Objective To understand the epidemiological characteristics of scrub typhus disease and to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of scrub typhus disease. Methods Descriptive epidemiological methods were used to analyze the population and regional distribution of scrub typhus. Seasonal characteristics were analyzed using concentration method and circular distribution method, and incidence trend was analyzed using joinpoint regression model. Results The annual incidence rate of scrub typhus was 0.95/100 000 from 2010 to 2022. The incidence rate of male was 0.77/100 000, lower than that of female 1.12/100 000 (χ²=18.89, P<0.05). The incidence rate of the 60-74 years old group was 3.38/100,000, and the total number of cases in the age group 45-74 years was 416 (74.95%). Occupational distribution was mainly among farmers, with 448 cases (80.72%). The top three regions with the highest number of reported cases (in order: Donghai County, Ganyu District, and Guannan County) reported a total of 416 cases, accounting for 74.95%. Concentration ratio was M=0.9408, and the incidence of scrub typhus disease was strictly seasonal. Circular distribution results showed a^-=-62.3728, S=20.8960. The circular distribution results indicated that the peak day was October 19th, and the peak period was between October 7 to December 19. The average annual percentage change (AAPC) of the incidence rate from 2010 to 2022 was 13.70%, 95% CI (-8.62%~41.48%), and the incidence rate showed an upward trend (t=1.15, P=0.249). Conclusion The incidence of scrub typhus disease is strictly seasonal, and the incidence rate over the years shows an upward trend. It is necessary to strengthen monitoring and take various intervention measures to reduce the risk of scrub typhus disease.

Objective This study aimed to develop an experimental animal platform for evaluating the feasibility and safety of intelligent acupuncture robots and to lay the foundation for further research.Methods Six 2-month-old Guangxi Bama miniature pigs were used as experimental subjects for acupuncture verification after anesthesia.First,manual acupuncture verification was carried out.Six acupoints were selected for each experimental animal and the needles were left for 20 min after the lifting,inserting,and twisting manipulation.Before and after controls were included.The experiment was carried out for 28 days,and each experiment was conducted once every 2 days for a total of 10 times.After verification of manual acupuncture,a point 10 mm from each of the six selected acupoints was selected,with a total of 12 points,and acupuncture operations were carried out on the experimental animals using the intelligent acupuncture module of the acupuncture robot at different frequencies and angles,to further verify the stability and feasibility of the animal platform.Results Routine safety-related blood indicators and blood biochemistry indicators after the procedure were normal and stable compared with those before the procedure.The average heart rate of the animals was 124 beats/min,the average blood pressure was 87/36 mmHg,and the average body temperature of was 36℃at a room temperature of 25℃,with no significant change in body temperature during and after the experiment.On the basis of this experimental platform,acupuncture manipulation using the intelligent acupuncture module of the acupuncture robot was completed successfully,with no abnormalities related to acupuncture such as bending,breaking,or stagnation of needles during the experimental process,and the experimental animals showed no obvious abnormalities.Conclusions This study established a stable experimental animal platform for evaluating the feasibility and safety of acupuncture carried out by intelligent acupuncture robots,based on the existing experimental method of miniature pigs.These result lay a foundation for further research related to the use of intelligent acupuncture robots.

Objective To evaluate the quality of infectious disease surveillance data and provide scientific basis for improving data quality and health decision-making. Methods The comprehensive index of infectious disease monitoring system evaluation and the integrity, accuracy and reliability of infectious disease report data were used to evaluate the quality of infectious disease monitoring data in multiple dimensions. Results In 2021, The comprehensive evaluation index of infectious disease surveillance system was 98.40%. In terms of data integrity, 1 105 data were missing, and the incomplete rate was 1.46%; In terms of data accuracy, 1978 cases were not accurately, rate of accuracy was 26.72%; In terms of data reliability, the card reporting rate of tertiary medical institutions accounted for 67.05%, the diagnosis rate of confirmed cases was 27.74%, and the correction rate of report card was 28.48%. Conclusion The accuracy and reliability of infectious disease data are insufficient, and new methods for infectious disease monitoring data quality are expanded to make up for the lack of data quality evaluation of the current national epidemic system.

Objective To investigate the role and existing dilemmas of policies related to traditional Chinese medicine talents in China in terms of their growth paths and attitudes towards existing policies.Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate the current situation of the development of traditional Chinese medicine talents and their views on the existing policies.Results 278 valid questionnaires were collected.In general,traditional Chinese medicine talents are quite satisfied with the current talent policy,the interviewees with senior professional titles have a better understanding of the talent policy,and the young members and members of the Chinese society of traditional Chinese medicine have a more positive and urgent attitude towards building a talent policy and evaluation index system with traditional Chinese medicine characteristics.Respondents generally believe that the current financial support for talent projects of traditional Chinese medicine is average,but it can stimulate the growth of young scholars.The title of talents and the achievements of scholars'scientific research complement each other.Conclusion In the process of the development of the field of traditional Chinese medicine,we should speed up the training of innovative talents of traditional Chinese medicine,establish talent evaluation indicators with traditional Chinese medicine characteristics,improve the evaluation and project management system of traditional Chinese medicine talents,and reasonably optimize the incentive mechanism brought by the title of talents.

Objective To explore the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), especially lower-extremity deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), for stroke patients in rehabilitating, and the functional outcome. Methods A total of 3 557 stroke patients in the neurological rehabilitation center of Beijing Bo'ai Hospital for stroke rehabilitation from January, 2015 to October, 2020 were reviewed through the electronic medical record system. Demographic characteristics, stroke characteristics (type and location), laboratory data (D-dimer polymer and arterial partial pressure of oxygen), motor function (Brunnstrom stage, Fugl-Meyer Assessment of motor and balance, modified Ashworth Scale score of triceps crus, and Holden Walking Ability Classification), activities of daily living (Barthel Index), and anticoagulant/antiplatelet treatment data were collected and analyzed. Results The incidence of DVT and PE was 28.5% and 1.29%, respectively. Most were found 30 days later after onset. The incidence of PE was higher after ischemic stroke (χ2 = 12.49, P < 0.001) rather than hemorrhagic stroke. The patients with hemispheric stroke, severe lower-extremity paralysis, and poor activities of daily living were more prone to complications associated with VTE. After rehabilitation, the function of stroke patients with PE could be improved (|t| > 4.302, P < 0.001). Conclusion The risk of DVT and PE in patients during stroke convalescence may not be negligible, and those with older age, previous history of thrombosis, severe stroke, and severe limb paralysis may be stratified in high-risk. Following anticoagulation treatment, early individualized comprehensive rehabilitation can be done for patients with PE to improve their function and activities of daily living.

Background: and Purpose Patients presenting with clinical characteristics that are strongly suggestive of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) have a high risk of developing definite NMOSD in the future. Little is known about the clinical course, treatment, and prognosis of these patients with likely NMOSD at disease onset. Methods: This study prospectively recruited and visited 24 patients with the limited form of NMOSD (LF-NMOSD) at disease onset from November 2012 to June 2021. Their demographics, clinical course, longitudinal aquaporin-4 immunoglobulin G (AQP4-IgG) serology, MRI, therapeutic management, and outcome data were collected and analyzed. Results: The onset age of the cohort was 38.1±12.0 years (mean±standard deviation). The median disease duration was 73.5 months (interquartile range=44.3–117.0 months), and the follow-up period was 54.2±23.8 months. At the end of the last visit, the final diagnosis was categorized into AQP4-IgG-seronegative NMOSD (n=16, 66.7%), AQP4-IgG-seropositive NMOSD (n=7, 29.2%), or multiple sclerosis (n=1, 4.2%). Seven of the 24 patients (29.2%) experienced conversion to AQP4-IgG seropositivity, and the interval from onset to this serological conversion was 37.9±21.9 months. Isolated/mixed area postrema syndrome (APS) was the predominant onset phenotype (37.5%). The patients with isolated/mixed APS onset showed a predilection for conversion to AQP4-IgG seropositivity. All patients experienced a multiphasic disease course, with immunosuppressive therapy reducing the incidence rates of clinical relapse and residual functional disability. Conclusions Definite NMOSD may be preceded by LF-NMOSD, particularly isolated/ mixed APS. Intensive long-term follow-up and attack-prevention immunotherapeutic management is recommended in patients with LF-NMOSD.

Objective:To explore the necessity and feasibility of introducing the courses of dental practice management in the undergraduate education of stomatology under the background of the undergraduate entrepreneurship education reform.Methods:In the School of Stomatology of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, the entrepreneurial course dental practice management was set-up for the junior undergraduate students. CBL, PBL, teacher's lecture, student's lecture on the stage and PPT demonstration, role-play, and team cooperation were taken in the course. And the questionnaires were used to investigate the course setting, necessity, teaching forms and satisfaction from multiple groups. SPSS was performed for data analysis, and the teaching effect was evaluated through the data results.Results:The scores of 108 students in the study [(75.99±5.76) points] were roughly distributed as normal functions. The results of the survey showed that the number of students who planned to have their own private clinics after the course increased by 41 (37.96%) compared with that before the course. All instructors and 33 (78.57%) active dentists thought that the course was reasonable in the undergraduate courses.Conclusion:It is necessary and feasible to introduce the dental practice management course in undergraduate education of stomatology, which will have a certain guiding effect on the long-term development of dentists, and is also beneficial to the reform of innovation and entrepreneurship courses in medical universities.

Objective:To analyze the role of patient support system in multidrug-resistant/rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (MDR/RR-TB) treatment adherence and outcome, and provide evidence for deepening the patient-centered support system.Methods:Based on the stakeholder analysis, definite stakeholders (administrators from the Department of Medical Insurance, and those from the provincial CDC), expectant stakeholders (administrators from regional CDC, health workers from primary CDCs, medical workers from designated MDR/RR-TB hospitals and MDR/RR-TB patients), and latent stakeholders (MDR/RR-TB patient families and their neighbors or colleagues) were selected using a purposive sampling. These stakeholders were subject to a semi-structured interview on patient support. The inclusion of participants ceased after reaching code or thematic saturation and meaning saturation, while thematic framework analysis was applied in interview data.Results:The 25 interviewees included could be categorized into three groups of stakeholders, i. e., 4 definite stakeholders, 19 expectant stakeholders and 2 latent stakeholders. Three themes summarized in this regard were definite stakeholders providing policy support to advance these patients′ access to standardized diagnosis and treatment services; diagnosis and treatment and management support of expectant stakeholders of these patients to encourage their compliance to treatment and enable their access to high quality medical care; and support from latent stakeholders as a critical guarantee for the patients to welcome a desirable treatment outcome. Psychological support provided under MDR/RR-TB basic care program in some provinces contributed positively to raising patients′ compliance. Economic support, treatment support from family menmbers ccould help the patients to welcome desirable outcomes.Conclusions:MDR/RR-TB patient-centered support system operating in the Yangtze River delta provide the patients with MDR/RR-TB diagnostic and treatment services of some accessibility. Given the progress, there are still shortcomings for the respective stakeholders to enhance their attention and collaboration to improve the access and equity to medical service.

  Objective  To investigate the clinical features of autoimmune glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) astrocytopathy.  Methods  We collected and analyzed the clinical and laboratory data and obtained the clinical characteristics of diagnosis and treatment from fifteen patients with positive GFAP antibody tested by cerebrospinal fluid and diagnosed autoimmune GFAP astrocytopathy by the multi-centers.  Results  The mean age of the first onset of autoimmune GFAP astrocytopathy was 39.73 years old (range 4-65 years), with no significant gender difference. In terms of clinical manifestations, we found the whole brain symptoms including abnormal mental behavior, disturbance of consciousness, epileptic attack accounting for more than 50, , meningitis accounting for 66.7%, myelitis (53.3%), limb tremor (53.3%), vision loss (33.3%); systemic symptoms including fever(100%) and fatigue(86.7%). 46.7% of patients were initially diagnosed with tuberculous meningoencephalitis and were treated with diagnostic antituberculous therapy. The MRI showed 46.7% of patients showed brain linear perivascular radial gadolinium enhancement in the white matter perpendicular to the ventricle.  Conclusions  Autoimmune GFAP astrocytopathy are acute or subacute dieases and the main clinical features include encephalitis, meningitis, myelitis and optic neuritis. They are likely to be misdiagnosed as tuberculous meningoencephalitis and can manifest progressive loss of consciousness in early phase, which is even life threatening.

Since December 2019,severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has been found to be the culprit in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19),causing a global pandemic.Despite the existence of many vaccine programs,the number of confirmed cases and fatalities due to COVID-19 is still increasing.Furthermore,a number of variants have been reported.Because of the absence of approved anti-coronavirus drugs,the treatment and management of COVID-19 has become a global challenge.Under these circumstances,drug repurposing is an effective method to identify candidate drugs with a shorter cycle of clinical trials.Here,we summarize the current status of the application of drug repurposing in COVID-19,including drug repurposing based on virtual computer screening,network pharmacology,and bioactivity,which may be a beneficial COVID-19 treatment.