Lumbar puncture for neurosyphilis investigation in asymptomatic patients with HIV-syphilis coinfection: a cross-sectional study among infectious disease specialists

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Syphilis is a major public health issue worldwide. In people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV), there are higher incidences of both syphilis and neurosyphilis. The criteria for referring PLHIV with syphilis for lumbar puncture is controversial, and the diagnosis of neurosyphilis is challenging. OBJECTIVE: To describe the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of infectious disease specialists and residents in the context of care for asymptomatic HIV-syphilis coinfection using close-ended questions and case vignettes. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study conducted in three public health institutions in São Paulo (SP), Brazil. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we invited infectious disease specialists and residents at three academic healthcare institutions to answer a self-completion questionnaire available online or in paper form. RESULTS: Of 98 participants, only 23.5% provided answers that were in line with the current Brazilian recommendation. Most participants believed that the criteria for lumbar puncture should be extended for people living with HIV with low CD4+ cell counts (52.0%); in addition, participants also believed that late latent syphilis (29.6%) and Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) titers ≥ 1:32 (22.4%) should be conditions for lumbar puncture in PLHIV with no neurologic symptoms. CONCLUSION: This study highlights heterogeneities in the clinical management of HIV-syphilis coinfection. Most infectious disease specialists still consider syphilis stage, VDRL titers and CD4+ cell counts as important parameters when deciding which patients need lumbar puncture for investigating neurosyphilis.

Syndrome Distribution and Characteristics of Endometriosis in 1 895 Cases / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the distribution and characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndromes in patients with endometriosis （EMS）. MethodA cross-sectional survey was conducted to analyze the characteristics of TCM syndromes in 1 895 cases of EMS in hospitals of 19 provinces， autonomous regions， and municipalities. ResultAmong the 1 895 patients， Qistagnation and blood stasis syndrome accounted for the highest proportion， followed by Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome， cold coagulation and blood stasis syndrome， and kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome. The distribution of TCM syndrome types of patients with EMS in different regions， different treatment stages， and different disease types and with different therapeutic goals was different， and the differences were statistically significant. However， under different conditions， the Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome accounted for the highest proportion. Under the stratification of different regions， the cold coagulation and blood stasis syndrome in north China was relatively high， the kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome in south China was relatively high， and the combined phlegm and stasis syndrome was relatively high in southwest China. Different diagnosis and treatment goals corresponded to different clinical syndromes. With pelvic pain as the main manifestation， the proportion of cold coagulation and blood stasis syndrome was higher. The proportion of kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome was higher in married patients with infertility. Patients with the main diagnosis and treatment goals of controlling mass and inhibiting recurrence had a higher proportion of Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome. In different treatment stages， the proportion of Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome in postoperative patients and those with recurrent EMS was higher. Among different disease types， the Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome accounted for a higher proportion in patients with ovarian endometriosis （OEM）. The cold coagulation and blood stasis syndrome accounted for a higher proportion in patients with deep invasive endometriosis （DIE）. The kidney deficiency and blood stasis syndrome accounted for a higher proportion in patients with peritoneal EMS. There were significant differences in age， body mass index （BMI）， and course of disease among patients with different syndromes. Patients with Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome was relatively older， and their course of the disease was relatively long. Patients with combined phlegm and stasis syndrome had relatively high BMI. There was no significant difference in CA125 and CA199 levels among all syndrome types. ConclusionThe distribution of TCM syndromes of EMS has a certain regularity， and there are differences in regional distribution， therapeutic goals， treatment stages， and disease types（P<0.05）. However， the Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome accounts for a large proportion under different conditions， suggesting that Qi stagnation is the key link of EMS. In the early stage， the team took relieving depression and activating blood as the primary treatment， and created Huoxue Xiaoyi prescription， which was the core prescription for the treatment of EMS with Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome， achieving good clinical effect. At the same time， it is emphasized that EMS treatment should be integrated into the concept of chronic disease management and combined with health management. Through psychological counseling， cognitive behavior intervention， popular science lectures， and other methods， it is advised to adjust the emotion of patients with EMS， thereby increasing the curative effect. This study is expected to provide references for the clinical treatment of EMS.

A Multicenter Cross-sectional Survey on the Clinical Characteristics of Patients of Ankylosing Spondylitis with Kidney Deficiency and Stasis Obstruction Syndrome and Damp-heat Stasis Obstruction Syndrome / 中医杂志

ObjectiveTo compare the differences in clinical characteristics between kidney deficiency and stasis obstruction syndrome and damp-heat stasis obstruction syndrome in patients with ankylosing spondylitis （AS）， thereby providing reference for clinical differentiation and treatment. MethodsThe clinical data of 2339 patients with AS were collected， including 1075 cases of kidney deficiency and stasis obstruction syndrome and 1264 cases of damp-heat stasis obstruction syndrome. The basic information including age， gender， course of disease， history of ophthalmia， family history and human leukocyte antigen B27 （HLA-B27） positive history， Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index （BASDAI） score， Bath ankylosing spondylitis functional index （BASFI） score， Bath ankylosing spondylitis measurement index （BASMI） score， Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21 （DASS-21） score， single symptom score in terms of spinal pain， peripheral joint pain， tendon tenderness， morning stiffness degree and morning stiffness time， patient-reported outcomes including patient global assessment （PGA） score， chronic disease therapy function-fatigue scale （FACIT-F） score and night pain visual analog scale （VAS） score， laboratory indicators including serum C-reactive protein （CRP） and erythrocyte sedimentation rate （ESR）， and CT grading of sacroiliitis were measured and compared between groups. ResultsPatients with kidney deficiency and stasis obstruction syndrome were older and had a longer course of disease （P＜0.01）. The BASDAI， BASFI and BASMI scores of the patients with kidney deficiency and stasis obstruction syndrome were 3.84±1.79， 2.78±2.00 and 3.42±2.36， respectively， while those in patients with damp-heat stasis obstruction syndrome were 4.30±1.99， 3.43±2.12， and 2.92±1.76. The BASDAI score， BASFI score， PGA score， FACIT-F score， spinal pain score， peripheral arthralgia score， tendon tenderness score， morning stiffness degree score， depression score， anxiety score， and stress score in patients with damp-heat stasis obstruction syndrome were all higher than those with kidney deficiency and stasis obstruction syndrome， with longer duration of morning stiffness and higher CRP （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. BASMI score and night pain VAS score were more higher in patients with kidney deficiency and stasis obstruction syndrome （P＜0.01）. There was no significant difference in the ESR level and CT grading of the sacroiliac joint between the two groups （P＞0.05）. ConclusionAS patients with kidney deficiency and stasis obstruction syndrome have poorer spinal mobility， while those with damp-heat stasis obstruction syndrome have higher disease activity， poorer physical function， and are more prone to adverse psychological reactions.

Current situation and influencing factors of humanistic care satisfaction of Chinese patients / 中华医院管理杂志

Objective:To investigate the current situation and influencing factors of patients′ satisfaction with nursing humanistic care, and to provide reference for improving the quality of such care provided by hospitals.Methods:From July to August 2022, outpatients and inpatients in 30 provinces were selected by multi-stage stratified sampling as the survey objects. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on an online platform, using the general information questionnaire and Chinese version of methodist health care system nurse caring instrument revised by the research group. The latter instrument consists of 12 dimensions. namely care coordination, competence, teaching/learning, emotional support, respect for individuality, physical comfort, availability, helping/trusting relationship, patient/family engagement, physical environment, spiritual environment and outcomes. Descriptive analysis was performed on the data collected by the questionnaires, and independent sample t-test and one-way ANOVA were used to analyze the influencing factors of patient satisfaction. Results:A total of 107 hospitals were selected for questionnaire survey, including 86 tertiary hospitals and 21 secondary hospitals, and 29 108 valid questionnaires were recovered. The patient satisfaction with nursing humanistic care scored (5.40±0.86); the top three dimensions were competence (5.50±0.89), emotional support (5.47±0.88) and helping/trusting relationship (5.46±0.86); the lowest scoring dimensions were teaching/learning (5.38±1.01), spiritual environment (5.36±1.04) and patient/family engagement (5.11±1.28). Differences with gender, age, marital status, child status, educational level, occupation, place of residence, economic region, per capita monthly income of the family, type of medical insurance, medical department visited and surgery or not presented significant differences on the patient satisfaction with nursing humanistic care scores ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The satisfaction of patients with hospital′s nursing humanistic care in China was at the middle to upper level. In the future, health education for patients should be strengthened, and a mode of family-engaged nursing humanistic care should be constructed in line with the Chinese cultural background. In the process of nursing services, the particularity of patient groups should be considered to better meet their needs.

Ethanobotanical Diversity in Practices and Preparation of Punarnavadi Kwatha in Kerala Ayurveda

The Ayurvedic formulary has a long history of endogenous innovation. Its epistemic logic is best understood through the language of Oushadhayogam (polyherbal combination/ dosage forms). Punarnavadi kwatha (PUK) is an Ayurvedic polyherbal formulation, which is also known as Punarnavashtaka kwatha. It is generally used to treat diseases of respiratory system, bronchitis, liver diseases, hepatitis, joint inflammation, kidney stones, wounds, skin diseases, and gout. The present study intended to explore the Ethanobotanical diversity of Punarnavashtaka kwatha in Kerala Ayurveda market. Materials and Methods: Thorough search in classical Ayurvedic literature to collect data in PUK and cross-sectional survey to collect data of ingredients PUK used in Ayurveda industry. Results and Discussions: The ingredients of PUK along with botanical source of 5 Kerala Ayurveda manufactures were analysed and compared with AFI. The ingredients Punarnava, Nimba, Patola, Sunthi, Abhaya was common in all the manufactures. But marked variation in other ingredients were found in market samples of PUK when compared to AFI, except first sample. Conclusions: There are some ethanobotanical diversity in ingredient list of Punarnavadi kwatha (PUK) in Kerala Ayurveda market.

The current situation of the diagnosis of fibromyalgia syndrome / 中华风湿病学杂志

Objective:To investigate the currentstatus of the diagnosis of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), and analyze the related factors in order to improve the diagnostic level of the disease.Methods:A survey was carried out, A "FMS diagnosis table" was developed. The demographic data and past medical experience of patients were recorded. The rates of misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis were calculated. The specific misdiagnosed cases were recorded and analyzed. According to the previous diagnosis history, patients were divided into misdiagnosed group, missed diagnosis group and correct diagnosis group. The demographic characteristics, medical history and disease severity in the misdiagnosis group and missed diagnosis group were statistically analyzed, and compared with the correct diagnosis group. The reasons for missed diagnosis or misdiagnosis were explored.Results:A total of 277 patients were included in the survey. Only 19.1%(53 cases) of patients were correctly diagnosed, 22.7%(63 cases) of patients were misdiagnosed, 58.1% of patients were missed. The mean time from first symptom to disease diagnosis was (51.0±81.2) months. They were often misdiagnosed as osteoarthritis ( n=21, 33.3%), rheumatoid arthritis ( n=13, 20.6%), lumbar disease ( n=12, 19.0%), and anxiety and depression ( n=11, 17.4%). Patients' social and economic status such as age, income, educational level and the diagnosis level of pain related clinicians in medical institutions at all levels were factors that might influence misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis rate. In terms of demographic characteristics, the correctly diagnosed group had a lower average age of (44±13) years ( t=8.64/9.20, P<0.05), a higher proportion of employees, a higher monthly income ( χ2=7.10/6.87, P<0.05), and a higher education level ( χ2=7.12, P<0.05). In terms of visits, the rate of visits to other medical institutions (private hospitals) in the missed diagnosis group was higher, and the number of doctors visited was also lower. In terms of illness, the diffuse pain index (WPI) score and FMS symptom severity (SSS) score were lower in the missed diagnosis group. Conclusion:The current situation of the diagnosis of FMS in China is not optimistic, and the diagnosis should be differentiated from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, cervical and lumbar diseases, and cardiac diseases. In order to reduce the misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis of this disease, it is necessary to strengthen the public education, improve the understanding of this disease in primary care doctors, and physicians in orthopedics, acupuncture and pain departments.

To "tell or not to tell"-Exploring disclosure about medicine use by people living with sleep disorders / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the difference in rates and reasons for disclosure of either conventional or complementary medicine (CM) to healthcare practitioners between people living with sleep disorders (SDs) and those without SDs.@*METHODS@#A cross-sectional survey (N = 2019 adults) that measured sociodemographic characteristics, health status, health service utilisation, health literacy and health communication (medicine disclosure) of a representative sample of Australians was conducted. Data from participants reporting an SD (n = 265) were compared to those not reporting an SD to assess measures of health communication and disclosure about medicine use.@*RESULTS@#Overall, rates of medicine disclosure to both conventional and CM practitioners were high, in respondents with (70%) and without an SD (57%). Those reporting an SD had higher expectations of their conventional health practitioner's knowledge of CM, associated clinical decision-making skills, and approval of CM use, and held a higher degree of concern about drug interactions (P < 0.05). The main reasons cited for disclosing CM use to conventional health practitioners and conventional medicine use to CM practitioners were "I want them to fully understand my health status" and "I was concerned about drug interactions with the CMs used."@*CONCLUSION@#The high rate of medicine use disclosure by people with SDs is driven by an intention to inform their healthcare practitioner about their health status and concerns about potential medicine interactions. Therefore, research about the expectations that people with an SD have of their conventional healthcare practitioners' knowledge of CM and CM-drug interactions requires further examination. Likewise, further examination of CM practitioner's conventional medicine knowledge is encouraged.

Cross-sectional survey for canine leptospirosis in an Atlantic Rainforest area of the semiarid of Paraíba state, Northeastern Brazil

ABSTRACT: Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by the bacteria Leptospira spp. that affects humans, domestic and wild animals. The present work aimed to conduct a cross-sectional survey for leptospirosis in the canine population of the Brejo Paraibano microregion, semiarid of Northeastern Brazil. From May to October 2017, blood samples from 414 dogs were collected in the counties of Alagoa Grande (n=100), Areia (n=79), Bananeiras (n=72), Alagoa Nova (n=73), Serrraria (n=25), Pilões (n=25), Borborema (n=20) and Matinhas (n=20). The tutors of the sampled dogs answered an epidemiological questionnaire, obtaining information about the animals, owner, residence and breeding of the dogs. Subsequently, the serum samples were subjected to the microscopic agglutination test (MAT), using a collection of 23 serovar pathogenic antigens and using the 1:50 dilution as the cutoff point. Of the 414 dogs analyzed 52 were seroreactive, resulting in an apparent prevalence of 12.6% and a real prevalence of 12.2%. Seroreactive dogs were found in the eight counties. Dogs were reactive for the serogroups Icterohaemorrhagiae (76.9%), Autumnalis (13.55%), Pomona (3.8%), Grippotyphosa (3.8%) and Serjoe (1.9%) Antibody titers ranged from 50 to 800. The statistical analysis (robust Poisson regression) detected six factors associated with seropositivity, including the rainy season (prevalence ratio; PR=1.94, P=0.013), male dogs (PR=2.10, P=0.005), animals with age greater than five years (PR=4.21, P=0.012), consumption of untreated water (PR=1.87, P=0.043), free access of dogs to street (PR=2.15, P=0.011) and contact with wildlife (PR=3.54, P=0.050). The serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae has a high zoonotic potential and was the most frequent in seropositive animals. The high real prevalence of Leptospira spp. in a transmission region of the semiarid region of Paraíba and the occurrence of seroreactive animals in all the counties suggest wide distribution of the infection and reinforce the need for preventive measures to avoid infection in pets and, consequently, to humans. The analysis of factors associated with the prevalence suggest greater manegment cares with the dogs.

RESUMO: A leptospirose é uma zoonose mundial causada pela bactéria Leptospira spp. que afeta seres humanos, animais domésticos e selvagens. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo realizar um estudo transversal de leptospirose na população canina da microrregião Brejo Paraibano, semiárido do Nordeste do Brasil. No período de maio a outubro de 2017, amostras de sangue de 414 cães foram coletadas nas cidades de Alagoa Grande (n=100), Areia (n=79), Bananeiras (n=72), Alagoa Nova (n=73), Serraria (n=25), Pilões (n=25), Borborema (n=20) e Matinhas (n=20). Os tutores dos cães amostrados responderam a um questionário epidemiológico, sendo obtidas informações sobre os animais, proprietário, residência e criação dos cães. Posteriormente as amostras de soro foram submetidas à prova de soroaglutinação microscópica (SAM), utilizando-se uma coleção de 23 sorovares antígenos patogênicos e adotando como ponto de corte a diluição 1:50. Dos 414 cães analisados 52 foram sorreativos, resultando em uma prevalência aparente de 12.6% e uma prevalência real de 12,2%. Cães sororreativos foram encontrados nos oito municípios. Os cães foram reativos para o sorogrupo Icterohaemorrhagiae (76,9%), Autumnalis (13,55%), Pomona (3,8%), Grippotyphosa (3,8%) and Serjoe (1,9%) Os títulos de anticorpos variaram de 50 a 800. A análise estatística (regressão de Poisson robusta) detectou seis fatores associados à soropositividade, incluindo o período chuvoso (razão de prevalência - RP=1,94; P=0,013), cães machos (RP=2,10; P=0,005), animais com idade maior que cinco anos (RP=4,21; P=0,012), consumo de água não tratada (RP=1,87; P=0,043), cães com livre acesso à rua (RP=2,15; P=0,011) e contato com animais silvestres (RP=3,54; P=0,050). Os resultados desse estudo indicaram que há a exposição por Leptospira spp. em cães da microrregião do Brejo paraibano. O sorogrupo Icterohaemorrhagiae possui alto potencial zoonótico e foi o mais frequente nos animais soropositivos. A alta prevalência real de Leptospira spp. em uma região de transmissão da região semiárida da Paraíba e a ocorrência de animais sororreativos em todos os municípios sugerem uma ampla distribuição da infecção e reforçam a necessidade de medidas preventivas para evitar a infecção em animais de estimação e, consequentemente, em seres humanos. A análise dos fatores associados à prevalência sugere maior cuidado com os cães.

Cross-sectional survey for canine leptospirosis in an Atlantic Rainforest area of the semiarid of Paraíba state, Northeastern Brazil / Estudo transversal para leptospirose canina em área de Mata Atlântica do semiárido da Paraíba, Nordeste do Brasil

Leptospirosis is a worldwide zoonosis caused by the bacteria Leptospira spp. that affects humans, domestic and wild animals. The present work aimed to conduct a cross-sectional survey for leptospirosis in the canine population of the Brejo Paraibano microregion, semiarid of Northeastern Brazil. From May to October 2017, blood samples from 414 dogs were collected in the counties of Alagoa Grande (n=100), Areia (n=79), Bananeiras (n=72), Alagoa Nova (n=73), Serrraria (n=25), Pilões (n=25), Borborema (n=20) and Matinhas (n=20). The tutors of the sampled dogs answered an epidemiological questionnaire, obtaining information about the animals, owner, residence and breeding of the dogs. Subsequently, the serum samples were subjected to the microscopic agglutination test (MAT), using a collection of 23 serovar pathogenic antigens and using the 1:50 dilution as the cutoff point. Of the 414 dogs analyzed 52 were seroreactive, resulting in an apparent prevalence of 12.6% and a real prevalence of 12.2%. Seroreactive dogs were found in the eight counties. Dogs were reactive for the serogroups Icterohaemorrhagiae (76.9%), Autumnalis (13.55%), Pomona (3.8%), Grippotyphosa (3.8%) and Serjoe (1.9%) Antibody titers ranged from 50 to 800. The statistical analysis (robust Poisson regression) detected six factors associated with seropositivity, including the rainy season (prevalence ratio; PR=1.94, P=0.013), male dogs (PR=2.10, P=0.005), animals with age greater than five years (PR=4.21, P=0.012), consumption of untreated water (PR=1.87, P=0.043), free access of dogs to street (PR=2.15, P=0.011) and contact with wildlife (PR=3.54, P=0.050). The serogroup Icterohaemorrhagiae has a high zoonotic potential and was the most frequent in seropositive animals. The high real prevalence of Leptospira spp. in a transmission region of the semiarid region of Paraíba and the occurrence of seroreactive animals in all the counties suggest wide distribution of the infection and reinforce the need for preventive measures to avoid infection in pets and, consequently, to humans. The analysis of factors associated with the prevalence suggest greater manegment cares with the dogs.(AU)

A leptospirose é uma zoonose mundial causada pela bactéria Leptospira spp. que afeta seres humanos, animais domésticos e selvagens. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo realizar um estudo transversal de leptospirose na população canina da microrregião Brejo Paraibano, semiárido do Nordeste do Brasil. No período de maio a outubro de 2017, amostras de sangue de 414 cães foram coletadas nas cidades de Alagoa Grande (n=100), Areia (n=79), Bananeiras (n=72), Alagoa Nova (n=73), Serraria (n=25), Pilões (n=25), Borborema (n=20) e Matinhas (n=20). Os tutores dos cães amostrados responderam a um questionário epidemiológico, sendo obtidas informações sobre os animais, proprietário, residência e criação dos cães. Posteriormente as amostras de soro foram submetidas à prova de soroaglutinação microscópica (SAM), utilizando-se uma coleção de 23 sorovares antígenos patogênicos e adotando como ponto de corte a diluição 1:50. Dos 414 cães analisados 52 foram sorreativos, resultando em uma prevalência aparente de 12.6% e uma prevalência real de 12,2%. Cães sororreativos foram encontrados nos oito municípios. Os cães foram reativos para o sorogrupo Icterohaemorrhagiae (76,9%), Autumnalis (13,55%), Pomona (3,8%), Grippotyphosa (3,8%) and Serjoe (1,9%) Os títulos de anticorpos variaram de 50 a 800. A análise estatística (regressão de Poisson robusta) detectou seis fatores associados à soropositividade, incluindo o período chuvoso (razão de prevalência - RP=1,94; P=0,013), cães machos (RP=2,10; P=0,005), animais com idade maior que cinco anos (RP=4,21; P=0,012), consumo de água não tratada (RP=1,87; P=0,043), cães com livre acesso à rua (RP=2,15; P=0,011) e contato com animais silvestres (RP=3,54; P=0,050). Os resultados desse estudo indicaram que há a exposição por Leptospira spp. em cães da microrregião do Brejo paraibano. O sorogrupo Icterohaemorrhagiae possui alto potencial zoonótico e foi o mais frequente nos animais soropositivos. A alta prevalência real de Leptospira spp. em uma região de transmissão da região semiárida da Paraíba e a ocorrência de animais sororreativos em todos os municípios sugerem uma ampla distribuição da infecção e reforçam a necessidade de medidas preventivas para evitar a infecção em animais de estimação e, consequentemente, em seres humanos. A análise dos fatores associados à prevalência sugere maior cuidado com os cães.(AU)

Attitude and Knowledge of Undergraduate Students of South Coastal Karnataka and Kerala Region towards Various Specialisations in Dentistry- A Cross Sectional Study.

Dentistry is a skill-based profession. Various specialisations are found in this field and several short-term certificate courses are also taking birth to cater to the need of newly graduated student population who want to set up practices afresh. We wanted to assess the attitude and knowledge of undergraduate dental students towards various specialisations. METHODSA cross-sectional survey of all final year dental undergraduates and house surgeons was carried out by distributing semi-structured questionnaire to 212 undergraduate dental students from various colleges in South Coastal Karnataka and Kerala region.Statistical analyses were carried out using chi‑square test and Fisher’s exact test. RESULTSThe study found that 89.6% (n= 190) respondents desired to pursue a specialisation. 91% (n=111) of the total final year students and 87.8% (n=79) of total interns desired to specialise. Majority of them were females 76.9 % (n=163). Oral surgery was the first choice of specialisation amongst final years and conservative & endodontics among interns. Least preferred was oral pathology. CONCLUSIONSAttitude and knowledge of students varied widely with respect to gender, year of study, and external influencing factors. Females were more inclined to specialisation despite the obstacles they would face.

Investigation on human hookworm infections in Anhui Province from 2014 to 2015 / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To understand the current status and changing tendency of human hookworm infections in Anhui Province. Methods According to the unified national survey scheme, a total of 48 survey sites were sampled from 16 counties (cities) in 4 ecological regions of Anhui Province using a stratified cluster random sampling method from 2014 to 2015. The hookworm eggs were detected in the fecal samples from permanent residents at ages of over one year living in the survey sites using a modified Kato-Katz thick smear method, and the subjects’health knowledge and behaviors were investigated using questionnaire survey. Results A total of 12 300 persons were examined in the 48 survey sites from 4 ecological regions of Anhui Province between 2014 and 2015, and 259 subjects were identified with hookworm infections, with a mean prevalence of 2.11%. Among the four ecological regions, the North China Plain had the highest prevalence of human hookworm infections (3.02%) and in all survey sites, Linquan County had the highest prevalence (7.03%). Ancylostoma duodenale was the predominant hookworm species identified (62.16%), and 65.64% had mild infections. The prevalence of human hookworm infections was significantly greater in women than in men (χ2 = 4.16, P < 0.05), and showed a tendency towards a rise with ages (χ2trend = 113.36, P < 0.01). In addition, the prevalence of human hookworm infections varied in occupations (χ2 = 159.41, P < 0.01) and education levels (χ2 = 34.95, P < 0.01). Questionnaire survey showed low prevalence of human hookworm infections in subjects knowing the question“how hookworm infection occurs”and denying“using fresh stools for fertilization”(χ2 = 15.05, P < 0.01; χ2 = 4.19, P < 0.05). Conclusions The prevalence of human hookworm infections has greatly decreased in Anhui Province; however, the prevalence remains relatively high in some regions and populations. The North China Plain should be regarded as the key area for hookworm disease prevention and control, and housewives and populations with advanced ages and low educational levels are key targeted populations in Anhui Province.

Cognitive survey of telephone cardiopulmonary resuscitation among emergency personnel / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objectives To investigate the cognition of dispatcher-initiated telephone cardiopulmonary resuscitation (TCPR) among emergency medical system(EMS) personnel and compare the cognition of TCPR among EMS personnel in different economic status,and to understand the current situation of TCPR cognition of EMS personnel in China.Methods This study is a multicenter crosssectional survey.The method of multi-level convenient sampling was adopted,and the test reliability and split half reliability of the questionnaire was tested.Questionnaire survey and data collection were conducted from December 2018 to June 2019.The ethical approval number is M2018264.SPSS 20.0 was used for analysis.x2 test was used to analyze the differences between groups.Results A total of 1191 electronic questionnaires were collected.Of them,80.94％ respondents knew TCPR,97.82％ respondents thought that TCPR should be implemented in cardiac arrest,36.62％ respondents thought that bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation quality monitoring was needed in TCPR,and TCPR training courses were set up in the emergency department which recruited 25.83％ respondents.Emergency personnel in developed areas had a better understanding of the criteria for judging patients' breathlessness (11.69％ vs 7.89％,P=0.048),of TCPR need ncluding guidance of chest compression (92.45％ vs 87.49％,P=0.012) and of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (BCPR) quality monitoring including the frequency of artificial respiration (84.42％ vs 74.87％,P=0.029) than those in underdeveloped areas,but there was no significant difference in other indicators (P＞0.05).Conclusions TCPR knowledge of EMS personnel in China is unsatisfactory.Further training is needed to improve their understanding of the criteria for judging cardiac arrest in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients via telephone,TCPR content and bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation quality monitoring.There is difference in TCPR knowledge between the EMS personnel in developed and undeveloped areas in China.

Status of chronic filariasis: a cross-sectional study in Jiangxi Province, 2018 / 中国血吸虫病防治杂志

Objective To understand the status of chronic filariasis patients in Jiangxi Province in 2018, so as to provide insights into the follow-up care of the patients. Methods In 2018, a case follow-up study was conducted in all registered patients with chronic filariasis in previously endemic areas of Jiangxi Province, and a clue investigation was done for identifying the missing patients. In addition, the data of caring sites for chronic filarisis patients were collected and analyzed in the province. Results A total of 802 chronic filariasis patients were identified in 56 counties (districts) of Jiangxi Province in 2018. The patients had a male/female ratio of 1∶1, and 85.41% had ages of over 70 years. There were 58.60%, 93.89%, 17.21% and 3.62% of chronic filariasis patients with lymphangitis, lymphedema/elephantiasis, chyluria and hydrocele, respectively. A total of 273 caring sites were assigned in 56 counties (districts) of Jiangxi Province, and 306 caring activities were carried out in 2018. Conclusion The number of chronic filariasis patients has significantly decreased in Jiangxi Province; however, the care remains to be intensified for chronic filariasis patients.

Investigation and analysis of refraction state of primary school students in Haicheng district, Beihai city / 国际眼科杂志(Guoji Yanke Zazhi)

@#AIM: To understand the prevalence of refractive state of primary school students in Haicheng district, Beihai city.<p>METHODS: Cross-sectional study and cluster sampling were used. A total of 30 716 students aged 6 to 14 from 15 primary schools in Haicheng district, Beihai city, who had taken physical examination from October 2019 to January 2020, were selected for visual acuity and pupil diopter. SPSS17.0 statistical software was used for data analysis.<p>RESULTS: In the eyes of the 15 primary schools monitored in this study, 30 716 cases had mild myopia(29.62%), 0.50D < astigmatism < 2.00D(25.43%), metropia(21.05%)and mild hyperopia(15.85%). With the growth of age, the proportion of emmetropia and farsightedness declined as awhole. The proportion of myopia is on the rise. A total of 1 894 cases of wearing glasses 3 788 eyes. The rate of poor vision was 23.30%, and the rate of qualified correction of frame glasses was 64.57%. Compared with the left eye, the difference was statistically significant, and the <i>P</i>50 of the right eye was more negative than that of the left eye. The equivalent spherical mirror was compared between boys and girls. The difference was statistically significant, and the <i>P</i>50 of equivalent spherical mirror of girls was more negative than that of boys.<p>CONCLUSION: With the growth of age, the proportion of mild hyperopia and squarely eyes decreases year by year; The proportion of myopia increases year by year; Among the students with poor eyesight, the number of those who regularly wear glasses is small; However, after wearing glasses, there are still some students whose glasses are not up to standard. The refractive state of the right eye is more negative than that of the left eye; Female students tend to be more negative than male students in the refractive state.

Analysis of Factors Influencing Insomnia and Construction of a Prediction Model: A Cross-sectional Survey on Rescuers / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Objective@#To determine the factors influencing insomnia and construct early insomnia warning tools for rescuers to informbest practices for early screening and intervention.@*Methods@#Cluster sampling was used to conduct a cross-sectional survey of 1,133 rescuers from one unit in Beijing, China. Logistic regression modeling and R software were used to analyze insomnia-related factors and construct a PRISM model, respectively.@*Results@#The positive rate of insomnia among rescuers was 2.74%. Accounting for participants' age, education, systolic pressure, smoking, per capita family monthly income, psychological resilience, and cognitive emotion regulation, logistic regression analysis revealed that, compared with families with an average monthly income less than 3,000 yuan, the odds ratio ( ) values and the [95% confidence interval ( )] for participants of the following categories were as follows: average monthly family income greater than 5,000 yuan: 2.998 (1.307-6.879), smoking: 4.124 (1.954-8.706), and psychological resilience: 0.960 (0.933-0.988). The ROC curve area of the PRISM model (AUC) = 0.7650, specificity = 0.7169, and sensitivity = 0.7419.@*Conclusion@#Insomnia was related to the participants' per capita family monthly income, smoking habits, and psychological resilience on rescue workers. The PRISM model's good diagnostic value advises its use to screen rescuer early sleep quality. Further, advisable interventions to optimize sleep quality and battle effectiveness include psychological resilience training and smoking cessation.

Effect of hypertension duration on relationship between blood pressure and signs and symptoms in hypertensive patients:a cross sectional survey

Background: Hypertension is defined as a systolic blood pressure of 140 mmHg or more, or a diastolic blood pressure of 90 mmHg or more or taking anti-hypertensive medication. The clinical presentation of high blood pressure may depend upon several factors such as age, gender, severity and duration of hypertension. There is a paucity of data exploring the role hypertension duration may play in shaping the relationship between blood pressure and signs and symptoms of hypertension. To evaluate the effect of hypertension duration on relationship between blood pressure and signs and symptoms in hypertensive patients.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 250 patients, aged 18 or above, with self-reported history of hypertension and on anti-hypertensive medication. Data were collected by means of a structured questionnaire whereas the blood pressure level was measured with the help of sphygmomanometer using stethoscope. Inferential analysis was performed by applying chi-square test whereas the significance level was set at 0.05.Results: The study results revealed that among patients with ≥5 years duration of hypertension headache history (P=0.021), edema (P=0.034), increased urinary frequency (P=0.031), sleep apnoea (P=0.016), palpitation (P=0.005) and confusion (p=0.021) were significantly associated with systolic whereas only increased urinary frequency (P=0.009) was significantly associated with diastolic blood pressure. Moreover, among patients with <5 years duration of hypertension vision problems (P=0.03), sleep apnoea (P=0.015) and palpitation (P=0.035) were significantly associated with systolic whereas sleep apnoea (P=0.048) and palpitation (P=0.028) were significantly associated with diastolic blood pressure.Conclusions: The study results showed that patients with higher blood pressure were more likely to have the signs and symptoms of hypertension. Also, patients with longer duration of hypertension had greater number of signs and symptoms associated with systolic hypertension.

Prevalence of Shukra vega dharana in an Indian population: A cross sectional survey protocol

Background: Despite being an important aspect of health and quality of life, individuals tend to suppressnatural sexual urge (‘Shukra vega’) due to a variety of factors. Unless managed appropriately throughself-regulatory mechanisms, suppressed sexual urge (‘Shukra vega dharana’, SVD) not only causes psychological suffering but may also put other basic needs at risk. Adult, married, males who are eitherliving away from their spouse for long durations or separated or divorced are at a considerably higherrisk of developing SVD as compared to others. Considering the recent rise of sexual diseases and sexualviolence, it is critical to understand the extent and epidemiology of SVD in this sub-population of India.Objective: The study was attempted to understand the extent and epidemiology of SVD in this subpopulation of India.Materials and methods: To determine the prevalence of SVD in adult married, male individuals located inNashik, Ahmadnagar and Thane cities of India who are either living away from their spouse or separatedor divorced, a crosssectional, anonymous survey will be conducted among a sample of male individualsmeeting eligibility criteria. A multi-stage sampling approach will be used to identify cities/organizations(where the study will be conducted) and participants for the study. Post informed consent, eligible individuals will respond to a survey questionnaire. Responses will be populated in a spreadsheet, analyzedand reported. Understanding extent and epidemiology of SVD in an Indian sub-population will not onlyfacilitate design of future research studies but will also inform health, social and educational policyassociated with sex education (training individuals in the appropriate management of sexual urge).© 2018 Transdisciplinary University, Bangalore and World Ayurveda Foundation. Publishing Services byElsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Analysis on trends in BMI among adults in Shaanxi Province from 2007 to 2015 / 中华疾病控制杂志

Objective To investigate the trend of BMI among adults in Shaanxi Province from 2007 to 2015. Methods Data was obtained from China Chronic Disease and Risk Factor Surveillance from 2007 to 2015, in which a multistage clustering sampling was adopted to collect a provincially representative sample of adults in Shaanxi Province. BMI percentile(P5, P25, P50, P75, P95) and the prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity was calculated with weight in each survey. Cochran-Armitage test was used to test trends across survey periods. Changes in BMI across survey years were compared by considering the sampling weight. Results The results of the surveillance indicated that the prevalence of underweight decreased while overweight and obesity increased among adults in Shaanxi province (Z=-14.70, P<0.001). We observed the highest increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among rural residents and residents aged from18 to 44. The mean BMI was estimated to increase 0.176(t=3.00, 95%CI：0.055-0.298， P=0.006) per year. We found no difference in overweight and obesity ( 2=0.196，P=0.459) between 2013 and 2015. Conclusions We note increases in overweight or obesity and a decrease in underweight among adults in Shaanxi Province. Those living in rural areas and aged from 18 to 44 led the highest increase in overweight and obesity.

A survey for the core work activity of clinical research coordinator in China / 中华医学科研管理杂志

Objective Sorting out work activity of China Clinical Research Coordinator(CRC),defining the core work activity of China CRC,and making comparison with foreign CRC's.Providing basic data to establish training system and occupational skill assessment system for China CRC.Methods This is a cross-section design survey.The method for sampling will be the convenient sampling combine the snowball sampling.A self-administered questionnaire was introduced.Data managed by Excel and analyzed by SPSS.The frequency,percentage,mean and SD will used for the description of the CRC's demographics information and vocation characteristics.The core work activities of CRCs were defined with the method which used to define core work activities of CRCs in foreign literatures.Results Totally 227 questionnaires were returned,223 effective questionnaires were used for analysis,the effective rate is 98％.Around 89％ of CRCs are female.The mean age is 27.5±3.8 years.Around 72％ of CRCs owned bachelor degree,24％ are junior college degree,4％ are master degree.Around 43％ CRCs are nurse background,34％ are pharmacy background,16％ are medical background.Around 55％ of CRCs owned 3 000-5 000RMB income.More than 50％ of the CRCs had worked in this position for less than 1.5 years.Totally 10 items of work activities are defined as the core work activity of China CRCs,mainly focus on clinical trial data collection and management.Comparing to foreign CRC,the involvement of China CRC on CRF completion,query solution,study document management,assisting Clinical Research Associate (CRA) on monitoring,AE and SAE reporting are lower than foreign CRC,and the involvement on assisting investigator on patient screening,lab-test report collection and management,sample delivery and management,assisting investigator on patient visit arrangement are higher than foreign CRC.Conclusions The CRC in China has now involved in all work activities of the whole process of clinical trials,their core work activities mainly in the phase of clinical trial conduct,they play an important role in clinical trial operation.Due to the immature training system and the unclear job description,there are differences Between Foreign CRC and China CRC on working activity.

Prevalence of chronic diseases and associate factors on daily activities in male oldest-olds / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective@#To investigate the prevalence of chronic diseases in aged ≥80 oldest-olds and related factors influencing their daily activities.@*Methods@#This survey was conducted in the retired cadres in Beijing from 2012 to 2014. A unified questionnaire was used to investigate the general characteristics of the oldest-olds and the activities of daily living (ADL). Information on chronic diseases was extracted from related medical records.@*Results@#A total of 4 472 male oldest- olds, with an average age as (87.1±3.9) years (80-102 years), were included. Nearly half of the elderly people were suffering from 5 or more kinds of chronic diseases, with 43.9% of them having disability on basic daily activities (BADL) with 13.4% of those classified as moderate or severe cases. 38.8% of them had instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) disability, with 28.7% of them were moderate or severe cases. The ADL disability showed an increasing trend along with the increase number of chronic diseases. The proportion of BADL disability increased from 40.5% to 50.6%. Compared with the ones having fewer chronic diseases (≤2 kinds), those with more (≥7 kinds) had an increase of 50.5% risk on BADL disability and 199.4% on IADL disability.@*Conclusion@#We noticed that the male oldest-olds suffered from multiple chronic diseases. The impairment of ADL was higher than the younger elderly. Comorbidity showed heavier impact on ADL, especially on the instrumental activities of daily living.