OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness of different puncture methods of the flexible bone cement delivery device in unilateral percutaneous curved vertebroplasty for osteoporotic vertebral upper 1/3 compression fractures. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 67 patients with osteoporotic vertebral upper 1/3 compression fractures who were admitted and met the selection criteria between January 2023 and April 2024. The patients were divided into two groups based on the puncture method of the flexible bone cement delivery device: the oblique puncture group ( n=37) and the parallel puncture group ( n=30). There was no significant difference ( P>0.05) between the two groups in terms of gender, age, bone mineral density (T value), distribution of fractured vertebrae, time from injury to operation, and preoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) score for pain, Oswestry disability index (ODI), anterior vertebral height of the fractured vertebra, and Cobb angle of the fractured vertebra. The following parameters were compared between the two groups: operation time, incidence of secondary puncture, incidence of bone cement leakage, volume of injected bone cement, bone cement distribution score, as well as VAS score, ODI, anterior vertebral height of the fractured vertebra, and Cobb angle of the fractured vertebra at 1 day after operation and at last follow-up. RESULTS: Two cases in the oblique puncture group and 7 cases in the parallel puncture group underwent secondary puncture during operation, and the difference in the incidence of secondary puncture was significant ( P<0.05). No complications such as bone cement hypersensitivity, bone cement embolism, nerve injury, or epidural hematoma occurred in both groups. There was no significant difference in operation time, volume of injected bone cement, incidence of bone cement leakage, distribution score and rating of bone cement between the two groups ( P>0.05). All patients were followed up 6-18 months (mean, 12.0 months), and there was no significant difference in the follow-up time between the two groups ( P>0.05). No further fracture collapse or compression occurred in the fractured vertebra during follow-up. Both groups exhibited significant improvements in VAS score, ODI, anterior vertebral height, and Cobb angle of the fractured vertebra after operation compared to baseline ( P<0.05). There were also significant differences between the two time points after operation ( P<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the above indicators between the two groups ( P>0.05). CONCLUSION For osteoporotic vertebral upper 1/3 compression fractures treated with unilateral percutaneous curved vertebroplasty, both oblique and parallel puncture methods of the flexible bone cement delivery device can effectively relieve pain, but the former is more conducive to reducing the incidence of secondary puncture.
Humans ; Bone Cements/therapeutic use* ; Fractures, Compression/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Vertebroplasty/instrumentation* ; Osteoporotic Fractures/surgery* ; Spinal Fractures/surgery* ; Female ; Male ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Punctures/methods* ; Aged, 80 and over

Objective:To analyze the molecular characteristics of the virus in a local outbreak of dengue fever in Jiangsu province in 2023, and to provide a basis for the prevention and control of the outbreak.Methods:Serum samples were collected from suspected dengue patients in the acute phase of the outbreak for virus detection and serotyping by real-time fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR (RT-qPCR). Positive specimens were amplified with full-length genomic fragments and subjected to second-generation sequencing and related evolutionary analyses.Results:Four confirmed cases of dengue were found in Changzhou city, Jiangsu province, from October 18 to 21, 2023, with epidemiological association between the cases, which was recognized as a dengue outbreak. The serum RT-qPCR result of the four cases were all dengue type 1, and the whole genome sequences of three of the cases were obtained. The evolutionary tree of the E gene and the whole genome showed that the three sequences were located in the 3rd branch of the 1-I genotype, which is similar to the genotype 1-I. The genome-wide sequences of the E gene and the genome-wide evolution tree showed that the three sequences were located in the 3rd branch of the 1-I genotype, which is similar to the genome-wide genotype 1-Ⅰ. The E gene and the genome-wide evolutionary tree showed that all three sequences were located on branch 3 of genotype 1-Ⅰ, with high sequence similarity to the dengue virus epidemic strains in Guangdong and Yunnan provinces in 2023. Amino acid variant site analysis showed that there were 16 branch-specific amino acid site changes in the sequences of the three cases, among which the structural proteins, C protein and prM protein, had one variant site each, E protein had two, and the non-structural proteins had the largest number of NS5 variant sites (9).Conclusions:The local outbreak in Jiangsu was caused by dengue fever type 1 virus, with high nucleotide sequence similarity to strains from other regions of China, and amino acid site alterations.

BACKGROUND:Percutaneous curved vertebroplasty has the advantages of minimal trauma and bone cement dispersion,but whether it is safe and effective for the treatment of compression fractures in the upper 1/3 of the vertebral body needs further study.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the clinical efficacy of percutaneous curved vertebroplasty in the treatment of the upper 1/3 compression fractures of the osteoporotic vertebrae.METHODS:Medical records of 66 patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar upper 1/3 compression fracture admitted to Department of Orthopedics of PLA Rocket Force Characteristic Medical Center from January 2020 to June 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.Among them,32 cases were treated with percutaneous curved vertebroplasty(observation group)and 34 cases were treated with"noncoplanar bipedicular puncture"percutaneous vertebroplasty(control group).Pain visual analog scale score,Oswestry Disability Index,anterior edge height of injured vertebra,and Cobb angle of injured vertebra were compared and analyzed between the two groups before surgery,the first day after surgery,and the last follow-up.The operative time,bone cement leakage rate,bone cement injection volume,and bone cement dispersion score of the two groups were statistically analyzed.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The operations were successfully completed in both groups of patients,and no complications such as bone cement allergy,bone cement embolism,nerve damage,or epidural hematoma occurred.(2)Pain visual analog scale score,Oswestry disability index,anterior edge height,and Cobb angle of injured vertebra of the two groups at the first day after surgery and the last follow-up were all better than those before surgery,with statistically significant difference(P＜0.05),but there was no statistical significance between the two groups(P＞0.05).The Oswestry disability index of the two groups at the last follow-up was better than that on the first day after surgery(P＜0.05).(3)The operation time and bone cement leakage rate of the observation group were lower than those of the control group,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).(4)There were no significant differences in bone cement injection volume and bone cement dispersion score between the two groups(P＞0.05).(5)The results show that percutaneous curved vertebroplasty in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebrae compression fractures in the upper 1/3 of the vertebral body can effectively relieve pain,maintain vertebral height,and reduce operative time and bone cement leakage rate.

Objective To investigate the effect of β-arrestin1(ARRB1)on cell proliferation,migration and invasion in oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC).Methods Based on The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database,the expression profiles of ARRB1 in OSCC were analyzed,and then Gene Set Enrichment Analysis(GSEA)was used to suggest the possible signaling pathways involved,and to explore its potential impact on the prognosis of OSCC patients.Immuinohistochemistry(IHC)was performed to detect the expression of ARRB1 in OSCC tumor tissues and adjacent tissues,and the correlation between ARRB1 expression and clinicopathological features was statistically analyzed.The expression profiles of ARRB1 in SCC-15,CAL-27 and HOK cell lines were verified by qPCR and Western blotting.The ARRB1 overexpression plasmid model was constructed,and its effects on the proliferation,migration and invasion of OSCC cells were analyzed by clone formation,EdU,scratch and Transwell assays.Results TCGA showed that the expression level of ARRB1 was significantly lower in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma(HNSC)and OSCC tissues than the corresponding normal tissues(P<0.01).The expression of ARRB1 in OSCC tissues was correlated with tumor differentiation,lymph node metastasis and TNM stage(P<0.05).The OSCC patients with high expression of ARRB1 had a lower survival rate than those with low expression(P<0.01),which was consistent with the results of bioinformatics analysis.The expression level of ARRB1 in SCC-15 and CAL-27 cells was lower than that of HOK cells(P<0.01),and its overexpression significantly inhibited cell proliferation(P<0.05),migration(P<0.01)and invasion(P<0.01).Conclusion ARRB1 is lowly expressed in OSCC,its overexpression inhibits the proliferation,migration and invasion of OSCC cells,and it is related to prognosis improvement.

NAFLD is the most prevalent chronic liver disease,which has become a world public health issue and the incidence rate is also showing an increasing trend.A series of liver disea-ses,such as simple fatty liver disease,NASH,liver cirrhosis,liv-er failure and liver cancer,can be collectively referred to as NAFLD.Through the study of numerous factors that influence the production of NAFLD,it has been found that the main patho-logical mechanism is excessive synthesis of fat,which is difficult to be transported into the blood,causing massive lipid accumula-tion.Alcohol has a direct damaging effect on liver and will in-hibit the breakdown of liver fat,eventually forming AFLD.How-ever,it is still controversial whether alcohol has a synergistic effect on NAFLD onset.This article provides a review on the effect of alcohol intake on NAFLD and its potential mechanisms of action.

BACKGROUND:Previous studies have indicated that cathepsin K can intervene with the occurrence and development of osteoporosis by regulating bone mineral density in middle-aged and older adults. However,whether there is a causal relationship between the cathepsin family and bone mineral density in other populations remains unknown. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the causal relationship between cathepsin and bone mineral density.METHODS:Genetic loci associated with eight cathepins were extracted from the IEU Open GWAS database as instrumental variables,and bone mineral density values in five age groups acted as an outcome. The causal relationship between cathepin and bone mineral density was assessed by two-way Mendelian randomization analysis. Heterogeneity of the genetic instrumental variables was assessed using Cochran's Q test,pleiotropy was assessed using the MR-Egger intercept test,and the sensitivity of single nucleotide polymorphisms used as instrumental variables to the causal effect of exposure and outcome was assessed using the leave-one-out method. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The results of the inverse variance weighting method with positive Mendelian randomization showed that cathepin H was negatively associated with bone mineral density in people aged 45-60 years[odds ratio (95％ confidence interval)=0.965(0.94-0.99),P=0.04];cathepin Z was negatively associated with bone mineral density in people aged 30-45 year[odds ratio (95％ confidence interval)=1.06 (1.00-1.11),P=0.03]. The results of sensitivity analysis showed a stable causal relationship,and MR-Egger intercept analysis did not detect potential horizontal pleiotropy. The inverse Mendelian randomization results showed that bone mineral density had no significant inverse effect on cathepin. The above results confirm that cathepin can affect bone mineral density in some age groups,which may increase the risk of osteoporosis and should be given more attention.

Objective To observe the differences in gut microbiota in chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS)-induced depression model rats of both sexes,and to provide experimental evidence for exploring sex differences in depression onset.Methods Thirty-two healthy SD rats were divided randomly into four groups based on sex:Male control group(Control-M),Female control group(Control-F),Male model group(Model-M),and Female model group(Model-F)(n=8 rats per group).Rats in the control groups were fed without stimulation,while rats in the model groups were stimulated using the 28 d CUMS-induced depression method.After successful modeling,fresh feces were collected from all rats for high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing.Behavioral observations were also conducted before and after preparing the model.Results The result of sucrose-preference,open-field,and forced-swimming tests differed significantly between the control and model groups.The result of the sucrose-preference test also differed between the sexes,while there was no difference in the open-field or forced-swimming test between the sexes.The α and β diversity of the gut microbiota genera showed an upward trend in the CUMS group compared with the control group.The ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes and the richness of the Roseburia and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group were decreased in male rats but showed an increasing trend in female rats.Conclusions The ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes in the gut microbiota may be a key factor affecting the difference in the onset of depression between males and females,while the Roseburia and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group be potential factors in correcting the gut microbiota and improving the symptoms of depression.

BACKGROUND:Percutaneous curved vertebroplasty has the advantages of minimal trauma and bone cement dispersion,but whether it is safe and effective for the treatment of compression fractures in the upper 1/3 of the vertebral body needs further study.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the clinical efficacy of percutaneous curved vertebroplasty in the treatment of the upper 1/3 compression fractures of the osteoporotic vertebrae.METHODS:Medical records of 66 patients with osteoporotic thoracolumbar upper 1/3 compression fracture admitted to Department of Orthopedics of PLA Rocket Force Characteristic Medical Center from January 2020 to June 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.Among them,32 cases were treated with percutaneous curved vertebroplasty(observation group)and 34 cases were treated with"noncoplanar bipedicular puncture"percutaneous vertebroplasty(control group).Pain visual analog scale score,Oswestry Disability Index,anterior edge height of injured vertebra,and Cobb angle of injured vertebra were compared and analyzed between the two groups before surgery,the first day after surgery,and the last follow-up.The operative time,bone cement leakage rate,bone cement injection volume,and bone cement dispersion score of the two groups were statistically analyzed.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The operations were successfully completed in both groups of patients,and no complications such as bone cement allergy,bone cement embolism,nerve damage,or epidural hematoma occurred.(2)Pain visual analog scale score,Oswestry disability index,anterior edge height,and Cobb angle of injured vertebra of the two groups at the first day after surgery and the last follow-up were all better than those before surgery,with statistically significant difference(P＜0.05),but there was no statistical significance between the two groups(P＞0.05).The Oswestry disability index of the two groups at the last follow-up was better than that on the first day after surgery(P＜0.05).(3)The operation time and bone cement leakage rate of the observation group were lower than those of the control group,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).(4)There were no significant differences in bone cement injection volume and bone cement dispersion score between the two groups(P＞0.05).(5)The results show that percutaneous curved vertebroplasty in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebrae compression fractures in the upper 1/3 of the vertebral body can effectively relieve pain,maintain vertebral height,and reduce operative time and bone cement leakage rate.

NAFLD is the most prevalent chronic liver disease,which has become a world public health issue and the incidence rate is also showing an increasing trend.A series of liver disea-ses,such as simple fatty liver disease,NASH,liver cirrhosis,liv-er failure and liver cancer,can be collectively referred to as NAFLD.Through the study of numerous factors that influence the production of NAFLD,it has been found that the main patho-logical mechanism is excessive synthesis of fat,which is difficult to be transported into the blood,causing massive lipid accumula-tion.Alcohol has a direct damaging effect on liver and will in-hibit the breakdown of liver fat,eventually forming AFLD.How-ever,it is still controversial whether alcohol has a synergistic effect on NAFLD onset.This article provides a review on the effect of alcohol intake on NAFLD and its potential mechanisms of action.

Objective To observe the differences in gut microbiota in chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS)-induced depression model rats of both sexes,and to provide experimental evidence for exploring sex differences in depression onset.Methods Thirty-two healthy SD rats were divided randomly into four groups based on sex:Male control group(Control-M),Female control group(Control-F),Male model group(Model-M),and Female model group(Model-F)(n=8 rats per group).Rats in the control groups were fed without stimulation,while rats in the model groups were stimulated using the 28 d CUMS-induced depression method.After successful modeling,fresh feces were collected from all rats for high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing.Behavioral observations were also conducted before and after preparing the model.Results The result of sucrose-preference,open-field,and forced-swimming tests differed significantly between the control and model groups.The result of the sucrose-preference test also differed between the sexes,while there was no difference in the open-field or forced-swimming test between the sexes.The α and β diversity of the gut microbiota genera showed an upward trend in the CUMS group compared with the control group.The ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes and the richness of the Roseburia and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group were decreased in male rats but showed an increasing trend in female rats.Conclusions The ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes in the gut microbiota may be a key factor affecting the difference in the onset of depression between males and females,while the Roseburia and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group be potential factors in correcting the gut microbiota and improving the symptoms of depression.