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The COVID-19 pandemic has created a serious impact on the human health and livestock sector. This study assessed the impact of COVID-19 associated lockdowns on animal health services delivery including vaccination, coping practices and financial loss to livestock farmers in Karnataka. A cross-sectional survey among 170 livestock farmers and 24 field veterinarians working in the study jurisdiction were interviewed using a structured schedule questionnaire. A significant decline in the number of hospital cases attended by veterinarians with a major decline in pets (54.9%) followed by goats (35.3%) and sheep (29%) was observed during lockdown. The contact of veterinarian for advices by the farmers through WhatsApp and phone calls increased and  farmers visit to veterinary hospitals decreased considerably. The applications for welfare schemes that supports livestock farmers were not processed during lockdown. The vaccine administration against Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), Enterotoxaemia (ET) and Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (HS) per veterinarian declined in sheep and goats whereas, targeted vaccination against FMD in cattle was achieved. During lockdown, increased mortality of small (75.2%) and large ruminants (14.3%) with a overall increase of 84.8% in the financial loss (112$ per farm) was observed. The COVID-19 and associated lockdown affected the livestock farmers in multiple dimensions. Hence, to cope with the lockdown effects, it is recommended to engage trained personals and Non- Governmental Organisation (NGO’s) associated with animal welfare services to provide uninterrupted veterinary services to the farmers.

In India, among various diseases that limit livestock production, Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) stands first and affects thousands of animals every year. The estimation of loss due to FMD is of paramount importance for designing appropriate control plans. The economic impact studies on various livestock diseases including FMD are very minimal and hence this study assessed the economic loss due to FMD in cattle and buffaloes in few states and overall loss in the country. The total loss estimated comprise of milk yield reduction, unavailability of draught power, distress sale, treatment cost, mortality and opportunity cost of labour based on primary survey undertaken in 10 states and one Union territory. The results revealed that there was variation in loss levels between species and among the study states due to variation in disease incidence and severity levels, productive capacity of the animals, animal health infrastructure in the respective states, etc. The total estimated loss due to FMD in cattle and buffalo was INR 20,897 crore during 2013-14 with wide variation in magnitude across the states studied. The study provided empirical evidence of loss due to FMD in cattle and buffaloes in few states and overall loss in the country.

The steadily increasing concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) gas in the atmosphere is a significant environmental problem in modern society. Henceforth, there is triggering interest in the new technological solutions for CO2 monitoring. This work reports the fabrication of a novel, low cost, chemiresistive carbon dioxide sensor based on the PVA/[EMIM][SCN] based ionogel membrane. Here, the lightweight transparent ionogel membrane with enhanced ionic conductivity is acted as the electrically conductive region of the sensor. The response rate of the CO2 sensor was monitored in terms of direct as well as alternating current resistance using a high-precision multimeter and an impedance spectroscopy, respectively. The CO2 desorption kinetics were also studied to check the reliability of the sensor using the conductometric approach. The selectivity of the sensor for CO2 gas was well evidently quantified by comparing the response rate of the sensor with both CO2 and N2 gases. The optical microscopic images were periodically taken before and after CO2 exposure in conjunction with the conductivity data revealed the physisorption mechanism of the sensor. The upshots presented herein will promote the development of an organic CO2 gas sensor, which will be worthwhile for numerous industrial and practical applications and for air quality control in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temperature dependent electrical properties of graphene oxide prepared by the modified Hummers method are investigated using broadband dielectric spectroscopy. The morphology and structure are confirmed by X-ray diffraction pattern and scanning electron microscope images. In the present work, we have studied the electrical properties of graphene oxide employing a recently proposed novel approach of the combined conduction and dielectric Cole-Cole formalism. The extracted dc conductivity values varies from 1.9 × 10−8 to 3.5 × 10− 5 S cm−1 as a function of temperature (153-353 K), show power-law behaviour, which is explained through Mott’s variable range hopping conduction mechanism. The density of states was found to be 6.02 × 1018 cm−3 eV−1. The conduction relaxation timescales and dielectric relaxation timescales of GO are following the power law. The physical origin of the non-Arrhenius dc conductivity behaviour of charge carriers is explained through structural heterogeneity in graphene oxide introduced due to sp2 and sp3 hybridization of carbon atoms. The range of hop was calculated to be 4.7-3.8 nm with hopping energy changing from 0.37 to 0.69 eV as a function of temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this present work, Li2FeZrO4 has been synthesized by hydrothermal method. The material is characterized using XRD, TGA, FTIR, UV–Vis, VSM and impedance spectroscopy. The powder XRD patterns of Li2FeZrO4 sintered at 800 °C shows that these crystallites are stable in room temperature with tetragonal structure of space group p141 and the average crystallites size is found to be 38 nm. Due to its structural stability, ac electrical properties in terms of complex Impedance Z*(ω), complex permittivity ε*(ω), complex conductivity σ*(ω) and complex electric modulus M*(ω) of the sample have been evaluated as a function of frequency at different temperatures. The shape of the impedance spectra reveals the non-Debye nature of the relaxation processes of the present material. The relaxation process consists of two different polarization processes i.e., hopping charge polarization (“pinned dipole”) and dielectric dipolar like polarization (“free dipole”) mechanism. The dc conductivity activation energy Eσ has been calculated for the material along with the activation energy for hopping conduction and dielectric relaxation. Magnetic properties have been investigated by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) for the sample at various temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animal disease surveillance encompasses systematic collection of long-term data on disease events, risk factors and other relevant parameters followed by analyzing the same with reference to temporal and spatial characteristics to arrive at a conclusion so that necessary preventive measures can be taken. In India, the animal disease surveillance is done through National Animal Disease Reporting System, which is a web-based information technology system for disease reporting from States and Union Territories with the aim to record, monitor livestock disease situation and to initiate the preventive and curative action in a swift manner during disease emergencies. National Animal Disease Referral Expert System is a dynamic geographic information system and remote sensing-enabled expert system that captures an incidence of 13 economically important livestock diseases from all over the country and also provides livestock disease forecasting. The laboratories under State and Central governments, several research institutes under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research and veterinary colleges are involved in livestock disease diagnosis including zoonotic diseases. An integrated surveillance system is necessary for early detection of emerging/zoonotic diseases in humans. This review provides information on disease reporting and surveillance systems in animal health sector and the need for One Health approach to improve and strengthen the zoonotic disease surveillance system in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Ce1 − x Sr x O2 − δ (x =0.05–0.2) were synthesized by citrate-complexation method. [•] Pure solid solution was found for x =0.05 unlike other compositions. [•] Raman spectra confirms the existence SrCeO3 secondary phase for x >0.05. [•] Conductivity decreases with increase in x for Ce1 − x Sr x O2 − δ (x =0.05–0.2). [•] Sr-doped ceria here showed higher conductivity when compared to rare-earth doped ceria. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Gd doped CeO2 was successfully synthesized by carbonate co-precipitation method. [•] Lattice parameters and unit cell volume increases with increase in Gd concentration. [•] The optical absorption spectra of GDC20 exhibits a red shift when compare to pure CeO2. [•] Total conductivity of GDC10 and GDC20 is almost same between 473K and 623K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to maintain the polio eradication status, it has become evident that the surveillance of cases with acute flaccid paralysis and of environmental samples must be urgently supplemented with the surveillance of poliovirus excretions among individuals with inborn errors of immunity (IEI). All children with IEI were screened for the excretion of poliovirus during a collaborative study conducted by the ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Mumbai Unit, ICMR-National Institute of Immunohaematology, and World Health Organization, India. A seven-month -old male baby who presented with persistent pneumonia and lymphopenia was found to have severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) due to a missense variant in the RAG1 gene. He had received OPV at birth and at 20 weeks. Four stool samples collected at 4 weekly intervals yielded iVDPV type 1. The child's father, an asymptomatic 32-year-old male, was also found to be excreting iVDPV. A haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplant was performed, but the child succumbed due to severe myocarditis and pneumonia three weeks later. We report a rare case of transmission of iVDPV from an individual with IEI to a healthy household contact, demonstrating the threat of the spread of iVDPV from persons with IEI and the necessity to develop effective antivirals.

Choosing suitable wound dressings is crucial for effective wound healing. Spun scaffolds with bioactive molecule functionalization are gaining attention as a promising approach to expedite tissue repair and regeneration. Here, we present the synthesis of novel multifunctional quercetin with morpholine and pyridine functional motifs (QFM) embedded in silk fibroin (SF)-spun fibers (SF-QFM) for preclinical skin repair therapies. The verification of the novel QFM structural arrangement was characterized using ATR-FTIR, NMR, and ESI-MS spectroscopy analysis. Extensive characterization of the spun SF-QFM fibrous mats revealed their excellent antibacterial and antioxidant properties, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and remarkable mechanical and controlled drug release capabilities. SF-QFM mats were studied for drug release in pH 7.4 PBS over 72 h. The QFM-controlled release is mainly driven by diffusion and follows Fickian's law. Significant QFM release (40%) occurred within the first 6 h, with a total release of 79% at the end of 72 h, which is considered beneficial in effectively reducing bacterial load and helping expedite the healing process. Interestingly, the SF-QFM-spun mat demonstrated significantly improved NIH 3T3 cell proliferation and migration compared to the pure SF mat, as evidenced by the complete migration of NIH 3T3 cells within 24 h in the scratch assay. Furthermore, the in vivo outcome of SF-QFM was demonstrated by the regeneration of fresh fibroblasts and the realignment of collagen fibers deposition at 9 days post-operation in a preclinical rat full-thickness skin defect model. Our findings collectively indicate that the SF-QFM electrospun nanofiber scaffolds hold significant capability as a cost-effective and efficient bioactive spun architecture for use in wound healing applications.

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) presents economic challenges in enzootic countries impacting small ruminant productivity. The state of Karnataka, India, implemented a mass vaccination campaign in alignment with the PPR-Global Eradication Programme (GEP) and the National Strategic Plan for PPR eradication. This study was conducted from January to March 2023 to assess seroconversion in post-vaccinated goats and sheep at the epidemiological unit (epi-unit) level, aligning with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) guidelines in the PPR Global Control and Eradication Strategy (GCES). Before vaccination, 3466 random serum samples were collected from small ruminants of three age groups (6-12 months, 1-2 years, and >2 years) across 116 epi-units, spanning 82 taluks in 28 districts. Post-vaccination sero-monitoring included 1102 serum samples collected from small ruminants of the 6-12-month age group only, across 111 epi-units covering 64 taluks in 23 districts. The PPRV antibody status was determined using an indigenous hemagglutinin (H) protein monoclonal antibody-based competitive ELISA kit. Pre-vaccination, the PPR seropositivity rates were 55%, 62%, and 66% in the age groups of 6-12 months, 1-2 years, and >2 years, respectively, with a 61% PPRV antibody prevalence across all the age groups. Notably, 41% of the epi-units exhibited antibody prevalence rates of ≥70%, indicating a substantial population immunity, possibly attributed to the previous vaccination program in the state since 2011. In contrast, only 17% of the epi-units had below 30% seroprevalence rates, emphasizing the need for intensified vaccination. Statistical analysis of the data revealed significant correlations ( p < 0.05) between the presence of PPRV antibodies and host factors such as species, breed, and sex. Post-vaccination seroprevalence in the 6-12 months age group was found to be 73.4%, indicating the use of an efficacious vaccine. On the evaluation of vaccination immunity in the 6-12 months age group, it was revealed that over 69% of the epi-units achieved a response surpassing ≥70%, indicating a significant improvement from 42% of the epi-units in pre-vaccination. For active PPR eradication, a mass vaccination campaign (>95% coverage) targeting small ruminant populations aged >4 months is advocated, aiming to achieve the desired herd immunity of >80%. This study offers crucial insights into PPR baseline seroprevalence/immunity status and vaccine efficacy, guiding national strategies towards a PPR-free India and further supporting the global eradication initiative.