The use of long acting contraceptive methods is a commonpractice among women seeking to prevent unintended pregnanciesand plan their families. This study seeks to identify factors associ-ated with the practice of long-acting contraceptive methods, par-ticularly in a conflict-affected area in Awi zone, North WestEthiopia. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a multistagerandom sample of 1,334 women’s. Bivariable and multivariablebinary logistic regression has been applied to identify determinantfactors. Among the 1,334 women surveyed, 25.49% reportedusing long-acting contraceptive methods. The analysis revealedthat women’s educational level, wealth index, being visited byhealth extension, marital status, use of children as a source ofincome, and occupational status of women were factors signifi-cantly hindering the use of long-acting contraceptive methods inthe area. In conclusion, higher contraceptive use was observedamong educated, married women, women who used children as asource of income, and women employed by the government. It istherefore recommended that government officials in Awi Zone andpolicy makers should implement programs to increase female edu-cation and employment, which could lead to greater use of contra-ceptive methods for effective family planning.
Key words: Awi Zone, contraceptive methods, family planning, multiple logistic regression, Ethiopia.

This study systematically assessed the concentrations of selected metals and the proximate composition of milk samples collected from six locations: Agerie Milk Cooperative, Andassa Livestock Research Center, Tekelehymanot Monastery, the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Bahir Dar Dairy Cooperative, and households in Keble-7, Bahir Dar city. Proximate composition, including moisture, ash, protein, and fat, was determined using the Kjeldahl digestion and Gerber methods, while metal analysis was performed using the Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy technique. The findings revealed significant variations (P

Executive Summary Concerns over chemical contaminants and toxins in local foods and beverages have been raised recently. These days, chronic illness is more common, and toxicants and other contaminants found in food and drink have been linked to many documented fatalities. The chemical toxicants that will be analyzed in this study include acrylamide (a processing toxicant arising from deep roasting of food samples), aflatoxin B1 (a poisonous chemical discharged by mold and fungi), pesticide residues (resulting from pesticide application to cereal, vegetable, and fruits), and methanol (a chemical toxicant produced by spontaneous fermentation of local alcoholic beverages). The acrylamide content of the food samples will be measured via LC/MS-MS. Aflatoxin analysis will be performed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), whilst pesticide residues and methanol concentrations will be assessed using a gas chromatography (GC) method equipped with computer-integrated software. This research will be undertaken in three phases. The first phase is collecting food and beverage samples (at least 30 food samples suspected of being chemically contaminated) from selected districts and assessing the toxic substances. The second phase relies on the results of the first phase; for severely contaminated foods, the sources of contamination and factors leading to the presence of chemical toxicants will be investigated. Finally, optimal processing will be investigated to remove or decrease toxic chemicals. The assessment of chemical contaminants in local foods and beverages is important as consumers become more conscious of their health and well-being. Therefore, this research aims to provide insight into the existence, concentrations, and possible health hazards associated with chemical contaminants in foods and beverages that are produced locally. It also makes actionable suggestions for resolving this pressing problem.

Executive Summary Concerns over chemical contaminants and toxins in local foods and beverages have been raised recently. These days, chronic illness is more common, and toxicants and other contaminants found in food and drink have been linked to many documented fatalities. The chemical toxicants that will be analyzed in this study include acrylamide (a processing toxicant arising from deep roasting of food samples), aflatoxin B1 (a poisonous chemical discharged by mold and fungi), pesticide residues (resulting from pesticide application to cereal, vegetable, and fruits), and methanol (a chemical toxicant produced by spontaneous fermentation of local alcoholic beverages). The acrylamide content of the food samples will be measured via LC/MS-MS. Aflatoxin analysis will be performed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), whilst pesticide residues and methanol concentrations will be assessed using a gas chromatography (GC) method equipped with computer-integrated software. This research will be undertaken in three phases. The first phase is collecting food and beverage samples (at least 30 food samples suspected of being chemically contaminated) from selected districts and assessing the toxic substances. The second phase relies on the results of the first phase; for severely contaminated foods, the sources of contamination and factors leading to the presence of chemical toxicants will be investigated. Finally, optimal processing will be investigated to remove or decrease toxic chemicals. The assessment of chemical contaminants in local foods and beverages is important as consumers become more conscious of their health and well-being. Therefore, this research aims to provide insight into the existence, concentrations, and possible health hazards associated with chemical contaminants in foods and beverages that are produced locally. It also makes actionable suggestions for resolving this pressing problem.

Two new oligomer mixed ligand complexes, comprising 21 ([Co21(phen)42(bipy)21]Cl42 (C2)) and 100 monomerunits ([Co100(phen)200(bipy)100]Cl200 (C3)) were synthesized. These complexes, designated as [Co21(phen)42(-bipy)21]Cl42 (C2) and [Co100(phen)200(bipy)100]Cl200 (C3), were employed for the modification of a glassycarbon electrode (GCE) to detect ciprofloxacin (CPF) in tablet formulations and human urine samples. Bypotentiodynamic deposition, the modified electrodes (poly(C2)/GCE) and (poly(C3)/GCE) were prepared,forming a conductive electroactive film on the GCE surface. The modified electrodes were characterized usingcyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, which revealed an increased effective surfacearea and a significant reduction in charge transfer resistance of the electrode. An oxidative peak at a lowerpotential with a six-fold increase in peak current was observed at the poly(C2)/GCE. The absence of a reductivepeak in the reverse scan indicated the irreversibility of the electrochemical oxidation of CPF. The correlationcoefficient between the peak current and the square root of the scan rate indicated that CPF oxidation at the poly(C2)/GCE was primarily controlled by diffusion mass transport. With a detection limit of 3.4 × 10 9 M, thevoltammetric current response of CPF at the poly(C2)/GCE under optimal circumstances showed a linear trendwith concentrations ranging from 5.0 × 10 8 to 2.0 × 10 4 M. It was discovered that the CPF levels in theexamined tablet brands fell between 98.35 % and 101.30 % of their stated ranges. The recovery results for tabletand urine samples ranged from 99.44 % to 99.95 % and 99.25 % to 100.51 %, respectively, with interferencerecovery showing an error of less than 4.73 %. When it came to determining CPF in tablet formulations andhuman urine samples, the new approach outperformed recently published voltammetric methods. This superi-ority can be attributed to the simplicity of the electrode modification step, the lowest limit of detection, and areasonably wide linear dynamic range.
Keywords: Electrochemical determination; Ciprofloxacin; Poly(μ-4,4′-bipyridine(bis(1,10-phenanthroline))cobalt(II)chloride)); Glassy carbon electrodeTablet formulations

ABSTRACT: β-Lactam antibiotics are employed to treat bacterial illnesses.Despite a high level of clinical success, they have encountered serious resistancethat demands a high-dose regimen and a new pharmacokinetic combination. Thisrequires continuous monitoring of their levels in pharmaceutical and biologicalsamples. In this study, an electrochemical sensor was developed for thedetermination of cephalexin (CLN) in pharmaceutical formulations and biologicalfluid samples. The sensors were developed by modifying a glassy carbon electrode(GCE) using a conducting polymer (dipicrylamine) by potentiodynamicelectropolymerization. Characterization (using cyclic voltammetry and electronimpedance spectroscopy) results revealed modification of the electrode surface,leading to an enhanced effective electrode surface area and their conductivity. Theappearance of an irreversible oxidative peak at much-reduced potential with 5-foldcurrent enhancement at a poly(dipicrylamine)-modified glassy carbon electrode(poly(DPA)/GCE) verified the electrocatalytic role toward CLN. Under optimizedconditions, a wider linear concentration range (5 × 10−8 to 3.0 × 10−4 M), lowest limit of detection (LoD) (2.5 nM), detectedamount of each tablet brand above 97.00% of the labeled value (showing excellent agreement between the detected amount andcompany label), and excellent % recovery results in pharmaceutical and biological samples were obtained with an excellentinterference recovery error of less than 4.05%. Its excellent accuracy, selectivity, reproducibility, and stabilities and only requiring asimple electrode modification step combined with its readily available and nontoxic modifier, which sets it apart from mostpreviously reported methods, have validated the present method’s potential applicability for determining CLN in biological andpharmaceutical samples.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors of intestinal schistosomiasis in students atBochesa Elementary School in the wetlands of Lake Ziway.Methods: A cross-sectional study of 384 students was conducted in May 2016. Intestinal schistosomiasis wasexamined using the Kato-Katz technique. For the association between the prevalence of intestinal schistosomiasisand categorical variables, the chi-square (𝜒2 ) test was used. A binary logistic regression was applied.Results: The overall prevalence of intestinal schistosomiasis was 25.52%. Males were more infected (17.45%)than women (8.07%), and the difference was significant (𝜒2 = 17.756; P

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors of malaria in individuals visiting health centers in the wetlands of Bahir Dar Zuria District, Northwest Ethiopia.
Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used on 422 study participants from three selected health centers from February to March 2020. Plasmodium parasite detection was examined using thick and thin blood smears, with a rapid diagnostic test. The chi-square (χ2) test was used to analyze the association between the prevalence of malaria and categorical variables, whereas binary logistic regression was used to identify potential risk factors using SPSS Version 25. For all types of tests, P-values below 0.05 were considered significant.
Results: The overall prevalence of malaria observed at the selected health centers around the wetlands of Bahir Dar Zuria District was 23.90% (95% confidence interval: 20.30-27.70%). There was a higher prevalence of malaria in males (39.78%) than in females (11.44%). The younger age group (16-30 years) was the most affected (47.76%), compared with the remaining 0-2 (19.23%), 3-15 (8.64%), 36-45 (37.25%), and above 45 years age groups (13.01%). Individuals with bed net-using habit decreased the risk of malaria infection by 99.70% compared with their counterparts (adjusted odds ratio: 0.003, 95% confidence interval: 0.001-0.011).
Conclusions: In this study, the wetlands of Bahir Dar Zuria District were found conducive to the survival and reproduction of mosquitoes, and the occurrence of malaria prevalence was very high. Therefore, wetland management practices and community mobilizations that might decrease vector abundance and malaria transmission should be strengthened in the study area.

Keywords:  Bahir Dar Zuria; Malaria; Prevalence; Rapid diagnostic test; Wetlands.

Foodborne illnesses as a result of poor food handling practicespose a significant threat to public health. The main objective of thissystematic review and meta-analysis was to pool the level ofhygienic food handling practices among food handlers working inpublic food establishments in the Amhara region, Ethiopia. Aninclusive search of databases was undertaken usingPubMed/MEDLINE, SCOPUS, Web of Science, and GoogleScholar from the 1st of January 2014 to the 30th of December 2023.Data was collected, entered into Excel, and finally exported toStata V.17 for analysis. Eyeball testing using forest plots, CochraneQ test statistics and I2 had been used to identify and measure het-erogeneity. The pooled prevalence of hygienic food handling prac-tices was estimated using a random effects model. The pooledprevalence of hygienic food handling practices of food handlers inthe Amhara region was 48% [95% confidence interval (CI): (43%,53%)] with significant heterogeneity (I2=94.39%, p

Abstract Mycotoxin contamination in stored sorghum grains poses significant threats to food safety, human health, and agricultural economies in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Ethiopia where poor post-harvest practices exacerbate fungal proliferation. This study, conducted in Dejen District, East Gojjam Zone, Ethiopia, aimed to assess mycotoxin contamination levels, farmers' knowledge and management practices, isolate and characterize mycotoxigenic fungi, and evaluate the efficacy of microbial antagonists and botanicals as eco-friendly control measures. A cross-sectional survey of 212 farmers revealed low awareness (29% good knowledge) and practices (40.57% effective management), with significant associations to age, education, and village location (p < 0.05, logistic regression). Mycological analysis of 120 stored sorghum samples from underground pits identified diverse fungi, dominated by Aspergillus flavus (25%) and Fusarium spp. (20%), with low mycotoxin levels (aflatoxin B1 at 1.05 µg/kg, below EU limits). Six fungal antagonists; four Trichoderma (DMUA13, DMUA14) and two Penicillium isolates were isolated and screened via dual-culture assays, achieving 44.53–75.00% inhibition of radial growth against Aspergillus and Fusarium spp. (p < 0.05). Ethanol extracts of Clematis simensis and Laggera tomentosa leaves demonstrated dose-dependent antifungal activity against A. niger, reducing spore germination by up to 68.58% and 68.32% at 100 µg/mL, respectively, comparable to ketoconazole. These findings underscore knowledge gaps among farmers and highlight the potential of native Trichoderma/Penicillium isolates and plant extracts as sustainable biocontrol agents. Targeted education, improved storage, and integration of biological controls are recommended to mitigate mycotoxin risks, enhancing food security in resource-limited settings. This research provides baseline data for policy interventions and further field validation.