Chinese scientists have successfully developed two live attenuated vaccines for Japanese encephalitis (JE) using the SA14 strain of the Japanese encephalitis virus as the parent virus: the SA14-14-2 strain and the SA14-2-8 strain. The former has been widely publicized for its successful use in preventing and controlling JE in humans, while the latter′s success in immunizing hundreds of thousands of horses is less well-known. The successful result of large-scale immunization of large mammals with the SA14-2-8 attenuated strain provide scientific data for the use of live attenuated vaccines for JE in humans, which is of significant importance. This paper introduces the attenuation process of the SA14-2-8 strain and its large-scale immunization in horses, in commemoration of the contributions made by the older generation of virologists to the study of virology and vaccinology in China. It also offers insights into the technical routes for developing live attenuated vaccines for arboviruses, as the attenuation pathway and technical route of the SA14-2-8 strain differ completely from those of SA14-14-2.

The Culex tritaeniorhynchus mosquito and pigs are well-known as the primary vectors and amplification hosts of the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a fact that has become common knowledge in the field of virology and infectious disease. However, 70 years ago, researchers in China and other countries isolated the JEV from various species of mosquitoes and different animal specimens, leading to no consensus on which mosquito is the main vector for JEV and which mammal serves as its principal amplification host. Since the 1950s, a research team led by Professor Wang Yimin from Institute of Virology, the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, collaborated with local epidemic prevention departments to investigate the vectors and host animals of JEV in China. Through extensive field and laboratory investigation, they conclusively identified the Culex tritaeniorhynchus mosquito and pigs as the primary vectors and amplification hosts for the JEV. The research findings provided strong scientific evidence for the prevention and control of Japanese encephalitis and were at the forefront or advanced level internationally at that time. This article presents the main research result of this project, offering insights into historical facts regarding the prevention and control of JEV in China, while also commemorating the significant contributions made by the pioneers of virology in our country towards the prevention and control of JE.

For middle-aged and elderly patients with conditions such as spinal fractures and degenerative spinal diseases, spinal internal fixation is a core surgical procedure for reconstructing spinal stability, heavily relying on the biomechanical stability provided by pedicle screw systems. Whereas, these patients are often complicated by osteoporosis that can significantly compromise the stability of the bone-pedicle screw interface, leading to a marked increase in pedicle screw loosening and surgical failure rates. The bone cement-augmented pedicle screw technique, which involves injecting bone cement into the vertebral body or screw trajectory to optimize the mechanical properties of the bone-pedicle screw composite, has been proven to significantly enhance fixation strength and effectively prevent screw-related failures, thereby reducing the incidence of internal fixation failure in high-risk populations undergoing spinal fusion. However, the widespread clinical application of this technique has faced challenges such as inaccurate clinical decision-making (indication and contraindication selection), non-standardized operative practices, and insufficient awareness of complication prevention, resulting in considerable variability in clinical outcomes and even severe complications. To address this, Prof. Luo Fei from First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University initiated the project and the Chinese Association Orthopaedic Surgeons organized relevant experts to develop the Evidence-based clinical practice guideline for bone cement-augmented pedicle screw technique ( version 2025), based on current evidence. The guidelines put forward 8 recommendations regarding the clinical value, scope of application, and operational standards of the technique, aiming to provide evidence-based medical support and technical standardization for clinical decision-making.

Objective To investigate the correlations of serum levels of platelet activation com-plex-1(PAC-1)and soluble tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis(sTWEAK)with neu-rological deficit and clinical prognosis in patients with acute cerebral infarction(ACI).Methods A total of 170 ACI patients(ACI group)and 85 healthy volunteers(control group)were enrolled in this study.Based on severity of neurological deficit assessed by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)score,ACI patients were divided into of mild neurological deficit group(43 cases),moderate neurological deficit group(57 cases),moderate-to-severe neurological deficit group(37 cases),and severe neurological deficit group(33 cases).Additionally,based on the 6-month fol-low-up prognosis,ACI patients were divided into 51 cases of poor prognosis group and 119 cases of good prognosis group.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure serum levels of PAC-1 and sTWEAK.Spearman correlation analysis was performed to evaluate their correlations with NIHSS scores in ACI patients.Multivariate unconditional Logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine their relationships with clinical prognosis.Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to explore their evaluation efficacy for poor clinical prognosis.Results Serum levels of PAC-1 and sTWEAK were significantly higher in the ACI group than in the control group(P＜0.05).Ser-um levels of PAC-1 and sTWEAK increased sequentially in the mild,moderate,moderate-to-severe,and severe neurological deficit groups(P＜0.05).Spearman correlation analysis showed that serum levels of PAC-1 and sTWEAK were positively correlated with NIHSS scores in ACI patients(rs=0.715 and 0.706,respectively;P＜0.001).Multivariate unconditional Logistic regression analysis revealed that older age,higher NIHSS score,larger infarct volume,higher PAC-1 level,and higher sTWEAK level were independent risk factors for poor prognosis in ACI patients(P＜0.05).The ar-ea under the curve for the combined assessment of serum PAC-1 and sTWEAK levels for poor clini-cal prognosis in ACI patients was 0.895,which was greater than the areas under the curve for the individual assessments(0.792 and 0.786,respectively;P＜0.05).Conclusion Elevated serum levels of PAC-1 and sTWEAK are closely related to increased neurological deficit and poor clinical prognosis in ACI patients.The combined detection of these two markers has high evaluation efficacy for clinical prognosis in ACI patients.

Objective To investigate the relationship between serum orexin-A(OXA)and aspartate amin-otransferase(AST)levels and the disease severity and prognosis in patients with acute ischemic stroke(AIS).Methods A total of 167 AIS patients(AIS group)treated at Hebei Provincial People's Hospital from January 2021 to January 2024 and 84 healthy individuals undergoing physical examinations(control group)were selected as the research objects.AIS patients were categorized by severity into mild AIS group[National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)score＜5,42 cases],moderate AIS group(NIHSS score 5—＜16,56 cases),moderate-to-severe AIS group(NIHSS score 16—＜21,36 cases),and severe AIS group(NIHSS score ≥21,33 cases).Based on 3-month prognosis(modified Rankin scale),patients were divided into poor prognosis group(＞2 grade,54 cases)and good prognosis group(≤2 grade,113 cases).Spearman correlation analysis was used to assess the relationship between NIHSS scores and serum OXA and AST levels in AIS pa-tients.Multivariate unconditional Logistic regression was used to determine the relationship between serum OXA and AST levels and the prognosis of AIS patients.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to analyze the predictive efficacy of serum OXA and AST levels for prognosis.Results Compared with the control group,serum OXA level in the AIS group was lower,while AST level was higher(P＜0.05).Ser-um OXA level progressively decreased,and AST level progressively increased across the mild,moderate,mod-erately severe,and severe AIS groups(P＜0.05).NIHSS score was negatively correlated with serum OXA level and positively correlated with AST level in AIS patients(P＜0.05).High OXA level was an independent protective factor for poor prognosis in AIS patients,while high AST level was an independent risk factor(P＜0.05).The area under the curve(AUC)of the combined assessment of serum OXA and AST levels in predic-ting poor prognosis in AIS patients was 0.873,which was greater than the AUC of OXA(0.793)and AST(0.770)alone(P＜0.05).Conclusion In AIS patients,lower serum OXA level and higher AST level are as-sociated with disease severity and poor prognosis.The combined evaluation of serum OXA and AST levels has higher predictive value for AIS prognosis.

Objective:To prepare decellularized extracellular matrix (dECM)-gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) composite hydrogels and to study their effects on hepatocyte proliferation.Methods:Hepatic dECM was prepared by elution, and GelMA hydrogel and 10%, 30% and 50% dECM-GelMA composite hydrogels were prepared by pepsin solubilization. The morphology of normal liver and dECM liver was observed by eyes and scanning electron microscopy using hematoxylin-eosin, Sirius red and periodate-Schiff staining, respectively. The internal structure of the dECM-GelMA composite hydrogels was observed by scanning electron microscopy, and the pore diameter was measured. Liver HL-7702 cells were co-cultured with GelMA hydrogel and 10%, 30% and 50% dECM-GelMA composite hydrogels, and the cell proliferation viability was determined by cell counting kit-8. The expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Wnt family protein 5a (Wnt5a), β-catenin, extracellular-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and phosphorylated ERK1/2 (p-ERK1/2) were detected by Western blotting. Comparisons were made using independent sample t-test or one-factor analysis of variance. Results:After decellularization, the hepatocyte morphology showed rounded depressions, and the extracellular matrix structure was intact. The GelMA hydrogel and 10%, 30% and 50% dECM-GelMA composite hydrogels showed inernally porous structures. The pore diameter increased from (3.06±1.35) μm in the GelMA hydrogel to (16.01±4.02) μm in the 50% dECM-GelMA composite hydrogel. On the 3rd, 5th and 7th day, the relative cell proliferation was higher in the 50% dECM-GelMA composite hydrogel group than that in the GelMA hydrogel group (1.89±0.04 vs 1.53±0.01, 9.36±0.04 vs 3.89±0.09, 7.15±0.27 vs 4.89±0.15, all P<0.05). The relative expression levels of PCNA, Wnt5a, β-catenin, and p-ERK1/2/ERK1/2 proteins in the 50% dECM-GelMA composite hydrogel group were higher than those in the GelMA hydrogel group (2.14±0.04 vs 1.00±0.03, 2.36±0.09 vs 1.00±0.08, 1.45±0.03 vs 1.00±0.04, 1.43±0.04 vs 1.00±0.01, all P<0.05). Conclusions:A dECM-GelMA composite hydrogel can be prepared, which may promote hepatocyte proliferation by upregulating the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of blepharoplasty using the "double-line technique" in addressing upper eyelid skin laxity in middle-aged and elderly patients.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of middle-aged and elderly patients with moderate to severe upper eyelid skin laxity who were admitted to the Plastic Surgery Department of Shaanxi Provincial People’s Hospital between January 2020 and January 2023. The same surgeon performed the "double-line" blepharoplasty to excise excess upper eyelid skin for laxity correction. Patients were positioned flat with their eyes closed; an arcuate line a (5-7 mm above the pupil) and a second line b (aligned with the eyelid margin in an upright position) were marked. The skin between these two lines was excised. Postoperatively, the double eyelid shape, improvement in skin laxity, adverse reactions, and patient satisfaction (categorized as satisfied, basically satisfied, unsatisfied) were assessed.Results:A total of 145 patients were included in the study, comprising 27 males and 118 females. Their ages ranged from 38 to 78 years, with an average age of 52 years. All patients’ incisions healed primarily without complications such as hematoma and infection. During the 3 to 12 months of follow-up after surgery, the double eyelid arcs on both sides appeared symmetrical and natural. The upper eyelid laxity was effectively corrected, obscured vision was improved, crow’s feet were reduced, and the periorbital area was rejuvenated. Patient satisfaction with the surgical results was high, with 112 patients reporting satisfaction, 25 reporting basically satisfied, and 8 reporting dissatisfaction. The overall satisfaction rate reached 94.48%(137/145). Among those dissatisfied, 6 cases cited the double eyelid crease as being too narrow, and 2 cases noted asymmetry in the double eyelid crease.Conclusion:The "double-line method" for blepharoplasty is straightforward to perform and effectively removes excess upper eyelid skin. It is suitable for middle-aged and elderly patients with moderate to severe upper eyelid skin laxity, resulting in favorable surgical outcomes.

The floating thrombus in the brachiocephalic artery is relatively rare and difficult to diagnose,and it is prone to be missed.This article reports a case of a patient with a floating thrombus in the brachiocephalic artery who underwent endovascular treatment via a combined radial artery and femoral artery approach.The patient presented with slurred speech,weakness in the left limbs,and dizziness.A cranial DWI examination revealed acute cerebral infarction in the right cerebral hemisphere and bilateral cerebellum.A neck CTA examination showed a floating thrombus in the brachiocephalic artery.Currently,there is no consensus on the treatment of floating thrombi in the brachiocephalic artery.The effect of conservative medical treatment for this patient was poor,and endovascular treatment was administered.The vertebral artery and carotid artery protection umbrellas were deployed via the radial artery approach to prevent intraoperative embolism events.A stent was deployed via the femoral artery approach to adhere to the thrombus.A follow-up neck CTA examination of the patient after the operation indicated that the stent was in a good position with complete thrombus apposition.

Objective To investigate the association of spleen volume with the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)as well as their causal relationship.Methods We included 90 NAFLD cases and 47 healthy controls who had received contrast-enhanced computed tomography(CT)scan of the abdomen at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from November 2022 to November 2023.We conducted three-dimensional reconstruction of the spleen through a deep learning network model using a two-stage coarse-to-fine segmentation approach.We compared the two groups using the two-sample t test or Mann-Whitney U test for continuous data and using the chi-square test for categorical data;evaluated the correlation between spleen volume and liver function indicators through Pearson correlation or Spearman rank correlation analyses;determined the factors influencing the development of NAFLD through multivariable Logistic regression analysis;and further assessed the casual relationship between spleen volume and NAFLD using the inverse variance-weighted two-sample Mendelian randomization(IVW-MR)method.Results Spleen volume was significantly larger in NAFLD cases than in controls(272.93±104.16 vs 204.37±81.20 cm3,P<0.001).The Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that spleen volume was positively correlated with the hepatic steatosis index(rs=0.422,P<0.001)and gamma-glutamyl transferase levels(rs=0.211,P=0.047)in patients with NAFLD.The multivariable Logistic regression analysis indicated that spleen volume was an independent risk factor for the development of NAFLD(odds ratio[OR]=1.01,95%confidence interval[CI]:1.00-1.02,P=0.049).The IVW-MR analysis detected a causal relationship between spleen volume and NAFLD(OR=1.16,95%CI:1.05-1.28,P=0.005).Conclusion Increased spleen volume may be a risk factor for the development and progression of NAFLD.Further studies are still needed to investigate the specific mechanism.

For middle-aged and elderly patients with conditions such as spinal fractures and degenerative spinal diseases, spinal internal fixation is a core surgical procedure for reconstructing spinal stability, heavily relying on the biomechanical stability provided by pedicle screw systems. Whereas, these patients are often complicated by osteoporosis that can significantly compromise the stability of the bone-pedicle screw interface, leading to a marked increase in pedicle screw loosening and surgical failure rates. The bone cement-augmented pedicle screw technique, which involves injecting bone cement into the vertebral body or screw trajectory to optimize the mechanical properties of the bone-pedicle screw composite, has been proven to significantly enhance fixation strength and effectively prevent screw-related failures, thereby reducing the incidence of internal fixation failure in high-risk populations undergoing spinal fusion. However, the widespread clinical application of this technique has faced challenges such as inaccurate clinical decision-making (indication and contraindication selection), non-standardized operative practices, and insufficient awareness of complication prevention, resulting in considerable variability in clinical outcomes and even severe complications. To address this, Prof. Luo Fei from First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University initiated the project and the Chinese Association Orthopaedic Surgeons organized relevant experts to develop the Evidence-based clinical practice guideline for bone cement-augmented pedicle screw technique ( version 2025), based on current evidence. The guidelines put forward 8 recommendations regarding the clinical value, scope of application, and operational standards of the technique, aiming to provide evidence-based medical support and technical standardization for clinical decision-making.