Objective To investigate the expression and significance of carbohydrate response element-binding protein(ChREBP)network members(ChREBP,Mlx,Max,Mxd1,HDAC1)and taurine-upregulated gene 1(TUG1)in intrauterine adhesion(IUA).Methods Ten female SD rats with 8 weeks old were selected as the study objects.The mechanical curettage plus lipopolysaccharide infection were used to construct the IUA rat model as the IUA group(n=5)and the uterine cavity of the control group did not perform any oper-ation(n=5);HE and Masson staining were respectively used to assess the number of endometrial glands and the degree of fibrosis;Western blot was used to detect the expression level of ChREBP network members in the nucleus and cytoplasm;RT-qRCR was used to detect the expression level of TUG1.Results Compared with the control group,the number of endometrial glands in the IUA group was decreased(P＜0.05),the percentage of the fibrotic area was increased(P＜0.05),the protein expression level of ChREBP network members in the nucleus was down-regulated,the protein expression level of ChREBP network members in the cytoplasm was up-regulated and the mRNA relative expression level of TUG1 was up-regulated(P＜0.05).Conclusion Blocked nuclear translocation of ChREBP and reduced the recruitment of its downstream network mem-bers may lead to attenuate the repressive effect on TUG1 transcription,thereby promoting IUA occurrence.

Objective:To compare the differences in the prevalence of mild micro-hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) among patients with cirrhosis by using the psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES) and the Stroop smartphone application (Encephal App) test.Methods:This prospective, multi-center, real-world study was initiated by the National Clinical Medical Research Center for Infectious Diseases and the Portal Hypertension Alliance and registered with International ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05140837). 354 cases of cirrhosis were enrolled in 19 hospitals across the country. PHES (including digital connection tests A and B, digital symbol tests, trajectory drawing tests, and serial management tests) and the Stroop test were conducted in all of them. PHES was differentiated using standard diagnostic criteria established by the two studies in China and South Korea. The Stroop test was evaluated based on the criteria of the research and development team. The impact of different diagnostic standards or methods on the incidence of MHE in patients with cirrhosis was analyzed. Data between groups were differentiated using the t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and χ2 test. A kappa test was used to compare the consistency between groups. Results:After PHES, the prevalence of MHE among 354 cases of cirrhosis was 78.53% and 15.25%, respectively, based on Chinese research standards and Korean research normal value standards. However, the prevalence of MHE was 56.78% based on the Stroop test, and the differences in pairwise comparisons among the three groups were statistically significant (kappa = -0.064, P < 0.001). Stratified analysis revealed that the MHE prevalence in three groups of patients with Child-Pugh classes A, B, and C was 74.14%, 83.33%, and 88.24%, respectively, according to the normal value standards of Chinese researchers, while the MHE prevalence rates in three groups of patients with Child-Pugh classes A, B, and C were 8.29%, 23.53%, and 38.24%, respectively, according to the normal value standards of Korean researchers. Furthermore, the prevalence rates of MHE in the three groups of patients with Child-Pugh grades A, B, and C were 52.68%, 58.82%, and 73.53%, respectively, according to the Stroop test standard. However, among the results of each diagnostic standard, the prevalence of MHE showed an increasing trend with an increasing Child-Pugh grade. Further comparison demonstrated that the scores obtained by the number connection test A and the number symbol test were consistent according to the normal value standards of the two studies in China and South Korea ( Z = -0.982, -1.702; P = 0.326, 0.089), while the other three sub-tests had significant differences ( P < 0.001). Conclusion:The prevalence rate of MHE in the cirrhotic population is high, but the prevalence of MHE obtained by using different diagnostic criteria or methods varies greatly. Therefore, in line with the current changes in demographics and disease spectrum, it is necessary to enroll a larger sample size of a healthy population as a control. Moreover, the establishment of more reliable diagnostic scoring criteria will serve as a basis for obtaining accurate MHE incidence and formulating diagnosis and treatment strategies in cirrhotic populations.

Objective:To investigate the diagnostic value of independent and combined subtests of the psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES) in mild hepatic encephalopathy(MHE) of patients with liver cirrhosis, so as to optimize the PHES.Methods:This was a prospective, multicenter and real-world study which was sponsored by the National Clinical Research Center of Infectious Diseases and the Portal Hypertension Consortium. Twenty-six hospitals from 13 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities countrywide participated in this study, induding Tianjin Third Central Hospital, the Fourth People′s Hospital of Qinghai Province, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College, the Third People′s Hospital of Taiyuan, the Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital and so on. From October 2021 to February 2022, outpatients and hospitalized patients with liver cirrhosis and no obvious hepatic encephalopathy were consecutively enrolled. All patients received 5 PHES subjects in the same order: number connection test(NCT)-A, NCT-B, digit symbol test(DST), line tracing test(LTT) and serial dotting test(SDT), and the scores were calculated. The total score of PHES <-4 was taken as the cut-off value for diagnosing MHE. Compare the differences in each subtest between MHE group and non-MHE group. Receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC) and area under the curve(AUC) was performed to assess the diagnostic value of independent and combined subtests in MHE. Mann-Whitney U test and DeLong test were used for statistical analysis. Results:A total of 581 patients with liver cirrhosis were enrolled, 457 were diagnosed as MHE, and the incidence of MHE was 78.7%. The results of NCT-A, NCT-B, SDT, LTT, DST of MHE group were 60.00 s(47.01 s, 88.00 s), 90.45 s(69.32 s, 125.35 s), 74.00 s(57.65 s, 96.60 s), 74.72(60.00, 98.61) and 27.00(20.00, 36.00), respectively. Compared those of non-MHE group(34.00 s(29.15 s, 44.48 s), 50.00 s(40.98 s, 60.77 s), 50.00 s(41.07 s, 63.03 s), 46.23(38.55, 59.42) and 42.00(34.00, 50.75)), the differences were statistically significant( Z=12.37, 12.98, 9.83, 11.56, 10.66; all P<0.001). The AUC(95% confidence interval(95% CI)) of subtests of PHES NCT-B, NCT-A, LTT, DST and SDT alone in MHE diagnosis were 0.880(0.849 to 0.910), 0.862(0.828 to 0.896), 0.838(0.799 to 0.877), 0.812(0.772 to 0.851) and 0.788(0.743 to 0.832), respectively. The combination of 2 PHES subtests significantly increased the diagnostic efficacy. Among them the diagnostic efficacy of the combination of NCT-B and LTT was the best, the AUC(95% CI) was 0.924(0.902 to 0.947), the specificity was 91.9% and the sensitivity was 79.2%, which was better than a single PHES subtest (NCT-A, NCT-B, SDT, LTT and DST) and the combination of NCT-A and DST(AUC was 0.879, 95% CI0.847 to 0.910) which was recommended by guidelines on the management of hepatic encephalopathy in cirrhosis, the differences were statistically significant ( Z=3.78, 3.83, 5.57, 5.51, 5.38, 2.93; all P<0.01). Furthermore, compared between the combination of NCT-B and LTT and the combination of 3 subests of PHES, only the diagnostic efficacy of combination of NCT-B, LTT and SDT (AUC was 0.936, 95% CI 0.916 to 0.956) was better than that of the combination of NCT-B and LTT, the difference was statistically significant( Z=2.32, P=0.020). Conclusion:Based on the diagnostic efficacy and clinical feasibility of PHES subtests and their combinations, the combination of NCT-B and LTT is recommended for the diagnosis of MHE.

Objective To study the pathogenic etiology between nasopharyngeal aspirates (NPA) and bronchoalveolar lavage lfuid (BALF) in children with lower respiratory infection. Methods Multiple pathogen in NPA and BALF from 210 cases with lower respiratory tract infection was detected. Seven common respiratory virus (respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, in-lfuenza virus A, inlfuenza virus B, parainlfuenza 1, parainlfuenza 2, parainlfuenza 3) were detected by direct immunolfuorescence assay. MP, CP and HBoV were detected by lfuorescence quantitative PCR.HRV and hMPV were detected by RT-PCR. Aspirates were cultured for bacteria. The results of pathogen detection in secretions of upper and lower respiratory tract were analyzed. Results Total positive detection rate of NPA and BALF in 210 cases was 91.9%(193/210), which is higher than that in NPA 75.2%(158/210) and that in BALF 85.2%(179/210). Bacteria detection rate in NPA was 13.3%(28/210), and 8.6%(18/210) in BALF, without signiifcant difference (P=0.118). Bacteria detection rate in NPA and BALF was of poor consistency (Kappa=0.262). Virus detection rate in NPA was 24.3%, which is higher than that in BALF15.2%. BALF-MP detection rate was 77.6%(163/210), signiifcantly higher than that in NPA 53.3%(112/210). There are 95.5%(107/112) cases with positive results in NPA-MP detec-tioncan also be detected in the BALF-MP. MP copies in BALF were signiifcantly higher than that in NPA (4.28×106 vs. 1.31×105), and its positive rate in NPA was still higher than that in BALF. MP detection rate in NPA in children with clinical course of longer than two weeks was much lower than those with clinical course of two weeks or less. Conclusions The pathogen detection of virus and MP in NPA can be used as a reference for lower respiratory tract infection. The joint detection of NPA and BALF can improve the detection power. The sensitivity of virus detection in NPA is higher than that in BALF. NPA pathogen detection of virus and MP is of great important evidence-based medicine in the diagnosis of lower respiratory infection. MP detection rate and its copies in BALF are signiifcantly higher than that in NPA. BALF detection is the supplement of pathogen diagnosis in severe or refractory lower respiratory infections.