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Abstract Proficiency testing (PT) is an impartial laboratory performance-evaluating system using an independent body. It is a mandatory accreditation requirement and means for improving the laboratory’s performance. The study aimed to evaluate the performance of PT, with a focus on identifying and discussing determinants that influence PT performance at comprehensive specialized hospitals in northwest Ethiopia. A retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out from 2020 to 2022. Using a convenient sampling technique, laboratory tests with recorded PT results in each hospital laboratory were included. A data collection template and customized checklists were used to collect the data. Epi Data Version 3.1 for data entry and STATA Version 14.1 for cleaning and analysis were used. Binary logistic regression analyses were used. Variables with p

Abstract Background Health facilities can provide diagnostic, curative, and prognostic services for the community. While providing services, healthcare workers can be exposed to needlestick injuries that can transmit pathogenic organisms through body fluids. Objective The aim was to establish the pooled prevalence of needlestick injuries among healthcare workers in Ethiopia. Methods This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Articles were searched from Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, and Scopus databases using a combination of keywords and Boolean functions. All the searched articles were imported into the EndNote X9 software, and then, duplicate data files were removed. Article screening and data extraction were done independently by two authors. Data manipulation and analyses were done using STATA version 15.1 software. Results The analysis of 23 full-text articles showed that the prevalence of the 12-month and lifetime needlestick injuries among the primary studies ranged from 13.2 to 55.1% and 18.6 to 63.6%, respectively. The pooled prevalence of needlestick injuries among the Ethiopian healthcare workers was 28.8% (95% CI 23.0–34.5) and 43.6% (95% CI 35.3–52.0) for the 12 months and lifetime, respectively. Conclusions The pooled prevalence of needlestick injuries among Ethiopian healthcare workers was high. Therefore, efforts should be implemented to reduce the occurrence of injuries. Adequate protective equipment and safety-engineered devices should be supplied for the healthcare workers. It could be more effective to reduce the factors contributing to increased exposures through the allocation of adequate numbers of the healthcare workforce and implementing in-service training.

Abstract Objective Parasitic infections are the commonest infections affecting 3.5 billion people leading 450 million illnesses. Parasites are major public health problems in developing countries. This study was aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of parasitic infections among patients. A cross sectional study was conducted on 364 patients, attending Shahura Health Center, Northwest Ethiopia. Stool specimens were collected and examined using formol-ether concentration technique. Socio-demographic data collected using questionnaire. Binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to calculate the strength of association between variables. Result The overall prevalence of intestinal parasitosis was 56.9%. The most prevalent parasite was Entamoeba histolytica/dispar 32.4% followed by Hookworm species 11.8% and Giardia lamblia 7.4% singly or mixed with other parasites. Furthermore, double and triple parasitic infections were observed in 3% and 1.4% patients respectively. Being male in gender (P = 0.049), age group interval between 1 and 20 years of old (P = 0.012), having stomach pain (P = 0.032) and having diarrhea (P = 0.007) were found to be significantly associated with parasitic infection. In conclusion, prevalence of parasitic infection in the area is high. Therefore, ensuring provision of clean potable water and minimizing the contamination of vegetables are recommended.

Abstract Objective During the healthcare delivery process, hazardous wastes can be generated from the health facilities. Improper healthcare waste management is responsible for the transmission of more than 30 dangerous bloodborne pathogens. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the healthcare waste management practice and potential challenges in Ethiopia. Results Electronic databases and direct Google search yielded 1742 articles from which 17 studies met the inclusion criteria. The proportion of hazardous waste generated in Ethiopian healthcare facilities was unacceptably high which ranged from 21 to 70%. Most studies indicated the absence of proper waste segregation practice at the source of generation. Treatment of the healthcare waste using low combustion incinerator and/or open burning and open disposal of the incinerator ash were very common. Lack of awareness from the healthcare staff, appropriate waste management utilities and enforcement from the regulatory bodies were mainly identified as a common factor shared by most of the studies. The healthcare waste management practice in Ethiopian healthcare facilities was unsatisfactory. There should be close supervision of the waste disposal process by the regulatory bodies or other stakeholders.

Abstract Objective Medical waste is a total waste stream which is generated from the healthcare facilities during the healthcare delivery process. It can contain potentially hazardous substances for the human being and the environment. Waste handlers play a significant role for its proper management and they need to have adequate knowledge, attitude, and practices. The study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practices of waste handlers regarding medical waste management in Debre Markos town healthcare facilities, northwest Ethiopia. Results A total of 55 medical waste handlers were studied from 12 healthcare facilities. Among this, 25 (45.4%) were diploma and certificate holders. The majority (69.1%) of the study participants were not provided with proper training. There was a lack of personal protective devices and waste management equipment supply. Regarding knowledge, attitude, and practices, 25 (45.5%), 43 (78.2%), and 44 (80%) of the study participants had adequate knowledge, favorable attitude, and adequate practice scores, respectively. There was high (30.9%) prevalence of needlestick and sharps injuries. Healthcare facilities should provide periodic training and adequate supplies for the waste handlers. Further study should be conducted on a large scale by including different levels of health facilities and regions of the country.

Breast cancer (BC) is the second most common cause of deaths reported in women worldwide, and therefore there is a need to identify BC patients at an early stage as timely diagnosis would help in effective management and appropriate monitoring of patients. This will allow for proper patient monitoring and effective care. However, the absence of a particular biomarker for BC early diagnosis and surveillance makes it difficult to accomplish these objectives. miRNAs have been identified as master regulators of the molecular pathways that are emphasized in various tumors and that lead to the advancement of malignancies. Small, non-coding RNA molecules known as miRNAs target particular mRNAs to control the expression of genes. miRNAs dysregulation has been linked to the start and development of a number of human malignancies, including BC, since there is compelling evidence that miRNAs can function as tumor suppressor genes or oncogenes. The current level of knowledge on the role of miRNAs in BC diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment is presented in this review. miRNAs can regulate the tumorigenesis of BC through targeting PI3K pathway and can be used as prognostic or diagnostic biomarkers for BC therapy. Some miRNAs, like miR-9, miR-10b, and miR-17-5p, are becoming known as biomarkers of BC for diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic outcome prediction. Other miRNAs, like miR-30c, miR-187, and miR-339-5p, play significant roles in the regulation of hallmark functions of BC, including invasion, metastasis, proliferation, resting death, apoptosis, and genomic instability. Other miRNAs, such as miR-155 and miR-210, are circulating in bodily fluids and are therefore of interest as novel, conveniently accessible, reasonably priced, non-invasive methods for the customized care of patients with BC.

Objectives To assess the implementation of proficiency testing in the northwest Ethiopian government comprehensive specialized hospital laboratories, with a focus on identifying and understanding the challenges encountered during their participation in the external quality assessment scheme. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among 3 comprehensive specialized hospitals in northwest Ethiopia, analyzing 41 documented laboratory test parameters from 2020 to 2022. In addition, face-to-face, in-depth interviews were carried out to identify the major challenges the participating institutions faced. Results The study covered a total of 41 tests across 9 cycles. Overall, proper implementation of proficiency testing was observed in 59.3% of the tests, with 61.8% maintaining consistent implementation status over 3 consecutive years. In addition, the overall performance of the laboratory was 54.3%, with a 68.7% participation rate. The predominantly identified challenges included the lack of participation, insufficient reagents and supplies, inadequacy of suitable proficiency testing materials, equipment malfunction and downtime, lack of management support, insufficient budget, and inadequate training and awareness. Conclusions The results of this study highlight the ineffective implementation of proficiency testing. Contributing factors include personnel issues, equipment and supplies challenges, managerial shortcomings, difficulties with proficiency testing providers, budgetary constraints, and a lack of training and motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin wound management is a very difficult undertaking in the medical field. There is no information available concerning the wound beneath the bandages. Electrospun nanofibrous wound dressings stand out for their resemblance to extracellular matrix (ECM), increased surface-to-volume ratio, porousness, and capacity to encapsulate or load medications, among other distinctive qualities. Traditional antibacterial loaded electrospun nanofibrous wound dressings do not indicate the state of the wound and constantly release antibacterial chemicals even when there are no bacteria in the wound area. As a result, dressings that can track the condition of the wound and dispense medications as needed are crucial. Self-responsive wound dressings can release medications based on bacterial, oxygen spectra, pH, or infection responsiveness, reducing the need for antibacterial agents. Self-responsive mats, which are wound dressings that can release medications based on response to bacteria, oxygen species, and pH or infections, are required to reduce the overuse of antibacterial agents. Self-responsive electrospun nanofibrous mats can be used to monitor the condition of a wound by altering its color in response to an infection or a change in the pH of the wound. Electrospun nanofibrous wound dressings that are stimulus-responsive (self-responsive) are discussed in this review paper. Self-responsive electrospun nanofibrous wound dressings that are triggered by pH, temperature, light, bacteria, and oxygen species are discussed in detail after self-responsive smart materials or polymers used for electrospun nanofibrous wound dressings are covered in the first section of the review.

Sustainable and environmentally friendly activated carbon from biomass materials is proposed to produce supercapacitors from banana peels and has the potential to replace the non-sustainable and hazardous process from either graphite or/and fossil fuels. In order to determine the potential of using banana peel for supercapacitor application, raw banana peel, a bio-waste, was activated both mechanically and chemically to observe the real differences. The sample was activated at 700 °C and chemically activated using KOH. Characterization of activated banana peel was performed using FTIR, DLS, TGA and XRD analytical equipment. FTIR analysis revised the presence of hydroxyl, carbonyl and aromatic compounds on a banana peel cellulose-based carbon. The TGA results proved that 700 °C could be sufficient to totally carbonize banana peel. DLS clearly showed a strong difference between the carbonized and KOH-activated material in particle size distribution. Meanwhile, surface area analysis using BET displayed an increase from 553.862 m2/g to 565.024 m2/g BET in surface area (SBET) when carbon was activated using KOH with a nitrogen isotherm at 77.350 K. Specific capacitance was increased from 0.3997 Fg−1 to 0.821 Fg−1, suggesting more than a 100% increase in the specific capacity due to KOH activation, as proved by the cyclic voltammetry (CV) curve. The X-ray diffraction results revealed the patterns of activated carbon. The findings demonstrated the feasibility of using banana peel waste as a low-cost and sustainable material for the preparation of flexible supercapacitor batteries.

The rapid growth of textile industries in Ethiopia plays an important role in economic development. However, the sludge from these wastewater treatment plants, which is not an integral part of the treatment process, is often considered hazardous as it is contaminated with heavy metals of dyestuffs and chemicals. The customary transfer routines such as landfilling and incineration may not be suitable because the leachate from the landfilling destinations and the buildups from the incinerators lead to optional contamination. Moreover, such transfer choices are not financially practical. Therefore, there is a growing need to look for various applications of sludge handling for sustainable development. This study attempts to find out an environmentally friendly solution for the management of the textile sludge by incinerating the sludge and using it for partial replacement of cement in concrete production. Concrete is a composite material formed by the combination of cement, sand, coarse aggregate, and water in a particular proportion so that concrete produced meets the needs regarding its workability, strength, durability, and economy. Typical textile sludge was having high heavy metal contents as per the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) guideline and should be properly disposed of. The sludge upon incineration at 625°C for four hours gives 78.1% moisture content, 61.2% volatile organic matter, and 59.6% inorganic ash content. The main reactive oxide elements such as SiO2, Fe2O3, CaO, and Al2O3 were found to be 18.51, 3.19, 23.87, and 12.73% by weight in the ash. The calorific value determined from the dried sludge were found to be 1973 cal/gm. Concrete block was manufactured by replacement of cement with 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50% incinerated textile sludge ash, and the manufactured block was evaluated in terms of their compressive strengths, leaching behavior, and water absorption. The replacement cement by the ash increases the hydration time reduced, and up to 20%, sludge ash incorporation in the concrete mix design gives the designed compressive strength. Eventhough water absorption increases with increasing content of the incorporation of the ash, for the 20% replacement of cement, the lethal concentration of heavy metals was obtained to be below the permissible limit set by USEPA. Consequently, the experiment work indicates that the potential use of textile sludge ash for cement concrete gives the possibilities of reduction of heavy metal contamination to surroundings upon sludge disposal, reduces the use of raw materials for producing cement and reduces environmental pollution during cement production.

Flexible supercapacitors are highly demanding due to their wearability, washability, lightweight property and rollability. In this paper, a comprehensive review on flexible supercapacitors based on conductive polymers such as polypyrrole (PPy), polyaniline (PANI) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxtthiophne)-polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS). Methods of enhancing the conductivity of PEDOT:PSS polymer using various composites and chemical solutions have been reviewed in detail. Furthermore, supercapacitors based on carbonized banana peels and methods of activation have been discussed in point. This review covers the up-to-date progress achieved in conductive polymer-based materials for supercapacitor electrodes. The effect of various composites with PEDOT:PSS have been discussed. The review result indicated that flexible, stretchable, lightweight, washable, and disposable wearable electronics based on banana peel and conductive polymers are highly demanding.

The use of hydrogel in tissue engineering is not entirely new. In the last six decades, researchers have used hydrogel to develop artificial organs and tissue for the diagnosis of real-life problems and research purposes. Trial and error dominated the first forty years of tissue generation. Nowadays, biomaterials research is constantly progressing in the direction of new materials with expanded capabilities to better meet the current needs. Knowing the biological phenomenon at the interaction among materials and the human body has promoted the development of smart bio-inert and bio-active polymeric materials or devices as a result of vigorous and consistent research. Hydrogels can be tailored to contain properties such as softness, porosity, adequate strength, biodegradability, and a suitable surface for adhesion; they are ideal for use as a scaffold to provide support for cellular attachment and control tissue shapes. Perhaps electrical conductivity in hydrogel polymers promotes the interaction of electrical signals among artificial neurons and simulates the physiological microenvironment of electro-active tissues. This paper presents a review of the current state-of-the-art related to the complete process of conductive hydrogel manufacturing for tissue engineering from cellulosic materials. The essential properties required by hydrogel for electro-active-tissue regeneration are explored after a short overview of hydrogel classification and manufacturing methods. To prepare hydrogel from cellulose, the base material, cellulose, is first synthesized from plant fibers or generated from bacteria, fungi, or animals. The natural chemistry of cellulose and its derivatives in the fabrication of hydrogels is briefly discussed. Thereafter, the current scenario and latest developments of cellulose-based conductive hydrogels for tissue engineering are reviewed with an illustration from the literature. Finally, the pro and cons of conductive hydrogels for tissue engineering are indicated.

Proficiency testing (PT) is an impartial laboratory performance-evaluating system using an independent body. It is a mandatory accreditation requirement and means for improving the laboratory’s performance. The study aimed to evaluate the performance of PT, with a focus on identifying and discussing determinants that influence PT performance at comprehensive specialized hospitals in northwest Ethiopia. A retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out from 2020 to 2022. Using a convenient sampling technique, laboratory tests with recorded PT results in each hospital laboratory were included. A data collection template and customized checklists were used to collect the data. Epi Data Version 3.1 for data entry and STATA Version 14.1 for cleaning and analysis were used. Binary logistic regression analyses were used. Variables with p < 0.05 in the multivariable logistic regression were considered to be statistically significant. Over nine cycles, 3807 PT challenges were distributed. The total failure rate of the laboratories was 32.4%, with a peak failure rate of 40.3% in 2020, after which the failure rate was decline to 20.6% in 2022. Among the five laboratory sections, molecular biology had the lowest failure rate (22.2%), while microbiology had the highest failure rate (56.5%). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that PT results reported without appropriate unit of measurement (AOR 7.5), lack of corrective action for PT nonconformance (AOR 7.1), and reagent unavailability (AOR 6.1) had significant effects on PT performance (p < 0.001). The results of this study showed that the overall performance of the laboratory was lower. Reporting PT results without appropriate units of measurement and not taking corrective action for PT nonconformance were the major aggravating factors for high failure rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are an important public health problem in working environments. WMSDs are the major causes of disability and cause individual suffering and financial burdens to the individual, families, industry or employer, healthcare system, and society at large. This study aims to assess the prevalence and associated factors of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among bankers working in Mekelle city, Tigray, Ethiopia, 2018. This study is based on an institutional-based cross-sectional study design, where 328 bankers are selected randomly from bankers working in Mekelle city from February to June 2018. Data were entered, organized, and analyzed by SPSS version 23. A final logistic model was run to identify factors associated with WMSDs, and the magnitude and direction of association were decided based on the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and its corresponding 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Result. Out of 307 bankers, the annual prevalence rate of WMSDs was 65.5% (201). Significant predictors were being 30–39 years old [AOR = 5.552; 95% CI = 1.465–21.039] and above 40 years old [AOR = 5.719; 95% CI = 1.422–22.994], low educational level [AOR = 4.256; 95% CI = 1.139–15.895], working > 5 years [AOR = 3.892; 95% CI = 1.841–8.231], not doing physical exercises [AOR = 2.866; 95% CI = 1.303–6.304], stress [AOR = 4.723; 95% CI = 2.421–9.213], poor posture [AOR = 2.692; 95% CI = 1.339–5.411], breaks [AOR = 5.170; 95% CI = 2.070–12.912], and ergonomics [AOR = 3.801; 95% CI = 1.260–11.472]. Conclusion. The prevalence of WMSDs among bankers was high. The significant associated factors responsible for the occurrence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders include longer working experience, being above 30 years old, low educational status, physical exercise, job stress, poor posture, absence of breaks during working hours, and absence of ergonomic training.

This study aims to assess the relationship between the surface roughness of cotton plain-woven fabric before and after each pretreatment processing stage. According to the findings of this study, the surface roughness values of desized fabric increased in the warp and weft directions. On the other hand, the roughness of plain-woven fabric reduced in both the warp and weft directions during the scouring, bleaching, and mercerization processes. The weft roughness values of greige, scoured, bleached, and mercerized fabrics are higher than the warp roughness values. Mercerized fabrics provide the smoothest fabric surface compared to other treatment stages. The pretreatment stages have statistically significant impacts on the surface roughness in both the warp and weft directions at a 95% confidence interval. The pairwise analysis reveals that pretreatment of the fabrics in the warp and weft directions is statistically significant for grey with desizing, grey with scouring, grey with bleaching, grey with mercerizing, desizing with scouring, desizing with bleaching, desizing with mercerization, scouring with mercerization, and bleaching with mercerization, but not for scouring with bleaching. Mercerized fabric is highly recommended for producing textile products with unique requirements in terms of tactilely sensitive surface properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]