The miR159a-PeMYB33 module regulates poplar adventitious rooting through the abscisic acid signal pathway.

As sessile organisms, plants experience variable environments and encounter diverse stresses during their growth and development. Adventitious rooting, orchestrated by multiple coordinated signaling pathways, represents an adaptive strategy evolved by plants to adapt to cope with changing environmental conditions. This study uncovered the role of the miR159a-PeMYB33 module in the formation of adventitious roots (ARs) synergistically with abscisic acid (ABA) signaling in poplar. Overexpression of miR159a increased the number of ARs and plant height while reducing sensitivity to ABA in transgenic plants. In contrast, inhibition of miR159a (using Short Tandem Target Mimic) or overexpression of PeMYB33 decreased the number of ARs in transgenic plants. Additionally, miR159a targets and cleaves transcripts of PeMYB33 using degradome analysis, which was further confirmed by a transient expression experiment of poplar protoplast. We show the miR159a-PeMYB33 module controls ARs development in poplar through ABA signaling. In particular, we demonstrated that miR159a promotes the expression of genes in the ABA signaling pathway. The findings from this study shed light on the intricate regulatory mechanisms governing the development of ARs in poplar plants. The miR159a-PeMYB33 module, in conjunction with ABA signaling, plays a crucial role in modulating AR formation and subsequent plant growth.

Clinical characteristics and MRI based radiomics nomograms can predict iPFS and short-term efficacy of third-generation EGFR-TKI in EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma with brain metastases.

BACKGROUND: Predicting short-term efficacy and intracranial progression-free survival (iPFS) in epidermal growth factor receptor gene mutated (EGFR-mutated) lung adenocarcinoma patients with brain metastases who receive third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) therapy was of great significance for individualized treatment. We aimed to construct and validate nomograms based on clinical characteristics and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) radiomics for predicting short-term efficacy and intracranial progression free survival (iPFS) of third-generation EGFR-TKI in EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma patients with brain metastases. METHODS: One hundred ninety-four EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma patients with brain metastases who received third-generation EGFR-TKI treatment were included in this study from January 1, 2017 to March 1, 2023. Patients were randomly divided into training cohort and validation cohort in a ratio of 5:3. Radiomics features extracted from brain MRI were screened by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression. Logistic regression analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression analysis were used to screen clinical risk factors. Single clinical (C), single radiomics (R), and combined (C + R) nomograms were constructed in short-term efficacy predicting model and iPFS predicting model, respectively. Prediction effectiveness of nomograms were evaluated by calibration curves, Harrell's concordance index (C-index), receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and decision curve analysis (DCA). Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare the iPFS of high and low iPFS rad-score patients in the predictive iPFS R model and to compare the iPFS of high-risk and low-risk patients in the predictive iPFS C + R model. RESULTS: Overall response rate (ORR) was 71.1%, disease control rate (DCR) was 91.8% and median iPFS was 12.67 months (7.88-20.26, interquartile range [IQR]). There were significant differences in iPFS between patients with high and low iPFS rad-scores, as well as between high-risk and low-risk patients. In short-term efficacy model, the C-indexes of C + R nomograms in training cohort and validation cohort were 0.867 (0.835-0.900, 95%CI) and 0.803 (0.753-0.854, 95%CI), while in iPFS model, the C-indexes were 0.901 (0.874-0.929, 95%CI) and 0.753 (0.713-0.793, 95%CI). CONCLUSIONS: The third-generation EGFR-TKI showed significant efficacy in EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma patients with brain metastases, and the combined line plot of C + R can be utilized to predict short-term efficacy and iPFS.

Characterization and clinical verification of immune-related genes in hepatocellular carcinoma to aid prognosis evaluation and immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Immune-related genes (IRGs) have been confirmed to play an important role in tumorigenesis and tumor microenvironment formation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We investigated how IRGs regulates the HCC immunophenotype and thus affects the prognosis and response to immunotherapy. METHODS: We investigated RNA expression of IRGs and developed an immune-related genes-based prognostic index (IRGPI) in HCC samples. Then, the influence of the IRGPI on the immune microenvironment was comprehensively analysed. RESULTS: According to IRGPI, HCC patients are divided into two immune subtypes. A high IRGPI was characterized by an increased tumor mutation burden (TMB) and a poor prognosis. More CD8 + tumor infiltrating cells and expression of PD-L1 were observed in low IRGPI subtypes. Two immunotherapy cohorts confirmed patients with low IRGPI demonstrated significant therapeutic benefits. Multiplex immunofluorescence staining determined that there were more CD8 + T cells infiltrating into tumor microenvironment in IRGPI-low groups, and the survival time of these patients was longer. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that the IRGPI serve as a predictive prognostic biomarker and potential indicator for immunotherapy.

Long Non-Coding RNA lncWOX11a Suppresses Adventitious Root Formation of Poplar by Regulating the Expression of PeWOX11a.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), a class of poorly conserved transcripts without protein-encoding ability, are widely involved in plant organogenesis and stress responses by mediating the transmission and expression of genetic information at the transcriptional, posttranscriptional, and epigenetic levels. Here, we cloned and characterized a novel lncRNA molecule through sequence alignment, Sanger sequencing, transient expression in protoplasts, and genetic transformation in poplar. lncWOX11a is a 215 bp transcript located on poplar chromosome 13, ~50 kbp upstream of PeWOX11a on the reverse strand, and the lncRNA may fold into a series of complex stem-loop structures. Despite the small open reading frame (sORF) of 51 bp within lncWOX11a, bioinformatics analysis and protoplast transfection revealed that lncWOX11a has no protein-coding ability. The overexpression of lncWOX11a led to a decrease in the quantity of adventitious roots on the cuttings of transgenic poplars. Further, cis-regulatory module prediction and CRISPR/Cas9 knockout experiments with poplar protoplasts demonstrated that lncWOX11a acts as a negative regulator of adventitious rooting by downregulating the WUSCHEL-related homeobox gene WOX11, which is supposed to activate adventitious root development in plants. Collectively, our findings imply that lncWOX11a is essential for modulating the formation and development of adventitious roots.

Classical Angiogenic Signaling Pathways and Novel Anti-Angiogenic Strategies for Colorectal Cancer.

Although productive progress has been made in colorectal cancer (CRC) researchs, CRC is the second most frequent type of malignancy and the major cause of cancer-related death among gastrointestinal cancers. As angiogenesis constitutes an important point in the control of CRC progression and metastasis, understanding the key signaling pathways that regulate CRC angiogenesis is critical in elucidating ways to inhibit CRC. Herein, we comprehensively summarized the angiogenesis-related pathways of CRC, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT), Wingless and int-1 (Wnt), and Notch signaling pathways. We divided the factors influencing the specific pathway into promoters and inhibitors. Among these, some drugs or natural compounds that have antiangiogenic effects were emphasized. Furthermore, the interactions of these pathways in angiogenesis were discussed. The current review provides a comprehensive overview of the key signaling pathways that are involved in the angiogenesis of CRC and contributes to the new anti-angiogenic strategies for CRC.

Bone microarchitecture and metabolism in elderly male patients with signs of intravertebral cleft on MRI.

OBJECTIVES: Intravertebral cleft (IVC) is a common but not unique imaging manifestation in Kümmell's disease. To date, great controversy exists regarding the specific mechanisms of IVC. In this study, we aimed to investigate the characteristics of microarchitecture and metabolism in patients with IVC and to analyse the correlations between degree of vertebral collapse and risk factors. METHODS: A total of 79 elderly men were included in this study. We divided all patients into two groups: the IVC group (30 patients) and the non-IVC group (49 patients). We compared the differences in microarchitecture and bone turnover marker (BTM) serum concentrations between the groups and analysed risk factors affecting vertebral collapse by using the Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman's correlation test. RESULTS: Quantitative analysis of the microarchitecture showed higher content of necrotic bone (p < 0.001) and lower content of lamellar bone (p < 0.001) in the IVC group. Analysis of BTMs identified lower concentration of N-terminal propeptide of type I collagen (PINP, p = 0.002) and higher concentration of ß-isomerized C-terminal telopeptide (ß-CTX, p < 0.001) in the IVC group. The correlation analysis showed that lamellar bone content (p < 0.001) and spine T-score (p = 0.011) were significantly correlated with the degree of vertebral collapse. CONCLUSIONS: IVC is a radiological feature of excessive bone resorption by higher activities of osteoclasts and decreased bone remodelling ability by lower activities of osteoblasts. Histomorphological feature in patients with IVC is delayed callus mineralisation, which may increase the risk of vertebral collapse. KEY POINTS: • A key histomorphological feature in patients with IVC is delayed callus mineralisation, which may aggravate the degree of vertebral collapse. • We investigated bone metabolism in patients with IVC to evaluate the activities of osteoclasts and osteoblasts directly. • We propose a novel hypothesis for the pathogenesis of IVC: bone resorption by higher activity of osteoclasts and decreased callus mineralisation ability by lower activity of osteoblasts are the main mechanisms leading to IVC.

Protoplast isolation and transcriptome analysis of developing xylem in Pinus massoniana (Pinaceae).

BACKGROUND: With active physiological and biochemical activities, tissue-specific protoplasts from cambial derivatives, could serve as a specific source for information on xylogenesis for softwood species resistant to stable genetic transformation and lacking available mutants. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, protoplasts were isolated from developing xylem of the Chinese red pine, Pinus massoniana, by enzymolysis. High-quality RNAs were extracted from developing xylem and their protoplasts for constructing transcriptome libraries. Using Illumina HiSeq 2500 PE150 platform, a total of 362,328,426 clean paired-end reads (54.35G) were generated from multiple cDNA libraries and assembled into 146,422 unigenes. The transcriptome data were further analysed to identify 1567 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the isolated protoplasts and developing xylem of P. massoniana (Masson pine), 1126 DEGs were upregulated in protoplasts relative to developing xylem cells and 441 were downregulated. Most of the differentially expressed genes in biological process terms are related to plant response, which may be due to the response to cell wall removal. Further, the expression pattern of 71 unigenes involved in lignin biosynthesis was verified by RNA-seq. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to report the transcriptome profiles of the developing xylem and its protoplasts of coniferous trees, which provide a new perspective and valuable resource for tracking transcriptional regulatory events in wood formation of Masson pine.

Value of MRI in assessing back pain after thoracolumbar osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures and discussion on the underlying mechanisms by tissue biopsy.

PURPOSE: The specific radiological feature of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) is bone marrow oedema (BME) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, the relationship between BME and back pain (BP) is unclear. We investigated the value of MRI in assessing BP and discussed the relevant mechanisms by tissue biopsy. METHODS: One hundred nineteen patients with thoracolumbar OVCFs were included in this study. We divided all patients into two groups: the low-oedema group (BME ≤ 75%) and the high-oedema group (BME > 75%). To reduce the error generated in the acute phase of fracture, we separately analysed patients in phases I (within one month) and II (more than one month). We compared the differences between the groups using the Mann-Whitney U test and investigated the correlations using Spearman's correlation test. RESULTS: The degree of BP was significantly correlated with BME (p < 0.001; p < 0.001) and fibrous tissue content (p = 0.006; p = 0.035) in both phases. Further, the fibrous tissue content in the low-oedema group (12.49 ± 7.37%; 15.25 ± 13.28%) was significantly lower than that in the high-oedema group (25.68 ± 20.39%, p = 0.014; 23.92 ± 14.61%, p = 0.022) in both phases. The lamellar bone content was significantly correlated with BP (p = 0.021) in phase II. CONCLUSIONS: BME signals on MRI can accurately predict the degree of BP, and the main mechanisms are related to the stimulation of fibrous tissue.

Molecular Design, Preparation, and Characterization of Fluoro-Containing Polyimide Ultrafine Fibrous Membranes with High Whiteness, High Thermal Stability, and Good Hydrophobicity.

Polymeric ultrafine fibrous membranes (UFMs) with high thermal stability and high whiteness are highly desired in modern optoelectronic applications. A series of fluoro-containing polyimide (FPI) UFMs with high whiteness, good thermal stability, and good hydrophobicity were prepared via a one-step electrospinning procedure from the organo-soluble FPI resins derived from a fluoro-containing dianhydride, 4,4'-(hexafluoroisopropylidene) diphthalic anhydride (6FDA), and various diamines containing either pendant trifluoromethyl (-CF3) groups or alicyclic units in the side chains. The obtained FPI UFMs, including FPI-1 from 6FDA and 3,5-diaminobenzotrifluoride (TFMDA), FPI-2 from 6FDA and 2'-trifluoromethyl-3,4'-oxydianiline (3FODA), FPI-3 from 6FDA and 1,4-bis[(4-amino-2-trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]benzene (6FAPB), FPI-4 from 4,4'-bis[(4-amino-2-trifluoromethyl)phenoxy]biphenyl (6FBAB), and FPI-5 from 6FDA and 4'-tert-butyl-cyclohexyl-3,5-diaminobenzoate (DABC) showed whiteness indices (WI) higher than 87.00 and optical reflectance values higher than 80% at the wavelength of 457 nm (R457), respectively. The FPI-5 UFM, especially, showed the highest WI of 92.88. Meanwhile, the prepared PI UFMs exhibited good hydrophobic features with water contact angles (WCA) higher than 105°. At last, the PI UFMs exhibited good thermal stability with glass transition temperatures (Tg) higher than 255 °C, and the 5% weight-loss temperatures (T5%) higher than 510 °C in nitrogen.

The Impact of Bone Mineral Density on Bone Metabolism and the Fracture Healing Process in Elderly Chinese Patients With Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fractures.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of bone mineral density (BMD) on bone histomorphological parameters and bone turnover markers (BTMs) following osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) and to determine the correlation between BMD and the percentage of middle height compression during the healing process. METHODS: A total of 206 patients with OVCFs were included in this study. Bone biopsy specimens were acquired during surgery. Blood samples were obtained to determine the serum concentrations of BTMs. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to BMD. RESULTS: The concentrations of N-terminal propeptide of type I collagen (PINP) in the T-score ≤ -2.5 group (50.92 ± 12.78 ng/ml) were significantly lower than those in the T-score > -2.5 group (68.75 ± 28.66 ng/ml, p = 0.025) 3-6 mo after fracture. Moreover, the volume of necrotic bone in the T-score ≤ -2.5 group (15.15 ± 5.44%) was higher than that (1.67 ± 0.79%, p < 0.001) in the T-score > -2.5 group during the same period. BMD was statistically correlated with cancellous bone content (RS = 0.761, p <0.001), PMHC (RS = 0.85, p < 0.001), fibrous tissue volume (RS = -0.376, p < 0.001), and necrotic bone content (RS = -0.487, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The healing process of OVCFs in the setting of low bone mass frequently occurs in the presence of decreased bone formation abilities, severe vertebral body height loss and a large amount of necrotic bone.

Vertebral bone marrow edema in magnetic resonance imaging correlates with bone healing histomorphometry in (sub)acute osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture.

BACKGROUND: BME on MRI has become the gold standard for the diagnosis of acute/subacute OVCF, but the correlation between the quantitative model of BME and histopathological manifestations of OVCF is rarely discussed in the literature. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to retrospectively investigate the relationship between bone marrow edema (BME) in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and bone healing histomorphometry in (sub)acute osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture. METHODS: According to the period since fracture, 125 patients were divided into four stages: stage I (0 to 15 days), stage II (16 to 30 days), stage III (31 to 60 days) and stage IV (61 to 90 days). Bone marrow edema was evaluated by the signal changes and intensity patterns on MRI sagittal images. Decalcified biopsy specimens were obtained from the cancellous bone core in the fractured vertebral body. The histomorphometry study results were analyzed by light microscopy using grid analysis and defined using bone histomorphometry criteria. RESULTS: There were 70 (56%) patients in stage I, 29 (23.2%) in stage II, 12 (9.6%) in stage III and 14 (11.2%) in stage IV. BME and histomorphometry characteristics differentiated from each other stage: The BME percentage had a significantly negative correlation with the ratio of osteoid volume/bone volume (r = - 0.539, p = 0.001) and the ratio of woven bone volume/tissue volume (r = - 0.584, p = 0.001). There was also a positive correlation between the BME percentage and the ratio of fibrous tissue volume/tissue volume (r = 0.488, p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Bone marrow edema significantly correlates with bone morphology parameters after vertebral fracture. The characteristics of histomorphological changes during fracture healing process can be preliminarily determined by observing the edema signal.

Uncovering miRNA-mRNA Regulatory Modules in Developing Xylem of Pinus massoniana via Small RNA and Degradome Sequencing.

Xylem is required for the growth and development of higher plants to provide water and mineral elements. The thickening of the xylem secondary cell wall (SCW) not only improves plant survival, but also provides raw materials for industrial production. Numerous studies have found that transcription factors and non-coding RNAs regulate the process of SCW thickening. Pinus massoniana is an important woody tree species in China and is widely used to produce materials for construction, furniture, and packaging. However, the target genes of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the developing xylem of P. massoniana are not known. In this study, a total of 25 conserved miRNAs and 173 novel miRNAs were identified via small RNA sequencing, and 58 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified between the developing xylem (PM_X) and protoplasts isolated from the developing xylem (PM_XP); 26 of these miRNAs were significantly up-regulated in PM_XP compared with PM_X, and 32 were significantly down-regulated. A total of 153 target genes of 20 conserved miRNAs and 712 target genes of 113 novel miRNAs were verified by degradome sequencing. There may be conserved miRNA-mRNA modules (miRNA-MYB, miRNA-ARF, and miRNA-LAC) involved in softwood and hardwood formation. The results of qRT-PCR-based parallel validation were in relatively high agreement. This study explored the potential regulatory network of miRNAs in the developing xylem of P. massoniana and provides new insights into wood formation in coniferous species.

Changes of Bone Turnover Markers and Bone Tissue Content After Severe Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fracture.

BACKGROUND The incidence of osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVCFs) has increased significantly in recent years. In order to assess osteoporotic fracture healing process, it is necessary to study the characteristics after this type of vertebral fracture. However, there are few researches on fracture healing process in severe OVCFs. We aim to investigate the histological healing process and the kinetics of bone turnover markers following severe OVCFs. MATERIAL AND METHODS There were 149 patients with severe OVCFs included in this study. Fasting blood samples were obtained to detect bone turnover markers levels. A transpedicular bone biopsy was performed to collect bone biopsy specimens during vertebroplasty surgery. Stratification of healing process was performed: stage I (1-3 days), stage II (4-10 days), stage III (11-20 days), stage IV (21-30 days), stage V (1-3 months), stage VI (3-6 months). RESULTS Quantitative analysis of bone histomorphometry showed that a large amount of necrotic bone tissue was observed in stage VI (12.92±3.66%). Bone turnover markers showed the concentration of ß-isomerized C-terminal telopeptide (ß-CTX) which reflects activity in osteoclast continued to increase in stage VI (0.9±0.33 ng/mL). These results differed from previous reports of other type vertebral fractures. CONCLUSIONS Bone histomorphometric analysis and bone turnover markers showed that severe osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures often associated with delayed union and nonunion during the healing process.

Curving h-BN thin films can create extra phonon polariton modes.

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) thin films support volume-confined phonon polariton modes within the bulk material as well as surface-confined modes at the edges of thin films. In this Letter, we theoretically investigate the phonon polaritons in curved h-BN thin films. One-dimensional guided phonon polariton modes are found, which are caused by the curved geometry and do not exist in extended flat films. These modes are guided along a specific direction with relatively low propagation losses. So far, one-dimensional guided phonon polariton modes have only been proposed in nanowire and nanoribbon structures. Our study offers another way with the advantage of keeping the h-BN film intact, which can avoid huge scattering losses due to the structural defects. These investigations may offer an easy and robust approach toward phonon-polariton-based nanophotonic circuitry.

Computed tomography-based radiomics and clinical-genetic features for brain metastasis prediction in patients with stage III/IV epidermal growth factor receptor-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the value of computed tomography (CT)-based radiomics combined with clinical-genetic features in predicting brain metastasis in patients with stage III/IV epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutant non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: The study included 147 eligible patients treated at our institution between January 2018 and May 2021. Patients were randomly divided into two cohorts for model training (n = 102) and validation (n = 45). Radiomics features were extracted from the chest CT images before treatment, and a radiomics signature was constructed using the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator regression. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to describe the differences in brain metastasis-free survival (BM-FS) risk. A clinical-genetic model was developed using Cox regression analysis. Radiomics, genetic, and combined prediction models were constructed, and their predictive performances were evaluated by the concordance index (C-index). RESULTS: Patients with a low radiomics score had significantly longer BM-FS than those with a high radiomics score in both the training (p < 0.0001) and the validation (p = 0.0016) cohorts. The C-indices of the nomogram, which combined the radiomics signature and N stage, overall stage, third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment, and EGFR mutation status, were 0.886 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.823-0.949) and 0.811 (95% CI 0.719-0.903) in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. The combined model achieved a higher discrimination and clinical utility than the single prediction models. CONCLUSIONS: The combined radiomics-genetic model could be used to predict BM-FS in stage III/IV NSCLC patients with EGFR mutations.

A comparative study of MassARRAY and GeneXpert assay in detecting rifampicin resistance in tuberculosis patients' clinical specimens.

Objectives: Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has emerged as a potent tool for detecting drug resistance in tuberculosis (TB); however, concerns about its reliability have been raised. In this study, we assessed the reliability of MassARRAY (Sequenom, Inc.), which is a MALDI-TOF MS-based method, by comparing it to the well-established GeneXpert assay (Cepheid) as a reference method. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted using laboratory data retrieved from Henan Chest Hospital (Zhengzhou, China). To ensure a rigorous evaluation, we adopted a comprehensive assessment approach by integrating multiple outcomes of the Xpert assay across various specimen types. Results: Among the 170 enrolled TB cases, MassARRAY demonstrated significantly higher sensitivity (85.88%, 146 of 170) compared to the Xpert assay (76.62%, 118 of 154) in TB diagnosis (p < 0.05). The concordance in detecting rifampicin resistance between MassARRAY and the combined outcomes of the Xpert assay was 90%, while it was 97.37% (37 of 38) among smear-positive cases and 89.06% (57 of 64) among culture-positive cases. When compared to the phenotypic susceptibility outcomes of the 12 included drugs, consistency rates of 81.8 to 93.9% were obtained, with 87.9% for multiple drug resistance (MDR) identification. Conclusion: MassARRAY demonstrates high reliability in detecting rifampicin resistance, and these findings may offer a reasonable basis for extrapolation to other drugs included in the test panel.

Multi-strategy modified sparrow search algorithm for hyperparameter optimization in arbitrage prediction models.

Deep learning models struggle to effectively capture data features and make accurate predictions because of the strong non-linear characteristics of arbitrage data. Therefore, to fully exploit the model performance, researchers have focused on network structure and hyperparameter selection using various swarm intelligence algorithms for optimization. Sparrow Search Algorithm (SSA), a classic heuristic method that simulates the sparrows' foraging and anti-predatory behavior, has demonstrated excellent performance in various optimization problems. Hence, in this study, the Multi-Strategy Modified Sparrow Search Algorithm (MSMSSA) is applied to the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network to construct an arbitrage spread prediction model (MSMSSA-LSTM). In the modified algorithm, the good point set theory, the proportion-adaptive strategy, and the improved location update method are introduced to further enhance the spatial exploration capability of the sparrow. The proposed model was evaluated using the real spread data of rebar and hot coil futures in the Chinese futures market. The obtained results showed that the mean absolute percentage error, root mean square error, and mean absolute error of the proposed model had decreased by a maximum of 58.5%, 65.2%, and 67.6% compared to several classical models. The model has high accuracy in predicting arbitrage spreads, which can provide some reference for investors.

A PET/CT radiomics model for predicting distant metastasis in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer patients treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy: a multicentric study.

OBJECTIVES: Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is a treatment option for patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who are unfit for surgery. Some patients may experience distant metastasis. This study aimed to develop and validate a radiomics model for predicting distant metastasis in patients with early-stage NSCLC treated with SBRT. METHODS: Patients at five institutions were enrolled in this study. Radiomics features were extracted based on the PET/CT images. After feature selection in the training set (from Tianjin), CT-based and PET-based radiomics signatures were built. Models based on CT and PET signatures were built and validated using external datasets (from Zhejiang, Zhengzhou, Shandong, and Shanghai). An integrated model that included CT and PET radiomic signatures was developed. The performance of the proposed model was evaluated in terms of its discrimination, calibration, and clinical utility. Multivariate logistic regression was used to calculate the probability of distant metastases. The cutoff value was obtained using the receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC), and the patients were divided into high- and low-risk groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to evaluate the distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) of different risk groups. RESULTS: In total, 228 patients were enrolled. The median follow-up time was 31.4 (2.0-111.4) months. The model based on CT radiomics signatures had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.819 in the training set (n = 139) and 0.786 in the external dataset (n = 89). The PET radiomics model had an AUC of 0.763 for the training set and 0.804 for the external dataset. The model combining CT and PET radiomics had an AUC of 0.835 for the training set and 0.819 for the external dataset. The combined model showed a moderate calibration and a positive net benefit. When the probability of distant metastasis was greater than 0.19, the patient was considered to be at high risk. The DMFS of patients with high- and low-risk was significantly stratified (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The proposed PET/CT radiomics model can be used to predict distant metastasis in patients with early-stage NSCLC treated with SBRT and provide a reference for clinical decision-making. In this study, the model was established by combining CT and PET radiomics signatures in a moderate-quantity training cohort of early-stage NSCLC patients treated with SBRT and was successfully validated in independent cohorts. Physicians could use this easy-to-use model to assess the risk of distant metastasis after SBRT. Identifying subgroups of patients with different risk factors for distant metastasis is useful for guiding personalized treatment approaches.

Effects of Heat Treatment on the Interface Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Friction-Stir-Processed AlCoCrFeNi/A356 Composites.

Equiatomic AlCoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy (HEA) has gained significant interest in recent years because of its excellent mechanical properties. A356 aluminum alloy reinforced by AlCoCrFeNi HEA particles was fabricated by friction stir processing (FSP) and subsequent heat treatment. Solution and aging treatments were specially performed for the composites to control the interface microstructure, and interfacial microstructure and tensile properties were explored at different conditions. The interface between the matrix and HEA particles showed a dual-layered core-shell structure and the thickness of the shell region increased with the solution time. The microstructure located in the shell layers consisted of a solid solution with increasing aluminum content, in which a radial-shaped solid solution phase formed in the region close to the core of the HEA particle and scattered solid solution grains with high Ni content formed in the region close to the matrix alloy. The gradient of composition and microstructure across the HEA/Al interface can be obtained through heat treatment, and an optimal interface bonding state and mechanical property were obtained after solution treatment for 2 h. Compared with FSPed A356 aluminum alloy, the FSPed composite enhanced the tensile stress by 60 MPa and the stain by 5% under the optimized conditions. The overgrowth of the shell layer decreased both the tensile strength and the ductile greatly due to the formation of a radial-shaped solid solution phase in the shell region.