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 explore the environmental factors influencing the distribution of Pulsatilla chinensis(Bge.)Regel and to predict its potential habitat in China;To provide reference for the assessment of its wild resources and the introduction of its cultivation.Methods Totally 230 pieces of information on the distribution of sample sites were collected.Combined with data of 48 environmental factors,MaxEnt model and ArcGIS 10.8 software were used to select the dominant environmental factors that affect their distribution,and visual analysis of potential suitable areas was conducted.Results The prediction accuracy of the established model met the requirements(AUC＞0.9).The main environmental factors affecting the distribution of Pulsatilla chinensis(Bge.)Regel were the precipitation in the wettest season,the average temperature in November,the altitude,the standard deviation of the seasonal variation of temperature,the precipitation in May and the average temperature in August,with a cumulative contribution rate of 84.3％.The prediction results showed that it was mainly distributed in the North China and Northeast China,with a total suitability zone of about 2 382 461.60 km2,of which the low suitability zone was about 1 263 497.00 km2,the medium suitability zone was about 582 879.20 km2,and the high suitability zone was about 536 085.40 km2,accounting for approximately 53.03％,24.47％and 22.50％of the total suitability zone.Conclusion The results of the model are consistent with the literature records,which can provide theoretical reference for the sustainable utilization of Pulsatilla chinensis(Bge.)Regel.resources.

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 By detecting the changes of interleukin-6(IL-6),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)in brain tissue,as well as serum S-100β and neuron specific enolases(NSE)in neonatal rats with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy(HIE)under differ-ent treatment regimens,the anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects of hydrogen gas were explored.Methods HIE animal model was made from 7-day-old newborn SD rats,and then divided into sham operation group,control group,test group 1(saturated hydro-gen saline group),test group 2(mild hypothermia group),and test group 3(combination group)according to completely random number table method.No special treatment was given in the sham operation group,while the control group only had modeling,test group 1 was in-traperitoneally injected with saturated hydrogen saline after modeling,test group 2 was treated with mild hypothermia after modeling,test group3 was treated with mild hypothermia combined with injection of saturated hydrogen saline after modeling.At 1,3 and 7days after modeling,10 rats from each group were decapitated and brain tissue was collected for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)de-tection of IL-6 and TNF-α,and serum was collected to detect the expression levels of S-100β and NSE.Results The expression levels of IL-6,TNF-α in the brain tissue,S-100β,and NSE in serum of the control group were increased significantly 1day after modeling,began to decline at 3days,and returned to normal at 7days.Compared with the sham operation group,the expression levels of various indicators in the 1day and 3days were statistically significant(P＜0.05).However,the expression levels of various indicators in test group 1and 2decreased compared with the control group on 1day and 3days after modeling(P＜0.05),but were higher than those in test group 3 and sham operation group,with statistical significance(P＜0.05).There was no statistical significance in the comparison of various indicators between test group 1 and 2 at each stage(P＞0.05).Conclusion Hydrogen treatment can reduce the inflammatory response level of the nervous system to some extent,and also has a certain neuroprotective effect on HIE in neonatal rats.

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.

Objective To evaluate the brain injury in children with congenital diaphragmatic hernia(CDH)after surgery through examination methods such as amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram(aEEG),regional cerebral oxygen saturation(rSO2)and neonatal behavioral neurological assessment(NBNA),so as to clarify their diagnostic value.Methods A total of 83 full-term CDH children admitted to our hospital were retrospectively enrolled as the research subjects.According to the brain damage syndrome(BDS)diagnostic criteria,they were divided into brain injury group(n=36)and control group(n=47).We compared the general data of the neonates in the two groups,as well as the modified aEEG scores and rSO2 at admission,14 days after birth,and 28 days after birth.We compared the NBNA scores at 28 days after birth.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to analyze the diagnostic value of the three tools for brain injury.Results The modified aEEG scores of the children in the brain injury group at each time point were lower than those in the control group.The rSO2 of the children in the brain injury group was lower than that in the control group at 14 days and 28 days after birth and recovered slowly.The NBNA scores also indicated that the neurodevelopment of the children in the brain injury group was significantly lower than that in the control group.The ROC curve showed that the areas under the curve of combined diagnosis exhibited the best diagnostic efficacy compared with rSO2 used alone at 28 days after birth,aEEG at 28 days after birth,and NBNA scores(the area under the curve:0.968 vs.0.701 vs.0.685 vs.0.870;sensitivity:92.0％ vs.53.7％ vs.87.8％ vs.95.1％;specificity:97.0％ vs.86.1％ vs.50.0％ vs.72.2％).Conclusion The combined application of the modified aEEG score,rSO2,and NBNA has high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of brain injury in children with CDH;therefore,it is worthy of clinical promotion and application.

Blonanserin,a second-generation atypical antipsychotic agent,acts as an antagonist for dopamine D2,D3,and serotonin 5-HT2A receptors.Clinical studies have demonstrated that blonanserin is non-inferior to other antipsychotics,such as haloperidol and risperidone,in alleviating the symptoms of schizophrenia.Moreover,it exhib-its beneficial effects on cognitive symptoms and social functioning,with a favorable safety profile,making it one of the key treatment options for schizophrenia.With extensive clinical experience accumulated in China,this expert consensus aims to provide psychiatrists with updated and localized guidance on the optimal use of blonan-serin.Based on a systematic review of the latest evidence-particularly studies in Chinese population,this paper pres-ents the updated Chinese expert recommendations for the clinical use of blonanserin in 2024.