Background/Aims: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is a significant risk factor for gallstone formation, but mechanisms underlying MASH-related gallstone formation remain unclear. Golgi membrane protein 1 (GOLM1) participates in hepatic cholesterol metabolism and is upregulated in MASH. Here, we aimed to explore the role of GOLM1 in MASH-related gallstone formation. Methods: The UK Biobank cohort was used for etiological analysis. GOLM1 knockout (GOLM1-/-) and wild-type (WT) mice were fed with a high-fat diet (HFD). Livers were excised for histology and immunohistochemistry analysis. Gallbladders were collected to calculate incidence of cholesterol gallstones (CGSs). Biles were collected for biliary lipid analysis. HepG2 cells were used to explore underlying mechanisms. Human liver samples were used for clinical validation. Results: MASH patients had a greater risk of cholelithiasis. All HFD-fed mice developed MASH, and the incidence of gallstones was 16.7% and 75.0% in GOLM1-/- and WT mice, respectively. GOLM1-/- decreased biliary cholesterol concentration and output. In vivo and in vitro assays confirmed that GOLM1 facilitated cholesterol efflux through upregulating ATP binding cassette transporter subfamily G member 5 (ABCG5). Mechanistically, GOLM1 translocated into nucleus to promote osteopontin (OPN) transcription, thus stimulating ABCG5-mediated cholesterol efflux. Moreover, GOLM1 was upregulated by interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in a dose-dependent manner. Finally, we confirmed that IL-1β, GOLM1, OPN, and ABCG5 were enhanced in livers of MASH patients with CGSs. Conclusions In MASH livers, upregulation of GOLM1 by IL-1β increases ABCG5-mediated cholesterol efflux in an OPN-dependent manner, promoting CGS formation. GOLM1 has the potential to be a molecular hub interconnecting MASH and CGSs.

Background/Aims: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is a significant risk factor for gallstone formation, but mechanisms underlying MASH-related gallstone formation remain unclear. Golgi membrane protein 1 (GOLM1) participates in hepatic cholesterol metabolism and is upregulated in MASH. Here, we aimed to explore the role of GOLM1 in MASH-related gallstone formation. Methods: The UK Biobank cohort was used for etiological analysis. GOLM1 knockout (GOLM1-/-) and wild-type (WT) mice were fed with a high-fat diet (HFD). Livers were excised for histology and immunohistochemistry analysis. Gallbladders were collected to calculate incidence of cholesterol gallstones (CGSs). Biles were collected for biliary lipid analysis. HepG2 cells were used to explore underlying mechanisms. Human liver samples were used for clinical validation. Results: MASH patients had a greater risk of cholelithiasis. All HFD-fed mice developed MASH, and the incidence of gallstones was 16.7% and 75.0% in GOLM1-/- and WT mice, respectively. GOLM1-/- decreased biliary cholesterol concentration and output. In vivo and in vitro assays confirmed that GOLM1 facilitated cholesterol efflux through upregulating ATP binding cassette transporter subfamily G member 5 (ABCG5). Mechanistically, GOLM1 translocated into nucleus to promote osteopontin (OPN) transcription, thus stimulating ABCG5-mediated cholesterol efflux. Moreover, GOLM1 was upregulated by interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in a dose-dependent manner. Finally, we confirmed that IL-1β, GOLM1, OPN, and ABCG5 were enhanced in livers of MASH patients with CGSs. Conclusions In MASH livers, upregulation of GOLM1 by IL-1β increases ABCG5-mediated cholesterol efflux in an OPN-dependent manner, promoting CGS formation. GOLM1 has the potential to be a molecular hub interconnecting MASH and CGSs.

Objective:To investigate the host and vector composition of pestis and the epidemic situation of pestis among animals in the border port areas of Longchuan County, Yunnan Province.Methods:In September 2022, a survey was conducted on rodents and their surface parasitic fleas in the border port areas of Longchuan County, according to three habitat types: residential areas, agricultural areas, and forest-shrubbery areas. Samples of murine animals organs and their surface parasitic fleas were collected for isolation and identification of Yersinia pestis. Blood samples of plague indicating animals, such as murine animals, dogs and cats were collected, and serum plague F1 antibody was detected by indirect hemagglutination assay. Meanwhile, a retrospective investigation was conducted on the occurrence of self dead rats, sick rats, and suspected cases in the local area from 2018 to 2022 through interviews with farmers. Results:A total of 168 murine animals belonging to 3 orders, 5 families, 10 genera, and 11 species were captured in three habitats in Longchuan County. Among them, the capture rate in residential areas was 5.00% (30/600), with Rattus tanezumi and Suncus murinus as dominant species, with a composition ratio of 50.00% (15/30). The capture rate in agricultural areas was 9.67% (122/1 262), with Rattus tanezumi and Suncus murinus as dominant species, with a composition ratio of 50.82% (62/122) and 44.26% (54/122), respectively. The capture rate in the forest-shrubbery areas was 6.25% (16/256), with Hylomys suillus and Eothenomys eleusis as dominant species, with a composition ratio of 37.50% (6/16) and 31.25% (5/16), respectively. Among the captured murine animals, 20 individuals carried 52 parasitic fleas, belonging to 2 species of 2 genera and 2 families. The total flea infection rate was 11.90% (20/168), and the total flea index was 0.31 (52/168). The dominant specie was Xenopsylla cheopis (90.38%, 47/52). The flea infection rate in residential areas was 33.33% (10/30), and the flea index was 1.23 (37/30). The flea infection rate in agricultural areas was 7.38% (9/122), and the flea index was 0.11 (14/122). The flea infection rate in the forest-shrubbery areas was 6.25% (1/16), and the flea index was 0.06 (1/16). The samples of murine animals and their parasitic fleas obtained were isolated and cultured by Yersinia pestis, and the results were negative. A total of 144 serum samples from murine animals, dogs and cats were separated, and no F1 antibody against pestis was detected. According to interviews and investigations, no abnormal situations such as a large number of self dead rats, sick rats, and suspected cases were found from 2018 to 2022. Conclusions:No plague epidemic has been found in the border port areas of Longchuan County recently. The main host of plague, Rattus tanezumi, and the main vector, Xenopsylla cheopis, remain the dominant species in this area.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of a novel reduction device in the treatment of A3N0/1 thoracolumbar fracture using navigation-assisted techniques.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 45 patients (29 males, 16 females; mean age 40.67±16.11 years, range 24-57) with thoracolumbar fractures who underwent fracture reduction and pedicle screw fixation via the Wiltse approach at Zhengzhou Orthopaedic Hospital between January 2022 and January 2023. Injury levels included: T 10 in 2 cases, T 11 in 5 cases, T 12 in 13 cases, L 1 in 20 cases, L 2 in 3 cases, L 3 in 2 cases. All patients underwent fracture reduction via the Wiltse approach using the spinal fracture reduction instrument for vertebral body reduction. Among them, 20 patients received O-arm navigation-assisted internal fixation and vertebral reduction (O-arm group), while 25 received C-arm fluoroscopy-guided internal fixation and vertebral reduction (C-arm group). Operative time, intraoperative blood loss, vertebral reduction time using the instrument, first-time screw placement success rate, screw placement accuracy, and complications were compared. Mid-vertebral body height ratio (MVBHr), local Cobb angle of the fractured vertebra, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were compared preoperatively, at 1 week postoperatively, 3 months postoperatively, and final follow-up. Results:All surgeries were successfully completed in both groups. Operative time was significantly shorter in the O-arm group (106.8±14.4 min) than in the C-arm group (119.1±16.4 min, P<0.05). All patients were followed up for a mean duration of 15.9±3.9 months (range 12-20 months). Vertebral reduction time was significantly shorter in the O-arm group (11.0±2.2 min) than in the C-arm group (20.4±5.7 min, P<0.05). The first-time screw placement success rate was significantly higher in the O-arm group (100%) than in the C-arm group (95.3%, P<0.05). Screw placement accuracy (Grade I) was significantly higher in the O-arm group (117 screws, 97.5%) than in the C-arm group (136 screws, 90.7%, P<0.05). No cases of wrong-level surgery, infection, or spinal cord/nerve injury occurred. Both groups showed significant improvements in MVBHr, Cobb angle, VAS, and ODI at all postoperative time points compared to preoperative values ( P<0.05). At final follow-up, the O-arm group demonstrated significantly better outcomes than the C-arm group in MVBHr (90.6%±4.5% vs. 86.4%±6.9%, P<0.05), Cobb angle (7.6°±1.8° vs. 10.1°±3.2°, P<0.05), VAS (1.3±0.4 vs. 1.7±0.6, P<0.05), and ODI (4.6%±1.9% vs. 7.7%±2.0%, P<0.01). Conclusion:O-arm navigation-assisted intrasegmental push reduction for A3N0/1 type thoracolumbar fractures demonstrates advantages including faster and more accurate screw placement, precise reduction with improved outcomes, and significant postoperative pain relief.

Objective:To explore the efficacy of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) using the partition injection technique in the treatment of Kümmell’s disease of stages Ⅰ and Ⅱ.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted of the 30 patients with stage Ⅰ or Ⅱ Kümmell’s disease (the partition group) who had been treated by PVP using the partition injection technique at Department of Spinal Surgery, Zhengzhou Orthopedic Hospital from January 2020 to January 2022. The data of another 30 patients who had been treated at the same department and the same period using conventional PVP for stage Ⅰ or Ⅱ Kümmell's disease were selected as the conventional group. In the partition group, there were 13 males and 17 females, with an age of (72.3±10.1) years and disease duration of (3.1±1.5) months. Seventeen thoracic and 13 lumbar vertebrae were affected. In the conventional group, there were 11 males and 19 females, with an age of (75.5±12.7) years and disease duration of (3.5±1.8) months. Eighteen thoracic and 12 lumbar vertebrae were affected. Surgical time, volume of bone cement injected, bone cement leakage, and bone cement distribution were compared between the 2 groups. The heights of the anterior and middle vertebral bodies, kyphotic Cobb angle, visual analog scale (VAS) pain score, and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were assessed postoperatively at 1 day, 6 months, and the last follow-up and compared between the 2 groups.Results:No significant differences were found in the baseline data between the 2 groups, indicating comparability ( P>0.05). All patients were followed up for (17.3±3.1) months. There were no significant differences in the surgical time or bone cement leakage between the 2 groups ( P>0.05). The volume of bone cement injected in the partition group was significantly higher [(6.3±1.5) mL] than that in the conventional group [(4.9±1.0) mL] ( P<0.05). Bone cement distribution was significantly better in the partition group than that in the conventional group ( P<0.05). At postoperative 1 day, 6 months, and the last follow-up, the partition group was significantly better than the conventional group in anterior vertebral body height, middle vertebral body height, and kyphotic Cobb angle ( P<0.05). At the 6-month and the last follow-ups, the partition group was also significantly better than the conventional group in VAS pain score and ODI ( P<0.05). Conclusion:In the treatment of Kümmell’s disease of stages Ⅰ and Ⅱ, compared with conventional PVP, PVP using the partition injection technique may lead to better long-term outcomes due to its better bone cement distribution, more adequate cement injection, and better restoration of vertebral body heights and correction of local deformity.

Objective:To investigate the feasibility and clinical efficacy of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) with measured saturated bone cement injection in the treatment of elderly patients with stage Ⅱ Kümmell's disease.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted to analyze the clinical data of the 41 elderly patients with stage Ⅱ Kümmell's disease who had been treated at Department of Spinal Orthopedics, Zhengzhou Orthopedic Hospital from June 2017 to June 2023 by PVP with bone cement injection into the intravertebral vacuum cleft. According to the amount of bone cement injected, the patients were divided into a saturated volume group (bone cement injection metered ≥ 150% of the cleft volume preoperatively measured) in which there were 21 cases, 4 males and 17 females, aged (78.4±5.2) years and a conventional volume group (bone cement injection metered was 100% to 120% of the cleft volume preoperatively measured) in which there were 20 cases, 6 males and 14 females, aged (79.5±7.4) years. The operative time, vacuum cleft volume measured, actual volume of bone cement injected, and percentage of bone cement injected were compared between the 2 groups. Visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were compared between preoperation, postoperative 3 days, and the final follow-up in the 2 groups, as well as between the 2 groups. Cement leakage and other complications were documented.Results:The differences in the preoperative general data were not statistically significant between the 2 groups, indicating comparability ( P>0.05). All the 41 elderly patients successfully completed their surgery. Follow-up time was (18.1±3.3) months. The operative time [(39.7±7.5) min], actual volume of bone cement injected [(5.6±0.9) mL], and percentage of bone cement injected (1.8%±0.3%) in the saturated volume group were all significantly greater than those in the conventional volume group [(35.5±4.9) min, (4.4±1.0) mL, and 1.2%±0.1%] ( P<0.05). Postoperatively, the incisions healed completely in all patients, with no such complications as cement-related adverse reactions. Cement leakage occurred in 2 patients in the conventional volume group, leading to lumbar pain or discomfort after activity, which was relieved by cement reinforcement and nail-rod internal fixation. VAS pain scores and ODIs at 3 d postoperatively and at the final follow-up were significantly improved in all patients compared with preoperation ( P<0.05). At the final follow-up, both VAS pain score and ODI in the saturated volume group improved significantly greater than those in the conventional volume group ( P<0.05). None of the patients had complications like cement displacement at the final follow-up. Conclusion:PVP with measured saturated bone cement injection into the intravertebral vacuum clefts is a safe and effective treatment for stage Ⅱ Kümmell's disease in elderly patients, offering a new minimally invasive option.