1.Causal relationship between gut microbiota and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: A bi-directional two-sample Mendelian randomization study
Xuanyu WU ; Xiang XIAO ; Jiajing CHEN ; Xiaomin YU ; Han YANG
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(04):584-591
Objective To investigate the causal relationship between gut microbiota and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Methods Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) data of gut microbiota and IPF were obtained from MiBioGen and IEU OpenGWAS, respectively. Instrumental variables were screened by means of significance, linkage disequilibrium, weak instrumental variable screening, and removal of confounding factors (genetics, smoking, host characteristics). Inverse variance weighted (IVW) was used as the main Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis method, and the weighted median, simple mode, MR-Egger, and weighted mode were used to perform MR to reveal the causal effect of gut microbiota and IPF. The Cochrane's Q, leave-one-out, MR-Egger-intercept, and Mendelian randomization pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO) and Steiger tests were used to analyze the heterogeneity, horizontal pleiotropy, outliers, and directionality, respectively. Results IVW analysis results showed that Actinobacteria [OR=1.773, 95%CI (1.323, 2.377), P<0.001], Erysipelatoclostridium [OR=2.077, 95%CI (1.107, 3.896), P=0.023], and Streptococcus [OR=1.35, 95%CI (1.100, 1.657), P=0.004] could increase the risk of IPF. Bifidobacterium [OR=0.668, 95%CI (0.620, 0.720), P<0.001], Ruminococcus [OR=0.434, 95%CI (0.222, 0.848), P=0.015], and Tyzzerella [OR=0.479, 95%CI (0.304, 0.755), P=0.001] could reduce the risk of IPF. No significant heterogeneity, horizontal pleiotropy, outliers, and reverse causality were found. Conclusion Actinobacteria, Erysipelatoclostridium and Streptococcus may increase the risk of IPF, while Bifidobacterium, Ruminococcus and Tyzzerella may reduce the risk of IPF. Regulation of the above gut microbiota may become a new direction in the study of the pathogenesis of IPF.
2.Expert consensus on clinical application of parenteral direct thrombin inhibitors in perioperative period
Mingyu JIANG ; Yuan BIAN ; Lizhu HAN ; Qinan YIN ; Fengjiao KANG ; Anhua WEI ; Danjie ZHAO ; Lin WANG ; Ying SHAO ; Li TANG ; Yi WANG ; Shuhong LIANG ; Huijuan LIU ; Guirong XIAO ; Yue LI
China Pharmacy 2026;37(6):689-699
OBJECTIVE To form an expert consensus on the clinical application of parenteral direct thrombin inhibitors (DTIs) in patients during the perioperative period. METHODS Led by Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital (the Affiliated Hospital of UESTC), a multidisciplinary working group was established. Through literature review and the Delphi method, clinical questions related to the rational perioperative use of parenteral DTIs were identified. A structured design was adopted using the “Population-Intervention-Comparison-Outcome” framework; systematic searches were conducted in CNKI, Medline, Embase and other databases. Relevant evidence from randomized controlled trials and cohort studies was included and synthesized. Evidence quality was assessed using the Grades of Recommendations Assessment,Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach, and recommendations were formulated through multiple rounds of Delphi surveys and expert consensus meetings. RESULTS &CONCLUSIONS Seven recommendations (each with an expert consensus rate exceeding 90%) on the use of parenteral DTIs in perioperative patients were developed. These recommendations specify drug selection, dosing ranges, key monitoring points, and safety management strategies for parenteral DTIs in various scenarios, including the perioperative period of ventricular assist device implantation, the perioperative period of cardiac surgery, perioperative patients with lower-extremity atherosclerotic disease, the perioperative period of percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute coronary syndrome, the perioperative period of carotid artery stenting in patients with carotid stenosis, the perioperative period of patients with right heart thrombosis, and patients who develop related thrombosis and dysfunction after a central venous catheter insertion. In addition, warning and management pathways for perioperative bleeding and thrombotic events were proposed. This expert consensus, which is formulated based on the best available evidence, provides evidence-based guidance for standardized and individualized use of parenteral DTIs in perioperative period.
3.Application of radiology in acute-on-chronic liver failure
Han XIAO ; Yuhang YUAN ; Weiling XU
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(1):222-227
Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a syndrome of multiple organ failure on the basis of underlying chronic liver disease and has an extremely high short-term mortality rate, while there is still a lack of unified diagnostic criteria around the world. Radiology plays an important role in the evaluation and prognostic prediction of ACLF, constituting a multi-dimensional assessment system covering morphology, function, and hemodynamics. Computed tomography can be used for the measurement of liver volume and the diagnosis of sarcopenia by providing key morphological and nutritional parameters. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), especially gadobenate dimeglumine-enhanced MRI, enables quantitative assessment of liver function and has critical significance for predicting short-term survival rate. Ultrasonography and elastography techniques facilitate the early warning of ACLF onset and the dynamic monitoring of its progression through noninvasive measurement of liver stiffness and hemodynamic parameters. This article systematically reviews the pivotal role of these three imaging modalities in the diagnosis and monitoring of ACLF, and integrating the strengths of multiple imaging techniques with clinical indicators to construct diagnostic and prognostic models may become a key future direction for achieving early intervention and improving clinical outcomes in ACLF.
4.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.
5.Therapeutic efficacy of ruxolitinib combined with low-dose hormone in aGVHD after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Yue HU ; Xupai ZHANG ; Sihan LAI ; Shan ZHANG ; Lei MA ; Xiao WANG ; Yan DENG ; Ying HAN ; Ying HE ; Guangcui HE ; Hai YI
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2026;39(4):506-512
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ruxolitinib combined with low-dose hormone for patients with acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Methods: Thirty patients with aGVHD after allo-HSCT admitted to the Department of Hematology of the General Hospital of Western Theater Command from November 2021 to November 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were treated with low-dose hormone (methylprednisolone 0.3-1 mg kg
-d
) combined with ruxolitinib 5-10 mg d
. The efficacy and adverse reactions were observed during the follow-up period to analyze the survival outcomes of the patients. Results: A total of 30 patients with aGVHD after allo-HSCT were included in this study, consisting of 15 (50%) males and 15 (50%) females with a median age of 34 year-old (ranging from 14 to 62). Classification by disease type: there were 18 cases of acute myeloid leukemia, 4 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, 4 cases of aplastic anemia, and 4 cases of myelodysplastic syndrome. Classification by aGVHD severity: there were 27 cases (90%) of Ⅱ-Ⅳ degree aGVHD and 11 cases (36.7%) of Ⅲ-Ⅳ degree aGVHD. Ruxolitinib in combination with low-dose glucocorticoid treatment yield responses in 28 (93.3%) patients, of which 27 (90%) achieved complete remission (CR), while 1 (3.3%) showed partial remission (PR). One patient (3.3%) had no response (NR), and 1 patient (3.3%) exhibited progressed disease (PD). Overall survival (OS) at 1 year of transplantation was 73.9% (95%CI 49.5% to 87.7%), progression-free survival (PFS) was 93.3% (95%CI 75.9% to 98.3%), non-relapse mortality (NRM) was 20.6% (95%CI 7.9% to 47.4%), and median survival time was 27.6 months. Conclusion: Ruxolitinib combined with low-dose hormones is safe and effective in the treatment of aGVHD after allo-HSCT.
6.β-glucan attenuates intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice by promoting glucagon-like peptide-1 secretion
Wei WANG ; Ben HAN ; Lihua SUN ; Huichao XIE ; Xiong ZENG ; Weidong XIAO ; Jian WANG
Journal of Army Medical University 2025;47(2):112-121
Objective To investigate the protective effect of β-glucan(BG)against intestinal ischemia reperfusion(II/R)injury by regulating the secretion of glucagon-like peptide-1(GLP-1).Methods Male C57BL/6 mice(6~8 weeks old)were subjected,and finally,the experiments had sham group,II/R group,II/R+BG group(0.1 mg/mL BG in drinking water for 2 weeks before modeling),II/R+liraglutide(LLT,GLP-1 analogue)group(0.2 μg/g LLT injected every 12 hours for 3 consecutive days before modeling),and II/R+BG+Ex9-39(GLP-1 R antagonist)group(intraperitoneal injection of 2 μg/g Ex9-39 1 h before modeling).After modeling,HE staining was used to observe intestinal morphological changes,and RT-qPCR and Western blotting were employed to evaluate the molecules(Occludin,ZO-1 and Claudin-1)related to intestinal barrier damage.The effect of 0.1 mg/mL BG treatment on the GLP-1 level in the serum and intestinal tissues of normal mice was determined with ELISA and immunofluorescence assay,respectively,and RT-PCR for the molecules related to GLP-1 expression(Gcg,Pcsk1/2,GIP and Foxa2).The effects of LLT and Ex9-39 pretreatment on intestinal morphology and intestinal barrier damage were also determined by morphological observation and expression levels of related molecules.Results II/R induced significant decreases in the mRNA levels of Occludin,ZO-1 and Claudin-1 and increase in Chiu's score when compared with sham control mice(P<0.05).While,the mRNA levels of the 3 molecules were obviously higher and the Chiu's score was lower in the II/R+BG group than the II/R group(P<0.05).BG pretreatment induced notably enhanced secretion of GLP-1 in the serum and intestinal tract of normal mice,and improved the mRNA expression of GLP-1-related molecules(P<0.05).The intervention of GLP-1 analogue LLT could attenuate the II/R damage and decreased Chiu's score,with statistical difference in comparison with the II/R group(P<0.05).GLP-1 receptor antagonist Ex9-39 reversed the protective effects of BG pretreatment against II/R damage,with notably differences in the expression of Occludin,ZO-1 and Claudin-1 and Chiu's score(P<0.05).Conclusion BG can attenuate intestinal mucosal and functional injury after II/R by promoting intestinal GLP-1 secretion.
7.Diversity and composition changes of intestinal fungi in patients with chronic kidney disease
Huichao XIE ; Weidong XIAO ; Ben HAN ; Lihua SUN ; Yihui CHEN
Journal of Army Medical University 2025;47(2):168-176
Objective To analyze the diversity and composition changes of gut fungal communities between patients with chronic kidney disease(CKD)and healthy controls.Methods A total of 8 CKD patients admitted in Department of Nephrology of our hospital,and another 5 age-and gender-matched healthy individuals were recruited in this study.Fresh fecal samples were collected from the CKD patients and healthy controls.ITS DNA sequencing was employed to determine the composition of intestinal fungi,and then bioinformatics analysis was applied to compare the differences in fungal community diversity,structure,and function between the 2 groups.Results There were no statistical differences between the 2 groups in terms of age,gender composition,BMI,and so forth.The results of Alpha diversity assessment showed statistical differences were observed in Simpson index and Shannon index in the intestinal fungi between the 2 groups(P<0.01).So was in the Beta diversity between them(P<0.01).The relative abundance of Candida was increased significantly(P<0.01),while those of Cladosporium and Penicillium were decreased in the CKD group(P<0.05).LEfSe analysis revealed that Candida was significantly enriched in CKD patients,whereas Cladosporium and Penicillium were significantly lower in abundance when compared to the healthy control group.Conclusion The composition of intestinal fungi in CKD patients is different from that in healthy individuals,exhibiting characteristic changes.Dysfunction of gut fungal flora may promote the progression of CKD.Regulating gut fungi and restoring gut microbiota homeostasis may become a new strategy for CKD treatment.
8.Fabrication of Zirconium Dioxide-doped Polydopamine Nanocomposite Coating for Highly Efficient Solid Phase Microextraction of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Environmental Water Samples
Xiao-Yan SHEN ; Hui-Ju WANG ; Liu HAN ; Zhen MA
Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry 2025;53(1):143-151
Zirconium dioxide(ZrO2)is a suitable solid phase microextraction(SPME)fiber coating due to its high thermal and chemical stability and excellent adsorption.Similarly,polydopamine(PDA)can also be utilized as SPME fiber coating because of its strong oxidation resistance and stability,desired adsorption as well as environmental friendliness.In this work,a novel zirconium dioxide-doped polydopamine(ZrO2@PDA)SPME fiber coating was quickly fabricated on the stainless steel(SS)by cyclic voltammetry(CV)using the etched SS wire as working electrode,a Pt rod as counter electrode and a saturated calomel electrode as reference electrode.Coupled with high performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection(HPLC-UV),the extraction performance of the fabricated SS@ZrO2@PDA fiber was evaluated using typical aromatic compounds of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs),ultraviolet filters(UvFs),phthalate acid esters(PAEs)and chlorophenols(CPs).The SS@ZrO2@PDA fiber showed excellent extraction capability for PAHs and PAEs,however,poor extraction capability for UvFs and no extraction capability for CPs.Therefore,PAHs were selected as target analytes and the key experimental factors on extraction efficiency were optimized.Under the optimized conditions,good linearity was obtained for the developed SPME-HPLC-UV method with the SS@ZrO2@PDA fiber.The limits of detection(LODs,S/N=3)were 0.018-0.082 μg/L.The developed method was successfully applied to determination of trace PAHs in different actual water samples with recoveries of 86.7%-102.4%and RSDs less than 8.2%.In addition,the fabricated novel fiber was simple to prepare and exhibited high stability,good reproducibility and long service life.
9.Research Advances of Deep Learning-based Raman Spectroscopy and Their Application in Detection of Microplastics
Yong-Hui HAN ; Chun-Bo SHI ; Wang LIANG ; Xiao-Yue ZHANG ; Jian-Sheng CUI ; Bo YAO
Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry 2025;53(2):153-163
Microplastics are widely present in various environments such as water bodies,land,and atmosphere,which pose threats to the ecological environment and human health through transmission and accumulation in the food chain.The existing detection techniques for microplastics face challenges such as complex preparation procedure of samples,low efficiency in processing large batches of samples,and difficulties in handling complex samples.Therefore,there is an urgent need for rapid and efficient detection techniques suitable for complex microplastics samples in the field of environmental monitoring.Raman spectroscopy,known for its advantages such as rapidity,accuracy,high sensitivity,non-destructiveness,and non-contact,demonstrates great application potential in detection of microplastics.Deep learning,an artificial intelligence method known for its large-scale data processing,nonlinear modeling and automatic feature extraction capabilities,is receiving increasing attention in the analysis of Raman spectroscopy signals.The application of deep learning-based Raman spectroscopy has significantly improved performance indicators such as detection efficiency and accuracy.This article introduced the existing Raman enhancement techniques,summarized the deep learning methods applied in Raman spectroscopy signal analysis,reviewed the recent research and application progress of deep learning-based Raman spectroscopy in detection of microplastics,and finally discussed the challenges and future prospects of deep learning-based Raman spectroscopy in detection of microplastics.
10.Construction of Artificial Cells with the Ability to Secrete and Receive Quorum Sensing Signals and Study on Their Signal Transduction
Hang DU ; Jing-Jing ZHAO ; Shu-Bin LI ; Xiao-Jun HAN
Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry 2025;53(5):681-688
The bottom-up construction of artificial cells to mimic signal transduction is of great significance for a deep understanding of the communication networks of complex living systems.The dynamic coupling of signal secretion and response among artificial cells poses an important challenge.In this work,two types of artificial cells were constructed through a bio-artificial hybrid strategy.One was an artificial cell as an AI-2 signal sender(sender),which contained bacteria capable of autonomously synthesizing AI-2 signaling molecules.The other was an artificial cell as an AI-2 signal receiver(receiver),which contained bacteria expressing green fluorescent protein in response to the corresponding AI-2 signal.When the ratio of senders to receivers was 4∶1,the fluorescent signal of the receivers gradually increased over time and reached a plateau at 240 minutes.The artificial cells capable of sending and receiving quorum sensing signaling molecules constructed in this work laid a foundation for the study of complex signal communication within artificial cell populations.

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