Biomolecular condensates are formed through phase separation of biomacromolecules such as proteins and RNAs. These condensates exhibit liquid-like properties that can futher transition into more stable material states. They form complex internal structures via multivalent weak interactions, enabling precise spatiotemporal regulations. However, the use of inconsistent and non-standardized terminology has become increasingly problematic, hindering academic exchange and the dissemination of scientific knowledge. Therefore, it is necessary to discuss the terminology related to biomolecular condensates in order to clarify concepts, promote interdisciplinary cooperation, enhance research efficiency, and support the healthy development of this field.

Ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS), network pharmacology, and animal experiments were integrated o explore the blood glucose-lowering effects and mechanisms of Poria aqueous extract. Firstly, the active components of Poria aqueous extract were identified by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. Subsequently, network pharmacology was employed to predict the blood glucose-lowering components and mechanisms of Poria aqueous extract. Finally, a rat model of diabetes mellitus, 16S rDNA sequencing, and Western blot were employed to investigate the blood glucose-lowering effect and mechanism of Poria aqueous extract. A total of 39 triterpenoids were identified in the Poria aqueous extract, among them, 25-hydroxypachymic acid, 25α-hydroxytumulosic acid, 16α-hydroxytrametenolic acid, polyporenic acid C, and tumulosic acid may be the main active ingredients for treating diabetes. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis revealed that Poria might exert its therapeutic effects through multiple pathways such as NOD-like receptor signaling pathway, nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB) signaling pathway, and tumor necrosis factor(TNF) signaling pathway. The results of animal experiments demonstrated that Poria aqueous extract significantly reduced the levels of blood glucose and lipids and regulated the intestinal flora in diabetic rats. The main affected taxa included g＿Escherichia-Shigella, g＿Corynebacterium, g＿Prevotella＿9, g＿Prevotellaceae＿UCG-001, and g＿Bacteroidota＿unclassified. In addition, Poria aqueous extract lowered the levels of D-lactic acid and lipopolysaccharide, alleviated colonic mucosal damage, significantly down-regulated the protein levels of NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing protein 3(NLRP3), NF-κB, and TNF-α, and significantly up-regulated the protein levels of zonula occludens 1 and occludin in diabetic rates. Poria aqueous extract may play a role in treating diabetes mellitus by repairing the intestinal flora disturbance, protecting the intestinal barrier function, and inhibiting the NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway. The results provide a scientific basis for clinical application and expansion of indications of Poria.
Animals ; Rats ; Network Pharmacology ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry ; Male ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Blood Glucose/drug effects* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Hypoglycemic Agents/administration & dosage* ; Poria/chemistry* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/metabolism* ; NF-kappa B/genetics* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Humans

Compounds isolated from Epimedium include the total flavonoids of Epimedium , icariin, and its metabolites (icaritin, icariside I, and icariside II), which have similar molecular structures. Modern pharmacological research and clinical practice have proved that Epimedium and its active components have a wide range of pharmacological effects, especially in improving sexual function, hormone regulation, anti-osteoporosis, immune function regulation, anti-oxidation, and anti-tumor activity. To date, we still need a comprehensive source of knowledge about the pharmacological effects of Epimedium and its bioactive compounds on the male reproductive system. However, their actions in other tissues have been reviewed in recent years. This review critically focuses on the Epimedium , its bioactive compounds, and the biochemical and molecular mechanisms that modulate vital pathways associated with the male reproductive system. Such intrinsic knowledge will significantly further studies on the Epimedium and its bioactive compounds that protect the male reproductive system and provide some guidances for clinical treatment of related male reproductive disorders.
Male ; Epimedium/chemistry* ; Humans ; Genitalia, Male/drug effects* ; Flavonoids/therapeutic use* ; Animals

Extensive studies have identified potential adverse effects on semen quality of obesity, based on body mass index, but the association between body fat distribution, a more relevant indicator for obesity, and semen quality remains less clear. We conducted a longitudinal study of 4304 sperm donors from the Guangdong Provincial Human Sperm Bank (Guangzhou, China) during 2017-2021. A body composition analyzer was used to measure total and local body fat percentage for each participant. Generalized estimating equations were employed to assess the association between body fat percentage and sperm count, motility, and morphology. We estimated that each 10% increase in total body fat percentage (estimated change [95% confidence interval, 95% CI]) was significantly associated with a 0.18 × 10 6 (0.09 × 10 6 -0.27 × 10 6 ) ml and 12.21 × 10 6 (4.52 × 10 6 -19.91 × 10 6 ) reduction in semen volume and total sperm count, respectively. Categorical analyses and exposure-response curves showed that the association of body fat distribution with semen volume and total sperm count was stronger at higher body fat percentages. In addition, the association still held among normal weight and overweight participants. We observed similar associations for upper limb, trunk, and lower limb body fact distributions. In conclusion, we found that a higher body fat distribution was significantly associated with lower semen quality (especially semen volume) even in men with a normal weight. These findings provide useful clues in exploring body fat as a risk factor for semen quality decline and add to evidence for improving semen quality for those who are expected to conceive.
Humans ; Male ; Adult ; Semen Analysis ; China ; Body Fat Distribution ; Longitudinal Studies ; Sperm Count ; Sperm Motility ; Body Mass Index ; Tissue Donors ; Obesity/complications* ; Spermatozoa ; Young Adult ; Middle Aged ; East Asian People

Accurate timing of myelination is crucial for the proper functioning of the central nervous system. Here, we identified a de novo heterozygous mutation in TMEM63A (c.1894G>A; p. Ala632Thr) in a 7-year-old boy exhibiting hypomyelination. A Ca²⁺ influx assay suggested that this is a loss-of-function mutation. To explore how TMEM63A deficiency causes hypomyelination, we generated Tmem63a knockout mice. Genetic deletion of TMEM63A resulted in hypomyelination at postnatal day 14 (P14) arising from impaired differentiation of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). Notably, the myelin dysplasia was transient, returning to normal levels by P28. Primary cultures of Tmem63a^-/- OPCs presented delayed differentiation. Lentivirus-based expression of TMEM63A but not TMEM63A_A632T rescued the differentiation of Tmem63a^-/- OPCs in vitro and myelination in Tmem63a^-/- mice. These data thus support the conclusion that the mutation in TMEM63A is the pathogenesis of the hypomyelination in the patient. Our study further demonstrated that TMEM63A-mediated Ca²⁺ influx plays critical roles in the early development of myelin and oligodendrocyte differentiation.
Animals ; Cell Differentiation/physiology* ; Oligodendroglia/metabolism* ; Mice, Knockout ; Mice ; Male ; Myelin Sheath/metabolism* ; Humans ; Child ; Cells, Cultured ; Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: Several epidemiological observational studies have related particulate matter (PM) exposure to Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but many confounding factors make it difficult to draw causal links from observational studies. The objective of this study was to explore the causal association between PM _2.5 exposure, its absorbance, and IBD. METHODS: We assessed the association of PM _2.5 and PM _2.5 absorbance with the two primary forms of IBD (Crohn's disease [CD] and ulcerative colitis [UC]) using Mendelian randomization (MR) to explore the causal relationship. We conducted two-sample MR analyses with aggregated data from the UK Biobank genome-wide association study. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms linked with PM _2.5 concentrations or their absorbance were used as instrumental variables (IVs). We used inverse variance weighting (IVW) as the primary analytical approach and four other standard methods as supplementary analyses for quality control. RESULTS: The results of MR demonstrated that PM _2.5 had an adverse influence on UC risk (odds ratio [ OR] = 1.010; 95% confidence interval [ CI] = 1.001-1.019, P = 0.020). Meanwhile, the results of IVW showed that PM _2.5 absorbance was also causally associated with UC ( OR = 1.012; 95% CI = 1.004-1.019, P = 0.002). We observed no causal relationship between PM _2.5, PM _2.5 absorbance, and CD. The results of sensitivity analysis indicated the absence of heterogeneity or pleiotropy, ensuring the reliability of MR results. CONCLUSION Based on two-sample MR analyses, there are potential positive causal relationships between PM _2.5, PM _2.5 absorbance, and UC.
Humans ; Mendelian Randomization Analysis ; Particulate Matter/analysis* ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/genetics* ; Air Pollutants/analysis* ; Crohn Disease/genetics* ; Colitis, Ulcerative/genetics* ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Risk Factors ; Environmental Exposure

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between physical activity and genetic risk and their combined effects on the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 318,085 biobank participants from the UK. Physical activity was assessed using the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The participants were stratified into low-, intermediate-, and high-genetic-risk groups based on their polygenic risk scores. Multivariate Cox regression models and multiplicative interaction analyses were used. RESULTS: During a median follow-up period of 13 years, 9,209 participants were diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. For low genetic risk, compared to low physical activity, the hazard ratios ( HRs) for moderate and high physical activity were 0.853 (95% confidence interval [ CI]: 0.748-0.972) and 0.831 (95% CI: 0.727-0.950), respectively. For intermediate genetic risk, the HRs were 0.829 (95% CI: 0.758-0.905) and 0.835 (95% CI: 0.764-0.914), respectively. For participants with high genetic risk, the HRs were 0.809 (95% CI: 0.746-0.877) and 0.818 (95% CI: 0.754-0.888), respectively. A significant interaction was observed between genetic risk and physical activity. CONCLUSION Moderate or high levels of physical activity were associated with a lower risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease across all genetic risk groups, highlighting the need to tailor activity interventions for genetically susceptible individuals.
Humans ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/epidemiology* ; Exercise ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Aged ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Risk Factors ; United Kingdom/epidemiology* ; Incidence ; Adult

ObjectiveTo explore the compliance related factors of repeated screening for colorectal cancer in Jiading District， and to provide a scientific basis for the prevention and control of colorectal cancer. MethodsBased on the natural population cohort in Jiading District， and the screening situation in 2017‒2019 and 2020‒2022， the study subjects were divided into the groups of never participating in screening and participating in screening. Subjects in the participating group were further divided into participating in one round of screening or having repeated screening. SPSS 21.0 software was used to analyze the demographic characteristics of each group. χ² test or Fisher precise probability test were used to conduct univariate analysis of the factors such as gender， age， education level， marital status， retirement status， and type of medical insurance. Factors with the significant difference （P<0.05） were selected for inclusion in multivariate analysis， and factors related to compliance with repeated screening were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression. ResultsA total of 8 179 subjects were included in the study， including 3 323 males （40.6%） and 4 856 females （59.4%）. The average age of the subjects was （61.26±6.06） years old. A total of2 652 （32.4%） had educated in primary school or below， 4 242 （51.9%） in secondary school， and 1 285 （15.7%） in higher secondary school. Mostly， 7 579 （92.7%） were married. Among the participants， 4 062 people had never participated in screening， 4 117 people had participated in screening， and 1 485 of them had repeated screening， with a repeated screening rate of 18.2%. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that women had better compliance with repeated screening than men （OR=1.31， 95%CI： 1.14‒1.50）. Compared with the population aged 50 to 54 years， the population aged 55‒59 years （OR=1.57， 95%CI： 1.19‒2.08）， 60-64 years （OR=2.77， 95%CI： 2.13‒3.61）， and 65-69 years （OR=3.31， 95%CI： 2.51‒4.36） had higher compliance with repeated screening. Compared with employees' medical insurance， residents' medical insurance group had worse compliance with repeated screening （OR=0.76， 95%CI： 0.66‒0.87）. People with a history of intestinal polyps were more likely to undergo repeat screening than those without （OR=2.07， 95%CI： 1.50‒2.87）. ConclusionCompliance with repeated screening for colorectal cancer still needs to be improved， and there are differences in compliance with repeated screening for different populations with different characteristics. Identifying groups that are unlikely to adhere to community-based colorectal cancer screening and taking targeted interventions can help improve the continued compliance of residents with colorectal cancer screening.

AIM: To prepare a nanodrug MMC-ATS-@PLGA using polylactic acid hydroxyacetic acid copolymer(PLGA)as a carrier and mitomycin C(MMC)loaded on PLGA, and to analyse the biological safety and treatment effect of this nanodrug on inhibiting the proliferation of filtering bleb scarring after glaucoma surgery in vivo.METHODS: The thin-film dispersion hydration ultrasonic method was used to prepare the MMC-ATS-@PLGA, and its physical and chemical properties were detected. The effect of MMC-ATS@PLGA on rabbit corneas was analysed through corneal fluorescence staining and HE staining, and tear film rupture time(BUT), Schirmer test and intraocular pressure data were collected to analyse ocular surface biosafety. A slit lamp was used to observe and calculate the filtration bubble size, and the tissue morphological changes were analysed by conjunctival HE staining. In addition, immunohistochemistry and Elisa were used to compare the anti-inflammatory effects of Flumiolone Eye Drops(FML), MMC, and MMC-ATS-@PLGA nanoparticles on inhibiting the formation of filtering bleb scarring after glaucoma surgery from multiple perspectives via comparative proteomic analysis.RESULTS: The average particle size and zeta potential of MMC-ATS-@PLGA were 128.78±2.54 nm and 36.49±4.25 mV, respectively, with an encapsulation efficiency and a drug loading rate of(78.49±2.75)% and(30.86±1.84)%, respectively. At 33°C(the ocular surface temperature), the cumulative release rate of the MMC-ATS-@PLGA nanoparticles reached(76.58±2.68)% after 600 min. Moreover, corneal fluorescence staining, HE, BUT, Schirmer, and intraocular pressure results showed that MMC-ATS-@PLGA had good biocompatibility with the ocular surface of rabbits. At 3 wk after surgery, the area of filtering blebs in the MMC-ATS-@PLGA group was significantly larger than that in the FML group and MMC group, and the filtering blebs in the control group had basically disappeared. Pathological tissue analysis of the conjunctiva in the filtering blebs area of the eyes of the rabbits revealed that compared with that in the normal group, the morphology of the collagen fibres in the MMC-ATS-@PLGA group was relatively regular, the fibres were arranged neatly, and the tissue morphology was similar to that of the normal group. Immunohistochemistry and Elisa confirmed that compared with those in the normal group, the expression levels of α-SMA, CTGF, and type Ⅲ collagen fibre antibodies were significantly increased in the control group. After FML, MMC, or MMC-ATS-@PLGA treatment for 3 wk, the expression of inflammatory factors gradually decreased. Among the groups, the MMC-ATS-@PLGA group showed the most significant decrease(P<0.05).CONCLUSION: This study successfully synthesized a nanomedicine(MMC-ATS-@PLGA)that inhibits scar proliferation after glaucoma filtration surgery. The drug had stable physicochemical properties, good biocompatibility, and better anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the expression of α-SMA, CTGF, and type Ⅲ collagen fibres, which can prevent the formation of scarring in the filtering blebs area, thereby improving the success rate of glaucoma filtering surgery.

Objective·To evaluate the changes in cognitive function in overweight and obese adolescents,and explore the association between cognitive function and fibroblast growth factor 21(FGF21).Methods·A total of 175 adolescents from a senior high school in Shanghai were divided into normal weight group(n=50),overweight group(n=50)and obese group(n=75)based on their body mass index(BMI).General information,anthropometric data and laboratory testing indicators of the adolescents were collected and compared.The cognitive function of the three groups of adolescents was assessed by using the accuracy(ACC)and reaction time of Flanker task and n-back task.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect the serum FGF21 level of the three groups of adolescents.Partial correlation analysis and multiple linear regression model were used to evaluate the correlation between cognitive task performance and anthropometric data and laboratory testing indicators.Results·Compared with the normal weight group,systolic blood pressure,diastolic blood pressure,and the levels of fasting plasma glucose,glycosylated hemoglobin and triacylglycerol in the obese group were higher(all P<0.05).Under congruent or incongruent stimulus conditions in the Flanker task,there was no significant difference in ACC between any two groups;compared with the normal weight and overweight groups,the reaction time of the adolescents in the obese group was prolonged(all P<0.05).In the n-back task,there were no significant differences in ACC between any two groups,while the obese group had longer reaction time in the 1-back and 2-back tasks compared to the normal weight and overweight groups(all P<0.05).Compared with the normal weight group,serum FGF21 levels of the adolescents in the obese group were higher(P=0.000).Partial correlation analysis showed that the reaction time of the adolescents in Flanker and n-back tasks was correlated with their BMI,body fat mass,waist circumference,waist-to-hip ratio and FGF21 level(all P<0.05).Multiple linear regression analysis further confirmed that BMI was associated with prolonged reaction time in cognitive-related behavioral tasks in the adolescents(all P<0.05),and FGF21 level was associated with ACC in the 2-back task(P=0.000)and reaction time in the incongruent stimulus condition(P=0.048).Conclusion·Overweight and obese adolescents have cognitive impairments,and BMI and serum FGF21 levels are associated with changes in their cognitive function.