Qualitative Assessment of Barriers to Buprenorphine Access: The Role of Pharmacies.

BACKGROUND: Patients continue to face challenges accessing medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) despite attempts to loosen prescribing restrictions and streamline service provision. Past research has mainly focused on potential barriers surrounding prescribing practices for buprenorphine, but has had limited investigation into the role of pharmacies. OBJECTIVE: This study investigates the role of both pharmacists and pharmacies in creating or circumventing barriers to accessing buprenorphine for individuals in Georgia seeking medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD). METHODS: Semi-structured interviews of pharmacists across 12 access and no access pharmacies were used to create a codebook of 179 discreet statements. The (N = 12) 20-35-minute phone interviews included questions addressing substance use, pharmacy practices, treatment, harm reduction, and psychoeducation. RESULTS: Pharmacists widely agreed that opioid use has caused negative effects on community members (N = 11), that buprenorphine formulation stocking decisions are made based on patient needs (N = 11), and that buprenorphine is relatively easy to stock (N = 10). Additionally, respondents generally stated that buprenorphine is a helpful tool for treating opioid use disorder (OUD) (N = 12) but some reported positive experiences while others reported challenging or negative experiences with patients receiving buprenorphine (N = 7). Finally, few (N = 4) pharmacists agreed that they could benefit from extra training despite many asserting that training is important to inform their own practice (N = 8). CONCLUSION: Results from respondents generally show that training may be beneficial for pharmacists to develop an enhanced understanding of addiction and treatment. Enhanced effort to stock different formulations or dosages of buprenorphine and develop relationships with prescribers may increase community access.

Size-Dependence and High Temperature Stability of Radial Vortex Magnetic Textures Imprinted by Superconductor Stray Fields.

Swirling spin textures, including topologically nontrivial states, such as skyrmions, chiral domain walls, and magnetic vortices, have garnered significant attention within the scientific community due to their appeal from both fundamental and applied points of view. However, their creation, controlled manipulation, and stability are typically constrained to certain systems with specific crystallographic symmetries, bulk or interface interactions, and/or a precise stacking sequence of materials. Recently, a new approach has shown potential for the imprint of magnetic radial vortices in soft ferromagnetic compounds making use of the stray field of YBa2Cu3O7-δ superconducting microstructures in ferromagnet/superconductor (FM/SC) hybrids at temperatures below the superconducting transition temperature (TC). Here, we explore the lower size limit for the imprint of magnetic radial vortices in square and disc shaped structures as well as the persistence of these spin textures above TC, with magnetic domains retaining partial memory. Structures with circular geometry and with FM patterned to smaller radius than the superconductor island facilitate the imprinting of magnetic radial vortices and improve their stability above TC, in contrast to square structures where the presence of magnetic domains increases the dipolar energy. Micromagnetic modeling coupled with a SC field model reveals that the stabilization mechanism above TC is mediated by microstructural defects. Superconducting control of swirling spin textures, and their stabilization above the superconducting transition temperature by means of defect engineering holds promising prospects for shaping superconducting spintronics based on magnetic textures.

Identification and molecular characterization of Orfvirus infection in occupationally exposed women inSouth America

Abstract Contagious Ecthyma (CE) is a severe exanthematous dermatitis caused by the Orf virus (ORFV) that mainly affects domestic small ruminants such as sheep and goats. It is a worldwide-distributed occupational zoonosis, particularly infecting those in close contact with animals or animal products such as shepherds, farmers and veterinarians, among others. In the present work, we report the first human CE case confirmed in Argentina. A phylogenetic analysis based on four gene sequences of the isolated strain responsible for the disease showed that this isolate grouped with other ORFV sequences that caused reported CE cases in sheep from the same Argentine province. We also sequenced a sample from a Chilean human case reported in 2017, whose phylogenetic analysis showed that it groups together with other Argentine isolates from locations close to the border with Chile. Keywords: Contagious Ecthyma; Dermatitis; Human Orf; Zoonosis; Molecular characterization.

Resumen El ectima contagioso (EC) es una dermatitis exantemática grave causada por el virus Orf (ORFV), que afecta mayormente a pequeños rumiantes domésticos, como ovinos y caprinos. Es una zoonosis ocupacional con distribución mundial, infecta a humanos en estrecho contacto con animales o sus productos, como granjeros, esquiladores y veterinarios, entre otros. En este trabajo se informa el primer caso humano de EC confirmado en Argentina. Un análisis filogenético basado en cuatro genes de la cepa responsable de este caso mostró que el aislamiento agrupa con otras secuencias de ORFV que causaron casos en ovinos en la misma provincia argentina. También se secuenció una muestra del caso de ectima humano reportado en Chile en 2017 y el análisis filogenético mostró que dicho aislamiento forma un grupo con otros aislamientos argentinos de localidades cercanas a la frontera con Chile. Palabras clave: Ectima contagioso; Dermatitis; Orf en humanos; Zoonosis; Caracterización molecular.

Exceso de mortalidad en México en 2020: una estimación preliminar a nivel nacional y estatal / Excess mortality in Mexico 2020: a preliminary estimate at national and state level

Resumen Como consecuencia directa o indirecta de la pandemia de COVID-19, junto con otros problemas de salud pública preexistentes, México se ha posicionado como uno de los países más afectados en cuanto al exceso de mortalidad, la cual está prácticamente generalizada, pero es heterogénea según el estado. Por ello, se tiene por objetivo cuantificarla a nivel nacional y estatal por medio del porcentaje de exceso de mortalidad (% 𝐸𝑀) y de diferencias en esperanzas de vida (𝐸𝑀𝑒𝑥 ) por sexo. En particular, para 𝐸𝑀𝑒𝑥 , se construyeron tablas de mortalidad con tasas específicas que se suavizan de manera controlada y por segmentos, con un enfoque no paramétrico. Los resultados mostraron una demasía en la población masculina y en algunos estados del país. Asimismo, respecto a 𝐸𝑀𝑒𝑥 , se evidenciaron fuertes retrocesos en la esperanza de vida en ciertos casos, incluida la capital del país: la Ciudad de México.

Abstract As a direct or indirect consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, joint other punlic health problems, Mexico is one of the most affected countries in terms of excess mortality, which is generalized and heterogeneous at the state level. That is why, the papers aim is to quantify it at national and subnational level both through the percentage of excess mortality (% 𝐸𝑀) and using differences in life expectancies (𝐸𝑀𝑒𝑥 ) by sex. For (𝐸𝑀𝑒𝑥 ), mortality tables are constructed with specific rates that are estimated through a non-parametric approach so-called controlled and segmented smoothing. The results show the greatest excesses in male population and for some states of the country. Likewise, regarding 𝐸𝑀𝑒𝑥 , strong setbacks in life expectancy can be observed including the Mexico City.

Virus orf en humanos, confirmación molecular de un caso clínico en Chile / Orf virus in human, confirmation in case report from Chile

Resumen La infección por el virus orf, también conocida como ectima contagioso, es reconocida una zoonosis ocupacional. Se diagnostica por lesiones cutáneas que evolu cionan rápidamente desde máculas a pápulas, vesículas y pústulas. Se presenta el caso clínico de una estudiante de medicina veterinaria que había tenido contacto con caprinos, clínicamente sanos y sin lesiones aparentes, hacía 19 días. Presentó dos lesiones vesiculares que coalescieron hasta formar una lesión de mayor tamaño rodeada por un halo eritematoso. Las lesiones fueron compatibles con la presentación clásica de las producidas por el virus orf en humanos. Se confirmó la presencia del virus orf mediante una RPC anidada del tejido de biopsia. Es uno de los primeros casos confirmados mediante técnicas moleculares en seres humanos en Chile.

Infection with the orf virus, also known as contagious ecthyma, is recognized as an occupational zoonosis worldwide. It is diagnosed by cutaneous lesions that progress rapidly from macules to papules, vesicles and pustules. The clinical case of a student of veterinary medicine who had had contact with goats, clinically healthy and without apparent lesions, which occured 19 days ago, is reported. She presented two vesicular lesions that coalesced to form a larger lesion surrounded by an erythematous halo. The lesions were compatible with the classical presentation of those produced by the orf virus in humans. The presence of the orf virus was confirmed by a nested PCR from biopsy tissue. It is one of the first cases confirmed by molecular techniques in humans in Chile.

Morfología craneofacial en niños con apnea obstructiva del sueño craneofacial / Craniofacial morphology in children with obstructive sleep apnea

Antecedentes: La apnea obstructiva del sueño (AOS) es un trastorno respiratorio asociado con alteraciones faciales y esqueléticas. Objetivo: Identificar las características craneofaciales asociadas a AOS en niños colombianos. Métodos: Se seleccionaron 43 niños entre 6 y 13 años con estudio polisomnográfico para trastornos del sueño. Los niños seleccionados se distribuyeron en grupo caso (19 niños con AOS) y grupo control (24 sin AOS), y se les tomaron radiografías laterales. Las variables cefalométricas analizadas fueron: longitud anteroposterior del cráneo (SN), clasificación esquelética (ANB), longitud efectiva mandibular (Co-Pg) y maxilar (Co-A), posición sagital maxilar (N┴A) y mandibular (N┴Pg), ángulo del plano mandibular (FH-PM), eje de crecimiento facial de Ricketts (Ba-N / PTM-Gn), espacios faríngeo superior e inferior y posición del hueso hioides (HPM). Resultados: El 84,2% de niños con AOS mostró una disminución de la longitud de la base de cráneo, en comparación con el 58,3% de niños sin AOS (p = 0,067 y OR =3,81, IC: 0,87-16,7). La posición superior del hueso hioides estuvo asociada con la ausencia de AOS (OR = 0,26 IC: 0,87-16,7). Conclusiones : Los resultados de esta investigación, a pesar de que no fueron estadísticamente significativos, muestran una tendencia que sugiere una relación entre la longitud de la base del cráneo y la posición del hioides con la presencia de AOS en niños.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a Sleep breathing disorder in children associated with facial and skeletal features. Purpose: to identify craniofacial features associated with OSA in Colombian children. Method: 43 children from 6-13 years old were selected for cephalometric measurements. All patients had been studied trough polysomnography. Cases were represented for 19 children with OSA and 24 children without OSA were grouped as controls, and lateral radiographs were taken. Cephalometric variables analyzed were: anteroposterior cranial length (SN), skeletal classification (ANB), effective mandibular and maxillary length (Co-Pg) (Co-A), sagittal position of maxillary and mandible (N┴A) (N┴Pg), mandibular plane angle (FH-PM), Ricketts growth axis angle (Ba-N/Ptm-Gn), upper and lower pharynx and hyoid Bone position (HPM). Results: 84.2% of children with OSA showed a decrease in the length of cranial base compared with 58.3% of children without OSA (p = 0.067; OR = 3.81 95% CI 0.87- 16.7). The superior bone hyoid position is associated with absence of OSA (OR = 0.26 95% CI 0.87 to 16.7.) Conclusions: these results suggest trends to relation between length of cranial base and bone hyoid position e and the presence of OSA in children.