Optimizing test and treat options for vivax malaria: An options assessment toolkit (OAT) for Asia Pacific national malaria control programs.

Designing policy in public health is a complex process requiring decision making that incorporates available evidence and is suitable to a country's epidemiological and health system context. The main objective of this study was to develop an options assessment toolkit (OAT) to provide a pragmatic and evidence-based approach to the development of policies for the radical cure (prevention of relapse) of vivax malaria for national malaria control programs in the Asia-Pacific region. The OAT was developed using participatory research methods and a Delphi process using a sequential multi-phase design, adapted with a pre-development phase, a development phase, and a final development phase.

Applying the COM-B behaviour change model to a pilot study delivering volatile pyrethroid spatial repellents and insecticide-treated clothing to forest-exposed populations in Mondulkiri Province, Cambodia.

Background: Southeast Asia is making tremendous progress towards their 2030 malaria elimination goal but needs new interventions to stop forest malaria. This study trials two new vector control tools, a volatile pyrethroid spatial repellent (VPSR) and insecticide-treated clothing (ITC), amongst forest-exposed populations in Mondulkiri Province Cambodia to inform their potential use for eliminating forest malaria.

Methods: 21 forest-exposed individuals were given a questionnaire on their perceptions of malaria and preventive practices used, after which they trialed two products sequentially.

Diabetes and blood glucose monitoring knowledge and practices among pharmacy professionals in Cambodia and Viet Nam: digital survey and education.

Background: In Southeast Asia, pharmacies are critical sources of healthcare advice for under-served communities, including those with/at risk of diabetes.

Aim: Explore knowledge/practices relating to diabetes and blood glucose monitoring (BGM) among pharmacy professionals in Cambodia and Viet Nam, using digital professional education to address gaps.

Methods: An online survey was distributed to pharmacy professionals in Cambodia and Viet Nam registered on SwipeRx mobile application.

Applying the COM-B behavior model to inform the delivery of spatial repellents and insecticide-treated clothing among forest exposed populations in Mondulkiri Province, Cambodia.

Background: Southeast Asia is making tremendous progress towards their 2030 malaria elimination goal but needs new interventions to stop forest malaria. This study trials two new vector control tools, a volatile pyrethroid spatial repellent (VSPR) and insecticide-treated clothing (ITC), amongst forest-exposed populations in Mondulkiri Province Cambodia to inform their potential use for eliminating forest malaria.

Methods: 21 forest-exposed individuals were given a questionnaire on their perceptions of malaria and preventive practices used, after which they trialed two products sequentially.

Study protocol for development of an options assessment toolkit (OAT) for national malaria programs in Asia Pacific to determine best combinations of vivax radical cure for their given contexts.

Introduction: Recent advances in G6PD deficiency screening and treatment are rapidly changing the landscape of radical cure of vivax malaria available for National Malaria Programs (NMPs). While NMPs await the WHO's global policy guidance on these advances, they will also need to consider different contextual factors related to the vivax burden, health system capacity, and resources available to support changes to their policies and practices. Therefore, we aim to develop an Options Assessment Toolkit (OAT) that enables NMPs to systematically determine optimal radical cure options for their given environments and potentially reduce decision-making delays.

Opening the policy blackbox: unravelling the process for changing national diagnostic and treatment guidelines for vivax malaria in seven countries.

Background: The changing global health landscape has highlighted the need for more proactive, efficient and transparent health policy-making. After more than 60 years of limited development, novel tools for vivax malaria are finally available, but need to be integrated into national policies. This paper maps the malaria policy-making processes in seven endemic countries, to identify areas where it can be improved to align with best practices and optimal efficiency.

Malaria risk factors and care-seeking behaviour within the private sector among high-risk populations in Vietnam: a qualitative study.

Background: Vietnam has successfully reduced malaria incidence by more than 90% over the past 10 years, and is now preparing for malaria elimination. However, the remaining malaria burden resides in individuals that are hardest to reach, in highly remote areas, where many malaria cases are treated through the informal private sector and are not reported to public health systems. This qualitative study aimed to contextualize and characterize the role of private providers, care-seeking behaviour of individuals at high risk of malaria, as well as risk factors that should be addressed through malaria elimination programmes in Vietnam.

Social marketing of low dead space syringes in Vietnam: findings from a 1-year pilot program in Hanoi, Thai Nguyen, and Ho Chi Minh City.

Background: Although a growing body of evidence suggests that low dead space syringes may reduce the risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Hepatitis C virus infection associated with sharing syringes among people who inject drugs, there is little evidence of effective approaches to motivate people who inject drugs (PWID) to shift from high to low dead space syringes.

Methods: Using a mix of consumer and trade marketing approaches, informed by rapid assessments of both the syringe market and PWID preferences, practices, and behaviors in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Population Services International (PSI) Vietnam piloted an intervention to increase the use of low dead space syringes (LDSS) in the three provinces of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Thai Nguyen, where an estimated 31% of PWID are HIV positive and 58% are living with hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Results: This paper provides a summary of the social marketing activities implemented and results achieved by PSI Vietnam during an initial 1-year pilot period from December 2012 to December 2013 in these three provinces to explore their effectiveness in motivating PWID to use low dead space syringes.

Innovative data tools: a suite for managing peer outreach to key affected populations in Viet Nam.

Problem: The paper tools used to monitor outreach work in all major cities in Viet Nam had substantial writing requirements for each contact with difficulty maintaining confidentiality.

Action: This paper describes the development of a Unique Identifier Code (UIC), a field data collection notebook (databook) and a computer data entry system in Viet Nam. The databook can document 40 individual clients and has space for commodity distribution, group contacts and needles/syringe collection for each month.

Feasibility of training Zambian nurse-midwives to perform postplacental and postpartum insertions of intrauterine devices.

Objective: To explore the feasibility of competency-based training of Zambian nurse-midwives in postplacental and postpartum intrauterine device (PPIUD) insertion and to estimate learning curves for this procedure.

Methods: A pilot service-delivery project was conducted, involving 9 nurse-midwives who participated in a 10-day PPIUD insertion training course at the University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia. US and Zambian clinicians taught the didactic and practical curriculum.

Dedicated providers of long-acting reversible contraception: new approach in Zambia.

Background: Long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) is underused in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Many previous attempts to increase uptake of this important class of contraception have not been successful.

Study Design: This program in Zambia employed 18 dedicated providers of LARC, placed them in high volume public sector facilities and collected routine, anonymous information over a 14-month period.

Synthesis of saturated 1,4-benzodiazepines via Pd-catalyzed carboamination reactions.

A new synthesis of 1,4-benzodiazepines and 1,4-benzodiazepin-5-ones is reported. The Pd-catalyzed coupling of N-allyl-2-aminobenzylamine derivatives with aryl bromides affords the heterocyclic products in good yield, and substrates bearing allylic methyl groups are transformed to cis-2,3-disubstituted products with >20:1 dr.

Intramolecular alkene aminopalladation reactions of (dppf)Pd(Ar)[N(Ar(1))(CH(2))(3)CH=CH(2)] complexes. insertion of unactivated alkenes into Pd-N bonds.

The synthesis of (dppf)Pd(C(6)H(4)-p-F)[N(Ar(1))(CH(2))(3)CH horizontal lineCH(2)] complexes (3), which are thought to be intermediates in Pd-catalyzed alkene carboamination reactions, is described. These complexes undergo syn-migratory insertion of the alkene into the Pd-N bond to yield observable (dppf)palladium(aryl)(pyrrolidin-2-yl-methyl) complexes 6. Reductive elimination from 6 provides 2-benzylpyrrolidine derivatives 4.

The development and inter-laboratory verification of LC-MS libraries for organic chemicals of environmental concern.

The development, verification, and comparison study between LC-MS libraries for two manufacturers' instruments and a verified protocol are discussed. Compounds in the libraries are among those considered by the U.S.

Mild conditions for Pd-catalyzed carboamination of N-protected hex-4-enylamines and 1-, 3-, and 4-substituted pent-4-enylamines. Scope, limitations, and mechanism of pyrrolidine formation.

The use of the weak base Cs2CO3 in Pd-catalyzed carboamination reactions of N-protected gamma-aminoalkenes with aryl bromides leads to greatly increased tolerance of functional groups and alkene substitution. Substrates derived from (E)- or (Z)-hex-4-enylamines are stereospecifically converted to 2,1'-disubstituted pyrrolidine products that result from suprafacial addition of the nitrogen atom and the aryl group across the alkene. Transformations of 4-substituted pent-4-enylamine derivatives proceed in high yield to afford 2,2-disubstituted products, and cis-2,5- or trans-2,3-disubstituted pyrrolidines are generated in good yield with excellent diastereoselectivity from N-protected pent-4-enylamines bearing substituents at C1 or C3.

Fenoprofen in patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving maintenance gold therapy.

Thirty patients with active definite or classic rheumatoid arthritis (RA), participated in a double-blind crossover study comparing fenoprofen calcium with placebo. All patients were receiving maintenance gold therapy. Fenoprofen was administered in doses ranging from 200 to 800 mg every six hours.