A glycine zipper motif is required for the translocation of a T6SS toxic effector into target cells.

Type VI secretion systems (T6SSs) can deliver diverse toxic effectors into eukaryotic and bacterial cells. Although much is known about the regulation and assembly of T6SS, the translocation mechanism of effectors into the periplasm and/or cytoplasm of target cells remains elusive. Here, we use the Agrobacterium tumefaciens DNase effector Tde1 to unravel the mechanism of translocation from attacker to prey. We demonstrate that Tde1 binds to its adaptor Tap1 through the N-terminus, which harbors continuous copies of GxxxG motifs resembling the glycine zipper structure found in proteins involved in the membrane channel formation. Amino acid substitutions on G39 xxxG43 motif do not affect Tde1-Tap1 interaction and secretion but abolish its membrane permeability and translocation of its fluorescent fusion protein into prey cells. The data suggest that G39 xxxG43 governs the delivery of Tde1 into target cells by permeabilizing the cytoplasmic membrane. Considering the widespread presence of GxxxG motifs in bacterial effectors and pore-forming toxins, we propose that glycine zipper-mediated permeabilization is a conserved mechanism used by bacterial effectors for translocation across target cell membranes.

Knowledge and Practice of Women With HIV on Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control and their Attributes to Utilize the Screening Services in Ethiopia: A Cross Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies underscore the crucial link between awareness and timely cervical cancer screening and treatment, particularly among women of reproductive age. Yet, insights remain limited when it comes to women living with HIV in Addis Ababa. This study examined the knowledge and practices of these women regarding cervical cancer screening and treatment, illuminating the factors that both enable and hinder their uptake. METHODS: This cross-sectional study took place in six public hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, involving 578 women with HIV. The recruitment spanned 10 months, from January 1st to October 31st, 2021. Trained clinicians utilized the Open Data Kit for data collection, ensuring real-time submission to the server. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25, employing descriptive and inferential statistics. The logistic regression model identified predictors of outcome variables, and open-ended questions were thematically narrated for qualitative insights. RESULTS: A notable 51.2% of women with HIV exhibited inadequate knowledge regarding cervical cancer prevention and control programs. Furthermore, a substantial 68.5% had never undergone cervical examination, citing reasons such as considering themselves healthy (49.6%), perceiving the examination as painful (28.4%), and feeling shy to undergo screening (23.3%). Notably, participants with non-formal education were 70% less likely to possess knowledge about cervical cancer prevention and control (AOR = 0.30; 95% CI = 0.13-0.71). Income emerged as an independent predictor for both knowledge and practice in women's approach to cervical cancer prevention and control (P < 0.05). Additionally, occupation and duration of HIV diagnosis independently predicted practice, even after adjusting for confounding factors. CONCLUSION: Half of the participating HIV-positive women lacked adequate awareness about cervical cancer prevention and control, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive awareness initiatives tailored to this population. Relevant ministries, health care providers, and advocacy groups must collaborate to implement targeted education programs, utilizing diverse channels like community outreach, health care settings, and media campaigns.

Mechanistic study on the coupling reaction of CO2 with propylene oxide catalyzed by (CH3 )4 PI·MgCl2.

The mechanistic study of CO2 coupling with propylene oxide (PO) into cyclic carbonate catalyzed by (CH3 )4 PI has been investigated using the B3 LYP/6-311++G (d, p)/B3 LYP/6-31G (d) level of theory for non-iodine atoms and LANL2DZ was used, together with its associated basis set for the iodine atom. Two hypothetical reaction mechanisms were proposed for the studied reaction and thermodynamic and kinetic parameters were computed for each step to determine the more favorable route. The density functional theory (DFT) study reveals that the reaction prefers to proceed through a three-step mechanism (pathway II) than a tri-molecular intermediate (pathway I) where the CO2 and the catalyst act simultaneously on the PO ring. The rate-determining step of the catalytic reaction is found to be the ring-opening step with an energy barrier of 27.1 kcal/mol (pathway II) in the gas phase, which is kinetically more favorable than that of non-catalytic CO2 fixation with a relatively higher barrier of 63.7 kcal/mol. The synergetic effect of MgCl2 is tested as a cocatalyst for the (CH3 )4 PI/MgCl2 catalyzed reaction and it gave a better result and minimized the activation energy for the reaction and the rate-determining step was the ring closure with the free energy of activation 18.8 kcal/mol in the gas phase. The polarizable continuum model was used to account for the solvent effect, obtaining the best results of 23.1 kcal/mol in water for pathway I and 16.5 kcal/mol and 14.9 kcal/mol in dimethyl sulfoxide for pathway II and binary system, respectively.

The Recurrence of Cervical Precancerous Lesion Among HIV Positive and Negative Ethiopian Women After Cryotherapy: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Early testing and treatment is among the successful strategies for the prevention and control of cervical precancerous and invasive cancer, and a paramount for women with HIV. In Ethiopia, visual inspection with acetic acid for screening and cryotherapy treatment is commonly practiced, though the recurrence of the precancerous lesion after treatment has not been well documented. OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to estimate the association of HIV status and the recurrence of cervical precancerous lesion after cryotherapy among Ethiopian women. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study from January to April 2021. The time to the incidence of recurrence was compared between HIV positive and HIV negative women. Cox regression models were used to adjust the analyses for potential confounders, and only women treated with cryotherapy after a positive Visual Inspection with Acetic acid (VIA) screening test were included. RESULTS: A total of 140 eligible patient cards were included in the analysis with the median follow-up of 15.5 months. The overall recurrence rate was 15.7% (22/140), with a greater proportion among HIV negative women, 19.0% (4/21) than HIV positive 15.1% (18/119). Prolonged use of corticosteroid and higher age were the major significant predictors of a higher likelihood of recurrence. The recurrence of screening positive lesion was higher among women aged above 39 years (hazard ratio (HR) of 11.94 (95% CI, 1.07-133.04; P = .04), and women with prolonged use of corticosteroid (HR = 7.82, 95% CI = 1.04-58.75; P = .046) than their counterparts. CONCLUSION: The recurrence of cervical precancerous lesion after cryotherapy was higher than the expert panel report by WHO with a higher proportion among women of old age and prolonged corticosteroid use. Cryotherapy showed a satisfying performance against the recurrence of cervical disease diagnosed through VIA. To substantiate, our findings, further prospective cohort study is also recommended.

Performance of visual Inspection With Acetic Acid for Cervical Cancer Screening as Compared to Human papillomavirus Deoxyribonucleic acid Testing Among Women With HIV in Ethiopia: A Comparative Cross-sectional Study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of visual inspection with acetic acid compared with Human papillomavirus Deoxyribonucleic acid (HPV DNA) testing among women with HIV in Ethiopia. METHODS: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted to address the aforementioned objective. Data were collected from January to October 2021, to compare the performance of these two screening modalities. Trained clinicians collected cervical specimens and immediately applied acetic acid for visual inspection. The HPV DNA testing was done using Abbott m2000rt/SP by trained laboratory professionals in accredited laboratories. A total of 578 women with HIV aged 25-49 years were included. RESULTS: Test positivity was 8.9% using visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and 23.3% using HPV DNA test. The sensitivity and specificity of the VIA test were 19.2% and 95.1%, respectively. The strength of agreement between the two screening methods was poor (k = .184). The burden of genetic distribution of high risk HPV16 was 6.1%, and HPV18 was 1.1%. Other high risk HPV types (ie non-HPV 16/18 high risk HPV genotypes) were predominant in this study (18.6%). CONCLUSION: The higher positivity result using HPV DNA testing compared with VIA, and low sensitivity of VIA are indicating that the implementation of HPV DNA testing as the primary screening strategy is likely to reduce cervical cancer cases and deaths of women in the country.

Comparison of self-collected versus clinician collected cervicovaginal specimens for detection of high risk human papillomavirus among HIV infected women in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: In order to meet the WHO 2030 cervical cancer elimination program, evaluation and utilization of sensitive testing method, and feasible sampling technique is a paradigm for enhancing cervical cancer screening coverage. Self-sampling for screening of HPV DNA testing is one of the easiest and sensitive techniques, though the evidence was limited in the Ethiopian context. This study aimed to compare the performance of self-collected vaginal specimen versus clinician collected cervical specimen for detection of HPV among HIV positive women in Ethiopia. METHODS: We conducted a comparative cross-sectional study design to collect cervicovaginal specimens among HIV positive women of age older than 24 years. Data were collected from six government hospitals from January to October 2021. A total of 994 cervicovaginal specimens was collected by clinicians and HIV positive women themselves in the cervical cancer screening unit using Abbott Cervi-Collect Specimen Collection Kit, and molecular HPV testing was conducted. Data were entered into an Excel spreadsheet and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Sensitivity, specificity and kappa were reported with p < 0.05 considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: The prevalence of high-risk HPV was 29.4% among self-sampled specimen and 23.9% among clinician collected specimens. The overall concordance of the test result was 87.3%. Oncogenic HPV types, other than HPV16&18 were predominant in both sampling techniques, 19.9% from vaginal self-collected specimen and 16.7% of clinician collected cervical specimens. The sensitivity and specificity of self-sampled HPV test was 84.0% and 88.4%, respectively. The level of agreement was good (k = 0.68) and statistically significant (p < 0.001). The discriminatory power of the test as true positive and negative was excellent with an area under the curve of 0.86. CONCLUSION: The magnitude of oncogenic HPV was higher in self-collected samples than the clinician collected specimen with good agreement between the two sampling methods. Thus, we recommend the Ministry of Health in Ethiopia to expand utilization of the self-sampled technique and enhance the coverage of screening in the country.

Students' perception of educational environment based on Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure and the role of peer mentoring: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: The curricular reform at Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Iran, has been implemented since 2011 when peer mentoring program started. The program is believed to have a crucial role in students' perception of the educational environment (EE). We aimed to determine how students perceive the educational environment and compared the mentees and non-mentees' perception of EE. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 190 first-year medical students enrolling at Tehran University of Medical Sciences from March to September 2019. A questionnaire was used to collect information on students' age, gender, marital status, dormitory status, and their mentoring status including satisfaction of mentor-mentee relationship. The study also employed Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM). The collected data were then entered and analysed using SPSS version 20. To compare the perception of EE between mentees and non-mentees, we used independent t-test. RESULTS: The mean (SD) for total DREEM score for EE was 144.1 (19.3), which signifies a more positive than negative educational environment perception. Nonetheless, the mean scores of total DREEM was not significantly different between students with or without mentors (P =0.390). The overall mean score for student perceptions of learning for mentees was 32.47 (4.5) while for those without a mentor, the score was 31.70 (4.9) (P =0.491). The items concerned with "emphasizing factual learning" and "teacher-based teaching" were rated the least. The item "having an appropriate support system" was scored significantly different between students with or without mentors (P =0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Since having an appropriate support system was significantly different between groups, we suggest curriculum designers focus on the above-mentioned issue under caption for improvement during the reform programs.

Molecular epidemiology of human papillomavirus among HIV infected women in developing countries: systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Although, there is a variable burden of human papillomavirus (HPV) in women infected with HIV in developing countries, there are few studies that attempted to surmise such variable evidences. This review aimed to estimate the pooled prevalence of HPV genotype distribution and risk factors contributing to HPV infection among women infected with HIV in low- and middle-income countries. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies conducted in developing countries and reported HPV prevalence. We searched electronic databases: PubMed/Medline, SCOPUS, ScienceDirect, Excerpta Medical Database from Elsevier, Web of science, Cumulative Index of Nursing and allied Health Sciences and Google scholar databases to retrieve primary studies published in English language till 11th August 2019. We used random-effects model to estimate the pooled prevalence of HPV genotypes, and funnel plot to assess publication bias. The registration number of this review study protocol is CRD42019123549. RESULTS: We included nineteen studies with a total of 8,175 participants in this review. The prevalence of HPV was extremely heterogeneous across the studies (χ2= 3782.80, p value < 0.001, I2 = 99.6%). The estimated pooled prevalence of all HPV genotypes was 63.0% (95% CI: 48.0-78.0) while the pooled prevalence of high risk and low risk HPV genotypes were 51.0% (95% CI: 38.0-63.0) and 28.0% (95% CI: 12.0-43.0), respectively. The pooled prevalence of HPV genotype 16 was 20%, while genotype 18 and 52 were 15% and 13%, respectively. Different risk factors reported for HPV infection and the frequently reported were low CD4 count below 200 cells/mm3 and high HIV viral load. CONCLUSION: The pooled prevalence of HPV among HIV infected women in low- and middle-income countries was considerable and the proportion of high risk HPV genotypes were high when compared with low risk genotypes. Therefore, it is essential for the HPV prevention program to prevent the double burden of HPV and HIV in women.

Time to viral load suppression and its associated factors in cohort of patients taking antiretroviral treatment in East Shewa zone, Oromiya, Ethiopia, 2018.

BACKGROUND: A key goal of Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) is to achieve and maintain durable viral suppression. Thus, the most important use of viral load measurement is to monitor the effectiveness of therapy after initiation of ART. The main objective of the study was to determine the time for virological suppression and its associated factors among people living with HIV taking antiretroviral treatments in East Shewa Zone, Oromiya, Ethiopia. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with Human Immunodeficiency Virus presenting to the study health centers between October 3, 2011 and March 1, 2013 were included in the study given the following criteria: age 18 years or greater, eligible to start ART. All patients with baseline viral load measurements were included in the study. Interaction between explanatory variables with the response variable was analyzed by using cross tab features of (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) SPSS, International Business Machines (IBM) Inc. Significance group comparison was done by Kaplan Meier log-rank test. Cox proportional hazard model was used to select significant factors to the variability between groups. RESULT: Plasma viral load was suppressed below the detection level in 72% of individuals taking a different regimen of ART. The median Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 plasma viral load in the cohort was estimated to be log 5.3111 copies/ml. The study observed Survival curve difference in the category of marital status (p-value 0.023) and baseline cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) value (p-value 0.023). The estimated median time to Plasma Viral Load (PVL) suppression was 181 days (CI: 140.5-221.4) with the age group of 30-39 years having minimum time to achieve suppression with 92 days (CI: 60.1-123.8) and the maximum time required to reach the level was found among the age group between 50 and 59 years. CONCLUSION: The study found that the estimated time to achieve PVL after taking ART to be 181 days. Factors affecting time to suppression level were marital status and baseline CD4.

Patients' perception and satisfaction on quality of laboratory malaria diagnostic service in Amhara Regional State, North West Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: The most effective strategies in the fight against malaria are to correctly diagnose and timely treat the illness. A diagnosis based on clinical symptoms alone is subjected to misuse of anti-malarial drugs, increased costs to the health services, patient dissatisfaction and also contributes to an increase in non-malaria morbidity and mortality. Among others, inappropriate perception and inadequate satisfaction of patients are significant challenges reported to affect the quality of laboratory malaria diagnostic services. METHODS: A facility-based, cross-sectional study was conducted from November to December 2013 among 300 patients. Their level of satisfaction was measured using both pre-tested structured and open ended questionnaires. A 5-point Likert scales and their weighted average were used to categorize satisfaction level of the patients. Data were entered in Epi-Info version 3.5.3 and analysed using SPSS version 20. Chi-square test was used to see the association between the outcome variable and independent and the strength of the association was identified using odds ratio in the binary logistic regression. In addition the open ended questionnaire findings were coded and analysed thematically. RESULTS: Over half (52.6%) of the patients were satisfied with the malaria diagnostic service with a 98.7% response rate. The majority (89.3%) of patients perceived they were well diagnosed in facing fever upon giving blood for laboratory malaria diagnosis within 30 min waiting time in most (62.5%) of the patients. Ethnicity, residence, knowing malaria diagnosis after consulting clinician, and time period to receive malaria result were the independent predictors for patient satisfaction (p<0.05). The open ended questionnaire responses also revealed providing precise laboratory result timely, availability of the right treatment, presence of health professionals performing the laboratory test upon request in the health facility were among the major enabling factors for patients' satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The observed level of satisfaction in the current study though encouraging when compared with some previous studies conducted in eastern Ethiopia on general laboratory services, still it requires scale-up in the enhancement of malaria laboratory diagnostic service in the fight against malaria.

Does the practice of blood film microscopy for detection and quantification of malaria parasites in northwest Ethiopia fit the standard?

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of malaria in clinical laboratories mainly depends on blood smear microscopy and this technique remains the most widely used in Ethiopia. Despite the importance of blood smear microscopy for patient's diagnosis and treatment, little effort has been made to precisely determine and identify sources of error in malaria smear microscopic diagnosis and quantification of parasitaemia. The main objective of the present study was to assess the laboratory practices of health care laboratories carrying out blood films microscopy. METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted in northwestern Ethiopia involving 29 health care institutes. A structured and pretested questionnaire were used to collect relevant information on the physical conditions, laboratory logistics and laboratory practices carrying out blood smear microscopy. RESULTS: There was inadequacy of laboratory reagents, guidelines and materials. Most of the health institutes have been practicing re-utilization of microscope slides for malaria microscopy. The technical procedure (preparing of reagents, making of blood films and staining of the slides) were found to be below the standard in 50% of the health institutes. Refresher training and quality assessment has been done only in two and six of the health institutes in the past five years, respectively. CONCLUSION: In most of the health care laboratories studied, availability of laboratory logistics and technical practices for malaria microscopy were found to be below the standard set by World Health Organization. Improving logistics access for malaria microscopy at all level of health care is important to increase accuracy of diagnosis and quantification of malaria parasites. Moreover, continued training and regular supervision of the staff and implementation of quality control program in the area is also crucial.

Borrelia recurrentis in head lice, Ethiopia.

Since the 1800s, the only known vector of Borrelia recurrentis has been the body louse. In 2011, we found B. recurrentis DNA in 23% of head lice from patients with louse-borne relapsing fever in Ethiopia. Whether head lice can transmit these bacteria from one person to another remains to be determined.

Nutritional status, intestinal parasite infection and allergy among school children in northwest Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Parasitic infections have been shown to have deleterious effects on host nutritional status. In addition, although helmintic infection can modulate the host inflammatory response directed against the parasite, a causal association between helminths and allergy remains uncertain. The present study was therefore designed to evaluate the relationship between nutritional status, parasite infection and prevalence of allergy among school children. METHODS: A cross sectional study was performed involving school children in two elementary schools in Gondar, Ethiopia. Nutritional status of these children was determined using anthropometric parameters (weight-for-age, height-for-age and BMI-for-age). Epi-Info software was used to calculate z-scores. Stool samples were examined using standard parasitological procedures. The serum IgE levels were quantified by total IgE ELISA kit following the manufacturer's instruction. RESULT: A total of 405 children (with mean age of 12.09.1 ± 2.54 years) completed a self-administered allergy questionnaire and provided stool samples for analysis. Overall prevalence of underweight, stunting and thinness/wasting was 15.1%, 25.2%, 8.9%, respectively. Of the total, 22.7% were found to be positive for intestinal parasites. The most prevalent intestinal parasite detected was Ascaris lumbricoides (31/405, 7.6%). There was no statistically significant association between prevalence of malnutrition and the prevalence of parasitic infections. Median total serum IgE level was 344 IU/ml (IQR 117-2076, n=80) and 610 IU/ml (143-1833, n=20), respectively, in children without and with intestinal parasite infection (Z=-0.198, P>0.8). The prevalence of self reported allergy among the subset was 8%. IgE concentration was not associated either with the presence of parasitic infection or history of allergy. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of malnutrition, intestinal parasitism and allergy was not negligible in this population. In addition, there was no significant association between the prevalence of allergy and their nutritional status, and parasite infection. Further research prospective observational and intervention studies are required to address the question of causality between nutritional factors, parasites, and allergy.

Sustainable Elimination of Schistosomiasis in Ethiopia-A Five-Year Follow-Up Study.

In 2009, Mekele, the capital of the Tigray Region in Ethiopia, presented a mean prevalence of 44.7% of schistosomiasis (S. mansoni) in school children. Termed a public health problem, NALA, an international public health non-governmental organization, and their partners implemented a novel model of intervention, which aimed to compliment mass drug administration (MDA) campaigns with behavioral change (BC) and improved sanitation to achieve sustained elimination of schistosomiasis. The four-year intervention (2009−2012) covered 38 primary schools. The objective of this study was to examine factors associated with control or resurgence of the disease, and the association between the behavioral change program and disease prevalence, ten years after initiation. Eleven primary schools were selected for this follow-up study. All students provided a stool sample and filled in a knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) questionnaire. In seven out of eleven schools (63.6%) the prevalence of schistosomiasis was maintained below 2% ten years after the initiation of the intervention. In four schools, prevalence returned to pre-intervention levels, defining them as persistent hot spots (PHS). Students from PHS schools scored lower on KAP questionnaires compared to students from responder schools; 3.9 ± 0.9 vs. 4.2 ± 0.9 (p-value < 0.001) for practice questions and 4.4 ± 1.4 vs. 4.6 ± 1.5 (p-value = 0.03) for attitude questions. The prevalence of schistosomiasis correlated positively with age, (p-value = 0.049), sex (relative risk = 1.7, p-value < 0.001), and location. Semi-urban locations (n = 382) had higher disease prevalence than urban locations (n = 242), (22.7% vs. 5.5%, p-value < 0.001). Students residing in semi-urban areas and close to a river (<500 m) were at higher risk of contracting schistosomiasis than those living in urban areas far from the river (RR = 5.95, p-value < 0.001). Finally, a correlation between prevalence and proximity of schools to rivers was found (semi-urban areas; RR = −0.91, p-value = 0.001 vs. urban areas; RR = −0.51, p-value = 0.001). Soil-transmitted-helminths prevalence in 2009 was 8.1% and declined during the intervention years to 0.5%. Prevalence in 2018 was found to be stable at 0.8%. These results demonstrate the long-term success of NALAs' comprehensive model of intervention for elimination of schistosomiasis in school children, combining behavioral change and improved sanitation with MDA.

Knowledge, attitude and practice of cervical cancer screening among women infected with HIV in Africa: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: To establish successful strategies and increasing the utilization of preventive services, there is a need to explore the extent to which the general female population is aware and use the service for cervical cancer-screening among women infected with HIV in Africa. Available evidences in this regard are controversial and non-conclusive on this potential issue and therefore, we estimated the pooled effect of the proportion of knowledge, attitude and practice of HIV infected African women towards cervical cancer screening to generate evidence for improved prevention strategies. METHODS: We applied a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies conducted in Africa and reported the proportion of knowledge, attitude and practice towards cervical cancer screening. We searched electronic databases: PubMed/Medline, SCOPUS, ScienceDirect, Web of science, Cumulative Index of Nursing and allied Health Sciences (CINAHL) and Google scholar databases to retrieve papers published in English language till August 2020. We used random-effects model to estimate the pooled effect, and funnel plot to assess publication bias. The registration number of this review study protocol is CRD42020210879. RESULTS: In this review, we included eight published papers comprising 2,186 participants. The estimated pooled proportion of knowledge of the participants was 43.0% (95%CI:23.0-64.0) while the pooled estimates of attitudes and practices were 38.0% (95%CI: 1.0-77.0) and 41.0% (95%CI: 4.0-77.0), respectively. The proportion of the outcome variables were extremely heterogeneous across the studies with I2> 98%). CONCLUSION: The pooled estimates of knowledge, attitude and practice were lower than other middle income countries calls for further activities to enhance the uptake of the services and establish successful strategies.

Employed mothers' breastfeeding: Exploring breastfeeding experience of employed mothers in different work environments in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: One of the most cost-effective interventions to enhance child health with the potential to reach families of all economic backgrounds is breastfeeding. Despite the many benefits optimal breastfeeding has, its practice is low due to various barriers among which maternal employment is mentioned repeatedly. Accordingly, this study has explored the experience of employed mothers with regards to breastfeeding, employment, and work environment in Addis Ababa Ethiopia. METHODS AND FINDINGS: A descriptive Phenomenology strategy was employed among 17 mothers drawn from different organizations, conveniently, that offer accommodation of six months maternity leave or onsite child care center or had only three months maternity leave. Data were collected through in-depth interviews until information saturation was reached. Recorded interviews were transcribed and translated and the information obtained was then organized and coded to generate overarching themes. Two themes on facilitators and barriers, and addressing barriers were generated after analysis. Mothers recognize the importance of breastfeeding for children but returning to work at three months is expressed as a major barrier to continuous breastfeeding. Mothers who have access to supporting conditions at their workplace expressed better breastfeeding practice and better satisfaction with their job. CONCLUSIONS: Providing employed mothers with a supporting environment helps them work with better stability, motivation, and satisfaction. This however requires a suitable accommodation with a focus on the different kinds of work environments of the mothers and the different risks related to each respective environment via scaling up and monitoring breastfeeding interventions and calling upon institutions to remove structural and societal barriers to breastfeeding.

Nutritional status and TB treatment outcomes in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: An ambi-directional cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Remaining underweight during Tuberculosis (TB) treatment is associated with a higher risk of unsuccessful TB treatment outcomes and relapse. Previous studies conducted in Ethiopia found that bodyweight not adjusted for height at the start of treatment is associated with poor treatment outcomes. However, the association of body mass index (BMI) and weight change during treatment with treatment outcomes has not been studied. We aimed to investigate the association of BMI at the time of diagnosis and after two months of treatment and TB treatment outcomes. METHODS: Using an ambi-directional cohort study design (retrospective and prospective), a total of 456 participants were enrolled among 30 randomly selected public health centers residing within six sub-cities of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Data were collected using medical chart abstraction and face to face interviews. We compared TB treatment outcomes in persons with a body mass index (BMI) <18.5kg/m2 (underweight) versus persons with BMI ≥18.5kg/m2 (normal or overweight) at treatment initiation and after two months of treatment. Treatment was classified as successful in persons who were free of symptoms and had a negative sputum smear for acid-fast bacilli at the end of the 6-month treatment course. We analysed outcomes using univariable and multivariable logistic regression with 95% CI and p value< 0.05. RESULTS: Of enrolled study participants, 184 (40.4%) were underweight and 272 (59.6%) were normal or overweight. Body mass index (BMI ≥18.5kg/m2) at the start and second month of treatment were independent predictors for successful treatment outcome (AOR = 2.15; 95% CI: 1.05, 4.39) and (AOR = 3.55; 95% CI: 1.29, 9.73), respectively. The probability of treatment success among patients with BMI≥18.5kg/m2 at the start and second month of treatment was 92.9% and 97.1%, respectively versus 86.5% and 91.7% in patients with BMI<18.5kg/m2. Bodyweight not adjusted for height and change in the bodyweight after the second and sixth months of treatment were not significantly associated with treatment success. CONCLUSION: In persons treated for TB disease, being underweight at baseline and after two months of treatment was a predictor for unsuccessful treatment outcomes. Nutritional assessment, counselling, and management are important components of TB treatment programs with the potential to improve treatment outcomes.

Burnout and clinical learning environment among residents in Tehran: A cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the quality of the educational environment in Tehran University of Medical Sciences across different medical specialties and its correlation with residents' burnout. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Tehran University of Medical Sciences among residents drawn from three largest teaching hospitals affiliated. The Maslach Burnout Inventory and Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measure (PHEEM) questionnaire were used to collect data through web-based, as well as paper-and pencil questionnaires. The data was analyzed using SPSS. RESULTS: A total of 221 residents completed the survey, with a response rate of 82%. Burnout was reported by 67.4% of medical residents. The total PHEEM score had a negative correlation with emotional exhaustion (r = - 0.57, P < 0.001), depersonalization (r = - 0.40, P < 0.001), and a positive one with personal accomplishment (r = 0.42, P < 0.001). Perception of social support significantly predicted burnout subscales (P < 0.05). PHEEM subscales also explained a small proportion of variance in emotional exhaustion (R = 0.55, R2 = 0.308, P < .001). Clinical learning environment independent of personal characteristics was associated with residents' burnout according to multivariate regression analysis [OR = 0.567 (0.170-0.883), P = 0.012]. CONCLUSION: Clinical learning environment independent of personal characteristics was associated with residents' burnout in Iran. We suggest some initiatives to be introduced ranging from improving the clinical environments, reduce workloads and provide social support to all residents as well as encouraging them to involve in other extracurricular activities like music and physical exercise.

Which anthropometric and metabolic index is superior in hypertension prediction among overweight/obese adults?

BACKGROUND: Although the effectiveness of some combined anthropometric and metabolic scores were evaluated in hypertension prediction, none of them had addressed their accuracy in association with overweight/obese populations. This study examined the accuracy of several anthropometric parameters in this regard and compared the novel indices to the ancient ones. METHODS: Through a cross-sectional study, 5115 patients have been evaluated at the weight loss clinic. Data on demographic information, anthropometric indices, and biochemical measurements were assembled into a checklist. Multivariable regression modeling and the area under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) were analyzed using SPSS version 20. To find new combined scores, SEM (structural equation modeling) analysis was also adopted. P-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Considering ancient indices, WHtR (waist-to-height ratio) showed a sufficient area under the curve in predicting hypertension among both genders concomitant with WC (waist circumference) in men, and BRI (body roundness index) in women as highest AUC. The highest odds ratio (OR) for the presence of hypertension, based on the age-adjusted model, was BRI in females (OR, 3.335; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.58-7.28) and WC in males (OR, 13.478; 95% CI: 1.99-45.02). The combined scores were not superior to the single ones. CONCLUSION: The most powerful association between hypertension and sufficient discrimination ability of normotensives from hypertensive patients was detected for BRI in women and WC among men. However, neither the BSI and BAI nor FMI and FFMI showed superiority to WC or WHtR in predicting the presence of hypertension.