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Integrated nutrient management and crop rotation are important farming practices, which enhance the nutrient use efficiency of crops and reduce the incidence of diseases and insect pests. The study was carried out to address the gap in using integrated nutrient management in crop rotation systems for soil qualities and crop yield improvement. That was done by adjusting the balance ratio of dry bio-slurry and nitrogen fertilizers. The experiment was containing ten levels; Control (0,0), recommended nitrogen, 50% dry-bio slurry, 100% dry-bio slurry, 75% dry-bio slurry, 75% dry-bio slurry+25% recommended nitrogen, 50% dry-bio slurry+50% recommended nitrogen, 25% dry-bio slurry+75% recommended nitrogen, 100% dry-bio slurry + 25% recommended nitrogen and 100% dry-bio slurry + 50% recommended nitrogen that was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications for three years. The data on soil properties and yield components of potatoes and wheat were collected and analyzed using statistical analysis system software 9.4. An application of dry bio-slurry with nitrogen fertilizer was significantly affected both crop yield and soil properties in the rotation system. The application of 25% dry bio-slurry with 75% recommended nitrogen gave the highest tuber yield of potato (27.6 tha -1 ) as compared to control. Similarly, using 100% and 75% sole dry bio-slurry resulted in the highest grain yield (3.85 tha -1 ) and above-ground biomass (9.59 tha -1 ) of wheat. The combination of 25% dry bio-slurry with 75% recommended nitrogen scored the highest net benefit (2889.2 US$) with an acceptable marginal return (4463.3%) via by improving crops yield in the system. So, an application of 25% dry bio-slurry with 75% recommended nitrogen could be promoted for yield-soil improvement in the study area and similar agroecology.

The decline in soil nutrients in Ethiopia, particularly in Western Amhara, is causing low crop productivity. Some researchers have argued that the application of K, S, Zn, and B in blended, individual, and complex forms affects crop yield. Identification of the prime yield-limiting nutrient is the key to solvesoil nutrient problems. A field experiment was conducted at Burie-Wemeberema, Debere Elias, Gozamen and Gonji Qolela districts of Western Amhara in the 2022 cropping season. A composite soil sample was taken at a depth of 0–20 cm to determine soil chemical properties. Bread wheat and tef were used as a test crop. The gross plot sizes were 4m x 3m and the spacing between blocks and rows was 1.0 and 0.2 m, respectively. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications and comprised of nine treatments: control, NPKSZnB-blended, NPKZnB, NPKSB, NPKSZnB, NPSZnB, NP, NPKSZnB-individually applied, and NPSZnB-compound+K. R programming software version 4.2.2 was used for data analysis, and treatment means were separated at P < 0.05 using the LSD test. The analysis of variance results showed that nitrogen and phosphorus are the most yield-limiting nutrients so far in the study area. Besides, omissions of potassium, sulfur, zinc, and boron did not show a significant (P < 0.05) effect on bread wheat and tef grain yield reduction as compared to the applied recommended nitrogen and phosphorus at all landscape positions of all study sites. Blended and compound nutrients also didn’t show a significant grain yield advantage as compared to the applied NP nutrients. Applied potassium, sulfur, zinc, and boron nutrients in blended, individual, and compound forms did not increase wheat and tef grain and biomass yields in all study areas. Currently, additions of K, S, Zn, and B nutrients in the fertilizer package do not have a significant grain yield advantage as compared to the recommended NP nutrients. We believe the present information on fertilizers in blended, compound, and individual forms is insufficient to draw any concrete conclusions. Therefore, we suggested further research to confirm which form of fertilizer and nutrient source is better for future crop production.

Soil acidity is a global problem that limits crop production worldwide. It is the major crop yield-limiting factor in Ethiopia. The experiment was conducted in the Guagusa Shikudad district in western Amhara during the 2021 and 2022 cropping seasons to improve the productivity of faba bean through integrated vermicompost and lime applications. The spacing between rows and plants was 40 and 10 cm, respectively and the gross plot size was 8.4 m². The treatments were zero, half and full lime factorially combined with 0, 5, 10, and 15 t ha ⁻ ¹ vermicompost. Vermicompost and lime were applied separately in rows at planting. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Before planting, a composite surface soil sample at 0–20 cm depth and after harvest from each plot was collected for the determination of soil chemical properties. The soil analysis result indicated that vermicompost and lime significantly increased soil pH and decreased exchangeable acidity. The result also revealed vermicompost and lime significantly (p < 0.001) increased faba bean grain and biomass yield. The maximum faba bean grain yield (2.41 t ha ⁻ ¹) was recorded from the applied 10 t ha ⁻ ¹ vermicompost and full dose of lime (5.6 t ha ⁻ ¹), while the maximum faba bean biomass (5.90 t ha ⁻ ¹) was recorded from the treatment of 15 t ha ⁻ ¹ vermicompost and full dose of lime applied. The minimum grain and biomass yield of faba bean was recorded from the control (vermicompost and lime not applied). Application of 5 t ha ⁻ ¹ vermicompost and a full dose of lime gave an optimum and economical faba bean grain yield. Application of integrated organic and inorganic fertilizers with lime is suggested for the improvement of faba bean grain yield by restoring non-responsive, strongly acidic agricultural soils in the study area and similar agroecology.

Background: The complication of prematurity is the second commonest cause of under-five mortality in Ethiopia. Amhara region has the highest neonatal mortality rate in the country. There was no previous study and this study aimed to assess the survival of preterm neonates and its associated factors of preterm neonatal mortality admitted to Felege Hiwot Specialized Hospital, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia, to take necessary action to maximize survival of preterm babies in developing countries. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among 686 preterm neonates admitted in Felege Hiwot Specialized Hospital from 1 August 2017 to 30 July 2018. Kaplan–Meier survival curve was used to show the survival rate of preterm neonates and the multivariate Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify covariates of survival of preterm neonates. Those variables having a p-value less than 0.05 were statistically significant for the survival of preterm neonates. Result: Out of 686 preterm neonates admitted from 1 August 2017 to 30 July 2018, 49.1% neonates were improved and discharged and 36.1% died. The survival rate was 0%, 19.4%, 46.7% and 75% for gestational age <28 weeks, 28–31 + 6 weeks, 32–33 + 6 weeks and 34–36 + 6 weeks, respectively. In the multivariate Cox regression model, respiratory distress syndrome, necrotizing enterocolitis, asphyxia, hospital-acquired infection, birth weight, gestational age and place of delivery were significantly associated with time to death of preterm neonates at 95% confidence level (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The mortality rate (36.1%) of preterm neonates is unacceptably high in Felege Hiwot hospital compared to other similar hospitals in Ethiopia. More than 50% of preterm neonatal deaths can be prevented with available resources. Neonatal units with adequate and committed manpower, using a strict aseptic technique, proper follow-up, early detection and timely management of complications, are recommended to improve the survival of preterm neonates.

Background. Anaemia is a global public health problem which has an eminence impact on pregnant mother. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and predictors of maternal anemia. Method. A cross-sectional study was conducted from March 1 to April 30, 2012, on 302 pregnant women who attended antenatal care at Gondar University Hospital. Interview-based questionnaire, clinical history, and laboratory tests were used to obtain data. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to identify predictors. Result. The prevalence of anemia was 16.6%. Majority were mild type (64%) and morphologically normocytic normochromic (76%) anemia. Anemia was high at third trimester (18.9%). Low family income (AOR [95% CI] = 3.1 [1.19, 8.33]), large family size (AOR [95% CI] = 4.14 [4.13, 10.52]), hookworm infection (AOR [95% CI] = 2.72 [1.04, 7.25]), and HIV infection (AOR [95% CI] = 5.75 [2.40, 13.69]) were independent predictors of anemia. Conclusion. The prevalence of anemia was high; mild type and normocytic normochromic anemia was dominant. Low income, large family size, hookworm infection, and HIV infection were associated with anemia. Hence, efforts should be made for early diagnosis and management of HIV and hookworm infection with special emphasis on those having low income and large family size.

Malaria and HIV are among the two most important global health problems of developing countries. They cause more than 4 million deaths a year. These two infections interact bidirectionally and synergistically with each other. HIV infection increases the risk of an increase in the severity of malaria infection and burdens of malaria, which in turn facilitates the rate of malaria transmission. Malaria infection is also associated with strong CD4+ cell activation and up-regulation of proinflammatory cytokines and it provides an ideal microenvironment for the spread of the virus among the CD4+ cells and for rapid HIV-1 replication. Additionally, malaria increases blood viral burden by different mechanisms. Therefore, high concentrations of HIV-1 RNA in the blood are predictive of disease progression, and correlate with the risk of blood-borne, vertical, and sexual transmission of the virus. Therefore, this article aims to review information about HIV malaria interactions, the effect of malaria on HIV transmission and progression and the implications related to prevention and treatment of coinfection.

Background Salmonella are the major pathogenic bacteria in humans as well as in animals. Salmonella species are leading causes of acute gastroenteritis in several countries and salmonellosis remains an important public health problem worldwide, particularly in the developing countries. The situation is more aggravated by the ever increasing rate of antimicrobial resistance strains. Cattle have been implicated as a source of human infection with antimicrobial resistant Salmonella through direct contact with livestock and through the isolation of antimicrobial resistant Salmonella from raw milk, cheddar cheese, and hamburger meat traced to dairy farms. Despiite the presence of many studies on the prevalence and antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of Salmonella in Ethiopia, nothing has been said on the degree of the situation among apparently healthy lactating cows and in contact humans. Hence this study was conducted to determine the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance pattern of Salmonella isolates from lactating cows and in contact humans in dairy farms of Addis Ababa. Methods a cross sectional study was conducted in Addis Ababa by collecting milk and faecal samples from lactating cows and stool samples from humans working in dairy farms. Samples were pre-enriched in buffered peptone water followed by selective enrichment using selenite cysteine and Rapaport-Vassilidis broths. Isolation and identification was made by inoculating the selectively enriched sample on to Xylose Lysine Deoxycholate agar followed by confirmation of presumptive colonies using different biochemical tests. The Kibry Bauer disk diffusion method was used for antimicrobial sensitivity testing. Results 10.7% (21/195) of cows and 13.6% (3/22) of the human subjects sheded Salmonella . 83% resistance to two or more antimicrobials and 100% resistance to ampicillin were observed. Most of the isolates were relatively sensitive to ciprofloxacin, cotrimoxazole, and chloramphenicol. Conclusion High proportion of Salmonella isolates developed resistance to the commonly prescribed antimicrobials and this may be a considerable risk in the treatment of clinical cases. So, wise use of antimicrobials must be practiced to combat the ever increasing situation of antimicrobial resistance.

Background In Ethiopia, because of low quality drinking water supply and latrine coverage, helminths infections are the second most predominant causes of outpatient morbidity. Indeed, there is a scarcity of information on the prevalence of soil transmitted helminths and Schistosomiasis in Ethiopia, special in study area. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors of soil transmitted helminths and intestinal Schistosomiasis. Methods Cross-sectional study was conducted among 319 school children of Zarima town from April 1 to May 25, 2009. A pre-tested structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data and possible risk factors exposure. Early morning stool samples were collected and a Kato Katz semi concentration technique was used to examine and count parasitic load by compound light microscope. Data entry and analysis was done using SPSS-15 version and p-value < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results Out of 319 study subjects, 263 (82.4%) of the study participants infected with one or more parasites. From soil transmitted helminths, Ascaris lumbricoides was the predominant isolate (22%) followed by Hookworms (19%) and Trichuris trichiura (2.5%). Schistosoma mansoni was also isolated in 37.9% of the study participants. Hookworm and S. mansoni infections showed s tatistically significant associations with shoe wearing and swimming habit of school children, respectively. Conclusion Prevalence of soil transmitted helminths (STH) and S.mansoni was high and the diseases were still major health problem in the study area which alerts public health intervention as soon as possible.

In recent years, the use of antibiotics for human medicine, animal husbandry, agriculture, aquaculture, and product preservation has become a common practice. The use and application of antibiotics leave significant residues in different forms, with the aquatic environment becoming the critical sink for accumulating antibiotic residues. Numerous studies have been conducted to understand antibiotic removal and persistence in the aquatic environment. Nevertheless, there is still a huge knowledge gap on their complex interactions in the natural environment, their removal mechanism, and the monitoring of their fate in the environment. Water quality models are practical tools for simulating the fate and transport of pollutant mass in the aquatic environment. This paper reports an overview of the physical, chemical, and biological elimination mechanisms responsible for the degradation of antibiotics in natural surface water systems. It provides an in-depth review of commonly used quantitative fate models. An effort has been made to provide a compressive review of the modeling philosophy, mathematical nature, environmental applicability, parameter estimation, prediction efficiency, strength, and limitation of commonly used environmental antibiotic fate models. The study provides information linking paradigms of elimination kinetics and their simulation in the antibiotic fate models aiming at critical issues regarding current model development and future perspectives and to help users select appropriate models for practical water quality assessment and management.

The presence of antibiotics in the environmental matrix has raised concerns regarding their risk to the aquatic ecosystem and human health. Surface water, such as rivers, plays a pivotal role in the dispersion and transport of antibiotic residues. The effective monitoring of these contaminants requires investigating their sources and distribution. While numerous studies have been conducted globally to comprehend the emergence, prevalence, and management of these substances, the investigation of therapeutic antibiotics in Africa remains notably underrepresented. Consequently, data regarding these emerging contaminants in the African aquatic environments are scarce, warranting further exploration. This study aims to investigate the occurrence of four specific therapeutic antibiotics—tetracycline, sulfathiazole, penicillin g, and erythromycin—across different seasons in the Msunduzi River, Eastern South Africa. Three sampling campaigns were conducted during spring, autumn, and winter to assess the presence of these antibiotics in the river. Analyte extraction from water samples was achieved through solid-phase extraction, and quantification was performed using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. The findings reveal notable concentrations of these antibiotics in the river at locations closest to a wastewater treatment discharge point. Among the antibiotics studied, tetracycline (158.42–1290.43 ng/L) and sulfathiazole (112.68–1151.25 ng/L) were the most frequently detected compounds across the majority of the sampling sites and tributaries of the river. Erythromycin was less frequently detected in the surface water and wastewater effluent but was found to be a risk to algal species within the river. While wastewater effluents represent a significant source of antibiotic contamination in the river, tributaries from industrial areas and informal settlements were identified as continuous sources of antibiotic pollution. Thus, it is imperative to implement appropriate monitoring protocols to mitigate antibiotic pollution in the aquatic environment.