed to investigate buildings under the impact of these forces. The dynamic and static computations of four RC multistory structure prototypes with various elevations in a high seismic zone are compared in this paper. The project under review is modeled as a 3, 6, 12, and 18-story establishment, and it is analyzed employing ETABS vs. 2019. The Equivalent Lateral Force (ELF) Procedure is used for static experimentation, while the Response Spectrum (RS) Procedure is employed for dynamic investigation. Both calculations are performed as per the EUROCODE 8-2004 recommendation. The ELF seismic load practice utilized was for the country of Norway, which has similar parameters to the ES-EN 8-15 seismic regulation Type I target RS, with ag/g = 0.1, spectrum type = I, soil factor S = 1.3 ground type, spectrum period (Tb, Tc, and Td) 0.1 s, 0.25 s, and 1.5 s. For the RS investigation, the parameters employed are as per ESEN-2015, ag/g = 0.1, and the spectrum type = I and ground type = B parameters were involved in the same manner for the RS analysis. The soil factor was set to 1.35; the spectrum period was set to (Tb, Tc, and Td) 0.05 s, 0.25 s, and 1.2 s. The behavior factor = 3.8, the lower bound factor = 0.2, and the damping ratio = 0.05. The results are then compared by employing different components such as displacement, story drift, story stiffness, base story shear, and story moment. Ultimately, a comparison of static and dynamic investigations has been carried out. Compared to the RS approach, the ELF technique produces more additional displacement, total drift, and base shear. As per the findings of this paper, for high-rise and tall buildings, dynamic analysis such as RS should be used rather than static analysis (ELF). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine expropriation, valuation, compensation and rehabilitation practices and their impacts on expropriated households. Design/methodology/approach: This study employed a mixed research approach. The target populations of the study were expropriated households in Debre Markos City from 2019 to 2022. The study uses purposive and systematic random sampling techniques. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, narration and thematic clustering. Findings: The findings of this study revealed that the expropriation process was not participatory and the right holders were not treated as what is expected. It is further found that economic losses, moral damage and social disturbance payments were not considered in the compensation package. The displacement compensation given was also inadequate and sometimes delayed and the time value of money was not taken into account for delayed payments. This creates social and economic problems. The rehabilitation and resettlement program was inadequate and ineffective. The expropriation, valuation, compensation and rehabilitation practice in general lack transparency and accountability. Practical implications: To ensure efficient and effective expropriation, valuation and compensation, there should be a well-organized government system that provides an accurate valuation on the one hand and restores the livelihood of the displaced on the other. Originality/value: This paper is the first on expropriation, valuation, compensation and rehabilitation within the framework of transparency, accountability, effective rehabilitation and resettlement and institutional arrangements to ensure the sustainable livelihoods of affected households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyzes the issues and challenges of the current information and communication process of private sector healthcare institutions in Ethiopia. Both qualitative and quantitative research approaches were used to collect and analyze data using surveys, interviews, observation and related secondary source documents. The analysis indicated the research gaps in the current information and communication process models and the clear direction toward a solution. This study employed a mixed research design (both exploratory and applied research) and used Google Forms for a survey and interview-based fact-finding and analysis, Microsoft Visio for model designing, and Protopie for prototyping. As a final contribution, the study designed and validated a cloud-based green information and communication process model for the federated healthcare institutions in developing countries in general and the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (SNNPR) of Ethiopia in particular. This model can be used as an important instrument for inter or intra institutional collaboration and communications. Based on the user acceptance and demonstrated validation, the results indicate improvements in energy, efficiency, unified data repository, intra institutional collaboration, information sharing, trusted and ethical information and unified integration and share-ability. The test validated the model and its prototype as a new knowledge contribution to the domain. The research findings can be used as a basis for next-generation transformation of private sector healthcare institutions in developing countries such as Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia possess diverse natural resources and a substantial labor force that permit forming a successful trade integration. However, the recent dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) project between Ethiopia and downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan, has weakened the bilateral relations and disrupted trade flows among the three countries. This paper investigates the pattern of trilateral trade between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia during the period between 1995 and 2018. The study also examines the prospects and challenges for establishing a trilateral trade integration between the three countries. The study adopted the gravity model approach, along with the export diversification and trade complementarity indices, in order to scrutinize the pattern and structure of trade between the countries under study. The analysis indicated that Egypt is the most diversified economy with many crucial comparative advantages, which may grant it a leader position in the integration. Moreover, the paper revealed many challenges that may hinder the implementation of trilateral trade integration including, export concentration, poor infrastructure and disputes over water resources. Finally, the paper recommends that facilitating bilateral trade among the riparian countries of Eastern Nile Basin would mitigate the complex clashes over water rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While land registration may increase the sense of security amongst landholders and provide a mechanism for resolving boundary disputes, its interaction with social, political-economic and ecological dynamics can actually generate conflicts by creating new opportunities by which some actors can assert claims or expand their landholdings, often at the expense of others. Conflicts over land cannot be understood without understanding the local dynamics with which they are intertwined. Drawing from case studies in the Amhara region of Ethiopia, this paper shows that, despite land registration and certification, there are widespread conflicts within and between households and state authorities regarding the usufruct of individual and communal lands. The paper argues that conflicts over land are complex and political and are linked to and embedded in the processes of commercialization, as well as in local social processes and power relations. These, in turn, influence and are shaped by the political economy of local governance and land administration processes, particularly in relation to the implementation of land registration. The paper highlights that land conflicts are attributed to a range of issues, including not only the challenges of governance in land registration but also population growth, commercialization, urbanization, inheritance and gender inequality, all of which intersect with corrupt land administration systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide an early assessment of India's South-South cooperation for trade and technology (SSTT) with East Africa, focusing on Ethiopia, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. It aims to analyse the role of SSTT in providing support to targeted sectors. Design/methodology/approach: The paper examines SSTT, focusing on India and East Africa over a specific period (2000–2016) of its emergence, and extends the public sponsorship literature in international business (IB) to better understand the relationship between SSTT and value addition – applying to a particular case study of SSTT interventions in spices. Findings: The paper highlights SSTT as a pathway to support value addition in global value chains (GVCs). Trade between India and East African countries has grown, with three developments over the period of analysis in particular: shifting trade patterns, growing share of intermediate goods trade and differences in GVC insertion. However, East African exports are largely of lower value. Capacity building to support processing capability and thriving markets can encourage greater value addition. Preliminary findings suggest early gains at the margins, as SSTT interventions have been focusing on capacity boosting with buffering and bridging mechanisms for increased volume of trade. Moving up the value chain however requires that specific value-enhancing activities continue to be targeted, building on regional capacities. Our high-level case study for spices suggests that activities are starting to have a positive effect; however, more focus is needed to specifically target value creation before export and in particular higher levels of processing. Practical implications: While findings are preliminary, policy implications emerge to guide SSTT interventions. There is capacity for building higher value-added supply chains as is evident among East African countries that trade with each other – future SSTT programmes could tap into this and help build capacity in these higher-value value chains. Future SSTT programmes can take a comprehensive approach by aiming at interventions at key points of the value chain, and especially at points that facilitate higher value addition than initial processing. An example is that Ethiopia and Rwanda are likely to benefit from an expanded spice industry, but the next phase should be towards building processing for value-addition components of the value chain, such as through trade policies, incentivising exporters to add value to items before export. From a development perspective, more analysis needs to be done on the value chain itself – for instance, trade facilitation measures to help processers engage in value chains and to access investments for increasing value add activities. (iv), Future research should examine more closely the development impacts of SSTT, namely, the connection between increased trade, local job creation and sustained innovation, as it is these tangible benefits that will help countries in the Global South realise the benefits of increased trade. Originality/value: The paper underlines how the SSTT approach can contribute to the critical IB and GVCs literature using a theoretical grounded approach from public sponsorship theory, and with a unique lens of development cooperation between countries in the global south and its emerging impact on development outcomes in these countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This debate piece contains an assessment of the debate on the 'Pretoria Agreement' (or Cessation of Hostilities Agreement) concluded on 2 November 2022 regarding the armed conflict in Ethiopia. On the basis of a critical discussion of a paper by F. Gebresenbet and Y. Tariku (2023) published in the Spring issue of the Review of African Political Economy (ROAPE), the author here contests the short-term analysis of the authors, who miss essential points of the wider context of political conflict in Ethiopia and also scholastically misrepresent some other authors in the debate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study examined the preliminary effects of a nurse‐led self‐management education and support programme on the self‐management behaviours and quality of life among people with type 2 diabetes in Western Ethiopia. Methods: A pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted between January and August 2021. Participants were recruited in the hospital and randomly assigned to the control arm to continue usual care (n = 38) or the intervention arm to receive usual care and the diabetes self‐management education and support programme (n = 38) in the community. Self‐management behaviours and quality of life were assessed using a 10‐item summary of diabetes self‐care activity (expanded) scale and a 34‐item diabetes quality of life measure, respectively, at baseline and 2 months after follow‐up. Generalized estimating equation models were used to examine the preliminary effects of the programme on the outcomes. Results: Preliminary results indicated that the programme outperformed usual care in self‐management practise, with large effect sizes immediately postintervention and at 2 months after the intervention, and quality of life at 2 months after the intervention. Conclusion: A nurse‐led diabetes self‐management education and support intervention, including the families of people with diabetes, may be an option to boost the self‐management practise and quality of life of patients with diabetes. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? Family‐supported diabetes self‐management education intervention produced inconclusive effects on self‐management behaviour and quality of life. What this paper adds? A social‐cognitive theory‐guided, culture‐tailored, and community‐based diabetes self‐management education and support programme resulted in a preliminary effect on improving self‐management behaviour and quality of life.A nurse‐led diabetes self‐management education and support programme intervention, including the families of patients, may be an option to boost the self‐management practise and quality of life of people with diabetes. The implications of this paper: Culturally tailored diabetes self‐management education and support programme could be an option to improve self‐management behaviour and enhance quality of life.Community‐based nurse‐delivered diabetes self‐management education and support can improve self‐management behaviours and enhance quality of life in 2 months duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In accordance with the culture and environment, vernacular architecture has provided suitable solutions. People are looking for more environmentally friendly structures in today's globalized world. To comprehend the sustainable qualities of indigenous housing tradition, thus it is important to look back in time. This article has used the idea of sustainable development to evaluate the worth of Gurage, an Ethiopian traditional architecture. The indigenous architecture of the Gurage communities is constructed in line with the community's history, culture, and surroundings. In light of this, the research investigates traditional houses and the socio-cultural practices of the locals that promote resilience. In order to find a scientific basis and encourage its implementation in the future, this paper analyzes the architectural expression in Gurage, holistically in light of the knowledge and experience of the local populace. Using a phenomenological research design and a qualitative research approach that involves observation, key informant interviews (20), and focused group discussions (3) with carefully chosen participants, an explanation for the vernacular architecture of the study areas was established. The outcome of the paper reveals how much the rich vernacular traditions of the study site are still relevant today in creating an environmentally and culturally sustainable settlement. It implies that the traditional building practices and cultural heritage of the Gurage people can contribute to the development of a sustainable settlement that is both environmentally friendly and culturally appropriate. By expressing concern about these issues, it highlights the importance of taking proactive measures to safeguard the environment, preserve cultural heritage, and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, global attention to carbon emissions has increased, becoming one of the main drivers of global climate change. Accurate prediction of carbon emission trends in small and medium-sized countries and scientific regulation of carbon emissions can provide theoretical support and policy references for the effective and rational use of energy and the promotion of the coordinated development of energy, environment, and economy. This paper establishes a grey prediction model using the classical Logistic mathematical model in a determined environment to investigate the carbon emission system. At the same time, we use the basic principle of fractional-order accumulation to establish a grey prediction model with fractional-order Logistic and obtain the parameter estimation and time-response equation of the new model by solving the model through the theory related to fractional-order operators. The particle swarm optimization algorithm is used to complete the optimization process of the order of the fractional order grey prediction model and obtain the optimal model order. Then, the new model is applied to predict carbon emissions in five medium-emission countries: Ethiopia, Djibouti, Ghana, Belgium, and Austria. The new model shows better advantages in the validity analysis process, and the simulation results indicate that the new model proposed in this paper has stronger stability and better simulation and prediction accuracy than other comparative models, proving the model's validity. Finally, the model is used to forecast the carbon emissions of these five countries for the five years of 2021–2025, and the results are analyzed, and relevant policy recommendations are made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clinical research and epidemiological studies have shown that many women experience physical and behavioral symptoms that begin during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and terminate around the onset of menses; this is called premenstrual syndrome. The reviews stated that the pooled prevalence of premenstrual syndrome was around 50 percent. However, there has been no review done on premenstrual syndrome in Africa. Therefore, the aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to summarize the most recent data evidence on the pooled prevalence of premenstrual syndrome and its pooled effect of associated factors in Africa. Method: We used an appropriate guideline for systematic reviews and metaanalyses reports, which is the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). This review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023414021). The publications were identified from PubMed/Medline, EMBASE, Scopus databases, and other grey searches. The included papers were the original data that reported the prevalence of premenstrual syndrome and associated factors published, in English, and papers available online from January 1, 2000, to May 30, 2023. The data was extracted in Microsoft Excel, and then it would be imported into STATA 11.0 for analysis. Results: We have included 16 studies conducted in African countries with 6530 study participants. In this meta-analysis, the pooled prevalence of premenstrual syndrome among the reproductive-age participants in Africa was 46.98 (95% CI: 28.9-65.06%). Further, in subgroup analysis, the pooled prevalence of premenstrual syndrome was 57.32% in Nigeria, 43.8% in Ethiopia, and 38.6% among university students and 66.04% among secondary school students. Among associated factors, the early age of menarche was significantly related to premenstrual syndrome. Conclusion: In this review, the pooled prevalence of premenstrual syndrome in Africa was high. Among factors, the early age of menarche was a risk factor for premenstrual syndrome. This finding might help the stakeholders (mental health policy makers, administrators, and mental health professionals) to address prevention, early screening, and management of PMS among reproductive-age women, and to give attention to more vulnerable bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an experimental evaluation of a newly developed flat plate double pass solar air heater combined with aluminum cans for drying red pepper was presented. The proposed solar dryer system was designed, modeled, and evaluated. Solar air heater trials were carried out using the absorber's top and bottom plate and aluminum cans for red pepper drying at Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. To test the solar dryer, 100 pieces of red paper were obtained from the Bahir Dar region of Ethiopia for the purpose of experimentation. Microsoft Excel was used to perform statistical analysis of eleven mathematical models. The results show that the mixed-mode solar greenhouse dryer takes less time to dry red pepper than the open solar dryer. In the midday, the solar insolation reached 973 W/m2 and the minimum solar insolation was 220 W/m2 and air is expelled at a rate of 0.0383 kg/s. According to the experimental results, the dryers chamber temperature ranged from 30.9 to 54 °C, while the ambient temperature was between 22.6 and 28.2 °C. The mixed-mode double pass achieves up to 46% and 28% efficiency when used with aluminum can dryers and conventional open sun dryers, respectively. A drying rate of 0.0003395 kg/s was achieved for the open sun dryer system and 0.0000365 kg/s for the mixed mode solar dryer. Using mixed-mode and open-sun solar dryers, the logarithmic model was found to be most effective in explaining the red pepper behavior. Furthermore, a comparison was made between the experimental and predicted moisture ratios through the calculation of the coefficient of determination (R2), the reduced chi-square (X2), and the root mean square error (RMSE). The results show that the logarithmic model achieved the highest value of the correlation coefficient (R2), which was determined to be 0.9978 and 0.9989, while the logarithmic model achieved the lowest value of Chi-square (X2). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Forestry Review is the property of Commonwealth Forestry Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background and objectives: Since 1991, several state-owned enterprises in distinct categories were transferred to the private sector under the privatisation policy in Ethiopia. The process and its modalities vary. The notion behind the implementation was to transfer those inefficient public-owned firms to the private sector with an expectation of improving defects. But, privatisation processes are neither a one-time incidence nor an immediate action. Privatisation processes are inter-linked with various macro and microeconomic and sometimes socio-political policies, and reforms. In this paper, privatisation modalities, inconsistencies, and arguments regarding the Ethiopian privatisation process are analysed. Study Design / Material and Methods: Using a systematic literature review process, 50 papers were found and extracted in a methodical manner from PubMed, Ecobiz, and Google Scholar Databases. The analysis was undertaken following systematic categories after taking heterogeneity articles on Ethiopia's privatisation process into consideration. Results: The government encompasses large public-owned enterprises in the privatisation process; however, the privatisation modalities and timing are still a point of controversy among scholars. The effective privatisation process required institutional development, and the government's promises were put to the test. The performance of enterprises was significantly impacted by legal and policy frameworks. The legal framework and consistently unstable nature of Ethiopia's privatisation history have been observed. It has been observed that the legal framework and consistently unstable nature of Ethiopia's privatisation history. Practical implications: This study has a practical contribution and input by giving insights for researchers, practitioners and policy makers for providing alternative privatisation modalities, appropriate for the Ethiopian context. Conclusion and Summary: The mode of privatisation must be pre-examined and carefully selected by considering important success factors including public interest, objectives of endeavour, and the sustainability of firms. The techniques must consider the nature and characteristics of the firms studied, clarity and well-prepared privatisation options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: In this story, I trace how the compulsion to work has shaped the lives of Elias and Biruk, two men who left their home country, Ethiopia, and now live in the US. Despite working hard at multiple jobs, work was not something they celebrated. Working hard was the embodiment of their precarity, simply the main currency in their lives of mobility. Were Biruk and Elias refugees? Undocumented migrants? Alien residents? What they told me about their lives over the phone did not help me understand their status in the US. Face to face, I had a chance to ask them a straightforward question, but Biruk and Elias did not reply by saying: "I am this, not that." Their status would be stable and definable only when they got a paper recognizing they had a right to be in the US. Before that all‐important scrap of paper, they were in a state of constant becoming. All they could do in the meantime was work and work. Because "if you do not work, what the hell are you in the USA for?" Elias said. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Field & Vegetable Crops Research / Ratarstvo i povrtarstvo is the property of Institute of Field & Vegetable Crops and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper examines empathetic behavior in the United States, a strongly individualistic country, as contrasted with Hungary and Ethiopia, which are moderately individualistic and strongly collectivistic respectively. It suggests that empathy may have a wider than originally perceived application in diverse settings to combat factors of ethnic bias and discrimination that adversely impact health. Models that distinctly focus on the development of healthcare provider empathic care are needed to enable the needs of resource scarce regions of the world to be met, including pockets of the U.S. More investigation is warranted on how empathic behavior can positively impact health outcomes and disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores long standing demands of the Oromoo to make Afaan Oromoo, the most widely spoken language in the Horn of Africa as a mother tongue, one of the working Federal languages. The antagonism behind the linguistic policy of the consecutive Ethiopian regimes is the main reason for the exclusion from the Federal working languages during the last three decades. Although FDRE constitution of 1995 gives equal status to all languages, the status quo has still continued marginalizing Afaan Oromoo and other major languages considering the demography of the speakers and public demands. In spite of these facts, the struggles for inclusion of Afaan and its marginalization from the Federal working language from its historical root is overlooked. The paper argues that the use of Afaan Oromoo as a Federal working language has multifaceted importance in the country's unity and political stability. The paper considers the socio-political and historical background in relation to the promotion of Afaan Oromoo to the Federal working language. It also puts flashlights on the continuing use of the language as an expression of Oromoo identity, Oromummaa and Sabboonummaa. The main purpose of this research, therefore, is to identify the causes of exclusion, and to address the benefits of inclusion of Afaan Oromoo to the Federal working language. To achieve this objective, qualitative research design was used and qualitative data were collected using interviews and document analysis. In the interview, informants with good knowledge of linguistic history of the country were identified. The data reveled that Afaan Oromoo was excluded from politics, business, administrative, religious, media of instruction and other public services. The study also displayed that including Afaan Oromoo in the Federal working languages of the country develops and enriches the language, and gives job opportunity to many youths in the Federal Institutions. As the language is spoken by many nations as lingua franca, its inclusion plays significant roles in stabilizing the country and cementing the unity of the nations. The study, thus, recommends that the government should keep the freedom and inclusion of all languages to enhance the legitimacy of political processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nations should be put to an interrogation whether women in their provinces are surviving safe? The discursive readings will fail to deny the fact that women in each nation have always been considered secondary or being subjugated by several modes. The existence of women has been restrained by the male strategists who exploit them to imposing the prerogative of their dominion and masculinity. Masculinity does not believe in mere exploiting women, it also imposes upon women to represent themselves as commodities to be served to men, be it to getting their genitals circumcised to prove that they are 'untouched' and 'virgins'. Female Genital Mutilation is a long- existing brutal practice which forces women to undergo their genital mutilation at their early ages. They are asked to get their genitals circumcised because it is an obligatory practice imposed by the supercilious imaginary customs of the males, in most of the communities. To understand the condition of women in this context, this paper analyzes the African history of enforcing the native women to undergo their genital mutilation (FGM), as being made as mandatory. To understand this locus, this paper dwells in the reading of the historical process of the female genital mutilation (FGM) being practiced worldwide, especially in Africa. To bring light in a more concentrating manner, the paper reads Abraham Verghese's first novel Cutting for Stone (2009) that is almost set in Ethiopia during the 1960s and the 70s and Alice Walker's Possessing the Secret of Joy (1992). Besides, many other African novels are also discussed in brief. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on mission linguistic practices conducted by Catholic missionaries among the Sidaama, Ethiopia. The paper especially addresses mission linguistic practices found in the bilingual Sidamo-English dictionary published in 1983 (Gasparini 1983). First, the paper will provide a short introduction to mission linguistics. Next, it will provide information about the historical context of the Catholic mission among the Sidaama. The main content covers the period from 1964 to 1983. In 1964, Catholic missionaries from the Comboni order started mission work among the Sidaama. The article will analyse entries in the dictionary and discuss examples of linguistic practices applied when translating religious concepts from the Sidaama religious worldview such as the reuse of concepts, extension of meaning, and loan words. The paper will discuss how the composition of the dictionary had both practical and ideological concerns. It will discuss examples concerning the interpretation of central concepts such as the concept of God, attributes of God, and spiritual being (s). A closer analysis of the translation of central Sidaama religious concepts shows how the translation of Sidaama beliefs and practices were interpreted and evaluated within a Christian framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The current paper's goal is to examine the productivity of the closed banking sector evidenced from Ethiopia. In addition, the inclusion of intangibles on productivity was examined in the current paper. Design/methodology/approach: First, the standard Malmquist Productivity Index (MPI) was employed for 13 commercial banks for both stages. Second, by excluding the state-owned commercial bank, the analysis employed a bootstrapped MPI for the robust and comprehensive conclusion. Furthermore, from 2010 to 2019, the fixed effect Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression with balanced panel data was used. Findings: The standard MPI in both stages shows that the productivity of Ethiopian commercial banks is declining. The technological shock was the main reason for the loss. The catch-up in both stages scored above unity, mainly due to the pure efficiency change. Besides, when combined with tangible resources, the inclusion of resource-based view (RBV) proxy variables reduces technological shock regress and ultimately improves productivity change. The bootstrapped MPI also reveals that technological shock is the primary source of the productivity decline. However, efficiency change also contributes to the productivity decline based on this estimation. Research limitations/implications: Future research could examine the more extensive productivity analysis by considering the primary sources of data collections for resource-based variables. Practical implications: According to the study's results, banking regulatory authorities and bank management, including the shareholders, should continue to invest in cutting-edge technology to improve the productivity of the banking sector. Originality/value: This is the first comprehensive study of productivity for Ethiopian commercial banks based on the standard MPI, bootstrapped MPI, and OLS by incorporating all resources into the analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to measure technical efficiency and examine its determinants while disentangling unobserved time-invariant heterogeneity from actual inefficiency using comprehensive household-level panel data. Design/methodology/approach: This paper estimates technical efficiency based on the true random-effects stochastic production frontier estimator with a Mundlak adjustment. By utilising comprehensive panel data with 4,694 observations from 39 districts of four major maize-producing regions in Ethiopia, the author measures technical efficiency and examine its determinants while disentangling unobserved time-invariant heterogeneity from technical inefficiency. By using competing stochastic production frontier estimators, the author provides insights into the influence of farm heterogeneity on measuring farm efficiency and the subsequent impact on the ranking of farmers based on their efficiency scores. Findings: The study results indicate that ignoring unobservable farmer heterogeneity leads to a downwards bias of technical efficiency estimates with a consequent effect on the ranking of farmers based on their efficiency scores. The mean technical efficiency score implied that about a 34% increase in maize productivity can be achieved with the current input use and technology in Ethiopia. The key determinants of the technical inefficiency of maize farmers are the age, gender and formal education level of the household head, household size, income, livestock ownership, and participation in off-farm activities. Research limitations/implications: While the findings of this study are critical for informing policy on improving agricultural production and productivity, a few important things are worth considering in terms of the generalisability of the findings. First, the study relied on secondary data, so only a snapshot of environmental factors was accounted for in the empirical estimations. Second, there could be other sources of unmeasured potential sources of heterogeneity caused by persistent technical inefficiency and endogeneity of inputs. Third, the study is limited to one country. Therefore, future research should extend the analysis to ensure the generalisability of the empirical findings regarding the extent to which unmeasured potential sources of heterogeneity caused by persistent technical inefficiency, endogeneity of inputs and other unobservable country-specific features – such as geographical differences. Originality/value: This paper contributes to the literature on agricultural productivity and efficiency by providing new evidence on the influence of unobservable heterogeneity in a farm efficiency analysis. While agricultural production is characterised by heterogeneous production conditions, the influence of unobservable farm heterogeneity has generally been ignored in technical efficiency estimations, particularly in the context of smallholder farming. The value of this paper comes from disentailing producer-specific random heterogeneity from the actual inefficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses religious conversion in Sidaama, Ethiopia, 1891-1974. The Sidaama area is in Southern Ethiopia, southeast of Lake Hawassa and northeast of Lake Abaya in the Rift Valley of Ethiopia. Most of the population belongs to the ethnic group Sidaama, speakers of the Cushitic language Sidaamu Afoo. The region became incorporated into the Ethiopian Empire during the twentieth century. The article will first provide a historical overview of religious change in the area. Next, the paper will present theoretical approaches to religious conversion. The article's main content focuses on the interreligious encounter between the indigenous Sidaama religion and varieties of Christianity. The paper will discuss how the interreligious encounter initiated a process of conversion to Christianity. The conversion process occurred at the intersection between indigenous Sidaama converts and various forms of Christianity and was influenced by internal social tensions and inequalities in Sidaama. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper critically analyses the case for the parliamentary model of government combined with proportional electoral design. Using Ethiopia's practice of parliamentary model of government, and its diverse social structures, as a case study, the paper examines the viability of parliamentary model of government for transition to democratic polity. The paper relies on the theory of consociational democracy that focuses on the role of social and political elites, their deliberations and cooperation, as the fundamental instrument to stable democratic polity. Methodologically, the paper employed interpretive and qualitative meta-analysis of relevant laws and the literature. As such, this article focuses on the link between the model of government and transition to a democratic polity in a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic society, more precisely, the risk that the presidential model dents transition to democracy in a multicultural and multi-ethnic society. I argue, therefore, in a social fabric where ethnic and cultural diversity is the basic defining tenet of the social order, parliamentary model of government combined with proportional electoral design offers better flexibility in the process of transition to consolidated democratic polity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite significant advances in synthetic medicine, medicinal plants are still widely utilized to treat peptic ulcer disease. This study synthesized evidence on commonly used medicinal plants to manage peptic ulcer disease in Ethiopia. Methods: The evidence was synthesized using electronic databases such as PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, Science Direct, Hinari, and Google Scholar. This review considers all controlled in vivo and ex vivo anti-ulcer studies evaluating Ethiopian medicinal plants with regards to phytochemistry, efficacy, and safety. The search technique covered all published papers using descriptors like Ethiopia, medicinal plants, and anti-ulcer until January 30, 2022. The percentage of ulcer reduction was used to measure the success of the treatment. Results: Anti-ulcer properties were investigated in 13 papers. Twelve in vivo and one ex vivo study were retrieved. Osyris quadripartita, Plantago lanceolata, Ensete ventricosum, Taverniera abyssinicia, Crotonmacrostachyus Persea Americana and Moringa stenopetala showed effect close to a standard control in difference ulcer induced model. Osyris quadripartite in the dose of 200 mg/kg, Ficus thonningii in dose of 200 and 400 mg/kg, Plantago lanceolata in dose of 400 mg/kg, Trigonella feonum-gracum in dose of 500 and 1000 mg/kg, Linum ussitatissimum in dose of 1000 and 1500 mg/kg, Urtica simensis 400 mg/kg have higher activity compared with standard control in difference different models. Phytochemistry studies revealed presence of numerous components, including flavonoids, phenols, tannins, and saponins, which may be responsible for the anti-ulcer activity. Conclusion: This study revealed that there are some promising medicinal plant extracts that have been used in Ethiopia for centuries that could be used as anti-ulcer agents. The most effective anti-ulcer agents in animal models are Indigofera spicata Forssk, Thymus schimperi, and Urtica simensis. Identification of most active pharmacological agents and clinical evaluation of Ethiopian medicinal plants used to treat peptic ulcers are worthy of further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In low-resource settings, patient referral to a hospital is an essential part of the primary health care system. However, there is a paucity of study to explore the challenges and quality of referral coordination and communication. Objective: The purpose of this research was to analyze the existing paper-based referral registration logbook for maternal and child health in general and women of reproductive age in particular, to improve referral coordination and evidence-based services in Low-Resource Settings. Methods: This study analyzed the existing paper-based referral registration logbook (RRL) and card-sheet to explore the documentation of the referral management process, and the mechanism and quality of referrals between the health center (Jimma Health Center-case, Ethiopia) and the Hospital. A sample of 459 paper-based records from the referral registration logbook were digitized as part of a retrospective observational study. For data preprocessing, visualization, and analysis, we developed a python-based interactive referral clinical pathway tool. The data collection was conducted from August to October 2019. Jimma Health Center's RRL was used to examine how the referral decision was made and what cases were referred to the next level of care. However, the RRL was incomplete and did not contain the expected referral feedback from the hospital. Hence, we defined a new protocol to investigate the quality of referral. We compared the information in the health center's RRL with the medical records in the hospital to which the patients were referred. A total of 201 medical records of referred patients were examined. Results: A total of 459 and 201 RRL records from the health center and the referred hospital, respectively, were analyzed in the study. Out of 459, 86.5% referred cases were between the age of 20 to 30 years. We found that "better patient management", "further patient management", and "further investigation" were the main health-center referral reasons and decisions. It accounted for 40.08%, 39.22%, and 16.34% of all 459 referrals, respectively. The leading and most common referral cases in the health center were long labor, prolonged first and second stage labor, labor or delivery complicated by fetal heart rate anomaly, preterm newborn, maternal care with breech presentation, premature rupture of membranes, malposition of the uterus, and antepartum hemorrhage. In the hospital RRL and card-sheet, the main referral-in reasons were technical examination, expert advice, further management, and evaluation. We found it overall impossible to match records from the referral logbook in the health center with the patient files in the hospital. Out of 201, only 13.9% of records were perfect matching entries between health center and referred hospital RRL. We found 84%, 14.4%, and 1.6% were appropriate, unnecessary and unknown referrals respectively. Conclusion: The paper illustrates the bottlenecks encountered in the quality assessment of the referrals. We analyzed the current status of the referral pathway, existing communications, guidelines and data quality, as a first step towards an end-to-end effective referral coordination and evidence-based referral service. Accessing, monitoring, and tracking the history of referred patients and referral feedback is challenging with the present paper-based referral coordination and communication system. Overall, the referral services were inadequate, and referral feedback was not automatically delivered, causing unnecessary delays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Ethiopia has made significant efforts to enhance family planning services despite variations in the community's use of modern contraception in different parts of the country. Various studies have reported the proportion and determinant factors of adolescents' contraceptive uptake in Ethiopia. These studies are not consistent in terms of size, scope, and geographic coverage, and the results need to be systematically collated to inform policies. Therefore, this review was aimed at analyzing the findings of those primary studies to obtain more representative evidence of adolescents' contraceptive uptake in Ethiopia. Methods. Five databases (MEDLINE via PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and CINAHL) were searched for papers published from January 2000 up to June 2022 in English. Of thirty eligible studies, eight papers were included in this meta-analysis. Between-study heterogeneity was evaluated by the forest plot and inconsistency index ( I 2 ). A random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled estimates of adolescents' contraceptive uptake. Results. The overall pooled proportion of adolescents' contraceptive uptake was 40% ( I 2 = 99.70 , p ≤ 0.001 ; 95 % CI = 19 , 61). Adolescents' usage of contraception was influenced by a number of factors: individual-, sociocultural-, knowledge- (about contraceptive methods), and healthcare service-related factors. Individual-related factors include the educational status of adolescents, being of young age, and the income status of adolescents' families. Sociocultural-related factors comprise discussion with the family/relatives, parent disapproval and pressure from partners, and being married or having a partner. Healthcare service-related factors include the availability of youth clubs and inconvenient service hours for SRH services. Knowing contraceptive methods and SRH services was also positively associated with adolescents' contraceptive utilization. Conclusions. The proportion of adolescents who used contraception in Ethiopia was 40%. Adolescents' use of contraceptives was influenced by a variety of factors: individual-, sociocultural-, healthcare-, and knowledge-related factors. Hence, integrated interventions targeted at tackling barriers to contraceptive uptake may be helpful to improve adolescents' contraceptive utilization in Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For decades, international communities have developed poverty measures to inform needs assessment and aid allocation. Building on these efforts, this paper examines the discrepancies between global poverty measures and brings that analysis to bear on identifying the salient dimensions of poverty. First, a comparison is made between the monetary and capability approaches to poverty and identifies comparable indices: the poverty headcount ratio (P0) and the multidimensional poverty headcount ratio (H), respectively. The paper then describes the degree of discrepancy between P0 and H for 102 developing countries from 2010 to 2019, synthesizing data from the Multidimensional Poverty Index, the World Development Indicators, and OECD aid activity. Next, the position of countries are analyzed with respect to the fitted line of the two measures, classifying countries into either income-poor or capability-poor categories. Findings suggest that countries such as Pakistan and Ethiopia, for example, experience capability poverty while Malawi and Mozambique experience income poverty. Finally, I examine whether sector aid composition corresponds to a country's relative income and poverty status, finding that capability-poor countries receive marginally higher social sectoral aid compared to economic sector aid. This study suggests that the discrepancies between measures of international poverty can be used to target, monitor, and evaluate global aid distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper navigates Ethiopia's history of resistance against Italian colonial aggression as reported by New Times and Ethiopia News (NTEN) founded and edited by Sylvia Pankhurst in defence of Ethiopia. Her London-based weekly, which started the day fascist forces took control of Addis Ababa, was in the years to come to step up discursive pressure on Italy and the big powers for the salvation of the Eastern African nation. The paper reported on the freedom fighters' victories in the antifascist resistance through the empire as well as the diplomatic and activist crusades in Geneva, London and the United States by the government in exile as well as friends of Ethiopia. Using a sample of archival corpus of the newspaper and employing rhetorical methods, the study examines narratives of victimhood, resistance and victory as carried in headlines covering the period 1936–41. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]