Resilience in a Kenyan informal settlement during the COVID-19 pandemic

Informal settlements have been identified as locations both where the spread of COVID-19 has generally been slower than within the Global North and measures to restrain the pandemic have further intensified local peoples’ marginality as income decreases without welfare or financial safety nets. In this paper, qualitative fieldwork is detailed which commenced in Korogocho, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya, immediately prior to national COVID-19 restrictions. This March 2020, pre-COVID phase of the fieldwork focused on a community-based project and the basis for resilience in transforming local lives. During the next 12 months of the pandemic fieldwork continued, exploring experiences and reactions to restraining policies. These findings reinforce concerns about the impact of COVID-19 related restrictions on marginalised peoples’ income, food security, health, safety and gender-based violence. How the local people reacted to these effects highlights their creative resilience and adaptability. The paper concludes by examining the impact of, and responses to, the controlling measures on the social relationships and cohesion that underpins the community resilience.

Opposite Direction for Seasonal Variation of Aflatoxin M1 in Bulk Milk and Aflatoxin B1 in Rations: Results From a Prospective Study in Selected Dairy Farms of Qazvin Province, Iran

The presence of aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) in 24h bulk milk and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in concurrent total mixed rations (TMR) and feed ingredients were assessed in 12 large dairy operations. The bulk milk was sampled on days 1, 15 and 30 during winter and summer (n=72). Total mixed rations (n=48) and feed ingredients (n=230) were sampled two times with a 30-day interval. Aflatoxin was measured using direct competitive ELISA kits with detection limits of 1-81 ngkg−1 for milk and 1.25-101.25 ngkg−1 for feeds. Aflatoxin M1 was identified in all milk samples (100%), ranging from 2.03 to >81 ngkg−1, with a median of 70 ngkg−1 and averaging 61.25±28.91 ngkg−1 in winter and 54.20±25.51 ngkg−1 in summer (P=0.279). Contaminations <81 ngkg−1 (below the Iranian standard of 100 ngkg-1) were detected in 76% (n=55/72) of samples. Contaminations >81 ngkg−1 were detected in 24% (n=17/72) of samples and were more frequent in winter than in summer (42% vs. 6%). Sixty-nine percent of the winter milk samples (n=25/36) had contaminations above the median (70 ngkg−1). A reverse result was detected in summer. The chance of contaminations above median was higher in winter than in summer (OR=5.33, P=0.007). All TMR and ingredient samples had higher AFB1 contaminations in summer (P<0.05). Six TMR samples had non-detectable (<1.25 ngkg-1) values (5 in winter) and 7 samples had levels >101.25 ngkg-1 (all in summer). The chance of TMR contamination above the median (716 ngkg-1) was 5.57 times higher in summer than in winter (P=0.002). Seventy percent of the TMR samples had contaminations above the median in summer. Elevated levels of AFB1 of rations in summer (1375.50±905.02 vs. 537.05±558.79; P<0.002) did not result in elevation of AFM1 in milk, probably due to reduced AFB1 metabolism in the liver and lower dry matter intakes caused by heat stress. The AFB1 content of grain mix succeeded by corn silage, wet beet pulp, dry beet pulp and alfalfa hay were correlated with TMR contamination. Ration AFB1 and milk AFM1 were not correlated. Based on the results, a great majority of milk produced in the studied farms could have AFM1 contaminations below the Iranian standard limit (100 ngkg-1). Contaminations below 50 ngkg-1 appear to be achievable and affordable. Intensifying the controlling measures in summer, when the feed contaminations are elevated, may reduce the overall milk contamination.

Game Analysis on Epidemic Prevention and Resuming Production: Based on China’s Experience With COVID-19

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, it became urgent to deal with the relationship between the prevention and control of the epidemic and the resumption of work and production. The purpose of this study is to observe and describe which approach seemed more important for the Chinese government and people, and how this trend evolved through time. To this end, a game model of resuming production and preventing the epidemic is constructed, using the evolutionary stable strategy (ESS). By combing China’s measures on epidemic prevention and resuming production during critical periods of epidemic outbreak, it is clarified that the present stage is considered a period of equal emphasis on both epidemic prevention and resuming production. Based on the dynamic between these two strategies and further theoretical research, present policies should equally focus on both preventive and controlling measures as well as on the socioeconomic development for most countries in the world.

Integrated Pest Management Programs with Special Emphasis on Livestock Production in India: A Review

Ticks are blood-feeding ectoparasites considered as a great role in medical and veterinary science. However, they can transmit a wide variety of infectious agents that significantly impact animals’ health and product performance, which negatively reflects the livelihood of resource-poor farming communities, especially in India because 80% of the human population depends on income from dairy farms. This review focused on the problems associated with TBDs and integrated tick control strategies, emphasizing livestock farming systems in India. Developments discussed in the review in the controlling measures such as the efficacy of acaricides, biological control, and recent advances in vaccine development.

Distribution of spontaneous combustion three zones and optimization of nitrogen injection location in the goaf of a fully mechanized top coal caving face

In order to effectively prevent and control spontaneous combustion of residual coal in the goaf and reduce the waste of nitrogen caused by setting the position of nitrogen injection, 1303 fully mechanized coal caving faces of the Jinniu Mine are studied. By deploying a bundle tube monitoring system in the inlet air side and return air side of the goaf, changes in gas concentration in the goaf are continuously monitored. In addition, the distribution area for spontaneous combustion three-zone in the goaf is divided into heat dissipation zone, oxidized spontaneous combustion zone, and suffocation zone. Simulations from the COMSOL Multiphysics 5.3 software provide insight based on the three zones division standard of spontaneous combustion in the goaf. The gradual deepening of the nitrogen injection position into the goaf affects the lower limit of the oxidized spontaneous combustion zone significantly, but the impact on the upper limit of the oxidized spontaneous combustion zone is not obvious and is negligible. With regard to the width of the oxidized spontaneous combustion zone, it initially decreases followed by a gradual increase. Numerical calculations suggest the optimal nitrogen injection position is 40 m from the roof cutting line, with an oxidized spontaneous combustion zone width of 28 m. Based on the simulation analysis results, nitrogen injection controlling measures have been adopted for spontaneous combustion of residual coal in the goaf of the 1303 fully mechanized coal caving faces, and coal self-ignition in the goaf has been successfully extinguished.

Sanger sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein v1

The SARS-CoV-2 responsible for the ongoing COVID pandemic reveals particular evolutionary dynamics and an extensive polymorphism, mainly in Spike protein. Monitoring the S protein mutations is crucial for successful controlling measures and detect variants that can evade vaccine immunity. Even after the costs reduction imposed by the pandemic, the new generation sequencing methodologies remain unavailable to many scientific groups. Therefore, to support the urgent surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 S protein, this work describes a protocol for complete nucleotide sequencing of the S protein using the Sanger technique. Thus, any laboratory with experience in sequencing can adopt this protocol.

Clinical Efficacy of Remdesivir and Favipiravir in the Treatment of Covid-19 Patients: Scenario So Far

: The novel SARS-CoV-2 is a new disease that has caused severe destruction to human lives across the globe, including infection, mortality and financial crises, for which, scientific researchers have been directed towards the development of treatment and controlling measures against coronavirus. Currently, there has been no approved drug for the treatment of the disease, but several antiviral drugs have shown therapeutic effects from which, remdesivir and favipiravir are two such drugs. These drugs have shown some therapeutic potential in the treatment of COVID-19 by inhibiting viral enzyme RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. The purpose of this systematic review is to provide an overview of the effectiveness of these two drugs based on the clinical trials reported in current published data.

Foci Classification in Malaria Elimination Setting: A Conceptual Framework

The concept of malaria elimination is becoming more and more important. Among countries with malaria transmission in 2015, eliminating malaria from 35 countries including those in the Great Mekong has been targeted by 2030. In the journey to elimination through the foci classification procedure, a limited number of “hotspots” among a large number of foci should be precisely defined to be covered by effective controlling measures. There is a common consensus that foci and case classification are fundamental principles of malaria elimination and prevention of reintroduction. However, there are numerous ambiguities and controversies in almost all aspects of foci classifications. These uncertainties result in misclassification that, in turn, wastes lives, time, and money thereby violating value for money principles. New progress in the literature such as ignoring “new potential” foci and using the class of “active foci” instead of the two classes of “new active” and “residual active” is in opposition to the philosophy of foci classification. In this paper, we seek to elaborate the controversies and ambiguities around the concept of foci classification and ultimately suggest some solutions. Some of the ways forward include: (a) foci classification should be done by parasite type; (b) a set of foci classes includes “cleared up”, “new potential”, “new active”, “residual active”, and “residual nonactive”; (c) The number and population of various foci classes should be regularly updated and monitored as the basis for measuring progress toward elimination and it can be considered as the basis for needs assessment and planning response; (d) The coverage and completeness of the controlling interventions by foci classes should be regularly monitored; and (e) The criteria for early detection of outbreaks should be defined. Furthermore, two applicable models for foci classification by parasite have been proposed.