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ObjectiveThis study aims to define a set of related anatomical landmarks based on preoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of patients with pituitary adenomas (PAs). It explores the impact of the dynamic relationships between different anatomical landmarks and the tumor on the resection rate and tumor progression/recurrence during the endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA).MethodsA single-center institutional database review was conducted, identifying patients with PAs treated with EEA from December 2018 to January 2023. Clinical data were reviewed, and anatomical landmarks were categorized into two regions: the suprasellar region and the cavernous sinus region. Following basic statistical and univariate logistic regression analyses, patients were randomly divided into training and validation sets. A nomogram was then established through the integration of least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression and multivariable logistic regression analysis. The clinical prediction model was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), calibration curves, and decision curve analysis. Kaplan-Meier curves were plotted for survival analysis.ResultsA total of 626 patients with PAs were included in the study, with gross total resection (GTR) achieved in 570 cases (91.05%). Significant differences were observed in the distribution of age, Knosp grade, and tumor size between the GTR and near total resection (NTR) groups. LASSO regression identified 8 key anatomical landmarks. The resulting model demonstrated an AUC of 0.96 in both the training and validation sets. Calibration curves indicated a strong agreement between the nomogram model and actual observations. Survival analysis revealed that the extent of resection (EOR), age, Knosp grade, tumor size, and PAs extending beyond several anatomical landmarks identified were significantly associated with the progression or recurrence of PAs.ConclusionThis study proposes a model for adaptively assessing the resection rate of PAs by delineating relevant anatomical landmarks. The model comprehensively considers instrument manipulation angles, surgical accessibility during EEA procedures, anatomical variations, and the displacement of related anatomical structures in pathological states. This approach can assist neurosurgeons in preoperative planning and developing personalized surgical strategies.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) exposure in food is very dangerous to human health. Therefore, the development of a fast and efficient technique for OTA removal has become an urgent research topic in the field of food safety. Nano Fe3O4 modified chitosan nanocomposite (nano-Fe3O4@CTS) was synthesized as a rapidly separable and safe adsorbent and was used to adsorb OTA in wine. FT-IR, XRD, and VSM characterization methods indicated that chitosan was successfully modified by Fe3O4 and exhibited good magnetism. The adsorption and kinetics isotherms between OTA and nano-Fe3O4@CTS were studied by the Langmuir equation and the pseudo-second order kinetics equation. The mechanism of OTA adsorption on nano-Fe3O4@CTS nanoparticles was the combined effect of physical adsorption and chemisorption. The negative ΔH°, ΔG° and ΔS° values proved that the adsorption was a spontaneous and exothermic process. Nano-Fe3O4@CTS with a high maximum adsorption capacity of 5018.07 ng/g at 25 °C can rapidly separate the matrix immobilized OTA from wine, and to a certain extent retains some of the wine quality after OTA removal.

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and efficacy of a new wireframe template methodology in analyzing three-dimensional facial soft tissue asymmetry. Materials and methods: Three-dimensional facial soft tissue data were obtained for 24 patients. The wireframe template was established by identifying 34 facial landmarks and then forming a template on the face with the MeshLab 2020 software. The angle asymmetry index was automatically scored using the template. The mirroring and overlapping technique is accepted as the golden standard method to diagnose facial asymmetry by acquiring deviation values of one’s face. Consistency rates between the two methodologies were determined through a statistical comparison of the angle asymmetry index and deviation values. Results: Overall consistency rates in the labial, mandibular angle, cheek, chin, and articular regions were 87.5%, 95.8%, 87.5%, 91.7%, and 100%, respectively. Regions with consistency rates in three dimensions of more than 85% are the x-axis and the z-axis of all regions and the y-axis of the mandibular angle, chin, and articular region. Conclusions: Soft tissue facial asymmetry can be diagnosed accurately and effectively by using a three-dimensional soft tissue spatial angle wireframe template. Precise localization of asymmetry can be offered, and indiscernible tiny asymmetry can be identified.

Abstract Many researchers have explored the potential association between one neurosurgical disease and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but few systematically analyzed the association and causality between COVID-19 and various neurosurgical diseases. A Mendelian randomization analysis was conducted to evaluate the causal association between COVID-19 (including critically ill COVID‐19, hospitalized COVID‐19, and respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection) and 30 neurosurgical diseases within European populations. The consequences of inverse variance weighted models suggest that genetic susceptibility of critically ill COVID-19 may increase the risk of cerebral infarction (odds ratio [OR] = 1.02; p‐value = 0.006), genetic susceptibility of SARS-CoV-2 infection may increase the risk of stroke (OR = 1.02; p‐value = 0.047), and conversely, genetic susceptibility of hospitalized COVID-19 may reduce the risk of pituitary adenoma and craniopharyngioma (OR = 0.90; p‐value = 0.032). In addition, evidences revealed potential associations between genetic susceptibility of COVID-19 and spinal stenosis (OR = 1.03; p‐value = 0.028), diffuse brain injury (OR = 1.21; p‐value = 0.040) and focal brain injury (OR = 1.12; p‐value = 0.040). By testing for heterogeneity and pleiotropy, the above causal conclusions are robust. In summary, our analysis shows that COVID-19 has an independent and powerful causal influence on multiple neurosurgical disorders.

Abstract Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is recognized as the prevailing malignant and aggressive primary brain tumor, characterized by an exceedingly unfavorable prognosis. Cuproptosis, a recently identified form of programmed cell death, exhibits a strong association with cancer progression, therapeutic response, and prognostic outcomes. However, the specific impact of cuproptosis on GBM remains uncertain. To address this knowledge gap, we obtained transcriptional and clinical data pertaining to GBM tissues and their corresponding normal samples from various datasets, including TCGA, CGGA, GEO, and GTEx. R software was utilized for the analysis of various statistical techniques, including survival analysis, cluster analysis, Cox regression, Lasso regression, gene enrichment analysis, drug sensitivity analysis, and immune microenvironment analysis. Multiple assays were conducted to investigate the expression of genes related to cuproptosis and their impact on the proliferation, invasion, and migration of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells. The datasets were obtained and prognostic risk score models were constructed and validated using differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with cuproptosis. To enhance the practicality of these models, a nomogram was developed.Patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) who were classified as high risk exhibited a more unfavorable prognosis and shorter overall survival compared to those in the low risk group. Additionally, we specifically chose FDX1 from the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) within the high risk group to assess its expression, prognostic value, biological functionality, drug responsiveness, and immune cell infiltration. The findings demonstrated that FDX1 was significantly upregulated and associated with a poorer prognosis in GBM. Furthermore, its elevated expression appeared to be linked to various metabolic processes and the susceptibility to chemotherapy drugs. Moreover, FDX1 was found to be involved in immune cell infiltration and exhibited correlations with multiple immunosuppressive genes, including TGFBR1 and PDCD1LG2. The aforementioned studies offer substantial assistance in informing the chemotherapy and immunotherapy approaches for GBM. In summary, these findings contribute to a deeper comprehension of cuproptosis and offer novel perspectives on the involvement of cuproptosis-related genes in GBM, thereby presenting a promising therapeutic strategy for GBM patients.

Abstract Inflammation‐responsive hydrogels loaded with therapeutic factors are effective biomaterials for bone tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. In this study, a matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐responsive injectable hydrogel is constructed by integrating an MMP‐cleavable peptide (pp) into a covalent tetra‐armed poly‐(ethylene glycol) (PEG) network for precise drug release upon inflammation stimulation. To establish a pro‐regenerative environment, phosphatidylserine (PS) is encapsulated into a scaffold to form the PEG‐pp‐PS network, which could be triggered by MMP to release a large amount of PS during the early stage of inflammation and retain drug release persistently until the later stage of bone repair. The hydrogel is found to be mechanically and biologically adaptable to the complex bone defect area. In vivo and in vitro studies further demonstrated the ability of PEG‐pp‐PS to transform macrophages into the anti‐inflammatory M2 phenotype and promote osteogenic differentiation, thus, resulting in new bone regeneration. Therefore, this study provides a facile, safe, and promising cell‐free strategy on simultaneous immunoregulation and osteoinduction in bone engineering.

Objectives: Facial asymmetry is a common problem seen in orthodontic clinics that may affect patient esthetics. In some instances, severe asymmetry that affects patient esthetics may cause psychological issues. An objective method is therefore required to help orthodontists identify asymmetry issues. Materials and methods: We used three-dimensional (3D) facial images and landmark-based anthropometric analysis to construct a 3D facial mask to evaluate asymmetry. The landmark coordinates were transformed using a symmetric 3D face model to evaluate the efficacy of this method. Patients with facial asymmetry were recruited to conduct mirror and overlap analysis to form color maps, which were used to verify the utility of the novel soft tissue landmark-based method. Results: The preliminary results demonstrated that the asymmetry evaluation method had a similar response rate compared to diagnosis using mirror and overlap 3D images, and could therefore identify 3D asymmetry problems. Conclusions: By using 3D facial scans and 3D anthropometric analysis, we developed a preliminary evaluation method that provides objective parameters to clinically evaluate patient facial asymmetry and aid in the diagnosis of asymmetric areas. Clinical relevance: This study presents a novel facial asymmetry diagnostic method that has the potential to aid clinical decisions during problem identification, treatment planning, and efficacy evaluation.

Abstract Objectives We used three-dimensional (3D) virtual images to undertake a subjective evaluation of how different factors affect the perception of facial asymmetry among orthodontists and laypersons with the aim of providing a quantitative reference for clinics. Materials and methods A 3D virtual symmetrical facial image was acquired using FaceGen Modeller software. The left chin, mandible, lip and cheek of the virtual face were simulated in the horizontal (interior/exterior), vertical (up/down), or sagittal (forward or backward) direction in 3, 5, and 7 mm respectively with Maya software to increase asymmetry for the further subjective evaluation. A pilot study was performed among ten volunteers and 30 subjects of each group were expected to be included based on 80% sensitivity in this study. The sample size was increased by 60% to exclude incomplete and unqualified questionnaires. Eventually, a total of 48 orthodontists and 40 laypersons evaluated these images with a 10-point visual analog scale (VAS). The images were presented in random order. Each image would stop for 30 s for observers with a two-second interval between images. Asymmetry ratings and recognition accuracy for asymmetric virtual faces were analyzed to explore how different factors affect the subjective evaluation of facial asymmetry. Multivariate linear regression and multivariate logistic regression models were used for statistical data analysis. Results Orthodontists were found to be more critical of asymmetry than laypersons. Our results showed that observers progressively decreased ratings by 1.219 on the VAS scale and increased recognition rates by 2.301-fold as the degree of asymmetry increased by 2 mm; asymmetry in the sagittal direction was the least noticeable compared with the horizontal and vertical directions; and chin asymmetry turned out to be the most sensitive part among the four parts we simulated. Mandible asymmetry was easily confused with cheek asymmetry in the horizontal direction. Conclusions The degree, types and parts of asymmetry can affect ratings for facial deformity as well as the accuracy rate of identifying the asymmetrical part. Although orthodontists have higher accuracy in diagnosing asymmetrical faces than laypersons, they fail to correctly distinguish some specific asymmetrical areas.

The object detection of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) images has widespread applications in numerous fields; however, the complex background, diverse scales, and uneven distribution of objects in UAV images make object detection a challenging task. This study proposes a convolution neural network transformer hybrid model to achieve efficient object detection in UAV images, which has three advantages that contribute to improving object detection performance. First, the efficient and effective cross-shaped window (CSWin) transformer can be used as a backbone to obtain image features at different levels, and the obtained features can be input into the feature pyramid network to achieve multiscale representation, which will contribute to multiscale object detection. Second, a hybrid patch embedding module is constructed to extract and utilize low-level information such as the edges and corners of the image. Finally, a slicing-based inference method is constructed to fuse the inference results of the original image and sliced images, which will improve the small object detection accuracy without modifying the original network. Experimental results on public datasets illustrate that the proposed method can improve performance more effectively than several popular and state-of-the-art object detection methods.

Visual place recognition (VPR) is a task that aims to predict the location of an image based on the existing images. Because image data can often be massive, extracting features efficiently is critical. To solve the problems of model redundancy and poor time efficiency in feature extraction, this study proposes a fast dual-feature extraction method based on a tightly coupled lightweight network. The tightly coupled network extracts local and global features in a unified model which has a lightweight backbone. Learned step size quantization is then performed to reduce the computational overhead in the inference stage. Additionally, an efficient channel attention module ensures feature representation ability. Efficiency and performance experiments on different hardware platforms showed that the proposed algorithm incurred significant runtime savings for feature extraction, and the inference was 2.9–4.0 times faster than that in the general model. The experimental results confirmed that the proposed method can significantly improve VPR efficiency while ensuring accuracy.

IntroductionThe availability of a human-like chronic heart failure (HF) animal model was critical for affiliating development of novel therapeutic drug treatments. With the close physiology relatedness to humans, the non-human primate (NHP) HF model would be valuable to better understand the pathophysiology and pharmacology of HF. The purpose of this work was to present preliminary cardiac image findings using echocardiography and cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) in a HF-like cynomolgus macaque model.MethodsThe NHP diet-induced model developed cardiac phenotypes that exhibited diastolic dysfunction with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) or preserved LVEF. Twenty cynomolgus monkeys with cardiac dysfunction were selected by echocardiography and subsequently separated into two groups, LVEF

Abstract Background Patients with a first hip fracture are at high risk of fracturing their other hip. Despite this, preventive therapy is often not given. Because little is known about specific risk factors of a second hip fracture, we investigated the association with areal bone mineral density (aBMD), muscle size, and density. We also investigated whether muscle parameters predict the risk of a contralateral fracture independently of aBMD. Methods Three groups were included, one without hip fracture (a subcohort of the China Action on Spine and Hip Status study), one with a first, and one with a second hip fracture. Subjects with fractures were recruited from the longitudinal Chinese Second Hip Fracture Evaluation (CSHFE). Computed tomography scans of CSHFE patients, which were obtained immediately following their first fracture, were used to measure cross‐sectional area and density of the gluteus maximus (G.MaxM) and gluteus medius and minimus (G.Med/MinM) muscles. Computed tomography X‐ray absorptiometry was used to measure aBMD of the contralateral femur. Median follow‐up time to second fracture was 4.5 years. Cox proportional hazards models were used to compute hazard ratios (HR) of second hip fracture risk in subjects with a first hip fracture. Multivariate logistic regressions were used to compare odds ratios (OR) for the risk of a first and second hip fracture. Results Three hundred and one participants (68.4 ± 6.1 years, 64% female) without and 302 participants (74.6 ± 9.9 years, 71% female) with a first hip fracture were included in the analysis. Among the latter, 45 (79.2 ± 7.1 years) sustained a second hip fracture. ORs for first hip fracture were significant for aBMD and muscle size and density. ORs for a second fracture were smaller by a factor of 3 to 4 and no longer significant for femoral neck (FN) aBMD. HRs for predicting second hip fracture confirmed the results. G.Med/MinM density (HR, 1.68; CI, 1.20–2.35) and intertrochanter aBMD (HR, 1.62; CI, 1.13–2.31) were the most significant. FN aBMD was not significant. G.Med/MinM density remained significant for predicting second hip fracture after adjustment for FN (HR, 1.66; Cl, 1.18–2.30) or total hip aBMD (HR, 1.50; 95% Cl, 1.04–2.15). Conclusions Density of the G.Med/MinM muscle is an aBMD independent predictor of the risk of second hip fracture. Intertrochanteric aBMD is a better predictor of second hip fracture than FN and total hip aBMD. These results may trigger a paradigm shift in the assessment of second hip fracture risk and prevention strategies.

Introduction: Measurement of biomarkers early after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) might provide a cost-effective and widely available tool to assess infarct severity, myocardial dysfunction, and clinical outcomes. We aimed to induce AMI in miniature pigs, measure the levels of serum biomarkers and global LV function dynamically and explore the release kinetics and optimal sampling time points of copeptin and its correlation with global LV function. Methods: We induced AMI in the experimental group using a closed-chest model. Left ventricular (LV) function was detected by dual-source computed tomography (DSCT) and serum copeptin was determined by ELISA. Results: The serum copeptin levels were increased at 1 hour, peaked at 3 hours, gradually decreased after 6 hours, and returned to baseline 3 days after AMI. At 3 to 6 hours, the copeptin cutoff of 16.97 to 17.44 pmol/l had 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity ( P ⩽ .001) for AMI. Serum copeptin levels at 3 hours and 3 days were negatively correlated with the 3-hours LVEF ( P ⩽ .001), respectively. Conclusion: Serum copeptin levels change in time, and measurements at 3 to 6 hours after AMI had the highest predictive value.

AIM: To investigate the relationship between platelet parameters and macular edema(ME)in retinal vein occlusion(RVO)patients with different OCT types.METHODS: Retrospective study. A total of 126 eyes in 126 patients with RVO were enrolled in the ophthalmology department of the Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from December 2016 to February 2021, among whom, 51 eyes with central retinal vein occlusion(CRVO)were included, branch retinal vein occlusion(BRVO)included 75 eyes, 31 eyes without ME(non-ME)and 95 eyes with ME. According to the morphology of OCT, ME was divided into 26 eyes of diffuse retinal thickening(DRT), 30 eyes of cystoid macular edema(CME)and 39 eyes of serous retinal detachment(SRD), the platelet parameters of patients with different groups including platelet count(PLT), mean platelet volume(MPV), plateletcrit(PCT)and platelet distribution width(PDW)were collected and statistical analysis were performed.RESULTS:The MPV value and CMT value of ME group was higher than that of Non-ME group(all P

IntroductionMusculoskeletal system gradually degenerates with aging, and a hypoxia environment at a high altitude may accelerate this process. However, the comprehensive effects of high-altitude environments on bones and muscles remain unclear. This study aims to compare the differences in bones and muscles at different altitudes, and to explore the mechanism and influencing factors of the high-altitude environment on the skeletal muscle system.MethodsThis is a prospective, multicenter, cohort study, which will recruit a total of 4000 participants over 50 years from 12 research centers with different altitudes (50m~3500m). The study will consist of a baseline assessment and a 5-year follow-up. Participants will undergo assessments of demographic information, anthropomorphic measures, self-reported questionnaires, handgrip muscle strength assessment (HGS), short physical performance battery (SPPB), blood sample analysis, and imaging assessments (QCT and/or DXA, US) within a time frame of 3 days after inclusion. A 5-year follow-up will be conducted to evaluate the changes in muscle size, density, and fat infiltration in different muscles; the muscle function impairment; the decrease in BMD; and the osteoporotic fracture incidence. Statistical analyses will be used to compare the research results between different altitudes. Multiple linear, logistic regression and classification tree analyses will be conducted to calculate the effects of various factors (e.g., altitude, age, and physical activity) on the skeletal muscle system in a high-altitude environment. Finally, a provisional cut-off point for the diagnosis of sarcopenia in adults at different altitudes will be calculated.Ethics and disseminationThe study has been approved by the institutional research ethics committee of each study center (main center number: KHLL2021-KY056). Results will be disseminated through scientific conferences and peer-reviewed publications, as well as meetings with stakeholders.Clinical Trial registration numberhttp://www.chictr.org.cn/index.aspx, identifier ChiCTR2100052153.

Abstract Comprehensive investigations on the incidence and prognosis of pituitary tumors are still lacking. The present study aims to summarize the incidence, demographics, and survival outcome of pituitary adenoma on a population-based level. This study includes all pituitary adenomas reported in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database from 2004 to 2016 in the United States. Extensive clinical and demographic characteristics were extracted and submitted to group comparisons. The standardized incidence rate was calculated and stratified by year at diagnosis, age/sex and age/treatment groups. The Kaplan–Meier analysis and multivariable regressions were performed to identify the factors associated with overall survival. A total of 47,180 pituitary tumors were identified, including 47,030 typical adenomas, 111 uncertain behavior pituitary adenomas, and 39 pituitary carcinomas. The overall standardized incidence rate was 4.8 cases per 100,000 person-years and the annual incidence rate continually trended upwards, with a peak seen in 2015. We noticed a bimodal age-related distribution in females and a unimodal distribution in males. In the multivariate regression analysis, the factors associated with prolonged survival included typical adenoma, younger age, and smaller tumor size. Whereas, black and male patients had worse overall survival. Our study provides a reliable estimate on the incidence of pituitary adenoma and confirms that the annual standardized incidence rate is increasing. Pituitary adenomas have a satisfactory long-term prognosis and age, tumor size, and tumor subtypes are related to overall survival. Though statistically significant, our inferential findings should be constrained within the limitations of SEER database.

Non-functional pituitary adenomas (NFPAs) are one of the most prevalent pituitary adenoma subtypes. The lack of reliable screening approach for NFPAs for the insidious clinical course usually leads to delays in medical therapy and consequently worse prognosis. Hence, we employed a sequence cohort (patient: control, 6:2) and a validation cohort (patient: control, 22:8) to develop a serum exosomal miRNA profile-based method for NFPA screening and prognosis prediction. We found that a total of 1,395 kinds of human miRNA were detected. Compared with healthy donors, 18 up-regulated and 36 down-regulated miRNAs showed significant expression alterations in NFPA patients. Target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs are mainly enriched in axonogenesis and cancer-associated terms. After validation, hsa-miR-486-5p, hsa-miR-151a-5p, hsa-miR-652-3p_R+1, and hsa-miR-1180-3p were promising biomarkers for NFPA, in which miR-486-5p was the most competent one. After a median of 33 months of prospective follow-up, exosomal hsa-miR-486-5p also was an efficient predictive biomarker for progression or relapse of NFPAs. By protein-protein interaction network construction of hsa-miR-486-5p targeted genes, the core modules revealed a high possibility that exosomal hsa-miR-486-5p regulated tumor progression by epigenetic regulation of MAPK signaling pathways. In conclusion, exosomal hsa-miR-486-5p, hsa-miR-151a-5p, hsa-miR-652-3p_R+1, and hsa-miR-1180-3p are candidate biomarkers for diagnosis and screening of NFPAs. More importantly, prospective follow-up reveals that hsa-miR-486-5p can be regarded as a significant predictor for prognosis of NFPAs.

Background and PurposeA high-altitude environment was known to have a negative effect on bone and lead to a higher incidence of hip fracture. However, the dependence of muscle composition on altitude is unclear. Thus, we aimed to compare muscle density and area in plateau and low altitude area and to determine the effect of the altitude on these outcomes.MethodsCommunity dwelling adults over 60 years old living in Beijing (elevation 50 m; 300 subjects,107 men and 193 women) or Kunming (elevation 2000 m; 218 subjects,83 men and 135 women) for more than 10 years were enrolled. Quantitative CT was performed in all subjects and cross-sectional area and attenuation measured in Hounsfield units (HU) were determined for the trunk, gluteus, and mid-thigh muscles.ResultsCompared to Beijing, Kunming adults were slimmer (Beijing men vs Kunming men: 25.08 ± 2.62 vs 23.94 ± 3.10kg/m2, P=0.013; Beijing women vs Kunming women: 25.31 ± 3.1 vs 23.98 ± 3.54 kg/m2, P= 0.001) and had higher muscle density in the L2-trunk and gluteus maximus muscles after adjustment for age and BMI (L2-trunk muscles: Beijing men 29.99 ± 4.17 HU vs Kunming men 37.35 ± 4.25 HU, P< 0.0001; Beijing women 27.37 ± 3.76 HU vs Kunming women 31.51 ± 5.12 HU, P< 0.0001; Gluteus maximus muscle: Beijing men 35.11 ± 6.54 HU vs Kunming men 39.36 ± 4.39 HU, P= 0.0009; Beijing women 31.47 ± 6.26 HU vs Kunming women 34.20 ± 5.87 HU P=0.0375). Age was similar in both cohorts and no differences were observed in the gluteus medius and minimus muscle or the mid-thigh muscle, either in the area or density.ConclusionsCompared with Beijing, the adults in Kunming had higher muscle density of the gluteus maximus and L2 trunk muscles, showing that living at a higher altitude might be beneficial to muscle quality.

To effectively guarantee the safety and efficiency of space activities, and to meet the needs of different levels of users for space object situation (SOS) knowledge, formalized and standardized SOS knowledge is needed to assist cognition. A knowledge graph (KG), as a suitable technology that can formally express knowledge and construct a standardized knowledge base, can provide knowledge generation, representation and intelligent service of SOS. In this paper, an SOS information service based on the KG (SOSKG) was constructed. Aimed at different scales of components in SOS, a multi-granularity knowledge structure was constructed, and a formalized expression of SOSKG was realized. To incorporate the complex relations into the SOSKG, a multi-level semantic relation parsing model and formalized representation were proposed from the three aspects of basic relations, spatial relations, and temporal relations. Additionally, a multi-element knowledge construction model was constructed to address the dynamic characteristics of various relations in SOSKG under a complex spatio-temporal environment. This study constructed different cases and scenarios to test the service, and the results show that the proposed service can effectively organize and express SOS knowledge in a complex spatio-temporal environment, provide an intermediate bridge between users and SOS knowledge, and promote users' cognition of SOS knowledge.

Lipids are the main energy source for embryonic development in oviparous animals. Prior to the utilization and catabolism, lipids are primarily transported from the yolk sac to embryonic tissues. In the present study, cDNA encoding a circulatory large lipid transfer protein (LLTP) superfamily member, the precursor of large discoidal lipoprotein (dLp) and high-density lipoprotein/β-1,3-glucan-binding protein (HDL-BGBP), named dLp/HDL-BGBP of 14,787 bp in length, was cloned from the mud crab Scylla paramamosain. dLp/HDL-BGBP was predicted to encode a 4,831 amino acids (aa) protein that was the precursor of dLp and HDL-BGBP, which were both detected in hemolymph by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. For the intracellular LLTP, three microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) cDNAs of 2,905, 2,897, and 3,088 bp in length were cloned from the mud crab and were predicted to encode MTP-A of 881 aa, MTP-B of 889 aa, and MTP-C of 919 aa, respectively, which were different merely in the N-terminal region and shared an identical sequence of 866 aa. During embryonic development, the expression level of dLp/HDL-BGBP consecutively increased from the early appendage formation stage to the eye pigment-formation stage, which indicated that HDL-BGBP is probably the scaffolding protein for yolk lipid. For the MTP gene, MTP-C accounted for ~70% of MTP mRNA from the blastocyst stage to the nauplius stage, as well as the pre-hatching stage; MTP-C and MTP-A expression levels were comparable from the early appendage formation stage to the late eye pigment-formation stage; MTP-A was extremely low in blastocyst and gastrula stages; MTP-B was expressed at a relatively low-level throughout embryo development. The variations in the expression profiles among MTP transcripts suggested that MTP might play roles in the lipid droplet maturation and lipoprotein assembly during embryonic development.

Tuberculous meningomyelitis is a relatively rare but serious type of nervous system tuberculosis. This disease is caused by invasion of the spinal cord or the spinal meninges tuberculosis. The early symptoms are not typical and lack specificity. It can cause early changes in the MRI. Analysis of the MRI manifestations combined with the clinical manifestations and cere- brospinal fluid examination can facilitate accurate diagnosis of the disease. Early treatment has a clear effect, we want to increase knowledge of the dis- ease by sharing this case in order to reduce clinical misdiagnosis and allow more patients to be treated in time. Keywords: Tuberculous meningomyelitis, Magnetic resonance imaging

The development, deployment, and maintenance of the current space situational awareness (SSA) information system have become increasingly complex. However, researchers cannot flexibly and conveniently apply the research results to practical applications due to the lack of basic research platforms for SSA. Inspired by X as a Service (XaaS), we propose the microservice-based platform for SSA data analytics to provide a scaffold-like platform for researchers. Based on microservice, the architecture for this platform is proposed to meet the requirements of flexible development and loosely coupled deployment. To facilitate the use of the platform, the hybrid data service layer is established to provide basic data for research and the functional service layer is designed to provide services for clients and applications. Due to the massive data processing requirements, the data analysis architecture and processing model, which can easily integrate various user-defined algorithms and significantly improve the computational efficiency, are proposed based on the Lambda architecture. To verify the platform’s effectiveness, two cases are established and implemented. The results show that this platform can provide a convenient, flexible, and efficient platform for the requirements of algorithm integration, experiment, and data display from users and researchers.

The implementation of increased space exploration missions reduces the distance between human beings and outer space. Although it is impossible for everyone to enter the remote outer space, virtual environments could provide computer-based digital spaces that we can observe, participate in, and experience. In this study, Sino-InSpace, a digital simulation platform, was developed to support the construction of virtual space environments. The input data are divided into two types, the environment element and the entity object, that are then supported by the unified time-space datum. The platform adopted the pyramid model and octree index to preprocess the geographic and space environment data, which ensured the efficiency of data loading and browsing. To describe objects perfectly, they were abstracted and modeled based on four aspects including attributes, ephemeris, geometry, and behavior. Then, the platform performed the organization of a visual scenario based on logical modeling and data modeling; in addition, it ensured smooth and flexible visual scenario displays using efficient data and rendering engines. Multilevel modes (application directly, visualization development, and scientific analysis) were designed to support multilevel applications for users from different grades and fields. Each mode provided representative case studies, which also demonstrated the capabilities of the platform for data integration, visualization, process deduction, and auxiliary analysis. Finally, a user study with human participants was conducted from multiple views (usability, user acceptance, presence, and software design). The results indicate that Sino-InSpace performs well in simulation for virtual space environments, while a virtual reality setup is beneficial for promoting the experience.