1.Thyroid Hormone Network Regulation in MASLD: Mechanisms and Targeted Therapies
Wen-Ping XIAO ; Yang MA ; Heng GUAN ; Sha WAN ; Wen HAN ; Bing-Bing LUO ; Wu-Feng WANG ; Fang LIU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(3):643-661
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) has become the most prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide, affecting approximately 32%-38% of the adult population and posing a growing public health burden. MASLD represents a continuous disease spectrum ranging from simple steatosis to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), progressive hepatic fibrosis, cirrhosis, and ultimately hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The pathological core of MASLD lies in disruption of hepatic lipid metabolic homeostasis, characterized by an imbalance among de novo lipogenesis, fatty acid β-oxidation, and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)-mediated lipid export. This metabolic disequilibrium subsequently drives inflammatory injury and fibrotic progression. Among the multiple regulatory pathways involved, thyroid hormone (TH) signaling has emerged as a central regulator of hepatic metabolic homeostasis. The liver is a major peripheral target organ of TH action, where TH predominantly exerts its metabolic effects through thyroid hormone receptor β (TRβ). Large-scale epidemiological studies and meta-analyses have demonstrated that hypothyroidism is significantly associated with increased MASLD prevalence, more severe histological injury, and advanced hepatic fibrosis, suggesting that dysregulation of TH signaling may participate throughout the entire MASLD disease spectrum. At the molecular level, TH regulates hepatic lipid metabolism by coordinating suppression of lipogenesis, enhancement of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation, and promotion of VLDL assembly and secretion through integrated genomic actions of the T3-TRβ axis and non-genomic signaling pathways. Across different stages of MASLD, TH signaling exerts stage-dependent protective effects. In the steatosis stage, TH improves metabolic flexibility by modulating insulin sensitivity, glucose metabolism, and lipid droplet clearance, thereby alleviating early lipotoxic stress. During progression to MASH, TH attenuates inflammatory amplification by improving mitochondrial homeostasis, suppressing activation of the NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, and modulating the gut-liver axis microenvironment. In advanced stages, TH signaling influences hepatic stellate cell activation and extracellular matrix deposition, partly through interaction with the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)/SMAD pathway, while alterations in intrahepatic TH availability, mediated by dynamic changes in iodothyronine deiodinase 1 (DIO1), contribute to fibrosis progression and hepatocellular dedifferentiation. In hepatocellular carcinoma, coordinated downregulation of TRβ and DIO1 establishes a tumor-associated hypothyroid state that promotes metabolic reprogramming and tumor progression. The clinical relevance of TH signaling in MASLD has been underscored by the recent approval of Resmetirom, a liver-targeted TRβ‑selective agonist, for the treatment of non-cirrhotic MASH with moderate-to-severe fibrosis (F2-F3). This approval represents a landmark transition from mechanistic understanding to metabolism-centered precision therapy in MASLD. Clinical trials have demonstrated that Resmetirom not only improves key histological endpoints, including MASH resolution and fibrosis regression, but also favorably modulates atherogenic lipid profiles, highlighting the therapeutic potential of selectively targeting hepatic TH pathways. This review systematically summarizes the multidimensional regulatory roles of TH across the MASLD disease spectrum and discusses emerging diagnostic and therapeutic implications of TH-based interventions, aiming to inform future mechanistic research and optimize clinical management strategies.
2.Preliminary application of histological evaluation of donor pancreas biopsy tissue in simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation
Jiao WAN ; Hui GUO ; Jiali FANG ; Guanghui LI ; Luhao LIU ; Yunyi XIONG ; Wei YIN ; Tong YANG ; Junjie MA ; Zheng CHEN
Organ Transplantation 2026;17(2):250-256
Objective To preliminarily investigate the safety and efficacy of donor pancreas needle biopsy in simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation. Methods Clinical data of 7 cases undergoing donor pancreas biopsy were collected retrospectively. All cases underwent donor pancreas biopsy before or during simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation. Frozen section or paraffin sectioning techniques were used for tissue preparation, and hematoxylin-eosin and Masson staining were performed to histologically evaluate the donor pancreas. The quality of donor pancreas was comprehensively assessed by combining histological findings with the donor's clinical data. Postoperative follow-up data of 5 simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplant recipients were collected to summarize the safety of donor pancreas biopsy and the prognosis of transplant recipients. Results The 7 pancreas donors were aged 28 to 62 years, with a body mass index ranging from 20.76 to 27.68 kg/m2. Liver ultrasound indicated fatty liver in 3 cases, while pancreatic ultrasound did not reveal any significant abnormalities. Among them, biopsy was performed on 2 donors after completion of pancreatic procurement and processing, and the frozen section histology showed moderate acute pancreatitis changes (edema of acinar cells, necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration). Combined with a serum amylase level elevated more than 3 times the upper limit of normal value, these two donor pancreases were finally discarded. The remaining 5 cases underwent biopsy immediately after pancreatic vascular anastomosis during simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation, and histological evaluation was performed on paraffin-embedded sections. No biopsy-related complications (such as bleeding, pancreatic fistula, etc.) occurred after transplantation. One recipient died of severe infection 2 months after transplantation, while the other 4 recipients were followed up for more than 5 years, with well-functioning transplant kidneys and pancreases. Conclusions Donor pancreas biopsy is relatively safe, and the risk of biopsy-related complications after transplantation is controllable. Comprehensive assessment of donor pancreas quality by combining histological evaluation with the donor's clinical indicators is conducive to improving the accuracy of donor pancreas selection and organ utilization.
3.Analysis of barriers to physical activity behavior among overweight and obese children and adolescents
HUANG Daohua, FANG Miaomiao, XIE Qinglei, WAN Hongyan, ZHANG Yumei
Chinese Journal of School Health 2026;47(5):642-645
Objective:
To explore the barriers to physical activity behavior among overweight and obese children and adolescents, so as to provide evidence for developing physical activity intervention programs.
Methods:
From March to April 2025, 13 overweight or obese children and adolescents from one primary school and one secondary school in Nanjing were selected by purposive sampling for semi structured interviews. Guided by the capability, opportunity and motivation-behavior model, data were coded, categorized and analyzed using content analysis.
Results:
A total of 13 interviews were completed, with a cumulative duration of 358 minutes. Three themes and eight subthemes were identified:capability factors, including physical discomfort and limited physical fitness, weak exercise skills and insufficient behavioral regulation ability, and insufficient psychological capability; opportunity factors, including insufficient family support and negative influence, pressure from school and peer environments, and limited time resources and exercise conditions; and motivation factors, including low self efficacy and situations prone to giving up, and insufficient positive feedback and lack of attractiveness of exercise forms.
Conclusions
Barriers to physical activity among overweight and obese children and adolescents result from the combined effects of capability, opportunity and motivation. It is necessary to lower the threshold for initiating exercise, strengthen positive experiences and feedback, and build integrate family-school support environments to promote the initiation and maintenance of physical activity behaviors in children and adolescents.
4.Trends and gender differences in height and weight of primary and secondary school students in Shiyan City, 2015-2024
Peidong YANG ; Liang ZHAO ; Weidong HE ; Jie YANG ; Fang XU ; Rongmei WAN ; Feijia CHEN ; Jun ZHAO
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2026;37(3):90-93
bjective To analyze the growth trends of height and weight among primary and secondary school students, and explore the developmental characteristics and gender differences at different age groups, and to provide a scientific basis for adolescent health policy formulation. Methods Based on 675 175 health examination records of 227 978 students aged 6-17 years in Shiyan City from 2015 to 2024, a logistic growth model was employed to fit the curves of height and weight changes with age. Results From 2015 to 2024, height and weight showed steady increases across all age groups, exhibiting typical sigmoidal growth patterns. The growth rates varied across age groups: the younger age group (6-9 years) showed a moderate growth (annual height increase of 0.5-1.0 cm, weight increase of 0.03-0.06 kg/year), while the older age group (10-17 years) demonstrated a significant growth (annual height increase of 1.5-2.0 cm, weight increase of 0.22-0.38 kg/year). The growth rate curves displayed a unimodal distribution. The growth inflection points of male students occurred later than that of female students (height inflection point: 9.87 years for males vs. 8.98 years for females; weight inflection point: 10.70 years for males vs. 9.99 years for females). Female students experienced a more concentrated but shorter period of growth and development. The peak height growth rate was 7.40 cm/year at age 9 for females and 7.09 cm/year at age 10 for males, while the peak weight growth rate was 5.04 kg/year at age 10 for females and 5.27 kg/year at age 11 for males. Conclusion The physical development of primary and secondary school students in Shiyan City follows a logistic growth pattern, with significant gender differences and characteristics of adolescent growth spurts. Female students exhibit an earlier and more concentrated growth process.
5.Overview of the Research on Mechanisms and Application of Essential Oil of Aromatic Chinese Medicinals in Prevention of Respiratory Infectious Disease
Wan Ling LI ; Xinxin WU ; Xiaolei LI ; Mingzhao HAO ; Fang ZHANG ; Yue ZHANG ; Haoyue LI ; Jing ZHAO
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(6):638-644
Aromatic Chinese medicinal essential oils are volatile oils extracted from aromatic Chinese herbs, which can prevent and treat respiratory infectious diseases through multiple synergistic mechanisms including pathogen inhibition, immune regulation, and inflammatory response regulation. Essential oils are primarily used externally on the body to prevent infections and alleviate symptoms through methods like inhalation, smearing, topical application, bathing, gargling or as a suppository. They can also be utilized in the environment for disinfection and air purification, through methods like diffusion, vaporization, or spraying. The external application of essential oils extracted from Chinese aromatic herbs has the advantages of convenience, quick absorption, and simultaneous influence on both the body and mind. However, there are still challenges and deficiencies in aspects such as the positioning of functions, indications, safety, and the research on the mechanism of action. It has been proposed to combine the theory of aromatic Chinese medicinals with the characteristics of essential oils, and formulate prescriptions of Chinese medicinal essential oils under the principles of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation, and prevent and treat respiratory infectious diseases efficiently, accurately, and safely, thereby expanding the clinical application of aromatic Chinese medicinals and the preventive theory of traditional Chinese medicine.
6.Long-distance transport of pathogens by migratory birds and spillover of pathogens between migratory birds and poultry
Er-ya WAN ; Yuan FANG ; Yi ZHANG ; Xiao-nong ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Zoonoses 2025;41(5):487-493
Migratory birds are found worldwide.These birds are natural carriers of pathogens,because of their long-distance mi-grations across different climatic and geographic regions.The pathogens carried by migratory birds can enter ecosystems along migra-tory routes through direct and indirect contact between animal hosts,thereby potentially threatening the health of local poultry and even humans.Herein,we systematically analyzed evidence of pathogen spillover between migratory birds and poultry,and summa-rized the three modes of long-distance pathogen transmission by migratory birds(internal carriage,surface carriage,and environmen-tal contamination),as well as the two pathways of pathogen spillover between migratory birds and poultry(direct contact and indirect contact).Furthermore,this study proposes a multi-tiered mitigation strategy,grounded in the One Health framework,for targeting animal-environment-human interfaces to decrease the pathogen transmission risks associated with migratory birds.Key interventions include establishing an early-warning surveillance system for migratory flyways,enhancing biosecurity protocols in poultry production systems,and developing cross-regional risk assessment models for pathogen spread.Our findings provide critical theoretical founda-tions and empirical evidence for preventing zoonotic disease emergence and safeguarding sustainable poultry production.This inte-grated approach advances the coordinated development of biosafety measures and global health security.
7.Mechanism and Research Progress of Pentraxin 3 in Glioblastoma Multiforme
Xiaoxue LI ; Wan LI ; Wanxin CAO ; Fang XU ; Hong YANG ; Xiangyin CHI ; Guanhua DU ; Mingyu XIA ; Jinhua WANG
Herald of Medicine 2025;44(8):1281-1289
Glioblastoma multiforme(GBM)is a grade 4 glioma with the highest malignancy and invasiveness in the central nervous system,accounting for approximately 30%of all tumors in the central nervous system.Due to the unclear pathogenesis of GBM,there is currently no specific target for the treatment of GBM.Temozolomide(TMZ)is the only first-line chemotherapeutic drug for the treatment of GBM,but suffers from a low drug response rate and high susceptibility to drug resistance.Therefore,the development of new targets and novel GBM therapeutic agents is an urgent clinical problem.Pentraxin 3(PTX3),a member of the pentameric protein superfamily,has been shown to have a promotive effect on a variety of tumors.Increasing evidences showed that PTX3 played a crucial role in the progression of GBM.PTX3 can promote the proliferation,migration and invasion ability of GBM cells,increase the angiogenesis ability in the GBM microenvironment and malignant progression of GBM.In the article,the structure,physiological function,expression regulation,role and mechanism of PTX3 in GBM were mainly reviewed,with a view to provide guidance for PTX3 as a potential drug target for the treatment of GBM.
8.A comparative study on pregnancy characteristics and preterm birth risks between assisted reproductive technology and natural conceived couples
Qiu-ping WAN ; Xin CUI ; Xiao-ming YANG ; Nai-si QIAN ; Shan JIN ; Xiao-ting CHU ; Chun-fang WANG ; Hui-ting YU
Fudan University Journal of Medical Sciences 2025;52(5):617-628
Objective To investigate the differences in demographic characteristics,reproductive health status,and the distribution of pregnancy-related diseases between couples conceived via assisted reproductive technology(ART)and naturally conceived couples,and to analyze the impact of ART treatment on the incidence of preterm birth(PTB)in singleton and twin and multiple pregnancies.Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of the maternal and infant cohort data of Jing'an District from 2013 to 2020.Based on the conception method,the subjects were categorized into two groups:the ART group and the natural conception group.Chi-square test was applied to compare baseline characteristics and disease distributions differences between the two groups,and logistic regression models were used to evaluate the association between ART and the PTB risks.A causal mediation model was used to evaluate the mediating effect of twin and multiple pregnancy in the relationship between ART and PTB.Results A total of 117 717 parturients were included,6 265 in the ART group and 111 452 in the natural conception group.Compared with the natural conception group,couples in the ART group were significantly older and had a higher prevalence of reproductive system diseases.The incidences of diabetes and hypertensive disorders during pregnancy in ART parturient were 13.76%and 9.99%,respectively,which were significantly higher than 7.88%and 4.75%in the natural conception group(both P<0.001).The overall PTB rate in the ART group was 14.81%,higher than 5.35%in the natural conceptions group(P<0.001).The PTB rate in ART for singleton pregnancies in the ART group was 6.40%,higher than 4.83%in the natural conception group(P<0.001),while the PTB rate in ART for twin and multiple pregnancies in the ART group was 53.97%,lower than 60.42%in the natural conception group(P<0.05).Mediation analysis showed that 97.99%of the effect of ART on PTB was mediated by twin and multiple pregnancy,with ART increasing the PTB risk by 3.44 times through multiple pregnancy.Conclusion The overall PTB rate of ART recipients is higher than that of natural recipients,but ART does not increase the PTB risk in singleton and twin and multiple pregnancies.Twin and multiple pregnancy is the key mediating factor contributing to PTB in ART-conceived recipients.Compared with naturally conceived couples,ART conception couples own more advanced maternal age,and have higher risks of suffering gestational diabetes,gestational hypertension,and PTB.
9.Study on risk classification model of adverse event of medical consumables
Jun FANG ; Enyun WAN ; Yujuan ZHAO ; Wenwen YU ; Li XUE
China Medical Equipment 2025;22(2):116-120
Objective:To construct a risk classification model for adverse events of medical consumables,so as to achieve automatic evaluation for risk level of such events,and enhance the capability for risk management of adverse events of medical consumables,and ensure the safety of medical apparatuses.Methods:The data of adverse events of medical consumables of 370 cases of 148 types that were reported by Shandong Provincial Third Hospital from 2020 to 2023 were selected,and they were divided into high-risk and low-risk types.Eight key factors of them,which included the number of cases,injury level,type of registration certificate,with source and without source,high-value and low-value,domestic and imports,product classification,and risk levels,were counted to form a dataset.K-nearest neighbor(KNN),support vector machine(SVM)and decision tree algorithms in machine learning were used to construct a risk classification model for adverse events of medical consumables.The data of 12 adverse events of medical consumables of 5 types of our hospital,which were newly reported in 2024,were integrated for their parameters.Then,the accuracy rate and prediction performance of the model were further analyzed.Results:By comparing the KNN,SVM and decision tree algorithm models,the effect of SVM algorithm model was better,and its accuracy rate was 90.54%,and its area under curve(AUC)value of the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was 0.944,and its Kolmogorov-Smirnov(KS)test value was 0.808.The model had favorable predictive performance.The results,that invoked SVM algorithm model to conduct verification of actual prediction for 12 adverse events of medical consumables of 5 types,indicated it was same between predictive outcomes and risk levels of manual evaluation.Conclusion:The risk classification model of adverse events of medical consumables has established an operational model for assessing the risk level of such events,which can assist monitoring personnel for adverse event of medical apparatuses to quickly and accurately find risk signals of adverse events of medical consumables,and improve the monitoring capability of them for these adverse events.
10.Study on risk classification model of adverse event of medical consumables
Jun FANG ; Enyun WAN ; Yujuan ZHAO ; Wenwen YU ; Li XUE
China Medical Equipment 2025;22(2):116-120
Objective:To construct a risk classification model for adverse events of medical consumables,so as to achieve automatic evaluation for risk level of such events,and enhance the capability for risk management of adverse events of medical consumables,and ensure the safety of medical apparatuses.Methods:The data of adverse events of medical consumables of 370 cases of 148 types that were reported by Shandong Provincial Third Hospital from 2020 to 2023 were selected,and they were divided into high-risk and low-risk types.Eight key factors of them,which included the number of cases,injury level,type of registration certificate,with source and without source,high-value and low-value,domestic and imports,product classification,and risk levels,were counted to form a dataset.K-nearest neighbor(KNN),support vector machine(SVM)and decision tree algorithms in machine learning were used to construct a risk classification model for adverse events of medical consumables.The data of 12 adverse events of medical consumables of 5 types of our hospital,which were newly reported in 2024,were integrated for their parameters.Then,the accuracy rate and prediction performance of the model were further analyzed.Results:By comparing the KNN,SVM and decision tree algorithm models,the effect of SVM algorithm model was better,and its accuracy rate was 90.54%,and its area under curve(AUC)value of the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was 0.944,and its Kolmogorov-Smirnov(KS)test value was 0.808.The model had favorable predictive performance.The results,that invoked SVM algorithm model to conduct verification of actual prediction for 12 adverse events of medical consumables of 5 types,indicated it was same between predictive outcomes and risk levels of manual evaluation.Conclusion:The risk classification model of adverse events of medical consumables has established an operational model for assessing the risk level of such events,which can assist monitoring personnel for adverse event of medical apparatuses to quickly and accurately find risk signals of adverse events of medical consumables,and improve the monitoring capability of them for these adverse events.


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