Social Contact Patterns in Rural and Urban Settings, Mozambique, 2021-2022.

Few sources have reported empirical social contact data from resource-poor settings. To address this shortfall, we recruited 1,363 participants from rural and urban areas of Mozambique during the COVID-19 pandemic, determining age, sex, and relation to the contact for each person. Participants reported a mean of 8.

Comprehensive profiling of social mixing patterns in resource poor countries: A mixed methods research protocol.

Background: Low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) bear a disproportionate burden of communicable diseases. Social interaction data inform infectious disease models and disease prevention strategies. The variations in demographics and contact patterns across ages, cultures, and locations significantly impact infectious disease dynamics and pathogen transmission.

Comprehensive profiling of social mixing patterns in resource poor countries: a mixed methods research protocol.

Background: Low-and-middle-income countries (LMICs) bear a disproportionate burden of communicable diseases. Social interaction data inform infectious disease models and disease prevention strategies. The variations in demographics and contact patterns across ages, cultures, and locations significantly impact infectious disease dynamics and pathogen transmission.

Stable Fatty Acid Solvates of Dasatinib, a Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor: Prediction, Process, and Physicochemical Properties.

Exploration of alternate solid forms for dasatinib, a potent oncogene tyrosine kinase inhibitor classified under Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) class II drugs with low water solubility and high permeability, has been performed using COSMO-RS excess enthalpy (Hex) to increase dissolution. The theoretical prediction resulted in the potential for the formation of C-C fatty acid solvates with dasatinib. A crystallization process has been identified for the preparation of the predicted solvates and successfully scaled up till the 100 g level.

Influence of publicly funded conditional cash transfer programms on utilization patterns of healthcare services for acute childhood illness.

Background: Conditional cash transfers are widespread and effective for utilization of targeted health services, but there is little evidence of their influence on the utilization of non-targeted or extended general healthcare services. Using data from a population-based health utilization survey, we evaluated the influence of conditional cash transfers for maternal and immunization services on the utilization of healthcare services for acute childhood illnesses.

Methods: Participants included mothers or primary caretakers of children <2 y of age residing in 2407 households in urban Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.

Optimal flip angle for robust practical quantitative NMR measurement using a fixed pulse length.

NMR quantification has been traditionally performed by using internal standards. Although methods using external reference in NMR quantification have been developed, the major obstacles in using external referencing method are the measurement deviations associated with changing sample conditions and the requirement of pulse width calibration for every sample in order to compensate these errors. The calibration process is time consuming and in some cases impossible.

Intussusception hospitalizations before rotavirus vaccine introduction: Retrospective data from two referral hospitals in Tamil Nadu, India.

Background: The indigenous oral rotavirus vaccine Rotavac® was introduced into the public immunization system in India in 2016 and will be expanded in phases. This data will describe the epidemiology of intussusception in India in absence of rotavirus vaccination and will help in setting up or designing a safety monitoring system.

Methods: Medical records of intussusception cases between 2013 and 2016 in two major referral hospitals in Tamil Nadu, India were reviewed, and data on clinical presentation and management and outcome were collated.

Utilization of Preventive and Curative Services in Five Rural Blocks in Vellore, India.

This health utilization survey of 720 children (age <2 y) from 5 rural blocks in Vellore district identified that 80% used government facilities for preventive care while >80% used private facilities for curative services. Only 0.7% were home deliveries, 46% reported illness in the two-week recall, and 83% sought care for these illness.

Study design and baseline results of an open-label cluster randomized community-intervention trial to assess the effectiveness of a modified mass deworming program in reducing hookworm infection in a tribal population in southern India.

Introduction: Hookworm infection is a leading cause of iron deficiency anemia and malnutrition in resource-poor settings. Periodic mass deworming with anthelminthic drugs remains the cornerstone of hookworm control efforts worldwide. Reinfection following treatment occurs, reflecting the human host's inability to acquire immunity following exposure to an untreated reservoir of infection.

Direct and Indirect Costs of Pediatric Gastroenteritis in Vellore, India.

Objective: To determine costs of pediatric gastroenteritis in out-patient and in-patient facilities.

Methods: Cross-sectional survey of children with acute gastroenteritis attending out-patient clinic (n=30) or admitted in the ward (n=30) for management in the Christian Medical College, Vellore, India from July-September 2014 to estimate direct (drugs, tests, consultation/hospitalization) and indirect (travel, food, lost wages) costs associated with the episode.

Results: Median direct and indirect costs were Rs 590 and Rs 190 for out-patient management and Rs 7258 and Rs.

Direct Medical Costs in Children with Rotavirus and Non-rotavirus Diarrhea Admitted to a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and High Dependency Unit in Delhi.

Objective: To estimate direct medical costs of diarrheal hospitalization of children <5 years admitted in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) or high dependency unit (HDU).

Methods: Analysis of medical records and hospital bills of 84 children during two time frames, 2005-08 and 2012-14.

Results: Direct medical costs in PICU increased from INR 17,941 to INR 50,663 per child for rotavirus diarrhea and INR 11,614 to INR 27,106 for non-rotavirus diarrhea, and in HDU from approximately INR 5,800 to INR 10,500 per child for all-cause diarrhea between the two time frames.

Racecadotril in the Management of Rotavirus and Non-rotavirus Diarrhea in Under-five Children: Two Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trials.

Objective: To study the effect of racecadotril on reduction in the duration of acute rotavirus and non-rotavirus diarrhea.

Design: Two randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trials.

Setting: Community-based trial in an urban area in Vellore, hospital-based trial at a secondary hospital in Vellore.

The effect of azithromycin on the immunogenicity of oral poliovirus vaccine: a double-blind randomised placebo-controlled trial in seronegative Indian infants.

Background: Oral poliovirus vaccine is less immunogenic and effective in low-income countries than in high-income countries, similarly to other oral vaccines. The high prevalence of intestinal pathogens and associated environmental enteropathy has been proposed to explain this problem. Because administration of an antibiotic has the potential to resolve environmental enteropathy and clear bacterial pathogens, we aimed to assess whether antibiotics would improve oral poliovirus vaccine immunogenicity.

In-tube derivatization for determination of absolute configuration and enantiomeric purity of chiral compounds by NMR spectroscopy.

We have developed an in-tube derivatization method using commercially available polymer-supported coupling agents to prepare derivatives of chiral compounds directly in NMR tube with high yield and purity. Because the method does not require any workup or purification, the configuration and enatiopurity can be quickly determined by NMR analysis for a small amount of chiral compounds, which is critical for today's fast-paced medicinal chemistry efforts in drug discovery. The application of the method was demonstrated for the derivatization of chiral amines, alcohols, diols, amino alcohols, thiols, and carboxylic acids using various chiral derivatizing agents and coupling agents.

Purple urine bag syndrome: time for awareness.

Purple urine bag syndrome occurs commonly in long-term catheterized patients causing significant stress for patients, care takers, and health care providers. This may lead to unwarranted investigation as well as treatment when not identified early. Demographic changes in Indian population with increasing geriatric care make it a case to increase awareness of this condition among health care providers in primary and secondary care settings.

Real time measurement of PEG shedding from lipid nanoparticles in serum via NMR spectroscopy.

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a novel therapeutic modality that benefits from nanoparticle mediated delivery. The most clinically advanced siRNA-containing nanoparticles are polymer-coated supramolecular assemblies of siRNA and lipids (lipid nanoparticles or LNPs), which protect the siRNA from nucleases, modulate pharmacokinetics of the siRNA, and enable selective delivery of siRNA to target cells. Understanding the mechanisms of assembly and delivery of such systems is complicated by the complexity of the dynamic supramolecular assembly as well as by its subsequent interactions with the biological milieu.

Intussusception in southern India: comparison of retrospective analysis and active surveillance.

Surveillance for intussusception is a post marketing requirement for rotavirus vaccines following observation of a small increased risk of intussusception after rotavirus vaccination in some global settings. This study presents the clinical presentation and outcomes of children who presented with intussusception at a large tertiary care facility directly (non-surveillance) as retrospective analysis of a period where rotavirus vaccine was not in routine use, or as part of active surveillance in a phase III oral rotavirus vaccine trial. Hospital records of children under 2 years of age treated for intussusception between 1 January 2010 and 31 August 2013 at the Christian Medical College Hospital, Vellore, India, were reviewed.

A study on morbidity among automobile service and repair workers in an urban area of South India.

Introduction: Service sector in Indian industrial growth has obtained significant numbers. Automobile service industry is one of the largest in the world with a majority of the workers in unorganized sector of the industry. This study was carried out among auto service industry workers in Vellore urban area to assess possible occupation related morbidity.

Prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes and associated risk factors among tuberculosis patients in India.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is recognised as an important risk factor to tuberculosis (TB). India has high TB burden, along with rising DM prevalence. There are inadequate data on prevalence of DM and pre-diabetes among TB cases in India.

Conformational refinement of hydroxamate-based histone deacetylase inhibitors and exploration of 3-piperidin-3-ylindole analogues of dacinostat (LAQ824).

Inspired by natural product HDAC inhibitors, we prepared a series of conformationally restrained HDAC inhibitors based on the hydroxamic acid dacinostat (LAQ824, 7). Several scaffolds with improved biochemical and cellular potency, as well as attenuated hERG inhibition, were identified, suggesting that the introduction of molecular rigidity is a viable strategy to enhance HDAC binding and mitigate hERG liability. Further SAR studies around a 3-piperidin-3-ylindole moiety resulted in the discovery of compound 30, for which a unique conformation was speculated to contribute to overcoming increased lipophilicity and attenuating hERG binding.

The use of MPA amide for the assignment of absolute configuration of a sterically hindered cyclic secondary amine by 'mix and shake' NMR method.

We present here a new method using methoxyphenylacetic acid (MPA) as the chiral derivatizing agent (CDA) for the assignment of absolute configuration of cyclic secondary amines. The MPA amides were prepared using the purification-free 'mix and shake' method. A detailed conformational analysis for the two diastereomeric amides was conducted by 2D NMR experiments and molecular mechanics calculations.