RESUMEN
Anthrax, caused by Bacillus anthracis, is a persistent global threat to both public health and livestock industries. This study investigates an outbreak of sheep anthrax in Hyati Mundaragi Village, Karnataka, India. The demographic and ecological characteristics of this region are pivotal factors influencing disease emergence, with varying outbreak years observed among sheep farmers. Socio-economic factors and Risk Exposure and Mitigation Behaviour (REMB) were found to be critical determinants of anthrax incidence, emphasizing the multifaceted nature of the disease's spread. Sheep migration and proximity to water bodies, notably the Tungabhadra reservoir, facilitated spore transfer and contributed to the outbreak in this village. The study highlights the urgency of proactive measures, including comprehensive disease surveillance, vaccine accessibility, training initiatives for local veterinarians and farmers, and the integration of AI tools for early detection and rapid response.
RESUMEN
ABSTRACT Corn husks are the major wastes of corn industries with meagre economic significance. The present study was planned for value addition of corn husk through extraction of xylan, followed by its enzymatic hydrolysis into xylooligosaccharides, a pentose based prebiotic. Compositional analysis of corn husks revealed neutral detergent fibre 68.87%, acid detergent fibre 31.48%, hemicelluloses 37.39%, cellulose 29.07% and crude protein 2.68%. Irrespective of the extraction conditions, sodium hydroxide was found to be more effective in maximizing the yield of xylan from corn husks than potassium hydroxide (84% vs. 66%). Application of xylanase over the xylan of corn husks resulted into production of xylooligosaccharides with different degree of polymerization namely, xylobiose and xylotriose in addition to xylose monomer. On the basis of response surface model analysis, the maximum yield of xylobiose (1.9 mg/ml) was achieved with the enzymatic hydrolysis conditions of pH 5.8, temperature 44°C, enzyme dose 5.7U/ml and hydrolysis time of 17.5h. Therefore, the corn husks could be used as raw material for xylan extraction vis a vis its translation into prebiotic xylooligosaccharides.