Background: Diagnosing pulmonary tuberculosis (pTB) in children is challenging due to the difficulties in acquiring respiratory specimens, which unspecific and paucibacillary disease presentation, and the lack of sensitive diagnostic assays with non-invasive sample collection methods. As a result, millions of children around the world get tuberculosis (TB) each year, which is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality.
Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of Stool and Respiratory Sample-based Genexpert MTB/RIF assay from presumptive TB among children in Northwest, Ethiopia.
Methods and Materials: Hospital based cross-sectional with diagnostic accuracy study was conducted on consecutively recruited presumptive TB children. Data were collected by sem-structured questionnaires. Single respiratory (5ml) and 3g stool specimen were collected Lowenstein Jensen (LJ) and Xpert assay. Laboratory SOPs were strictly followed to assure the quality of whole procedures. The diagnostic accuracy of stool Xpert was evaluated against respiratory specimen Xpert, culture and composite reference standards (CRS). Sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values for the stool Xpert assay were calculated with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI) with MedCal statistical software. Data were entered in EPIData V4.2 and exported to SPSS 25 for further analysis.
Results: A total of 557 children were recruited; 510 of whom had complete microbiological results. Overall, pTB was diagnosed in 52/510 (10.2%) of the children with presumptive TB. Of these, only four had microbiologically unconfirmed pTB, were clinically diagnosed with positive response to anti-TB and the remaining 48 were microbiologically confirmed (Positive Xeprt and LJ culture). Stool specimen Xpert had sensitivity of 93.8 %( 95%CI: 82.8-98.6) and specificity of 99.8% (95%CI: 98.7–100) compared to culture; however, the sensitivity of stool was 88.5% (72-95.6) and specificity 100% (99.2-100) when compared to CRS. The Xpert on respiratory specimen had sensitivity and specificity of 95.8 % (85.8– 99.5) and 99.8% (98.7–100) to culture and 92.3 %( 81.4-97.9) and 100% (99.2-100) compared to CRS.
Conclusion: The sensitivity and specificity of Xpert assay for stool specimen is almost similar to that of respiratory specimen. Stool specimen is a highly promising alternative specimen in the diagnosis of pTB in children when respiratory specimen is impossible.


Key words: Diagnostic accuracy, pulmonary tuberculosis, Xpert MTB/RIF, Stool, Children

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Globally, the amount of time children spend using electronic or digital devices—commonly referred to as screen time are increasingly prevalent. This growing prevalence of screen time among children has raised concerns about its impact on their development. Therefore, this study aimed to explore three key themes: (1) the availability and use of electronic devices in households, (2) factors contributing to excessive screen time among children, and (3) the relationship between screen time and children's cognitive, emotional, and social development. The study was conducted in five selected towns within the East Gojjam Administrative Zone, namely Debre Markos, Bichena, Merto Lemariam, Dejen, and Lumame. For the quantitative data, 845 participants were chosen using multistage sampling techniques. Additionally, qualitative data was collected through interviews with 25 participants, 9 focus group discussions, and the collection of 16 diaries. We collected data by using questionnaires, semistructured interviews, focus group discussions, and diary records. For quantitative data analysis, SPSS version 20 was used. To summarize the demographic characteristics of participants, and describe the availability and use of electronic devices, descriptive statistics such as percentage and mean were used. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between the total and device-specific screen time and children’s socioemotional and cognitive development. Qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The study revealed that children ages 2 to 5 had an average screen time of 244 minutes each day. The two most frequently used electronic devices in this age group are televisions, at 80.4%, and smartphones, at 45.2%. The multiple regression analysis indicated that parental screen time, mother’s employment status, and age were significantly and positively associated with children’s screen time. In conclusion, screen time for children aged 2 to 5 years exceeds the recommended limit. To have proper screen time for both parents and children, it is important to establish and implement clear guidelines.

The experiment was carried out to evaluate the agronomic performance and dry matter yield of thePennisetum pedicellatum varieties (areka, kulmsa, and kindonkosha-591) at Debre Markos University,Ethiopia, during 2023 in a RCBD with three replications. The agronomic performance of all varieties wasmeasured from the six plants that were selected randomly from the middle rows of each plot at 105, 119,and 133 days after planting, and dry matter yield was measured at 135 days after planting. The studyshowed that there were significant differences (p < 0.05) in plant height, number of tillers and leaves,leaf length, and dry matter yield, but the number of nodes and leaf width were not significantly different(p > 0.05) among varieties. The highest values of plant height, number of tillers and leaves per plant, andleaf length and width were measured from the areka variety, followed by the kulmsa variety, while theleast was recorded from the kindonkosha-591 variety. The plant height, number of tillers per plant,number of leaves per plant, and dry matter yield of the areka variety were significantly higher (p < 0.05)than the kulmsa and kindonkosha-591 varieties. The highest dry matter yield was also produced fromareka (11.55 t/ha), followed by kulmsa (8.52) and kindonkosha −591 (7.99 t/ha). The areka grass varietyshowed superior agronomic performance and dry matter yield, suggesting its potential for improvingfeed shortage constraints in the study areas.
KEYWORDS: Agronomy; Desho grass; dry matter; Pennisetum pedicellatum; varieties

Introduction
Dyslipidemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, with its prevalence steadily rising in both developed and developing nations. An unhealthy lifestyle significantly contributes to the development of dyslipidemia, with smoking being a well-known risk factor.
Methods
A comprehensive search was conducted across several databases, including Google Scholar, Web of Science, African Journals Online (AJOL), HINARI, and PubMed/MEDLINE. Articles published up until June 24, 2024, were considered for inclusion. Data extraction and organization were carried out using Microsoft Excel, while analysis was performed using STATA/MP 17.0. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS). To analyze the pooled data, a weighted inverse variance random effects model with a 95% confidence interval was applied. Heterogeneity among studies was assessed using Cochrane’s I2 statistics, and Egger’s test was conducted to detect potential publication bias. The association between dyslipidemia and its associated factors was examined using the log odds ratio, with a p-value of less than 0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results
A total of 44 articles involving 12,395 participants were included. The overall pooled prevalence of dyslipidemia in Ethiopia was 56.60% (95% CI 50.40–62.80). Dyslipidemia was observed across various population groups, with notable prevalence rates associated with different risk factors. Among individuals with insufficient physical activity, the prevalence was 30.12% (95% CI 22.53–37.70). In those who smoked cigarettes, it was observed in 6.81% (95% CI 4.27–9.34). Among chronic alcohol consumers, the prevalence of dyslipidemia was 15.75% (95% CI 9.65–21.86). Furthermore, 30.12% (95% CI 22.53–37.70) of dyslipidemia was reported among individuals with inadequate physical exercise.
Conclusions
The prevalence of dyslipidemia in Ethiopia was 56.60%, indicating a significant public health concern. The condition is particularly prevalent among individuals with insufficient physical activity, smoking habits, and chronic alcohol consumption, suggesting strong associations with these modifiable risk factors. To reduce dyslipidemia, public health initiatives should focus on promoting physical activity, anti-smoking campaigns, and educating on the risks of excessive alcohol use. Health professionals should also prioritize early detection and management in high-risk groups to reduce long-term cardiovascular risks.

Recent advances in electrochemistry and electrode surface modification highlight the potential of transitionmetal coordination compounds as effective modifiers. This study presents sodium tetraresorcinolatocuprate(II)(Na₂[Cu(HR)₄]), a newly synthesized compound characterized using UV–Vis, FT-IR spectroscopy, ICP OES, andmelting point analysis. A poly(Na₂[Cu(HR)₄])/GCE was fabricated via potentiodynamic techniques, with cyclicvoltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy confirming the formation of a polymer film thatenhanced the electrode’s active area and electrocatalytic properties. The developed poly(Na₂[Cu(HR)₄])/GCEwas applied for determination of ciprofloxacin (CPF), an antibiotic prone to resistance issues, that requiresreliable monitoring in pharmaceutical and biological samples. The poly(Na₂[Cu(HR)₄]) modifier significantlyimproved CPF detection by reducing its oxidation potential and increasing current response by eightfoldcompared to unmodified electrodes, suggesting the modifier’s catalytic role in CPF oxidation. Differential pulsevoltammetry (DPV) showed a linear CPF response over concentrations of 1.0 × 10 8 to 4.0 × 10 4 M, withdetection and quantification limits of 2.0 nM and 6.8 nM, respectively. Analysis of commercial CPF brandsshowed 98.05–100.00 % accuracy, while spike recovery rates (99.25–100.40 %) and low interference errors(

Method Twenty inactive males (BMI 27.67 ± 0.88 kg/m2 , age 49.15 ± 2.58 years) participated in an eight-week wererandomly assigned to one of three intervention groups (combined (CT), resistance (RT), and aerobic (AT)) exercisemodalities to assess within-subject and between group changes in glycolipid profile. Data were analyzed usingrepeated measures ANCOVA.Result Pre-post mean values of body fat percentage (%BF), area under the curve (AUC), low density lipoprotein (LDL),high density lipoprotein (HDL) and total cholesterol (TC) decreased in all three groups. The main effect of exercisemodality on the AUC (F (2, 26) = 10.577, P = 0.001, η2 = 0.569) was significant. Post-hoc analyses revealed that the RTgroup (-30.653 ± 6.766, p = 0.001) with 11.53% and the CT group (M = -0.896, SE = 3.347, P = 0.015) with 3.79% exhib-ited significantly greater reductions in AUC compared to the AT group. LDL levels showed significant differentbetween groups (F (2, 26) = 6.33, p = 0.009, η2 = 0.442), specially significantly 3.7% lowered in AT (MD = 4.783, SE = 1.563,P = 0.002) and 3.79% lower in CT (MD = 4.57, SE = 1.284, P = 0.008) groups compared to the RT group. AT significantlyreduced TC by 17.716 ± 5.705 mg/dL (p = 0.02) compared to RT, representing a 7.97% decrease.Conclusion Exercise type significantly influences lipid profiles and glycemic control. Notably, both aerobic and com-bined training demonstrated a superior ability to modulate the lipid profile, and resistance training and combinedtraining were more effective in reducing the AUC.Trial registration May, 31st 2024. Registration no: PACTR202405463745521 “Retrospectively registered”.Keywords Glucose tolerance, Lipid profile, Resistance training, Aerobic training and combind training

Abstract: The egg quality measurements were undertaken as egg weight loss (%), shell thickness,Haugh unit, yolk height, yolk width, yolk index and albumen height. The non-sprayed chickeneggs showed a higher weight loss percentage of 3.07% within 15 days of storage. However, itwas shown to be lower the weight loss of 0.48% when sprayed. Even though a progressivedecrease in yolk height, albumen height, yolk index and Haugh unit values were shown as thestorage period advances, sprayed eggs which resulted to be greater within each storage periodthan non-sprayed eggs. Non- sprayed eggs stored for 15, 10, 5, and 0 day had a Haugh unit valueof 52.42±2.66, 73.29±6.44, 77.51±3.88 and 85.72 ± 2.85, respectively. Whereas, Haugh unitvalues were shown as 82.43±4.31, 82.90 ±4.43, 84.73 ±3.25 and 85.52±6.37 respectively whichrecorded after spraying. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) in moisture percentage, fatand protein content among non-sprayed eggs kept for different storage period. But percentage ofash and carbohydrate were unaffected. There was gradually decreased in the percentage ofmoisture, fat and protein content as the storage period advances.Keywords: Haugh unit, Albumen height, Fat, Protein, Ash, Carbohydrate

Industries are among the largest global consumers of water, with a significant portion beingconverted into industrial wastewater. Paint factories, in particular, are major contributors toenvironmental lead pollution, releasing lead (II) through untreated effluents. Exposure to lead (II)poses serious health risks, including carcinogenic effects, neurological disorders, blood-relatedcomplications, and damage to vital organs such as the liver, kidneys, and lungs. While exten-sive research has focused on lead (II) removal from synthetic wastewater, limited studies haveaddressed the application of these methods to real industrial wastewater. This study aimed toevaluate the efficiency of Noug stalk activated carbon in removing lead (II) from paint factoryeffluent under optimized conditions. Laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the per-formance of Noug stalk activated carbon in treating wastewater from a paint factory. Statisticalanalysis using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20 was employed, with a pairedsample t-test determining the significance of differences in lead (II) concentrations before andafter treatment, considering a p-value of

Establishing recipiency, an indispensable ingredient and manifestation of sustaining intersub-jectivity, constitutes the continuous monitoring of an ongoing turn in an interaction. The presentstudy intended to describe how interactants attending a freshman common course in an Ethiopianuniversity elicit and display recipiency in instances of Divergent L2 contexts exhibiting DIUs.Naturally occurring video-recorded classroom interactions of the purposively selected in-teractants have been analyzed in light of the Conversation Analytic framework to show howinteractants elicit and display recipiency. By deploying reactive tokens, incipient speakersnegotiate their rights to shape and reshape trajectories of an ongoing thereby displaying recipi-ency. This contributes to a better understanding of how interactures, in this case the establish-ment of intersubjectivity and L2 contexts, interplay and unfold in moments of DIUs. Also, viewinginteractants as incipient speakers, and thereby articulating turns in view of recipients is a con-dition for sustaining intersubjectivity through active engagement. This requires upholding un-wavering belief about recipients’ stake in an interactional exchange. Practically, being attentiveto recipients’ states in the different trajectories of interactional development, especially, in mo-ments of divergent L2 contexts that exhibit DIUs, would be illuminating. This is because the use ofresources to elicit and display recipiency and thereby consider incipient speakers’ levels ofrecipiency, on the part of floor-holding speaker, would enhance possibilities for intersubjectivity.
Keywords: Recipiency, DIUs, Intersubjectivity, Eliciting, Divergence

Background Ethical dilemmas in emergency and critical care nursing often involve complex decision-makingthat impacts patient outcomes, emotional well-being of healthcare providers, and team dynamics. Understandingthese dilemmas and the decision-making processes involved is crucial for improving nursing practices and patientoutcomes in this context.Objective This study aims to explore the ethical dilemmas and decision-making processes of emergency and criticalcare nurses, using the Four Box. Method ethical decision-making framework.Methods A multi-method qualitative approach was employed, incorporating in-depth individual interviews(IDI), focus group discussions (FGD), and case studies to capture diverse perspectives. Data were collected from28 nurses working in emergency and critical care settings at Tibebe Ghion Specialized Hospital and Felege HiwotComprehensive Specialized Hospital through purposive sampling. The interviews and focus groups were audiorecorded, transcribed verbatim in Amharic, translated into English, and entered into OpenCode software for analysis.Inductive thematic analysis method was applied to analyze the data.Results The study revealed several key ethical dilemmas faced by nurses, including balancing patient autonomywith beneficence, and the allocation of limited resources during crises, opioid administration for pain managementvs. respiratory depression, and conflicts regarding informed consent. Nurses reported emotional and professionalimpacts from these dilemmas, contributing to moral distress, burnout, and ethical fatigue. Nurses emphasizedthe importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and structured decision-making frameworks to navigate thesechallenges. However, the lack of consistent access to ethics consultations and peer support during critical momentswas noted as a significant barrier.Conclusion and recommendation Nurses encounter complex ethical dilemmas that impact their emotional well-being and job satisfaction. Effective decision-making requires applying ethical principles, adhering to guidelines,and consulting peers. The study reveals the need for improved support systems, including more frequent and
comprehensive ethics training, better access to ethics consultations, and structured frameworks to guide decision-making in high-pressure situations.Clinical trial registration The study is not a clinical trial, a clinical trial number is not applicable.Keywords Ethical dilemma, Decision making, Emergency and critical care, Nursing