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Babesiosis is a significant tick borne disease, which is widely prevalent globally. Many research studies have discussed the presence of Babesia gibsoni, Babesia vogeli and Babesia canis in dogs in China. In the present study, we have used molecular approaches to detect the presence of Babesia spp. in dogs of Hainan province/island, China. A total of 1106 dog blood samples were collected from Hainan Island, of which 61 samples were found to be positive for Babesia vogeli. The highest infection rate was 56.7% (17/30) detected from Tunchang, followed by 25.0% (3/12) from Baisha and 10.4% (5/48) from Wenchang. There was only one positive case of Babesia gibsoni, and the infection rate was 0.1% (1/1106). The sequencing results showed that the subjected sample sequences were identical to Babesia vogeli and Babesia gibsoni. The results derived from this study will be helpful for planning the effective treatment, control and prevention of babesiosis in dogs of Hainan province/island.

Dengue fever (DF), a mosquito-borne viral infection common in warm, tropical climates, is an acute infectious disease caused by the Dengue virus (DENV). Geographically, Hainan Island falls in the southern belt of China holding an approximate area of 33,920 km2. Meteorologically, Hainan is characterized to have a tropical maritime monsoon climate, giving rise to favorable natural conditions for different mosquito species. However, the diversity of mosquitoes and their abundance has undoubtedly put the island at a higher risk of mosquito-borne viral disease outbreaks. In this chapter, we have discussed the prevalence, control, and management of DF in Hainan Island in China along with the different species of mosquitoes responsible for transmitting the virus. In addition, future prospective of some important DF management strategies, related research methods, and integrated control strategies for the effective control and management of DF with One Health perspective has been summarized.

Outer membrane protein A (OmpA) is a unique outer membrane protein which is abundantly present in the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria. OmpA is a transmembrane structural protein with a conserved amino acid sequence among different bacteria. This protein is involved in a number of functions like adhesion, toxicity, invasiveness, and biofilm formation in Gram-negative bacteria. Many studies have proposed that OmpA could be a therapeutic target for bacterial infection. Our review focusses on the studies involving recent development in the structure and functions of OmpA and further discussing its potential as a therapeutic target for bacterial infection.

Arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (aaNAT), considered a potential new insecticide target, catalyzes the acetylation of arylalkylamine substrates such as serotonin and dopamine and, hence, mediates diverse functions in insects. However, the origin of insect aaNATs (iaaNATs) and the evolutionary process that generates multiple aaNATs in mosquitoes remain largely unknown. Here, we have analyzed the genomes of 33 species to explore and expand our understanding of the molecular evolution of this gene family in detail. We show that aaNAT orthologs are present in Bacteria, Cephalochordata, Chondrichthyes, Cnidaria, Crustacea, Mammalia, Placozoa, and Teleoste, as well as those from a number of insects, but are absent in some species of Annelida, Echinozoa, and Mollusca as well as Arachnida. Particularly, more than 10 aaNATs were detected in the Culicinae subfamily of mosquitoes. Molecular evolutionary analysis of aaNAT/aaNAT-like genes in mosquitoes reveals that tandem duplication events led to gene expansion in the Culicinae subfamily of mosquitoes more than 190 million years ago. Further selection analysis demonstrates that mosquito aaNATs evolved under strongly positive pressures that generated functional diversity following gene duplication events. Overall, this study may provide novel insights into the molecular evolution of the aaNAT family in mosquitoes.

Ionotropic γ-aminobutyric acid (iGABA) receptors are involved in various physiological activities in insects, including sleep, olfactory memory, movement, and resistance to viruses. Ivermectin and fluralaner can disturb the insect nervous system by binding to iGABA receptors, and are therefore an effective means for controlling insect pests. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the insecticidal effect of both the compounds on Aedes. aegypti remain unexplored.In this study, we investigated the spatiotemporal expression profile of Ae. aegypti RDL (Ae-RDL), a subunit of iGABA receptor. RDL dsRNA suppressed the expression of Ae-RDL mRNA in Ae. aegypti larvae and adult by 60% and 50.67%, resepectly. However, the physiology of Ae. aegypti larvae was not significantly affected. The mortality of Ae. aegypti larvae and adult females subjected to Ae-RDL knockdown significantly decreased after exposure to ivermectin and fluralaner. Additionally, Ae-RDL was cloned into Xenopus laevis oocytes and characterized using the two-electrode voltage-clamp method. The inward current was induced by GABA binding to the functional Ae-RDL homomeric receptors at a median effective concentration (ECOur study revealed that Ae-RDL subunit is a target of ivermectin and fluralaner, providing new insights into the insecticidal mechanism of both compounds in Ae. aegypti. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991, in most post-Soviet societies a variety of religious groups emerged offering alternative moral discourses and practices that clearly challenged the atheist policies created under socialism broadly understood as ‘scientific atheism’. Consequently, both institutional and ideological aspects of religion emerged as distinct factors in the social and political life of most-post Soviet countries. Rediscovering religion in most of these societies meant regaining not just historical memory and heritage but also reconstructing national identity. In the political vocabulary of post-Soviet Russia, the concept of ‘spiritual security’ gained currency. It is significant that in the official documents of Russia, spiritual security is listed as a sub-set of national security and encapsulates a number of key political undercurrents and trends in contemporary Russia. Most importantly, it is also shaping its religious diplomacy and soft power projections. This chapter aims to understand why the state-sponsored scientific atheism propounded during the Soviet era had a limited impact and how the reimagination of religion in post-Soviet Russia has impacted Russian policymaking both domestically and internationally and has become the cornerstone of what is being described as spiritual security.

As a century-old idea, the ideological relevance of the Eurasian geopolitical system, complete with its political, social, economic and ethno-cultural ideas, has been affirmed by many subsequent sociohistorical processes and events. The term emerged and re-emerged in different stages of history as a powerful idea set in motion by philosophers, historians, nationalists, individuals and political leaders. Although the concept has branched into different forms, each of them holds its particular view on the distinct geopolitical identity of the region stretching across Asia and Europe and including other constituents that define the Eurasian landscape. However, as a term ‘Eurasia’ is both contested and debated and has different meanings attached to it, both in time and space. Significantly, the geopolitical concept of ‘Eurasianism’, along with its political-ideological and philosophical underpinnings, continues to be a dominant narrative in both academic and policymaking circles. The chapter provides a broad overview of the evolution of the concept of Eurasia and Eurasianism, the interpretations and the policy debates surrounding the concept and its geopolitical underpinnings in domestic, regional and global affairs.

No other event of the past century can match the far-reaching impact of the Russian Revolution of 1917 in transforming lives far beyond the geographical confines of the actual theater of the revolution. The establishment of the Soviet Union, subsequent to the victory of the socialist revolution in Russia under the leadership of V. I. Lenin, had ramifications that went far beyond the events of the period. Not only did it politically radicalize the working class throughout the world, it also offered the possibility of an alternative model of development—an alternative to capitalism and imperialism. Unlike other political revolutions in the past that were confined to a single country and resulted in the replacement of one regime with another or at best could strike a chord with a single community and its diaspora, the Russian Revolution was an international revolution in the sense that its impact and reach was truly global. Not only did it resonate internationally, it also set into motion political and social process that impacted every aspect of human life. It marked the advent of a new historical era with new political possibilities and thus profoundly changed the way historical processes came to be understood. The chapter broadly reflects upon the significance of the emancipatory narratives of the Russian Revolution in transforming the political systems, ideologies, culture and economic structures across different continents.

The Russian Revolution of 1917 had a profound impact on the anti-colonial struggles all over the world. Its impact on the Indian Freedom Movement was also far reaching. None other than Gandhi described it as “the greatest event” of the century and a “great lesson” for India. The Revolution brought home to the Indian freedom fighters and the revolutionaries, the efficacy of alternative means to resist autocratic ways. This was a marked departure from the Gandhian notion of non-violent resistance. The Russian Revolution and the post revolution ideologies increased the velocity of the Indian national movement by providing an ideological umbrella to both the moderates and the extremists viewpoints within the freedom movement. It played a very positive role in successfully transforming the character of the freedom movement from an elite-driven movement to a movement led and inspired by the concerns of the workers and peasants. The chapter highlights the influence of the Russian Revolution on significant ideological developments within the Indian freedom movement and its impact on the course of Indian politics during that period.

Present-day diagnostic tools and technologies for canine diseases and other vector-borne parasitic diseases hardly meet the requirements of an efficient and rapid diagnostic tool, which can be suitable for use at the point-of-care in resource-limited settings. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique has been always a method of choice in the development and validation of quick, precise, and sensitive diagnostic assays for pathogen detection and to reorganize point-of-care (POC) molecular diagnostics. In this study, we have demonstrated an efficient detection system for parasitic vector-borne pathogens like Ehrlichia canis and Hepatozoon canis by linking the LAMP assay to a smartphone via a simple, inexpensive, and a portable “LAMP box,” All the components of the LAMP box were connected to each other wirelessly. This LAMP box was made up of an isothermal heating pad mounted below an aluminum base which served as a platform for the reaction tubes and LAMP assay. The entire setup could be connected to a smartphone via an inbuilt Wi-Fi that allowed the user to establish the connection to control the LAMP box. A 5 V USB power source was used as a power supply. The sensitivity of the LAMP assay was estimated to be up to 10−6 dilution limit using the amplified, purified, and quantified specific DNA templates. It can also serve as an efficient diagnostic platform for many other veterinary infectious or parasitic diseases of zoonotic origin majorly towards field-based diagnostics. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00436-021-07077-z.

Vol. 1, No. 2 (2019) This issue of SourceLab presents a famous editorial cartoon, published in the weekly journal Fun during the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878-1880). This publication is part of the digital documentary edition series SourceLab, based at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Our Editorial Board conducts rigorous peer-review of every edition.

Russia’s March 2018 presidential elections need to be analysed and understood in the context of the inherited political culture of the Soviet times. The undeveloped political culture of participation clearly stands out as the dominant feature of the Russian political landscape. Political processes and institutions have been tailored to serve national goals shaped by the ambitions, demands and successes of the dominant leader. It is against this background that Russia’s personality-centric politics has evolved and continues to function. The outcome of the 18 March 2018 presidential elections is an affirmation of this reality.

Cuticle is the most important structure that protects mosquitoes and other insect species from adverse environmental conditions and infections of microorganism. The physiology and biochemistry of insect cuticle formation have been studied for many years and our understanding of cuticle formation and hardening has increased considerably. This is especially true for flexible cuticle. The recent discovery of a novel enzyme that catalyzes the production of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (DOPAL) in insects provides intriguing insights concerning the flexible cuticle formation in insects. For convenience, the enzyme that catalyzes the production DOPAL from l-dopa is named DOPAL synthase. In this mini-review, we summarize the biochemical pathways of cuticle formation and hardening in general and discuss DOPAL synthase-mediated protein crosslinking in insect flexible cuticle in particular.

The collapse of the USSR marked the end of the multiethnic ‘Soviet Nation’. Consequent to the moving out of the republics from the federation, Russia and Russians faced the challenge of defining their own identity and that of a new, multinational, multi-confessional state—the Russian Federation. Towards this end of regenerating identity, religion proved to be a very potent instrument. Religion and religiosity in Russia is closely interconnected with ethnic self-awareness and consolidation of political identities that go beyond religion. It has been employed to foster both inclusive and exclusive identities and have also impacted crucial decisions of the state. Its social and political role is profound and so is its engagement with the institutions of the state. It is significant that both the institutional and ideological aspects of religion have emerged as distinct factors in contemporary Russian politics. The re-emergence and the consolidation of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC) in the social and political life of contemporary Russia has submerged smaller religious identities in all spheres of social and political life. Given Russia’s religious diversity, this has impacted intergroup relations and generated tensions in the society, resulting from both the ‘politicization of religion’ and the ‘desecularization’ project from above.

A series of twenty substituted 3,4-dihydropyrimidine derivatives were prepared and characterized by TLC, IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR spectroscopic data and elemental analysis. These were screened for insecticidal activity by the film residue method against the pulse beetle (adzuki bean weevil, Callosobruchus chinensis). 4-(2′-Chlorophenyl)-6-phenyl-3,4-dihydropyrimidine-2(1H)-thione (LC50 0.00201 mg/cm2), 4-(2′-chlorophenyl)-6-p-tolyl-3,4-dihydropyrimidine-2(1H)-thione (LC50 0.00122 mg/cm2), 4-(4′-methoxyphenyl)-6-(4″-methylphenyl)l-3,4-dihydropyrimidine-2(1H)-thione (LC50 0.00164 mg/cm2), 4-(4′-chlorophenyl)-6-(4″-methoxyphenyl)-3,4-dihydropyrimidine-2(1H)-thione (LC50 0.00175 mg/cm2) were found to be more effective than dichlorvos (2,2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate, LC50 0.00243 mg/cm2), a commercial insecticide recommended for managing Callosobruchus chinensis.

A series of twenty 3,5-disubstituted isoxazoles were synthesized (using conventional and microwave methods) by the reaction of substituted chalcones with hydroxylamine hydrochloride and characterized by TLC, IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR spectroscopic data and elemental analysis. The compounds were screened for insecticidal activity against the pulse beetle, Callosobruchus chinensis. Compounds 1a (LC50 36 mg L−1), 1d (LC50 110 mg L−1), 2c (LC50 93 mg L−1) and 5b (LC50134 mg L−1) were more effective than the recommended organophosphorous insecticide dichlorvos (2,2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate) (LC50 155 mg L−1). These compounds provide a lead for designing new substances endowed with insecticidal activity.

Globalization and liberalisation brings lots of new innovative products to the world, Foreign Direct Investment is the one among this, also there are number of different forms of FDI is available currently. Foreign Direct Investment is one and only major instrument of attracting International Economic Integration in any economy. It serves as a link between investment and saving. Many developing countries like India, are facing the deficit of savings. This problem can be solved with the help of Foreign Direct Investment. This research paper aims to examine the impact of FDI on the Indian economy, particularly after two decades of economic reforms, and analyzes the challenges to position itself favourably in the global competition for FDI. This paper also tries to find out the scenario and role and Scope of Foreign Direct Investment in India. In this paper we study the effects of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) with respect to India and its economy. We try to analyze the merits and demerits of FDI upon implementation in the Indian domestic market.

Cancer cells differ from normal cells in their response to chemotherapy. We exploited this dissimilarity by identifying and targeting tumor-specific, cell-surface proteins whose expression is induced by the chemotherapeutic irinotecan (CPT-11; Camptosar). A cytotoxin-armed antibody reactive with one of these drug-induced surface proteins, the LY6D/E48 antigen, originally identified as the target of a monoclonal antibody reactive with squamous cell carcinomas, caused complete regression of colorectal tumor xenografts in mice treated with CPT-11, whereas either agent alone was less effective. These results suggest that a positive therapeutic index may be generated for other drug combinations by immunotherapeutic targeting of chemotherapy-induced antigens.