Visuospatial representation in patients with mild cognitive impairment: Implication for rehabilitation.

Behavioral and neurophysiological experiments have demonstrated that distinct and common cognitive processes and associated neural substrates maintain allocentric and egocentric spatial representations. This review aimed to provide evidence from previous behavioral and neurophysiological studies on collating cognitive processes and associated neural substrates and linking them to the state of visuospatial representations in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Even though MCI patients showed impaired visuospatial attentional processing and working memory, previous neuropsychological experiments in MCI largely emphasized memory impairment and lacked substantiating evidence of whether memory impairment could be associated with how patients with MCI encode objects in space. The present review suggests that impaired memory capacity is linked to impaired allocentric representation in MCI patients. This review indicates that further research is needed to examine how the decline in visuospatial attentional resources during allocentric coding of space could be linked to working memory impairment.

Intra Parietal Sulcus Area 1-2 and Angular Gyrus Differentiates Visual Short-Term Memory and Sustained Attention Activities.

Background: Visual short-term memory (VSTM) and attention were found to modulate neural activity predominantly in a superior parietal lobule. This is thought to be the selective attention importance for encoding and manipulation in VSTM. The major area of investigation mainly rested with the differences in the neural substrates and networks mediating these cognitive processes in near and far cortical structures. Summary: Based on previous investigations, the dynamic temporal window route of attention and time locked associated cognitive processes and sub-processes are sketched and its implication in VSTM study is discussed. Imaging cortical structures to isolate closely linked cognitive tasks require circumscribing to certain time-windows in which the paradigm should support to tap time-locked associated processes and sub-processes. Key Messages: The neural activities in intraparietal sulcus area 1-2 and angular gyrus during VSTM encoding are beyond the modulatory effects of selective and sustained attention.

Evidence-based practice and its associated factors among medical laboratory professionals in West Amhara hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare and clinical laboratory practices are constantly evolving, leading a need for evidence-based practice (EBP) among all laboratory professionals. However, EBP among laboratory professionals has not yet been studied in Ethiopia. AIMS: This study aimed to determine EBP and associated factors among medical laboratory professionals in West Amhara hospitals, Northwest Ethiopia. METHODS: An analytic and descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in West Amhara hospitals from February to March 2014. Data were collected using a pretested, structured self-administered questionnaire. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were performed to identify factors associated with evidence-based laboratory practice. Odds ratios with 95% confidence interval (CI) were computed and the level of significance determined. RESULTS: A total of 169 respondents completed the questionnaire (response rate 95.4%), 40.8% (n = 69) of whom had a good level of EBP. Knowledge about EBP [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 2.22, 95% CI: 1.10-4.49], internet access (AOR = 2.43, 95% CI: 1.12-5.29), adoption EBP (AOR = 2.79, 95% CI: 1.41-5.52) and being single in marital status (AOR = 2.21, 95% CI: 1.08-4.51) were factors associated with EBP in multivariable logistic regression after controlling the effects of the confounding variables. CONCLUSION: EBP among laboratory professionals was found to be low. Having good knowledge towards EBP, organizational adoption of EBP, having internet access in their organization and being single in marital status were factors associated with EBP.

Knowledge and perception towards net care and repair practice in Ethiopia.

BACKGROUND: Long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) are a key malaria control intervention. Although LLINs are presumed to be effective for 3 years under field or programmatic conditions, net care and repair approaches by users influence the physical and chemical durability. Understanding how knowledge, perception and practices influence net care and repair practices could guide the development of targeted behavioural change communication interventions related to net care and repair in Ethiopia and elsewhere. METHODS: This population-based, household survey was conducted in four regions of Ethiopia [Amhara, Oromia, Tigray, Southern Nations Nationalities Peoples Region (SNNPR)] in June 2015. A total of 1839 households were selected using multi-stage sampling procedures. The household respondents were the heads of households. A questionnaire was administered and the data were captured electronically. STATA software version 12 was used to analyse the data. Survey commands were used to account for the multi-stage sampling approach. Household descriptive statistics related to characteristics and levels of knowledge and perception on net care and repair are presented. Ordinal logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with net care and repair perceptions. RESULTS: Less than a quarter of the respondents (22.3%: 95% CI 20.4-24.3%) reported adequate knowledge of net care and repair; 24.6% (95% CI 22.7-26.5%) of the respondents reported receiving information on net care and repair in the previous 6 months. Thirty-five per cent of the respondents (35.1%: 95% CI 32.9-37.4%) reported positive perceptions towards net care and repair. Respondents with adequate knowledge on net care and repair (AOR 1.58: 95% CI 1.2-2.02), and those who discussed net care and repair with their family (AOR 1.47: 95% CI 1.14-1.89) had higher odds of having positive perceptions towards net care and repair. CONCLUSIONS: The low level of reported knowledge on net care and repair, as well as the low level of reported positive perception towards net repair need to be addressed. Targeted behavioural change communication campaigns could be used to target specific groups; increased net care and repair would lead to longer lasting nets.

Prevalence of Pterygium in a Rural Community of District; Southern Ethiopia

Background: Pterygium is principally prevalent in tropical Africa. Though Ethiopia is located in the tropics; the prevalence of pterygium has not been well studied previously. Aim: To determine the prevalence of pterygium among people older than 20 years and its association with age; sex; smoking and exposure to ultraviolet light (UVL) in Meskan District of Gurage zone; Southern Ethiopia. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from March 15 to May 15; 2006. Two peasant associations (PA) were randomly selected from the total of 42 in the district. Based on the sampling fraction; every third household in the selected peasant associations was included in the study. All individuals above 20 years of age in the selected households were interviewed and examined for the presence of pterygium. Measurements of pterygium were made with ruler. Visual acuity was taken for those individuals with pterygium and checked with pinhole if found to be less than 6/18. Results: A total of 922 individuals; 400 (43.4) males and 522 (56.6) females; were involved in the study. The mean age was 38.2 ranging from 21-95 years. Pterygium was found in 81 (8.8; 95CI: 7.0;10.6) of the study subjects. For those individuals whose age was above 40 years; the prevalence was found to be 17.4indicating an increased risk with age (p0.001). It also occurred among 50 (12.5) males and 31 (5.9) females and the difference was statistically significant (p0.001). Males have about twice the risk of developing pterygium compared to females. Conclusion: The prevalence of pterygium obtained (8.8) from this study was relatively low compared to many other reports from tropical areas. However; in agreement with other reports; advancing age and males have been identified as risk factors for the development of pterygium. Pterygium was associated with visual impairment in 13.1of cases