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Losartan potassium is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist readily absorbed from the GIT, following oral administration. It has low bioavailability as it undergoes extensive first pass metabolism and low elimination half-life. The present study was aimed at studying sustained release behaviour of the drug using hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers and to optimise using a 3[²] full factorial design. Eudragit and HPMC were used to evaluate the effect of hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers on the release pattern of the drug. A full factorial was implemented at 20, 30 and 40% concentration of hydrophilic polymer and 2.5, 5 and 7.5% of hydrophobic polymer correlating with the release behaviour. Process variables were investigated and the results showed excellent adaptability in releasing drug over prolonged periods. Based on the results, it was found suitable to formulate a dosage form using optimum concentration of hydrophobic polymer along with hydrophilic polymer to vary the release behaviour for over 12 hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To estimate the societal costs of untreated perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) in Vermont for the 2018-2020 average annual birth cohort from conception through five years postpartum., Methods: We developed a cost analysis model to calculate the excess cases of outcomes attributed to PMADs in the state of Vermont. Then, we modeled the associated costs of each outcome incurred by birthing parents and their children, projected five years for birthing parents who do not achieve remission by the end of the first year postpartum., Results: We estimated that the total societal cost of untreated PMADs in Vermont could reach $48 million for an annual birth cohort from conception to five years postpartum, amounting to $35,910 in excess societal costs per birthing parent with an untreated PMAD and their child., Conclusion: Our model provides evidence of the high costs of untreated PMADs for birthing parents and their children in Vermont. Our estimates for Vermont are slightly higher but comparable to national estimates, which are $35,500 per birthing parent-child pair, adjusted to 2021 US dollars. Investing in perinatal mental health prevention and treatment could improve health outcomes and reduce economic burden of PMADs on individuals, families, employers, and the state., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Austria, part of Springer Nature.)

Objective: Case investigation and contact tracing (CI/CT) are fundamental public health efforts widely used during the COVID-19 pandemic to mitigate transmission. This study investigated how state, local, and tribal public health departments used CI/CT during the COVID-19 pandemic, including CI/CT methodology, staffing models, training and support, and efforts to identify or prioritize populations disproportionately affected by COVID-19., Methods: During March and April 2022, we conducted key informant interviews with up to 3 public health officials from 43 state, local, and tribal public health departments. From audio-recorded and transcribed interviews, we used the framework method to analyze key themes., Results: Major adjustments to CI/CT protocols during the pandemic included (1) prioritizing populations for outreach; (2) implementing automated outreach for nonprioritized groups, particularly during COVID-19 surges; (3) discontinuing contact tracing and focusing exclusively on case investigation; and (4) adding innovations to provide additional support. Key informants also discussed the utility of having backup staffing to support overwhelmed public health departments and spoke to the difficulty in "right-sizing" the public health workforce, with COVID-19 surges leaving public health departments understaffed as case rates rose and overstaffed as case rates fell., Conclusions: When addressing future epidemics or outbreaks, public health officials should consider strategies that improve the effectiveness of CI/CT efforts over time, such as prioritizing populations based on disproportionate risk, implementing automated outreach, developing models that provide flexible additional staffing resources as cases rise and fall among local public health departments, incorporating demographic data in laboratory reporting, providing community connections and support, and having a system of self-notification of contacts., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Objectives: We sought to (1) document how health departments (HDs) developed COVID-19 case investigation and contact tracing (CI/CT) interview scripts and the topics covered, and (2) understand how and why HDs modified those scripts., Design: Qualitative analysis of CI/CT interview scripts and in-depth key informant interviews with public health officials in 14 HDs. Collected scripts represent 3 distinct points (initial, the majority of which were time stamped May 2020; interim, spanning from September 2020 to August 2021; and current, as of April 2022)., Setting: Fourteen state, local, and tribal health jurisdictions and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)., Participants: Thirty-six public health officials involved in leading CI/CT from 14 state, local, and tribal health jurisdictions (6 states, 3 cities, 4 counties, and 1 tribal area)., Main Outcome Measure: Interview script elements included in CI/CT interview scripts over time., Results: Many COVID-19 CI/CT scripts were developed by modifying questions from scripts used for other communicable diseases. Early in the pandemic, scripts included guidance on isolation/quarantine and discussed symptoms of COVID-19. As the pandemic evolved, the length of scripts increased substantially, with significant additions on contact elicitation, vaccinations, isolation/quarantine recommendations, and testing. Drivers of script changes included changes in our understanding of how the virus spreads, risk factors and symptoms, new treatments, new variants, vaccine development, and adjustments to CDC's official isolation and quarantine guidance., Conclusions: Our findings offer suggestions about components to include in future CI/CT efforts, including educating members of the public about the disease and its symptoms, offering mitigation guidance, and providing sufficient support and resources to help people act on that guidance. Assessing the correlation between script length and number of completed interviews or other quality and performance measures could be an area for future study., Competing Interests: The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) received surveillance data on how many people tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, but there was little information about what individuals did to mitigate transmission. To fill the information gap, we conducted an online, probability-based survey among a nationally representative panel of adults living in the United States to better understand the behaviors of individuals following a positive SARS-CoV-2 test result. Given the low response rates commonly associated with panel surveys, we assessed how well the survey data aligned with CDC surveillance data from March, 2020 to March, 2022. We used CDC surveillance data to calculate monthly aggregated COVID-19 case counts and compared these to monthly COVID-19 case counts captured by our survey during the same period. We found high correlation between our overall survey data estimates and monthly case counts reported to the CDC during the analytic period ( r : +0.94; p  < 0.05). When stratified according to demographic characteristics, correlations remained high. These correlations strengthened our confidence that the panel survey participants were reflective of the cases reported to CDC and demonstrated the potential value of panel surveys to inform decision making., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (© 2024 Matulewicz, Vohra, Crawford-Crudell, Oeltmann, Moonan, Taylor, Couzens and Weiss.)

Using a nationally representative panel survey, we examined isolation behaviors among persons in the United States who had positive SARS-CoV-2 test results during January 2021-March 2022. Compared with persons who received provider-administered results, persons with home-based results had 29% (95% CI 5%-47%) lower odds of following isolation recommendations.

Background: Public health programs varied in ability to reach people with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and their contacts to encourage separation from others. For both adult case patients with COVID-19 and their contacts, we estimated the impact of contact tracing activities on separation behaviors from January 2020 until March 2022., Methods: We used a probability-based panel survey of a nationally representative sample to gather data for estimates and comparisons., Results: An estimated 64 255 351 adults reported a positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 test result; 79.6% isolated for ≥5 days, 60.2% isolated for ≥10 days, and 79.2% self-notified contacts. A total of, 24 057 139 (37.7%) completed a case investigation, and 46.2% of them reported contacts to health officials. More adults who completed a case investigation isolated than those who did not complete a case investigation (≥5 days, 82.6% vs 78.2%, respectively; ≥10 days, 69.8% vs 54.8%; both P < .05). A total of 84 946 636 adults were contacts of a COVID-19 case patient. Of these, 73.1% learned of their exposure directly from a case patient; 49.4% quarantined for ≥5 days, 18.7% quarantined for ≥14 days, and 13.5% completed a contact tracing call. More quarantined among those who completed a contact tracing call than among those who did not complete a tracing call (≥5 days, 61.2% vs 48.5%, respectively; ≥14 days, 25.2% vs 18.0%; both P < .05)., Conclusions: Engagement in contact tracing was positively correlated with isolation and quarantine. However, most adults with COVID-19 isolated and self-notified contacts regardless of whether the public health workforce was able to reach them. Identifying and reaching contacts was challenging and limited the ability to promote quarantining, and testing., Competing Interests: Potential conflicts of interest. The authors: No reported conflicts of interest. All authors have submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Conflicts that the editors consider relevant to the content of the manuscript have been disclosed., (Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America 2023.)

Case investigation and contact tracing (CI/CT) is a critical part of the public health response to COVID-19. Individuals' experiences with CI/CT for COVID-19 varied based on geographic location, changes in knowledge and guidelines, access to testing and vaccination, as well as demographic characteristics including age, race, ethnicity, income, and political ideology. In this paper, we explore the experiences and behaviors of adults with positive SARS-CoV-2 test results, or who were exposed to a person with COVID-19, to understand their knowledge, motivations, and facilitators and barriers to their actions. We conducted focus groups and one-on-one interviews with 94 cases and 90 contacts from across the United States. We found that participants were concerned about infecting or exposing others, which motivated them to isolate or quarantine, notify contacts, and get tested. Although most cases and contacts were not contacted by CI/CT professionals, those who were reported a positive experience and received helpful information. Many cases and contacts reported seeking information from family, friends, health care providers, as well as television news and Internet sources. Although participants reported similar perspectives and experiences across demographic characteristics, some highlighted inequities in receiving COVID-19 information and resources., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Objective: To estimate the cost of maternal morbidity for all 2019 pregnancies and births in the United States., Methods: Using data from 2010 to 2020, we developed a cost analysis model that calculated the excess cases of outcomes attributed to nine maternal morbidity conditions with evidence of outcomes in the literature. We then modeled the associated medical and nonmedical costs of each outcome incurred by birthing people and their children in 2019, projected through five years postpartum., Results: We estimated that the total cost of nine maternal morbidity conditions for all pregnancies and births in 2019 was $32.3 billion from conception to five years postpartum, amounting to $8,624 in societal costs per birthing person., Conclusion: We found only nine maternal morbidity conditions with sufficient supporting evidence of linkages to outcomes and costs. The lack of comprehensive data for other conditions suggests that maternal morbidity exacts a higher toll on society than we found., Policy Implications: Although this study likely provides lower bound cost estimates, it establishes the substantial adverse societal impact of maternal morbidity and suggests further opportunities to invest in maternal health., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: Maternal mental health conditions (MMHCs), which include depression and anxiety disorders during pregnancy and through five years postpartum, are among the most common obstetric complications in the United States overall and in Texas in particular. In the context of potential expansion of postpartum Medicaid coverage from 60 days to one year, we sought to capture the societal, financial burden of untreated MMHCs., Methods: We estimated the economic impact of untreated maternal mental health conditions (MMHCs) among births in Texas in 2019 using a cost-of-illness model., Results: We found that MMHCs affected 13.2% of mothers and, when left untreated, cost $2.2 billion among mothers and children born in Texas in 2019 when following the birth cohort from conception through five years postpartum. We found that MMHCs affected 17.2% of mothers enrolled in Texas' Medicaid for Pregnant Women and cost $962 million. In addition, the prevalence of MMHCs and resulting costs varied considerably among women of different races and ethnicities. Employers and health care payers, including Medicaid, bore most of these costs., Conclusions: The Texas Health and Human Services Commission's (HHSC) efforts to increase awareness about MMHCs and increase access to care represent an important step toward improving maternal and child health and maximizing benefits to Texas HHSC, employers, and insurers., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Recent literature has reported that radiological features of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) patients are influenced by computed tomography. This study aimed to assess the characteristic chest X-ray features of COVID-19 and correlate them with clinical outcomes of patients. This retrospective study included 120 COVID-19 patients. Baseline chest X-rays and serial chest X-rays were reviewed. A severity index in the form of maximum radiological assessment of lung edema (RALE) score was calculated for each lung, and scores of both the lungs were summed to obtain a final score. The mean ± standard deviation (SD) and frequency (%) were determined, and an unpaired t test, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, and logistic regression analyses were performed for statistical analyses. Among 120 COVID-19 patients, 74 (61.67%) and 46 (38.33%) were males and females, respectively; 64 patients (53.33%) had ground-glass opacities (GGO), 55 (45.83%) had consolidation, and 38 (31.67%) had reticular-nodular opacities, with lower zone distribution (50%) and peripheral distribution (41.67%). Baseline chest X-ray showed a sensitivity of 63.3% in diagnosing typical findings of SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia. The maximum RALE score was 2.13 ± 1.9 in hospitalized patients and 0.57 ± 0.77 in discharged patients ( p value <0.0001). Spearman's rank correlation coefficient between maximum RALE score and clinical outcome parameters was as follows: age, 0.721 ( p value <0.00001); >10 days of hospital stay, 0.5478 ( p value <0.05); ≤10 days of hospital stay, 0.5384 ( p value <0.0001); discharged patients, 0.5433 ( p value <0.0001); and death, 0.6182 ( p value = 0.0568). The logistic regression analysis revealed that maximum RALE scores (0.0932 [0.024-0.367]), (10.730 [2.727-42.206]), (1.258 [0.990-1.598]), and (0.794 [0.625-1.009]) predicted discharge, death, >10 days of hospital stay, and ≤10 days of hospital stay, respectively. The study findings suggested that the RALE score can quantify the extent of COVID-19 and can predict the prognosis of patients., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2021 Satyanand Sathi et al.)

Background: Although abortion was legalized in Nepal in 2002, many women are not able to obtain legal services. Using qualitative data from women who were denied legal abortion services, we examined reasons for seeking an abortion, options considered and pursued after being denied an abortion, reasons for delaying seeking care, as well as complications experienced among women who were denied legal abortion., Methods: After obtaining authorization from two health facilities in Nepal, we requested informed consent from all women who were seeking abortion services to complete a case report form to determine their eligibility for the study. We then recruited all eligible and interested women in to the study. Two months after recruitment, we conducted in-depth interviews with 25 women who were denied abortion services from the two recruitment facilities due to advanced gestational age (>12 weeks). Interviews were translated and transcribed, and the transcripts were analyzed through an iterative process grounded in thematic analysis, involving both a priori and emergent codes., Results: Eleven women were recruited from the government hospital and 14 from an NGO facility. The majority of women (15 women or 60 %) were living rural settings, ranged in age from 18 to 40 years and had an average of 2 children. None had completed any post-secondary education. Women most commonly cited financial concerns and health concerns as reasons for seeking termination. Not recognizing pregnancy, uncertainty about how to proceed, needing time to coordinate the trip to the facility or raise money, and waiting to know the sex of fetus were the commonly cited delays. Among the women interviewed, 12 decided to continue their pregnancies following denial, 12 terminated their pregnancies elsewhere, and one self-induced using medication. At least two women experienced significant complications after obtaining an abortion. Most women who continued their pregnancies anticipated negative consequences for their health, family relationships, and wellbeing., Conclusions: Barriers to seeking early abortion need to be addressed in order to reduce utilization of abortion services that may be unsafe and to improve women's health and wellbeing in Nepal.

Background: Factors such as poverty, stigma, lack of knowledge about the legal status of abortion, and geographical distance from a provider may prevent women from accessing safe abortion services, even where abortion is legal. Data on the consequences of abortion denial outside of the US, however, are scarce., Methods: In this article we present data from studies among women seeking legal abortion services in four countries (Colombia, Nepal, South Africa and Tunisia) to assess sociodemographic characteristics of legal abortion seekers, as well as the frequency and reasons that women are denied abortion care., Results: The proportion of women denied abortion services and the reasons for which they were denied varied widely by country. In Colombia, 2% of women surveyed did not receive the abortions they were seeking; in South Africa, 45% of women did not receive abortions on the day they were seeking abortion services. In both Tunisia and Nepal, 26% of women were denied their wanted abortions., Conclusions: The denial of legal abortion services may have serious consequences for women's health and wellbeing. Additional evidence on the risk factors for presenting later in pregnancy, predictors of seeking unsafe illegal abortion, and the health consequences of illegal abortion and childbirth after an unwanted pregnancy is needed. Such data would assist the development of programmes and policies aimed at increasing access to and utilisation of safe abortion services where abortion is legal, and harm reduction models for women who are unable to access legal abortion services., (Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.)

Background: The WHO estimates that 13% of maternal mortality is due to unsafe abortion, but challenges with measurement and data quality persist. To our knowledge, no systematic assessment of the validity of studies reporting estimates of abortion-related mortality exists., Study Design: To be included in this study, articles had to meet the following criteria: (1) published between September 1(st), 2000-December 1(st), 2011; (2) utilized data from a country where abortion is "considered unsafe"; (3) specified and enumerated causes of maternal death including "abortion"; (4) enumerated ≥100 maternal deaths; (5) a quantitative research study; (6) published in a peer-reviewed journal., Results: 7,438 articles were initially identified. Thirty-six studies were ultimately included. Overall, studies rated "Very Good" found the highest estimates of abortion related mortality (median 16%, range 1-27.4%). Studies rated "Very Poor" found the lowest overall proportion of abortion related deaths (median: 2%, range 1.3-9.4%)., Conclusions: Improvements in the quality of data collection would facilitate better understanding global abortion-related mortality. Until improved data exist, better reporting of study procedures and standardization of the definition of abortion and abortion-related mortality should be encouraged.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is widely prevalent in Tanzania. Inequitable gender norms manifest in men's and women's attitudes about power and decision making in intimate relationships and are likely to play an important role in determining the prevalence of IPV. We used data from the RESPECT study, a randomized controlled trial that evaluated an intervention to prevent sexually transmitted infections in a cohort of young Tanzanian men and women, to examine the relationship between couples' attitudes about IPV, relationship power, and sexual decision making, concordance on these issues, and women's reports of IPV over 12 months. Women expressed less equitable attitudes than men at baseline. Over time, participants' attitudes tended to become more equitable and women's reports of IPV declined substantially. Multivariable logistic regression analyses suggested that inequitable attitudes and couple discordance were associated with higher risk of IPV. Our findings point to the need for a better understanding of the role that perceived or actual imbalances in relationship power have in heightening IPV risk. The decline in women's reports of IPV and the trend towards gender-equitable attitudes indicate that concerted efforts to reduce IPV and promote gender equity have the potential to make a positive difference in the relatively short term.

Although keloids were recognised in the Smith Papyrus of ancient times, the precise definition, cause and management have remained elusive. Several forms of treatment have been used with varying success.Objectives This study assesses and compares the value of intralesional steroid (Triamcinolone acetonide 40mg/ml), cryotherapy and cryotherapy with intralesional steroid in the treatment of keloids.Methodology 33 patients were studied, 11 each in the three arms and the volume of the keloids was recorded using wax patterns of alginate impressions of the keloids to note the change in size postoperatively.Results The best average percentage response was observed is patients who received both Cryotherapy (CRY) and Intralesional Steroid (ILS) (69.02%) followed by patients who received only intralesional steroid (43.98%). Among the patients who received only cryotherapy, the average percentage response was only 39.24%. 72.73% patients who received intralesional steroid with cryotherapy showed more than 50% improvement (good response) while only 9.09% patients who received intralesional steroid alone and cryotherapy alone showed similar improvement.Conclusion In patients with keloids good response can be obtained with CRY with ILS as compared to ILS alone and CRY alone.

The brain is a delicate organ, and nature has very efficiently protected it. The brain is shielded against potentially toxic substances by the presence of two barrier systems: the blood brain barrier (BBB) and the blood cerebrospinal fluid barrier (BCSFB). Unfortunately, the same mechanisms that protect it against intrusive chemicals can also frustrate therapeutic interventions. Despite aggressive research, patients suffering from fatal and/or debilitating central nervous system (CNS) diseases, such as brain tumours, HIV encephalopathy, epilepsy, cerebrovascular diseases and neurodegenerative disorders, far outnumber those dying of all types of systemic cancers or heart diseases. The abysmally low number of potential therapeutics reaching commercial success is primarily due to the complexity of the CNS drug development. The clinical failure of many probable candidates is often, ascribable to poor delivery methods which do not pervade the unyielding BBB. It restricts the passive diffusion of many drugs into the brain and constitutes a significant obstacle in the pharmacological treatment of central nervous system (CNS) disorders. General methods that can enhance drug delivery to the brain are, therefore, of great pharmaceutical interest. Various strategies like non-invasive methods, including drug manipulation encompassing transformation into lipophilic analogues, prodrugs, chemical drug delivery, carrier-mediated drug delivery, receptor/vector mediated drug delivery and intranasal drug delivery, which exploits the olfactory and trigeminal neuronal pathways to deliver drugs to the brain, are widely used. On the other hand the invasive methods which primarily rely on disruption of the BBB integrity by osmotic or biochemical means, or direct intracranial drug delivery by intracerebroventricular, intracerebral or intrathecal administration after creating reversible openings in the head, are recognised. Extensive review pertaining specifically, to the patents relating to drug delivery across the CNS is currently available. However, many patents e.g. US63722506, US2002183683 etc., have been mentioned in a few articles. It is the objective of this article to expansively review drug delivery systems for CNS by discussing the recent patents available.

A 32-year-old woman presented with fever and swelling in the axillae of 2 months' duration, and erythema of the face, fluid-filled lesions on the trunk, oral ulcers, crusting of the lips, and redness and watering of the eyes for 3 days. The patient was initially diagnosed with tuberculous lymphadenitis and was given antituberculous treatment. One month later, she developed the present complaints (see below). The patient was photosensitive. There was no joint pain or Raynaud's phenomenon. She had experienced three intrauterine deaths in the past with no live births. On examination, the patient was pale. Bilateral axillary lymphadenopathy was present. The lymph nodes were mobile, non-tender, and not matted. Mucocutaneous examination revealed a malar eruption, flaccid bullae on the back (Fig. 1), crusting of the lips (Fig. 2), oral ulcers, and redness and discharge from the eyes. On investigation, immunoglobulin G (IgG), IgM, and IgA for tuberculosis were negative. There was anemia and leukopenia, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was raised, albumin in urine was positive, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was negative, and venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL) test was nonreactive. Antinuclear antibody (ANA), dsDNA, and antiphospholipid antibody were positive. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) of the axillary lymph node showed loss of nodal architecture. The extensive infiltrate consisted of lymphocytes, histiocytes, immunoblasts, and necrosis of cortical and paracortical areas. There was histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis without granulocytic infiltration. These features were suggestive of Kikuchi-Fujimoto's disease (Fig. 3). Skin biopsy showed epidermal atrophy, basal cell vacuolation, focal hyperkeratosis, pilosebaceous atrophy, and follicular plugging. The dermis showed edema and a lymphocytic infiltrate in the upper dermis and around the blood vessels. These features were suggestive of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Direct immunofluorescence of lesional skin showed a strong continuous basement membrane zone (BMZ) band of C3 and fibrinogen and a strong discontinuous granular BMZ band of IgG. IgA was negative. Covered skin showed moderate and strong positivity for IgM and IgG, respectively. C3, IgA, and fibrinogen were negative. These findings were suggestive of SLE (Fig. 4). Based on the clinical findings and investigations, a diagnosis of Kikuchi-Fujimoto's disease with SLE was made.