Aromatic immunity in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) is the medical knowledge accumulated in the process of people's struggling with diseases. It plays an important role in plague prevention, disease treatment, health preservation, and rehabilitation, and has profound TCM basic theoretical support and abundant modern scientific evidence. With the in-depth promotion of the Healthy China initiative and the succession of health needs in the post-COVID-19 era, how to practice the health concept of aromatic immunity in TCM and develop its health service resources with high quality has become an important proposition to be discussed urgently. This paper summarizes the cognitive process, puts forward the basic concept, discusses the scientific connotation and clinical application value, and looks forward to the future development trend of aromatic immunity in TCM, aiming to provide guidance for the development of great health products and promote the application of aromatic immunity in TCM in serving people's health.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Humans ; COVID-19/immunology* ; China ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; SARS-CoV-2

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a naturally occurring, low-toxicity, and hydrophilic bile acid (BA) in the human body that is converted by intestinal flora using primary BA. Solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) functions to uptake extracellular cystine in exchange for glutamate, and is highly expressed in a variety of human cancers. Retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RLPS) refers to liposarcoma originating from the retroperitoneal area. Lipidomics analysis revealed that UDCA was one of the most significantly downregulated metabolites in sera of RLPS patients compared with healthy subjects. The augmentation of UDCA concentration (≥25 μg/mL) demonstrated a suppressive effect on the proliferation of liposarcoma cells. [¹⁵N₂]-cystine and [¹³C₅]-glutamine isotope tracing revealed that UDCA impairs cystine uptake and glutathione (GSH) synthesis. Mechanistically, UDCA binds to the cystine transporter SLC7A11 to inhibit cystine uptake and impair GSH de novo synthesis, leading to reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and mitochondrial oxidative damage. Furthermore, UDCA can promote the anti-cancer effects of ferroptosis inducers (Erastin, RSL3), the murine double minute 2 (MDM2) inhibitors (Nutlin 3a, RG7112), cyclin dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) inhibitor (Abemaciclib), and glutaminase inhibitor (CB839). Together, UDCA functions as a cystine exchange factor that binds to SLC7A11 for antitumor activity, and SLC7A11 is not only a new transporter for BA but also a clinically applicable target for UDCA. More importantly, in combination with other antitumor chemotherapy or physiotherapy treatments, UDCA may provide effective and promising treatment strategies for RLPS or other types of tumors in a ROS-dependent manner.

Objective:To determine incidence of seasonal influenza virus infection in the community and to analyze the factors influencing seasonal influenza virus infection.Methods:This study recruited residents aged 6-59 years to build a cohort in 15 villages/streets in Macheng city in November 2019. Meanwhile, a cross-sectional baseline survey was conducted immediately to collect sera, information on demographics and child protection knowledge, behaviors, as well as attitudes using a questionnaire from the participants enrolled in the cohort (i.e., before the influenza epidemic season). In July 2020, a cross-sectional follow-up survey was conducted to collect sera once again (i.e., after the influenza season). Paired sera from the two cross-sectional surveys were tested for influenza virus-specific antibodies by hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test or micro-neutralization (MN) test using a circulating representative strain of each subtype/lineage of influenza virus as the test antigen. The infections with influenza virus subtype/lineage was confirmed if there was a four-fold or more increase in titers of antibodies against circulating representative strain of the subtype/lineage of influenza virus. Factors influencing infection with influenza A (H3N2) and B/Victoria viruses were analyzed using univariable and multivariable logistic regression.Results:In November 2019, 800 study participants were enrolled in the cohort, including 340 children aged 6-17 years and 460 adults aged 18-59 years; 605 study participants (including 224 children and 381 adults) were followed up in July 2020 and their paired sera were obtained before and after the influenza season. 25.3% (153/605) of the participants were confirmed to be infected with at least one subtype/lineage of seasonal influenza virus by HI and MN tests. The overall incidence of influenza viruses of all subtypes/lineages in children was 44.2% (95% CI: 37.6%-50.8%) which was significantly higher than the incidence of 14.1% in adults (95% CI: 10.7%-17.7%). Children had the highest incidence of influenza A (H3N2) virus infection, followed by B/Victoria. MN or HI antibody titers in A (H3N2)[ OR=0.88 (95% CI: 0.84-0.93)] and B/Victoria[ OR=0.97 (95% CI: 0.95-0.99)] before the influenza season were significantly associated with whether children were infected with that subtype/lineage of influenza virus. Conclusions:The residents aged 6-59 years in Macheng city had a substantial incidence of seasonal influenza virus infection during the influenza season from winter 2019 to spring 2020. Notably, almost half of children aged 6-17 years have been infected with seasonal influenza virus. Higher titers of HI/MN antibodies against seasonal influenza virus before the influenza season would be likely to reduce the risk of infection with influenza A (H3N2) and B/Victoria.

Establish a production line with controllable process and high intelligence, contribute to improve the quality and production efficiency of aconite processed by microwave, and promote the transformation and application of aconite processed by microwave. According to the principle of aconite detoxification and the characteristics of industrial microwave equipment, an industrial production line of aconite processed by microwave was established with diester alkaloids and monoester alkaloids as indicators, and pilot production was carried out. At the same time, the content of active constituents and efficacy were compared with that of the main processed products, such as Shengfupian, Baifupian and Heishunpian. The results showed that the industrial production of aconite processed by microwave can be divided into two stages: "Liquid seal to detoxification - drying and puffing". The content of monoester alkaloids in 10 batches of aconite processed by microwave was 0.071%-0.166% and the content of diester alkaloids was 0.004%-0.016%, which met the relevant requirements of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia in 2020. Compared with Heishunpian and Baifupian, the retention rate of the effective components of aconite processed by microwave was higher. Pharmacological experiments showed that aconite processed by microwave not only retained the anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of Heishunpian and Baifupian, but also significantly increased the levels of leukocytes and lymphocytes in mice with liver cancer chemotherapy, enhanced the CD4/CD8 ratio in spleen cells of mice (P < 0.05), thus regulating the body's immunity. However, this effect of Baifupian was weak, while Heishunpian and Shengfupian had no such effect. Through the above research, this study established microwave processing line with controllable process and high intelligence, as well produced the aconite processed by microwave with low toxicity and stable quality. It laid a foundation for the industrialized continuous production and clinical positioning of aconite by microwave processed, and provided scientific support for the development and application of microwave technology in the field of traditional Chinese medicine. All animal experiments in this study were reviewed and approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine before being carried out (Approval No. 2020-28).

The postmortem interval (PMI) estimation is a key and difficult point in the practice of forensic medicine, and forensic scientists at home and abroad have been searching for objective, quantifiable and accurate methods of PMI estimation. With the development and combination of high-throughput sequencing technology and artificial intelligence technology, the establishment of PMI model based on the succession of the microbial community on corpses has become a research focus in the field of forensic medicine. This paper reviews the technical methods, research applications and influencing factors of microbial community in PMI estimation explored by using high-throughput sequencing technology, to provide a reference for the related research on the use of microbial community to estimate PMI.
Humans ; Postmortem Changes ; Artificial Intelligence ; Autopsy ; Cadaver ; Microbiota

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical therapeutic effect of filiform-fire needling of "Biaoben acupoint combination" on the sequelae of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the recovery period. METHODS: A total of 33 patients with COVID-19 during the recovery period were treated with filiform-fire needling at the acupoints of Mingmen (GV 4), Shenzhu (GV 12), Gaohuang (BL 43), Zusanli (ST 36) and Shangjuxu (ST 37), etc., once every other day, 3 times a week, and 3 times was one course of treatment and totally 2 courses of treatment were required. The TCM symptom, Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) and Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) scores, pulmonary function indexes (forced vital capacity [FVC], forced expiratory volume in one second [FEV1], peak expiratory flow [PEF]) and chest CT imaging change were observed before and after treatment, and the therapeutic effect was evaluated. RESULTS: After treatment, the scores of TCM symptom, HAMA and HAMD were decreased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), and the levels of FVC, FEV1 and PEF were increased compared with those before treatment (P<0.05), and the recovery rate of 22 patients with pulmonary ventilation dysfunction was 86.4% (19/22). After treatment, the lung shadow area was smaller than that before treatment (P<0.05). The effective rate of 25 patients with lung CT abnormalities was 84.0% (21/25). After treatment, 23 cases were cured, 5 cases were markedly effective, 4 cases were effective, 1 case was ineffective, the cured and markedly effective rate was 84.8%. CONCLUSION The filiform-fire needling of "Biaoben acupoint combination" could significantly reduce the sequelae of cough, fatigue, chest tightness, etc. and mental symptoms such as anxiety and depression in patients with COVID-19 during the recovery period, and promote inflammatory exudation absorption of pulmonary lesion and improve lung ventilation function.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; COVID-19/therapy* ; Humans ; Lung ; Vascular Surgical Procedures

Child ; Humans ; Rural Population ; China/epidemiology* ; Respiratory Tract Infections/prevention & control*

Background::Cancer immunotherapy has emerged as a promising strategy against triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). One of the immunosuppressive pathways involves programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1), but many patients derived little benefit from PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint blockades treatment. Prior research has shown that MYC, a master transcription amplifier highly expressed in TNBC cells, can regulate the tumor immune microenvironment and constrain the efficacy of immunotherapy. This study aims to investigate the regulatory relationship between MYC and PD-L1, and whether a cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor that inhibits MYC expression in combination with anti-PD-L1 antibodies can enhance the response to immunotherapy. Methods::Public databases and TNBC tissue microarrays were used to study the correlation between MYC and PD-L1. The expression of MYC and PD-L1 in TNBCs was examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. A patient-derived tumor xenograft (PDTX) model was used to evaluate the influence of a CDK7 inhibitor THZ1 on PD-L1 expression. Cell proliferation and migration were detected by 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) cell proliferation and cell migration assays. Tumor xenograft models were established for in vivo verification. Results::A high MYC expression level was associated with a poor prognosis and could alter the proportion of tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs). The positive correlation between MYC and PD-L1 was confirmed by immunostaining samples from 165 TNBC patients. Suppression of MYC in TNBC caused a reduction in the levels of both PD-L1 messenger RNA and protein. In addition, antitumor immune response was enhanced in the TNBC cancer xenograft mouse model with suppression of MYC by CDK7 inhibitor THZ1. Conclusions::The combined therapy of CDK7 inhibitor THZ1 and anti-PD-L1 antibody appeared to have a synergistic effect, which might offer new insight for enhancing immunotherapy in TNBC.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of thumb-tack needles based on "Biaoben acupoint compatibility" on sequela symptoms, mental state and pulmonary ventilation function in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) during recovery period. METHODS: Fifty cases of COVID-19 during recovery period were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 25 cases in each group. The patients in the observation group were treated with thumb-tack needles at Guanyuan (CV 4), Zusanli (ST 36) and Taiyuan (LU 9). The patients in the control group were treated with sham thumb-tack needles at identical acupoints as the observation group. The treatment in the two groups was given once a day, 7-day treatment was taken as a course of treatment, and totally two courses of treatment were given. The TCM symptom score, Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA) score, Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) score, pulmonary function (forced vital capacity [FVC], forced expiratory volume in the first second [FEV1], peak expiratory flow [PEF]), the severity of pulmonary ventilation dysfunction and pulmonary imaging changes in the two groups were compared before and after treatment. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the total scores and each item scores of TCM symptom scale, HAMA scores and HAMD scores in the two groups were reduced after treatment (P<0.05). Except for the symptom scores of dry throat and dry stool, the total score and each item score of TCM symptom scale, HAMA score and HAMD score in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). Compared before treatment, FVC, FEV1 and PEF in the two groups were increased after treatment (P<0.05), and those in the observation group were higher than the control group (P<0.05). The severity of pulmonary ventilation dysfunction in the two groups was reduced after treatment (P<0.05), and the severity in the observation group was better than that in the control group (P<0.05). After treatment, the lung shadow area in the two groups was decreased (P<0.05), and that in the observation group was smaller than the control group (P<0.05). The improvement of imaging change in the observation group was better than that in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION The thumb-tack needles based on "Biaoben acupoint compatibility" could significantly reduce the sequela symptoms, anxiety and depression in patients with COVID-19 during recovery stage, and improve the pulmonary ventilation function.
Acupuncture Points ; Anxiety/etiology* ; COVID-19/therapy* ; Depression/etiology* ; Humans ; Needles ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Thumb

ObjectiveTo retrospectively analyze the clinical data of 52 patients with coronavirus disease-2019 （COVID-19） and explore the clinical efficacy of modified Sanxiaoyin on mild/moderate COVID-19 patients. MethodThe propensity score matching method was used to collect the clinical data of mild or moderate COVID-19 patients enrolled in the designated hospital of the Second Hospital of Jingzhou from December 2019 to May 2020. A total of 26 eligible patients who were treated with modified Sanxiaoyin were included in the observation group， and the 26 patients treated with conventional method were the regarded as the control. The disappearance of clinical symptoms， disappearance time of main symptoms， efficacy on traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） symptoms， hospitalization duration， laboratory test indicators， and CT imaging changes in the two groups were compared. ResultThe general data in the two groups were insignificantly different and thus they were comparable. After 7 days of treatment， the disappearance rate of fever， cough， fatigue， dry throat， anorexia， poor mental state， and poor sleep quality in the observation group was higher than that in the control group （P<0.05）， and the difference in the disappearance rate of expectoration and chest distress was insignificant. For the cases with the disappearance of symptoms， the main symptoms （fever， cough， fatigue， dry throat， anorexia， chest distress） disappeared earlier in the observation group than in the control group （P<0.01）. After 7 days of treatment， the scores of the TCM symptom scale of both groups decreased （P<0.01）， and the decrease of the observation group was larger that of the control group （P<0.01）. All patients in the two groups were cured and discharged. The average hospitalization duration in the observation group ［（12.79±2.68） d］ was shorter than that in the control group ［（15.27±3.11） d］ （P<0.01）. The effective rate in the observation group （92.31%， 24/26） was higher than that in the control group （76.92%， 20/26） . After 7 days of treatment， the lymphocyte （LYM） count increased （P<0.05）， and white blood cell （WBC） count and neutrophil （NEUT） count decreased insignificantly in the two groups. Moreover， levels of C-reactive protein （CRP）， erythrocyte sedimentation rate （ESR）， and procalcitonin （PCT） reduced in the two groups after treatment （P<0.01） and the reduction in the observation group was larger than that in the control group （P<0.01）. Through 7 days of treatment， the total effective rate on pulmonary shadow in the observation group （90.00%， 18/20） was higher than that in the control group （77.27%， 17/22） （P>0.05） and the improvement of lung shadow in the observation group was better than that in the control group （P<0.01）. ConclusionModified Sanxiaoyin can significantly alleviate fever， cough， fatigue， anorexia， chest distress， poor sleep quality， and other symptoms of patients with mild or moderate COVID-19， improve biochemical indicators， and promote the recovery of lung function. This paper provides clinical evidence for the application of modified Sanxiaoyin in the treatment of mild or moderate COVID-19.