The application of digital health as a nursing solution for leprosy patients during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review.

Objectives: To analyse the effect of using digital health technology on leprosy control programmes. Method: The systematic review comprised search on PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, SAGE and ProQuest databases for interventional studies published in English language from 2013 to 2021 which used digital health technology for leprosy contact tracing, active leprosy detection, monitoring of multi-drug therapy and treatment management during the corona virus disease-2019 pandemic A standard risk of bias tool was used to evaluate bias in the studies, and the Joanna Briggs Institute protocol was used to assess the quality of the studies analysed. RESULTS: Of the 205 studies initially identified, 15(7.3%) were analysed in detail. Quasi-experimental studies had a low risk of bias compared to the rest. The e-leprosy framework was being used along with applications based on smartphones and artificial intelligence Digital health technology was found to be practical, accessible and effective in leprosy control programmes. CONCLUSIONS: Studies reported favourable findings regarding the use of digital health technology in services related to leprosy patients.

Active case detection and treatment of malaria in pregnancy using LAMP technology (LAMPREG): a pragmatic randomised diagnostic outcomes trial-study protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Malaria is one of the major public health problems in sub-Saharan Africa. It contributes significantly to maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality in affected countries. This study aims to evaluate the impact of enhanced case detection using molecular testing called loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) on birth outcomes in a prospective study design. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A pragmatic randomised diagnostic outcomes trial will be conducted in several health institutes in different Ethiopian regions. Women (n=2583) in their first and second trimesters of pregnancy will be included in the study and individually randomised to the standard of care or enhanced case detection arms, and followed until delivery. Enrolment will encompass the malaria peak transmission seasons. In the standard of care arm, a venous blood sample will be collected for malaria diagnosis only in symptomatic patients. In contrast, in the intervention arm, mothers will be tested by a commercially available Conformité Européene (CE)-approved LAMP malaria test, microscopy and rapid diagnostic test for malaria regardless of their symptoms at each antenatal care visit. The primary outcome of the study is to measure birth weight. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study was approved by the following ethical research boards: Armauer Hansen Research Institute/ALERT Ethics Review Committee (FORM AF-10-015.1, Protocol number PO/05/20), the Ethiopia Ministry of Science and Higher Education National Research Ethics Review Committee (approval SRA/11.7/7115/20), the Ethiopia Food and Drug Administration (approval 02/25/33/I), UCalgary Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board (REB21-0234). The study results will be shared with the institutions and stakeholders such as the Ethiopia Ministry of Health, the Foundation for Innovative Diagnostics, WHO's Multilateral initiative on Malaria - Tropical Diseases Research (TDR-MIM), Roll Back Malaria and the Malaria in Pregnancy Consortium. The study results will also be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at international conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03754322.

Use of mobile technology in preventing leprosy impairments.

AIM: Rapid development in telecommunication sector across the globe has revolutionised communication networks even in rural areas. At a tertiary leprosy referral hospital in Tamil Nadu, India, leprosy treatment was started for a male patient presenting with clinical signs and symptoms suggestive of leprosy. Since the patient was from a remote area, but needed close and continuous monitoring, he was provided with a mobile phone and a 12 h toll free number. METHODS: The patient was able to provide detailed regular information of his health status to the health worker, through the toll free number from the mobile phone given to him. The patient defaulted during his treatment. Within a few days of his defaulting, a follow up call was made and the patient revealed that he did not have enough financial resources to visit the hospital and continue his treatment. RESULTS: The patient was visited by a health worker and was reassured. Arrangements were made by the hospital to reimburse his travel costs. CONCLUSION: Utilising the advancements in technology would help in solving some of the key unanswered issues existing in leprosy. The use of technology helps facilitate and complement the work of health workers in reaching out to patients living in remote areas.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONThe use of M (mobile) - health in treatment compliance and adherenceThe use of M-health in the prevention and management of impairments in leprosyEffective monitoring and follow up of patients with impairments through mobile.

Have FDI quantity and quality promoted the low-carbon development of science and technology parks (STPs)? The threshold effect of knowledge accumulation.

In recent times, China has emphasized five major development concepts to promote high-quality development: coordination, green, innovation, openness, and sharing. As a metamorphosis of these ideas, Chinese science and technology parks (STPs) are gathering areas of high-tech industries and represent advanced productive forces. Their greenness, openness, and innovative developments herald the future development trends of China. Based on the data of 52 STPs in China from 2011 to 2018, this study analyzes the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) quantity and quality on the low-carbon development of the STPs. We use Hansen's nonlinear panel threshold regression model with knowledge accumulation as the threshold variable. The results show the following: First, there are complex nonlinear relationships between FDI quantity, FDI quality, and the low-carbon development of the STPs. Second, FDI quantity has a significant positive impact on the low-carbon development of the STPs only when the level of knowledge accumulation is below a certain threshold. Beyond this threshold the effect is no longer significant. Third, FDI quality has a significant positive impact on the low-carbon development of STPs only when the level of knowledge accumulation is lower than a certain threshold; beyond which, the impact is no longer significant. These results can serve as a reference for China to effectively promote economic low-carbon growth of STPs and achieve green, open, and innovative development.

In sickness or in health: TDR's parners. 7. Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.

PIP: Mahidol University's Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Bangkok, Thailand, established in 1960, is one of 14 faculties, 5 institutions, 5 centers, and 2 colleges within Mahidol University. It consists of the following departments: Helminthology, Medical Entomology, Microbiology and Immunology, Protozoology, Social and Environmental Medicine, Tropical Hygiene, Tropical Medicine, Tropical Nutrition and Food Science, Tropical Pediatrics, Tropical Pathology, and Tropical Radioisotopes. The UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special Program for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) has been associated with the Faculty since 1977, collaborating mainly upon malaria research, but also in filariasis, leprosy, and schistosomiasis research. Early TDR support was directed at research training and institutional strengthening, although by the early 1980s, the Faculty played an increasingly important role in TDR's research and development program. In recent years, the Faculty has focused upon researching malaria, parasitic and bacterial diseases, nutrition and food sciences, and environmental health. The Faculty's malaria-related research is described. The Faculty also conducts research in many other areas of tropical medicine outside of those of interest to TDR.^ieng

Tuberculosis prevention: where do we go from here?

PIP: The Karonga (Malawi) Prevention Trial revealed that repeat BCG vaccinations did not protect against pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) but appeared to provide some protection against glandular TB. They increased protection against leprosy. In fact, a single BCG vaccination conferred 50% protection against leprosy and a repeat BCG vaccination increased protection by another 50%. This trial's findings confirm the need for maintaining BCG vaccination programs in countries where leprosy is a public health problem, for individuals at high risk of leprosy (i.e., contacts of leprosy cases), and because BCG provides some protection against severe forms of TB (i.e., miliary disease and TB meningitis). An alternative TB vaccine needs to be developed, however. The protective efficacy of BCG against pulmonary TB is higher at latitudes far from the equator (80% in northern Europe vs. 0% in India and Malawi). It appears that the immunologic effects of environmental mycobacteria compromise BCG's protective effect against pulmonary TB. There is heterologous immunity between various mycobacterial infections. Low-level delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) to tuberculin in non-BCG vaccinated people reflects exposure to environmental mycobacteria. These people are at lower risk of TB than are people with either no DTH or strong DTH to tuberculin. Intradermal exposure to different mycobacteria provides varying degrees of protection against TB in guinea pigs. The warmer and the wetter the environment, the more widespread is colonization by mycobacteria. An area of future research is mapping the distribution of environmental mycobacteria, correlating it with the pattern of DTH responses to tuberculin, and then laboratory work to isolate relevant antigens of the mycobacteria. Another approach is identifying mycobacterial antigens that elicit protective immune responses in vitro so researchers can then identify which antigens and responses are associated with patterns of DTH known to reflect low risk of TB and which response patterns are elicited by BCG against leprosy but not TB antigens. New vaccines are not on the imminent horizon, however.^ieng

Psicologia e tecnologia: contribuiçoes críticas de T.W. Adorno à psicologia / Psychology and technology: critical contributions of T.W. Adornment to psychology

Este trabalho procura refletir criticamente sobre a Psicologia a partir de Ideologia e Tecnologia na obra de T.W. Adorno. A análise desses conceitos desde sua gênese histórica até seus desdobramentos na filosofia iluminista e na sociedade plenamente industrializada, levam a algumas reflexoes: sobre o indivíduo; sobre as ligaçoes existentes entre a dinâmica de sua personalidade e sua adesao a pautas ideológicas; e sobre a utilizaçao do desenvolvimento tecnológico como meio de disseminaçao da ideologia e de manutençao da estrutura social. Conclui-se que a Psicologia nao escapa ao movimento de desenvolvimento do esclarecimento, ou seja, converte-se, em algumas de suas técnicas e teorias, em meio de difusao da ideologia

New approaches to vaccine development. Proceedings of a meeting organized by the World Health Organization. Book review.

PIP: The Proceedings here reviewed are those of the meeting held in Geneva in October, 1983, which led to the establishment of the World Health Organization's Program for the Accelerated Development of New Vaccines. These papers reflect the state of the art in the development of vaccines for cholera, leprosy, pertussis, salmonella, shigella, dengue, foot-and-mouth disease, hepatitis B, herpes simplex, influenza, poliomyelitis, Chagas' disease, malaria, and schistosomiasis. The identification and isolation of epitopes and other antigenic fragments is presented, as well as considerations of mucosal immunity, antigenic determinants and antigenic variations, antigen presentation and T-cell activation, the use of anti-idiotypes as antigens, the development of recombinant viruses for use in vaccines, and the use of circumsporozoite antigens in the preparation of a malaria vaccine.^ieng