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.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of wheat-grain moxibustion at the Guanyuan point on testosterone (T) synthesis and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis in naturally aged mice. METHODS: We fed 40 twelve-month-old SPF male C57BL/6J mice with a normal diet for 3 months, randomized them into a moxibustion and an aged group of an equal number, and selected 7 four-month-old ones as young controls. We treated the animals of the moxibustion group by wheat-grain moxibustion at the Guanyuan point, once 5 moxibustion sticks, qd, 5 times a week, and fed those of the aged group normally, all for 12 weeks. After treatment, we obtained the testicular index of the mice, observed the histomorphology of the testis tissue by HE staining, measured the contents of T in the testis, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in the hypothalamus and total T (tT), free T (fT), luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in the serum by ELISA, and determined the expressions of silence information regulator-1 (SIRT1), P53, glutathione peroxidase (GPX4) and cholesterol side-chain?cleavage enzyme (CYP11A1) in the testis by Western blot. RESULTS: Compared with the young controls, the mice in the aged group showed obviously losing and dull hair, energy declination, loose structure of the spermatogenic tubule with different degrees of cell loss and rupture, reduced testicular index, and evident aging phenotype. In comparison with the aged mice, the animals of the moxibustion group were fairly energetic and exhibited distinct structure of the spermatogenic tubules, orderly arranged and highly differentiated cells at all levels, significantly increased T level, up-regulated expressions of SIRT1, GPX4 and CYP11A1, and down-regulated expression of P53 in testis tissue, and elevated levels of GnRH, FSH, LH, tT and fT in the HPG axis. CONCLUSION Wheat-grain moxibustion at the Guanyuan point protects testosterone synthesis in the testis tissue of naturally aged mice, promotes negative feedback regulation of the HPG axis, and improves low testosterone.
Animals ; Male ; Moxibustion ; Mice ; Testosterone/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Testis/metabolism* ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System/metabolism* ; Triticum ; Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone/metabolism* ; Luteinizing Hormone/blood* ; Follicle Stimulating Hormone/blood* ; Aging ; Hypothalamus/metabolism* ; Acupuncture Points ; Sirtuin 1/metabolism* ; Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis

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: To describe survival trends and global patterns of esophageal cancer (EC) using survival data from population-based cancer registries. METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, SEER, and SinoMed databases for articles published up to 31 December 2023. Eligible EC survival estimates were evaluated according to country or region, period, sex, age group, pathology, and disease stage. RESULTS: After 2010, Jordan exhibited the highest age-standardized 5-year relative survival rates (RSRs)/net survival rates (NSRs) at 41.1% between 2010 and 2014, while India had the lowest, at 4.1%. Survival rates generally improved with diagnostic age across most countries, with significant increases in South Korea and China, of 12.7% and 10.5% between 2000 and 2017, respectively. Survival was higher among women compared to men, ranging from 0.4%-10.9%. Survival rates for adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma were similar, differing by about 4%. In China, the highest age-standardized RSRs/NSRs was 33.4% between 2015 and 2017. Meanwhile, the lowest was 5.3%, in Qidong (Jiangsu province) between 1992-1996. CONCLUSION Global EC survival rates have improved significantly in recent decades, but substantial geographical, sex, and age disparities still exist. In Asia, squamous cell carcinoma demonstrated superior survival rates compared to adenocarcinoma, while the opposite trend was observed in Western countries. Future research should clarify the prognostic factors influencing EC survival and tailor prevention and screening strategies to the changing EC survival patterns.
Humans ; Esophageal Neoplasms/mortality* ; Registries ; Male ; Female ; Survival Analysis ; Middle Aged ; Survival Rate ; Aged ; Global Health

ObjectiveTo investigate the distribution of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndromes in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy （ICP） and its association with perinatal outcomes， and to provide a basis for precise treatment based on TCM syndrome differentiation. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted among 275 patients with ICP who were admitted to The Affiliated Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from April 2023 to April 2025. A hierarchical cluster analysis was used to summarize TCM syndromes. The Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between groups， and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. A multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the clinical features significantly associated with TCM syndrome. ResultsThe cluster analysis identified three core TCM syndromes among the 275 patients with ICP， i.e.， liver-gallbladder damp-heat syndrome （45.8%）， syndrome of blood deficiency generating wind （30.9%）， and liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome （23.3%）. There was a significant difference in the distribution of TCM syndromes between different groups stratified by maternal age at delivery， parity， history of ICP recurrence， gestational weeks at disease onset， total bile acid （TBA）， alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， and comorbidity with gestational diabetes mellitus （GDM） （all P<0.05）. The multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that<34 gestational weeks at disease onset was significantly associated with all three syndromes （damp-heat： odds ratio ［OR］=3.769， P<0.001； blood deficiency： OR=4.031， P<0.001； liver stagnation： OR=3.552， P<0.001）. Liver-gallbladder damp-heat syndrome was associated with maternal age ≥35 years at disease onset （OR=2.048， P=0.014）， parity ≥2 times （OR=1.921， P=0.034）， history of ICP recurrence （OR=2.404， P=0.030）， ALT ≥200 U/L （OR=2.051， P=0.018）， comorbidity with GDM （OR=1.944， P=0.029）， and TBA ≥40 μmol/L （OR=2.542， P=0.024）. The syndrome of blood deficiency generating wind syndrome was associated with maternal age ≥35 years （OR=2.939， P=0.003）， parity ≥2 time （OR=3.222， P=0.003）， history of ICP recurrence （OR=3.809， P=0.010）， ALT ≥200 U/L （OR=2.889， P=0.006）， comorbidity with GDM （OR=3.711， P=0.001）， and comorbidity with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy （OR=4.472， P=0.011）. Liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome was associated with TBA ≥40 μmol/L （OR=2.995， P=0.044）. The analysis of perinatal outcomes showed that there were significant differences in mode of delivery， gestational weeks at the time of delivery， postpartum blood loss， and neonatal birth weight between the three groups with different TCM syndromes （all P<0.05）. ConclusionLiver-gallbladder damp-heat syndrome， syndrome of blood deficiency generating wind， and liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome are the main TCM syndrome types in ICP， and the distribution of TCM syndromes is closely associated with clinical factors and perinatal outcomes， which provides a basis for precise TCM syndrome differentiation and individualized treatment.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a kind of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) with covalent closed-loop structure. They have attracted more and more attention because of their high stability, evolutionary conservatism, and tissue expression specificity. It has shown that circRNAs are involved in the development of a variety of diseases including malignant tumors recently. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a malignant tumor that occurs in the nasopharynx and has a unique ethnic and geographical distribution in South China and Southeast Asia. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is closely related to the development of NPC. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are the mainstays of treatment for NPC. But tumor recurrence or distant metastasis is the leading cause of death in patients with NPC. Several studies have shown that circRNAs, as gene expression regulators, play an important role in NPC and affect the progression of NPC. This review mainly summarized the research status of abnormally expressed circRNAs in NPC and EBV-encoded circRNAs. We also discussed the possibility of circRNAs as a therapeutic target, diagnostic and prognostic marker for NPC.

Cation exchange chromatography, as a commonly used separation and purification technique in biopharmaceutical manufacturing, is often employed for downstream processes to separate target monoclonal antibodies from their charge variants. For samples with complex and poorly resolved charge variant profiles, the collection solely based on ultraviolet detection does not provide specific compositional information for individual charge variants, making it challenging to determine the range of pooled fractions directly. Subsequent laborious fractionation analysis is then required to guide collection according to production requirements. A mechanistic model for the cation exchange chromatography process of the target monoclonal antibody's critical components was established, and it was employed to assist in product collection. The model accurately predicted the elution peak shapes of the modeled variants, with a root mean square error between predicted and actual values below 0.009. In comparison to the online ultraviolet-based collection method, the model-assisted collection method not only visualized the chromatographic process but also increased the relative productivity by fourfold while ensuring compliance rate.

Persistent neurogenesis exists in the subventricular zone (SVZ) of the ventricles and the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus in the adult mammalian brain. Adult endogenous neurogenesis not only plays an important role in the normal brain function, but also has important significance in the repair and treatment of brain injury or brain diseases. This article reviews the process of adult endogenous neurogenesis and its application in the repair of traumatic brain injury (TBI) or ischemic stroke, and discusses the strategies of activating adult endogenous neurogenesis to repair brain injury and its practical significance in promoting functional recovery after brain injury.
Adult ; Animals ; Humans ; Brain/physiopathology* ; Hippocampus/physiopathology* ; Mammals/physiology* ; Neurogenesis/physiology* ; Brain Hemorrhage, Traumatic/therapy* ; Ischemic Stroke/therapy* ; Recovery of Function ; Spinal Cord/physiopathology*

Objective:To explore the impact of PM 2.5 concentration in Shanghai on the incidence of allergic rhinitis（AR） in the population, and provide strategies for early warning and prevention of AR. Methods:Collect daily average concentrations of atmospheric pollutants monitored in Shanghai from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2019, and clinical data of AR patients from five hospitals in Shanghai during the same period. We used a time-series analysis additive Poisson regression model to analyze the correlation between PM 2.5 levels and outpatient attendance for AR patients. Results:During the study period, a total of 56 500 AR patients were included, and the daily average concentration of PM 2.5 was（35.28±23.07）μg/m³. There is a correlation between the concentration of PM 2.5 and the number of outpatient attendance for AR cases. There is a positive correlation between the daily average number of outpatient for AR and levels of PM 2.5 air pollution（（P<0.05）） . We found that every 10 μg/m³ increase in PM 2.5, the impact of on the number of AR visits was statistically significant on the same day, the first day behind, and the second day behind, with the strongest impact being the exposure on the same day. Every 10 μg/m³ increases in PM 2.5, the number of outpatient visits increased by 0.526% on the same day（95%CI 1.000 50-1.010 04）. Conclusion:The atmospheric PM 2.5 concentration in Shanghai is positively correlated with the number of outpatient for AR, and PM 2.5 exposure is an independent factor in the onset of AR. This provides an important theoretical basis for AR.
Humans ; Particulate Matter/analysis* ; Air Pollutants/adverse effects* ; Incidence ; China/epidemiology* ; Air Pollution/adverse effects* ; Rhinitis, Allergic/etiology*

This study aims to analyze the clinical characteristics and genetic variations of two cases with developmental delay and lactic acidosis in a family, and to explore the relationship between genetic variations and clinical features. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical characteristics of two siblings with developmental delay and lactic acidosis who were treated at the Neonatal Department of Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University in May 2019 and December 2021, respectively. Whole-exome sequencing was used to detect genetic variations in the affected children. Homology modeling of the BCS1L protein was performed to analyze the structural and functional changes of the protein. The correlation between genetic variations and clinical phenotypes was analyzed. The results showed that the main clinical features of the two affected children in this family were manifestations of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex Ⅲ deficiency, including prematurity, developmental delay, respiratory failure, lactic acidosis, cholestasis, liver dysfunction, renal tubular lesions, coagulation dysfunction, anemia, hypoglycemia, hypotonia, and early death. Whole-exome sequencing revealed a novel deletion mutation c.486_488delGGA (p.E163del) and a novel missense mutation c.992C>T (p.T331I) in the BCS1L gene. Structural analysis of the homology modeling showed that the compound heterozygous mutation had a significant impact on protein function. In conclusion, the novel mutation site c.992C>T (p.T331I) in the BCS1L gene is a "likely pathogenic" mutation, and the compound heterozygous mutation is closely related to the phenotype of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex Ⅲ deficiency.
Humans ; Acidosis, Lactic/genetics* ; Electron Transport Complex III/genetics* ; Retrospective Studies ; Mutation ; Growth Disorders ; ATPases Associated with Diverse Cellular Activities/genetics*