Resistance of Anopheles stephensi to selected insecticides used for indoor residual spraying and long-lasting insecticidal nets in Ethiopia.

Background: Malaria, transmitted by the bite of infective female Anopheles mosquitoes, remains a global public health problem. The presence of invasive Anopheles stephensi, capable of transmitting Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum, was first reported in Ethiopia in 2016. The ecology of this mosquito species differs from that of Anopheles arabiensis, the primary malaria vector in Ethiopia.

Laboratory-based efficacy evaluation of Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis and temephos larvicides against larvae of Anopheles stephensi in ethiopia.

Background: Malaria, transmitted by the bite of infective female Anopheles mosquitoes, remains a global public health problem. The presence of an invasive Anopheles stephensi, capable of transmitting Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum parasites was first reported in Ethiopia in 2016. The ecology of An.

Household food insecurity and coping strategies among rural households in Kedida Gamela District, Kembata-Tembaro zone, Southern Ethiopia: mixed-methods concurrent triangulation design.

Background: Household food insecurity is a state in which household members experienced limited or uncertain physical and economic access to safe, plenty, and healthy food to meet the dietary needs for a fruitful, healthy, and active life. Food insecurity continues to be a major development and public health problem across the globe, having adverse consequences. This study was done to assess household food insecurity and to explore coping strategies in Kedida Gamela District, Southern Ethiopia.

Detection and population genetic analysis of kdr L1014F variant in eastern Ethiopian Anopheles stephensi.

Anopheles stephensi is a malaria vector that has been recently introduced into East Africa, where it threatens to increase malaria disease burden. The use of insecticides, especially pyrethroids, is still one of the primary malaria vector control strategies worldwide. The knockdown resistance (kdr) mutation in the IIS6 transmembrane segment of the voltage-gated sodium channel (vgsc) is one of the main molecular mechanisms of pyrethroid resistance in Anopheles.

Magnitude of infertility and associated factors among women attending selected public hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study.

Introduction: The World Health Organization estimated that approximately 48 million couples and 186 million people are infertile worldwide. Although the problem of infertility is increasing worldwide, as well as in Ethiopia, there are limited studies done. Therefore, this study aims to determine the magnitude of infertility and the major risk factors in three governmental hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Genetic diversity of Anopheles stephensi in Ethiopia provides insight into patterns of spread.

Background: The recent detection of the South Asian malaria vector Anopheles stephensi in the Horn of Africa (HOA) raises concerns about the impact of this mosquito on malaria transmission in the region. Analysis of An. stephensi genetic diversity and population structure can provide insight into the history of the mosquito in the HOA to improve predictions of future spread.

Determination of the discriminating concentration of chlorfenapyr (pyrrole) and Anopheles gambiae sensu lato susceptibility testing in preparation for distribution of Interceptor® G2 insecticide-treated nets.

Background: Following agricultural use and large-scale distribution of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), malaria vector resistance to pyrethroids is widespread in sub-Saharan Africa. Interceptor® G2 is a new dual active ingredient (AI) ITN treated with alpha-cypermethrin and chlorfenapyr for the control of pyrethroid-resistant malaria vectors. In anticipation of these new nets being more widely distributed, testing was conducted to develop a chlorfenapyr susceptibility bioassay protocol and gather susceptibility information.

An update on the distribution, bionomics, and insecticide susceptibility of Anopheles stephensi in Ethiopia, 2018-2020.

Background: Anopheles stephensi, an invasive malaria vector, was first detected in Africa nearly 10 years ago. After the initial finding in Djibouti, it has subsequently been found in Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia. To better inform policies and vector control decisions, it is important to understand the distribution, bionomics, insecticide susceptibility, and transmission potential of An.

Malaria in migrant agricultural workers in western Ethiopia: entomological assessment of malaria transmission risk.

Background: Ethiopia has made great strides in malaria control over the last two decades. However, this progress has not been uniform and one concern has been reported high rates of malaria transmission in large agricultural development areas in western Ethiopia. Improved vector control is one way this transmission might be addressed, but little is known about malaria vectors in this part of the country.

Anopheles stephensi Mosquitoes as Vectors of Plasmodium vivax and falciparum, Horn of Africa, 2019.

Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes, efficient vectors in parts of Asia and Africa, were found in 75.3% of water sources surveyed and contributed to 80.9% of wild-caught Anopheles mosquitoes in Awash Sebat Kilo, Ethiopia.

Infection in Dogs and Humans in Bishoftu Town, Ethiopia.

Dogs are reservoirs of many zoonotic diseases. In Ethiopia, the majority of owned dogs are semi-stray, freely roaming in the community. Studies reporting dog borne zoonotic diseases are scarce in Ethiopia.

Geographical distribution of Anopheles stephensi in eastern Ethiopia.

Background: The recent detection of the South Asian malaria vector Anopheles stephensi in Ethiopia and other regions in the Horn of Africa has raised concerns about its potential impact on malaria transmission. We report here the findings of a survey for this species in eastern Ethiopia using both morphological and molecular methods for species identification.

Methods: Adult and larval/pupal collections were conducted at ten sites in eastern Ethiopia and Anopheles specimens were identified using standard morphological keys and genetic analysis.

Susceptibility testing of Anopheles malaria vectors with the neonicotinoid insecticide clothianidin; results from 16 African countries, in preparation for indoor residual spraying with new insecticide formulations.

Background: In 2017, more than 5 million house structures were sprayed through the U.S. President's Malaria Initiative, protecting more than 21 million people in sub-Saharan Africa.

Determinant factors of home delivery among women in Northern Ethiopia: a case control study.

Background: Maternal mortality remains a major challenge to health systems worldwide. Although most pregnancies and births are uneventful, approximately 15% of all pregnant women develop potentially life-threatening complications. Home delivery in this context can be acutely threatening, particularly in developing countries where emergency care and transportation are less available.

Prevalence and predictors of sexual violence among commercial sex workers in Northern Ethiopia.

Background: Gender-based violence is a natural outgrowth of the stigma and discrimination experienced by commercial sex workers (CSWs) across the globe. In light of this, the current study aimed to describe the prevalence and character of sexual violence, as well as any risk factors for violence, experienced by CSWs in Mekelle City, Northern Ethiopia.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Mekelle City in April 2013.

The effect of freeze-drying parameters and formulation composition on IgG stability during drying.

The objective of this study was to explore the effects of freeze-drying parameters and formulation composition on polyclonal IgG stability during processing. Samples were freeze-dried with different primary drying pressures and secondary drying heating rates. After drying, changes in IgG in vitro binding activity, monomer recovery, average particle size, and polydispersity were studied from the rehydrated lyophilizates.

In vitro and in vivo entrapment of bupivacaine by lipid dispersions.

Intravenous lipid emulsion is recommended as treatment for local anesthetic intoxication based on the hypothesis that the lipophilic drug is entrapped by the lipid phase created in plasma. We compared a 15.6 mM 80/20 mol% phosphatidyl choline (PC)/phosphatidyl glycerol (PG)-based liposome dispersion with the commercially available Intralipid® emulsion in a pig model of local anesthetic intoxication.

Conformational changes of apoB-100 in SMase-modified LDL mediate formation of large aggregates at acidic pH.

During atherogenesis, the extracellular pH of atherosclerotic lesions decreases. Here, we examined the effect of low, but physiologically plausible pH on aggregation of modified LDL, one of the key processes in atherogenesis. LDL was treated with SMase, and aggregation of the SMase-treated LDL was followed at pH 5.

Polyethylene glycol-stabilized lipid disks as model membranes in interaction studies based on electrokinetic capillary chromatography and quartz crystal microbalance.

Distearoylphosphatidylcholine (DSPC)/cholesterol/distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DSPE)-polyethylene glycol 5000 [PEG(5000)] lipid disks, mimicking biological membranes, were used as pseudostationary phase in partial filling electrokinetic capillary chromatography (EKC) to study interactions between pharmaceuticals and lipid disks. Capillaries were coated either noncovalently with a poly(1-vinylpyrrolidone)-based copolymer or covalently with polyacrylamide to mask the negative charges of the fused-silica capillary wall and to minimize interactions between positively charged pharmaceuticals and capillary wall. Although the noncovalent copolymer coating method was faster, better stability of the covalent polyacrylamide coating at physiological pH 7.

Asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation technique for separation and characterization of biopolymers and bioparticles.

Field-flow fractionation (FFF) is one of the most versatile separation techniques in the field of analytical separation sciences, capable of separating macromolecules in the range 10³-10¹⁵ g mol⁻¹ and/or particles with 1 nm-100 μm in diameter. The most universal and most frequently used FFF technique, flow FFF, includes three types of techniques, namely symmetrical flow FFF, hollow fiber flow FFF, and asymmetrical flow FFF which is most established variant among them. This review provides a brief look at the theoretical background of analyte retention and separation efficiency in FFF, followed by a comprehensive overview of the current status of asymmetrical flow FFF with selected applications in the field of biopolymers and bioparticles.

Thermal aggregation of bovine serum albumin studied by asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation.

The use of asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AsFlFFF) in the study of heat-induced aggregation of proteins is demonstrated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model analyte. The hydrodynamic diameter (d(h)), the molar mass of heat-induced aggregates, and the radius of gyration (R(g)) were calculated in order to get more detailed understanding of the conformational changes of BSA upon heating. The hydrodynamic diameter of native BSA at ambient temperature was approximately 7 nm.

Interaction of phospholipid transfer protein with human tear fluid mucins.

In addition to circulation, where it transfers phospholipids between lipoprotein particles, phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) was also identified as a component of normal tear fluid. The purpose of this study was to clarify the secretion route of tear fluid PLTP and elucidate possible interactions between PLTP and other tear fluid proteins. Human lacrimal gland samples were stained with monoclonal antibodies against PLTP.

Sugar treatment of human lipoprotein particles and their separation by capillary electrophoresis.

Entrapment of lipoprotein particles in the extracellular matrix of the arterial intima is a characteristic feature of the development of atherosclerosis, the disease behind myocardial infarction and stroke. In this study, sugars were exploited in the separation of lipoproteins by CE. Monosaccharides, disaccharides and one sugar alcohol used during ultracentrifugal isolation of lipoproteins prevented the strong and unfavorable adsorption of lipoprotein particles on the capillary wall, allowing their selective separation in uncoated fused silica capillary.