Introduction: Barber-related infections, including hepatitis B virus (HBV), continue to be a major cause of illness and death. Numerous beauticians use razors and scissors on multiple customers without adequately sanitizing these tools. There is a lack of published research on the prevention practices and associated factors of hepatitis B virus infection among barbers in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the practice and associated factors of hepatitis B virus infection among barbers.
Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out involving 411 barbers selected through simple random sampling. Data collection was performed using an interviewer-administered questionnaire and an observational checklist. The collected data were first cleaned and entered into EpiData version 4.6 and then exported to SPSS version 25 for analysis. Model fitness was assessed using the Hosmer-Lemeshow test, and multicollinearity was evaluated with the variance inflation factor. A binary logistic regression model was employed for the analysis. To address confounding factors, explanatory variables with a p-value of less than 0.25 in the bivariable logistic regression were included in the multivariable logistic regression analysis. Factors with a p-value of less than 0.05 in the multivariable analysis were considered statistically significant.
Results: Among the 411 participants, 328 (79.8, 95% CI: 75.6-83.6%) exhibited unsafe hepatitis B virus infection prevention practices. Unsafe practices were significantly associated with barbers who could not read or write (AOR 3.75, 95% CI: 1.39-10.12); primary and secondary education (AOR 3.44, 95% CI: 1.89-6.27) compared to those with college education and above; not using ultraviolet sterilizers (AOR 2.85, 95% CI: 1.30-6.27); insufficient knowledge (AOR 4.23, 95% CI: 2.13-8.40); unfavorable attitudes toward infection control (AOR 2.40, 95% CI: 1.34-4.31); and working hours of less than 8 h (AOR 0.27, 95% CI: 0.15-0.50).
Conclusion: Nearly four-fifths of barbers exhibited unsafe practices in preventing hepatitis B virus infection. Low education levels, not utilizing UV sterilizers, lack of knowledge, working fewer hours, and negative attitudes toward infection prevention were all strongly associated with unsafe practices in the prevention of hepatitis B virus among barbers. Consequently, these findings underscore the need for targeted educational programs, improved access to sterilization tools, and policy changes to promote safer practices.

Keywords: Ethiopia; barber; factors; hepatitis B virus; prevention practices.

Background: In any field, professionalism is essential. A profession can fulfill itsresponsibilities when professionals develop their knowledge in various ways, suchas continuing professional development, expanding their skill levels, adhering tothe norms of the profession, and demonstrating high levels of commitment.Developing professionalism in nurses is a key strategy for improving the qualityof nursing care and healthcare. However, no study has shown a comprehensiveoverview of professionalism in nursing in Ethiopia. Thus, this systematic reviewand meta-analysis aim to present a comprehensive assessment of the overalllevel of professionalism in nursing in Ethiopia.Methods: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis standard was followed in the reporting of this systematic review andmeta-analysis. An extensive exploration of digital repositories, including PubMed(MEDLINE), EMBASE, Cochrane, Africa Journal of Online, Google Scholar, and anadvanced Google search, was conducted to obtain published studies detailingprofessionalism in nursing in Ethiopia. STATA version 17 commands created thepooled estimate with a 95% confidence interval. The I2 test and Egger’s test wereused to identify the presence of heterogeneity and publication bias, respectively.To manage heterogeneity, a subgroup analysis and random effect model wereused.Results: A total of 11 articles with a total of 3,581 participants were includedin the final systematic review and meta-analysis. The pooled estimate ofprofessionalism in nursing in Ethiopia was 54% (95% CI: 44, 66%). In thesubgroup analysis, the highest pooled estimate of professionalism in nursingwas observed in South Ethiopia, which is 64% (95% CI: 43–86%).Conclusion: The level of professionalism in nursing in Ethiopia is suboptimal.Being female, having a higher educational level, having long years of experience,having a low workload, having favorable job satisfaction, being a member ofa nursing organization, having a good working environment, working in non-stressful units, and having a good organizational culture were the major factorsthat had a positive association with professionalism in nursing. Therefore,healthcare professionals, the Ministry of Health, and other stakeholders shouldfocus on interventions to enhance the organizational culture, job satisfaction,working unit, and working schedule for nurses.KEYWORDSnursing, nurses, Ethiopia, caring behavior, factors, professionalism in nursing

Heavy metals pose a significant threat to public health and economic stability in Ethiopia,contaminating various environmental media, including water, soil, and air. This paper aimed toprovide an overview of the public health and economic burden of heavy metals in Ethiopia.Exposure to heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic has been linked tonumerous adverse health effects, including neurological disorders, renal failure, cardiovasculardiseases, and cancer. In Ethiopia, populations are particularly vulnerable to heavy metal exposuredue to various factors, such as artisanal mining, industrial activities, agricultural practices, andinadequate waste management systems. The economic burden of heavy metal contaminationmanifests through increased healthcare costs, loss of productivity, and environmental remedia-tion expenses. Furthermore, the impact extends to sectors such as agriculture and tourism,affecting national development goals and exacerbating poverty levels. Efforts to mitigate thepublic health and economic burdens of heavy metals in Ethiopia require multidisciplinary ap-proaches, including policy interventions, regulatory enforcement, public awareness campaigns,and investment in sustainable development practices. Strengthening monitoring systems,implementing pollution control measures, and promoting research on alternative technologies forwaste management are essential steps toward addressing this pressing issue. In conclusion,addressing the public health and economic challenges posed by heavy metal contamination inEthiopia necessitates concerted efforts from the government, industry, academia, and civil societyto safeguard human health, preserve the environment, and promote sustainable development.
Keywords: Economic burden, Heavy metals, Lead, Public health, Strategies

Abstract: Plants are rich sources of phytochemicals, secondary metabolites like alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids, flavonoids, saponins, phenolics, glycosides, and others, found in various plant parts including leaves, fruits, roots, and stem bark. This study aimed to investigate the phytochemical components of Ruta chalepensis, Vernonia amygdalina, andZehneria scabraspecies in Senan District, Northwestern Ethiopia. Methanol and petroleum ether extracts of selected plant parts were subjected to standard qualitative phytochemical screening. The analysis revealed the presence of several phytochemical compounds in both methanol and petroleum ether extracts of the aerial parts of R. chalepensisand the leaves of V. amygdalinaand Z. scabra. Notably, methanolic extracts exhibited a higher abundance of phytochemicals due to the superior solubility of active compounds compared to petroleum ether. These findings highlight the potential of these plants as valuable sources of therapeutic agents. Traditionally, R. chalepensis, V. amygdalina, and Z. scabrahave been employed to treat various ailments. While this study provides a foundation for further exploration, additional research, including quantitative analysis, compound characterization, isolation, and pharmacological evaluation, is necessary to fully unlock these plants' therapeutic potential. Keywords:Ethnobotany,Medicinalplants,Phytochemicalscreening,Secondarybioactivechemicals

Background: Big health data is a large and complex dataset that the health sector has collected andstored continuously to generate healthcare evidence for intervening the future healthcare un-certainty. However, data use for decision-making practices has been significantly low in devel-oping countries, especially in Ethiopia. Hence, it is critical to ascertain which elements influencethe health sector’s decision to adopt big health data analytics in health sectors. The aim of thisstudy was to identify the level of readiness for big health data analytics and its associated factorsin healthcare sectors.Methods: A cross-sectional study design was conducted among 845 target employees using thestructural equation modeling approach by using technological, organizational, and environ-mental (TOE) frameworks. The target population of the study was health sector managers, di-rectors, team leaders, healthcare planning officers, ICT/IT managers, and health professionals.For data analysis, exploratory factor analysis using SPSS 20.0 and structural equation modelingusing AMOS software were used.Result: 58.85 % of the study participants had big health data analytics readiness. Complexity (CX),Top management support (TMS), training (TR) and government law policies and legislation(GLAL) and government IT policies (GITP) had positive direct effect, compatibility (CT), andoptimism (OP) had negative direct effect on BD readiness (BDR)Conclusion: The technological, organizational, and environmental factors significantly contributedto big health data readiness in the healthcare sector. The Complexity, compatibility, optimism,Top management support, training (TR) and government law and IT policies (GITP) had effect onbig health data analytics readiness. Formulating efficient reform in healthcare sectors, especially
or evidence-based decision-making and jointly working with stakeholders will be more relevantfor effective implementation of big health data analytics in healthcare sectors.
Keywords: Big health data, Data analytics, Data management, Health information revolution, Health sectors, Readiness

While Model Predictive Control (MPC) has been widely studied in power electronics, its real-time imple-mentation on DC-DC boost converters—particularly under variable loading conditions—remains limited. Thispaper proposes a new real-time implementation of the Model Predictive Control (MPC) law for a DC-DC boostconverter connected to variable loads. This implementation ensures precise current regulation through accurateduty cycle control updates, enabling the inverter’s frequency switching to be activated or deactivated as needed.This is achieved by proposing a predictive model of the current occurring in the first channel of the convertermodel, where a fitness function—comprising reference tracking and control effort—is minimized. Compared tothe proportional-integral (PI) controller, the MPC law proves more efficient, particularly in preventing oscilla-tions in both transient and steady-state output current responses. This advantage is validated through experi-mental tests for either a current inductance load or a resistive load. Since this type of real-time implementationhas not been previously applied on this converter, it constitutes the main contribution of this paper.
Keywords: PI controller, DC-DC boost converters, Model predictive control (MPC), Experimental validation

Eucalyptus is the most preferred exotic species in diferent parts of Ethiopia, particularly in the northern part of the country,including the study area. Socioeconomic, institutional, and endowment variables are an infuence on the production of thisspecies. Te purpose of this study was to identify determinants of Eucalyptus woodlot production for producer farmers in thestudy area. Multistage sampling techniques were used in order to select the district, kebeles, and household heads to beinterviewed. Te district and the kebeles were selected purposefully based on their high potential for Eucalyptus production,whereas ninety-six (96) sampled respondent farmers were selected by using simple random sampling techniques. A multiple linearregression (OLS) model was used to run the determinants of Eucalyptus woodlot production, and descriptive statistics were usedto describe the socioeconomic characteristics of smallholder Eucalyptus producers in the form of means, frequencies, andpercentages. Te respondents use Eucalyptus products for construction and fuel wood. Rural farmers produced about 70% ofconstruction wood products and 30% of fuel wood products annually. Five variables (i.e., woodlot size, woodlot density, andmarket information) signifcantly afected woodlot production, whereas the age of farmers and market distance were negativelyafected. In order to produce better income from Eucalyptus products, the collaboration eforts of all responsible groups (i.e.,farmers, researchers, governments, and others) should be required.

Background: Children on the streets are still vulnerable to early and unsafe sexual experiences. Having multiple sexual partners and the limited use of condoms were major risk factors for the spread of sexually transmitted diseases among youths in Ethiopia.
Objective: This study aimed to explore the risk factors of sexual and reproductive health problems, service utilization, and challenges among street youths in the East Gojjam Zone.
Method: A phenomenological study design was employed on street youths residing in the East Gojjam Zone. Study participants were purposively recruited from four town administrations in the East Gojjam Zone. The primary study unit was street youths who live in the zone. Eight in-depth interviews and eight focus group discussions were conducted. The data were audio recorded and analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.
Results: In this study, the risk factors that exposed street youths to sexual and reproductive health problems included low perceived susceptibility, lack of awareness of sexual and reproductive health, having multiple sexual partners, exposure to pornographic films, and utilization of alcoholic drinks and substances. Mainly, those street youths who were engaged in transactional sexual relationships were utilizing condoms consistently and had regular HIV screening tests. In addition, few street youths ever utilized maternal and child health services. The unsupportive behavior of health professionals, the absence of exact data, the health system, and lack of specific responsible organization on the sexual and reproductive health of street youths were considered major challenges.
Conclusion and recommendation: Most of the street youths were not utilizing reproductive health services. Limitation on the accessibility of sexual and reproductive health services to this segment of the population was the main contributing factor. So, the health system and policy should take front-line responsibility for the sexual and reproductive health of street youths and consider convenient reproductive health service programs for them.

Keywords: Risk factors; Sexual and reproductive health service utilization; Street youths.

One of the biggest global challenges to development and public health is road traffic accidents (RTAs). As aresult, this study focuses on analysing road traffic accident determinant factors using the Wrapper Feature Se-lection Method in case of East Gojjam Zone located in Amhara region, Ethiopia, sub-Saharan. To do this, EastGojjam Road traffic office RTA data classified as simple injury, major injury, and death is gathered. The gatheredinformation is pre-processed before being used using machine learning classification algorithms includingNearest Neighbour (KNN), Random Forest (RF), Decision Tree (DT), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and NaïveBayes (NB). Using the wrapper feature selection approach, the most significant factor was identified using themachine-learning algorithm KNN, which obtained the best classification score with an accuracy of 99.5 %. Thus,the type of vehicle, the reason for the accident, the location of the accident, and the licence level were identifiedas crucial RTA factors. Finally, the variables, Sino track, unfavourable weather, Dolphin, and Debre Elias rated100 %, 100 %, 85 %, and 82.35 % for fatality in relation to the factors licence driver, cause of accident, type ofvehicle, and accident location, respectively.
Keywords: Road traffic accident, East Gojjam, Amhara region, Ethiopia, Machine learning, Feature selection, Filter, Wrapper method, Embedded method, Data mining

Abstract The main purpose of this study is assessing the Root Causes and Possible Way Outs of the Current Armed Conflict in Amhara Region. To acquire sufficient and detail information, mixed research approach, and a descriptive research with cross sectional design had employed that intends to reckon the root causes, aggravating factors, and its way outs. The total numbers of participants were 420for survey, 42 key informants and 64 discussants. Participants were selected from the entire target population using both probability and non-probability sampling techniques. From probability sampling technique; proportional and simple random sampling methods were used to choose research participants. From the non-probability sampling technique on the other hand, purposive sampling method had employed to attain a pivotal and constructive data that pertinent to the study. The data which was obtained from survey questionnaires were analyzed through descriptive statistics (mean), while the qualitative data have been analyzed by narration and thematic methods of analyses. The study found out that the root causes of armed conflict which had happened in Amhara region are human rights violations, living Situation of Amhara‘s ethnic, disband the Amhara regional special force, kidnapping of Amhara ethnic, ethnic based attack, less political representation, identity question, hate speech by higher officials over Amhara peoples, failure of government to keep the security of its people. Due to attack innocent peoples and sexual violence committed by government forces intensified the conflict in the region. Besides, instead of disclose for negotiation, the incumbent government opted to fight Fano militants. Thereby, armed conflict exacerbated and has been endless in the region so far. The finding confirmed that federal government forces, Amhara regional forces, Fano militants, social Medias‘ activists are the actors who involved in and ignite this weapon based conflict in Amhara region. Therefore, amending the constitution, ensure fair distribution of resources and rule of law, protect human rights, give immediate answers for identity question, establish transitional government can address the problem. Key Words: Amhara, Armed conflict, Causes, Way out