Tropical diseases, the transmission of which is affected by multiple natural and social factors, pose a great challenge to global public health, notably in African countries. During the past several decades, China and African countries have continuously collaborated for the control of neglected tropical diseases and malaria, which has become an important part of global South-to-South cooperation and global health governance. This article reviews the history of China-Africa cooperation for tropical diseases control, summarizes the experiences and achievements over the past decade, analyzes the current challenges in the coopera tion, and proposes future recommendations. The China-Africa cooperation has achieved significant progress in the control of tropical diseases, such as malaria, schistosomiasis, and filariasis, and established a China-Africa cooperation network for tropical diseases control. Through the "Three-Step" strategy of China-Africa cooperation, the effectiveness of China's integrated control strategies has been validated in Africa, and the application of China's tropical disease control technologies has been promoted in African disease-epidemic countries. Currently, China-Africa collaboration, however, still experiences multiple realistic challenges, such as insufficient resources, difficulty in technology transfer, and weak primary healthcare systems. In the future, both sides are recommended to further strengthen policy coordination, deepen technological cooperation, innovate cooperation models, aiming to continuously promote the high-quality development of China-Africa cooperation for tropical diseases control.

Objective To explore the key environmental factors influencing the distribution and spatially stratified heterogeneity of the suitable habitats of Ranunculus ternatus Thunb.;To predict its potential suitable habitats within China;To provide theoretical guidance for the conservation of its wild resources,artificial introduction and cultivation,and production planning.Methods Based on the MaxEnt model,a distribution prediction model was established using 148 selected species distribution information and 28 environmental factor data.The ENMeval package in R language was used to optimize the model parameters.Quantitative analysis(q-value ranking)of environmental factors affecting spatial differentiation in potential suitable areas using geographic detector factor detection and interaction detection.Results After optimization,the accuracy of model was improved and the degree of overfitting was reduced.The average value of the area under the curve(AUC)was 0.940.The contribution rate of environmental factors and the jackknife test showed that the key environmental factors influencing the distribution of Ranunculus ternatus Thunb.mainly included the precipitation in March,the precipitation in November,elevation,the solar radiation intensity in October,the solar radiation intensity in December,and the average temperature in January.The results of raster calculation showed that the area of highly suitable habitats of Ranunculus ternatus Thunb.was approximately 4.105×104 km2,the area of moderately suitable habitats was approximately 4.243×105 km2,and the area of lowly suitable habitats was approximately 6.385×105 km2,accounting for about 3.8%,38.4%and 57.8%of the total area of suitable habitats,respectively.Conclusion This study can provide a basis for the conservation and sustainabele utilization of the wild resources of Ranunculus ternatus Thunb.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the quality differences of Alpinia katsumadai from different habitats. METHODS High- performance liquid chromatography（HPLC） was used to establish the fingerprints of A. katsumadai from 18 batches of different habitats， and the quality of A. katsumadai from different habitats was comprehensively evaluated by similarity evaluation， cluster analysis （CA）， principal component analysis （PCA）， orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis （OPLS-DA） and the content determination results of alpinetin， pinocembrin， cardamonin and alnustone in A. katsumadai. RESULTS The similarity of HPLC fingerprints for 18 batches of A. katsumadai was ＞0.9. Eleven common peaks were identified from the chromatogram， and four of them were specifically characterized. Both CA and PCA grouped 18 batches of A. katsumadai into 3 categories， extracting 2 principal components （the cumulative variance contribution rate reached 89.798%）. OPLS-DA identified 9 quality difference markers， namely the components corresponding to peaks 4， 9， 3， 2， 7 （pinocembrin）， 8 （cardamonin）， 6 （alpinetin）， 10 and 11 （alnustone）. The content of alpinetin， pinocembrin， cardamonin， and alnustone ranged from 4.507 1-11.579 7， 5.154 4-14.183 3， 5.109 5-13.588 3 and 4.494 6-11.277 2 mg/g， respectively. CONCLUSIONS The quality of A. katsumadai from different habitats is quite different， and the quality of A. katsumadai from Hainan is the best.

Recently, there has been an increasing risk of importation of tropical diseases into China and the resultant re-transmission in the country with the in-depth implementation of the “Belt and Road” Initiative, which poses a serious threat to the national public health security. To effectively respond to the cross-border transmission risk of tropical diseases and facilitate the process towards tropical disease control and elimination in China and the countries along the “Belt and Road” Initiative, this article analyzes the current status and governance risks of major imported tropical diseases, cross-border joint prevention and control polices implemented for tropical diseases and challenges in the establishment of the joint prevention and control system for tropical diseases in China, and discusses the establishment and implementation path of the joint prevention and control system for tropical diseases in countries along the “Belt and Road” Initiative. This path covers the establishment of cross-border cooperation mechanisms, research and development and pilot production of Chinese public health products, and implementation of key cross-border tropical disease prevention and control projects. The establishment of this system will further improve Chinese prevention and control capabilities for key cross-border tropical diseases, build a demonstrative prevention and control model for tropical diseases, and promote international technical exchanges and cooperation of tropical diseases.

Objective To analyze the structural and phylogenetic characteristics of the mitochondrial genome from Bulinus globosus, so as to provide a theoretical basis for classification and identification of species within the Bulinus genus, and to provide insights into understanding of Bulinus-schistosomes interactions and the mechanisms of parasite transmission. Methods B. globosus samples were collected from the Ruya River basin in Zimbabwe. Mitochondrial DNA was extracted from B. globosus samples and the corresponding libraries were constructed for high-throughput sequencing on the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform. After raw sequencing data were subjected to quality control using the fastp software, genome assembly was performed using the A5-miseq and SPAdes tools, and genome annotation was conducted using the MITOS online server. Circular maps and sequence plots of the mitochondrial genome were generated using the CGView and OGDRAW software, and the protein conservation motifs and structures were analyzed using the TBtools software. Base composition and codon usage bias were analyzed and visualized using the software MEGA X and the ggplot2 package in the R software. In addition, a phylogenetic tree was created in the software MEGA X after sequence alignment with the software MAFFT 7, and visualized using the software iTOL. Results The mitochondrial genome of B. globosus was a 13 730 bp double-stranded circular molecule, containing 2 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, 22 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, and 13 protein-coding genes, with a marked AT preference. The mitochondrial genome composition of B. globosus was similar to that of other species within the Bulinus genus. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of B. globosus was clustered with B. truncatus, B. nasutus, and B. ugandae into the same evolutionary clade, and gene superfamily analysis showed that the metabolism-related proteins of B. globosus were highly conserved, notably the cytochrome c oxidase family, which showed a significant consistency. Conclusions This is the first whole mitochondrial genome sequencing to decode the compositional features of the mitochondrial genome of B. globosus from Zimbabwe and its evolutionary relationship within the Bulinus genus, which provides important insights for further understanding of the phylogeny and mitochondrial genome characteristics of the Bulinus genus.

BACKGROUND: The level of measurable residual disease (MRD) before and after transplantation is related to inferior transplant outcomes, and post-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation measurable residual disease (post-HSCT MRD) has higher prognostic value in determining risk than pre-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation measurable residual disease (pre-HSCT MRD). However, only a few work has been devoted to the risk factors for positive post-HSCT MRD in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). This study evaluated the risk factors for post-HSCT MRD positivity in patients with ALL who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). METHODS: A total of 1683 ALL patients from Peking University People's Hospital between January 2009 and December 2019 were enrolled to evaluate the cumulative incidence of post-HSCT MRD. Cox proportional hazard regression models were built for time-to-event outcomes. Multivariable analysis was performed to determine independent influencing factors from the univariable analysis. RESULTS: Both in total patients and in T-cell ALL or B-cell ALL, pediatric or adult, human leukocyte antigen-matched sibling donor transplantation or haploidentical SCT subgroups, positive pre-HSCT MRD was a risk factor for post-HSCT MRD positivity ( P  <0.001 for all). Disease status (complete remission 1 [CR1] vs . ≥CR2) was also a risk factor for post-HSCT MRD positivity in all patients and in the B cell-ALL, pediatric, or haploidentical SCT subgroups ( P  = 0.027; P  = 0.003; P  = 0.035; P  = 0.003, respectively). A risk score for post-HSCT MRD positivity was developed using the variables pre-HSCT MRD and disease status. The cumulative incidence of post-HSCT MRD positivity was 12.3%, 25.1%, and 38.8% for subjects with scores of 0, 1, and 2-3, respectively ( P  <0.001). Multivariable analysis confirmed the association of the risk score with the cumulative incidence of post-HSCT MRD positivity and relapse as well as leukemia-free survival and overall survival. CONCLUSION Our results indicated that positive pre-MRD and disease status were two independent risk factors for post-HSCT MRD positivity in patients with ALL who underwent allo-HSCT.
Humans ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/pathology* ; Neoplasm, Residual ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Risk Factors ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Young Adult ; Middle Aged ; Infant ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Retrospective Studies

Objective:To explore the effect of the interaction between plasma aluminum concentration and schooling year on cognitive function, it provides the basis for early identification of its damaging effect.Methods:From October to December, 2014, 1114 on-the-job aluminum exposed workers in a large aluminum factory in Shanxi Province were investigated. The plasma aluminum concentrations were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) as an internal exposure indicator. The subjects were divided into low, medium, and high aluminum exposure group based on the blood lead concentration levels. The general information was collected with a self-designed questionnaire, and their cognitive function was evaluated with the mini-mental state examination and the clock drawing test. The interaction between plasma aluminum concentration level and education level was analyzed by using unconditional logistic regression fitting multiplication model and cross analysis fitting addition model.Results:The average level of plasma aluminum of the subjects was 21.68 (10.51, 45.78) μg/L. The detection rate of cognitive impairment was 19.9%. The influencing factors of cognitive function were plasma aluminum concentration, age, education level and marital status, among which high schooling year, and being married were the protective factors (all P<0.05), plasma aluminum concentration, and age were the risk factors (all P<0.05) ; After adjusting the confounding factors, such as age, marital status, schooling year, income level, smoking, and drinking, logistic regression model and the multiple linear regression model showed that there was a dose response relationship between plasma aluminum concentration and cognitive impairment. With the increase of plasma aluminum concentration, the score gradually decreased, and the risk of cognitive impairment increased ( Ptrend<0.05) ; There were multiplicative interaction ( AOR=2.15, 95% CI: 1.10-4.19) and additive interaction ( RERI=5.38, 95% CI: 2.60-8.16; AP=0.65, 95% CI: 0.51-0.80; S=3.88, 95% CI: 2.00-7.56) between plasma aluminum concentration and low schooling year on cognitive function. Conclusion:There was a dose-response relationship between aluminum exposure and cognitive impairment. There was an interaction between aluminum exposure and low schooling year. When both of them worked together, the risk of cognitive impairment increases.

Deutetrabenazine(DTBZ)is a selective oral small molecule inhibitor of vesicular monoamine transporter 2(VMAT2).Its pharmacological action works by inhibiting VMAT2,thereby reducing the release of presynaptic dopamine and alleviating tardive dyskinesia symptoms caused by long-term use of dopamine receptor antagonists.Compared with tetrabenazine,DTBZ has longer half-life,lower peak plasma concentration,and smaller plasma concentration fluctuations.Clinical studies demonstrate that DTBZ significantly improves abnormal involuntary movement in patients with tardive dyskinesia and has a favourable safety profile.Based on available clinical evidence and practical experience,this paper discuss the common questions about DTBZ including the suitable population,dose,duration of treatment,combination administration with antipsychotics,efficacy assessment and application in special populations.This article aimed to provide guidance and recommendations on clinical application of DTBZ for clinicians.

Objective:To analyse the 3D-Flair MRI manifestations of the inner ear, vestibular function status, and their correlation with hearing treatment outcomes in patients with severe sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), and to explore potential prognostic indicators for sudden deafness.Methods:The clinical data of adult patients with unilateral profound sudden sensorineural hearing loss were retrospectively analyzed in Otorhinolaryngology Department of Shandong Provincial ENT Hospital from March 2018 to August 2020. Patients were categorized based on the results of their inner ear 3D-Flair MRI into two groups: the normal MRI group and the abnormal MRI group. The abnormal group was further divided into three subgroups: those with non-absorbed high signal in the inner ear, those with absorbed high signal, and those with destruction of the blood-labyrinth barrier. SPSS 26.0 statistical software was applied to analyze the differences in hearing efficacy, caloric tests, vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP), video head impulse tests (vHIT), and the incidence of dizziness/vertigo among various patient groups.Results:A total of 191 patients with complete data were collected (97 males and 94 females, aged from 13 to 69 years old). There were 50 cases in the normal inner ear 3D-Flair MRI group. A total of 141 cases were found in the group with abnormal 3D-Flair MRI, including 50 cases of high signal unabsorbed, 71 cases of absorption high signal and 20 cases of blood labyrinth barrier destruction. There were no significant differences in age, sex, lateral ratio of hearing loss and course of disease among four groups (all P>0.05).The significant efficiencies of hearing recovery, in the group with normal 3D-FLAIR MRI were better than those in the abnormal group ( P<0.05) after treatment. Among the four groups, there were significant differences in the apparent efficiency and total effective rate between the normal group and the inner ear high signal absorption group ( χ2=4.007, P=0.045; χ2=6.925, P=0.009). The abnormal rates of bithermal caloric test, vHIT results and dizziness/vertigo symptoms in the abnormal group were higher than those in the normal group ( P<0.05). There were significant differences in oVEMP abnormality rate, vHIT abnormality rate and incidence of dizziness/vertigo among the three groups with 3D-FLAIR MRI abnormality ( P<0.05). There were significant differences in caloric test, oVEMP, vHIT abnormality rate and incidence of dizziness/vertigo among the four groups ( P<0.05). The positive rates of caloric test, cVEMP test and vHIT test in patients with dizziness/vertigo were higher than those in patients without dizziness/vertigo ( P<0.05). The abnormal rates of posterior semicircular canal and horizontal semicircular canal in patients with dizziness/vertigo were significantly increased ( P<0.05) than patients without dizziness/vertigo. The recovery rate, effective rate and total effective rate of patients without dizziness/vertigo were significantly better than those with dizziness/vertigo ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The 3D-Flair MRI of the inner ear and vestibular function tests have reference value for the prognosis assessment of patients with severe sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Abnormal 3D-FLAIR MRI of the inner ear, especially absorption high signal, is associated with high incidence of vestibular dysfunction and dizziness/vertigo, with poor prognosis. Patients with severe sudden sensorineural hearing loss who have symptoms of dizziness/vertigo are more likely to exhibit abnormal results in vestibular function tests, with a higher susceptibility to involvement of the posterior and horizontal semicircular canals.

Objective:To investigate the epidemic characteristics of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) in Tiantai County Zhejiang Province, and provide a scientific basis for prevention and control of SFTS.Methods:The case data of SFTS in Tiantai County from 2014 to 2024 were collected through the Chinese Disease Control and Prevention Information System, and descriptive epidemic method was employed to analyze its epidemic and clinical characteristics.Results:From 2014 to 2024, a total of 114 SFTS cases were reported in Tiantai County, with an average annual incidence rate of 2.21/100 000. The peak incidence occurred in 2021 (3.40/100 000, 16 cases). Nine cases died, with a mortality rate of 7.89% (9/114). The male-to-female ratio was 1.00∶0.97 (58∶56). The high-risk population was middle-aged and elderly people aged over 50 years old, accounting for 91.23% (104/114). The occupation was mainly farmers, accounting for 92.98% (106/114). The incidence of SFTS had obvious seasonality, with a peak from April to September, accounting for 83.33% (95/114). The average onset date was calculated to be June 25th, and the peak period was from April 19th to August 31st. The distribution of cases was mainly in Tantou Town (34 cases), Shiliang Town (23 cases), Yongxi Township (17 cases), and Pingqiao Town (12 cases), accounting for 75.44% (86/114). From 2014 to 2024, the affected areas had gradually expanded from 1 township/subdistrict to 13 townships/subdistricts, showed a phenomenon of migration from east to west. Among the 114 patients with SFTS, the initial symptom was fever. The proportion of neuropsychiatric symptoms, atrial fibrillation and heart failure in the death group was significantly higher than those in the survival group (χ 2 = 19.24, 16.44, 23.90, P < 0.001). Conclusion:From 2014 to 2024, the incidence of SFTS in Tiantai County fluctuates with obvious seasonal and regional migration characteristics.