Booster vaccinations are highly recommended in combating the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant and its subvariants. However, the optimal booster vaccination strategies and related immune mechanisms with different prior vaccinations are under-revealed. In this study, we systematically evaluated the immune responses in mice and hamsters with different prime-boost regimens before their protective efficacies against Omicron were detected. We found that boosting with Ad5-nCoV, S_WT-2P or S_Omicron-6P induced significantly higher levels of neutralization activities against Omicron variants than CoronaVac and ZF2001 by eliciting stronger germinal center (GC) responses. Specifically, S_Omicron-6P induced even stronger antibody responses against Omicron variants in CoronaVac and Ad5-nCoV-primed animals than non-Omicron-specific vaccines but with limited differences as compared to Ad5-nCoV and S_WT-2P. In addition, boosting with a specific vaccine has the potential to remodel the existing immune profiles. These findings indicated that adenovirus-vectored vaccines and mRNA vaccines would be more effective than other types of vaccines as booster shots in combating Omicron infections. Moreover, the protective efficacies of the vaccines in booster vaccinations are highly related to GC reactions in secondary lymphatic organs. In summary, these findings provide timely important information on prime-boost regimens and future vaccine design.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical effectiveness and safety of Modified Zhigancao Granules （炙甘草汤加味颗粒） for preventing the early recurrence following radiofrequency ablation in patients with atrial fibrillation （AF） of qi-yin deficiency syndrome. MethodsA multi-center， randomized， double-blind， placebo-controlled trial was designed. A total of 116 patients with atrial fibrillation of qi-yin deficiency syndrome who underwent radiofrequency ablation for the first time were enrolled from 3 centers， and they were randomly divided into a treatment group （59 cases） and a control group （57 cases）. Both groups received basic western medicine treatment after surgery. In addition， the treatment group was given oral Modified Zhigancao Granules， while the control group was given oral placebo granules. The dosage for both groups was 20 g each time， twice a day， with continuous treatment for 12 weeks. The recurrence of atrial fibrillation in both groups was recorded at 24 hours， 4 weeks， 8 weeks， and 12 weeks after surgery. The serum levels of B-type natriuretic peptide （BNP）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， high-sensitivity C-reactive protein （hs-CRP）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） were detected before treatment and 12 weeks after treatment in both groups. The scores of Atrial Fibrillation Effect on QualiTy-of-life （AFEQT） Questionnaire （including scores of the daily life dimension， symptom dimension， treatment worry dimension， treatment satisfaction dimension， and total score） and traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome scores were compared before treatment and at 4 weeks， 8 weeks， and 12 weeks between groups. Safety indicators such as blood routine， urine routine， liver function， and renal function were monitored before and after treatment. ResultsNine of the treatment group and seven of the control group dropped out. Finally， 50 patients in each group were included in the statistical analysis. At 24 hours， 4 weeks， 8 weeks， and 12 weeks after surgery， the recurrence rates of AF in the treatment group were 2.0% （1/50）， 2.0% （1/50）， 4.0% （2/50）， and 10.0% （5/50）， respectively； while those in the control group were 2.0% （1/50）， 26.0% （13/50）， 28.0% （14/50）， and 34.0% （17/50）， respectively. Compared with the control group at the same time points， the early recurrence rates of AF in the treatment group were significantly lower at 4 weeks， 8 weeks， and 12 weeks after surgery （P＜0.01）. Compared with the baseline within group， BNP， hs-CRP， IL-6， and TNF-α in the treatment group all decreased after 12 weeks of treatment （P＜0.05）； the difference in hs-CRP levels （before vs. after treatment） in the treatment group was higher than that in the control group （P＜0.01）. Compared with the baseline within group， both groups showed decreases in the total score of AFEQT Questionnaire， scores of the daily life dimension， treatment worry dimension， symptom dimension， and TCM syndrome scores at 4 weeks， 8 weeks， and 12 weeks after treatment. Meanwhile， the score of the treatment satisfaction dimension of AFEQT increased in both groups （P＜0.01）， and the improvements in all the above scores in the treatment group were superior to those in the control group at all time points （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. All safety indicators of patients in both groups were within the normal range before treatment and at 12 weeks after treatment， and no adverse reactions or adverse events occurred in either group. ConclusionModified Zhigancao Granules can reduce the early recurrence rate following radiofrequency ablation in AF patients with qi-yin deficiency syndrome， improve clinical symptoms and quality of life， suppress inflammatory response， and show good safety.

In November 2023, the seventh National Nucleic Acid Vaccine Conference was held to deeply discuss the immune mechanism, safety risks, advantages, and disadvantages of nucleic acid vaccines, and review the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines developed by nucleic acid vaccine technology. Some prospectives were formed in the meeting that in the post-pandemic era, nucleic acid vaccine technology will play a role in the following areas: dealing with pathogens that are difficult to be prevented by traditional vaccines, promoting the upgrading of traditional live attenuated vaccines, contributing to the development of multivalent and combined vaccines, and rapid response to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. These views point out the direction for the future development of nucleic acid vaccine technology.

Objective To develop a machine simultaneously integrating mechanized environmental cleaning and automatic mollusciciding and to evaluate its effectiveness of field application,so as to provide a novel Oncomelania hupensis snail control technique in the large?scale marshlands. Methods The machine simultaneously integrating mechanized environmental clean?ing and automatic mollusciciding,which was suitable for use in complex marshland areas,was developed according to the mech?anization and automation principles,and was used for O. hupensis snail control in the marshland. The effect of the machine on environmental cleaning and plough was evaluated,and the distribution of living snails was observed at various soil layers follow? ing plough. The snail control effects of plough alone and plough followed by mollusciciding were compared. Results The ma?chine could simultaneously complete the procedures of getting vegetation down and cut vegetation into pieces,plough and snail control by spraying niclosamide. After plough,the constituent ratios of living snails were 36.31% ,25.60% ,22.62% and 15.48% in the soil layers at depths of 0-5,6-10,11-15 cm and 16-20 cm respectively,and 61.91% living snails were found in the 0-10 cm soil layers. Seven and fifteen days after the experiment,the mortality rates of snails were 9.38% and 8.29% in the plough alone group,and 63.04% and 80.70% in the plough + mollusciciding group respectively(c27 d = 42.74,c215 d =155.56,both P values < 0.01). Thirty days after the experiment,the densities of snails were 3.02 snails/0.1 m2 and 0.53 snails/0.1 m2 in the soil surface of the plough alone group and the plough + mollusciciding group,which decreased by 64.92% and 93.60% ,respectively,and the decrease rate of snail density was approximately 30% higher in the plough + mollusciciding group than that in the plough alone group. Conclusions The machine simultaneously integrating mechanized environmental cleaning and automatic mollusciciding achieves the integration of mechanical environmental cleaning and automatic niclosamide spraying in the complex marshland areas,which provides a novel technique of field snail control in the large?scale setting in Chi?na.

Objective To evalute Qiliqiangxin capsule for improving cardiac function and identifiy Qiliqiangxin capsule for directing cytoprotective effects against apoptosis of cardiomyocytes. Methods Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were tested as subjects and the model rats were built by anterior descending coronary deligation, then the survival rats were devided into 6 groups randomly:sham-operated group(sham,n=8),fed with normal saline of same volume instead;control group(control,n=7),fed with normal saline of same volume instead;Qiliqiangxin great dosage group(great,n=9),Qiliqiangxin 1.2g/(kg?d) treatment;Qiliqiangxin medium dosage group(medium,n=9),Qiliqiangxin 0.6g/(kg?d) treatment;Qiliqiangxin small dosage group(small,n=8 rats),Qiliqiangxin 0.3g/(kg?d) treatment;the captopril group(captopril,n=9),captopril 25mg/(kg?d) treatment.24 hours later,rats in sham operated group and model group were given normal saline,rats in treating group were given Qiliqiangxin,rats in the contrasting group were given captopril.After being treated for 4 weeks, all rats′ heart function was measruated by right flank arteria carotis communis arterial cannula.The left ventricle mass index was calculated and the expression of protein caspase-3 was tested by immunohistochemical method and Westernblot. Results Compared with control group, Qiliqiangxin capsule could reduce effectively BW,HMI,LVMI,increase LVEDP and LVSP,+dp/dtmax and -dp/dtmax.Immunohistochemical analysis and Westernblot analysis showed that adminstration of Qiliqiangxin significantly inhibited caspase-3 expressions in myocardial cells in a dose-dependent manner.Conclusion Qiliqiangxin significantly improved the CHF rat′s cardiac function and reduced the left ventricle mass index and heart mass index 4 weeks after being treated with relative high dose Qiliqiangxin. It might be partially attributed to the suppression of caspase-3 expressions.

Objective To investigate the antiproliferative effect of suramin on trabeculectomy in rabit.Design Experimental study. Participants 32 New Zealand albino rabbits.Methods 32 albino rabbits were randomly divided into four groups.Both eyes of rabbits were performed trabaculectomy and placed a piece of cotton with 0.3 mg/ml mitomycin C(MMC)for 2 minutes in standard control group,220 mg/ml suramin for 2 minutes in experimental groupⅠ,250 mg/ml suramin for 2 minutes in experimental groupⅡ.The examination of intraocular pressure was performed before surgery.The filtration bleb and intraocular pressure were observed at 3,7,15, 30 days after surgery.Some conjunctiral specimen was observed with histochemicall(HE staining)and immunohistochemicall(PCNA staining)methods.Main Outcome Measures Intraocular pressure(IOP),filtering bleb appearance,histopathological staining.Results The percentage of the functional blebs in empty control group and experimental groupⅠwas lower than in standard control group,and experimental groupⅡwas higher than in the other 3 groups at 30 days after surgery.Immunohistochemical staining showed the number difference of PCNA positive cell nuclear was no significant between experiment groupⅠand standard control group,but less than empty control group,and experiment groupⅡwas the least(P