[Gaps on China's Engagement in Global Governance of Neglected Tropical Diseases].

In this review, we used gap analysis to find out the inadeqency of China's engagement in global elimination and control of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Meanwhile, important facets on which our work should concentrate and some abilities that need to be improved were proposed, in the aim to stimulate the progress of global prevention and control of NTDs.

China-Africa cooperation initiatives in malaria control and elimination.

Malaria has affected human health globally with a significant burden of disease, and also has impeded social and economic development in the areas where it is present. In Africa, many countries have faced serious challenges in controlling malaria, in part due to major limitations in public health systems and primary health care infrastructure. Although China is a developing country, a set of control strategies and measures in different local settings have been implemented successfully by the National Malaria Control Programme over the last 60 years, with a low cost of investment. It is expected that Chinese experience may benefit malaria control in Africa. This review will address the importance and possibility of China-Africa collaboration in control of malaria in targeted African countries, as well as how to proceed toward the goal of elimination where this is technically feasible.

[Academic influence of institutes in field of schistosomiasis control and research in China].

OBJECTIVE: To assess the academic influence of schistosomiasis control and research institutions in China. METHODS: The papers (including original articles and reviews) pertaining to schistosomiasis in Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) of Web of Science (WOS) during the period from 2002 to 2012 were searched. The number of published papers, h index and citation frequencies of the papers of Chinese institutes and authors were analyzed by a bibliometric method, and the academic influences of the institutes and authors were assessed according to the number of published papers and h index. In addition, the scientific knowledge network map was plotted by using the CiteSpace II software to analyze the inter-institution academic collaboration network. RESULTS: From 2002 to 2012, totally 610 papers pertaining to schistosomiasis were published by Chinese scholars, accounted for 16.7% of the published papers in global, and the quantity increased year by year. The number of published papers and h index of the National Institute of Parasitic Diseases (NIPD), China Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) were 114 and 27, respectively, both of which were ranked at the first position among all the Chinese institutes, and in the academic collaboration network, the NIPD played a central and dominate part. Xiao-Nong Zhou with the h index of 17 became the outstanding academic leader in the research field of schistosomiasis control. CONCLUSIONS: Both number of published papers in SCIE and h index of the Chinese institutes for schistosomiasis control are far inferior to the leading institutions in the world. It suggests that when strengthening the research and control of schistosomiasis, we should pay an attention to the output and sharing of the control experience and achievements.

[Assessing the correlation between international collaboration and academic influence in parasitic diseases: a case study of National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the activity of scientific research and international collaboration in National Institute of Parasitic Diseases (NIPD), Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention (China CDC) from 2002 to 2012, and assess the relationship between international collaboration and academic influence at an individual level. METHODS: Non-bibliometric indicators including number and structure of scientific research personnel, number of projects and funds, visiting frequency, etc, were used to assess the activity of scientific research and international collaboration, and bibliometric indicators including publications and h index, were employed to estimate the academic influence of senior professionals in NIPD, China CDC. The relationship between the international collaboration and international academic influence in the control and research of parasitic diseases was evaluated by using analysis of covariance and generalized linear models. RESULTS: There was an increase tendency of the number of projects, funds and visiting frequency in NIPD, China CDC since the foundation of the institute in 2002, notably after 2011. The h2 index of NIPD, China was 7. Analysis of covariance and generalized linear model analysis revealed that the number of international partners (F = 81.75, P < 0.0001) , number of international projects (F = 22.81, P < 0.0001) , number of national projects (F = 7.30, P = 0.0110), and academic degree (F = 3.80, P = 0.0330) contributed greatly to individual academic influence, while visiting frequency, professional title and length of service had no significant association with h index. CONCLUSION: Elevation of international collaboration projects and development of long-term, stable international partnership may enhance the institutional and individual international academic influence in the field of parasitic diseases.

Priorities for research and control of cestode zoonoses in Asia.

Globally, cestode zoonoses cause serious public health problems, particularly in Asia. Among all neglected zoonotic diseases, cestode zoonoses account for over 75% of global disability adjusted life years (DALYs) lost. An international symposium on cestode zoonoses research and control was held in Shanghai, China between 28th and 30th October 2012 in order to establish joint efforts to study and research effective approaches to control these zoonoses. It brought together 96 scientists from the Asian region and beyond to exchange ideas, report on progress, make a gap analysis, and distill prioritizing settings with a focus on the Asian region. Key objectives of this international symposium were to agree on solutions to accelerate progress towards decreasing transmission, and human mortality and morbidity caused by the three major cestode zoonoses (cystic echinococcosis, alveolar echinococcosis, and cysticercosis); to critically assess the potential to control these diseases; to establish a research and validation agenda on existing and new approaches; and to report on novel tools for the study and control of cestode zoonoses.

[To overcome neglected tropical diseases by global health governance].

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are common infections of the poorest people of the world. The WHO publication of a roadmap that lays out the vision for ending the misery caused by NTDs has inspired the London Declaration on NTDs, which demonstrates that the global public-health agenda now embraces NTDs. This review discusses the advantages of global health governance in overcoming NTDs, and points out the potential ways of the involvement of China in global health through international collaboration.