Assessment of communal farmers' knowledge of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the FMD control zone of South Africa

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious disease affecting domestic livestock and its control in South Africa depends on methods including event-based surveillance and the reporting of disease by farmers. This study assessed FMD knowledge level among small-scale, communal livestock farmers in South Africa's FMD zone with vaccination. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 629 farmers from 44 dip-tanks (animal assembly points). A FMD knowledge score was derived from 25 yes/no questions with scores above the median classified as high FMD knowledge. Mixed-effects logistic regression was used to evaluate predictors of high FMD knowledge with associations reported as odds ratios (OR) and their corresponding 95 % confidence intervals (CI). Eighty percent of the participants were male and 65 % aged 60 or older. The most common livestock raised was cattle (98.1 %). Sixty-six percent (415/629) of the interviewed farmers reported that they were aware of the existence of FMD. Formal education (OR 2.0, 95 % CI, 1.4–2.9, P < 0.001), poultry ownership (OR 1.7, 95 % CI 1.1–2.5, P = 0.006), livestock farming as the main occupation (OR 1.6, 95 % CI 1.1–2.3, P = 0.026) and the total livestock units of their farm (OR 1.5, 95 % CI 1.1–1.9, P = 0.002) were significant predictors of FMD recognition. Most respondents (54 %) that claimed to be aware of the existence of FMD did not know that African buffalos were a source of FMD virus. Also, less than half of the respondents cited lameness (38 %) and excessive salivation (37 %) as the main FMD clinical signs. Only a small proportion (2.4 %) of these respondents were aware that movement of infected animals can cause FMD virus to spread to new areas. FMD knowledge scores were calculated for the 415 respondents claiming to be aware of the existence FMD with 174 (42 %) having a total knowledge score greater than the median (hereafter referred to as “high FMD knowledge” compared to the rest of the farmers). Farmers from Vhembe District in Limpopo had an odds of high FMD knowledge four times higher than those in Ehlanzeni District in Mpumalanga (OR 4.0, 95 % CI 1.7–9.4, P = 0.002). Farmers that owned more than 15 cattle (OR 1.7, 95 % CI 1.0–2.8, P = 0.035) and farmers that supervised their own cattle during grazing (OR 1.6, 95 % CI 1.0–2.5, P = 0.043) also had a significantly higher odds of high FMD knowledge. Communal farmers in South Africa have gaps in their FMD knowledge and specifically were not aware that movement of infected animals and their products pose a threat for the spread of FMD. Comprehensive information, education and training for communal livestock farmers are essential for improving event-based surveillance and FMD prevention and control in the region

Dispersed polypyrrole latex as a cathode material for all-solid-state lithium batteries

Fine bare polypyrrole latex (200 nm sized) was obtained by improved synthesis conditions. This new electronically conducting electroactive material was dispersed in a polyoxyethylene solid salt solution and used as a battery cathode together with a polymer electrolyte film and a lithium sheet in a threelayered system. The resulting battery behaves very well at low current densities though an incomplete dispersion of the latex has been seen from studies on symmetrical cells (using latex composite for both electrodes). A self-discharge problem for the lithium cells arose only before the first discharge and during subsequent charge processes. A previously described theoretical model was used to estimate the ionic diffusion coefficient within the polypyrrole particles. The very low value - 10-13 cm2.s-1 - obtained explains the poor performances of this material at moderate current densities

Control of the interface properties of polypyrrole substituted by peptides

The condensation of (pyrryl-3) acetic acid with amino-acid esters leads to new pyrrole derivatives the electropolymerisation of which results in conducting films. The electroactivity in aqueous electrolyte of these new materials depends upon the molecular substituent. This behaviour is directly related to the variable hydrophobic character of the amino-acids

New functionalized oligothiophenes. Properties and applications to photodetection

A series of oligothiophenes nT(up to 6T) substitued at the ends of the chain by electronic donors(D) or acceptors(A) has been prepared. The electrochemical study of the soluble species allowed us to quantify the effect of substituents. The optical properties of the compounds have shown the existence of charge transfers at the excited state. The semiconducting properties of thin films have been investigated in the aim of applications in electronic devices. The photosensiblity in symmetrical and unsymmetrical contacts has been studied in visible area. The low junction yield (18%) suggests substantial trapping and recombination rate