Jimma University

Understanding species diversity and habitat association is the baseline for developing conservation plan. The study aimed to assess diversity, abundance and habitat association of medium and large sized mammals in the Dhidhessa Wildlife Sanctuary (DWS), Southwestern Ethiopia. The survey was conducted from December 2022 to July 2023, both in the wet and dry seasons. A stratified random sampling design was applied to stratify the study area in to four (wooded grassland, riparian forest, seasonally flooded grassland, and savanna grassland) strata based on vegetation and habitat type. Lines transect survey, sensor camera trapping, and indirect and direct evidence methods were used to collect data during wet and dry seasons. Data were analyzed using the chi square test and species diversity indexes. Twenty -seven mammalian species were recorded for the area. Order Artiodactyla which had the highest number of species (eleven = 11) followed by the, order Carnivora (n = 9). While, orders Rodentia and Tubulidentata each represented by one species. Papio anubis (n = 500, 24.9%) were the most abundant species followed by Hippopotamus amphibious (n = 364, 17.8%) in the present study area in both wet and dry seasons. But Panthera pardus (n = 13, 0.64%) and Civettictis civetta (n = 13, 0.64%) were the least abundant species in the present study area. Riparian forest had the highest number of species (n = 732, 36.3%) followed by savanna grassland (n = 615, 30.5%). Savanna grassland held the highest species diversity of medium- and large-sized mammals (H′ = 2.44). Seasonally flooded grasslands (E = 0.6849) and riparian forests (E = 0.4889) showed the highest and lowest evenness of the mammalian species, respectively. Therefore, DWS’s primary priority should be creating management plans to reestablish the sanctuary as a fully functional sustainable ecosystem and ensuring the social and economic viability of the surrounding community.

Background Kearns–Sayre syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive mitochondrial disorder characterized by progressive external ophthalmoplegia and pigmentary retinopathy. Onset typically occurs before the age of 20 years and is attributed to mutations within mitochondrial DNA affecting proteins critical for the oxidative phosphorylation pathway. Since these mitochondrial disorders usually present with an isolated manifestation such as complete heart block, a meticulous search for other organ-specific manifestations is necessary for an early diagnosis. Reporting such cases facilitates recognition of common clinical presentations, enabling earlier diagnosis, earlier interventions, and genetic counseling. Case presentation A 29-year-old right-handed Ethiopian male patient presented with progressive exercise intolerance for 10 years. He had had bilateral ptosis since childhood and experienced gait difficulty with intermittent balance problems, particularly at night. In 2018, he was diagnosed with a third-degree atrioventricular block with a resting electrocardiogram, and a permanent pacemaker was placed. Despite marked improvement in shortness of breath following pacemaker placement, the patient’s progressive ptosis and gait ataxia prompted further workup, ultimately leading to the diagnosis of Kearns–Sayre syndrome. This case highlights the importance of comprehensive assessment in patients presenting with isolated organ manifestations, as exemplified by the delayed diagnosis of Kearns–Sayre syndrome following the initial recognition of a complete heart block. Conclusion Given the early-onset nature of Kearns–Sayre syndrome, it should be considered as a differential diagnosis in young individuals presenting with complete heart block. A thorough evaluation for additional organ involvement is crucial in such cases, as early intervention and genetic counseling significantly impact patient outcomes.

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a significant legume crop, with Ethiopia being the largest producer in Africa and the fifth globally (FAO 2022). However, various factors, including plant-parasitic nematodes, reduce its yield. Among these, root-knot nematodes (RKN; Meloidogyne spp.) pose a severe threat by causing root galling and stunted growth (Castillo et al. 2008). Despite the impact, research on plant-parasitic nematodes, their diversity and effect on chickpea yield in Ethiopia is limited (Kefelegn et al. 2024). In 2021, a survey was conducted to assess diversity of nematodes associated with chickpea in Ethiopia. Root-knot nematodes collected from galled chickpea roots of the 'Arerti' cultivar in the Minjar district, Ethiopia (8°54'21.1"N, 39°24'46.5"E), were identified as M. luci using multiple approaches. Esterase isozyme patterns of egg-laying females (n=10) were consistent with those described for M. luci by Carneiro et al. (2014) and Gerič Stare et al. (2017). PCR amplification with M. luci-specific primers (Maleita et al. 2021) confirmed its identity . Additionally, various sequences obtained from second-stage juveniles (J2), following the method described in Janssen et al. (2016) and Kefelegn et al. (2024): COX1 (PQ448335), Nad5 (PQ462657), COX2 (PQ619863) of mtDNA, and the D2-D3 region of 28S rDNA (PQ454017), were found identical to the M. luci sequences KU372172, KU372417, KU372211, and KX130766, respectively. Populations of M. luci were established from single egg masses and maintained on tomato plants (cv. 'Marmande'). To evaluate the pathogenicity of M. luci on the 'Arerti' chickpea cultivar, seedlings were inoculated with initial population densities (Pi) of 1000, 4000 and 8000 J2 (pot)-1 (2-liter capacity, n= 8) in a temperature controlled growth chamber in the Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food (ILVO), Belgium. After eight weeks, all inoculated plants exhibited stunted growth and visible root galling, consistent with typical field symptoms. The nematode reproduction factor (RF = final population (Pf) /initial population (Pi)) was calculated from the whole root and soil samples. Rf values were 31, 11.5 and 9.5 for Pi 1000, 4000 and 8000 J2 (pot)-1, respectively, corresponding to Pf values of 32000, 46000 and 76000 J2 (pot)-1, respectively. This clear pattern of increasing Pf with higher Pi levels, coupled with the declining RF trend, reflects the expected dynamics of a pathogenicity test. Nematodes extracted from the roots were reisolated and identified as M. luci using PCR amplification with M. luci-specific primers and esterase isozyme patterns analysis of egg-laying females (n = 10), confirming the species identity. These results confirmed that the 'Arerti' cultivar is a suitable host for M. luci. Meloidogyne luci has previously been reported in chickpea fields in Türkiye (Şen & Aydinli 2021), in common bean and soybean in Brazil (Bellé et al. 2016), and various horticultural crops in Europe (Gerič Stare et al. 2017). This study marks the first report of M. luci parasitizing chickpea roots in Ethiopia and its first documented occurrence in Africa. Therefore, further investigations are essential to determine the distribution of M. luci and assess its damage potential on legumes and other crops in Ethiopia and across Africa.

Understanding the extent of genetic diversity is a pre-requisite in cassava breeding program due to its available broad genetic base of the crop and have great opportunity for its genetic improvement. This study was designed to assess the genetic diversity of 184 cassava germplasm sourced from International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and previous collection of Jimma Agricultural Research Center (JARC) by using DArTSNPs markers. The data were subjected to imputation and filtering for minor allele frequency of 0.01, 0.95 major allele frequency using TASSEL and Beagle. The resultants 9,310 informative SNPs were retained and used to perform analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), genetic diversity, population structure, and dissimilarity-based clustering of the tested cassava germplasm. The results of AMOVA revealed higher variation within (91.3%) than between (8.7%) the study populations. The high average PIC (0.44), expected heterozygosity (0.50), major allele (0.61) and minor allele (0.28) frequency showed the existence of high variation in the study populations. Population structure analysis grouped the panels into six structures with the existence of admixtures. Similarly, principal component analysis, factor analysis and cluster analysis apparently divided the panels into six clusters. Both the introduced and locally collected germplasm formed three clusters, each creating some mixes of genotypes, indicating that alleles sharing common ancestral background. The overall results, the studied genotypes showed significant variations, which can render opportunity for association mapping and technical conservation purposes.

Psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin condition affecting millions globally, is challenging to diagnose and manage due to reliance on visual inspection and subjective assessments. This warrants the need for objective, data-driven methods. Emerging artificial intelligence (AI) technologies offer promising solutions across various aspects of psoriasis care. This review explores the prevalence and challenges of psoriasis, the limitations of traditional diagnostic methods, and the applications of AI in psoriasis identification, classification, lesion segmentation, and personalized treatment planning. It provides a critical analysis of recent advancements, highlights unaddressed gaps, and outlines future research directions to enhance the role of AI in psoriasis management. A comprehensive literature search was conducted using targeted keywords on open-access databases, focusing on studies published in English from 2015 to 2024. Relevant original research on AI applications in psoriasis management, including diagnosis, classification, lesion segmentation, and treatment recommendations, was critically analyzed to identify advancements, gaps, and opportunities for improving patient outcomes. Findings of this review indicate that AI technologies enhanced diagnostic accuracy and treatment personalization. However, significant gaps remain in their integration into clinical practice and assessments of long-term efficacy. In contrast to previous review articles, this work covered a wider range of recent studies, identified critical gaps that have not been adequately addressed, and outlined future research directions for enhancing the role of AI in improving psoriasis management. This work serves as a valuable resource for researchers, clinicians, and technology developers, emphasizing the need for further exploration of the potential of AI to improve patient outcomes in psoriasis.

The behavior of second-grade nanofluid is investigated in this work using entropy formation, thermal radiation, and changing thermal conductivity. The objective of this study is to provide deeper insights into how these variables influence fluid flow characteristics and heat transfer in nanofluid. To assess their impact on fluid dynamics and thermal behavior, the Tomson–Troian velocity slip condition and temperature slip boundary conditions are incorporated to examine mass and heat transport. The governing partial differential equations are simplified and effectively analyzed by transforming them into a collection of ordinary differential equations employing stream functions and similarity transformations. The shooting approach is used to produce numerical solutions for the physical phenomena, with the addition of the Newton–Raphson and Keller-box scheme for improved accuracy and convergence. This method also assesses the impact of physical parameters on temperature, velocity, and mass transfer sketches graphically for a clear understanding of their behavior. These parameters include heat production, variable thermal conductivity, the second-grade fluid parameter, the Eckert number, the Brownian motion, the Prandtl number, thermophoresis, and the Lewis number. This study found that the raising parameter for variable thermal conductivity enhances both temperature and velocity profiles. For the maximum second-grade fluid parameter, the temperature profile diminishes, while the velocity profile exhibits an upward trend. The Eckert number enhances the concentration and temperature profiles. The velocity profile of second-grade nanofluid decreases with increasing Prandtl numbers. Higher temperature-dependent density results in the greatest fluid temperature and concentration values. Greater Brownian motion results in improved mass and heat transmission magnitudes. The Sherwood number, Nusselt number, and skin friction coefficient decrease as the Prandtl number rises, but increase when the Lewis number rises.

Background The burden of HIV infection among key population like female sex workers (FSW) is higher and challenges the prevention and control of the virus compared to other population groups. HIV self-testing allows people to test themselves discreetly and conveniently and may provide opportunities to people not currently reached by existing HIV testing and counseling services. Hence, this study aimed to assess the magnitude of HIV Self-Testing (HIVST) and associated factors among Female sex workers in Waliso Town in Central Ethiopia. Method A community-based Cross-sectional study was conducted from 1 October–November 30, 2023, among female sex workers using snowball sampling. A total of 400 participants were included in the study. Data was collected using pre-tested, structured self-administered, and interviewer-administered questionnaires using face-to-face interviews. A binary logistic regression model was fitted using SPSS version 26 to identify factors associated with HIV self-testing. Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR), 95% confidence interval, and a p-value < 0.05 was used to judge the statistically significant variables. Results The prevalence of HIV self-testing among female sex workers in Waliso town was found to be 37% (95% CI: 32, 42). Education status (attended high school and above) (AOR = 7.62[95% CI 2.55,24.67], marital status (divorced) (AOR = 2.1[95% CI 1.23,3.6], those whose both parents dead (AOR = 2.72[95% CI 1.4,5.28] and before sex whether they asked their partner test status (AOR = 0.17[95% CI 0.07,0.37] were statistically significant. Conclusion This study revealed that HIV self-tests among female sex workers were lower than the 95% national target. Education status, marital status, parent`s living status and knowing the partner HIV status before sex were found to be predictors of HIV self-test. Our findings underscore the need to develop evidence-based strategies to improve HIV testing uptake by FSWs and improve community-based services.

Contrast-enhanced UTE-MRA provides detailed angiographic information but at the cost of prolonged scanning periods, which may impose moving artifacts and affect the promptness of diagnosis and treatment of time-sensitive diseases like stroke. This study aims to increase the resolution of rapidly acquired low-resolution UTE-MRA data to high-resolution using deep learning. A total of 20 and 10 contrast-enhanced 3D UTE-MRA data were collected from healthy control and stroke-bearing Wistar rats, respectively. A newly designed 3D convolutional neural network called ladder-shaped residual dense generator (LSRDG) and other state-of-the-art models (SR-ResNet, MRDG64) were implemented, trained, and validated on healthy control data and tested on stroke data. For healthy control data, significantly improved SSIM, PSNR, and MSE results were achieved using our proposed model, respectively 0.983, 36.80, and 0.00021, compared to 0.964, 34.38, and 0.00037 using SR-ResNet and 0.978, 35.47, and 0.00029 using MRDG64. For stroke data, respective SSIM, PSNR, and MSE scores of 0.963, 34.14, and 0.00041 were achieved using our proposed model compared to 0.953, 32.24, and 0.00061 (SR-ResNet) and 0.957, 32.90, and 0.00054 (MRDG64). Moreover, by combining a well-designed network, suitable loss function, and training with smaller patch sizes, the resolution of contrast-enhanced UTE-MRA was significantly improved from 234³ μm³ to 117³ μm³.

Iceberg lettuce is one of the most nutritionally important vegetables and plays a great role in economic relevance in the world, being highly consumed both at home and in fast food chains. Additionally, it is valued for its crisp texture and mild flavor. However, the natural perishability of lettuce is facing greater problems during storage and transportation to long-distance marketing. Previously conducted work revealed that the quality of iceberg lettuce is affected by various factors, including maturity stages and packaging materials. This review explores the literature available on the implications of developmental levels and packaging materials on the quality of iceberg lettuce for export-oriented marketing systems. The study provides insight into producers of vegetables and fruits, especially lettuce; harvesting iceberg lettuce at an immature stage could easily damage and deteriorate quickly due to moisture loss and high physiological processes. Overmatured similarly reduces quality because of russet spots, pinking formation, and physiological disorders. Improper packaging materials also affect the quality and shelf life of lettuce through excess loss of water and by restricting the circulation of air, then accumulating high carbon dioxide. Most of the researchers reported harvesting iceberg lettuce on the 59–65 days based on the day after planting and packing with modified atmospheric packaging; corrugated fiberboard with high- and low-density polyethylene liners and plastic crates is very paramount. This review concluded that harvesting iceberg lettuce at the optimal maturity stage and using appropriate packaging materials are very paramount to maintaining the quality of lettuce for marketing, particularly for export purposes.

Background Strengthening malaria control and expediting progress toward elimination requires targeting gametocytes to interrupt transmission. Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) effectively clears Plasmodium falciparum asexual parasites and immature gametocytes but has a limited impact on mature gametocytes, which mosquitoes ingest during a blood meal. To address this gap, the World Health Organization recommends adding a single low dose of primaquine (PQ) to ACT regimens. This study assessed the efficacy of a single low-dose PQ for P. falciparum gametocyte clearance and evaluated mosquito infectiousness in Ethiopia. Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted using passive case detection to enrol individuals with uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria at six health facilities. Participants were treated with either ACT alone or ACT plus 0.25 mg/kg single-dose PQ (ACT + PQ) and followed for 28 days with weekly visits. Blood smears for parasite counts, filter paper samples for DNA isolation, and whole blood for RNA preservation were collected on days 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28. On day 7, venous blood was obtained for membrane feeding assays using the Hemotek® system to assess mosquito infection. Logistic regression analysed mosquito infection predictors, while gametocyte prevalence was compared between treatment arms using χ² or Fisher’s exact tests. Results Of 304 screened patients, 192 were enroled, with a median age of 23 (IQR 17–30) years; 65.7% were male. Post-treatment, 11 human-to-mosquito transmission cases were identified on day 7. Participants receiving ACT + SLD-PQ were significantly less likely to be infectious on day 7 (OR 0.12, 95% CI 0.02–0.57, p = 0.008) and had a significantly reduced prevalence of gametocytes (OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.06–0.83, p = 0.026) compared to those receiving ACT alone. Conclusion A single course of low-dose primaquine (PQ) given with ACT significantly decreases the prevalence of gametocytaemia. Furthermore, membrane-feeding assays show that this combination also considerably lowers mosquito infection, confirming existing knowledge and emphasizing the promise of low-dose PQ as a successful transmission-blocking strategy in managing malaria.

Background Since 2013, dengue cases have shown a marked increase in Ethiopia. The current suspected outbreak occurring in Metahara town, Oromia Regional State, began in July 2023. This study aimed to confirm and characterize the outbreak, identify risk factors, and implement control measures. Methods We conducted a descriptive study and an unmatched case-control design, using a one-to-two ratio of cases to controls. We collected data on the dengue outbreak using line lists, laboratory test results, environmental observations, home visits, and entomological examinations. We selected a total of 50 cases using simple random sampling from the line list and purposively chose 100 controls from the same block. We applied community-based face-to-face interviews with 150 participants. After gathering data through Kobo Collect, we analyzed it using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 and summarized the findings in Microsoft Excel 2013. A binary logistic regression model was employed to identify significant variables, with p-values ≤ 0.25 in bivariate analysis considered for the final model. Crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR and AOR) were used to measure associations, with p-values ≤ 0.05 indicating significance. Results The investigation confirmed 342 dengue cases, corresponding to an attack rate of 7.1 per 1,000 population and a case fatality rate of 0.88%. Significant risk factors included not using long-lasting insecticide nets during the daytime (9-fold increased likelihood) and having open water containers (5-fold increased likelihood. Respondents lacking disease awareness were 25 times more likely to be infected, while wearing long-sleeved clothing conferred a protective effect of 75% reduction in risk. Conclusion The dengue outbreak in Metahara town was driven by epidemiological, entomological, and environmental factors, with Aedes aegypti as the primary vector. The ongoing circulation of DENV-3, coupled with insufficient vector control measures, poses a serious public health threat. Key contributing factors to the outbreak include the lack of utilization of long-lasting insecticide nets (LLINs) during the daytime, improper water storage practices, insufficient public knowledge regarding transmission and prevention strategies, and inadequate protective clothing choices that increase vulnerability to mosquito bites. Strategies including vector control, community education, promotion of protective clothing, and improved surveillance were recommended.

Background Epilepsy is a sensitive social and health issue that causes sudden death in epilepsy. Awake and sleep electroencephalogram (EEG) first test confirms 80% of patients with confirmed epilepsy. Explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) for epileptic seizures (ESs) emerged to overcome drawbacks of artificial intelligence (AI) models like lack of right to explain, fairness, and trustworthiness, and an overwhelming paper was published. However, there is a lack of reporting interpretable and performance tradeoffs, stating the most interpretable AI applied, describing the most useful waveforms learned in XAI models, documenting areas of interest, and identifying the relationship between frequency bands and epilepsy. Therefore, this systematic review aims to comprehensively evaluate the performance and the interpretability of interpretable AI methods used for ES monitoring using an EEG. Methods This study followed PRISMA guidelines for systematic review. Advanced search queries were hardheaded into five reputable databases. Rayyan online platform for a systematic review was used. The disagreement was resolved through discussions. Results Twenty-three papers are included. A total of 14 datasets are used. A total of 16,200 populations are participated in all the included studies. CHB-MIT Dataset is frequently used (12 times). Minimizing the number of waveforms learned will increase the accuracy and reduce the memory used. Interpretability to accuracy trade-offs are observed in the studies included. Discussion The result of this systematic review implies that further studies are needed on interpretable to accuracy tradeoffs, multi-modal care recommendations, and onset early warning to minimize sudden unexpected death in epilepsy and damage. Optimizing waveforms for ESs needs more investigation. Subjective matrices must be investigated very well before being used by XAI. This study has no ethical considerations associated with it. It has been registered with PROSPERO: registration number: CRD42023479926.

This research explores the synthesis and optimization of Silica have been effectively produced from sugarcane bagasse (SB) using the sol-gel methods. Due to its rich silica content, sugarcane bagasse can be utilized as a viable alternative source for silica synthesis. Employing Central Composite Design, the study systematically varied combustion temperature (500–800 °C), combustion time (2–4 h), and digestion time (1–3 h) to enhance silica yield. The optimal conditions identified were a combustion temperature of 583.48 °C, a combustion time of 3.482 h, and a digestion time of 2.283 h, resulting in a silica yield of 69.6%. Comprehensive characterization of the synthesized silica was conducted through Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Brunauer, Emmett, Teller model (BET) analysis and Thermo-gravimetric Analysis (TGA). XRD results indicated the amorphous nature of the silica, with a broad peak at 22.36°, akin to that of commercial silica. FTIR analysis revealed six characteristic peaks at wavenumbers corresponding to those found in commercial silica, confirming the presence of similar chemical groups. SEM imagery illustrated a disordered arrangement of silica with undefined morphology. The TGA analysis shows high thermal resistivity of silica with only 9% weigh loss at 800 °C. Overall, this study demonstrates that high-quality silica can be produced from sugarcane bagasse with minimal chemical input and energy consumption and highlighting its potential for diverse applications.

This study aimed to assess the effect of coffee husk biochar application and Rhizobium inoculation on the agronomic traits and nutrient availability of various faba bean varieties. Four bean varieties (Local, Dosha, Gebelcho, and Numan), four inoculation levels (control, strains: FB‐EAR‐15, FB‐1035, and EAL‐110), and three biochar rates (0, 5, and 10 t ha⁻¹) were tested on acidic soils collected from the Gorche and Hagere Selam districts. The results revealed that the treatments applied significantly affected almost all yield‐related measurements. Inoculating seeds with the EAL‐110 strain and applying 10 t ha⁻¹ of biochar enhanced seed and biomass yields per plant by 7% and 8%, and 9% and 8%, respectively, compared to the control. Similarly, post‐harvest soil analysis revealed a substantial change in soil physicochemical parameters following the application of 10 t ha⁻¹ of biochar compared to the control. The soil's pH, available P, exchangeable Ca, and Mg levels increased by 0.81 mg kg⁻¹, 4.6 mg kg⁻¹, 32.1%, and 46.2%, respectively. Inoculation with strain EAL‐110 resulted in significant (p < 0.05) improvements in total N (16.7%) and organic carbon (3.1%). Conversely, the varieties did not significantly (p > 0.05) influence soil properties and nutrient availability. Hence, this research has identified biochar and Rhizobium inoculation as agricultural inputs with the potential to improve soil fertility, reduce soil acidity, and increase nutrient availability. Therefore, planting faba bean varieties Dosha and Numan with 10 t ha⁻¹ biochar and strain EAL‐110 outperformed other treatments and is recommended for future research under farmers’ field conditions.

Conservation frameworks are increasingly integrating scientific approaches with Indigenous knowledge to address biodiversity loss. Though Indigenous communities make up only 5% of the global population, they play an essential role in conservation. Within this paradigm, cognitive salience, people’s awareness of local species, offers insights that help decision-makers design conservation strategies tailored to specific communities and ecosystems. However, in many regions, this information is scarce. To explore cognitive salience's role in conservation, we investigated the link between bird salience and conservation interest among Ethiopia’s Indigenous Nuer people. Using bird survey data, focus group discussions, and household interviews, we explored how bird salience associates with conservation interest. Our findings reveal that birds hold high cognitive salience among the Nuer, as evidenced by their rich knowledge of folk names, perceptions, and cultural beliefs associated with avian species. A significant positive correlation was observed between an index of cognitive salience and expressed conservation interest (r = 0.53, df = 52; p = 0.0001), indicating species with higher salience would be more likely to gain conservation attention. Furthermore, this index correlated positively with both relative abundance and the aesthetic value of bird species, suggesting that more prevalent and culturally significant species tend to attract higher conservation interest. Given that highly salient species garner greater conservation interest, raising awareness of less salient but threatened or rare species could enhance local engagement to mitigate the risk of local extinctions. This highlights the importance of Indigenous perspectives in addressing contemporary conservation challenges and argues that integrating these interconnected human-nature relationships in conservation is vital for effective, culturally informed biodiversity conservation outcomes.

Introduction. Neonatal mortality, the death of infants within 28 days, is a major challenge for healthcare in developing countries. Despite global declines, data on rural patterns remain scarce. Objective. To determine neonatal mortality trends and factors in rural Ethiopia. Methods. The Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey (EDHS) conducted cross-sectional studies in rural Ethiopia in 2011, 2016, and 2019. Consenting women who gave birth in these years were included. Data were analyzed with STATA 17 using multistage cluster sampling, logistic regression, and weighted estimates. Results. Data from 22 755 women showed neonatal mortality rates dropped from 7.5% to 6.03%. Gambela and Tigrai had the lowest rates, while Dire Dawa and Somali regions had higher rates. Key factors included mother’s age, wealth, birth order, sex, twins, breastfeeding, and baby’s size. Conclusion. Despite decreases, challenges persist. Regional health bureaus should enhance antenatal care and promote facility births.

Background Most African countries, including Ethiopia, have not developed local well-defined reference intervals (RIs) for immuno-hematological testes in terms of pregnant women. As a result, we were using reference intervals derived from non-Africans. This is not appropriate because CD4 + T cell counts (CD4 count) are affected by several factors including ethnic and environmental factors. Therefore, this study aimed to develop reference interval for CD4 count for apparently healthy pregnant women in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Results After excluding six pregnant women who did not pass the screening tests, 156 apparently healthy pregnant women who were 18–49 years old were included in the final analysis. The medians of CD4 absolute counts and CD4% with inter-quartile ranges [IQR] were 757.5 [611.3-925.5] cells/µL and 43.6% [39.9–47.3] respectively while the median and IQR hemoglobin values were 14.3 g/dL [13.4–15.1]. The respective reference intervals for absolute CD4 cell count and % CD4 were 416.9-1218.4 cells/µL and 32.1–57.3%, respectively. Significant changes were observed in hemoglobin level between trimesters (P < 0.05). Conclusion The results of this study showed a decrease in both percentage and absolute CD4 + T cell counts when compared to those of non-African and African countries. Establishing local reference values for diverse groups is therefore crucial.

This systematic literature review aims to investigate the influence of transformational leadership on firm performance and to establish a theoretical background for future avenues in literature. A total of 54 studies covering transformational leadership and firm performance from January 2016 to 2023 and analyzed via a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis protocol using the descriptive content analysis with relevant articles were documented following the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Studies were found in the Scopus, Web of Science, Taylor and Francis, and PubMed databases. The findings from this review show that a large majority of the reviewed studies conclude that transformational leadership has a positive relationship and influence on firm performance. This study will contribute to the literature on leadership effectiveness and inform organizational practices aimed at enhancing firm performance through transformational leadership through mediating variable of dynamic capability and organizational innovation. Despite a rapid recent increase in publications and special issue calls, many opportune research avenues within the transformational leadership and firm performance on different research methods need further investigation.

One of the causes of greenhouse gas emissions in the world is agriculture. One of the main threats to global growth today is climate change. This study summarizes the relationship between agricultural emissions and climate action, as well as the climate action outlined in Goal 13 of the Sustainable Development Agenda. Using a sample of panel data from 9 African countries between 2014 and 2023, we used fixed effect, random effect, and pooled regression. This study assesses the emissions of methane (CH₄), carbon dioxide (CO₂), and nitrous oxide (N₂O) from agriculture in East African countries between 2014 and 2023. Average agricultural CO2 emissions are 940.57 kilotons, average N₂O emissions are 900.23 metric tons of CO2 equivalent, and average methane emissions are 1713.6 thousand equivalent tones of CO2, according to descriptive statistics. The analysis shows a positive relationship between greenhouse gas emissions and agricultural activities, including the use of fertilizers and cereal production. Furthermore, statistical models suggest that higher levels of fertilizer use and cereal production are linked to higher levels of CH₄ and N₂O emissions. Interestingly, the findings suggest that while increased methane emissions may be caused by larger areas planted for cereal production, increased greenhouse gas emissions are caused by intensified livestock production. According to the findings of the Hausman test, the fixed-effects model is the recommended specification for this investigation.