Objective To predict the potential geographic distribution of Oncomelania hupensis in Yunnan Province using random forest (RF) and maximum entropy (MaxEnt) models, so as to provide insights into O. hupensis surveillance and control in Yunnan Province. Methods The O. hupensis snail survey data in Yunnan Province from 2015 to 2016 were collected and converted into O. hupensis snail distribution site data. Data of 22 environmental variables in Yunnan Province were collected, including twelve climate variables (annual potential evapotranspiration, annual mean ground surface temperature, annual precipitation, annual mean air pressure, annual mean relative humidity, annual sunshine duration, annual mean air temperature, annual mean wind speed, ≥ 0 ℃ annual accumulated temperature, ≥ 10 ℃ annual accumulated temperature, aridity and index of moisture), eight geographical variables (normalized difference vegetation index, landform type, land use type, altitude, soil type, soil textureclay content, soil texture-sand content and soil texture-silt content) and two population and economic variables (gross domestic product and population). Variables were screened with Pearson correlation test and variance inflation factor (VIF) test. The RF and MaxEnt models and the ensemble model were created using the biomod2 package of the software R 4.2.1, and the potential distribution of O. hupensis snails after 2016 was predicted in Yunnan Province. The predictive effects of models were evaluated through cross-validation and independent tests, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), true skill statistics (TSS) and Kappa statistics were used for model evaluation. In addition, the importance of environmental variables was analyzed, the contribution of environmental variables output by the models with AUC values of > 0.950 and TSS values of > 0.850 were selected for normalization processing, and the importance percentage of environmental variables was obtained to analyze the importance of environmental variables. Results Data of 148 O. hupensis snail distribution sites and 15 environmental variables were included in training sets of RF and MaxEnt models, and both RF and MaxEnt models had high predictive performance, with both mean AUC values of > 0.900 and all mean TSS values and Kappa values of > 0.800, and significant differences in the AUC (t = 19.862, P < 0.05), TSS (t = 10.140, P < 0.05) and Kappa values (t = 10.237, P < 0.05) between two models. The AUC, TSS and Kappa values of the ensemble model were 0.996, 0.954 and 0.920, respectively. Independent data verification showed that the AUC, TSS and Kappa values of the RF model and the ensemble model were all 1, which still showed high performance in unknown data modeling, and the MaxEnt model showed poor performance, with TSS and Kappa values of 0 for 24%(24/100) of the modeling results. The modeling results of 79 RF models, 38 MaxEnt models and their ensemble models with AUC values of > 0.950 and TSS values of > 0.850 were included in the evaluation of importance of environmental variables. The importance of annual sunshine duration (SSD) was 32.989%, 37.847% and 46.315% in the RF model, the MaxEnt model and their ensemble model, while the importance of annual mean relative humidity (RHU) was 30.947%, 15.921% and 28.121%, respectively. Important environment variables were concentrated in modeling results of the RF model, dispersed in modeling results of the MaxEnt model, and most concentrated in modeling results of the ensemble model. The potential distribution of O. hupensis snails after 2016 was predicted to be relatively concentrated in Yunnan Province by the RF model and relatively large by the MaxEnt model, and the distribution of O. hupensis snails predicted by the ensemble model was mostly the joint distribution of O. hupensis snails predicted by RF and MaxEnt models. Conclusions Both RF and MaxEnt models are effective to predict the potential distribution of O. hupensis snails in Yunnan Province, which facilitates targeted O. hupensis snail control.

Objective To compare the external morphological characteristics and movement patterns between Schistosoma japonicum and S. sinensis cercariae. Methods S. japonicum and S. sinensis cercariae were heat-fixed, and well-extended cercariae, of 50 each species, were randomly selected for measurement of body length, body width, tail stem length, and tail fork length. The external morphological characteristics of S. japonicum and S. sinensis cercariae were compared. In addition, S. japonicum-infected Oncomelania snails and S. sinensis-infected Tricula snails were observed under a microscope and the movement patterns of S. japonicum and S. sinensis cercariae were compared. Results The mean body length, body width, tail stem length, and tail fork length were (0.16 ± 0.01), (0.05 ± 0.01), (0.14 ± 0.01) mm and (0.06 ± 0.01) mm for S. japonicum cercariae, and (0.13 ± 0.01), (0.05 ± 0.01), (0.13 ± 0.01) mm and (0.06 ± 0.01) mm for S. sinensis cercariae, respectively, and there were significant differences in terms of cercaria body length (t = 14.583, P < 0.05) and tail stem length (t = 3.861, P < 0.05), while no significant differences were seen in terms of body width (t = 0.896, P > 0.05) or tail fork length (t = −0.454, P > 0.05). Microscopy revealed that the tails of both S. japonicum and S. sinensis cercariae swung from side to side and there was no significant difference in their movement pattern. Conclusion S. sinensis and S. japonicum cercariae share highly similar external external morphological characteristics and movement patterns.

Schistosomiasis was once hyper-endemic in Yunnan Province. Following concerted efforts for over 70 years, remarkable achievements have been made for schistosomiasis control in the province. In 2004, the Mid- and Long-term Plan for Schistosomiasis Prevention and Control in Yunnan Province was initiated in Yunnan Province, and the target for transmission control of schistosomiasis was achieved in the province in 2009. Following the subsequent implementation of the Outline for Key Projects in Integrated Schistosomiasis Control Program (2009—2015) and the 13th Five - year Plan for Schistosomiasis Control in Yunnan Province, no acute schistosomiasis had been identified in Yunnan Province for successive 12 years, and no local Schistosoma japonicum infections had been detected in humans, animals or Oncomelania hupensis snails for successive 6 years in the province by the end of 2020. The transmission of schistosomiasis was interrupted in Yunnan Province in 2020. This review summarizes the history of schistosomiasis, changes in schistosomiasis prevalence and progress of schistosomiasis control in Yunnan Province, and proposes the future priorities for schistosomiasis control in the province.

Objective:To study the differences in clinical characteristics between children and adults with ocular roundworm disease (OT) and analyze its prognosis.Methods:This study was a retrospective cohort study, which included 37 patients (37 eyes) with ocular toxocariasis disease admitted to the Department of Ophthalmology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital from September 2017 to September 2023, including 12 adult patients (12 eyes) and 25 pediatric patients (25 eyes). We compared the clinical differences and prognosis between pediatric and adult patients.Results:16% (4/25) of the affected eyes in the child group had high intraocular pressure, while the adult group had no affected eyes with high intraocular pressure. All affected eyes showed vitreous inflammation, and there was a statistically significant difference in the level of vitreous inflammation between the two groups ( P<0.05). The majority of OT types in the adult group were atypical phenotype OT, with a statistically significant difference compared to the child group ( P<0.05). The proportion of retinal vasculitis, macular edema, and proliferative membrane on the retinal surface in the adult group was higher than that in the child group (all P<0.05). After oral treatment with albendazole and corticosteroids, the thickness of the macular fovea and anterior segment inflammation in both groups were significantly improved (all P<0.05). The proportion of local use of steroid drugs in the children′s group was higher than that in the adult group ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Compared with pediatric OT, adult OT mostly has no characteristic signs, and adult OT is mainly characterized by atypical phenotype OT. Adult OT has a better prognosis and is less prone to recurrent inflammation. In most cases, antiparasitic and anti-inflammatory treatments are safe and effective.

Objective To investigate the efficacy of video-assisted teaching ward rounds for typical cases of oph-thalmology in clinical practice for medical undergraduates.Methods A total of 45 students from clinical medicine in Peking Union Medical College were enrolled.They were randomly divided into the experimental group(23 students)and control group(22 students).Primary angle closure glaucoma(PACG)was selected as the learning content,the experimental group was trained by video-assisted teaching ward rounds,while the control group was trained by internship in outpatient clinic.All students joined the test of typical case PACG and a ques-tionnaire survey was implemented for the experimental group.Results The average score of experimental group was higher than control group[(84.30±4.53)vs.(78.05±5.76),t＝4.05,P＜0.001].For video-assisted teaching ward rounds,in experimental group,86.9%(20/23)students believed it was more practical,95.6%(22/23)students thought it was very helpful and 91.3%(21/23)students considered it was conductive to im-prove interest of learning and clinical thinking ability.Conclusions Video-assisted teaching ward rounds improves students'understanding memory of ophthalmic typical cases,which is a potential supplement teaching method in clinical practice training of ophthalmology for medical undergraduates.

Objective:To observe and analyze the macular microvascular system changes in unilateral pediatric uveitis (PU) and healthy contralateral eyes.Methods:A cross-sectional case-control study. From January 2019 to July 2021, 21 eyes of 21 patients with PU diagnosed in one eye (PU group), 21 unaffected contralateral eyes (contralateral eye group), and 21 age-matched volunteers with 21 eyes (NC group) during the same period were examined in Peking Union Medical College Hospital. Optical coherence tomography angiography was used to scan the 6 mm × 6 mm fundus macular area in the three groups of selected eyes to measure the vessel density of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) of the retina, the area of the avascular zone (FAZ) in the fovea of the macula, the choroidal thickness under the fovea (SFCT), and the retinal thickness in the fovea of the macula (CRT). The device comes with a software choriocapillary flow measurement tool, which can obtain the macula's choriocapillary density (CCD) with the fovea as the center and the diameter of the annular area of 1.0 mm, 1.5 mm, and 3.0 mm, respectively. They were recorded as CCD-1.0, CCD-1.5, and CCD-3.0. The measurement data of multiple groups were compared by analysis of variance; if the variance of the three groups of data was not uniform, the Kruskal-Wallis test was used. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the potentially related factors of CCD.Results:Compared with the contralateral eye group and the NC group, the vessel density of SCP ( H=-13.857,-25.500; P=0.043, P<0.001), DCP ( H=-15.333, -31.595; P=0.007, P<0.001) and CCD-1.0 ( H=-14.000,-16.214; P=0.040, 0.012) of the clinically quiescent PU group were significantly decreased. CRT and FAZ were not statistically different between PU and NC groups ( F=0.955; P=1.000, 0.661). Compared with the NC group, the mean vessel density of SCP and DCP in the contralateral eye group decreased, and the difference in DCP vessel density was statistically significant ( H=-16.262, P=0.004). There was no statistically significant difference between the CCD of two groups ( P=1.000). The SFCT of the PU group was significantly thicker than that of the NC group ( F=5.552, P=0.004), however, difference was not statistically significant from the fellow eye group ( F=5.552, P=0.270). The results of multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the CCD-1.0, CCD-1.5, and CCD-3.0 showed a linear correlation with the area of FAZ ( β=-0.494, -0.527, -0.566; P=0.015, 0.009, 0.010) and CRT ( β=-0.322, -0.466, -0.342; P=0.026, 0.002, 0.028). CCD-1.0 and CCD-1.5 showed a linear correlation with the vessel density of DCP ( β=0.277, 0.275; P=0.047, 0.045). Conclusion:Both retinal and choroidal microvasculature are abnormal in resting eyes with PU, and macular circulation disorders may be present in the unaffected fellow eye.

With the accelerating process of aging, the burden of elderly care in China is increasing dramatically. However, the current care models were difficult to meet the multi-level and diversified needs of the elderly. Time banking mutual care model is proposed as an important auxiliary model. Since the elderly in urban communities are the major participants of time banking mutual care model, understanding their willingness to participate is very important for the effective implementation and sustainable development of time banking mutual care model. This paper summarizes the research progress and the major influencing factors of the willingness of the elderly to participate in time banking mutual care model, in order to provide theoretical support for alleviating the increasingly severe burden of elderly care in China and realizing active aging.

Objective:To investigate the effect of citric acid-induced cough on swallowing function and serum substance P in stroke patients with early tracheotomy.Methods:Forty-nine post-stroke tracheotomy patients admitted to the Department of Neurosurgery at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 2018 to July 2019 were selected as study subjects. They were divided into intervention group ( n=24) and control group ( n=25) using the random digit table. The control group was subjected to routine nursing, while the intervention group was given citric acid to induce cough based on routine care. The intervention time was 1 week. The swallowing function and serum substance P levels were compared between the two groups before and after the intervention. Results:After the intervention, 45.8% (11/24) of the patients in the intervention group were assessed as having "strong" swallowing function, compared to 28.0% (7/25) in the control group, with a statistically significant difference in swallowing function between the two groups ( Z= -2.22, P<0.05), and the level of substance P in the intervention group was (283.40 ± 134.82) ng/L, significantly higher than that of the control group (203.59 ± 126.16) ng/L ( t=2.14, P<0.05). Conclusions:Citric acid-induced cough helped stroke patients with early tracheotomy to produce effective swallowing action and up-regulate substance P in serum to promote recovery of swallowing function.

Adrenal Glands ; Humans ; Hyperaldosteronism ; Retrospective Studies ; Singapore

Objective:To evaluate the predictive performance of the RCOG Risk Assessment Model (RCOG RAM) for maternal postpartum venous thromboembolism (VTE) .Methods:Retrospective analysis was used to select women with VTE who gave birth in Lishui Central Hospital from April 2010 to March 2021 as the research subject ( n=38) . According to the 1∶4 pairing method, women who delivered on the same day without VTE were randomly selected as the control group ( n=152) . Receiver operating characteristic curve, calibration curve and decision curve analysis were used to evaluate the discrimination, accuracy and validity of RCOG RAM. Binomial Logistic regression was used to explore the relevant factors of maternal VTE after delivery. Results:The AUC of RCOG RAM for predicting VTE was 0.828 [95% CI (0.762, 0.894) ], and its optimal critical value was 2. Binomial Logistic regression showed that the RCOG score of medium risk and high risk, previous use of intrauterine device, and use of glucocorticoids during pregnancy were the influencing factors of VTE ( P<0.05) . Conclusions:RCOG RAM can effectively predict postpartum VTE and has certain guiding significance for postpartum thrombosis prevention.