A comparative evaluation of biochar and Paenarthrobacter sp. AT5 for reducing atrazine risks to soybeans and bacterial communities in black soil.

Application of biochar and inoculation with specific microbial strains offer promising approaches for addressing atrazine contamination in agricultural soils. However, determining the optimal method necessitates a comprehensive understanding of their effects under similar conditions. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of biochar and Paenarthrobacter sp. AT5, a bacterial strain known for its ability to degrade atrazine, in reducing atrazine-related risks to soybean crops and influencing bacterial communities. Both biochar and strain AT5 significantly improved atrazine degradation in both planted and unplanted soils, with the most substantial reduction observed in soils treated with strain AT5. Furthermore, bioaugmentation with strain AT5 outperformed biochar in enhancing soybean growth, photosynthetic pigments, and antioxidant defenses. While biochar promoted higher soil bacterial diversity compared to strain AT5, the latter selectively enriched specific bacterial populations. Additionally, soil inoculated with strain AT5 displayed a notable increase in the abundance of key genes associated with atrazine degradation (trzN, atzB, and atzC), surpassing the effects observed with biochar addition, thus highlighting its effectiveness in mitigating atrazine risks in soil.

Different expression patterns of DNA methyltransferases during horse testis development.

DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) are important epigenetic modification during spermatogenesis. To further evaluate the pattern of DNMTs in horse testes during development, we investigated the expression and localization of DNMT1, DNMT3a and DNMT3b at different time points. The qRT-PCR results showed that DNMT1 expression was maintained in testes tissue from 6-month-old (0.5y) to 2-year-old (2y) of age and decreased after 3-year-old (3y) (P < 0.01). The expression levels of DNMT3a and DNMT3b peaked in testes tissue at 3y (P < 0.01). At 4-year-old (4y), the expression of DNMT3a and DNMT3b was decreased and became similar to that at 0.5y. Immunofluorescence of DNMT1, DNMT3a and DNMT3b on testis samples confirmed the differential expression and localization of these three DNA methylation transferases during horse development. Further molecular biological studies are needed to understand the implications of the expression patterns of these DNMTs in horse testes.

Advances in contezolid: novel oxazolidinone antibacterial in Gram-positive treatment.

PURPOSE: The principal objective of this project was to review and thoroughly examine the chemical characteristics, pharmacological activity, and quantification methods associated with contezolid. METHODS: The article was based on published and ongoing preclinical and clinical studies on the application of contezolid. These studies included experiments on the physicochemical properties of contezolid, in vitro antimicrobial research, in vivo antimicrobial research, and clinical trials in various phases. There were no date restrictions on these studies. RESULTS: In June 2021, contezolid was approved for treating complicated skin and soft tissue infections. The structural modification of contezolid has resulted in better efficacy compared to linezolid. It inhibits bacterial growth by preventing the production of the functional 70S initiation complex required to translate bacterial proteins. The current evidence has indicated a substantial decline in myelosuppression and monoamine oxidase inhibition without impairing its antibacterial properties. Contezolid was found to have a more significant safety profile and to be metabolised by flavin monooxygenase 5, reducing the risk of harmful effects due to drug-drug interactions. Adjusting doses is unnecessary for patients with mild to moderate renal or hepatic insufficiency. CONCLUSION: As an oral oxazolidinone antimicrobial agent, contezolid is effective against multi-drug resistant Gram-positive bacteria. The introduction of contezolid provided a new clinical option.

Reinvestigating the performance of artificial intelligence classification algorithms on COVID-19 X-Ray and CT images.

There are concerns that artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms may create underdiagnosis bias by mislabeling patient individuals with certain attributes (e.g., female and young) as healthy. Addressing this bias is crucial given the urgent need for AI diagnostics facing rapidly spreading infectious diseases like COVID-19. We find the prevalent AI diagnostic models show an underdiagnosis rate among specific patient populations, and the underdiagnosis rate is higher in some intersectional specific patient populations (for example, females aged 20-40 years). Additionally, we find training AI models on heterogeneous datasets (positive and negative samples from different datasets) may lead to poor model generalization. The model's classification performance varies significantly across test sets, with the accuracy of the better performance being over 40% higher than that of the poor performance. In conclusion, we developed an AI bias analysis pipeline to help researchers recognize and address biases that impact medical equality and ethics.

A dual-mode label-free electrochemical immunosensor for ultrasensitive detection of procalcitonin by on-site vulcanization of dual-MOF heterostructure.

Detection of procalcitonin (PCT) is crucial for the early identification of sepsis. PCT is primarily utilized in the multiple diagnosis of bacterial and viral illnesses along with to guide the application of antibiotics. Considering their advantages of high specificity and straightforward usage, electrochemical immunosensors offer significant application prospects in the detection of disease indicators. A dual-mode electrochemical immunosensor was constructed in this study to reliably identify PCT. In light of the synergistic effect of the dual-MOF derived heterostructure, the immunosensor demonstrating excellent square wave voltammetry (SWV) signals as well as significant catalytic activity for the H2O2 redox process. In addition to maintaining a low detection limit (SWV: 0.31 fg/mL and i-t: 0.098 fg/mL), the immunosensor offers an extensive linear response range (0.000001-100 ng/mL). The excellent performance is on account of the introduction of the local on-site sulfurized dual-MOF heterostructure with abundant metal chalcogenides/MOF interfaces, which boosts the specific surface area, offers an abundance of active sites, enhances conductivity, and raises catalytic activity. Furthermore, the immunosensor exhibits outstanding specificity, stability and reproducibility for the determination of PCT in serum, which is of great crucial for the clinical screening and diagnosis of sepsis.

Myeloid-derived growth factor ameliorates dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis by regulating macrophage polarization.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by inflammatory conditions in the gastrointestinal tract. According to reports, IBD prevalence is increasing globally, with heavy economic and physical burdens. Current IBD clinical treatment is limited to pharmacological methods; therefore, new strategies are needed. Myeloid-derived growth factor (MYDGF) secreted by bone marrow-derived mononuclear macrophages has beneficial effects in multiple inflammatory diseases. To this end, the present study aimed to establish an experimental IBD mouse model using dextran sulfate sodium in drinking water. MYDGF significantly alleviated DSS-induced colitis, suppressed lymphocyte infiltration, restored epithelial integrity in mice, and decreased apoptosis in the colon tissue. Moreover, the number of M1 macrophages was decreased and that of M2 macrophages was increased by the action of MYDGF. In MYDGF-treated mice, the NF-κB and MAPK pathways were partially inhibited. Our findings indicate that MYDGF could mitigate DSS-induced mice IBD by reducing inflammation and restoring epithelial integrity through regulation of intestinal macrophage polarization via NF-κB and MAPK pathway inhibition. KEY MESSAGES: MYDGF alleviated DSS-induced acute colitis. MYDGF maintains colon epithelial barrier integrity and relieves inflammation. MYDGF regulates colon macrophage polarization. MYDGF partially inhibited the activation of NF-κB and MAPK pathway.

Characterization of Ovarian Progenitor Cells for Their Potentials to Generate Steroidogenic Theca Cells in Vitro.

BACKGROUND: Adult mammalian ovaries contain stem/progenitor cells necessary for folliculogenesis and ovulation-related tissue rupture repair. Theca cells are recruited and developed from progenitors during the folliculogenesis. Theca cell progenitors were not well-defined. The aim of current study is to compare the potential of four ovarian progenitors with defined markers (LY6A, EPCR, LGR5and PDGFRA) to form steroidogenic theca cells in vitro. METHODS: Ovarian progenitors were identified by the above four makers reported previously. The location of the cells was determined by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining of ovarian sections of adult mice. Different progenitor populations were purified by magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) and/or fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) techniques from ovarian cell preparation and were tested for their abilities to generate steroidogenic theca cells in vitro. The cells were differentiated with a medium containing LH, ITS and DHH agonist for 12 days. RESULTS: EPCR+ and LGR5+ cells primarily distributed along ovarian surface epitheliums (OSE), while LY6A+ cells distributed in both OSE and parenchyma. However, PDGFRA+ cells were exclusively located in interstitial compartment. When the progenitors were purified by these markers and differentiated in vitro, LY6A+ and PDGFRA+ cells formed steroidogenic cells expressing both CYP11A1 and CYP17A1 and primarily producing androgens, showing characteristics of theca-like cells, while LGR5+ cells generated steroidogenic cells devoid of CYP17A1 expression and androgen production, showing a characteristic of progesterone-producing cells (granulosa- or lutea-like cells). CONCLUSION: Progenitors from both OSE and parenchyma of adult mice are capable of generating steroidogenic cells with different steroidogenic capacities, showing a possible lineage preference.

How mesenchymal stem cells transform into adipocytes: Overview of the current understanding of adipogenic differentiation.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are stem/progenitor cells capable of self-renewal and differentiation into osteoblasts, chondrocytes and adipocytes. The transformation of multipotent MSCs to adipocytes mainly involves two subsequent steps from MSCs to preadipocytes and further preadipocytes into adipocytes, in which the process MSCs are precisely controlled to commit to the adipogenic lineage and then mature into adipocytes. Previous studies have shown that the master transcription factors C/enhancer-binding protein alpha and peroxisome proliferation activator receptor gamma play vital roles in adipogenesis. However, the mechanism underlying the adipogenic differentiation of MSCs is not fully understood. Here, the current knowledge of adipogenic differentiation in MSCs is reviewed, focusing on signaling pathways, noncoding RNAs and epigenetic effects on DNA methylation and acetylation during MSC differentiation. Finally, the relationship between maladipogenic differentiation and diseases is briefly discussed. We hope that this review can broaden and deepen our understanding of how MSCs turn into adipocytes.

USP15 promotes the progression of papillary thyroid cancer by regulating HMGB1 stability through its deubiquitination.

Purpose: Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) stands as one of the most prevalent types of thyroid cancers, characterized by a propensity for in-situ recurrence and distant metastasis. The high mobility group protein (HMGB1), a conserved nuclear protein, plays a pivotal role in carcinogenesis by stimulating tumor cell growth and migration. Nevertheless, the underlying mechanism driving aberrant HMGB1 expression in PTC necessitates further elucidation. Materials and methods: Our study unraveled the impact of low and overexpression of USP15 on the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of PTC cells. Through a comprehensive array of molecular techniques, we uncovered the intricate relationship between HMGB1 and USP15 in the progression of PTC. Results: In this study, we identified USP15, a deubiquitinase in the ubiquitin-specific proteases family, as a true deubiquitylase of HMGB1 in PTC. USP15 was shown to interact with HMGB1 in a deubiquitination activity-dependent manner, deubiquitinating and stabilizing HMGB1. USP15 depletion significantly decreased PTC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. In addition, the effects induced by USP15 depletion could be rescued by further HMGB1 overexpression. But when HMGB1 is knocked down, even overexpression of USP15 could not promote the progression of PTC cells. Conclusion: In essence, our discoveries shed light on the previously uncharted catalytic role of USP15 as a deubiquitinating enzyme targeting HMGB1, offering a promising avenue for potential therapeutic interventions in the management of PTC.

Surface heterojunction based on n-type low-dimensional perovskite film for highly efficient perovskite tandem solar cells.

Enhancing the quality of junctions is crucial for optimizing carrier extraction and suppressing recombination in semiconductor devices. In recent years, metal halide perovskite has emerged as the most promising next-generation material for optoelectronic devices. However, the construction of high-quality perovskite junctions, as well as characterization and understanding of their carrier polarity and density, remains a challenge. In this study, using combined electrical and spectroscopic characterization techniques, we investigate the doping characteristics of perovskite films by remote molecules, which is corroborated by our theoretical simulations indicating Schottky defects consisting of double ions as effective charge dopants. Through a post-treatment process involving a combination of biammonium and monoammonium molecules, we create a surface layer of n-type low-dimensional perovskite. This surface layer forms a heterojunction with the underlying 3D perovskite film, resulting in a favorable doping profile that enhances carrier extraction. The fabricated device exhibits an outstanding open-circuit voltage (VOC) up to 1.34 V and achieves a certified efficiency of 19.31% for single-junction wide-bandgap (1.77 eV) perovskite solar cells, together with significantly enhanced operational stability, thanks to the improved separation of carriers. Furthermore, we demonstrate the potential of this wide-bandgap device by achieving a certified efficiency of 27.04% and a VOC of 2.12 V in a perovskite/perovskite tandem solar cell configuration.

Ratiometric Near-Infrared Fluorescent Probe Monitors Ferroptosis in HCC Cells by Imaging HClO in Mitochondria.

Hypochlorous acid (HClO) is a typical endogenous ROS produced mainly in mitochondria, and it has strong oxidative properties. Abnormal HClO levels lead to mitochondrial dysfunction, strongly associated with various diseases. It has been shown that HClO shows traces of overexpression in cells of both ferroptosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Therefore, visualization of HClO levels during ferroptosis of HCC is important to explore its physiological and pathological roles. So far, there has been no report on the visualization of HClO in ferroptosis of HCC. Thus, we present a ratiometric near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent probe Mito-Rh-S which visualized for the first time the fluctuation of HClO in mitochondria during ferroptosis of HCC. Mito-Rh-S has an ultrafast response rate (2 s) and large emission shift (115 nm). Mito-Rh-S was constructed based on the PET sensing mechanism and thus has a high signal-to-noise ratio. The cell experiments of Mito-Rh-S demonstrated that Fe2+- and erastin-induced ferroptosis in HepG2 cells resulted in elevated levels of mitochondrial HClO and that high concentration levels of Fe2+ and erastin cause severe mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress and had the potential to kill HepG2 cells. By regulating the erastin concentration, erastin induction time, and treatment of the ferroptosis model, Mito-Rh-S can accurately detect the fluctuation of mitochondrial HClO levels during ferroptosis in HCC.

Can digital economy compensate the effect of aging on total factor productivity?

In China, the number of senior citizens has grown, along with the burden of old age, and aging has hampered economic growth. The advent of the digital age has led to the emergence of the digital economy as a new engine for economic growth. This paper uses DEA-Malmquist index model to measure the total factor productivity growth rate of 31 provinces in China from 2011 to 2021, and uses the moderating effects model to empirically investigate the relationship between the digital economy, aging and total factor productivity, and to verify whether the development of the digital economy can mitigate the negative impact of aging on total factor productivity. The results show that aging inhibits total factor productivity growth, and the digital economy can promote total factor productivity growth. Digital economy can alleviate the negative impact of aging on total factor productivity growth, and has a moderating effect. Digital economy plays a moderating role by improving the level of human capital and facilitating technological progress. The regional heterogeneity analysis shows that the moderating effect of the digital economy exists in the eastern and western regions and the southern region, but not in the central region and the northern region. Furthermore, the digital economy has a moderating effect on both the high and low aging groups. The research in this paper not only helps to evaluate the productivity effects of the digital economy, but also has important implications for finding ways to mitigate the negative effects of aging.

Molecular Determinant Underlying Selective Coupling of Primary G-Protein by Class A GPCRs.

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) transmit downstream signals predominantly via G-protein pathways. However, the conformational basis of selective coupling of primary G-protein remains elusive. Histamine receptors H2R and H3R couple with Gs- or Gi-proteins respectively. Here, three cryo-EM structures of H2R-Gs and H3R-Gi complexes are presented at a global resolution of 2.6-2.7 Å. These structures reveal the unique binding pose for endogenous histamine in H3R, wherein the amino group interacts with E2065.46 of H3R instead of the conserved D1143.32 of other aminergic receptors. Furthermore, comparative analysis of the H2R-Gs and H3R-Gi complexes reveals that the structural geometry of TM5/TM6 determines the primary G-protein selectivity in histamine receptors. Machine learning (ML)-based structuromic profiling and functional analysis of class A GPCR-G-protein complexes illustrate that TM5 length, TM5 tilt, and TM6 outward movement are key determinants of the Gs and Gi/o selectivity among the whole Class A family. Collectively, the findings uncover the common structural geometry within class A GPCRs that determines the primary Gs- and Gi/o-coupling selectivity.

Rapid discrimination of four Salmonella enterica serovars: A performance comparison between benchtop and handheld Raman spectrometers.

Foodborne illnesses, particularly those caused by Salmonella enterica with its extensive array of over 2600 serovars, present a significant public health challenge. Therefore, prompt and precise identification of S. enterica serovars is essential for clinical relevance, which facilitates the understanding of S. enterica transmission routes and the determination of outbreak sources. Classical serotyping methods via molecular subtyping and genomic markers currently suffer from various limitations, such as labour intensiveness, time consumption, etc. Therefore, there is a pressing need to develop new diagnostic techniques. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a non-invasive diagnostic technique that can generate Raman spectra, based on which rapid and accurate discrimination of bacterial pathogens could be achieved. To generate SERS spectra, a Raman spectrometer is needed to detect and collect signals, which are divided into two types: the expensive benchtop spectrometer and the inexpensive handheld spectrometer. In this study, we compared the performance of two Raman spectrometers to discriminate four closely associated S. enterica serovars, that is, S. enterica subsp. enterica serovar dublin, enteritidis, typhi and typhimurium. Six machine learning algorithms were applied to analyse these SERS spectra. The support vector machine (SVM) model showed the highest accuracy for both handheld (99.97%) and benchtop (99.38%) Raman spectrometers. This study demonstrated that handheld Raman spectrometers achieved similar prediction accuracy as benchtop spectrometers when combined with machine learning models, providing an effective solution for rapid, accurate and cost-effective identification of closely associated S. enterica serovars.

[Analysis of 141 cases with benign upper airway occupying in infant].

Objective:To analyze and summarize the clinical characteristics, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of benign upper airway space occupancy in infants. Methods:The clinical data of 141 cases with begin upper airway space from January 2012 to January 2022 were analyzed. Among them, 101 were male and 68 were female, the age is 0-3 years old. In which there were 24 newborns. The clinical characteristics, auxiliary examination and treatment results were summarized and analyzed. Results:The main clinical manifestations of 141 infants were dyspnea and/or laryngeal wheezing, including 116 cases of congenital cyst of tongue, 15 cases of hair polyps, 4 cases of nasopharyngeal second pharyngeal fissure cysts, 2 cases of congenital laryngeal cysts, 2 cases of pharyngeal bronchial cyst, 1 case of nasopharyngeal teratoma and 1 case of myofibroma. All the infants had completed the corresponding examination and treatment. The diagnosis was clear, and there was no missed diagnosis or misdiagnosis. Among them, 19 infants with congenital cyst of tongue were given cyst puncture to relieve dyspnea. 2 cases of congenital cyst of tongue recurred half a year after operaion, and then they underwent reoperation. The prognosis of the remaining infants were good. Conclusion:The most common occupying of benign upper airway space occupancy is cyst, and low-temperature plasma resection under endoscope is the main treatment method. Timely puncture therapy is also a safe and effective treatment for infants who are dyspnea and life threatening.

Continuous microalgal culture module and method of culturing microalgae containing macular pigment.

This study established and investigated continuous macular pigment (MP) production with a lutein (L):zeaxanthin (Z) ratio of 4-5:1 by an MP-rich Chlorella sp. CN6 mutant strain in a continuous microalgal culture module. Chlorella sp. CN6 was cultured in a four-stage module for 10 days. The microalgal culture volume increased to 200 L in the first stage (6 days). Biomass productivity increased to 0.931 g/L/day with continuous indoor white light irradiation during the second stage (3 days). MP content effectively increased to 8.29 mg/g upon continuous, indoor white light and blue light-emitting diode irradiation in the third stage (1 day), and the microalgal biomass and MP concentrations were 8.88 g/L and 73.6 mg/L in the fourth stage, respectively. Using a two-step MP extraction process, 80 % of the MP was recovered with a high purity of 93 %, and its L:Z ratio was 4-5:1.

Case report: A 17-year-old male with primary pulmonary osteosarcoma.

Primary pulmonary osteosarcoma is one of the extraskeletal osteosarcomas originating from the lung with an extremely low incidence and highly invasive potential. Here we report a case of primary pulmonary osteosarcoma treated in our hospital with a literature review. The patient, a 17-year-old male, had a cough and hemoptysis for 20 days. Computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET)/CT were performed in our hospital. According to pathological examination after surgery, the tumor was diagnosed as a high-grade sarcoma with remarkable osteogenesis and necrosis. Based on radiological and histological examinations, a diagnosis of primary pulmonary osteosarcoma originating was considered. The patient underwent surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. This patient has been under consecutive follow-up for nearly 8 years, showing no signs of recurrence or distant metastasis. Primary pulmonary osteosarcoma is a rare lung malignancy that shows rapid progression, nonspecific symptoms and inapparent signs at an early stage. The diagnosis of primary pulmonary osteosarcoma highly relies on imaging and histological examinations, among which chest CT is the predominant method to check this disease.

M2-Type Macrophages and Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Combine to Promote Colorectal Cancer Liver Metastases.

Purpose: This research explored the association between CD163-labeled M2-type macrophages and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of 38 colorectal cancer (CRC) liver metastases. In addition, we investigated the correlation differences between M2-type macrophages and CAFs in the tumor microenvironments of 38 primary colorectal cancer patients with confirmed liver metastases and 946 colorectal cancer patients, as well as possible mechanisms of action between the two cells. Methods: The Immunohistochemistry (IHC) method was applied to detect the expression levels of M2-type macrophages and CAFs in the tissues of 984 cases of CRC and to analyze the correlation between M2-type macrophages and CAFs in colorectal cancer tissues. The IHC method was also applied to detect the expression levels of M2-type macrophages and CAFs in the liver metastases of 38 cases of CRC in the experimental group and to analyze the correlation between the two cells in liver metastases. Results: 1. M2-type macrophages and CAFs expression were significantly higher in 38 primary colorectal cancer patients compared to 946 controls, and the expression of M2-type macrophages was significantly positively correlated with CAFs. 2. In 984 CRC cases, M2-type macrophages and CAFs expression levels were significantly higher in the cancer tissues than in the paired paracancerous tissues. 3. The expression levels of M2-type macrophages and CAFs in primary colorectal cancer were significantly higher in the experimental group than in colorectal cancer tissues without distant metastasis. Conclusion: M2-type macrophages and CAFs are involved in the development of the colorectal cancer tumor microenvironment, and their interaction influences the initiation and progression of liver metastasis in colorectal cancer. It may provide new clinical ideas for early diagnosis of CRC liver metastases and searching for immune targets.

Metabolic disorders in prediabetes: From mechanisms to therapeutic management.

Diabetes, one of the world's top ten diseases, is known for its high mortality and complication rates and low cure rate. Prediabetes precedes the onset of diabetes, during which effective treatment can reduce diabetes risk. Prediabetes risk factors include high-calorie and high-fat diets, sedentary lifestyles, and stress. Consequences may include considerable damage to vital organs, including the retina, liver, and kidneys. Interventions for treating prediabetes include a healthy lifestyle diet and pharmacological treatments. However, while these options are effective in the short term, they may fail due to the difficulty of long-term implementation. Medications may also be used to treat prediabetes. This review examines prediabetic treatments, particularly metformin, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors, vitamin D, and herbal medicines. Given the remarkable impact of prediabetes on the progression of diabetes mellitus, it is crucial to intervene promptly and effectively to regulate prediabetes. However, the current body of research on prediabetes is limited, and there is considerable confusion surrounding clinically relevant medications. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the pathogenesis of pre-diabetes mellitus and its associated therapeutic drugs. The ultimate goal is to facilitate the clinical utilization of medications and achieve efficient and timely control of diabetes mellitus.

Assessing the Feasibility of Simplifying the Scanning Protocol for Spinal Metastases With Vertebral Compression Fractures Using Only the Dixon T2-Weighted Sequence.

OBJECTIVE: Conventional imaging protocols, including sagittal T1-weighted imaging (T1WI) and water-only T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), are time consuming when screening for spinal metastases with vertebral compression fractures (VCFs). In this study, we aimed to assess the accuracy of using only the Dixon T2-weighted sequence in the diagnosis of spinal metastases with VCFs to determine its suitability as a simplified protocol for this task. METHODS: This retrospective study included 27 patients diagnosed with spinal metastases and VCFs. Qualitative analysis was performed separately by two musculoskeletal radiologists, who independently performed diagnostic evaluations of each vertebra using both conventional and simplified protocols. McNemar's test was then used to compare the differences in diagnostic results, and Cohen's kappa coefficient was used to assess interobserver and interprotocol agreement. Diagnostic performance values for both protocols, including sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve, were then determined based on the reference standard. Quantitative image analysis was performed randomly for 30 metastases on T1WI and fat-only T2WI to measure the signal intensity, signal-to-noise ratio, and contrast-to-noise ratio. RESULTS: The diagnosis of VCFs by both radiologists was in full agreement with the reference standard. The classification of spinal metastases and diagnostic performance values determined by both radiologists were not significantly different between the two protocols (all P > 0.05), and the consistency between observers and protocols was excellent (κ = 0.973-0.991). The contrast-to-noise ratio of fat-only T2WI was significantly higher than that of T1WI (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The Dixon T2-weighted sequence alone performed well in diagnosing spinal metastases with VCFs, performing no worse than the conventional protocol (T1WI and water-only T2WI). This suggests that the Dixon T2-weighted sequence alone can serve as a simplified protocol for the diagnosis of spinal metastases with VCFs, thereby avoiding the need for more intricate scanning procedures.