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Many studies have been conducted on measuring avian influenza viruses and their hemagglutinin (HA) antigens via electrochemical principles; most of these studies have used gold electrodes on ceramic, glass, or silicon substrates, and/or labeling for signal enhancement. Herein, we present a paper-based immunosensor for label-free measurement of multiple avian influenza virus (H5N1, H7N9, and H9N2) antigens using flexible screen-printed carbon nanotube-polydimethylsiloxane electrodes. These flexible electrodes on a paper substrate can complement the physical weakness of the paper-based sensors when wetted, without affecting flexibility. The relative standard deviation of the peak currents was 1.88% when the electrodes were repeatedly bent and unfolded twenty times with deionized water provided each cycle, showing the stability of the electrodes. For the detection of HA antigens, approximately 10-μl samples (concentration: 100 pg/ml–100 ng/ml) were needed to form the antigen–antibody complexes during 20–30 min incubation, and the immune responses were measured via differential pulse voltammetry. The limits of detections were 55.7 pg/ml (0.95 pM) for H5N1 HA, 99.6 pg/ml (1.69 pM) for H7N9 HA, and 54.0 pg/ml (0.72 pM) for H9N2 HA antigens in phosphate buffered saline, and the sensors showed good selectivity and reproducibility. Such paper-based sensors are economical, flexible, robust, and easy-to-manufacture, with the ability to detect several avian influenza viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Multiplex detection can enhance diagnostic precision and improve diagnostic efficiency, providing important assistance for epidemiological investigation and epidemic prevention. There is a great need for multi-detection sensing platforms to accurately diagnose diseases. Herein, we reported a μPAD-based chemiluminescence (CL) assay for ultrasensitive multiplex detection of AIV biomarkers, based on three DNAzyme/Lum/PEI/CaCO 3. Three time-resolved CL signals were sequentially generated with detection limits of 0.32, 0.34, and 0.29 pM for H1N1, H7N9, and H5N1, respectively, and with excellent selectivity against interfering DNA. The recovery test in human serum displayed satisfactory analysis capabilities for complex biological samples. The μPAD-based CL assay achieved multiplex detection within 70 s, with a high time resolution of 20 s. The proposed strategy has the advantages of low cost, high sensitivity, good selectivity, and wide time resolution, the μPAD-based CL assay has shown great potential in the early and accurate diagnosis of diseases. We reported a μPAD-based CL assay for ultrasensitive multiplex detection of AIV biomarkers, based on three DNAzyme/Lum/PEI/CaCO 3. The platform achieved multiplex detection within 70 s, with a wide time resolution of 20 s, demonstrating great potential in the early and accurate diagnosis of diseases. [Display omitted] • A low-cost, portable μPAD with time-resolved CL signals was fabricated. • The CL assay successfully detected H1N1, H7N9, and H5N1 within 70 s, with a wide time resolution of 20 s. • Dual amplification of the sensor was achieved based on the CHA reaction and DNAzyme catalysis. • The CL assay had a wide linear range (1.0 pM−10 nM) and high detection sensitivity at pM level. • The CL assay was able to visualize trace H1N1, H7N9, and H5N1 down to 10 pM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In past decades, we have seen several epidemics of respiratory infections from newly emerging viruses, most of which originated in animals. These emerging infections, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS‐CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS‐CoV) and the pandemic influenza A(H1N1) and avian influenza (AI) viruses, have seriously threatened global health and the economy. In particular, MERS‐CoV and AI A(H7N9) are still causing infections in several areas, and some clustering of cases of A(H5N1) and A(H7N9) may imply future possible pandemics. Additionally, given the inappropriate use of antibiotics and international travel, the spread of carbapenem‐resistant Gram‐negative bacteria is also a significant concern. These infections with epidemic or pandemic potential present a persistent threat to public health and a huge burden on healthcare services in the Asia‐Pacific region. Therefore, to enable efficient infection prevention and control, more effective international surveillance and collaboration systems, in the context of the 'One Health' approach, are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID‐19 pandemic has acted as a powerful change driver in the field of pathology and has had relevant consequences on the practice of cytopathology, in terms of changes in workload, rates of malignancy, and the performance of cytology. At the same time, regulatory authorities have relaxed their requirements for the deployment of digital pathology for remote diagnostic reporting. However, most of these improvements have concerned digital histopathology. Data from a literature search show that experiences in digital cytopathology during the pandemic have concerned mainly educational and academic activities. From a broader point of view, when searching for all published literature on digital pathology, only a minority of papers deal with cytopathology, but a noticeable increase in publications has been seen in the last 10 years, with an upward trend toward a maximum of papers in 2021. Indeed, the pandemic has led to greater awareness of the possibility of digital for cytopathology as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has a negative impact on the environment. Waste generation and improper management during the COVID-19 pandemic posed a major threat to human health and the environment. Irregular and improper waste collection, handling, suspension of waste recycling and unsanitary disposal were all important issues in the processing and management of generated waste. This study emphasised a systematic review and content analysis to categorise all types of waste management (WM) during the COVID-19 pandemic to accomplish a well understanding of the relation between the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on WM within the literature. In this systematic review, a number of published papers on different aspects of WM during March 2020 to February 2021 were considered in order to identify major challenges in handling WM during the pandemic time and highlight multi-strategic approaches suggested. A content analysis of the 58 relevant papers was carried out by incorporating different types of WM at local as well as global scales. The present review results revealed that the COVID-19 has impacted the quantity and composition of waste, and the crisis caused by the pandemic has also altered the nature of global WM system. A comprehensive analysis on how the systems of WM were affected through the advancement of COVID-19 and what would be the healthier solutions was also highlighted in this systematic review. The results of this systematic review would be beneficial for better policymakers to holistically address potential future pandemics, if any. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bladder cancer (BC) is a heterogeneous disease that a tumor develops in the bladder lining and in some cases, the bladder muscle. Chemotherapy and immunotherapy are commonly used to treat bladder cancer. However, chemotherapy can cause burning and irritation in the bladder while BCG immunotherapy, which is the main type of intravesical immunotherapy for bladder cancer, can also cause burning in the bladder and flu-like symptoms. Thus, drugs originating from natural products have attracted much attention due to the reports that they have anti-cancer properties with low adverse effects. In this study, eighty-seven papers that dealt with natural products preventing or treating bladder cancer were reviewed. The studies were classified into the following mechanism: 71 papers on cell death, 5 papers on anti-metastasis, 3 papers on anti-angiogenesis, 1 paper on anti-resistance, and 7 papers on clinical trials. Most of the natural products that induced apoptosis up-regulated proteins such as caspase-3 and caspase-9. Regarding anti-metastasis, MMP-2 and MMP-9 are regulated frequently. Regarding anti-angiogenesis, HIF-1α and VEGF-A are down-regulated frequently. Nevertheless, the number of papers regarding anti-resistance and clinical trial are too few, so more studies are needed. In conclusion, this database will be useful for future in vivo studies of the anti-bladder cancer effect of natural products, in the process of selecting materials used for the experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on Chinese scientists who have faced problems regarding a research paper on H7N9 avian flu that they uploaded on the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) database. It reports that Switzerland-based pharmaceutical firm Novartis AG and the Maryland-based non-profit research organization J. Craig Venter Institute Inc. have made plans to use the uploaded sequences for the development of H7N9 vaccines without involving Chinese researchers.

Background: One Health is particularly relevant to the Horn of Africa where many people's livelihoods are highly dependent on livestock and their shared environment. In this context, zoonoses may have a dramatic impact on both human and animal health, but also on country economies. This scoping review aimed to characterise and evaluate the nature of zoonotic disease research in the Horn region. Specifically, it addressed the following questions: (i) what specific zoonotic diseases have been prioritised for research, (ii) what data have been reported (human, animal or environment), (iii) what methods have been applied, and (iv) who has been the doing the research? Methodology/principal findings: We used keyword combinations to search online databases for peer-reviewed papers and theses. Screening and data extraction (disease, country, domain and method) was performed using DistillerSR. A total of 2055 studies focusing on seven countries and over 60 zoonoses were included. Brucellosis attracted the highest attention in terms of research while anthrax, Q fever and leptospirosis have been comparatively under-studied. Research efforts did not always align with zoonoses priorities identified at national levels. Despite zoonoses being a clear target for One Health research, a very limited proportion of studies report data on the three domains of human, animal and environment. Descriptive and observational epidemiological studies were dominant and only a low proportion of publications were multidisciplinary. Finally, we found that a minority of international collaborations were between Global South countries with a high proportion of authors having affiliations from outside the Horn of Africa. Conclusions/significance: There is a growing interest in zoonoses research in the Horn of Africa. Recommendations arising from this scoping review include: (i) ensuring zoonoses research aligns with national and global research agendas; (ii) encouraging researchers to adopt a holistic, transdisciplinary One Health approach following high quality reporting standards (COHERE, PRISMA, etc.); and (iii) empowering local researchers supported by regional and international partnerships to engage in zoonoses research. Author summary: Zoonoses are diseases that are transmissible between animals and humans. Some emerging or re-emerging zoonoses, like avian influenza, regularly make the headlines in international media. Others, like rabies or echinococcosis, which mainly affect poor communities, attract much less attention, and are considered neglected by the World Health Organisation (WHO). In the Horn of Africa, many people live in close proximity to livestock and depend on them for food and income. Their constant interaction with animals increases the risk of contracting zoonoses. In our work, we have searched for existing research publications on zoonoses in the Horn of Africa to guide future research on most neglected areas. Based on 2055 publications, we have described which zoonoses have been studied where and using which method. Notably, we found that very limited research followed One Health approaches. That implies that separate focus was given to animals or humans and a single method or discipline was used, while the One Health approach advocates for multidisciplinary and multisectoral collaboration to address complex issues like zoonoses. Finally, we identified that a majority of authors were affiliated with countries from the Global North which hinders relevance, equity and sustainability of Global North-Global South research collaborations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper conducts a systematic statistical analysis of the characteristics of the geographical empirical distributions for the numbers of both cumulative and daily confirmed COVID-19 cases and deaths at county, city, and state levels over a time span from January 2020 to June 2022. The mathematical heavy-tailed distributions can be used for fitting the empirical distributions observed in different temporal stages and geographical scales. The estimations of the shape parameter of the tail distributions using the Generalized Pareto Distribution also support the observations of the heavy-tailed distributions. According to the characteristics of the heavy-tailed distributions, the evolution course of the geographical empirical distributions can be divided into three distinct phases, namely the power-law phase, the lognormal phase I, and the lognormal phase II. These three phases could serve as an indicator of the severity degree of the COVID-19 pandemic within an area. The empirical results suggest important intrinsic dynamics of a human infectious virus spread in the human interconnected physical complex network. The findings extend previous empirical studies and could provide more strict constraints for current mathematical and physical modeling studies, such as the SIR model and its variants based on the theory of complex networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an alternative optical characterization of biosensors based on supported lipid monolayers (SLMs). Developing these biosensors requires precise thickness characterization of the films to understand their structure and dynamics. This paper proposes an optical technique to measure the thickness, optical properties, and location of a dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) SLM on top of a metallic thin film. DPPC SLMs are of interest for biosensing applications, such as detecting pulmonary-related infections like SARS-CoV-2, Avian Influenza, and the H1N1 influenza virus. The monolayer was fabricated using the Langmuir–Blodgett technique, and the experimental characterization consisted of measuring the surface-plasmon resonance angle in the Kretschmann configuration. This technique provides an alternative option for real-time visual inspection and determination of the location and shape of DPPC monolayers in large areas. Therefore, it offers a useful tool for further developing SLM-based biosensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel coronavirus is part of a series of infectious disease outbreaks that include: Ebola, Avian influenza, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, and Influenza A. This paper addresses the question of how do these epidemics and pandemics affect income inequality in countries around the world during the first two decades of this century. To achieve its objective, the paper develops a model that indicates a positive association between these health crises and income inequality. To empirically test our theoretical predictions, the paper explores the effect on the Gini coefficient of a dummy variable that indicates the occurrence of an epidemic or a pandemic in a country in a given year and the number of deaths per 100,000. To properly address potential endogeneity, we implement a Three-Stage-Least Squares technique. The estimation shows that the number of deaths per 100,000 population variable has a statistically significant positive effect on the Gini coefficient, especially when we incorporate COVID-19 data. This suggests that not only the occurrence, but also the health consequences of COVID-19 have a significant and economically important effect on income inequality. Background: The purpose of the study is to examine the effect of epidemics and pandemics on income inequality. This has important implications as the outcome of this study can guide policymakers into implementing policies that can mitigate the economic consequences of these health crises. Methods: The study is a cross country analysis using fixed effects estimation. To address potential endogeneity and determine causality, the paper uses the Three-Stage-Least-Squares estimation. Results: The paper finds that the number of epidemic deaths per 100,000 population variable has a statistically significant positive effect on the Gini coefficient, especially when we incorporate COVID-19 data. Conclusions: The paper finds that it is not only the occurrence of an epidemic, captured by the epidemics dummy variable, but also the health consequences, captured by the number of deaths per 100,000 population, that have a significant effect on income inequality. This is especially the case when we incorporate COVID-19 in our analysis. Trial registration: Not Applicable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is one of the world's most preserved habitats for wild animals and migratory birds. The area also plays a major role in the spread of infectious animal diseases, in particular, African swine fever (ASF) and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). These outbreaks threaten the livelihood of local livestock farms, not infrequently. In this paper, we explore these relatively under-researched diseases by modeling and mapping ASF and HPAI risks in tandem using MaxEnt, a machine-learning algorithm. The results show robust predictive power with high area under the curve values, of 0.92 and 0.99, respectively. We found that precipitation from spring to early summer and solar radiation in winter were essential in explaining the potential distribution of ASF, but land use contributed little. Thus, understanding only wild boars' habitat preferences may not be sufficient in preventing ASF epidemics. HPAI risks were shaped by precipitation and mean temperature from winter to spring and land use. Areas with high ASF and HPAI risks were primarily found in forest and agricultural lands, respectively. The DMZ included many high-risk areas, indicating that the DMZ could lead to a broader regional spread of ASF and HPAI in the peninsula. Thus, our results highlight the essential role of cross-border collaboration and the combination of environmental and epidemiological insights in strategies to control ASF and HPAI risks within and surrounding the DMZ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The instability of viral RNA, which is susceptible to ubiquitous RNases, poses a significant challenge for its transport and detection in diagnosis. To address this challenge, this study aimed to evaluate the stability and detection limits of various RNA viruses, including the avian influenza virus, Newcastle disease virus, and African horse sickness virus, on Flinders Technology Associates cards. This investigation provides empirical evidence supporting the efficacy of Flinders Technology Associates cards for sample collection and subsequent viral RNA recovery, highlighting their suitability for use in molecular diagnostics. Consequently, based on the demonstrated effectiveness, stability, and safety implications observed in this study, Flinders Technology Associates cards are recommended for virus storage and transport, thus facilitating the molecular detection and identification of RNA viral pathogens. The Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) card, a cotton-based cellulose membrane impregnated with a chaotropic agent, effectively inactivates infectious microorganisms, lyses cellular material, and fixes nucleic acid. The aim of this study is to assess the stability and detection limit of various RNA viruses, especially the avian influenza virus (AIV), Newcastle disease virus (NDV), and African horse sickness virus (AHSV), on the FTA card, which could significantly impact virus storage and transport practices. To achieve this, each virus dilution was inoculated onto an FTA card and stored at room temperature in plastic bags for durations ranging from 1 week to 6 months. Following storage, the target genome was detected using conventional reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The present study demonstrated that the detection limit of AIV ranged from 1.17 to 6.17 EID50 values over durations ranging from 1 week to 5 months, while for NDV, it ranged from 2.83 to 5.83 ELD50 over the same duration. Additionally, the detection limit of AHSV was determined as 4.01 PFU for both 1 and 2 weeks, respectively. Based on the demonstrated effectiveness, stability, and safety implications observed in the study, FTA cards are recommended for virus storage and transport, thus facilitating the molecular detection and identification of RNA viral pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

H7N9 avian influenza is a novel virus with high morbidity and mortality that threatens human health and life. Therefore, it is necessary to diagnose H7N9 avian influenza in a timely and rapid manner to prevent further transmission of the virus and greatly reduce the infection and mortality rates. This paper proposes an H7N9 avian influenza diagnostic model that is based on a multilayer belief rule‐based (BRB) inference methodology by considering five typical characteristics of influenza: epidemiology, clinical manifestations, complications, characteristics of imaging tests and positive pathogen test results. Specifically, the severity of H7N9 avian influenza is gradually identified by a multilayer BRB model, and then the diagnostic model is optimized by a genetic algorithm (GA) to improve the diagnostic accuracy. Finally, the feasibility of the model is verified by fivefold cross‐validation with a real clinical dataset. The performance of the proposed diagnostic model is compared with those of the BP neural network (BPNN) model and support vector machine (SVM) model, and the results show that the multilayer BRB model can achieve rapid and satisfactory diagnostic results for H7N9 avian influenza. The experiment shows that the accuracy of the BRB model for H7N9 avian influenza hierarchical diagnosis provided in this paper is 0.903, which is higher than 0.818 of the BP neural network (BPNN) modules and 0.844 of the support vector machine (SVM) models. Especially when diagnosing the suspected and confirmed degree of H7N9 disease, it is more realized satisfactory diagnostic accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on various papers dealing with veterinary issues. Marien Gerritzen and his colleagues analyze the methods used for killing poultry in an avian influenza outbreak. Another paper by James Foster and his colleagues deals with ways to produce scrapie-free flocks. The paper of Malcolm Ellis and his colleagues addresses the issue of Mycobacterium in pet dogs.

This article provides an update on the H5N1 virus and the role of the clinical microbiology laboratory in the diagnosis of H5N1 influenza. Although overshadowed recently by the influenza A H1N1 2009 pandemic, the influenza A H5N1 virus continues to circulate among avian species and cause morbidity and mortality in man. The H5N1 virus is evolving, creating the potential for a new strain that is efficiently transmitted from person to person, while remaining highly lethal. Surveillance is essential to detect the spread of, and changes in, the virus. Laboratory testing is an important element of surveillance and patient management. The clinical microbiology laboratory has a number of diagnostic tools for detecting influenza viruses, including antigen detection, serology, virus culture, and nucleic acid amplification. The relative performance characteristics of these tests vary significantly. In addition, the sensitivity of tests may differ between influenza strains, including H5N1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian influenza (AI) is an infectious viral disease of birds, including domestic poultry, which has been causing outbreaks worldwide, leading to several millions of dead wild birds and culled poultry. AI is mainly found in birds, but recently, there was an increase in reported infections in mammals, ranging from no symptoms to mass mortality events and some human cases. Epidemiologically of great concern, evidence of mammalian adaptations have been found, but the transmission routes and pathogenesis in mammals are still to be defined. Hence, it is paramount to address all facets of AI viruses epidemiology, including investigating taxa not customarily thought to be involved in the transmission and/or trafficking of AI, such as wild mammals. The scope of this report was to assess the role of mammals in AI epidemiology, virology and pathology, i.e. AI maintenance, reservoir role, immunity, role of mammals in a potential pandemic. To do so, we performed an all‐encompassing review of the literature on the topic with a two‐fold approach: a systematic review of the published AI cases in wild mammals and a narrative approach to provide an expert opinion on the role of mammals in AI spread. The final number of peer‐reviewed papers included in the systematic literature review was 76, resulting in 120 unique infection records with AI in wild mammal species. The most represented taxa were included in the order Carnivora. The risk of infection was identified mainly as predation (or feeding) upon infected birds or contact with avian species. Evidence of mammal‐to‐mammal transmission in the wild is only circumstantial and yet to be confirmed. Cases of AI from the systematic review of experimental findings were discussed concerning epidemiology, pathology and virology. Knowledge gaps and potential pandemic drivers were identified. In summary, although a greater number of infections in wild mammals have been reported, there is no hard evidence for sustained mammal‐to‐mammal transmission in the wild. The factors contributing to the increased number of infections found in wild carnivores are not clear yet, but the unprecedented global spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses creates ample opportunities for intense, mostly alimentary, contact between infected wild birds and carnivores. Close surveillance of circulating strains and continued assessment of new epidemiological situations are crucial to quickly identify strains with enhanced mammalian fitness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops an agent-based model of the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a regional poultry sector. Spatially located flocks and flock owners interact with each other within a realistic regional geography. A specific regional poultry industry in Thailand shapes the model details: production practices that affect bio-containment, key transportation routes and methods, commercial and social networks, and an unusually detailed tabulation of flock types, flock owners, and human behaviors. Model simulations follow disease spread from an initial infection through both direct and indirect transmission pathways. This demonstrates how to realistically calibrate a model of disease spread to a regional poultry industry, while attending to the relative importance of different pathways. Despite its region-specific calibration, the model design facilitates easy adaptation to similar settings. This supports public policy by providing a modeling framework that may be used to simulate interventions to reduce or prevent the regional transmission of avian influenza. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• No further outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in southern Africa, Libya, Argentina and Bolivia • Classical swine fever diagnosed in commercial pig herds in Slovakia • Outbreak of swine vesicular disease (SVD) in Portugal, the first since 1995; SVD continues to occur sporadically in Italy • First identification of bluetongue virus serotype 4 in Spain (Menorca, Balearic Islands) and France (the island of Corsica) • Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) recorded for the first time in the Republic of Korea; Germany and the Netherlands declare official freedom from HPAI • First case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) reported in the USA. Japan and Italy report cases of atypical BSE [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report in this paper the first detection of low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) subtype H9N2 in houbara bustards and in gamebirds in Morocco. Starting in 2019, an increase in mortality rates related to respiratory distress was recorded in these species. Necropsy of the specimens revealed fibrinous sinusitis and tracheitis with intra-bronchial fibrin casts, which are consistent with H9N2 infection in chickens; therefore, implication of the virus in these outbreaks was strongly suspected. Consequently, between January 2020 and June 2023, birds with respiratory signs were necropsied for pathological lesions, tissue samples were examined by histopathology, and samples of trachea, lungs, and cecal tonsils were analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR for the detection of H9N2 virus. In addition, the sequencing of isolates was performed and lastly differential diagnosis with other respiratory pathogens was carried out. During the study period, 93 samples were collected from suspected H9N2 outbreaks, of which 30 tested positive for H9N2 virus: 23 Houbara bustards, 4 partridges, 2 quails, and 1 pheasant. Moreover, sequencing of the HA gene of the virus showed 97.33% nucleotide identity with strains reported previously in broilers in Morocco in 2017 and in 2022. Phylogenetic analysis grouped the Moroccan partridge isolates in the same cluster as viruses isolated in Morocco between 2016 and 2022, Algeria (2017), Burkina Faso (2017), Nigeria (2019), and Togo (2020). Additionally, 10 house sparrows from the premises of these birds were examined for the presence of H9N2 virus, revealing a 30% positivity rate. In conclusion, LPAIV H9N2 is circulating in houbara bustards and gamebirds in Morocco, and house sparrows might be a possible source of the infection. To our knowledge, this is the first report of LPAI H9N2 in the African species of houbara bustards worldwide and in gamebirds in Morocco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This research introduces a data-driven method for managing avian influenza in poultry farms, aiming to reduce unnecessary depopulation. By generating specific risk scores for farms, it significantly improves the accuracy of preventive measures against HPAI compared to traditional methods. Tested in Jeollanam-do, this approach reduces false positives, enhancing HPAI management's reliability. The study suggests its potential for targeted farm monitoring, benefiting animal welfare and food security. Over the last decade, highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has severely affected poultry production systems across the globe. In particular, massive pre-emptive depopulation of all poultry within a certain distance has raised concerns regarding animal welfare and food security. Thus, alternative approaches to reducing unnecessary depopulation, such as risk-based depopulation, are highly demanded. This paper proposes a data-driven method to generate a rule table and risk score for each farm to identify preventive measures against HPAI. To evaluate the proposed method, 105 cases of HPAI occurring in a total of 381 farms in Jeollanam-do from 2014 to 2023 were evaluated. The accuracy of preventive measure identification was assessed for each case using both the conventional culling method and the proposed data-driven method. The evaluation showed that the proposed method achieved an accuracy of 84.19%, significantly surpassing the previous 10.37%. The result was attributed to the proposed method reducing the false-positive rate by 83.61% compared with the conventional method, thereby enhancing the reliability of identification. The proposed method is expected to be utilized in selecting farms for monitoring and management of HPAI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Senegal banned all imports of uncooked poultry meat in 2006 in response to Avian Influenza outbreaks in many exporting countries. This paper investigates the effects of the import ban on domestic chicken meat production and the performance of Senegal's broiler farms. To do so, we employ various comparative analyses at the farm and macro levels. We use the synthetic control method to estimate the effects on total production, which shows that Senegal's chicken meat production increased more than it would have without the import ban. This may imply, in line with the infant-industry argument, that the ban has had a positive impact on chicken meat production. In addition, we use a farm-level analysis to evaluate the performance of typical Senegalese broiler farms. The comparison with Ghana shows that Senegalese farms are performing better and have lower costs of production. An opening of the markets should only be implemented gradually, by replacing the ban with tariffs because local industries must have the opportunity to adapt to the competition of the international market step by step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a stochastic avian influenza model with two different pathogenic human–avian viruses is studied. The model analyzes the spread of the avian influenza virus from poultry populations to human populations in a random environment. The dynamic behavior of the stochastic avian influenza model is analyzed. Firstly, the existence and uniqueness of a global positive solution are obtained. Secondly, under the condition of high pathogenic virus extinction, the persistence in the mean and extinction of the infected avian population with a low pathogenic virus is analyzed. Thirdly, the sufficient conditions for the existence and uniqueness of the ergodic stationary distribution in the stochastic avian influenza model are derived. We find the threshold of the stochastic model to determine whether the disease spreads when the white noise is small. The analysis results show that random white noise is effective for disease control. Finally, the theoretical results are verified by numerical simulation, and the numerical simulation analysis is carried out for the cases that cannot be theoretically deduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian influenza caused by H9N2 subtype avian influenza virus (AIV) poses a great threat to the healthy development of the poultry industry. Vimentin is closely related to intracellular lipid metabolism, which plays an important role during the viral infection process. However, the function of lipid metabolism and vimentin on H9N2 AIV replication is unclear. In this paper, the cholesterol level and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme a reductase (HMGCR) phosphorylation were investigated in vimentin knockout (KO) and human cervical carcinoma cells (HeLa) cell with or without AIV infection. The results showed that compared to the control group without infected with H9N2 subtype AIV, the cholesterol contents were significantly increased, while HMGCR phosphorylation level was reduced in both KO and HeLa cell after virus infection. Furthermore, viral replication was significantly inhibited in the cells treated with the cholesterol inhibitor lovastatin. Compared with the control group, adenylate activated protein kinase (AMPK), a kinase regulating HMGCR enzymatic activity was inhibited in both KO and HeLa cells in the infected virus group, and AMPK phosphorylation levels were significantly lower in KO HeLa cell than that of HeLa cells. Additionally, after MβCD treatment, viral hemagglutinin (HA) gene level was significantly decreased in HeLa cells, while it was significantly increased in KO HeLa cells. In addition, vimentin expression was significantly increased in MβCD-treated HeLa cells with the viral infection and returned to normal levels after exogenous cholesterol to backfill the MβCD-treated cells. Therefore, the disruption of lipid rafts during the binding phase of viral invasion of cells significantly reduced viral infection. These studies indicated that the lipid rafts and cholesterol levels might be critical for H9N2 subtype AIV infection of human-derived cells and that vimentin might play an important role in the regulation of lipids on viral replication, which provided an important antiviral target against influenza virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents general elements regarding rural tourism, agrotourism and the tourist potential of the rural area, the unique natural and anthropic tourist heritage of the Maramure? ethnographic area. The current stage of capitalizing the tourist potential is presented, by analyzing the main forms of rural tourism practiced in the area, by determining the indicators that characterize the number of rural tourist pensions, accommodation capacity and are proposed some strategies for tourism development and tourism promotion and advertising this area, at national and international level. In the first part, a realistic and pertinent analysis was made of the specific tourist potential of the Maramure? ethnographic area, through which it is clearly different from other ethnographic areas in our country and which capitalized at its true value can be a real magnet of attraction for domestic tourists, but especially for foreign ones. The second part highlighted the evolution and development of the number of pensions and accommodation capacity in this beautiful region, in the period 2016-2020, which was significantly affected especially by the pandemic situation in our country and other neighbouring countries and the European Union. Finally, based on the real situation of the development stage and use of the tourist potential in the studied ethnographic area, a series of new strategies for the development and promotion of the rural tourism and agrotourism activity were presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unemployment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is of the utmost importance for governing bodies worldwide. Its constant increase during the last months is subject of major concern for both citizens and policy makers, as individuals might experience increased feelings of job insecurity due to the pandemic context and to the latest developments on the job market. Job insecurity refers to a perceived threat to the continuity and stability of employment as it is currently experienced and has a negative impact on the individuals' quality of life. Many researches have linked job insecurity with low levels of well-being and high levels of stress, as well as local or national measures taken in job creation and job retention. Aside from individual factors, there are other critical influences that should be considered in order to better understand the dynamics of job insecurity against the COVID-19 pandemic. Such influences can come from regional features such as spatial, economic, or demographic characteristics, like gender, age, or education. The aim of the paper is to identify and spatially represent the variations and evolution of job insecurity during the on-going pandemic. Our analyses are based on the PsyCorona database (15.311 participants), a study with self-reported data deployed in countries all around the world, that monitored various psychological variables during the first pandemic waves. For the purpose of this research, data related to the first wave (March-July 2020) was selected. In order to get a better understanding of the spatial distribution of self-reported job insecurity, we chose to focus on eight European countries (France, Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Greece, Romania, Spain, and Italy). Respondents from Western Europe countries expressed lower scores on self-reported job insecurity and less variance over time while those from Southern and Eastern Europe displayed higher scores for job insecurity and more variance. Moreover, we found that the higher the overall job insecurity is perceived in a country, the higher the discrepancies between age, gender, and education categories tend to be. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian influenza is an infectious viral disease caused by type A virus, which occurs frequently around the world and causes serious economic losses. Therefore, the adaptive control problem is explored in this paper for an avian influenza model in consideration of slaughtering to poultry, educational campaigns to the susceptible human and treatment to the infected human. First, by analyzing the transmission mechanism of avian influenza, a nonlinear adaptive control problem of avian influenza model is formulated, where some errors between model parameters and real values are allowed. Then, the parameters are estimated by constructing adaptive laws, which can be effectively used to design the applicative controllers to achieve the control goals. Besides, the stability of controlled model is analyzed with the aid of Lyapunov stability theory. Finally, numerical examples are proposed to verify the effectiveness and robustness of the designed controllers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate a two-dimensional avian influenza model with Allee effect and stochasticity. We first show that a unique global positive solution always exists to the stochastic system for any positive initial value. Then, under certain conditions, this solution is proved to be stochastically ultimately bounded. Furthermore, by constructing a suitable Lyapunov function, we obtain sufficient conditions for the existence of stationary distribution with ergodicity. The conditions for the extinction of infected avian population are also analytically studied. These theoretical results are conformed by computational simulations. We numerically show that the environmental noise can bring different dynamical outcomes to the stochastic model. By scanning different noise intensities, we observe that large noise can cause extinction of infected avian population, which suggests the repression of noise on the spread of avian virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian Influenza is an infectious, contagious disease of an acute evolutionary type with an epizootic enzootic character, affecting numerous species of domestic and wild birds, clinically characterized by serious general disorders, accompanied by respiratory, digestive, nervous phenomena and an edema of the subcutaneous connective tissue from head and neck region, and morphopathologically through hemorrhagic lesions in various tissues and organs. At present it is spread in most European countries, America, Asia and Africa. It is of great economic importance due to its very high morbidity and mortality. Because the disease is underdiagnosed, and people do not notice the illness or mortality occurring in their livestock, the virus is very difficult to control. The number of cases of infection increases in the spring and autumn due to the migrations that migratory birds perform. They either start the migration already infected, or become infected during the migration, in the stopovers where the disease develops. Infected birds do not manage to reach the end of the migration, the body being weakened due to the fight against the virus, they can no longer fly and end up dying in the territories of the free countries, leading to new outbreaks of Avian Influenza. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that the prevailing law and policy framework is inadequate for managing current outbreaks of avian influenza and that reform is needed. Specifically, it examines the National Poultry Improvement Plan, arguing that a mass vaccination program for commercial poultry is warranted in light of the mounting social and economic costs of managing avian influenza under the status quo approach. In making this argument, this article discusses the poultry industry, avian influenza, federal regulations, and possible solutions. It illustrates why the status quo is insufficient and makes recommendations for reform, including a mass vaccination program for commercial poultry and increased investments in gene editing technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents abstracts related to birds including a study on the predation rate of Eurasian Tree Sparrows using nest boxes, an assessment of avian birds at Green Wing Environmental Laboratory in Amboy, Illinois and a study on bird banders in the U.S. for avian influenza virus infection.

Infectious diseases such as Ebola, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), avian influenza and the most recent COVID-19 continue to emerge, evolve, and kill significant numbers of people and frighten and threaten many more. Infectious diseases entail some unique ethical features that are often encountered by public health officials. Public health measures used to control them sometimes involve infringement of widely accepted individual rights and liberties, infectious diseases raise difficult philosophical questions about how to strike and balance between the goal of protecting the greater good of public health and the goal of protecting individual rights and liberties. This paper should like to advance three theses: first, that political thought depends on ethics; second, that the kind of ethics that provides its firmest basis is an ethics that emphasis is laid on importance of the society rather than centrality of the individual; and third, that conformity to this ethics would make a large impact in order to strengthen the pandemic preparedness for Public Health Emergencies in the Philippines. This paper asserts the importance of strengthening mechanisms and policies to healthcare in the Philippines which addresses the burden of combating infectious diseases such as COVID-19. The primary focus of this paper is not on the existence of injustice on a national scale but on its implications for those who have power to act within the legislative body, including governments research councils, private companies and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to review the critical technology development of avian radar system at airports. Design/methodology/approach: After the origin of avian radar technology is discussed, the target characteristics of flying birds are analyzed, including the target echo amplitude, flight speed, flight height, trajectory and micro-Doppler. Four typical airport avian radar systems of Merlin, Accipiter, Robin and CAST are introduced. The performance of different modules such as antenna, target detection and tracking, target recognition and classification, analysis of bird information together determines the detection ability of avian radar. The performances and key technologies of the ubiquitous avian radar are summarized and compared with other systems, and their applications, deployment modes, as well as their advantages and disadvantages are introduced and analyzed. Findings: The ubiquitous avian radar achieves the long-time integration of target echoes, which greatly improves detection and classification ability of the targets of birds or drones, even under strong background clutter at airport. In addition, based on the big data of bird situation accumulated by avian radar, the rules of bird activity around the airport can be mined to guide the bird avoidance work. Originality/value: This paper presented a novel avian radar system based on ubiquitous digital radar technology. The authors' experience has confirmed that this system can be effective for airport bird strike prevention and management. In the future, the avian radar system will see continued improvement in both software and hardware, as the system is designed to be easily extensible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we develop a susceptible‐infective‐susceptible‐infected‐recovered avian influenza model with saturated incidence rate and three control measures, which is proposed to evaluate the comprehensive effects of different control measures on the spread of avian influenza. Based on the threshold policy, the threshold level is used as the reference index of whether to take control measures. No control measures will be taken when the total number of infected birds and humans is less than the threshold level. Otherwise, the three control measures will be implemented simultaneously to mitigate the spread of the disease. Furthermore, by using the Utkin equivalent control method, the existence of sliding mode equation and its dynamics are investigated. Additionally, the method of dynamic programming is introduced to study the optimal control for the model. Through constructing and proving the existence of viscosity solution of the corresponding Hamilton–Jacobi–Bellman equation, the optimal control pair is further obtained. Finally, numerical simulations are performed to illustrate the corresponding theoretical analysis results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian Influenza is a contagious zoonotic disease that can be transmitted from birds to mammals. In this study, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate and summarize the occurrence of avian influenza H9N2 in humans and other mammals in Iran. Data were collected systematically until July 1 2023 from four English and two Persian databases. According to the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) and inclusion criteria, 14 eligible studies were obtained. Occurrences of AI H9N2 are reported in humans, dogs, and water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in Iran. The pooled prevalence of AI H9N2 using a random model among humans was 0.15 (95% CI, 0.12-0.18). Pooled prevalence using the HI test was 0.16 (95% CI, 0.13-0.20). The pooled prevalence by different cut-offs for the HI test was equal to 0.34, 0.11, 0.02, and 0.01, respectively for cut-offs 1:20 to 1:160. Pooled prevalence using the HI test, among persons with possible exposure, hospitalized persons and hospital staff (0.20, 0.31, and 0.30) was higher than the prevalence in apparently healthy individuals (0.01). The group of individuals with possible exposure revealed the highest pooled prevalence of 0.25 (95% CI, 0.17-0.33) using the HI test. This was observed predominantly in slaughterhouse workers. The pooled prevalence using the ELISA test was 0.27 (95% CI, 0.23-0.31). These results can help policymakers to create prevention and control programs for possible epidemics in the future and can help researchers to tailor the design and objectives of future studies in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce a numerical and analytical study of the HIV‐1 infection of CD4+ T‐cells conformable fractional mathematical model. This model is studied analytically by Kudryashov and modified Kudryashov methods and numerically by finite difference method. A comparison between the results of the analytical and numerical methods is investigated. We also give some figures that show how accurate the solutions will be obtained from analytical and numerical methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Newcastle disease (ND) has been a consistent risk factor to the poultry industry worldwide. Its pathogen, Newcastle disease virus (NDV), is also a promising antitumor treatment candidate. The pathogenic mechanism has intrigued the great curiosity of researchers, and advances in the last two decades have been summarized in this paper. The NDV's pathogenic ability is highly related to the basic protein structure of the virus, which is described in the Introduction of this review. The overall clinical signs and recent findings pertaining to NDV-related lymph tissue damage are then described. Given the involvement of cytokines in the overall virulence of NDV, cytokines, particularly IL6 and IFN expressed during infection, are reviewed. On the other hand, the host also has its way of antagonizing the virus, which starts with the detection of the pathogen. Thus, advances in NDV's physiological cell mechanism and the subsequent IFN response, autophagy, and apoptosis are summarized to provide a whole picture of the NDV infection process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The explosive evolution of the internet has paved the path for the rise of social networks, which can help people connect remotely. Currently, social networks are commonly used for sharing thoughts, feelings, information, and personal life, which vary from individual to individual. The world has witnessed a tremendous increase in social media usage in the last decade, and more people are expected to spend their time online after the COVID-19 pandemic. This increases the rapid propagation of rumors and fake news within societies and communities. On one end, social networks act as an excellent platform for digital marketing and sharing information. However, on the other end, social network rumors and fake news create a significant impact on society, including riots. To study and analyze social network rumors, several mathematical rumor propagation epidemic models have been proposed. The majority are related to disease-spreading epidemic models and reject the human aspect of social selection. This paper introduces a new mathematical rumor propagation model for social networks by incorporating the human psychological aspect of selection as a separate state. Our mathematical analysis and computational simulation proved that the model exists within the system. It was also proven that the system is always non-negative and there always exists a solution in the system. Our implementation of an intervention mechanism within the discrete compartmental model simulation proved the necessity of an effective interference that can help to prevent the implications of uncontrolled rumor dissemination within social networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the most important areas of the modern world. One of the challenges related to counteracting the effects of the pandemic it was necessary to develop methods for the quantitative determination of pharmaceuticals used in the treatment of patients suffering from this disease and its long-term effects. Budesonide (BUD) is a widely available and inexpensive corticosteroid used extensively not only among people suffering from COVID-19, but also asthma and other respiratory diseases. A significant increase in the consumption of drugs containing this component requires the development of new BUD determination methods, especially in real samples. This paper presents a new voltammetric method for BUD determination at renewable silver amalgam film electrode (Hg(Ag)FE). The electrochemical measurements were conduced in the supporting electrolyte containing 80% of methyl alcohol, 0.04 mol L−1 Britton–Robinson buffer (pH 3.0) and 20 mg mL−1 of NaClO4 under optimized differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) parameters. Detailed studies of the behaviour of the BUD on the surface of Hg(Ag)FE demonstrated the quasi-irreversible nature of the diffusion-controlled, two electrons and two protons reduction process. A calibration curve in the range from 1.0 to 290 µg mL−1 shows limit of detection and limit of quantification equal to 0.06 and 0.21 µg mL−1, respectively. The impact of numerous interferences over a wide range of concentrations on BUD signals was analysed and evaluated. The utility of the proposed method was verified by the quantitative analysis of BUD in two pharmaceutical products and the spiked water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Newcastle disease virus (NDV) outbreak was first reported in Java Island, Indonesia, in 1926, which was then reported further in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England. Nevertheless, the NDV is still endemic in Indonesia, with outbreaks occurring in free-range and commercial chicken farms. The dynamic evolution of the NDV has led to the further development of vaccines and diagnostic tools for more effective control of this virus. This paper discusses the history of the NDV occurrence, vaccines, the development of diagnostic tools, and the epidemiological condition of the NDV in Indonesia. Indonesia, which has the largest poultry population in the world after China, has challenges in preventing and controlling this virus that causes economic losses to the farmers and has an impact on the welfare of the poultry farming community in Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For vaccine development, quantum vaccinology and vaccinomics approaches could be applied for the identification and combination of protective epitopes alone or in combination with post-translational modifications, such as glycans in chimeric antigens, to enhance vaccine efficacy against multiple virus genetic variants [[40], [42], [44], [46]]. 10.3390/ijms21186702 45 Galili U. Amplifying immunogenicity of prospective Covid-19 vaccines by glycoengineering the coronavirus glycan-shield to present -gal epitopes. Vaccines have been the most effective intervention for the control of COVID-19, which, together with improved virus infection diagnostics, epidemiological surveillance, and treatment, have reduced disease prevalence and symptomatology (Figure 1). In this new collection of the most viewed and cited papers, one of the Editor's chosen articles, published in I Pathogens i in 2021, addressed the impact and the concerns relating to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its variants [[1]]. [Extracted from the article]

The paper highlights the impact of two cross-border poultry infections with zoonotic potential (avian flu and Newcastle disease) on the functioning of industrial poultry farms in the former Soviet Union counties (Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan), where the poultry industry is fairly well-developed. Despite the permanent vaccination of poultry against Newcastle disease in industrial poultry farming, the disease still affects individual farms in Ukraine, the Russian Federation, and Kazakhstan. In case of outbreaks, the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan use inactivated influenza vaccines. In Ukraine, for almost 20 years, outbreaks of influenza have been confirmed mainly on individual farms, and one outbreak of highly pathogenic influenza was reported on an industrial poultry farm in 2020. In the Russian Federation, highly pathogenic influenza occurs on industrial poultry farms more often. In Russia, seven industrial poultry enterprises were affected by influenza in 2016-2017, and eight in 2018. Infection of poultry with influenza virus on poultry factory farms is an indication of shortcomings in compliance with biosecurity measures. Influenza and Newcastle disease are always likely to occur in the countries in question, as wild birds migrate through their territory, and they are a reservoir of pathogens, therefore outbreaks are often associated with spring and autumn migrations of wild birds. In all of said countries, a large number of poultry is kept by individual households, where basic biosecurity, sanitation and preventive vaccination measures are not applied. This component is often crucial in bringing viral infections such as influenza and Newcastle disease on large poultry farms. As a result, the virus is brought onto poultry farms by synanthropic birds, humans, transport, feed, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a multilayer/monolayer black phosphorus (BP)-based nanostructure is presented to detect the avian influenza virus. The nanostructur is a grating arrangement made of BP over SiO2 or Al2O3 substrate. To achieve the transmission spectrum, depend on the changes in the lateral length of BP, namely (L = 100, 150, 170 nm) as well as the complex refractive index of each of three viruses types (H1N1, H5N2, H9N2) in the THz range, the structure is numerically simulated by three-dimensional finite difference time domain method. The change in resonance frequency is greater for the H9N2 virus because the real part of its refractive index is relatively larger. Here, too, the rate of change is examined based on the different thicknesses of the H9N2 virus. Also, changes in the refractive index of the environment have been used to calculate important parameters in the sensors, such as sensitivity, full width at half maximum, and figure of merit. Overall, this platform provides a promising platform for detecting influenza viruses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While pandemic plans were brought into the spotlight during the avian flu scare and H1N1 pandemic, the COVID-19 pandemic has been far more severe, with many new challenges to manage. As this pandemic will likely continue to have a major impact on lives and organisations at least until the beginning of 2022, organisations need to stop and take stock of their response and make any necessary adjustments now. This paper explores what has worked well in the initial six months and what needs improvement going forward. It also discusses how the pandemic will affect the profession over the long term. The paper concludes that the pandemic could prove to be a boon for the industry, but only if professionals are proactive in making it happen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]