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Abdulkerim Badgeba,1 Mulugeta Shegaze Shimbre,2 Mathewos Alemu Gebremichael,3 Biruk Bogale,4 Menur Berhanu,5 Hanan Abdulkadir6 1Department of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Werabe University, Werabe, Ethiopia; 2School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China; 3Department of Public Health, College of Health Sciences, Bonga University, Bonga, Ethiopia; 4School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Mizan Tepi University, Mizan Aman, Ethiopia; 5Ohio State University Global One-Health Initiatives, Arba Minch, Ethiopia; 6Department of Reproductive Health, School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Mathewos Alemu Gebremichael; Biruk Bogale, Email alemumathewos2017@gmail.com; burabogale@gmail.comBackground: Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) continues to be a public health problem. Globally in 2019, a total of 465,000 people developed rifampicin-resistant TB (RR-TB), of which 78% had MDR-TB. There is a paucity of evidence on the determinants of MDR-TB in southern Ethiopia. Hence, this study aimed to assess the determinants of MDR-TB in southern Ethiopia.Methods: A hospital-based case–control study was conducted in southern Ethiopia. The cases were all MDR-TB patients attending TB clinics, and controls were all patients who were declared as cured or treatment completed. The cases were selected by consecutive sampling, and a simple random sampling technique was used for controls. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was done to identify determinants of MDR-TB. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed, and statistical significance was declared at a P-value less than 5%.Results: A total of 191 participants, 67 cases, and 124 controls were included. TB patients facing social stigma (AOR = 8.9, 95% CI: 2.3– 34.6), living in a household with one room (AOR = 12.3, 95% CI: 2.3– 63.5), and two rooms (AOR = 9.7, 95% CI: 1.7– 54.8), having the previous history of TB treatment (AOR = 11.8, 95% CI: 2.9– 47), having baseline body mass index (BMI) less than 18.5Kg/m2(AOR = 4.5, 95% CI: 1.2– 16.8), and having pulmonary TB (AOR = 5.1, 95% CI: 1.33– 19.8) were determinants of MDR-TB.Conclusion: In this study, TB patients facing social stigma, living in one- and two-roomed houses, having a previous history of TB treatment, having low baseline BMI and pulmonary type of TB had higher odds of MDR-TB. Therefore, health workers in TB control programs should include mental health services in the TB care protocol, and priority should be given to malnutrition screening as a first-line diagnosis, nutritional supplements, and health education about proper housing.Keywords: multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, determinants, case-control, southern Ethiopia

Hanan Abdulkadir,1 Meseret Girma,1 Zeleke Gebru,1 Negussie Boti Sidamo,1 Gebremaryam Temesgen2 1School of Public Health, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch Town, Ethiopia; 2Department of Midwifery, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch Town, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Hanan Abdulkadir, School of Public Health, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch Town, Ethiopia, Email hanuahi@gmail.comIntroduction: Globally, there is a rapid increase in the prison population, and one out of nine prisoners suffers from common mental disorders such as depression and anxiety. However, there is a limitation of study on the magnitude of depression and its associated factors among prisoners in low- and middle-income countries including Ethiopia.Purpose: To assess the magnitude of depression and its associated factors among prisoners in Arba Minch and Jinka Town, Southern Ethiopia, 2021.Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 650 selected prisoners in Arba Minch and Jinka Town. A simple random sampling technique was used to select the study participants. Data was collected using an open data kit and then exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Binary logistic regression analysis with a p-value < 0.05 with a 95% confidence level was used to declare statistical significance.Results: The magnitude of depression among the prisoners was 445 (72.0%) (95% CI: 68– 76%). Age ≥ 48 years (AOR = 3.09 95% CI 1.16– 8.28), being an urban resident (AOR = 2.21 95% CI 1.39– 3.49), using smokeless tobacco (AOR = 2.80 95% CI 1.50– 5.22), not doing physical exercise (AOR = 2.42 95% CI 1.54– 3.81), and lack of income generating job in the prison (AOR = 1.89 95% CI 1.19– 3.04) were significantly associated with depression.Conclusion: The magnitude of depression among prisoners was high. Age ≥ 48, urban residence, using smokeless tobacco, not doing physical exercise, and lack of income-generating job in prison were significantly associated with depression. Giving special attention and being supportive to older age, prohibiting the use of smokeless tobacco; facilitating places and materials for physical exercise and creating income generating opportunities by using prisoner’s skills and available resources, giving training for the health professionals working in the prison about diagnosis and treatment of depression, additionally giving training for the prisoners how to cope up with prison life may decrease the magnitude of depression among prisoners.Keywords: depression, prisoners, Southern Ethiopia

Mesay Samuel,1 Hanan Abdulkadir,2 Meseret Girma,2 Mustefa Glagn2 1Wolayta Zone Health Department, Wolayta Sodo, Ethiopia; 2School of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, EthiopiaCorrespondence: Hanan AbdulkadirSchool of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, EthiopiaTel +251923590013Email hanuahi@gmail.comBackground: Cataract is the major cause of reversible blindness and visual impairment in developing countries. It has been assumed that there is poor access to information related to the cause, prevention, and treatment of cataract in developing countries. There is also a paucity of data on knowledge and attitude towards cataract in Ethiopia.Purpose: This study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitude of cataract and their associated factors among adults in Arba Minch Zuria Woreda, Southern Ethiopia.Patients and Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 623 adults from February 6 to April 16, 2020. The study participants were selected by the multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected with a pre-tested structured questionnaire by using face-to-face interviews. The data were entered into Epi info version 7.2 and exported to SPSS version 23 for analysis. The level of statistical significance was set at a p-value less than 0.05 in multivariable logistic regression.Results: Among 623 total participants, 54.9% of them had good knowledge about cataract, while 37.9% of them had favorable attitude about cataract. Inability to read and write (AOR=0.104, 95% CI: 0.042– 0.258), primary school educational level (AOR=0.208, 95% CI: 0.091– 0.478), secondary school educational level (AOR=0.199, 95% CI: 0.088– 0.451), earning average monthly income 350– 820 Ethiopian birr (AOR=2.364, 95% CI: 1.277– 4.373), not having previous eye examination (AOR=0.605, 95% CI: 0.425– 0.861) and unavailability of eye clinic (AOR=0.65, 95% CI: 0.446– 0.945) were significantly associated with knowledge of cataract. No history of cataract (AOR=0.257, 95% CI: 0.157– 0.418) was significantly associated with attitude towards cataract.Conclusion: Significant portion of participants had poor knowledge and an unfavorable attitude towards a cataract. So, it is recommended that stakeholders in different hierarchies need to exert efforts on creating awareness about cataract by considering the education level of the community. Moreover, attention should be given to the availability and accessibility of the primary eye care unit.Keywords: cataract, knowledge, attitude, associated factors, Arba Minch Zuria Woreda, Southern Ethiopia

Diabetes is defined as a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by increased blood glucose level (hyperglycemia) which is a result of defects in insulin secretion, insulin action or both. Metformin has been the preferred drug of choice in the first-line management of type 2 diabetes, particularly in overweight or obese patients with normal kidney function. Diabetic patients experiencing erectile dysfunction, tend to try out herbal medicines for a remedy. Some of these herbal medicines such as Syzygium aromaticum and Garcinia kola are ethno medicinally used as enhancement agents in treating erectile dysfunction. The study aimed to determine the effect of the methanol extract of Syzygium aromaticum (clove buds) on the dissolution profile of different brands of commercially available metformin tablets to determine whether or not there is a possible interaction. The dissolution study was carried out to simulate the gastrointestinal tract pH with and without the herbal drug. Ppotassium dihydrogen orthophosphate adjusted to pH 6.8 using 0.1M NaOH, served as dissolution medium. Five milliliters (5 mi) of samples were withdrawn at predetermined time intervals. The results obtained showed that the percentage of drug release was higher when metformin was introduced alone in the dissolution medium compared to when it was in combination with cloves. The study thus, showed that Syzygium aromaticum buds decreased the release of metformin tablets, hence, patients on metformin and clove buds should be advised to delay the administration of the herb to avoid possible interaction which may lead to a decrease in bioavailability of the drug resulting in therapeutic failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pathogenicity test of Fusarium oxysporum isolates in causing tomato wilt disease (TWD) was carried out on two tomato varieties (UC 82B and Rio-grande) in a screen house located at the Teaching and Research Farm of Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi during 2015 cropping season. The experiment was a 2 x 11 factorial laid out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and replicated three times. F. oxysporum isolates tested were coded as: FoAs1, FoAs2, FoAg, FoNb, FoSb, FoAm, FoAk, FoOr, FoAd and FoUAM together with an uninoculated control. All the isolates of F. oxysporum tested were pathogenic, causing wilt on the plants from 3 weeks after inoculation (WAI), with severity of wilt been significantly higher (P=0.05) in FoUAM. Isolates of F. oxysporum showed significant difference (P=0.05) both in incidence and severity compared with the control. Effect of F. oxysporum isolates on some agronomic characteristics such as plant height, number of fruits, fruit weight and number of branches on the two varieties of tomato at 12 weeks after sowing (WAS) was significantly different (P=0.05) with the control experiment. Highest severity score of 5.00 was calculated in FoUAM while the least of 4.33 was in FoSb compare with uninoculated value of 2.50. It is therefore, concluded that the two tomato varieties are pathogenic to F. oxysporum isolates and illicit disease in tomato hence reduced the yield of the crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A palpable thyroid nodule is a common clinical problem; the ultrasonography (US) and fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNA) are its main diagnostic tools. This article aimed to study the reliability and advantages of ultrasound as a diagnostic aid in predicting malignancy in thyroid nodules and to reduce the number of unnecessary surgery. Two hundreds and thirty three patients were examined by ultrasound, and then fine needle aspiration cytology under ultrasound guidance (US-FNAC) was done for 210 of them. From those 210 patients we obtained the histopathological proof of 58 patients who underwent surgery. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of US-FNAC. There are certain sonographic criteria that suggest malignancy these include microcalcification, irregular margins, and hypoechogenicity of the nodule. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of US-FNAC were 80%, 96%, and 94% respectively. Although ultrasound can not reliably distinguish benign from malignant nodules, but it can identify suspected nodules based on certain sono-graphic criteria.

Named Data Networking (NDN) performs its routing and forwarding decisions using name prefixes. This removes some of the issues affecting addresses in our traditional IP architecture such as limitation in address allocation and management, and even NAT translations etcetera. Another positivity of NDN is its ability to use the conventional routing like the link state and distance vector algorithm. In route announcement, NDN node broadcasts its name prefix which consists of the knowledge of the next communicating node. In this paper, we evaluate the performance of mobility management models used in forwarding NDN contents to a next hop. This makes it crucial to select an approach of mobility model that translates the nature of movement of the NDN mobile routers. A detailed analysis of the famous mobility model such as the Random Waypoint mobility and Constant Velocity were computed to determine the mobility rate of the NDN mobile router. Simulation analysis was carried out using ndnSIM 2.1 on Linux Version 16.1. we build and compile with modules and libraries in NS-3.29. The sample of movement of the mobile router is illustrated and our result present the viability of the Constant Velocity model as compared with the Random Way point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In extension with the previous work, recycling of the waste polyolefins by dissolution/reprecipitation method, has been investigated. The goal of study was to explore the influence of organo-modified/unmodified sodium montmorillonite clays, on the behaviours of waste polyolefins inclusive low density polyethylene (LDPE) and high density polyethylene (HDPE). 1-5 wt % of unmodified (MMT) and Organo-modified clay (OMMT) were added to the polyolefins, to prepare polyolefin-clay nanocomposites by melt intercalation method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) were used to estimate the dispersion of clay in the polymer matrices and the morphology of nanocomposites. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) were used to analyse the change in the thermic properties of the waste polyolefins nanocomposites. The XRD and FESEM results showed an intercalated structure in the HDPE and LDPE with Organo-clay nanocomposites, whereas no exfoliation was observed with unmodified clay in both waste HDPE and LDPE, respectively. DSC and TGA, showed an improved thermal behaviours in the HDPE/Organo-clay nanocomposites (3 wt%) clay loading. Melting temperature and crystallization percentage were observed to increase in 1, 2, and 3 wt% loadings. In waste LDPE/clay nanocomposites, no improvement was established in the thermal stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A real‐time thermal imaging based, non‐contact respiration rate monitoring method was developed. It measured the respiration related skin surface temperature changes under the tip of the nose. Facial tracking was required as head movements caused the face to appear in different locations in the recorded images over time. The algorithm detected the tip of the nose and then, a region just under it was selected. The pixel values in this region in successive images were processed to determine respiration rate. The segmentation method, used as part of the facial tracking, was evaluated on 55,000 thermal images recorded from 14 subjects with different extent of head movements. It separated the face from image background in all images. However, in 11.7% of the images, a section of the neck was also included, but this did not cause an error in determining respiration rate. The method was further evaluated on 15 adults, against two contact respiration rate monitoring methods that tracked thoracic and abdominal movements. The three methods gave close respiration rates in 12 subjects but in 3 subjects, where there were very large head movements, the respiration rates did not match. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]