Zika Virus Infection

Researchers are evaluating the safety, tolerability, and how the body processes (pharmacokinetics) single and multiple intravenous doses of a drug called BWC0977 in healthy adult volunteers. This Phase 1 study involves a total of 64 healthy adults aged 18 to 55 years and is designed as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with multiple dose groups. The study focuses on measuring any treatment-emergent adverse events and serious adverse events to understand the drug's safety profile. Participants will be divided into two main groups: single ascending dose (SAD) and multiple ascending dose (MAD) cohorts. In the SAD phase, volunteers receive one intravenous infusion of BWC0977 or placebo over 2 hours at doses of 750 mg or 1500 mg. In the MAD phase, participants receive multiple intravenous infusions of BWC0977 or placebo over 30 minutes to 2 hours daily for 7 to 10 consecutive days. Dose levels will increase sequentially based on safety and tolerability data collected during the study. During the study, participants will undergo various assessments including physical exams, vital signs, ECGs, laboratory tests, and blood sampling at specific times before, during, and after infusions to monitor safety and measure drug levels in the body. Researchers will track adverse events for up to 8 days after single dosing and up to 16 days after multiple dosing. Volunteers must comply with study visits and requirements throughout the trial, which lasts until August 2026.

Pregnancy is a crucial time to assess and manage cardiovascular health risks for both mothers and their children. Researchers are studying the use of the American Heart Association's "Life's Essential 8" as a new way to evaluate cardiovascular health in pregnant women. The goal is to better understand how this tool can be applied and to develop appropriate cardiovascular health standards during pregnancy. The study involves observing pregnant women aged 20 to 49 who conceived naturally and are carrying a single baby. Participants will complete questionnaires, undergo clinical follow-ups, and provide specimens for analysis. The research focuses on monitoring cardiovascular health throughout pregnancy to explore its impact on pregnancy outcomes. During the study, researchers will track maternal and newborn health outcomes up to 42 weeks of gestation. Participants will be involved in routine prenatal checkups and data collection to support the study's assessments. This observational study helps gather important information on cardiovascular health during pregnancy without altering the standard care process.

Researchers are investigating how the thoracolumbar fascia (TLF), a connective tissue in the lower back, changes during pregnancy and how these changes relate to pelvic girdle pain (PGP). The study aims to understand the biomechanical and viscoelastic properties of TLF in pregnant women with and without PGP, as well as in non-pregnant women, to clarify the connection between TLF adaptations and pelvic pain. The study includes three groups: pregnant women with pelvic girdle pain, pregnant women without pelvic girdle pain, and non-pregnant women. Researchers will measure the biomechanical properties of TLF, such as stiffness, tone, and relaxation, at baseline and again at 12 and 22 weeks. They will also assess pain severity using the Visual Analog Scale, apply pelvic girdle diagnostic tests, and collect data through questionnaires like the Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire. Participants will undergo evaluations including biomechanical measurements taken in a prone position from three points on the TLF, pain assessments, and diagnostic tests to identify PGP. Body weight and body mass index will be tracked at the same intervals. The primary outcomes focus on changes in stiffness, tone, and viscoelastic properties of TLF, while secondary outcomes include pain levels and activity limitations. The study is observational and led by Sultan Abdulhamid Han Training and Research Hospital in Istanbul, Turkey.

Researchers are evaluating new home-based methods to measure medication and chemical concentrations in sweat and saliva compared to standard blood tests in patients with chronic or infectious diseases who are receiving medications. The study aims to see if a smart wristband can accurately monitor substances like electrolytes and metabolites in sweat, which may help in health monitoring and disease diagnosis. This pilot observational study is focused on assessing the feasibility of these wearable sweat sensors. Participants provide sweat samples using a Macroduct Sweat Collection System, saliva samples, and blood samples within 24 hours after taking their medications. They also complete short questionnaires lasting 5 to 10 minutes and allow their medical records to be reviewed. The study collects samples and data to compare the new home-based methods against the standard liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry of plasma. During the study, patients are followed periodically after completing sample collection to monitor results and assess feasibility. Researchers measure how well the home-based sampling predicts medication levels and observe plasma concentrations within 4 hours. The study includes ongoing follow-up to evaluate the ease of obtaining home-based samples and to review medical data over time.

This research aims to evaluate how male-female pairs of Village Health Volunteers/Workers (VHV/Ws) affect women's attendance at a second postnatal care (PNC) visit in rural areas of Sepone, Lao PDR. The study compares villages where VHV/Ws work in pairs to those where they work individually, focusing on the postpartum care of women who have recently given birth. It is designed as a quasi-experimental cluster study conducted between July 2024 and October 2026. The study involves 37 selected villages from two districts. In 19 villages of Sepone district, female-male pairs of VHV/Ws will promote postpartum services, while in 18 control villages of Vilabuly district, VHV/Ws will operate individually without pairing. The intervention consists of behavioral promotion activities by these paired community health workers to encourage maternal and child health service use. Participants will be women aged 15 to 49 years who have given birth within six weeks to twelve months before the baseline and end-line surveys. Researchers will measure the uptake of the second postnatal care visit six weeks after delivery as the main outcome, along with the length of facility-based postpartum stay. The study includes double masking, and participants will be monitored through surveys assessing their use of postpartum services during the study period.

This trial focuses on females aged 20 to 40 years undergoing elective cesarean section under spinal anesthesia. It aims to compare two ways of giving pethidine—intravenous (IV) and intrathecal—to see which is better at preventing shivering after spinal anesthesia. Researchers also want to learn how these methods affect heart and blood pressure stability, nausea, vomiting, and sedation. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group receives IV pethidine at 0.5 mg/kg mixed in saline before surgery, while the other receives 0.2 mg/kg pethidine injected into the spinal area along with bupivacaine. Spinal anesthesia will be administered using a needle between the lower back vertebrae. Patients will not be actively warmed during surgery, and medications like ephedrine and atropine will be given if blood pressure or heart rate drop. Room temperature will be controlled during the operation and recovery. Throughout the surgery and recovery, participants will be closely monitored for shivering using a standardized scale every 15 to 30 minutes. Vital signs like heart rate and blood pressure will be checked regularly, along with body temperature. Researchers will also record any nausea, vomiting, or sedation. The main outcomes measured are the frequency, start time, length, and severity of shivering. Secondary outcomes include heart and blood pressure stability and side effects. Monitoring continues for the first two hours after surgery.

Researchers are evaluating the effects of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) compared to folic acid supplements in pregnant women during their first trimester. This study aims to determine which supplement more effectively increases red blood cell (RBC) folate levels, which are important for DNA synthesis and reducing risks of pregnancy complications such as neural tube defects and pre-eclampsia. The trial involves healthy pregnant women aged 25 to 35 years with normal body mass index (BMI) and hemoglobin levels, ensuring a focused and valid comparison. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: one group will take a daily oral dose of 600 mcg of folic acid tablets, while the other group will take 1100 mcg of 5-MTHF glucosamine salt tablets, both for three months. The dosages are equimolar to compare the active forms of folate. All participants will take their assigned supplement at the same time each day, with compliance and any side effects monitored throughout the study. During the study, blood samples will be collected at the start and end of the three-month period to measure changes in RBC folate, plasma 5-MTHF, homocysteine, and unmetabolized folic acid levels. The main outcome measured is the difference in RBC folate levels between the two groups after supplementation. Participants will also be closely monitored for safety, have the option to withdraw at any time, and their privacy and informed consent will be strictly maintained.

Researchers are evaluating a new health education method aimed at helping indigenous Orang Asli households in Selangor, Malaysia, prepare for Disease X and other outbreaks. This cluster randomized trial seeks to find out if a package including workshops, simulation exercises, and card games can improve these households' readiness, awareness, attitudes, and proactive preparedness actions compared to receiving educational brochures alone. The study compares two groups: one receiving the intervention package plus educational brochures, and the other receiving only the brochures. The intervention package is delivered once during a workshop. The control group gets brochures sourced from the Ministry of Health Malaysia's "Info Sihat" website. Both groups will participate in surveys before the intervention, immediately after, and at 1- and 2-month follow-ups to assess changes. Participants will engage in the intervention activities or receive brochures, then complete four surveys to measure preparedness using scores and matrices. Researchers will track household preparedness, cognitive preparedness, and behavior related to outbreak readiness over the two-month follow-up. The study is sponsored by Universiti Teknologi Mara and includes adults aged 18 to 99 years old from Orang Asli communities.

Researchers are evaluating a care protocol designed to support pregnant women affected by earthquakes, aiming to see if it improves their physical and psychological health. The study highlights the challenges these women face, including difficulty accessing health services and symptoms like fear, sleep problems, depression, and trauma. It also emphasizes the importance of family support and spiritual care during pregnancy after a disaster. The study involves developing a care protocol using Stevens' Star Model to provide physical and psychosocial support to pregnant women in disaster areas. After a pilot test with a small group, a final care training manual will be created. Then, a randomized controlled study will include 86 pregnant women divided into two groups: one receiving the care protocol and one not. Participants will be assessed at several points: up to the 16th week of pregnancy, between the 36th and 38th weeks, and between the 4th and 8th weeks after giving birth. Researchers will measure physical health, psychosocial health, trauma levels, and postpartum depression. The study will monitor participants' progress across pregnancy and postpartum to determine how the care protocol affects their well-being.

This research aims to study the effects of the Helfer Skin Tap Technique and local cold application on pain and hemodynamic responses during intramuscular tetanus vaccination in pregnant women. The study will compare these two methods with the standard injection procedure to see how they influence pain intensity and vital signs such as heart rate and blood pressure. Pregnant women receiving tetanus vaccination will be randomly assigned to three groups for this evaluation. Participants will be divided into three groups: one will receive the vaccine using the Helfer Skin Tap Technique, which involves gently tapping the skin during injection; another will receive the injection after applying a cold gel compress to the injection site for one minute; and the control group will receive the standard intramuscular injection without additional intervention. The process follows specific guidelines for each group to ensure consistency. During the study, vital signs including heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation will be measured before, immediately after, and 15 minutes post-injection. Pain levels will be assessed right after injection, 15 minutes later, and again at 24 and 48 hours after vaccination through follow-up contact. This detailed monitoring aims to capture both immediate and longer-term effects of the interventions on pain and physiological responses.