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Problem Irrigated agriculture exposes rural people to health risks associated with vector-borne diseases and pesticides used in agriculture and for public health protection. Most developing countries lack collaboration between the agricultural and health sectors to jointly address these problems. Approach We present an evaluation of a project that uses the "farmer field school" method to teach farmers how to manage vector-borne diseases and how to improve rice yields. Teaching farmers about these two concepts together is known as "integrated pest and vector management". Local setting An intersectoral project targeting rice irrigation systems in Sri Lanka. Relevant changes Project partners developed a new curriculum for the field school that included a component on vector-borne diseases. Rice farmers in intervention villages who graduated from the field school took vector-control actions as well as improving environmental sanitation and their personal protection measures against disease transmission. They also reduced their use of agricultural pesticides, especially insecticides. Lessons learned The intervention motivated and enabled rural people to take part in vector-management activities and to reduce several environmental health risks. There is scope for expanding the curriculum to include information on the harmful effects of pesticides on human health and to address other public health concerns. Benefits of this approach for community-based health programmes have not yet been optimally assessed. Also, the institutional basis of the integrated management approach needs to be broadened so that people from a wider range of organizations take part. A monitoring and evaluation system needs to be established to measure the performance of integrated management initiatives. Problematique L&apos;agriculture irriguee expose la population rurale aux risques sanitaires lies aux maladies a transmission vectorielle et aux pesticides utilises en agriculture et en sante publique pour proteger les populations. Dans la plupart des pays en developpement, la collaboration entre les secteurs agricole et sanitaire est insuffisante pour faire face a ces problemes. Demarche Nous presentons l&apos;evaluation d&apos;un projet utilisant des stages pratiques pour agriculteurs en vue d&apos;enseigner aux exploitants agricoles comment gerer les maladies a transmission vectorielle et ameliorer les rendements en riz. L&apos;enseignement apporte aux agriculteurs sur ces deux pratiques est appele <>. Contexte local Un projet intersectoriel concernant les systemes d&apos;irrigation des rizieres au Sri Lanka. Modifications pertinentes Les partenaires au projet ont mis au point un nouveau programme d&apos;enseignement pour la formation pratique des agriculteurs, qui integre une composante sur les maladies a transmission vectorielle. Des cultivateurs de riz habitant des villages concernes par l&apos;intervention et ayant suivi avec succes cette formation ont pris des actions pour lutter contre les vecteurs, ainsi que des mesures d&apos;assainissement et de protection individuelle pour empecher la transmission des maladies, lls ont aussi reduit leur consommation de pesticides agricoles, en particulier d&apos;insecticides. Enseignements tires L&apos;intervention a incite des ruraux a prendre part aux activites de gestion vectorielle et a reduire plusieurs risques menacant l&apos;hygiene de l&apos;environnement. Elle leur a egalement apporte les moyens de le faire. Il est possible d&apos;elargir le programme d&apos;enseignement pour y introduire des informations sur les effets prejudiciables des pesticides sur la sante humaine et pour repondre aux preoccupations de sante publique. Les benefices de cette approche pour les programmes sanitaires communautaires n&apos;ont pas ete evalues au mieux. Il convient aussi d&apos;elargir la base institutionnelle de la demarche de gestion integree afin qu&apos;une gamme plus etendue d&apos;organisations puissent y prendre part. Il faut egalement mettre en place un systeme de surveillance et d&apos;evaluation pour mesurer les resultats des initiatives relevant de la gestion integree. Problema La agricultura de regadio expone a la poblacion rural a riesgos sanitarios asociados a las enfermedades de transmisi6n vectorial y a Ios plaguicidas utilizados en la agricultura y para proteger la salud publica. En la mayoria de Ios paises en desarrollo se da una falta de colaboracion entre Ios sectores agricola y sanitario para abordar conjuntamente estos problemas. Metodos Presentamos una evaluacion de un proyecto que utiliza el metodo de la <> para ensenar a Ios campesinos la manera de controlar las enfermedades de transmision vectorial y mejorar la produccion de arroz. El adiestramiento simultaneo de Ios agricultores en esos dos ambitos es Io que se conoce como <>. Contexte local Un proyecto intersectorial centrado en Ios sistemas de riego de plantaciones de arroz en Sri Lanka. Cambios destacables Los asociados del proyecto desarrollaron un nuevo programa de estudios para la escuela de campo que incluia un componente de control de las enfermedades de transmision vectorial. Los cultivadores de arroz de las aldeas de intervencion salidos de la escuela de campo tomaron medidas de lucha antivectorial y de mejora tanto del saneamiento ambiental como de su proteccion personal contra la transmision de enfermedades. Adema&apos;s redujeron su utilizacion de plaguicidas agricolas, especialmente de insecticidas. Ensenanzas extraidas La intervencion rnotivo a la poblacion rural y le permitio participar en las actividades de control de Ios vectores y reducir varios riesgos para la salud ambiental. Es posible ampliar el programa de estudios para incluir informacion sobre Ios efectos perjudiciales de Ios plaguicidas en la salud humana y abordar otros aspectos preocupantes para la salud publica. Los beneficios de este enfoque para los programas de salud comunitarios todavia no se han evaluado de manera optima. Ademas, es necesario ampliar la base institucional del control integrado para que puedan participar personas de una mas amplia variedad de organizaciones, y hay que establecer un sistema de seguimiento y evaluacion para medir el desempeno de las iniciativas de control integrado., Background and context Malaria and other vector-borne diseases are a major public health problem in WHO's South-East Asia Region. (1) In the wake of increasing resistance to both drugs and [...]

Abstract Background Pools of salt water and puddles created by giant waves from the sea due to the tsunami that occurred on 26th December 2004 would facilitate increased breeding of brackish water malaria vector, Anopheles sundaicus. Land uplifts in North Andaman and subsidence in South Andaman have been reported and subsidence may lead to environmental disturbances and vector proliferation. This warrants a situation analysis and vector surveillance in the tsunami hit areas endemic for malaria transmitted by brackish water mosquito, An. sundaicus to predict the risk of outbreak. Methods An extensive survey was carried out in the tsunami-affected areas in Andaman district of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India to assess the extent of breeding of malaria vectors in the habitats created by seawater flooding. Types of habitats in relation to source of seawater inundation and frequency were identified. The salinity of the water samples and the mosquito species present in the larval samples collected from these habitats were recorded. The malaria situation in the area was also analysed. Results South Andaman, covering Port Blair and Ferrargunj sub districts, is still under the recurring phenomenon of seawater intrusion either directly from the sea or through a network of creeks. Both daily cycles of high tides and periodical spring tides continue to cause flooding. Low-lying paddy fields and fallow land, with a salinity ranging from 3,000 to 42,505 ppm, were found to support profuse breeding of An. sundaicus, the local malaria vector, and Anopheles subpictus, a vector implicated elsewhere. This area is endemic for both vivax and falciparum malaria. Malaria slide positivity rate has started increasing during post-tsunami period, which can be considered as an indication of risk of malaria outbreak. Conclusion Paddy fields and fallow land with freshwater, hitherto not considered as potential sites for An. sundaicus, are now major breeding sites due to saline water. Consequently, there is a risk of vector abundance with enhanced malaria transmission potential, due to the vastness of these tsunami-created breeding grounds and likelihood of them becoming permanent due to continued flooding in view of land subsidence. The close proximity of the houses and paucity of cattle may lead to a higher degree of man/vector contact causing a threat of malaria outbreak in this densely populated area. Measures to prevent the possible outbreak of malaria in this tsunami-affected area are discussed.

Ureas and thioureas, otherwise known as carbamides and thiocarbamides, respectively, are rich sources of nitrogen. Urea has a wide range of applications in agriculture, the chemical industry, and automobile systems, and is an important chemical in medical uses. Thiourea, an organosulfur compound, has long been known as an important reagent in organic synthesis, and has been employed in textile processing, used as a source of sulphides, and acts as a precursor in the synthesis of several heterocyclic compounds. The exceptional ligating properties of these compounds enable them to form a large number of complex compounds with transition metals, a vast majority of which find abundant applications in potential areas. This has stimulated researchers to explore novel applications of the synthesized ligands and the metal complexes thereof. This review presents a report of the studies on the biological activities, sensor properties, opical nonlinear properties, corrosion inhibitior potential, and catalytic activities of these compounds and their metal complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel series of Schiff base metal complexes of the type [M(L)2].nH2O, where L= 2-(α-methylsalicylidenehydrazino) benzimidazole (L1), 2-(α-phenylsalicylidenehydrazino)benzimidazole (L2), 2-(o-vanillinidenehydrazino)benzimidazole (L3), M = Cu(II), Co(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II), have been synthesized and characterized. The results are in consistent with tridentate chelation of ligand with azomethine nitrogen, ring nitrogen and a deprotonated phenolic oxygen atom. All these compounds have been screened for their antibacterial activities against B. subtilis, B. stearothermophilus, E. coli and S. typhi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: At the early stages of carcinogenesis, the induction of tumor specific T cell mediated immunity seems to block the tumor growth and give protective anti-tumor immune response. However, tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) might play an immunosuppressive role and subvert this anti tumor immunity leading to tumor progression and metastasis. Methodology/Principal Findings: The Cu (II) complex, (chelate), copper N-(2-hydroxy acetophenone) glycinate (CuNG), synthesized by us, has previously been shown to have a potential usefulness in immunotherapy of multiple drug resistant cancers. The current study demonstrates that CuNG treatment of TAMs modulates their status from immunosuppressive to proimmunogenic nature. Interestingly, these activated TAMs produced high levels of IL-12 along with low levels of IL-10 that not only allowed strong Th1 response marked by generation of high levels of IFN-γbut also reduced activation induced T cell death. Similarly, CuNG treatment of peripheral blood monocytes from chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy refractory cancer patients also modulated their cytokine status. Most intriguingly, CuNG treated TAMs could influence reprogramming of TGF-β producing CD4+CD25+ T cells toward IFN-γ producing T cells. Conclusion/Significance: Our results show the potential usefulness of CuNG in immunotherapy of drug-resistant cancers through reprogramming of TAMs that in turn reprogram the T cells and reeducate the T helper function to elicit proper antitumorogenic Th1 response leading to effective reduction in tumor growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pools of salt water and puddles created by giant waves from the sea due to the tsunami that occurred on 26th December 2004 would facilitate increased breeding of brackish water malaria vector, Anopheles sundaicus. Land uplifts in North Andaman and subsidence in South Andaman have been reported and subsidence may lead to environmental disturbances and vector proliferation. This warrants a situation analysis and vector surveillance in the tsunami hit areas endemic for malaria transmitted by brackish water mosquito, An. sundaicus to predict the risk of outbreak. Methods: An extensive survey was carried out in the tsunami-affected areas in Andaman district of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India to assess the extent of breeding of malaria vectors in the habitats created by seawater flooding. Types of habitats in relation to source of seawater inundation and frequency were identified. The salinity of the water samples and the mosquito species present in the larval samples collected from these habitats were recorded. The malaria situation in the area was also analysed. Results: South Andaman, covering Port Blair and Ferrargunj sub districts, is still under the recurring phenomenon of seawater intrusion either directly from the sea or through a network of creeks. Both daily cycles of high tides and periodical spring tides continue to cause flooding. Low-lying paddy fields and fallow land, with a salinity ranging from 3,000 to 42,505 ppm, were found to support profuse breeding of An. sundaicus, the local malaria vector, and Anopheles subpictus, a vector implicated elsewhere. This area is endemic for both vivax and falciparum malaria. Malaria slide positivity rate has started increasing during post-tsunami period, which can be considered as an indication of risk of malaria outbreak. Conclusion: Paddy fields and fallow land with freshwater, hitherto not considered as potential sites for An. sundaicus, are now major breeding sites due to saline water. Consequently, there is a risk of vector abundance with enhanced malaria transmission potential, due to the vastness of these tsunami-created breeding grounds and likelihood of them becoming permanent due to continued flooding in view of land subsidence. The close proximity of the houses and paucity of cattle may lead to a higher degree of man/vector contact causing a threat of malaria outbreak in this densely populated area. Measures to prevent the possible outbreak of malaria in this tsunami-affected area are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To evaluate the prevalence and correlates of concurrent uterine cervical and anal HR-HPV infections in women living with HIV (WLHIV)., Setting: A cross-sectional study was undertaken at a tertiary care hospital and linked ART center., Methods: One hundred and forty-one WLHIV and 161 HIV-negative women were enrolled for cervical and anal cytology as well as HR-HPV testing using the HC2 method. Screen-positive women were followed-up with colposcopy/anoscopy and/or repeat cytology. Appropriate statistical tests were applied to assess the association of concurrent HR-HPV with various parameters., Results: Concurrent cervical and anal HR-HPV infection was detected in 22 WLHIV (16.3%) and 5 HIV-negative women (3.1%), the difference being statistically significant ( P &lt; 0.001 ). Among WLHIV, concurrent HR-HPV was associated with tobacco use ( P &lt; 0.001 ), receptive anal intercourse ( P = 0.02 ), low CD4 counts ( P = 0.001 ), and negatively with ART intake ( P = 0.004 ) on bivariate analysis. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed a positive association of concurrent HR-HPV positivity with tobacco use ( P = 0.02 ) and low nadir CD4 counts ( P = 0.03 )., Conclusions: WLHIV, especially those with CD4 counts less than 200/µL, should be offered HR-HPV screening and follow-up to detect cervical and anal lesions., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)