Ethiopian Journal of Science and Technology

Long term predictors of adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy for HIV positive adults at Felege-Hiwot Teaching and Specialized Hospital, North-West Ethiopia: a transitional study

Awoke Seyoum, Principal Ndlovu, Temesgen Zewotir — እሑድ, 27 ኤፕረ 2025 09:53:07 +0200

In clinical trials and practices, failure of adherence to medications is a common challenge among patients with chronic diseases. Many factors are associated with this failure. Reports of previous studies about predictors of adherence to Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) were not consistent. The main objective of this study was to identify predictors of long-term adherence to HAART, considering lag variables as additional predictors. Transitional modeling was used to determine the predictors of long-term adherence to HAART. A retrospective transitional study design was conducted on 792 randomly selected adult patients at Felege-Hiwot Teaching and Specialized Hospital, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. Results revealed that the first two lag-variables ( ) were significantly associated with performance of current adherence to HAART. The increase in CD4 cell count change was significantly associated with current adherence, if patients made transition from adherent level at lag2 to non-adherent level at lag1 ( ). As a conclusion, for patients who were transferred from adherent level at lag2 to non-adherent level at lag1, their CD4 cell count changes were positively correlated with current adherence level. Due attention should thus be given to address the specific needs of each group of patients. Non-adherence to HAART in this long-term treatment program was at risk and should receive interventional action. Educational therapy during follow-ups should also be given to non-adherent patients to strengthen the era of long-term treatment.

Kinetic based simulation of fixed bed gasifier and performance study on syngas production from different biomass feed-stocks

Bedewi Bilal, Solomon Workneh, Neela Satheesh — እሑድ, 27 ኤፕረ 2025 10:06:04 +0200

Ethnoveterinary medicinal plants in rural settings of Bahir Dar district, Ethiopia

Asmamaw Tadesse, Berhanu Abraha, Berhanu Belay — እሑድ, 27 ኤፕረ 2025 10:13:59 +0200

Most Ethiopian farmers and pastoralists rely on locally available plants to treat diseases of their domestic animals. Such knowledge needs to be recorded and transmitted to generations before it is eroded. In this study, the ethnoveterinary medicinal plants and the associated ethnoveterinary knowledge of farmers in Bahir Dar City Administrative Zone, Ethiopia, was documented. Seventy two informants were purposively selected from six study sites (kebeles). Semi-structured interviews, field observations and focus group discussions were used to collect ethnoveterinary information. Data were analyzed using quantitative approaches. A total of 69 plant species were used in the treatment of 36 livestock ailments. Plant species belonging to families Fabaceae and Solanaceae were frequently used. Roots of 32 species followed by leaves of 29 species were often utilized for remedy preparation. The majority of medicinal plants (72.5%) were harvested from the wild. Herbs constituted the dominant growth form used accounting for 40.6%. Most remedies were prepared in concoction/blend form. The majority of preparations (64.4%) were orally administered. Knowledge of medicinal plants is positively correlated with age of informants. In this study, Phytolacca dodecandra was found to be the most frequently used medicinal plant followed by Cucumis ficifolius. However, Cucumis ficifolius and Ipomoea simonsiana were the best and equally preferred species in the treatment of the most frequent disease locally known as “Kumegna.” It could be concluded that indigenous knowledge and the practice of using medicinal plants was still the major animal health care system in Bahir Dar rural community.

On-farm pre-weaning growth performance of Washera, Farta and their crossbred lambs in selected districts of western Amhara Region, Ethiopia

Esubalew Adimasu, Kefyalew Alemayehu, Tesfaye Getachew — እሑድ, 27 ኤፕረ 2025 10:21:57 +0200

The objective of the study was to evaluate the pre-weaning growth performance of Farta, Washera, and their cross-sheep lambs. The study was conducted in Farta and Lay Gayint districts of the Amhara National Regional State. The data were collected from November 2016 to May 2017. A total of 132 sheep, i.e., 82 Farta, 20 Washera, and 30 Washera-Farta crossbred, were selected using purposive sampling technique to assess their pre-weaning growth performance. Growth data was analyzed using SAS Version 9.1.3. (SAS, 2008). Mean birth weight (± SE in kg) was 2.7±0.30 for Farta, 3.1±0.14 for Washera, and 2.9±0.08 for Washera-Farta crossbred lambs. Weaning weights were 10.9±0.30 kg for Farta, 13.1±0.50 kg for Washera, and 12.2±1.1 kg for Washera-Farta crossbreds. Daily weight gain calculated from birth to 30 days was 89.4±6.44 g for Farta, 119.4±23.53 g for Washera and 111.4±10.46 g for Washera-Farta crossbreds. Weight gain from birth to 90 days was 88.8±3.21 g, 103.2±11.75 g, and 111.9±5.22 g, respectively. Washera breed was significantly heavier at birth and at weaning age, followed by crossbred lambs. Crossbred lambs were not significantly bigger than Farta lambs. This means crossing the two breeds did not have advantage and selection breeding of Farta sheep by itself will be adequate.

Soil organic matter depletion as a major threat to agricultural intensification in the highlands of Ethiopia

እሑድ, 27 ኤፕረ 2025 10:35:25 +0200

Agriculture is considered as the backbone of Ethiopian economy. The government promotes rural development through policies that enhance intensive and commercially-oriented agriculture. Soil quality may be the bottleneck of these ambitions as more than half of the agricultural land shows signs of land degradation. Soil organic carbon (SOC) contents are a key aspect of soil quality, where relatively high SOC contents indicate better water holding capacity, nutrient retention capacity and better structure of the soil. In this research, SOC balances were used as indicator for short and midterm changes in SOC contents. SOC balances were calculated using data collected from 6914 fields for three years (2012-2014) using a simple input-out approach. On average, SOC balances were three tons per hectare per year. This equals 4 to 7% of the total soil organic carbon stock, which varied according to regions and cropping systems. SOC depletion rates were high in the mountainous and high cultivation intensity sites in central and northern Ethiopia where cereal based cropping systems dominates. Under the current practice, soils will eventually become exhausted and lose their productivity. This alarming trend could be reversed by integrating organic matter and nutrient management strategies and by providing alternative sources for feed and fuel supply of the community.

Toxicological assessment of Pb, Cd and Cr in lettuce and onion grown around Ellala River in Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia

Teklay Gebreyohannes, Abraha Gebrekidan — እሑድ, 27 ኤፕረ 2025 17:12:24 +0200

The purpose of this study was to investigate the toxicological effect of Pb, Cd and Cr in vegetables. Water, soil and vegetables samples were collected to determine heavy metal content using FAAS and its impact on human health via consumption of vegetables. The heavy metals for water samples were recorded in the order of Pb>Cd>Cr, and all, except Cd, were found under WHO/FAO limits. Similarly, the heavy metals of soil samples were also recorded in the order of Cr>Cd>Pb, which was under Ewers and EU permissible limits. On lettuce, mean levels of heavy metals were Pb 0.34 ± 0.04 mg/kg, Cd 1.07 ± 0.12 mg/kg and Cr 3.50 ± 0.23 mg/kg were recorded above the WHO/FAO limits. On onion, levels were 0.75 ± 0.05 mg/kg for Pb, 0.41 ± 0.04 mg/kg for Cd and 1.98 ± 0.27 mg/kg for Cr, which were above the WHO/FAO limits. The high metal content could be attributed to high anthropogenic activities. The TF (transfer factor) for the heavy metal in vegetables also showed a trend of Cd>Pb>Cr. The TF of Cd on lettuce ranged between 0.827 and 0.914, because of the high Cd mobility and its high bio-accumulation factor in lettuce. Thus, TF values of vegetables above 0.5 are considered to be contaminated and thus needs for continuous follow-up. However, the health risk index and daily intake rate of heavy metals of the study indicates the vegetables are safe to eat. But, due to the bioaccumulation nature of the heavy metals and the continual use of these vegetables with increase anthropogenic activities and demand of people for vegetables may pose health problem.