Assessment of bacteriological quality and safety of raw meat at slaughterhouse and butchers' shop (retail outlets) in Assosa Town, Beneshangul Gumuz Regional State, Western Ethiopia.

Contaminated meat has been implicated in many cases of foodborne illness and poses serious challenges in developing countries. This study aimed to assess the quality and safety of raw beef meat in Assosa Town. The finding showed that the mean of Aerobic mesophilic bacteria (AMB) and S. aureus at retail outlets was 5.04 log10cfu/g and 3.84 log10cfu/g; 4.03 log10cfu/g and 3.5 log10cfu/g at slaughterhouse, respectively. The microbial load range of AMB at the butcher shop was 2.49-5.16 log10 cfu/g, while at the abattoir it was 2.75-7.52 log10 cfu/g out of 70 raw beef meat analyzed samples. Similar to this, the butcher shop and abattoir had S. aureus microbiological load ranges of 2.74 - 4.84 log10 cfu/g and 2.71-4.72 log10 cfu/g, respectively. In contrast, 25.7% and 34.3% of the samples in the abattoir and retail shop, respectively, were contaminated with Salmonella sp. For S. aureus, just 38.71% and 17.14%, respectively, of the samples at the retail and butcher shops were satisfactory. AMB found that 80% of the examined samples from butcher shops and 57.7% from abattoirs were satisfactory. Due to poor handling and environmental hygiene procedures by Assosa Town butchers, 77.1% of the meat contact surface and 82.9% of the carcass were exposed to flies. On the other hand, only 5.7%, 28.6%, and 22.9% of the butchers kept the carcass in the refrigerator, and wore gowns and hairnets, respectively. In slaughterhouses, the majority of respondents (87.5%) concur that there were certain challenges in achieving slaughtering in the working environment.

An inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the small intestine presenting as jejunojejunal intussusception; A case report.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: An inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is an uncommon solid neoplasm of mesenchymal origin. They are usually seen in children and adolescents and commonly affect the lung, but they can nearly arise from every organ. The prevalence of IMT in the small bowel is very rare. The tumors have generally a benign clinical course, with some risk of local recurrence or distant metastasis. PRESENTATION OF CASE: This is a 55-year-old male patient who presented with intermittent abdominal pain, vomiting of ingested matter and loss of appetite for 2 weeks duration. On physical examination, he had stable vital signs and the abdominal examination was non-revealing. Abdominal CT scan with contrast showed a long segment jejunojejunal intussusception. He underwent en-bloc resection of the mass and end-to-end anastomosis of the jejunum. CLINICAL DISCUSSION: IMTs have a mesenchymal origin and are grouped into a mixture of fibroinflammatory disorders. They show a variable mix of inflammatory cells with spindle cells. The diagnosis of IMT preoperatively is challenging often mimicking malignant lesions. The diagnosis is often confirmed by histopathology after surgery. Complete excision with a negative margin is the preferred treatment. We report a rare case of jejunal IMT presenting with intussusception. CONCLUSION: An intestinal IMT is a rare and an underdiagnosed entity, and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of small bowel intussusception. Surgery is still the most favored and effective treatment for intestinal IMT. Complete surgical excision with a negative margin has the least chance of disease recurrence.

Giant lipoma of the colon presenting as a case of adult intussusception: A case series.

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE: Lipoma of the intestine is one of the uncommon benign tumors of the alimentary tract first reported by Bauer in 1957. The peak incidence is usually seen between 50 and 60 years of age and more commonly in females. They are usually either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic. The occurrence of symptoms is mostly related to the diameter of the lesion. PRESENTATION OF CASE: We present a single center consecutive case of three patients who had giant colonic lipomas presented with colonic intussusception. Two of the cases presented for the first time with an emergency condition: acute intestinal obstruction. The mode of presentation, diagnosis, and management outcome of colonic lipoma was assessed. DISCUSSION: Symptomatic lipoma may present with non-specific abdominal pain, change in bowel habits, intussusception, and hemorrhage. The clinical diagnosis is usually challenging, given the non-specificity of symptoms of the disease. Computed tomography is considered to be a diagnostic modality of choice in recognizing the presence of lipoma. However, a definitive diagnosis of lipoma is usually obtained after a histopathologic examination of the resected specimen. The management of colonic lipoma depends on the size of the lesion and the presence or absence of symptoms. CONCLUSION: Colonic lipoma is a rare benign tumor that occurs in the elderly, frequently misdiagnosed as a malignant tumor. Despite the rarity of the disease, lipoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of large bowel tumors and adult intussusception.

Numerical investigation of steel-concrete composite (SCC) beam subjected to combined blast-impact loading.

Existing literatures on combined effects of blast-impact loadings on steel-concrete composite beams are limited. In this study, behavior of steel-concrete composite beam subjected to combined blast-impact loading was investigated using LS-DYNA nonlinear FEA software program. The accuracy and reliability of developed FEA model was validated using experimental data reported in literature. Parametric studies were performed on impacting speed, concrete strength, various characteristics of H-structural steel, yield strength of studs and steel rebars to get insight into performance of composite beam subjected to combined blast impact loading. FEA results revealed that increase in specified cylindrical compressive strength of concrete, yield stress, flange and web thicknesses of H-type structural steel beam significantly improved dynamic response of a steel-concrete composite beam under combined impact-blast load case whereas yield stress of studs, and reinforcement steel bars showed insignificant contribution. Moreover, increasing impactor's initial velocity significantly affects dynamic response of a SCC beam under combined blast-impact loading.

Numerical investigation on CFRP strengthening and reinforcement bar detailing of RC columns to resist blast load.

The failure of column, which is a critical compressive structural member of a building, may lead to devastating progressive collapses. The present numerical study involves investigation on the performance of as-built and strengthened RC columns using 0°/90° CFRP layers under blast loading. A nonlinear FEA program, LS-DYNA was employed to study the RC columns response when subjected to blast loading. Blast field test data from recent literatures was employed for validation and further parametric studies. Variables considered were different charge masses, height of bursts, concrete compressive strengths, standoff distances, tie spacings, transverse reinforcement steel detail schemes, and 0°/90° CFRP layers. It was revealed that scaled distance parameters had a significant effect on the behaviour of RC columns under blast loading. Compared to as-built column, 0°/90° CFRP strengthened RC columns displayed excellent blast resistance. Transverse reinforcement steel details had a significant effect on lateral displacement response and failure modes of RC columns. Compared to conventionally-detailed columns, seismically-detailed columns and transverse reinforcement steel bars accompanied with square-diamond shaped ties exhibited enormous blast resistance capacity.

Antimicrobial Evaluation of Sequentially extracted Leaf of Vernonia auriculifera Hiern (Rejicho).

BACKGROUND: Though there are reports about V. auriculifera antimicrobial activity, there is not enough information about its activity on some bacterial and fungal species. Besides, there was no quantitative evaluation done for phytochemicals previously. Therefore, the main purpose of this research work is to evaluate the antimicrobial activity and quantitative evaluation of the phenol and flavonoid contents of V. auriculifera. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to conduct the antimicrobial and quantitative evaluation of a sequentially extracted leaf of Vernonia auriculifera Hiern. METHODS: The leaves of the plant were cleaned with tap water and air-dried. The grounded leaf product was subsequently extracted by hexane, chloroform, and methanol in maceration flasks. Then the total phenol and total flavonoid content in each extract were determined. Standard strains of bacterial and fungal species were used to assess the antibacterial, and antifungal susceptibility test and to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration of crude extract. RESULT: Extraction yield for hexane, chloroform, and methanol was 0.6 ± 0.05%, 1.7 ± 0.02%, and 3.3 ± 0.01% respectively. The total phenolic content of methanol extract was 72.998 ± 0.002 mg GAE /g. The total flavonoid content of hexane and chloroform extracts were 2.59 ± 0.004 mg QE/g and 9.6 ± 0.02 mg QE/g respectively. The antimicrobial activity test showed the chloroform extract was the most active against all test microorganisms. CONCLUSION: This study has shown the activity of V. auriculifera against selected microorganisms of study. The chloroform extract was the most active as compared to the hexane and methanol extracts.

Antiretroviral treatment failure and associated factors among HIV patients on the first-line antiretroviral therapy at Mizan-Tepi University teaching hospital, Southwest Ethiopia: A cross-sectional study.

ABSTRACT: The use of Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has become a standard of care for the treatment of HIV infection. The therapy restores immune function and reduces HIV-related adverse outcomes. However, treatment failure erodes this advantage and leads to an increased morbidity and compromised quality of life in HIV patients. Thus, this study aimed to assess anti-retroviral treatment failure and associated factors among HIV patients on the first line ART at Mizan-Tepi University Teaching Hospital. A cross-sectional study was undertaken among adult patient who have been on ART and attending ART Clinic of Mizan-Tepi University Teaching Hospital from September 2014 to September 2018. Data were collected retrospectively by reviewing patients' medical charts using a standard structured questionnaire. Data were entered into Epi data version 4.0.2 and then exported to SPSS version 21.0 for analysis. To identify the predictors of anti-retroviral treatment failure, multiple stepwise backward logistic regression analysis were done. P value < .05 was considered as statistically significant. Among 221 patients included in the study, 118 (53.39%) were females. The mean weight of study participants at ART initiation was 57.04 kg. Of the 221 patients on the first line ART, 10 (4.5%) experienced treatment failure. Of these patients, 5 (50%) and 3 (30%) experienced virological failure and clinical failure, respectively. Functional status (AOR: 3, CI: [1.13-6.5], P < .001) and low baseline CD4 cell count (AOR: 4.3, CI: [3.4-10.6], P < .0001) were found to be an independent predictors of treatment failure. The rate of first-line ART treatment failure in the study setting was substantial. Functional status and low baseline CD4 cell count were found to be an independent predictors of virological, clinical and immunological failure. Therefore, more attention should be given for the lifestyle of pateints' on ART and maximize virological tests for monitoring treatment failures.

Dissolution Profile Evaluation of Eight Brands of Metformin Hydrochloride Tablets Available in Jimma, Southwest Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Dissolution is the critical quality control parameter and used to predict an in vivo oral bioavailability, and it is used to support bio-waiver. AIM: To evaluate and compare the dissolution profile of eight brands of metformin HCL 500 mg tablets available in Jimma town, Southwest Ethiopia. METHODS: The study was conducted in Jimma town, Ethiopia. Eight (seven brands and one comparator) metformin HCL 500 mg tablets were included. The dissolution study was conducted as per United States Pharmacopeia, and the dissolution profile was compared by one-way ANOVA, model-dependent and model-independent approaches. RESULTS: All of the included tablet brands complied with single-point dissolution study specification. Statistical comparisons of the dissolution profile by one-way ANOVA revealed that all brands had similar dissolution profiles (p=0.89). All of the brands had a similarity factor (f2) >50% and the difference factor (f1) <15. The entire brands followed the Weibull curve approach (the highest coefficient of determination and lowest Akaike Information Criteria) for the release of an active pharmaceutical ingredient. CONCLUSION: All of the brands complied with single point dissolution study and all of them could be used interchangeably with the innovator drug. All brands followed the Weibull method for the release of the drug substance.

Quality of fixed dose artemether/lumefantrine products in Jimma Zone, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum is among the major public health problems in most endemic areas of the world. Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) has been recommended as a first-line treatment for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria almost in all endemic regions. Since ineffectively regulated medicines in resource limited settings could favour infiltration of poor quality anti-malarial medicines into pharmaceutical supply chain and jeopardize a positive treatment outcome, regular monitoring of the quality of anti-malarial medicines is critical. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess the quality of fixed dose combination (FDC) artemether (ART)/lumefantrine (LUM) tablets available in Jimma zone, Ethiopia. METHODS: This study was conducted in Jimma zone, Ethiopia. A total of 74 samples of FDC ART/LUM (20 mg ART/120 mg LUM) tablets were collected from 27 public facilities. All samples were subjected to visual inspection and the relevant information was recorded. The samples were transported to Jimma University Laboratory of Drug Quality (JuLaDQ) and stored at ambient temperature (20 °C to 25 °C) until analysis. The Pharmacopoeial conform/non-conform methods and the risk-based Derringer's desirability function approach were employed to assess the pharmaceutical quality of the investigated products. RESULTS: The visual inspection results revealed that there were no signs of falsified in the investigated products. Identification test results of samples indicated that all samples contained the stated active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). The results of uniformity of mass indicated that all samples complied with International Pharmacopoeial specification limits. The assay results, expressed as percent label claim (%lc) of ART (89.8 to 108.8%, mean ± SD = 99.1 ± 3.9%) and LUM (90.0 to 111.9%, mean ± SD = 98.2 ± 3.8%) revealed that, all samples complied with International Pharmacopoeia acceptance specification limits (i.e. 90-110%lc), except one generic product (IPCA Laboratories Ltd., India) which contains excessive LUM (111.9 ± 1.7%lc). The risk priority number (RPN) results revealed that assay (RPN = 392) is relatively the most critical quality attribute followed by identity (RPN = 280) and mass uniformity (40). Quality evaluation based on psycho-physical Harrington's scale revealed that more than 96% of samples were within the acceptable ranges (D ≥ 0.7-1.0). CONCLUSIONS: Both Pharmacopoeial and risk-based desirability function approaches to quality evaluation applied to the investigated products revealed that above 96% FDC ART/LUM tablets circulating in public settings of Jimma zone are of good quality.

Effect of nutritional status of pregnant women on birth weight of newborns at Butajira Referral Hospital, Butajira, Ethiopia.

BACK GROUND: Maternal nutritional status influences the developmental environment of the fetus which consequently affects the birth weight of the newborn. However, the association between maternal nutritional factors and birth weight is complex and is not well characterized in Ethiopia. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of maternal anthropometry and biochemical profile on birth weight of babies at Butajira Referral Hospital, Butajira, Ethiopia. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Laboratory-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 337 pregnant women at the hospital. Socio-demographic and obstetric characteristics were collected using pre-tested questionnaires. Blood sample was collected from each pregnant women for determination of total serum protein, total serum cholesterol and hemoglobin level. However, maternal dietary habits were not assessed in this study. RESULTS: A total of 337 pregnant women were involved in the study. The mean (standard deviation) birth weight of the newborns was 3.14 ± 0.46 kg. After adjusting for different maternal factors, parity (p = 0.013), hemoglobin level (p = 0.046), pre-pregnancy body mass index (p < 0.001) and weight gain during pregnancy (p < 0.001) were positively associated with birth weight of the newborns, while the associations with total protein (p = 0.822) and total cholesterol (p = 0.423) were not significant. CONCLUSION: This study has shown that nutritional status of pregnant women as indicated by maternal anthropometry and hemoglobin level was associated with birth weight of the baby. Therefore, nutritional status of the pregnant women should be improved to reduce the risk of low birth weight.

Assessment of Efficacy and Quality of Two Albendazole Brands Commonly Used against Soil-Transmitted Helminth Infections in School Children in Jimma Town, Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: There is a worldwide upscale in mass drug administration (MDA) programs to control the morbidity caused by soil-transmitted helminths (STHs): Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura and hookworm. Although anthelminthic drugs which are used for MDA are supplied by two pharmaceutical companies through donation, there is a wide range of brands available on local markets for which the efficacy against STHs and quality remain poorly explored. In the present study, we evaluated the drug efficacy and quality of two albendazole brands (Bendex and Ovis) available on the local market in Ethiopia. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A randomized clinical trial was conducted according to the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines to assess drug efficacy, by means of egg reduction rate (ERR), of Bendex and Ovis against STH infections in school children in Jimma, Ethiopia. In addition, the chemical and physicochemical quality of the drugs was assessed according to the United States and European Pharmacopoeia, encompassing mass uniformity of the tablets, amount of active compound and dissolution profile. Both drugs were highly efficacious against A. lumbricoides (>97%), but showed poor efficacy against T. trichiura (~20%). For hookworms, Ovis was significantly (p < 0.05) more efficacious compared to Bendex (98.1% vs. 88.7%). Assessment of the physicochemical quality of the drugs revealed a significant difference in dissolution profile, with Bendex having a slower dissolution than Ovis. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The study revealed that differences in efficacy between the two brands of albendazole (ABZ) tablets against hookworm are linked to the differences in the in-vitro drug release profile. Differences in uptake and metabolism of this benzimidazole drug among different helminth species may explain that this efficacy difference was only observed in hookworms and not in the two other species. The results of the present study underscore the importance of assessing the chemical and physicochemical quality of drugs before conducting efficacy assessment in any clinical trials to ensure appropriate therapeutic efficacy and to exclude poor drug quality as a factor of reduced drug efficacy other than anthelminthic resistance. Overall, this paper demonstrates that "all medicines are not created equal".