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 examine the impact of extreme temperature and drought stress on the survival of Bulinus globosus, so as to provide the theoretical evidence for the genomic research of Bulinus in absence of reference genes. Methods B. globosus snail samples were collected from Kiwani Shehia in Pemba Island, Zanzibar, Tanzania, and offspring snails were obtained through laboratory breeding and reproduction. A total of 120 10-week-old B. globosus snails from the same generation were selected and randomly assigned into four groups, including the high-temperature drought (HD) group, normal temperature drought (D) group, low-temperature drought (LD) group, and the control (C) group, of 30 snails in each group. Snails in HD, D, and LD groups were placed in beakers containing dry soil at the bottom and subsequently housed in climate chambers at 35, 26 ℃, and 10 ℃, respectively, while snails in Group C were maintained in 500 mL petri dishes containing dechlorinated tap water at 26 ℃. Following 3 days of breeding, living snails in each group were collected, and soft tissues were dissected and isolated. Total RNA was extracted from snail soft tissues for library construction, followed by high-throughput sequencing on the Illumina HiSeq 4000 sequencing system. De novo transcriptome assembly was performed using the Trinity software, and the longest transcripts were selected as unigenes. Gene functional annotations of unigenes were conducted using the Diamond software against Gene Ontology (GO) knowledgebase, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway database, NCBI non-redundant (NR) protein sequences database, Protein Family (Pfam) database, and UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot (Swiss-Prot) knowledgebase. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were performed using the topGO and clusterProfiler software, respectively. In addition, four relevant genes were selected for validation using a real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) assay to verify the reliability of transcriptome sequencing results. Results Following 3 days of breeding, there were 7, 20, 28, and 30 survival B. globosus snails in HD, LD, D, and C groups, with corresponding survival rates of 23.33% (7/30), 66.67% (20/30), 93.33% (28/30), and 100.00% (30/30), respectively (χ² = 52.72, P < 0.001). De novo transcriptome assembly generated 176 942 unigenes, with annotation rates of 0.98%, 13.49%, 26.46%, 12.48%, and 14.39% against GO knowledgebase, KEGG pathway database, NR protein sequences database, Pfam database, and Swiss-Prot knowledgebase, respectively. There were 33 up-regulated and 72 down-regulated genes in Group D, 483 up-regulated and 815 down-regulated genes in Group HD, and 245 up-regulated and 172 down-regulated genes in Group LD relative to in Group C. Following removal of overlapping genes across groups and unmatched genes, 11 candidate genes were identified. GO and KEGG analyses revealed 3 heat shock protein (HSP)-related DEGs in these 11 candidate genes, which were annotated as HSP12.2, HSP70, and HSP20 genes and were all significantly up-regulated in each treatment group. Three immune and nervous system-related DEGs were identified, and were all significantly down-regulated in each treatment group, which were involved in the neural cell adhesion molecule L1-like protein pathway, fibrinogen binding protein pathway, and leukocyte elastase inhibitor-like protein pathway. qRT-PCR assay quantified that the expression trends of four genes related to temperature and drought stress across different treatment groups were highly consistent with transcriptome sequencing data. Conclusion The survival rate of B. globosus significantly reduces under combined stresses of extreme temperature and drought, possibly due to an imbalance in its cellular homeostasis regulatory system.

Objective: To investigate the longitudinal associations between dietary patterns in early childhood and myopia among children, so as to provide evidence for improving early childhood dietary patterns and promoting healthy ocular development among children. Methods: Participants were derived from the Ma-anshan Birth Cohort (MABC). A total of 1 432 children were included. Dietary patterns at 2.5 years of age were collected in 2017 using a food frequency questionnaire completed by parents. In 2022, cycloplegic refraction and ocular biometric parameters were measured in children aged 7-8 years. Food components were grouped into tertiles ( T1-T 3), and latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify dietary pattern at the age of 2.5. Log-binomial regression and multiple linear regression model were applied to examine the associations of dietary patterns and their latent classes with myopia, spherical equivalent (SE), and axial length (AL). Results: The prevalence of myopia among children was 23.9%. After adjusting for covariates, the T 2 group of cereals and tubers was negatively associated with myopia rate ( RR=0.72, 95%CI =0.57-0.90) and AL ( β=-0.15, 95%CI =-0.24 to -0.05), and positively associated with SE ( β=0.21, 95%CI =0.06-0.35)(all P ＜0.05). Linear regression models showed that the T 2 group of fruits and vegetables was positively associated with AL ( β=0.09, 95%CI =0.00- 0.19 ); the T 3 group of high sugar foods ( β=0.11, 95%CI =0.00-0.21) and the T 3 group of processed foods ( β= 0.10 , 95%CI =0.00-0.19) were positively associated with AL; total scores for high sugar foods ( β=0.07, 95%CI =0.00-0.14) and processed foods ( β=0.09, 95%CI =0.01-0.17) were positively associated with AL (all P <0.05). After adjusting for sex, age, and parental myopia, the comprehensive high intake pattern was positively associated with AL ( β=0.12, 95%CI =0.00-0.23, P <0.05). After further adjusting for daily screen time and daily outdoor activity time, the association was no longer statistically significant ( β= 0.11 , 95%CI =-0.00-0.23, P >0.05). Conclusions Moderate consumption of cereals and tubers in early childhood may reduce the risk of myopia and delay AL growth. In contrast, high sugar and highly processed diets may promote AL and increase myopia risk. Establishing healthy dietary habits in early childhood and limiting intake of high sugar and processed foods is crucial for promoting ocular development in children.

Objective To investigate the influencing factors of advanced bone age in early adolescence, and to provide a scientific basis for the early identification of children and adolescents with abnormal bone age development. Methods A prospective cohort study design was adopted. From July 2022 to September 2023, height, weight, and body composition data of children were collected, with the baseline age of the study participants being 8.42±0.50 years. Subsequently, from March 2024 to November 2025, these children in the cohort were followed up and their bone age development was monitored. In the end, a total of 1142 participants with complete data were included in the study. Results In early adolescence, there were 239 individuals (20.93%) with early bone age development and 103 (9.02%) with delayed development. The proportion of early bone age development was higher among individuals whose mothers had gestational hypertension during pregnancy, and the difference was statistically significant (χ²=8.90, P<0.05). The proportion of early bone age development was higher among boys, and the difference was statistically significant (χ²=41.69, P＜0.001). Disordered multiclass logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for demographic factors, overweight (OR=2.65, 95%CI:1.81-3.88), obesity (OR=6.51, 95%CI: 4.45-9.53), and excessive body fat percentage (OR=4.60, 95% CI: 3.01-7.03) were associated with an increased risk of early bone age development in children and adolescents. Conclusion Being overweight/obese and having an excessive body fat percentage can increase the risk of early bone age development in adolescents.

With the growing emphasis on maternal and child oral health, the significance of managing oral health across preconception, pregnancy, and infancy stages has become increasingly apparent. Oral health challenges extend beyond affecting maternal well-being, exerting profound influences on fetal and neonatal oral development as well as immune system maturation. This expert consensus paper, developed using a modified Delphi method, reviews current research and provides recommendations on maternal and child oral health management. It underscores the critical role of comprehensive oral assessments prior to conception, diligent oral health management throughout pregnancy, and meticulous oral hygiene practices during infancy. Effective strategies should be seamlessly integrated across the life course, encompassing preconception oral assessments, systematic dental care during pregnancy, and routine infant oral hygiene. Collaborative efforts among pediatric dentists, maternal and child health workers, and obstetricians are crucial to improving outcomes and fostering clinical research, contributing to evidence-based health management strategies.
Humans ; Pregnancy ; Female ; Infant ; Consensus ; Mouth Diseases/therapy* ; Pregnancy Complications/therapy* ; Oral Health ; Infant, Newborn ; Delphi Technique ; Oral Hygiene

PURPOSE: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the observational chart for traumatic limb swelling (OCTLS) for osteofascial compartment syndrome (OCS). METHODS: This was a descriptive-longitudinal study. Data of 316 patients who underwent surgical treatment for tibial fractures in our department from January 2015 to December 2023 were collected. Patients with Gustilo type II or higher open fractures, vascular injury, or bilateral fractures were excluded from the study. Two groups of double-blinded investigators independently assessed patients for the presence of OCS using 2 distinct diagnostic methods. Three senior orthopedic trauma surgeons evaluated patients with post-fracture calf swelling for OCS and the need for fasciotomy based on clinical signs and their extensive clinical experience. Subsequently, fasciotomy was performed according to their judgment, followed by postoperative examination of muscle and soft tissue conditions. Additionally, a follow-up evaluation was conducted to assess for complications such as ischemic muscle contracture. Another 3 trained researchers used OCTLS to grade swelling severity and determine the need for fasciotomy. The final diagnostic gold standard of OCS was determined by referring to whether there was escape of muscles at fasciotomy and/or color change in the muscles or muscle necrosis intraoperatively, and neurological abnormality or contracture at the last follow-up. The results of the 2 diagnostic methods were compared with the final diagnostic result. Kappa consistency test, paired χ² test (McNemar test), and receiver operating characteristic curve were used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of the 2 diagnostic methods. RESULTS: Of the 316 patients, 211 were finally included in the study, including 160 males and 51 females, with an average follow-up time of (14.5 ± 2.7) months. Among the 211 patients with tibial fracture-associated swelling, 42 were definitively diagnosed with OCS. Based on clinical symptoms and signs judgment, among the 65 fasciotomy patients, 38 were confirmed as correct, while among the 146 non-fasciotomy patients, 4 developed ischemic muscle contractures. Based on the OCTLS for assessment, fasciotomy was correctly recommended in 36 out of 43 cases, while 6 out of 168 non-fasciotomy patients developed OCS. Compared to the use of the gold standard, clinical signs judgment showed moderate consistency (McNemar's test p < 0.001, Kappa = 0.618, p < 0.001), whereas OCTLS demonstrated strong agreement (McNemar's test p = 1.000, Kappa = 0.808, p < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed higher diagnostic accuracy for OCTLS (area under curve = 0.908, 95% CI: 0.843 - 0.972) compared to clinical signs judgment (area under curve = 0.872, 95% CI: 0.812 - 0.933). OCTLS achieved superior accuracy (93.8% vs. 85.3%, χ² = 8.221, p < 0.001) and a lower fasciotomy rate (20.4% vs. 30.8%, χ² = 6.023, p = 0.014). CONCLUSION Compared to clinical signs judgment, OCTLS significantly reduces unnecessary fasciotomy, improves diagnostic accuracy for OCS, and enables non-invasive, dynamic, and quantitative assessment, making it a valuable tool for clinical practice.
Humans ; Compartment Syndromes/etiology* ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Tibial Fractures/surgery* ; Middle Aged ; Fasciotomy ; Edema/etiology* ; Longitudinal Studies ; Aged ; Young Adult