CRCFound: A Colorectal Cancer CT Image Foundation Model Based on Self-Supervised Learning.

Accurate risk stratification is crucial for determining the optimal treatment plan for patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). However, existing deep learning models perform poorly in the preoperative diagnosis of CRC and exhibit limited generalizability, primarily due to insufficient annotated data. To address these issues, CRCFound, a self-supervised learning-based CT image foundation model for CRC is proposed.

Personalized risk stratification in colorectal cancer via PIANOS system.

Current prognostic biomarkers for colorectal cancer (CRC) lack stability and generalizability across different cohorts and platforms, challenging precise patient stratification. Here, we introduce a Platform Independent and Normalization Free Single-sample Classifier (PIANOS), designed to refine treatment decisions by accurately categorizing patients with CRC into distinct risk groups. Developed using gene expression data from 562 patients and employing a rank-based k-Top Scoring Pairs (k-TSP) algorithm alongside resampling, PIANOS was rigorously validated in 15 cohorts comprising 3666 patients with CRC.

Contact-Angle-Guided Semi-Cured Slot-Die Coating Eliminates Air Entrapment in LED Multilayer Films.

LED polymer multilayer films offer clear advantages over single-layer coatings, such as minimized particle settling, finer control over particle distribution, and more precise spectral tuning. However, the standard "coat-dry-coat" process for these multilayer systems often traps air bubbles, degrading film quality and uniformity. This study investigates the air entrainment mechanism in multilayer film formation.

Comprehensive Analysis of Pathogen Diversity and Diagnostic Biomarkers in Patients with Suspected Pulmonary Tuberculosis Through Metagenomic Next-Generation Sequencing.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the co-infecting pathogens and lung microbiomes in patients with clinically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and explore potential diagnostic biomarkers to differentiate between varied infection patterns.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study by analyzing 198 bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) samples collected from patients with suspected pulmonary TB. All BALF samples were sequenced using metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS).

Quantitative cancer-immunity cycle modeling for predicting disease progression in advanced metastatic colorectal cancer.

Patients with advanced metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) typically exhibit significant interindividual differences in treatment responses and face poor survival outcomes. To systematically analyze the heterogeneous tumor progression and recurrence observed in advanced mCRC patients, we developed a quantitative cancer-immunity cycle (QCIC) model. The QCIC model employs differential equations to capture the biological mechanisms underlying the cancer-immunity cycle and predicts tumor evolution dynamics under various treatment strategies through stochastic computational methods.

Study on the Performance of Deep Red to Near-Infrared pc-LEDs by the Simulation Method Considering the Distribution of Phosphor Particles.

Effectively utilizing deep red to near-infrared (DR-NIR) phosphors to achieve the optimal performance of NIR phosphor-converted white LEDs (DR-NIR pc-wLEDs) is currently a research hotspot. In this study, an optical model of DR-NIR pc-wLEDs with virtual multilayer fluorescent films was established based on the Monte Carlo ray-tracing method. Different gradient distributions of the particles were assigned within the fluorescent film to explore their impact on the optical performance of pc-LEDs.

Mathematical Modeling of Tumor Immune Interactions: The Role of Anti-FGFR and Anti-PD-1 in the Combination Therapy.

Bladder cancer poses a significant global health burden with high incidence and recurrence rates. This study addresses the therapeutic challenges in advanced bladder cancer, focusing on the competitive mechanisms of ligand or drug binding to receptors. We developed a refined mathematical model that integrates the dynamics of tumor cells and immune responses, particularly targeting fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).

Color tuning by Si/Ge substitution in Cr doped melilite inorganic pigments.

Rockery constitutes one of the significant elements of Chinese royal garden design, and it becomes an emerging interdisciplinary topic covering both science and art. In this work, we report an attempt to restore the color of the ancient rockeries by finding the appropriate inorganic pigments. Chromium is doped as activators into strontium melilites with varying Si/Ge ratio, and the synthesized powders give a series of color changing from ice blue to dark-sea green.

Deciphering tertiary lymphoid structure heterogeneity reveals prognostic signature and therapeutic potentials for colorectal cancer: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

Background: Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) exert a crucial role in the tumor microenvironment (TME), impacting tumor development, immune escape, and drug resistance. Nonetheless, the heterogeneity of TLSs in colorectal cancer (CRC) and their impact on prognosis and treatment response remain unclear.

Methods: The authors collected genome, transcriptome, clinicopathological information, and digital pathology images from multiple sources.

Seeding Atomic Silver into Internal Lattice Sites of Transition Metal Oxide for Advanced Electrocatalysis.

Transition metal oxides (TMOs) are widely studied for loading of various catalysts due to their low cost and high structure flexibility. However, the prevailing close-packed nature of most TMOs crystals has restricted the available loading sites to surface only, while their internal bulk lattice remains unactuated due to the inaccessible narrow space that blocks out most key reactants and/or particulate catalysts. Herein, using tunnel-structured MnO, this study demonstrates how TMO's internal lattice space can be activated as extra loading sites for atomic Ag in addition to the conventional surface-only loading, via which a dual-form Ag catalyst within MnO skeleton is established.

Structure Embedded Nucleus Classification for Histopathology Images.

Nuclei classification provides valuable information for histopathology image analysis. However, the large variations in the appearance of different nuclei types cause difficulties in identifying nuclei. Most neural network based methods are affected by the local receptive field of convolutions, and pay less attention to the spatial distribution of nuclei or the irregular contour shape of a nucleus.

Bubble Defect Generation Mechanism in Slot Die Coating of High-Viscosity Fluids.

Slot die coating is a widely used technique for the production of high accuracy films. One of the main challenges in slot die coating processes is determining the optimal range of operating parameters to prevent defects, such as bubbles, in high-viscosity films. In this study, both simulation and experimental methods were used to investigate the changes in the upstream meniscus under various coating parameters.

Surface Adsorption and Proton Chemistry of Ultra-Stabilized Aqueous Zinc-Manganese Dioxide Batteries.

Aqueous rechargeable Zinc (Zn) batteries incorporating MnO cathodes possess favorable sustainability properties and are being considered for low-cost, high-safety energy storage. However, unstable electrode structures and unclear charge storage mechanisms limit their development. Here, advanced transmission electron microscopy, electrochemical analysis, and theoretical calculations are utilized to study the working mechanisms of a Zn/MnO battery with a Co -stabilized, tunnel-structured α-MnO cathode (Co MnO ).

Senescence-based colorectal cancer subtyping reveals distinct molecular characteristics and therapeutic strategies.

Cellular senescence has been listed as a hallmark of cancer, but its role in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. We comprehensively evaluated the transcriptome, genome, digital pathology, and clinical data from multiple datasets of CRC patients and proposed a novel senescence subtype for CRC. Multi-omics data was used to analyze the biological features, tumor microenvironment, and mutation landscape of senescence subtypes, as well as drug sensitivity and immunotherapy response.

Effects of bubbles on particle dynamic behavior and concentration distribution in High-viscosity liquid under negative pressure.

The vacuum method is a widely adopted technique for eliminating bubbles from polymers containing particles. To investigate the influence of bubbles on the behavior of particles and the concentration distribution in high-viscosity liquids under negative pressure, experimental and numerical methods have been employed. The experimental findings demonstrated a positive correlation between the diameter and rising velocity of bubbles and the negative pressure.

Differential expression and significance of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine modification in hepatitis B virus carriers and patients with liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Background: The relationship between hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive carrier status and liver cancer has been extensively studied. However, the epigenetic changes that occur during progression from HBsAg-positive carrier status or cirrhosis to liver cancer are unknown. The epigenetic modification of DNA hydroxymethylation is critical in tumor development.

Dihydrotanshinone I inhibits hepatocellular carcinoma cells proliferation through DNA damage and EGFR pathway.

Background: The incidence and mortality of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are globally on the rise. Dihydrotanshinone I, a natural product isolated from has attracted extensive attention in recent years for its anti-tumour proliferation efficiency.

Methods: Cell proliferations in hepatoma cells (Huh-7 and HepG2) were evaluated by MTT and colony formation assays.

An immune, stroma, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related signature for predicting recurrence and chemotherapy benefit in stage II-III colorectal cancer.

Background: Debates exist on the treatment decision of the stage II/III colorectal cancer (CRC) due to the insufficiency of the current TNM stage-based risk stratification system. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and tumor microenvironment (TME) have both been linked to CRC progression in recent studies. We propose to improve the prognosis prediction of CRC by integrating TME and EMT.

CT-based radiogenomic analysis dissects intratumor heterogeneity and predicts prognosis of colorectal cancer: a multi-institutional retrospective study.

Background: This study aimed to develop a radiogenomic prognostic prediction model for colorectal cancer (CRC) by investigating the biological and clinical relevance of intratumoural heterogeneity.

Methods: This retrospective multi-cohort study was conducted in three steps. First, we identified genomic subclones using unsupervised deconvolution analysis.

Predicting prognosis and immunotherapy response among colorectal cancer patients based on a tumor immune microenvironment-related lncRNA signature.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) remodel the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) by regulating the functions of tumor-infiltrating immune cells. It remains uncertain the way that TIME-related lncRNAs (TRLs) influence the prognosis and immunotherapy response of colorectal cancer (CRC). Aiming at providing survival and immunotherapy response predictions, a CRC TIME-related lncRNA signature (TRLs signature) was developed and the related potential regulatory mechanisms were explored with a comprehensive analysis on gene expression profiles from 97 immune cell lines, 61 CRC cell lines and 1807 CRC patients.

A Transcription Factor Signature Can Identify the CMS4 Subtype and Stratify the Prognostic Risk of Colorectal Cancer.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous disease, and current classification systems are insufficient for stratifying patients with different risks. This study aims to develop a generalized, individualized prognostic consensus molecular subtype (CMS)-transcription factors (TFs)-based signature that can predict the prognosis of CRC.

Methods: We obtained differentially expressed TF signature and target genes between the CMS4 and other CMS subtypes of CRC from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database.

Serum CHI3L1 as a diagnostic marker and risk factor for liver fibrosis in HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B.

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) as the major inducement of hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis, imposes a heavy health burden upon patients. This research aims to investigate the diagnostic value of serum chitinase 3-like 1 (CHI3L1) in hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative CHB liver fibrosis (LF) and to analyze the risk factors. We selected 78 patients with HBeAg-negative CHB admitted to our hospital between October 2018 and October 2019, and grouped them (F group, n=38; F group, n=40) based on their stages evaluated by the METAVIR scoring system.

Multi-Size Deep Learning Based Preoperative Computed Tomography Signature for Prognosis Prediction of Colorectal Cancer.

Preoperative and postoperative evaluation of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients is crucial for subsequent treatment guidance. Our study aims to provide a timely and rapid assessment of the prognosis of CRC patients with deep learning according to non-invasive preoperative computed tomography (CT) and explore the underlying biological explanations. A total of 808 CRC patients with preoperative CT (development cohort: = 426, validation cohort: = 382) were enrolled in our study.

DNA Repair-Related Gene Signature in Predicting Prognosis of Colorectal Cancer Patients.

Increasing evidence have depicted that DNA repair-related genes (DRGs) are associated with the prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of DNA repair-related gene signature (DRGS) in predicting the prognosis of CRC patients. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the gene expression profiles from six CRC cohorts.