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.

Based on the literature review and the analysis of specific cases of postpartum frequent micturition,pediatric enuresis,elderly uremia complicated with bradyarrhythmia in clinic,the clinical application of the action of Ephedrae Herba in stimulating yang qi is discussed.Ephedrae Herba has the meridian tropism of the lung and bladder meridians,and is pungent,warm and dispersing,which is the most important medicine for the treatment of external contraction.Ephedrae Herba has the actions of inducing diaphoresis,calming asthma and inducing diuresis,and is widely used for the treatment of external contraction,coughing and asthma,and edema.For the patients with deficiency of both kidney yin and kidney yang without obvious bias of yin-yang consumption which result from the postpartum impairment of qi and blood,deficient innate endowment,and gradually exhaustion of essence in the kidney in the elderly or during chronic illness,a small dosage of Ephedrae Herba can stimulate yang qi during the treatment of warming kidney yang,which is helpful for promoting the drug arriving at the back shu-points of the internal organs distributed along the bladder meridian and enhancing the recovery of zang-fu organ function.Ephedrae Herba is strong in inducing diaphoresis with an intense action.When Ephedrae Herba is used to stimulate yang,the dosage of 3～9 g is appropriate,and medicines for warming yang are needs to be used together.The course of treatment with Ephedrae Herba should be avoided to be too long,in order to prevent the vital energy from the damage by its large cumulative dose.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical significance of translocator proteins (TSPO) gene in the treatment of FLT3-ITD/DNMT3A R882 double-mutated acute myeloid leukemia (AML). METHODS: Seventy-six patients with AML hospitalized in the Department of Hematology of the Affiliated People's Hospital of Ningbo University from June 2018 to June 2020 were selected, including 34 patients with FLT3-ITD mutation, 27 patients with DNMT3A R882 mutation, 15 patients with FLT3-ITD/DNMT3A R882 double mutation, as well as 19 patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) hospitalized during the same period as control group. RNA was routinely extracted from 3 ml bone marrow retained during bone puncture, and TSPO gene expression was detected by transcriptome sequencing (using 2-deltadeltaCt calculation). RESULTS: The expression of TSPO gene in FLT3-ITD group and DNMT3A R882 group at first diagnosis was 2.02±1.04 and 1.85±0.76, respectively, which were both higher than 1.00±0.06 in control group, but the differences were not statistically significant (P=0.671, P=0.821). The expression of TSPO gene in the FLT3-ITD/DNMT3A R882 group was 3.98±1.07, wich was significantly higher than that in the FLT3-ITD group and DNMT3A R882 group, the differences were statistically significant (P=0.032, P=0.021). The expression of TSPO gene in patients who achieved complete response after chemotherapy in the FLT3-ITD/DNMT3A R882 group was 1.19±0.87, which was significantly lower than that at first diagnosis, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.011). CONCLUSION TSPO gene may be used as an indicator of efficacy in FLT3-ITD /DNMT3A R882 double-mutated AML.
Humans ; DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases/genetics* ; DNA Methyltransferase 3A ; Mutation ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/drug therapy* ; Nucleophosmin ; Prognosis ; fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3/genetics* ; Receptors, GABA/therapeutic use*

Objective: To explore the heterogeneity and correlation of clinical phenotypes and genotypes in children with disorders of sex development (DSD). Methods: A retrospective study of 1 235 patients with clinically proposed DSD in 36 pediatric medical institutions across the country from January 2017 to May 2021. After capturing 277 DSD-related candidate genes, second-generation sequencing was performed to analyzed the heterogeneity and correlation combined with clinical phenotypes. Results: Among 1 235 children with clinically proposed DSD, 980 were males and 255 were females of social gender at the time of initial diagnosis with the age ranged from 1 day of age to 17.92 years. A total of 443 children with pathogenic variants were detected through molecular genetic studies, with a positive detection rate of 35.9%. The most common clinical phenotypes were micropenis (455 cases), hypospadias (321 cases), and cryptorchidism (172 cases) and common mutations detected were in SRD5A2 gene (80 cases), AR gene (53 cases) and CYP21A2 gene (44 cases). Among them, the SRD5A2 mutation is the most common in children with simple micropenis and simple hypospadias, while the AMH mutation is the most common in children with simple cryptorchidism. Conclusions: The SRD5A2 mutation is the most common genetic variant in Chinese children with DSD, and micropenis, cryptorchidism, and hypospadias are the most common clinical phenotypes. Molecular diagnosis can provide clues about the biological basis of DSD, and can also guide clinicians to perform specific clinical examinations. Target sequence capture probes and next-generation sequencing technology can provide effective and economical genetic diagnosis for children with DSD.
3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase/genetics* ; Child ; China/epidemiology* ; Cryptorchidism/genetics* ; Disorders of Sex Development/genetics* ; Female ; Genital Diseases, Male ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hypospadias/genetics* ; Male ; Membrane Proteins/genetics* ; Penis/abnormalities* ; Phenotype ; Retrospective Studies ; Steroid 21-Hydroxylase/genetics*

PURPOSE: This study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of the anti-pancreatic fibrosis effects of matrine in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid was administrated to rats to establish a pancreatic fibrosis model. Rats were divided into four groups: Control, Sham, Model, and Matrine (n=8). Hematoxylin-eosin staining, Masson staining, and Azan staining were performed to evaluate pancreatic fibrosis. Expression of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and collagen I in pancreatic tissues was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining. mRNA and protein levels of TGF-β receptor 1 (TβR1), TβR2, and Smad2 in pancreatic tissues were determined by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. RESULTS: In the model group, hyperplasia of glandules around the glandular ducts, mitochondrial swelling of acinous cells, and severe fibrosis were found. Interestingly, in the Matrine group, mitochondrial swelling was only found in a small number of acinous cells, and the fundamental structures of pancreatic tissues were intact. Moreover, pancreatic fibrosis was markedly alleviated. Comparing to the Sham group, expression of α-SMA, TGF-β1, and collagen I was sharply elevated in the Model group (p < 0.05); however, their expressions were much lower in the Matrine group, compared to the Model group (p < 0.05). Compared with the Sham group, mRNA and protein levels of Smad2, TβR1, and TβR2 in the Model group were notably raised (p < 0.05). However, their high expression was significantly downregulated in the Matrine group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Matrine suppressed pancreatic fibrosis by regulating TGF-β/Smad signaling in rats.
Acinar Cells ; Actins ; Animals ; Blotting, Western ; Collagen ; Fibrosis* ; Hyperplasia ; Mitochondrial Swelling ; Rats* ; RNA, Messenger ; Signal Transduction

Objective: To investigate the impact of FLT3-ITD and DNMT3A R882 double mutations to the prognosis of acute myeloid leukemia after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Methods: FLT3-ITD, DNMT3A, C-kit, CEBPA, FLT3-TKD and NPM1 mutations were detected in 206 newly diagnosed AML patients by Sanger sequencing (M(3) and those received FLT3 inhibitor were excluded). Clinical data of AML patients were retrospectively analyzed to compare the prognosis of each gene mutation group. Results: ①Of 206 patients, 104 were male and 102 female with a median age of 38 (3-63) years, including 6 cases of M(0), 24 cases of M(1), 56 cases of M(2), 39 cases of M(4), 63 cases of M(5), 6 cases of M(6) and 12 unclassified cases. ②All 206 patients were divided into four groups according to the mutation gene at the time of diagnosis: FLT3-ITD(+) DNMT3A R882(+) group (group A), FLT3-ITD(+) DNMT3A R882(-) group (group B), FLT3-ITD(-) DNMT3A R882(+) group (group C) and FLT3-ITD(-) DNMT3A R882(-) groups (group D). Gender, leukocyte count at diagnosis, chromosome karyotype, the median age, FAB classification, disease status prior to transplantation, type of donor, conditioning regimen and GVHD were not significantly different between four groups (P>0.05). ③The 2-year cumulative recurrence rate (CIR) of group A was significantly higher than that of other groups [group A (72.2±2.6)%, group B (38.6±0.6)%, group C (36.8±1.6)%, group D (27.8±0.1)%, respectively, P<0.05], while the 2-year overall survival (OS) rate and 2-year leukocyte-free survival (LFS) rate were lower than those of other groups [group A (30.9±13.3)%, (11.3±10.2)%; group B (67.5±7.8)%, (47.9±8.4)%; group C (61.4±12.4)%, (56.8±12.5)%; group D (80.1±3.7)%, (79.7±3.6)%, respectively, P<0.05]. Conclusion: AML patients with FLT3-ITD and DNMT3A R882 double mutations had a very high CIR and low OS, LFS after transplantation.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases/genetics* ; DNA Methyltransferase 3A ; Female ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Nucleophosmin ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult ; fms-Like Tyrosine Kinase 3/genetics*

Objective To acquire the physiological parameters such as pulse,blood oxygen saturation and ECG to realize personal health information monitoring and tailored medical service.Methods A personal health information acquisition terminal was developed,which was composed of an information acquisition module,personal computer and system software.The information acquisition module was developed with USB interface and unified circuit mode.Health information was transmitted to the personal computer at real time with USB interface,and then stored by system software and uploaded to the database.Results The terminal gained advantages in design,convenience and practicability,which realized realtime acquisition,data storage,remote auxiliary diagnosis,printing and etc of personal health information,so that personal information realtime monitoring was implemented.Concluslon The terminal can be used for health information recording,storage,acquisition and analysis,and extends medical service of hospital.

Objective To optimize the best extraction technology of total flavonoids in Wudang pine needle tea.Methods The contents of total flavonoids were taken as index, and orthogonal design of L9(34) was applied to process ultrasonic extraction.Results The order of factors of affecting extraction technology was solid to liquid ratio > ultrasonic power > ultrasonic time. The optimized extraction technology was as follows: adding 500 times volume of purified water, ultrasonic extracting for 15 minutes with ultrasound power 500 W at 40℃. The average content of total flavonoids was 39.701 mg/g.Conclusions The optimal extraction technology is simple, efficient and feasible, and can be used for extracting total flavonoids from Wudang pine needle tea, providing basis for the formulation of quality standards.

Tooth development relies on sequential and reciprocal interactions between the epithelial and mesenchymal tissues, and it is continuously regulated by a variety of conserved and specific temporal-spatial signalling pathways. It is well known that suspensions of tooth germ cells can form tooth-like structures after losing the positional information provided by the epithelial and mesenchymal tissues. However, the particular stage in which the tooth germ cells start to form tooth-like structures after losing their positional information remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the reassociation of tooth germ cells suspension from different morphological stages during tooth development and the phosphorylation of Smad2/3 in this process. Four tooth morphological stages were designed in this study. The results showed that tooth germ cells formed odontogenic tissue at embryonic day (E) 14.5, which is referred to as the cap stage, and they formed tooth-like structures at E16.5, which is referred to as the early bell stage, and E18.5, which is referred to as the late bell stage. Moreover, the transforming growth factor-β signalling pathway might play a role in this process.

Objective To explore the efficacy and safety of tocilizumab in combination with disease-modifying anti-rheumatoid drugs (DMARDs) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with moderate to severe activity and inadequate response to DMARDs. Methods Thirty-two RA patients with inadequate response to DMARDs were treated with tocilizumab along with stable dose of DMARDs for 12 weeks, adverse reactions were recorded, clinical laboratory and physiological indices were recorded 4, 8, and 12 weeks after treatment. The routine blood, liver and kidney function tests, morning stiffness, rest pain, tender joint count, swollen joint count, overall evaluation of the patient and physician to disease and health assessment questionnaire, blood sedimentation, C-reactive protein (CRP), Disease activity score 28 (DAS28), simplified disease activity index (SDAI) score, clinical disease activity index (CDAI). Repetitive measure analysis of variance wase used for statistical analysis. Results The clinical laboratory indices and DAS28, SDAI, CDAI scores observed in all of the patients were significantly improved (P<0.05). After 8 and 12 weeks of treatment, disease activity was further improved with statistical significance (P<0.05). The levels of IL-6 were downregulated obvious compared with before [(26±14) pg/ml vs (76±39) pg/ml, t=-6.925, P<0.01], and no obvious adverse reactions were observed. Conclusion Tocilizumab can quickly improve the symptoms and the control disease activity of refractory active RA within a few weeks.