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AZD1222 (Covishield) COVID-19 vaccination response among healthy adults and chronic renal disease patients has been compared in this analysis. Compared to healthy individuals, vaccine induced immune response seems to be suboptimal after two doses of the vaccine in patients with chronic renal disease on hemodialysis. Infection following full course of vaccination can boost the vaccine induced antibody levels in both healthy individuals and patients with chronic renal disease. It is necessary to conduct comprehensive prospective research to further evaluate these conclusions made based on this preliminary data evaluation, and to find out its overall impact for future SARS-CoV-2 infection and its disease outcome.

The management of Lyctus africanus, one of the major dry wood pests in the tropical region is difficult due to its secluded habits and long lifecycle and therefore, its control measures are limited to the usage of insecticides. The insecticides particularly the metal salts are effective, but in some cases their leaching leads to concerns about environmental pollution. Nanometal particles are found to be more effective than metal salts. Presently available metal nanoparticles are synthesized using physical or chemical methods and their production results in toxic by-products and are costly. The current investigation deals with synthesis and use of metal nanoparticle for wood protection in an environmentally friendly and cost-effective way. The plant extracts that are reported to have wood preservative properties were used for the synthesis of metal nanoparticles. Copper oxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized using leaf extracts of Lantana camara. The efficacy of the synthesized Lantana camara leaf extract and copper oxide or zinc oxide nanoparticle formulation as a wood protectant was tested against Lyctus africanus as per BIS 4873 Part 2. The formulation of copper oxide nanoparticle and Lantana camara leaf extract effectively protected the treated rubberwood blocks from Lyctus africanus attack, when compared to zinc oxide nanoparticle Lantana camara leaf extract formulation and can be developed into a stable, ecofriendly wood preservative.

Wood is a natural material that presents a great variation in its structural and aesthetic properties. To extend the service life of wood and its products many treatments have been developed. Considering the negative impacts of various conventional wood preservatives, the development of economically viable new or alternative technologies with low toxicity is in progress. Nanotechnology is been portrayed as one of the solutions complimenting conventional wood preservatives due to various aspects. The main goal of this review is to present the role of nanotechnology in wood protection with different end user applications and also it covers the perks over conventional wood preservatives. Commercialization of nanoparticles in wood protection is also discussed in light of safety concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to understand the relationship between termite food preferences and the ecological benefits derived from their activity in terms of soil dynamics and water infiltration. A field study was carried out for six months with different food baits (elephant dung, Acacia leaves, twigs and leaves of Lantana camara as well as Ficus religiosa, Pterocarpus marsupium, Prosopis juliflora, Michelia champaca, Azadirachta indica and Hevea brasiliensis wood stakes) installed on the soil surface in a semi-deciduous forest in southern India. At the end of the experiment we determined bait consumption rates and the amount of soil sheetings covering the different baits. Water infiltration rates were also measured using the Beerkan method. The initial infiltration rates (i.e. average of the first three infiltration rates) under the baits were compared to those at the end of the experiment (average of the last three infiltration rates when the steady state was reached). Three termite species, Odontotermes obesus, O. feae and Microtermes obesi, were found associated with some of the baits in the study area. Among the different baits, elephant dung and Acacia leaves were the most preferred and a relationship was observed between the quantity of soil sheetings and the bait consumption rate. Termite preference for elephant dung and Acacia leaves was also associated with higher water infiltration rates. However, this difference was only significant at the beginning of the experiment and no significant difference was measured once the steady state was reached. In conclusion, we showed that resource quality was of primary importance for soil sheeting production but that the influence of termites on water infiltration remained limited, most likely because of the low stability of their tunnels in the soil.

Nanoparticles have addressed many challenges in science and technology and wood science research is one such field that has benefitted from application of metal nanoparticles. The metal nanoparticles that are commercially available for wood protection are synthesised by physical and chemical methods which produces toxic by-products and are expensive. The current study deals with a new approach for utilization of metal nanoparticle for wood protection in an ecofriendly and cost effective way. Metal nanoparticles were synthesised using plant extracts that are known to have wood preservative properties. The synergistic effects of the intrinsic property of plant extracts along with the biocidal property of metal nanoparticles were utilized. Copper oxide nanoparticles were synthesised using leaf extracts of Neem (Azadirachta indica), Pongamia (Pongamia pinnata), Lantana (Lantana camara) and extract of orange peel (Citrus reticulata). The effectiveness of the synthesised plant extract and copper oxide nanoparticle formulation is tested against wood decay fungi using agar mixed with the test substance. Graveyard test is employed to assess the effect of the copper oxide nanoparticle formulation against termites. Preliminary results are promising and studies are progressing to develop a stable and environmentally benign wood preservative formulation of metal nanoparticles and plant extracts.

Pathosystem associated with phytoplasmas in forest plants is an emerging threat to forest productivity and biodiversity. Diseases caused by or associated with phytoplasmas occur in hundreds of commercial and native plants, causing minor to extensive damage. Phytoplasmas are wall-less, phloem-limited, insecttransmitted, plant pathogenic bacteria that are transmitted by phloem-sap feeding insects of the order Hemiptera under the families such as Cicadellidae, Delphacidae, Cixiidae, Derbidae, Psyllidae and rarely by Pentatomidae and Tingidae. Disease transmission occurs very quickly, often plants become infected before adopting any management strategies. The single most effective management practice of managing the vector in agricultural/horticultural crop is to cover plants with insect exclusion netting but this is not feasible and practical in the case of forest trees. Because of these limitations, researchers are shifting to manipulation genetics in host plants to affect vector populations and transmission of pathogen but big lacunae exists in our knowledge on the vectors of phytoplasma diseases in Indian forestry. We review the literature addressing the phytoplasma diseases in forest species, the lacunae existing in the insect vectors and the need for determining the vectors for possible management of phytoplasma diseases in forest trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]