Multiple sphingolipid-metabolizing enzymes modulate influenza virus replication.

The sphingolipid network is sustained principally by the balance of bioactive sphingolipid molecules and their regulation by sphingolipid-metabolizing enzymes. The components in the lipid system display key functions in numerous cellular and disease conditions including virus infections. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a fruitful effort to use an inhibitor that blocks the activity of sphingosine kinase (SphK) 2 to cure the devastating disease.

Investigating compliance with cow comfort and mastitis control recommendations on mastitis outcomes in smallholder dairy farms in Central Kenya.

A randomized controlled trial was conducted in Kenya in 2020 with the objectives being to assess compliance of smallholder dairy farmers (SDF) with farm-specific mastitis and cow comfort recommendations, to determine factors associated with compliance, and to determine the impact of these recommendations in reducing cases of subclinical mastitis. A total of 114 SDFs (124 cows) were recruited into the study and randomly allocated into intervention (74 farms) and control (40 farms) groups during the first farm visit. Existing farm-level mastitis control and cow comfort strategies were assessed in both intervention and control farms.