Exosomal PD-L1 in cancer and other fields: recent advances and perspectives.

PD-1/PD-L1 signaling is a key factor of local immunosuppression in the tumor microenvironment. Immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting PD-1/PD-L1 signaling have achieved tremendous success in clinic. However, several types of cancer are particularly refractory to the anti-PD-1/PD-L1 treatment. Recently, a series of studies reported that IFN-γ can stimulate cancer cells to release exosomal PD-L1 (exoPD-L1), which possesses the ability to suppress anticancer immune responses and is associated with anti-PD-1 response. In this review, we introduce the PD-1/PD-L1 signaling, including the so-called 'reverse signaling'. Furthermore, we summarize the immune treatments of cancers and pay more attention to immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting PD-1/PD-L1 signaling. Additionally, we review the action mechanisms and regulation of exoPD-L1. We also introduce the function of exoPD-L1 as biomarkers. Finally, we review the methods for analyzing and quantifying exoPD-L1, the therapeutic strategies targeting exoPD-L1 to enhance immunotherapy and the roles of exoPD-L1 beyond cancer. This comprehensive review delves into recent advances of exoPD-L1 and all these findings suggest that exoPD-L1 plays an important role in both cancer and other fields.

Novel Environmentally Friendly RNAi Biopesticides: Targeting V-ATPase in Holotrichia parallela Larvae Using Layered Double Hydroxide Nanocomplexes.

RNA interference (RNAi)-based biopesticides offer an attractive avenue for pest control. Previous studies revealed high RNAi sensitivity in Holotrichia parallela larvae, showcasing its potential for grub control. In this study, we aimed to develop an environmentally friendly RNAi method for H. parallela larvae. The double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) of the V-ATPase-a gene (HpVAA) was loaded onto layered double hydroxide (LDH). The dsRNA/LDH nanocomplex exhibited increased environmental stability, and we investigated the absorption rate and permeability of dsRNA-nanoparticle complexes and explored the RNAi controlling effect. Silencing the HpVAA gene was found to darken the epidermis of H. parallela larvae, with growth cessation or death or mortality, disrupting the epidermis and midgut structure. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and confocal microscopy confirmed the effective absorption of the dsRNA/LDH nanocomplex by peanut plants, with distribution in roots, stems, and leaves. Nanomaterial-mediated RNAi silenced the target genes, leading to the death of pests. Therefore, these findings indicate the successful application of the nanomaterial-mediated RNAi system for underground pests, thus establishing a theoretical foundation for developing a green, safe, and efficient pest control strategy.

Zwitterionic modified and freeze-thaw reinforced foldable hydrogel as intraocular lens for posterior capsule opacification prevention.

Posterior capsule opacification (PCO) is a predominant postoperative complication, often leading to visual impairment due to the aberrant proliferation and adhesion of lens epithelial cells (LECs) and protein precipitates subsequent to intraocular lens (IOL) implantation. To address this clinical issue, a foldable and antifouling sharp-edged IOL implant based on naturally-derived cellulose hydrogel is synthesized. The mechanical strength and transparency of the hydrogel is enhanced via repeated freeze-thaw (FT) cycles. The incorporated zwitterionic modifications can remarkably prevent the incidence of PCO by exhibiting proteins repulsion and cell anti-adhesion properties. The graft of dopamine onto both the haptic and the periphery of the posterior surface ensures the adhesion of the hydrogel to the posterior capsule and impedes the migration of LECs without compromising transparency. In in vivo study, the zwitterionic modified foldable hydrogel exhibits uveal and capsular biocompatibility synchronously with no signs of inflammatory response and prevent PCO formation, better than that of commercialized and PEG-modified IOL. With foldability, endurability, antifouling effect, and adhesive to posterior capsule, the reported hydrogel featuring heterogeneous surface design displays great potential to eradicate PCO and attain post-operative efficacy after cataract surgery.

Rational Design of Live Biotherapeutic Products for the Prevention of Clostridioides difficile Infection.

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is one of the leading causes of healthcare- and antibiotic-associated diarrhea. While fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) has emerged as a promising therapy for recurrent CDI, its exact mechanisms of action and long-term safety are not fully understood. Defined consortia of clonal bacterial isolates, known as live biotherapeutic products (LBPs), have been proposed as an alternative therapeutic option. However, the rational design of LBPs remains challenging. Here, we employ a computational pipeline and three independent metagenomic datasets to systematically identify microbial strains that have the potential to inhibit CDI. We first constructed the CDI-related microbial genome catalog, comprising 3,741 non-redundant metagenome-assembled genomes (nrMAGs) at the strain level. We then identified multiple potential protective nrMAGs that can be candidates for the design of microbial consortia targeting CDI, including strains from Dorea formicigenerans , Oscillibacter welbionis , and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii . Importantly, some of these potential protective nrMAGs were found to play an important role in the success of FMT, and the majority of the top protective nrMAGs can be validated by various previously reported findings. Our results demonstrate a computational framework for the rational selection of microbial strains targeting CDI, paving the way for the computational design of microbial consortia against other enteric infections.

Aberrant cortical morphology patterns are associated with cognitive impairment in patients with chronic heart failure.

A mounting body of evidences suggests that patients with chronic heart failure (HF) frequently experience cognitive impairments, but the neuroanatomical mechanism underlying these impairments remains elusive. In this retrospective study, 49 chronic HF patients and 49 healthy controls (HCs) underwent brain structural MRI scans and cognitive assessments. Cortical morphology index (cortical thickness, complexity, sulcal depth and gyrification) were evaluated. Correlations between cortical morphology and cognitive scores and clinical variables were explored. Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify risk factors for predicting 3-year major adverse cardiovascular events. Compared with HCs, patients with chronic HF exhibited decreased cognitive scores (p < .001) and decreased cortical thickness, sulcal depth and gyrification in brain regions involved cognition, sensorimotor, autonomic nervous system (family-wise error correction, all p values <.05). Notably, HF duration and New York Heart Association (NYHA) demonstrated negative correlations with abnormal cortex morphology, particularly HF duration and thickness in left precentral gyrus (r = -.387, p = .006). Cortical morphology characteristics exhibited positive associations with global cognition, particularly cortical thickness in left pars opercularis (r = .476, p < .001). NYHA class is an independent risk factor for adverse outcome (p = .001). The observed correlation between abnormal cortical morphology and global cognition suggested that cortical morphology may serve as a promising imaging biomarker and provide insights into neuroanatomical underpinnings of cognitive impairment in patients with chronic HF.

Potential correlations between asymmetric disruption of functional connectivity and metabolism in major depressive disorder.

OBJECTIVE: Previous research has suggested a connection between major depressive disorder (MDD) and certain comorbidities, including gastrointestinal issues, thyroid dysfunctions, and glycolipid metabolism abnormalities. However, the relationships between these factors and asymmetrical alterations in functional connectivity (FC) in adults with MDD remain unclear. METHOD: We conducted a study on a cohort of 42 MDD patients and 42 healthy controls (HCs). Participants underwent comprehensive clinical assessments, including evaluations of blood lipids and thyroid hormone levels, as well as resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (Rs-fMRI) scans. Data analysis involved correlation analysis to compute the parameter of asymmetry (PAS) for the entire brain's functional connectome. We then examined the interrelationships between abnormal PAS regions in the brain, thyroid hormone levels, and blood lipid levels. RESULTS: The third-generation ultra-sensitive thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH3UL) level was found to be significantly lower in MDD patients compared to HCs. The PAS score of the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) decreased, while the bilateral posterior cingulate cortex (Bi-PCC) PAS increased in MDD patients relative to HCs. Notably, the PAS score of the left IFG negatively correlated with both TSH and total cholesterol (CHOL) levels. However, these correlations lose significance after the Bonferroni correction. CONCLUSION: MDD patients demonstrated abnormal asymmetry in resting-state FC (Rs-FC) within the fronto-limbic system, which may be associated with CHOL and thyroid hormone levels.

Norditerpenoid alkaloids from Aconitum refractum var. circinatum as autophagy inducers.

A total of twenty-two diterpenoid alkaloids, including ten unprecedented ones, namely refractines C-L, were isolated from the roots of Aconitum refractum (Finet et Gagnep.) Hand.-Mazz. Refractine C was the first example of a natural diterpenoid alkaloid wherein C-19 is linked to N position by an oxaziridine ring. Refractine L was a rare glycosidic diterpenoid alkaloid with fructofuranoside. Most of the isolated compounds obtained from a previous study were screened for their anti-inflammatory and myocardial protective activities. The autophagy-inducing effects of some of these compounds on RAW 264.7 cells were evaluated by assessing the expression of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3-II/LC3-I). Results revealed that some compounds exerted varying levels of inhibitory effects on the proliferative activity of RAW 264.7 cells.

Plant polysaccharide-derived edible film packaging for instant food: Rapid dissolution in hot water coupled with exceptional mechanical and barrier characteristics.

A comprehensive multiscale analysis was conducted to explore the effects of different ratios of these materials on its properties. The results show that KC played a crucial role in controlling solution viscosity and gel and sol temperatures. The dissolution time at high water temperatures primarily decreased with an increase in SA content. Higher KC and CS content increased tensile strength (TS) and elongation at break (ε), while also exhibiting better thermal stability. Water vapor transmission (WVT) and permeability (PV) initially decreased, then increased with the increase of SA and CS contents. Finally, an SA:KC:CS ratio of 1:3:2 showed optimal comprehensive properties, with a dissolution time of about 60.0 ± 3.8 s, TS of 23.80 ± 0.29 MPa, ε of 18.61 ± 0.34 %, WVT of 21.74 ± 0.62 g/m2·24h, and PV of 5.39 ± 0.17 meq/kg. Meanwhile, the SA:KC:CS edible food packaging only introduced minimal effects on food after dissolution, and the total bacterial count met regulatory standards.

The mechanism of mitochondrial autophagy regulating Clathrin-mediated endocytosis in epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to determine whether inhibition of mitophagy affects seizures through Clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME). METHODS: Pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) was intraperitoneally injected daily to establish a chronic PTZ-kindled seizure. The Western blot (WB) was used to compare the differences in Parkin protein expression between the epilepsy group and the control group. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the expression of MitoTracker and LysoTracker. Transferrin-Alexa488 (Tf-A488) was injected into the hippocampus of mice. We evaluated the effect of 3-methyladenine (3-MA) on epilepsy behavior through observation in PTZ-kindled models. RESULTS: The methylated derivative of adenine, known as 3-MA, has been extensively utilized in the field of autophagy research. The transferrin protein is internalized from the extracellular environment into the intracellular space via the CME pathway. Tf-A488 uses a fluorescent marker to track CME. Western blot showed that the expression of Parkin was significantly increased in the PTZ-kindled model (p < 0.05), while 3-MA could reduce the expression (p < 0.05). The fluorescence uptake of MitoTracker and LysoTracker was increased in the primary cultured neurons induced by magnesium-free extracellular fluid (p < 0.05); the fluorescence uptake of Tf-A488 was significantly decreased in the 3-MA group compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Following hippocampal injection of Tf-A488, both the epilepsy group and the 3-MA group exhibited decreased fluorescence uptake, with a more pronounced effect observed in the 3-MA group. Inhibition of mitophagy by 3-MA from day 3 to day 9 progressively exacerbated seizure severity and shortened latency. SIGNIFICANCE: It is speculated that the aggravation of seizures by 3-MA may be related to the failure to remove damaged mitochondria in time and effectively after inhibiting mitochondrial autophagy, affecting the vesicle endocytosis function of CME and increasing the susceptibility to epilepsy. SUMMARY: Abnormal mitophagy was observed in a chronic pentylenetetrazol-induced seizure model and a Mg2+-free-induced spontaneous recurrent epileptiform discharge model. A fluorescent transferrin marker was utilized to track clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Using an autophagy inhibitor (3-methyladenine) on primary cultured neurons, we discovered that inhibition of autophagy led to a reduction in fluorescent transferrin uptake, while impairing clathrin-mediated endocytosis function mediated by mitophagy. Finally, we examined the effects of 3-methyladenine in an animal model of seizures showing that it exacerbated seizure severity. Ultimately, this study provides insights into potential mechanisms through which mitophagy regulates clathrin-mediated endocytosis in epilepsy.

Hippocampal excitation-inhibition balance underlies the 5-HT2C receptor in modulating depressive behaviours.

The implication of 5-hydroxytryptamine 2C receptor (5-HT2CR) in depression is a topic of debate, and the underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. We now elucidate hippocampal excitation-inhibition (E/I) balance underlies the regulatory effects of 5-HT2CR in depression. Molecular biological analyses showed that chronic mild stress (CMS) reduced the expression of 5-HT2CR in hippocampus. We revealed that inhibition of 5-HT2CR induced depressive-like behaviors, reduced GABA release and shifted the E/I balance towards excitation in CA3 pyramidal neurons by using behavioral analyses, microdialysis coupled with mass spectrum, and electrophysiological recording. Moreover, 5-HT2CR modulated neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS)-carboxy-terminal PDZ ligand of nNOS (CAPON) interaction through influencing intracellular Ca2+ release, as determined by fiber photometry and coimmunoprecipitation. Notably, disruption of nNOS-CAPON by specific small molecule compound ZLc-002 or AAV-CMV-CAPON-125C-GFP, abolished 5-HT2CR inhibition-induced depressive-like behaviors, as well as the impairment in soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complex assembly-mediated GABA vesicle release and a consequent E/I imbalance. Importantly, optogenetic inhibition of CA3 GABAergic neurons prevented the effects of AAV-CMV-CAPON-125C-GFP on depressive behaviors in the presence of 5-HT2CR antagonist. Conclusively, our findings disclose the regulatory role of 5-HT2CR in depressive-like behaviors and highlight the hippocampal nNOS-CAPON coupling-triggered E/I imbalance as a pivotal cellular event underpinning the behavioral consequences of 5-HT2CR inhibition.

Paotianxiong polysaccharides potential prebiotics: Structural analysis and prebiotic properties.

Paotianxiong (PTX) is a processing product of Aconitum carmichaelii Debx., often used as a tonic food daily. However, the structure and activity of the polysaccharide component that plays a major role still need to be determined. In our work, two new polysaccharides were purified from PTX and named PTXP-1 and PTXP-2. Structural analysis showed that PTXP-1 is a glucan with a molecular weight of 915 Da and a structure of 4)-α-D-Glcp-(1 â†’ as the main chain. PTXP-2 is a glucose arabinoglycan with 4)-α-D-Glcp-(1 â†’ as the main chain, containing 8 glycosidic bonds attached, and a molecular weight of 57.9KDa. In vitro probiotic experiments demonstrated that PTXP-1 could significantly promote probiotic growth and acid production. In vivo experiments demonstrated that both PTXP-1 and PTXP-2 exhibited significant effectiveness in promoting the growth of intestinal probiotics. These findings help expand the application of polysaccharide components extracted from tonic herbs as functional food ingredients.

AKAP8 promotes ovarian cancer progression and antagonizes PARP inhibitor sensitivity through regulating hnRNPUL1 transcription.

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the highest worldwide cancer mortality cause among gynecologic tumors, but its underlying molecular mechanism remains largely unknown. Here, we report that the RNA binding protein A-kinase anchoring protein 8 (AKAP8) is highly expressed in ovarian cancer and predicts poor prognosis for ovarian cancer patients. AKAP8 promotes ovarian cancer progression through regulating cell proliferation and metastasis. Mechanically, AKAP8 is enriched at chromatin and regulates the transcription of the specific hnRNPUL1 isoform. Moreover, AKAP8 phase separation modulates the hnRNPUL1 short isoform transcription. Ectopic expression of the hnRNPUL1 short isoform could partially rescue the growth inhibition effect of AKAP8-knockdown in ovarian cancer cells. In addition, AKAP8 modulates PARP1 expression through hnRNPUL1, and AKAP8 inhibition enhances PAPR inhibitor cytotoxicity in ovarian cancer. Together, our study uncovers the crucial function of AKAP8 condensation-mediated transcription regulation, and targeting AKAP8 could be potential for improvement of ovarian cancer therapy.

Theoretical Study of the Temperature- and Pressure-Dependent Rate Constants for Nine Reactions between COn (n = 0-4), Om (m = 1-3), C2O, and C3O2 during the Radiolysis of Carbon Dioxide.

We investigate the reaction pathways of nine important CO2-related reactions using the revDSD-PBEP86-D3(BJ)/jun-cc-pV(T+d)Z level and simultaneously employ an accurate composite method (jun-Cheap) based on coupled-cluster (CC) theory. Subsequently, the Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus/master equation (RRKM/ME) is solved to calculate the temperature- and pressure-dependent rate constants. This work investigates reactions involving transition states that have been overlooked in previous literature, including the dissociation of singlet-state C3O2, the triple channel formation of C2O + CO to form C3O2, and the formation of O3 + CO. The results show that CO3 is highly prone to dissociation at high temperatures. Finally, the kinetic data show that over a wide temperature range, our calculations are consistent with previous experimental measurements. The majority of the reaction rate constants studied exhibit significant pressure dependence, while the O3 + CO reaction is pressure-independent at low temperatures. These results are instrumental in the development of detailed kinetic models for the CO2 radiolysis reaction network.

Sensorimotor adaptation to destabilizing dynamics in weakly electric fish.

Humans and other animals can readily learn to compensate for changes in the dynamics of movement. Such changes can result from an injury or changes in the weight of carried objects. These changes in dynamics can lead not only to reduced performance but also to dramatic instabilities. We evaluated the impacts of compensatory changes in control policies in relation to stability and robustness in Eigenmannia virescens, a species of weakly electric fish. We discovered that these fish retune their sensorimotor control system in response to experimentally generated destabilizing dynamics. Specifically, we used an augmented reality system to manipulate sensory feedback during an image stabilization task in which a fish maintained its position within a refuge. The augmented reality system measured the fish's movements in real time. These movements were passed through a high-pass filter and multiplied by a gain factor before being fed back to the refuge motion. We adjusted the gain factor to gradually destabilize the fish's sensorimotor loop. The fish retuned their sensorimotor control system to compensate for the experimentally induced destabilizing dynamics. This retuning was partially maintained when the augmented reality feedback was abruptly removed. The compensatory changes in sensorimotor control improved tracking performance as well as control-theoretic measures of robustness, including reduced sensitivity to disturbances and improved phase margins.

Synthesis of 2,3-Dialkyl-5-hydroxybenzofurans via a One-pot, Three-step Reaction Sequence of 2-Monosubstituted 1,3-Diketones and 1,4-Benzoquinones.

An economical one-pot, three-step reaction sequence of readily available 2-monosubstituted 1,3-diketones and 1,4-benzoquinones has been explored for the facile access of 2,3-dialkyl-5-hydroxybenzofurans. By using cheap K2CO3 and conc. HCl as the reaction promoters, the reaction occurs smoothly via sequential Michael addition, aromatization, retro-Claisen, deacylation, hemiketalization, and dehydration processes under mild conditions in a practical manner. Additionally, an interesting phenomenon was observed during the derivatization studies, where the dihydroquinoline was converted into tetrahydroquinoline and quinoline products, respectively, via a disproportionation process.

A PSMA PET/CT-based risk model for prediction of concordance between targeted biopsy and combined biopsy in detecting prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: This study is to investigate the diagnostic value of 68Ga-PSMA-11 in improving the concordance between mpMRI-TB and combined biopsy (CB) in detecting PCa. METHODS: 115 consecutive men with 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT prior to prostate biopsy were included for analysis. PSMA intensity, quantified as maximum standard uptake value (SUVmax), minimum apparent diffusion coefficient (ADCmin) and other clinical characteristics were evaluated relative to biopsy concordance using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. A prediction model was developed based on the identified parameters, and a dynamic online diagnostic nomogram was constructed, with its discrimination evaluated through the area under the ROC curve (AUC) and consistency assessed using calibration plots. To assess its clinical applicability, a decision curve analysis (DCA) was performed, while internal validation was conducted using bootstrapping methods. RESULTS: Concordance between mpMRI-TB and CB occurred in 76.5% (88/115) of the patients. Multivariate logistic regression analyses performed that SUVmax (OR= 0.952; 95% CI 0.917-0.988; P= 0.010) and ADCmin (OR= 1.006; 95% CI 1.003-1.010; P= 0.001) were independent risk factors for biopsy concordance. The developed model showed a sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and AUC of 0.67, 0.78, 0.81 and 0.78 in the full sample. The calibration curve demonstrated that the nomogram's predicted outcomes closely resembled the ideal curve, indicating consistency between predicted and actual outcomes. Furthermore, the decision curve analysis (DCA) highlighted the clinical net benefit achievable across various risk thresholds. These findings were reinforced by internal validation. CONCLUSIONS: The developed prediction model based on SUVmax and ADCmin showed practical value in guiding the optimization of prostate biopsy pattern. Lower SUVmax and Higher ADCmin values are associated with greater confidence in implementing mono-TB and safely avoiding SB, effectively balancing benefits and risks.

Reliability and validity tests of the Chinese version of the Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale (GLFS-25) in tumor survivors.

Objective: To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese-translated Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale (GLFS-25) for the assessment of locomotive syndrome (LS) in individuals surviving malignancies. Methods: 393 tumor survivors at a general hospital in China were recruited. The Chinese version of GLFS-25 was utilized to conduct a cross-sectional survey to ascertain the tool's efficacy in measuring LS in this cohort. The scale's validity was examined through content, structural and discriminant validity assessments, while its reliability was investigated by determining the internal consistency (via Cronbach's α coefficient) and test-retest reliability (via intragroup correlation coefficient, ICC). Results: The Chinese-adapted GLFS-25 demonstrated a robust scale-level content validity index of 0.94, while item-level content validity indices ranged from 0.83 to 1.00 across individual items. The suitability of the scale for structural validity assessment was confirmed via exploratory factor analysis, yielding a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of 0.930 and a significant Bartlett's test of sphericity (χ2 = 3217.714, df = 300, P < 0.001). Subsequent confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) extracted four distinct factors: Social Activity Engagement, Daily Living Ability, Pain Experience and Physical Mobility. These factors accounted for 72.668 % of the variance, indicating substantial construct validity for measuring LS among this population. CFA supported the model's fit with the following indices: χ2/df = 1.559, RMSEA = 0.077, GFI = 0.924, CFI = 0.941, NFI = 0.919, and TLI = 0.933. The factor loadings for the four factors ranged from 0.771 to 0.931, indicating the items corresponding to the four factors effectively represented the constructs they were designed to measure. The correlation coefficients among the four factors were between 0.306 and 0.469, all lower than the square roots of the respective AVEs (0.838-0.867). This suggests a moderate correlation among the four factors and a distinct differentiation between them, indicating the Chinese version of the GLFS-25 exhibits strong discriminant validity in Chinese tumor survivors. Reliability testing revealed a high Cronbach's α coefficient for the overall scale at 0.961, with the subscales yielding coefficients of 0.751, 0.836, 0.930, and 0.952. The overall ICC was determined to be 0.935, with subscale ICCs ranging from 0.857 to 0.941, reinforcing the scale's reliability in this context. Conclusions: The Chinese version of the GLFS-25 exhibits strong reliability and validity for the assessment of LS in tumor survivors. It may serve as a diagnostic tool for LS, contributing to the prevention and management of musculoskeletal disorders and enhancing the prognosis for this patient population.

Artificial intelligence for diagnosis and prognosis prediction of natural killer/T cell lymphoma using magnetic resonance imaging.

Accurate diagnosis and prognosis prediction are conducive to early intervention and improvement of medical care for natural killer/T cell lymphoma (NKTCL). Artificial intelligence (AI)-based systems are developed based on nasopharynx magnetic resonance imaging. The diagnostic systems achieve areas under the curve of 0.905-0.960 in detecting malignant nasopharyngeal lesions and distinguishing NKTCL from nasopharyngeal carcinoma in independent validation datasets. In comparison to human radiologists, the diagnostic systems show higher accuracies than resident radiologists and comparable ones to senior radiologists. The prognostic system shows promising performance in predicting survival outcomes of NKTCL and outperforms several clinical models. For patients with early-stage NKTCL, only the high-risk group benefits from early radiotherapy (hazard ratio = 0.414 vs. late radiotherapy; 95% confidence interval, 0.190-0.900, p = 0.022), while progression-free survival does not differ in the low-risk group. In conclusion, AI-based systems show potential in assisting accurate diagnosis and prognosis prediction and may contribute to therapeutic optimization for NKTCL.

A Prognostic Model Based on the Log Odds Ratio of Positive Lymph Nodes Predicts Prognosis of Patients with Rectal Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the prognostic value of rectal cancer by comparing different lymph node staging systems, and a nomogram was constructed based on superior lymph node staging. METHODS: Overall, 8700 patients with rectal cancer was obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2010 and 2015. The area under the curve (AUC), the C index, and the Akaike informativeness criteria (AIC) were used to examine the predict ability of various lymph node staging methods. Prognostic indicators were assessed using univariate and multivariate COX regression, and further correlation nomograms were created after the data were randomly split into training and validation cohorts. To evaluate the effectiveness of the model, the C index, calibration curves, decision curves (DCA), and receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) were used. We ran Kaplan-Meier survival analyses to look for variations in risk classification. RESULTS: While compared to the N-stage positive lymph node ratio (LNR), the log odds ratio of positive lymph nodes (LODDS) had the highest predictive effectiveness. Multifactorial COX regression analyses were used to create nomograms for overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). The C indices of OS and CSS for this model were considerably higher than those for TNM staging in the training cohort. The created nomograms demonstrated good efficacy based on ROC, rectification, and decision curves. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed notable variations in patient survival across various patient strata. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to AJCC staging, the LODDS-based nomograms have a more accurate predictive effectiveness in predicting OS and CSS in patients with rectal cancer.