Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) processing is a unique and highly distinctive pharmaceutical technology in China. Utilizing modern scientific methods to elucidate the connotations of traditional processing theory and its effects is expected to facilitate the inheritance, development, innovation, and enhancement of TCM processing, and lead to more original research outcomes in the field of TCM. The breakthrough in TCM processing lies in the study of its underlying principles, and analyzing these principles involves researching the transformation mechanisms of chemical components and the biological effect mechanisms of the transformed components. This paper proposed the concept of "TCM processing chemical biology"(TCMPCB) for the first time. Under the guidance of TCM theory, the active components transformed during TCM processing were used as chemical tools to study their targets and molecular regulatory mechanisms, aiming to clarify the scientific principles by which TCM processing affected biological effects in the organism. The research findings also provided new directions for discovering novel active components, new lead compounds, creating new decoction pieces, and developing new TCM drugs. This paper provided a detailed introduction to the background, definition, research content, research ideas, research methods, and prospects of TCMPCB, with the aim of offering new research perspectives for analyzing the principles of TCM processing and providing new pathways for achieving the "four new and eight transformations" in TCM processing.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Humans ; Animals

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the predictive value of endothelial activation and stress index (EASIX) for the prognosis of patients with mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted to assess prognosis and compare the clinical features of patients diagnosed with MCL who were admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from January 2010 to June 2023, had therapeutic indications and received standard treatment. RESULTS: A total of 66 patients were included and divided into high EASIX group and low EASIX group, according to a cutoff value of 0.97 determined by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that prealbumin <0.2 g/L, high EASIX, and ECOG PS score ≥2 were independent risk factors influencing overall survival (OS) in MCL patients. The median OS of patients in the high and low EASIX group was 13.0 and 37.5 months, and the median progression-free survival was 8.8 and 26.0 months, respectively. The proportions of patients with ECOG PS score ≥2 and prealbumin <0.2 g/L at onset significantly increased in the high EASIX group compared to those in the low EASIX group. CONCLUSION At the time of initial diagnosis, EASIX can serve as an independent prognostic indicator impacting OS in patients with MCL. Furthermore, patients in the high EASIX group experience a poorer prognosis and shorter survival duration compared with those in the low EASIX group.
Humans ; Lymphoma, Mantle-Cell/pathology* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; ROC Curve

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the predictive role of the modified Endothelial Activation and Stress Index (mEASIX) in the efficacy of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy and cytokine release syndrome (CRS). METHODS: The clinical data of 70 relapsed and refractory (R/R) B-cell tumor patients who were treated with CAR-T therapy from September 1, 2018 to February 28, 2023 in the Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, were retrospectively analyzed. The value of log-2 mEASIX before conditioning (-7 d) was calculated, and the patients were divided into a low-mEASIX group (42 patients) and a high-mEASIX group (28 patients) based on the cut-off value of 5.443 determined by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Eventually, the predictive role of mEASIX before conditioning on the efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy and CRS was analyzed. RESULTS: The high-mEASIX group exhibited significantly worse median overall survival (OS) and median progression-free survival (PFS) in comparison to the low mEASIX group (OS: 3.2 months vs not reached, P < 0.01; PFS: 1.3 months vs 6.0 months, P =0.009). The incidence of grade ≥2 CRS in the high-mEASIX group was substantially higher than that in the low-mEASIX group (57.1% vs 19.0%, P =0.007). The degree of remission after CAR-T therapy (P =0.001), whether CRS occurs or not (P =0.041), the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level before conditioning (P =0.046), and the mEASIX score before conditioning (P =0.047) were independent influencing factors for the OS of patients receiving CAR-T cell therapy. CONCLUSION The mEASIX score before conditioning can predict OS and the incidence of grade ≥2 CRS in patients with relapsed and refractory B-cell tumors who receive CAR-T cell therapy.
Cytokine Release Syndrome/therapy* ; Immunotherapy, Adoptive/methods* ; Humans ; Lymphoma, B-Cell/therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Hematology ; China ; Receptors, Chimeric Antigen/blood* ; Predictive Value of Tests

Debates persist regarding the efficacy and safety of azvudine, particularly its real-world outcomes. This study involved patients aged ≥60 years who were admitted to 25 hospitals in mainland China with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection between December 1, 2022, and February 28, 2023. Efficacy outcomes were all-cause mortality during hospitalization, the proportion of patients discharged with recovery, time to nucleic acid-negative conversion (T _NANC), time to symptom improvement (T _SI), and time of hospital stay (T _HS). Safety was also assessed. Among the 5884 participants identified, 1999 received azvudine, and 1999 matched controls were included after exclusion and propensity score matching. Azvudine recipients exhibited lower all-cause mortality compared with controls in the overall population (13.3% vs. 17.1%, RR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.67-0.90; P = 0.001) and in the severe subgroup (25.7% vs. 33.7%; RR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.66-0.88; P < 0.001). A higher proportion of patients discharged with recovery, and a shorter T _NANC were associated with azvudine recipients, especially in the severe subgroup. The incidence of adverse events in azvudine recipients was comparable to that in the control group (2.3% vs. 1.7%, P = 0.170). In conclusion, azvudine showed efficacy and safety in older patients hospitalized with COVID-19 during the SARS-CoV-2 omicron wave in China.

Objective:To investigate the effect of progression of disease within 24 months(POD24)on overall survival(OS)in patients with mantle cell lymphoma(MCL),and compare the clinical characteristics between POD24 and non-POD24 patients.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on 50 MCL patients with treatment indications and regular treatment who were admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from January 2010 to August 2020.According to the occurrence of POD24,the patients were grouped for prognostic evaluation and clinical characteristics comparison.Results:Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that POD24,PLT,albumin,MIPI score,ECOG PS score,LDH were the factors influencing OS in newly diagnosed MCL patients(all P＜0.05).The results of multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that POD24[HR=16.797(95％CI:3.671-76.861),P＜0.001],albumin＜40 g/L[HR=3.238(95％CI:1.095-9.572),P=0.034]and ECOG PS score≥2[HR=4.005(95％CI:1.033-15.521),P=0.045]were independent risk factors influencing OS in MCL patients.The incidence of PLT＜100 × 109/L(33.3％vs 5.9％,P=0.033)and ECOG PS score≥2(45.5％vs 5.9％,P=0.040)were significantly higher in POD24 patients than those in non-POD24 patients.Conclusion:POD24 is an independent poor prognostic factor affecting the OS of MCL patients,and the patients with PLT＜100 × 109/L and ECOG PS score ≥2 at diagnosis have a higher probability of POD24.

Objective:To investigate the effect of endothelial activation and stress index(EASIX)on the prognosis of patients with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma(AITL)and peripheral T-cell lymphoma,not otherwise specified(PTCL-NOS),and to compare the clinical characteristics of patients in the low EASIX and high EASIX groups.Methods:The clinical data of 59 newly diagnosed AITL and PTCL-NOS patients admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from January 2010 to September 2021 were retrospectively analyzed.The optimal cut-off value of EASIX was determined by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve;The chi-square test was used to analyze the correlation between EASIX and clinical features of patients with AITL and PTCL-NOS;The Kaplan-Meier survival curve was used to analyze the overall survival(OS)and progression-free survival(PFS)of the patients;Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed by using Cox proportional hazards model.Results:The optimal cut-off value of EASIX was 0.95,based on which the patients were divided into a low EASIX(＜0.95)group and a high EASIX(≥ 0.95)group.Compared with the low EASIX group,the high EASIX group had a higher proportion of patients with advanced Ann Arbor stage,higher risk according to IPI,elevated LDH,hypoproteinemia,anemia,B symptoms,extranodal involvement,and bone marrow involvement.Survival analysis showed that the OS and PFS of patients in the high EASIX group were significantly shorter than those in the lower EASIX group(P＜0.001).The multivariate analysis showed that EASIX was an independent risk factor for OS[HR=7.217(95％CI:1.959-26.587),P=0.003]and PFS[HR=2.718(95％CI:1.032-7.161),P=0.043]of PTCL patients.Conclusion:High EASIX in newly diagnosed patients with AITL and PTCL-NOS suggests a poor prognosis,and high EASIX is a risk factor affecting prognosis of the patients.

Acupuncture, a therapeutic treatment defined as the insertion of needles into the body at specific points (ie, acupoints), has growing in popularity world-wide to treat various diseases effectively, especially acute and chronic pain. In parallel, interest in the physiological mechanisms underlying acupuncture analgesia, particularly the neural mechanisms have been increasing. Over the past decades, our understanding of how the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system process signals induced by acupuncture has developed rapidly by using electrophysiological methods. However, with the development of neuroscience, electrophysiology is being challenged by calcium imaging in view field, neuron population and visualization in vivo. Owing to the outstanding spatial resolution, the novel imaging approaches provide opportunities to enrich our knowledge about the neurophysiological mechanisms of acupuncture analgesia at subcellular, cellular, and circuit levels in combination with new labeling, genetic and circuit tracing techniques. Therefore, this review will introduce the principle and the method of calcium imaging applied to acupuncture research. We will also review the current findings in pain research using calcium imaging from in vitro to in vivo experiments and discuss the potential methodological considerations in studying acupuncture analgesia.
Calcium ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Acupuncture ; Acupuncture Analgesia/methods* ; Acupuncture Points ; Technology

Aim To investigate the therapeutic effect of the MW-9 on ulcerative colitis(UC)and reveal the underlying mechanism, so as to provide a scientific guidance for the MW-9 treatment of UC. Methods The model of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophage cells was established. The effect of MW-9 on RAW264.7 cells viability was detected by MTT assay. The levels of nitric oxide(NO)in RAW264.7 macrophages were measured by Griess assay. Cell supernatants and serum levels of inflammatory cytokines containing IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β were determined by ELISA kits. Dextran sulfate sodium(DSS)-induced UC model in mice was established and body weight of mice in each group was measured. The histopathological damage degree of colonic tissue was assessed by HE staining. The protein expression of p-p38, p-ERK1/2 and p-JNK was detected by Western blot. Results MW-9 intervention significantly inhibited NO release in RAW264.7 macrophages with IC50 of 20.47 mg·L-1 and decreased the overproduction of inflammatory factors IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α(P<0.05). MW-9 had no cytotoxicity at the concentrations below 6 mg·L-1. After MW-9 treatment, mouse body weight was gradually reduced, and the serum IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α levels were significantly down-regulated. Compared with the model group, MW-9 significantly decreased the expression of p-p38 and p-ERK1/2 protein. Conclusions MW-9 has significant anti-inflammatory activities both in vitro and in vivo, and its underlying mechanism for the treatment of UC may be associated with the inhibition of MAPK signaling pathway.

Objective To develop a physiological pharmacokinetic(PBPK)model of ritonavir,simulate ritonavir-mediated drug interactions,and provide future predictions for ritonavir pharmacokinetics(PK)and drug-drug interaction(DDI).Methods The PBPK model of ritonavir was constructed by searching relevant databases,collecting data on the physicochemical properties,PK,DDI related parameters and clinical studies of ritonavir,and using PK-Sim software to optimize and validate the parameters of the model to evaluate the performance of the constructed PBPK model in describing the PK characteristics and predicting the DDI of ritonavir.Results The ritonavir PBPK model demonstrated good performance,and by calculating the geometric mean folded error(GMFE)between the Sim and actual Obs values,the GMFEs of ritonavir AUC and Cmax were 1.11 and 1.16,respectively,and the GMFEs of ritonavir AUC and Cmax after combination with ritonavir were 1.24 and 1.26,respectively.Conclusion The PBPK model of ritonavir has been successfully constructed,and the effect of ritonavir on the metabolic enzyme cytochrome P450 3A4 is significant.Therefore,when ritonavir is combined with the victim drugs,individualized dosing can be guided according to the PBPK model.

Objective To analyze the changes of B lymphocyte(B cells)subsets in peripheral blood of patients with chronic hepatitis B(CHB)and to explore its clinical significance.Methods Peripheral blood samples were collected from 37 treatment-na?ve CHB patients who were admitted to the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from July 2022 to October 2022,and peripheral blood samples collected from 18 healthy individuals who have received the hepatitis B vaccine as healthy controls(HC).The study subjects'clinical indexes such as age,HBV DNA viral load,HBsAg quantification,HBeAg semi quantification,ALT,AST,and AST/ALT ratio were collected.The change characteristics of the frequency,phenotypic and functional markers of peripheral blood B lymphocytes and their subsets were compared between CHB and HC.Using multi-color flow cytometry,and the correlation between them and clinical indexes was analyzed.Results Frequency analysis of each subset of B cells showed that compared with HC,the frequency of total B cells,transitional B cells and naive B cells was decreased(P<0.05),while the frequency of mature B cells,memory B cells,atypical memory B cells and activated memory B cells was increased in CHB patients(P<0.01).And there was no significant difference in the frequency of resting memory B cells between the two groups(P>0.05).The results of functional analysis showed that compared with HC,the expression levels of CD79b on total B cells,mature B cells,memory B cells,naive B cells,activated memory B cells,atypical memory B cells and resting memory B cells in CHB patients were increased(P<0.05).The expression level of programmed cell death protein-1(PD-1)on atypical memory B cells in CHB patients was also higher than that in HC group(P<0.05).The results of correlation analysis showed that the frequency of total B cells in CHB patients was slightly negatively correlated with age(r=-0.39,P<0.05),while the expression of programmed death-1(PD-1)on total B cells,mature B cells,transitional B cells,memory B cells and naive B cells were slightly positively correlated with age(r>0.36,P<0.05).Conclusions Chronic HBV infection leads to depletion of the frequency and function of a portion of B cells in the peripheral blood of CHB patients,and age is a potential risk factor for the decline in humoral immune function in CHB patients.