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Debre Markos University offers a Browse by Title feature within its Institutional Research Repository System that enables users to easily find and access academic research outputs by their titles. This feature organizes theses, dissertations, and other scholarly works alphabetically or by keyword in the title, allowing researchers, students, and the community to quickly locate specific documents when they know all or part of a title. By focusing on titles, users can efficiently explore the repositorys collection and discover relevant research materials without needing to search by author or department.


Search Results (221 found)
Personal Protective Equipment Utilization and Determinant Factors Among Workers in Phibela Edible Oil Factory, West Gojjam, Ethiopia

Abraham Teym  1 , Eniyew Tegegne  1 , Getasew Yirdaw  1 , Lake Kumlachew  1 , Temesgen Ayenew  2 , Mahmud Ahmednur  3 , Tirsit Ketsela Zeleke  4 , Alehegn Aderaw Alamneh  5 (2025-03-11)

College of Health Science Environmental Health
Abstract Preview:
Background: An edible oil factory is a labor-intensive and technologically complex industry, with workers potentially exposed to a variety of dangers associated with such industries. Personal protective equipment is a universal, legal requirement, and an important strategy for preventing occupational injuries and illnesses caused by workplace hazards. However, such industries receive little attention, especially in Ethiopia.
Objective: To assess personal protective equipment utilization and its associated factors among workers in the PhiBela edible oil factory in Burie, Ethiopia, in 2022.
Full Abstract:
Background: An edible oil factory is a labor-intensive and technologically complex industry, with workers potentially exposed to a variety of dangers associated with such industries. Personal protective equipment is a universal, legal requirement, and an important strategy for preventing occupational injuries and illnesses caused by workplace hazards. However, such industries receive little attention, especially in Ethiopia.
Objective: To assess personal protective equipment utilization and its associated factors among workers in the PhiBela edible oil factory in Burie, Ethiopia, in 2022.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was employed among the PhiBela edible oil factory workers in Burie. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 389 PhiBela edible oil factory workers. Face-to-face interviews and self-administered structured questionnaires were used to collect data on workers' protective equipment utilization practice, socio-demographic, work-related, environmental, and organizational factors. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 25. The logistic regression method was used to see factors associated with workers' protective equipment utilization. The strength of the association was calculated using an odds ratio at 95% confidence intervals.
Results: Of the total workers, 216, 55.52% (48.33-57.78) workers utilize personal protective equipment in the factory. The study showed safety training [AOR (4.68, 95%CI (2.76-7.45)], availability of personal protective equipment [AOR = 4.86; 95%CI: 2.23-6.98], regular health and safety supervision [AOR = 2.751; 95%CI: 1.806-3.801], availability of safety guideline at workplace [AOR = 3.798; 95%CI: 1.248-6.173], having work experience 3 years and above [AOR = 1.64; 95%CI: 1.06-2.18], not using alcohol [AOR = 3.07; 95%CI: 2.11-4.76], and not smoking cigarette [AOR = 1.88; 95%CI: 1.55-3.11] were predictors of personal protective equipment utilization.
Conclusion: The level of personal protective equipment utilization among Phibela edible oil factory workers is 55.52%, which is moderate when compared to other studies done in developing countries. The presence of Safety training, availability of personal protective equipment, regular health and safety supervision, availability of guidelines at workplaces, having work experiences, not using alcohol, and cigarrete smoking were factors found to be a significant predictors of personal protective equipment utilization. As a result, close workplace supervision, safety training, and availing guidelines are the recommendations to be in place.

Keywords:  Ethiopia; Utilization; factory worker; personal protective equipment.
View/Open
Geéz Grammar Error Handling Using Neural Machine Translation Approach

Eshete Derb Emiru, Desalegn Mamo Wendyifraw (2025-03-11)

Institute of Technology Information Technology
Abstract Preview:
The goal of natural language processing (NLP), which has recently gained popularity, is to improve the ca-pacity of computers to comprehend and interact with human language. Consequently, to converse usingnatural language, it is crucial that spoken language be grammatically correct, especially for Geéz language.Geéz language sentences must follow certain norms of agreement in terms of number, person, gender, tense,and other factors to be considered grammatically correct. If the input sentence in Geéz language is improper,then it can have problems with subject-verb agreement, object-verb agreement, adjective-noun agreement,and adverb-verb agreement. The goal of the proposed work is to provide a neural machine translation ap-proach for detecting and correcting grammar errors in Geéz sentences. We have prepared manually 11,490Geéz parallel corpuses (Geéz language grammatically incorrect and grammatically correct sentences). Afterwe have prepared a parallel Geéz sentence, we have used normalization, tokenization, padding, and one hotencoding as preprocesses. We have used two deep learning algorithms, including a bidirectional long short-term memory encoder-decoder and a long short-term memory encoder-decoder, for training the proposedmodel. Keras and TensorFlow were used for importing the required libraries, and we used the Python 3.7 en-vironment for implementation. Two test cases are used for the evaluation technique. The first one is for thelong short-term memory encoder-decoder model, and the second one is for the bidirectional long short-termmemory encoder-decoder model. Finally, the bidirectional long short-term memory encoder-decoder modelachieved best results with an accuracy of 82%, recall of 82%, precision of 85%, and F1-measure of 83% withbalanced error type classes.CCS Concepts: • Computing methodologies → Machine translation;Additional Key Words and Phrases: NMT, GSD, GGEH, NLP, DL, LSTM, BILSTM
Full Abstract:
The goal of natural language processing (NLP), which has recently gained popularity, is to improve the ca-pacity of computers to comprehend and interact with human language. Consequently, to converse usingnatural language, it is crucial that spoken language be grammatically correct, especially for Geéz language.Geéz language sentences must follow certain norms of agreement in terms of number, person, gender, tense,and other factors to be considered grammatically correct. If the input sentence in Geéz language is improper,then it can have problems with subject-verb agreement, object-verb agreement, adjective-noun agreement,and adverb-verb agreement. The goal of the proposed work is to provide a neural machine translation ap-proach for detecting and correcting grammar errors in Geéz sentences. We have prepared manually 11,490Geéz parallel corpuses (Geéz language grammatically incorrect and grammatically correct sentences). Afterwe have prepared a parallel Geéz sentence, we have used normalization, tokenization, padding, and one hotencoding as preprocesses. We have used two deep learning algorithms, including a bidirectional long short-term memory encoder-decoder and a long short-term memory encoder-decoder, for training the proposedmodel. Keras and TensorFlow were used for importing the required libraries, and we used the Python 3.7 en-vironment for implementation. Two test cases are used for the evaluation technique. The first one is for thelong short-term memory encoder-decoder model, and the second one is for the bidirectional long short-termmemory encoder-decoder model. Finally, the bidirectional long short-term memory encoder-decoder modelachieved best results with an accuracy of 82%, recall of 82%, precision of 85%, and F1-measure of 83% withbalanced error type classes.CCS Concepts: • Computing methodologies → Machine translation;Additional Key Words and Phrases: NMT, GSD, GGEH, NLP, DL, LSTM, BILSTM
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Assessing the genesis, Development and Challengs of Modern education in Ethiopia (1905-1941) Historical Perspective

Bawkie sintayehu semie (2025-03-08)

College of Social Science and Humanities History and Heritage Managment
Abstract Preview:
Ethiopia’s modern education transitioned from traditional religious systems to modernduring emperor Menilek ii’s reign. a significant historical overview of modern educationin the country was laid from 1905 to 1941; however, scholars made a passive remarkto study the historical development of education in the period. therefore, this studypurposely assessed the period’s early missionary, government‑sponsored, and italian‑runmodern schools. to conduct this study, the researcher collected primary and secondarysources. the sources were then arranged, presented, and carefully examined. Finally, aqualitative research method of a descriptive research design was principally employedto analyze the data. the analysis revealed that ethiopia’s education development hasfaced many challenges from the beginning to 1941. Despite efforts from rulers andintellectuals, ethiopia’s education faced challenges such as church resistance and thefascist massacre of educated ethiopians in 1937, which resulted in the loss of educatedpreference. education remained deficient in quantity and inappropriate in quality. inconclusion, numerous challenges significantly hampered the development of moderneducation in ethiopia before 1941, leaving a lasting impact. thus, education did notbring modernity to ethiopia as expected. therefore, understanding these challenges iscrucial for informing contemporary educational policies and practices in ethiopia.
Full Abstract:
Ethiopia’s modern education transitioned from traditional religious systems to modernduring emperor Menilek ii’s reign. a significant historical overview of modern educationin the country was laid from 1905 to 1941; however, scholars made a passive remarkto study the historical development of education in the period. therefore, this studypurposely assessed the period’s early missionary, government‑sponsored, and italian‑runmodern schools. to conduct this study, the researcher collected primary and secondarysources. the sources were then arranged, presented, and carefully examined. Finally, aqualitative research method of a descriptive research design was principally employedto analyze the data. the analysis revealed that ethiopia’s education development hasfaced many challenges from the beginning to 1941. Despite efforts from rulers andintellectuals, ethiopia’s education faced challenges such as church resistance and thefascist massacre of educated ethiopians in 1937, which resulted in the loss of educatedpreference. education remained deficient in quantity and inappropriate in quality. inconclusion, numerous challenges significantly hampered the development of moderneducation in ethiopia before 1941, leaving a lasting impact. thus, education did notbring modernity to ethiopia as expected. therefore, understanding these challenges iscrucial for informing contemporary educational policies and practices in ethiopia.
View/Open
Tree seed supplier alternatives and growers-specific factors on utilization in Northwest Ethiopia

Abay Bantihun Mehari 1 , Asmamaw Alemu Abtew2 and Yigardu Mengesha Mulatu  (2025-03-04)

DMU Burie Campus Forestry
Abstract Preview:
AbstractThis study investigated the factors influencing growers in the selection of seed suppliers in theAmhara region of Ethiopia. A total of 385 grower were selected using simple random sam-pling method. A mixed logit regression model was used to the analysis data that have 1284observation. The result reveal that high seed purity was negatively related to the selectionof alternative supplier. As the rating of seed purity increased, the probability of selectingvery high-quality seed suppliers also increased. The availability of tree seeds during the desiredtime period had a significant influence. Higher perceived availability, categorized as high orvery high, decreased the likelihood of promptly obtaining seeds from suppliers comparedto when the seeds were not available. The evaluation rating of germination increases the prob-ability of choosing suppliers with high or very high germination rates in the respective cat-egory. Growers with more experience are more likely to choose private enterprise suppliers.The implementation of appropriate quarantine measures has a positive influence on supplierselection for the groups AFE and EFD-CEC. Training in tree seed collection reduces the like-lihood of choosing enterprise and AFE suppliers. Moreover, the successful production of agreater number of tree species in the nursery positively influences the probability of sourcingfrom enterprise suppliers. This analysis highlights the significance of seed purity, germination,quarantine measures, and the number of species produced, as factors that influence the like-lihood of selecting alternative seed suppliers.
Keywords: growers; mixed logit regression; tree seed suppliers; tree seed
Full Abstract:
AbstractThis study investigated the factors influencing growers in the selection of seed suppliers in theAmhara region of Ethiopia. A total of 385 grower were selected using simple random sam-pling method. A mixed logit regression model was used to the analysis data that have 1284observation. The result reveal that high seed purity was negatively related to the selectionof alternative supplier. As the rating of seed purity increased, the probability of selectingvery high-quality seed suppliers also increased. The availability of tree seeds during the desiredtime period had a significant influence. Higher perceived availability, categorized as high orvery high, decreased the likelihood of promptly obtaining seeds from suppliers comparedto when the seeds were not available. The evaluation rating of germination increases the prob-ability of choosing suppliers with high or very high germination rates in the respective cat-egory. Growers with more experience are more likely to choose private enterprise suppliers.The implementation of appropriate quarantine measures has a positive influence on supplierselection for the groups AFE and EFD-CEC. Training in tree seed collection reduces the like-lihood of choosing enterprise and AFE suppliers. Moreover, the successful production of agreater number of tree species in the nursery positively influences the probability of sourcingfrom enterprise suppliers. This analysis highlights the significance of seed purity, germination,quarantine measures, and the number of species produced, as factors that influence the like-lihood of selecting alternative seed suppliers.
Keywords: growers; mixed logit regression; tree seed suppliers; tree seed
View/Open
HIL co-simulation of an optimal hybrid fractional-order type-2 fuzzy PID regulator based on dSPACE for quadruple tank system

Faycal Medjili1, Abderrahmen Bouguerra2, Mohamed Ladjal1,3, Badreddine Babes4, Enas Ali5, Sherif S. M. Ghoneim6, Dessalegn Bitew Aeggegn7 & Ahmed B. Abou Sharaf8,9 (2025-03-04)

Institute of Technology Electrical and Computer Engineering
Abstract Preview:
Accurate regulation of the liquid level in a quadruple tank system (QTS) is not easy and imposes higherrequirements on control strategies, so the design of controllers in these systems is challenging dueto the difficulty of dynamic analysis of its nonlinear characteristics and parametric uncertainties.To overcome these problems in liquid level regulation and increase the robustness to the pumpcoefficients, this article proposes and investigates the use of an optimal hybrid fractional-ordertype-2 fuzzy-PID (OH-FO-T2F-PID) regulator using a combination of two bio-inspired evolutionaryoptimizers, namely augmented grey wolf optimizer and cuckoo search optimizer, which gives rise tothe new hybrid A-GWOCS algorithm. This control mechanism was chosen to facilitate the convergenceof the water liquids in the two tanks as quickly as possible to the corresponding required values. Inaddition, a collaborative optimization technique with several objectives is used to adjust the regulatorparameters. The capability and efficiency of the suggested regulator is first investigated throughcomputer simulation results and then confirmed by real-time control experimental results on the QTSbased on dSPACE 1104 computation engine. The findings showed that the suggested OH-FO-T2F-PIDregulator significantly outperformed both the optimized ADRC and the OH-FO-T1F-PID regulators.Specifically, it reduced the rising time by 17.02% and 95.21%, respectively, and the settling time by25.13% and 74.28%. Additionally, the designed OH-FO-T2F-PID regulator successfully eliminatedthe steady-state error and overshoot, enabling precise regulation of the QTS, and maintenance theliquid level at the desired set point under a wide range of working situations. The robustness of therecommended regulator is also studied by considering − 50% disturbance in the QTS parameters, andthe findings showed that the OH-FO-T2F-PID regulator is less susceptible to variations in parameters.Keywords: Quadruple tank system (QTS), Optimal hybrid fractional order type 2 fuzzy PID regulator,Hybrid A-GWOCSO algorithm, Multi-objective optimization, dSPACE 1104 computation engine
Full Abstract:
Accurate regulation of the liquid level in a quadruple tank system (QTS) is not easy and imposes higherrequirements on control strategies, so the design of controllers in these systems is challenging dueto the difficulty of dynamic analysis of its nonlinear characteristics and parametric uncertainties.To overcome these problems in liquid level regulation and increase the robustness to the pumpcoefficients, this article proposes and investigates the use of an optimal hybrid fractional-ordertype-2 fuzzy-PID (OH-FO-T2F-PID) regulator using a combination of two bio-inspired evolutionaryoptimizers, namely augmented grey wolf optimizer and cuckoo search optimizer, which gives rise tothe new hybrid A-GWOCS algorithm. This control mechanism was chosen to facilitate the convergenceof the water liquids in the two tanks as quickly as possible to the corresponding required values. Inaddition, a collaborative optimization technique with several objectives is used to adjust the regulatorparameters. The capability and efficiency of the suggested regulator is first investigated throughcomputer simulation results and then confirmed by real-time control experimental results on the QTSbased on dSPACE 1104 computation engine. The findings showed that the suggested OH-FO-T2F-PIDregulator significantly outperformed both the optimized ADRC and the OH-FO-T1F-PID regulators.Specifically, it reduced the rising time by 17.02% and 95.21%, respectively, and the settling time by25.13% and 74.28%. Additionally, the designed OH-FO-T2F-PID regulator successfully eliminatedthe steady-state error and overshoot, enabling precise regulation of the QTS, and maintenance theliquid level at the desired set point under a wide range of working situations. The robustness of therecommended regulator is also studied by considering − 50% disturbance in the QTS parameters, andthe findings showed that the OH-FO-T2F-PID regulator is less susceptible to variations in parameters.Keywords: Quadruple tank system (QTS), Optimal hybrid fractional order type 2 fuzzy PID regulator,Hybrid A-GWOCSO algorithm, Multi-objective optimization, dSPACE 1104 computation engine
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A finite element with statistical analysis study to investigate the electrical performance of composite insulators under water droplet impact

Lyamine Ouchen, Khaled Belhouchet, Abdelhafid Bayadi, Abderrahim Zemmit, Abdelhakim Idir, Yayehyirad Ayalew Awoke, Enas Ali4, Sherif. S. M. Ghoneim &Ahmed B. Abou Sharaf (2025-03-02)

Institute of Technology Electrical and Computer Engineering
Abstract Preview:
Composite insulators demonstrate superior electrical performance in contrast to standard insulators.Nevertheless, the deterioration of composite insulator and the challenges in identifying defects arethe primary drawbacks of these insulators. This study investigates the effect of water droplets onthe electrical behavior of composite insulators, which are widely used in high-voltage applications.Using COMSOL software, a Finite Element Model (FEM) was developed to simulate the electric fielddistribution on the surface of a composite insulator in the presence of water droplets. The resultsindicate that the existence of water droplets increases the electric field intensity by approximately33.33% when the number of droplets increases from two to six. The simulations also reveal that waterdroplets significantly increase the electric field’s intensity, which affects the electric field and potentialdistribution on the insulator’s surface. Furthermore, the conductivity of water droplets was found tohave a negligible impact on the electric field distribution along the insulator. To systematically evaluatethe influence of various factors, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed in combinationwith Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to analyze the interactions between water droplet number,pollution, and applied voltage. The statistical analysis demonstrated that the maximum electric fieldintensity increased by nearly 38.3% as water droplet conductivity rose from low to high levels. RSMwas used to generate a second-order polynomial model that describes the relationship between thesefactors and the electrical performance of the insulator, allowing for the identification of significanttrends and interactions. The findings provide valuable insights for the design and development ofcomposite insulators that are more resilient to environmental factors, enhancing their overall electricalperformance.Keywords: ANOVA, Composite insulator, Electric field, FEM, Water droplet
Full Abstract:
Composite insulators demonstrate superior electrical performance in contrast to standard insulators.Nevertheless, the deterioration of composite insulator and the challenges in identifying defects arethe primary drawbacks of these insulators. This study investigates the effect of water droplets onthe electrical behavior of composite insulators, which are widely used in high-voltage applications.Using COMSOL software, a Finite Element Model (FEM) was developed to simulate the electric fielddistribution on the surface of a composite insulator in the presence of water droplets. The resultsindicate that the existence of water droplets increases the electric field intensity by approximately33.33% when the number of droplets increases from two to six. The simulations also reveal that waterdroplets significantly increase the electric field’s intensity, which affects the electric field and potentialdistribution on the insulator’s surface. Furthermore, the conductivity of water droplets was found tohave a negligible impact on the electric field distribution along the insulator. To systematically evaluatethe influence of various factors, Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed in combinationwith Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to analyze the interactions between water droplet number,pollution, and applied voltage. The statistical analysis demonstrated that the maximum electric fieldintensity increased by nearly 38.3% as water droplet conductivity rose from low to high levels. RSMwas used to generate a second-order polynomial model that describes the relationship between thesefactors and the electrical performance of the insulator, allowing for the identification of significanttrends and interactions. The findings provide valuable insights for the design and development ofcomposite insulators that are more resilient to environmental factors, enhancing their overall electricalperformance.Keywords: ANOVA, Composite insulator, Electric field, FEM, Water droplet
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Depression and Substance Abuse among University Students

Kefie Manaye Mengistie (MA), and Kelemu Zelalem Berhanu (PhD) (2025-02-28)

Institute of Educational and Behavioral Sciences Psychology
Abstract Preview:
The purpose of the study was to examine the association between depression and substance abuse and to assess theirprevalence and associated factors. A cross-sectional design was employed. To collect data for the present study, 2 scales (Beckdepression inventory and Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement screening Test [ASSIST]) was administered to students.Two hundred fifty seven Addis Ababa Institute of Technology final year regular undergraduate students were participated. Theresults revealed that a high correlation was found between depression and substance abuse. The prevalence of depression is27.2%. Similarly, the prevalence of alcohol abuse, khat abuse, cigarette abuse and cannabis abuse are 25.5%, 17.7%, 9.5%, and3.3% respectively. Hence, the overall substance abuse prevalence is 14%. Alcohol is most abused drug followed by khat abuse.Cigarette and cannabis abuse take the 3rd and 4th rank respectively. Multivariate test of significance reveals that gender, religionand the interaction of gender with religion, residence, and ethnicity had an effect on the two combined dependent measures.Females are more depressed than males. In turn, males are more substance abusers than females. The researchers suggestedthat the university to establish its own substance abuse prevention and treatment working center which is open for psychologists,therapist and other health workers.Abbreviations: AAIT = Addis Ababa Institute of Technology, ASSIST = Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement ScreeningTest, BDI = Beck Depression Inventory, MANOVA = Multiple Analysis of Variance, WHO = World Health Organization.Keywords: alcohol, depression, khat, substance abuse, university students
Full Abstract:
The purpose of the study was to examine the association between depression and substance abuse and to assess theirprevalence and associated factors. A cross-sectional design was employed. To collect data for the present study, 2 scales (Beckdepression inventory and Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement screening Test [ASSIST]) was administered to students.Two hundred fifty seven Addis Ababa Institute of Technology final year regular undergraduate students were participated. Theresults revealed that a high correlation was found between depression and substance abuse. The prevalence of depression is27.2%. Similarly, the prevalence of alcohol abuse, khat abuse, cigarette abuse and cannabis abuse are 25.5%, 17.7%, 9.5%, and3.3% respectively. Hence, the overall substance abuse prevalence is 14%. Alcohol is most abused drug followed by khat abuse.Cigarette and cannabis abuse take the 3rd and 4th rank respectively. Multivariate test of significance reveals that gender, religionand the interaction of gender with religion, residence, and ethnicity had an effect on the two combined dependent measures.Females are more depressed than males. In turn, males are more substance abusers than females. The researchers suggestedthat the university to establish its own substance abuse prevention and treatment working center which is open for psychologists,therapist and other health workers.Abbreviations: AAIT = Addis Ababa Institute of Technology, ASSIST = Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement ScreeningTest, BDI = Beck Depression Inventory, MANOVA = Multiple Analysis of Variance, WHO = World Health Organization.Keywords: alcohol, depression, khat, substance abuse, university students
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Comparative Performance Analysis of Hemispherical Solar Stills Using Date and Olive Kernels as Heat Storage Material

Reski Khelifi1, Tawfiq Chekifi1, Abdelfetah Belaid1, Mawloud Guermoui1, Abdelaziz Rabehi2, Ferkous Khaled3, Mabrouk Adouane4, Ayman Al-Qattan4 & Takele Ferede Agajie5 (2025-02-28)

Institute of Technology Electrical and Computer Engineering
Abstract Preview:
This study investigates the performance of hemispherical solar stills (HSS) enhanced with date kernelsand olive kernels as heat storage materials to improve water distillation efficiency. By utilizing thesenatural and sustainable materials, the research highlights an alternative to synthetic options. Rigorousexperimentation and detailed analysis under identical conditions reveal that both kernels significantlyimprove heat retention and water production rates. The HSS with date kernels (HSSDK) achieved adaily water productivity of 6.66 kg/m2 day, representing an efficiency increase of 10.87%, while theHSS with olive kernels (HSSOK) produced 8.00 kg/m2 day, enhancing efficiency by 13.54%. The cost perm3 of distilled water for HSSDK is approximately USD 4.65, while HSSOK costs USD 3.89, comparedto USD 7.83 for the conventional CHSS system. These results demonstrate that the inclusion of heatstorage materials has significantly reduced the cost of water production, with reductions of about 40%for HSSDK and 50% for HSSOK compared to the conventional system. These results are attributedto the high thermal conductivity and specific heat capacities of the kernels, enabling effective heatstorage and gradual release. This study demonstrates the potential of agricultural by-products ascost-effective and sustainable solutions for solar water distillation. Further research is recommendedto optimize the quantities and configurations of these materials, as well as to explore their integrationwith other renewable energy systems to enhance overall efficiency and sustainability.Keywords: Hemispherical solar still, Date kernels, Olive kernels, Heat storage materials, Distillation efficiency
Full Abstract:
This study investigates the performance of hemispherical solar stills (HSS) enhanced with date kernelsand olive kernels as heat storage materials to improve water distillation efficiency. By utilizing thesenatural and sustainable materials, the research highlights an alternative to synthetic options. Rigorousexperimentation and detailed analysis under identical conditions reveal that both kernels significantlyimprove heat retention and water production rates. The HSS with date kernels (HSSDK) achieved adaily water productivity of 6.66 kg/m2 day, representing an efficiency increase of 10.87%, while theHSS with olive kernels (HSSOK) produced 8.00 kg/m2 day, enhancing efficiency by 13.54%. The cost perm3 of distilled water for HSSDK is approximately USD 4.65, while HSSOK costs USD 3.89, comparedto USD 7.83 for the conventional CHSS system. These results demonstrate that the inclusion of heatstorage materials has significantly reduced the cost of water production, with reductions of about 40%for HSSDK and 50% for HSSOK compared to the conventional system. These results are attributedto the high thermal conductivity and specific heat capacities of the kernels, enabling effective heatstorage and gradual release. This study demonstrates the potential of agricultural by-products ascost-effective and sustainable solutions for solar water distillation. Further research is recommendedto optimize the quantities and configurations of these materials, as well as to explore their integrationwith other renewable energy systems to enhance overall efficiency and sustainability.Keywords: Hemispherical solar still, Date kernels, Olive kernels, Heat storage materials, Distillation efficiency
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Knowledge, attitude, and determinant factors towards emergency first-aid utilization among public transport service drivers in Injibara, northwest Ethiopia

Lingersh Asrat1, Habtamu Temesgen2, Dawit Eyayu Tegaw1, Animut Takele Telayneh1, Temesgen Ayenew3, TirsitKetsela Zeleke4 and Abraham Teym5 (2025-02-26)

College of Health Science Public Health
Abstract Preview:
Background Providing timely first-aid by trained responders can reduce deaths and disabilities from road trafficaccidents, a leading global cause of death. Ethiopia ranks 19th worldwide and 4th in Africa. Therefore, this studyassesses the knowledge and, attitudes toward emergency first aid, and its factors among public transport drivers inInjibara, Ethiopia.Objective To assess the Knowledge, and Attitude towards first-aid utilization and its associated factors among PublicTransport Service Drivers in Injibara, Northwest Ethiopia, 2023.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 419 public transport drivers, selected systematicallybased on vehicle side numbers, starting with a random choice for the first respondent. Subsequent participants werechosen at every second interval (k = 2). A structured questionnaire was used to collect relevant data. Binary logisticregression was performed using SPSS V.26 to assess the associations between independent and dependent variables.The strength of these associations was measured using odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals, with a P-value < 0.05deemed statistically significant.Result The study revealed that the prevalence of good knowledge and favorable attitudes toward first-aid utilizationwas 33.2% and 38.2%, respectively. Participation in first-aid training (AOR = 0.566, p = 0.027), access to a first-aid kit(AOR = 1.65, p = 0.027), and prior experience using first-aid at accident scenes (AOR = 0.476, p = 0.014) were factorsassociated with better first-aid utilization. Drivers who had used a first-aid kit (AOR = 0.476, p = 0.014) and thoseexposed to training (AOR = 0.486, p = 0.034) demonstrated more positive attitudes toward first aid.Conclusion The knowledge and attitude toward first-aid utilization remain low. Participation in first-aid training,access to first-aid kits, and experience using them during accidents were factors associated with improvedknowledge. Additionally, drivers who have used first-aid kits and received training tend to have a favorable attitude
toward their use. Therefore, relevant authorities must enhance the availability of first-aid kits, increase the exposure ofdrivers, and provide training to drivers to increase their knowledge and favorable attitude towards first-aid utilization.Clinical trial number Not applicable.Keywords Knowledge, Attitude, First aid, Transport service, Ethiopia
Full Abstract:
Background Providing timely first-aid by trained responders can reduce deaths and disabilities from road trafficaccidents, a leading global cause of death. Ethiopia ranks 19th worldwide and 4th in Africa. Therefore, this studyassesses the knowledge and, attitudes toward emergency first aid, and its factors among public transport drivers inInjibara, Ethiopia.Objective To assess the Knowledge, and Attitude towards first-aid utilization and its associated factors among PublicTransport Service Drivers in Injibara, Northwest Ethiopia, 2023.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 419 public transport drivers, selected systematicallybased on vehicle side numbers, starting with a random choice for the first respondent. Subsequent participants werechosen at every second interval (k = 2). A structured questionnaire was used to collect relevant data. Binary logisticregression was performed using SPSS V.26 to assess the associations between independent and dependent variables.The strength of these associations was measured using odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals, with a P-value < 0.05deemed statistically significant.Result The study revealed that the prevalence of good knowledge and favorable attitudes toward first-aid utilizationwas 33.2% and 38.2%, respectively. Participation in first-aid training (AOR = 0.566, p = 0.027), access to a first-aid kit(AOR = 1.65, p = 0.027), and prior experience using first-aid at accident scenes (AOR = 0.476, p = 0.014) were factorsassociated with better first-aid utilization. Drivers who had used a first-aid kit (AOR = 0.476, p = 0.014) and thoseexposed to training (AOR = 0.486, p = 0.034) demonstrated more positive attitudes toward first aid.Conclusion The knowledge and attitude toward first-aid utilization remain low. Participation in first-aid training,access to first-aid kits, and experience using them during accidents were factors associated with improvedknowledge. Additionally, drivers who have used first-aid kits and received training tend to have a favorable attitude
toward their use. Therefore, relevant authorities must enhance the availability of first-aid kits, increase the exposure ofdrivers, and provide training to drivers to increase their knowledge and favorable attitude towards first-aid utilization.Clinical trial number Not applicable.Keywords Knowledge, Attitude, First aid, Transport service, Ethiopia
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Assessing the impact of telehealth on blood glucose management among patients with diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Addisu Getie  1 , Baye Tsegaye Amlak  2 , Temesgen Ayenew  2 , Mihretie Gedfew  2 (2025-02-20)

College of Health Science Nursing
Abstract Preview:
Introduction: The increasing prevalence of diabetes mellites (DM), especially type 2 diabetes mellitus, presents significant challenges for healthcare systems. Effective blood glucose management is essential for preventing serious complications, and telehealth offers a promising approach to improve patient engagement and adherence. The effectiveness of telehealth on blood glucose management should be investigated. The evaluated metric for diabetes management plans in this study was the change in blood glucose levels, specifically HbA1c, as an indicator of glycemic control. The impact of telehealth interventions on these outcomes was analyzed across various patient groups. This review conducts a comprehensive analysis of the current literature to offer insights that can guide clinical practices and inform policymakers about the advantages of telehealth in managing diabetes.
Methods: In this study, several evidence-based databases and relevant clinical trial registries were searched to evaluate the effects of telehealth on blood glucose management among patients with diabetes. The included studies were randomized controlled trials that compared telehealth with traditional in-person management. Microsoft Excel was used to extract and sort the data before it was exported to STATA/MP 17.0 for analysis. A weighted inverse variance random-effects model with a 95% confidence interval was employed to pool the data. Egger's test and Cochrane I2 statistics were used to assess publication bias and heterogeneity, respectively.
Full Abstract:
Introduction: The increasing prevalence of diabetes mellites (DM), especially type 2 diabetes mellitus, presents significant challenges for healthcare systems. Effective blood glucose management is essential for preventing serious complications, and telehealth offers a promising approach to improve patient engagement and adherence. The effectiveness of telehealth on blood glucose management should be investigated. The evaluated metric for diabetes management plans in this study was the change in blood glucose levels, specifically HbA1c, as an indicator of glycemic control. The impact of telehealth interventions on these outcomes was analyzed across various patient groups. This review conducts a comprehensive analysis of the current literature to offer insights that can guide clinical practices and inform policymakers about the advantages of telehealth in managing diabetes.
Methods: In this study, several evidence-based databases and relevant clinical trial registries were searched to evaluate the effects of telehealth on blood glucose management among patients with diabetes. The included studies were randomized controlled trials that compared telehealth with traditional in-person management. Microsoft Excel was used to extract and sort the data before it was exported to STATA/MP 17.0 for analysis. A weighted inverse variance random-effects model with a 95% confidence interval was employed to pool the data. Egger's test and Cochrane I2 statistics were used to assess publication bias and heterogeneity, respectively.
Result: This review identified six randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving a total of 3,995 patients, with 2,022 in the telehealth intervention group and 1,973 in the control group, conducted across the USA, Asia, and Europe. The analysis showed a significant improvement in blood glucose control for patients using telehealth, evidenced by a Standard Mean Difference (SMD) of 0.20 (95% CI: 0.10-0.29; p < 0.001), with USA studies reflecting the highest SMD of 0.24 and diabetic veterans showing an even greater SMD of 0.41.
Conclusion and recommendations: This study demonstrates that telehealth interventions significantly enhance blood glucose management among patients with diabetes. The findings highlight the need for healthcare systems to prioritize telehealth integration into diabetes management protocols while developing tailored interventions to meet the diverse needs of various patient populations.

Keywords:  Blood glucose; Diabetes mellitus; HbA1c; Meta-analysis; Systematic review; Telehealth.
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