Analysis of KRAS Mutation Status Prediction Model for Colorectal Cancer Based on Medical Imaging

This study retrospectively included some patients with colorectal cancer diagnosed by histopathology, to explore the feasibility of CT medical image texture analysis in predicting KRAS gene mutations in patients with colorectal cancer. Before any surgical procedure, all patients received an enhanced CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis, as well as genetic testing. To define patient groups, divide all patients into test and validation sets based on the order of patient enrollment. A radiologist took a look at the plain axial CT image of the tumor, as well as the portal vein CT image, at the corresponding level. The physician points the computer’s cursor to the relevant area in the image, and TexRAD software programs together texture parameters based on various spatial scale factors, also known as total mean, total variance, statistical entropy, overall total average, mean total, positive mean, skewness value, kurtosis value, and general skewness. Using the same method again two weeks later, the observer and another physician measured the image of each patient again to see if the method was consistent between observers. With regard to clinical information, the KRAS gene mutation group and the wild group of participants in the test set and validation set each had values for the texture parameter. In a study of patients with colorectal cancer, the results demonstrated that CT texture parameters were correlated with the presence of the KRAS gene mutation. The best CT prediction model includes the values of the medium texture image’s slope and the other CT fine texture image’s value of entropy, the medium texture image’s slope and kurtosis, and the medium texture image’s mean and the other CT fine texture image’s value of entropy. Regardless of the training set or the validation set, patients with and without KRAS gene mutations did not differ significantly in clinical characteristics. This method can be used to identify mutations in the KRAS gene in patients with colorectal cancer, making it practical to implement CT medical image texture analysis technology for that purpose.

Exploring CT Texture Parameters as Predictive and Response Imaging Biomarkers of Survival in Patients With Metastatic Melanoma Treated With PD-1 Inhibitor Nivolumab: A Pilot Study Using a Delta-Radiomics Approach

In the era of artificial intelligence and precision medicine, the use of quantitative imaging methodological approaches could improve the cancer patient’s therapeutic approaches. Specifically, our pilot study aims to explore whether CT texture features on both baseline and first post-treatment contrast-enhanced CT may act as a predictor of overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in metastatic melanoma (MM) patients treated with the PD-1 inhibitor Nivolumab. Ninety-four lesions from 32 patients treated with Nivolumab were analyzed. Manual segmentation was performed using a free-hand polygon approach by drawing a region of interest (ROI) around each target lesion (up to five lesions were selected per patient according to RECIST 1.1). Filtration-histogram-based texture analysis was employed using a commercially available research software called TexRAD (Feedback Medical Ltd, London, UK; https://fbkmed.com/texrad-landing-2/) Percentage changes in texture features were calculated to perform delta-radiomics analysis. Texture feature kurtosis at fine and medium filter scale predicted OS and PFS. A higher kurtosis is correlated with good prognosis; kurtosis values greater than 1.11 for SSF = 2 and 1.20 for SSF = 3 were indicators of higher OS (fine texture: 192 HR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.32–0.96, p = 0.03; medium texture: HR = 0.54, 95% CI = 0.29–0.99, p = 0.04) and PFS (fine texture: HR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.29–0.95, p = 0.03; medium texture: HR = 0.49, 209 95% CI = 0.25–0.96, p = 0.03). In delta-radiomics analysis, the entropy percentage variation correlated with OS and PFS. Increasing entropy indicates a worse outcome. An entropy variation greater than 5% was an indicator of bad prognosis. CT delta-texture analysis quantified as entropy predicted OS and PFS. Baseline CT texture quantified as kurtosis also predicted survival baseline. Further studies with larger cohorts are mandatory to confirm these promising exploratory results.

Microbiological and structural quality of Oxisol under pasture renewal systems

ABSTRACT The central Brazilian Savanna biome, known as Cerrado, has a vast area of pastures affected by some degree of degradation, where one of the main challenges is incorporating these areas into a crop production system. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of pasture renewal systems on the microbiological and structural quality of a medium-texture Oxisol. A randomized blocks design was adopted, with four replications and eight pasture renewal systems: 1) soybean/off-season maize/soybean; 2) soybean/maize-grass intercropping/soybean; 3) grass for 10 months and then one soybean crop; 4) grass + rattlepod for 10 months and then one soybean crop; 5) grass for 13 months and then one soybean crop; 6) grass + rattlepod for 13 months and then one soybean crop; 7) one soybean crop; 8) original pasture (control). The microbiological quality was assessed based on soil microbial biomass carbon, soil microbial activity, microbial metabolic quotient - qCO2 and activity of the β-glucosidase enzyme; and the structural quality based on the soil structural quality index. The implementation of pasture renewal systems with grass as a single crop (systems 3 and 5) or intercropped with rattlepod (systems 4 and 6) improves the soil microbiological and structural quality. The pasture renewal system beginning with soybean/off-season maize succession (system 1) is not indicated for the medium-texture soil evaluated in this study.

Chlorine Nutrition of Oil Palm Tree (Elaeis Guinq Jacq) in Eastern Amazon

In Brazil, the status of chlorine (Cl) nutrition in plants is still poorly studied. The micronutrient Cl plays an important role in cultures such as coconut and oil palm trees. This study aimed to evaluate the status of chlorine nutrition in oil palm trees as a function of planting age, which ranged from two to eight years of cultivation. The experiment was conducted in Tailândia, state of Pará, Brazil. The soil of the area is characterized as Yellow Latosol of medium texture. A total of four oil palm trees were sampled for each age and the following variables were analyzed: leaf, petioles, rachis, palm heart, arrows, stipe, male inflorescences, peduncles, spikelets and fruits, as well as the accumulated, recycled and immobilized levels of Cl. Oil palm trees proved to be demanding in Cl and the accumulation in the different vegetative organs increased with the development of the plant. The stipe was the main storing vegetative organ of this micronutrient. The highest demand of Cl (16.9-26.0 g/kg) occurred in the palm heart, while for male inflorescence, the values ranged from 3.3-4.1 g/kg of Cl. The levels of Cl recycled by the plant were higher than the immobilized and exported levels considering the development up to 4 years of age. After this age, the levels of recycled Cl are lower than those immobilized. As for the amount of Cl exported by clusters in 8-year-old plants, the values were 3.2 and 1.3 times lower than the recycled and immobilized levels, respectively.

Tumor radiomic features complement clinico-radiological factors in predicting long-term local control and laryngectomy free survival in locally advanced laryngo-pharyngeal cancers

Objective: To study if pre-treatment CT texture features in locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of laryngo-pharynx can predict long-term local control and laryngectomy free survival (LFS). Methods: Image texture features of 60 patients treated with chemoradiation (CTRT) within an ethically approved study were studied on contrast-enhanced images using a texture analysis research software (TexRad, UK). A filtration-histogram technique was used where the filtration step extracted and enhanced features of different sizes and intensity variations corresponding to a particular spatial scale filter (SSF): SSF = 0 (without filtration), SSF = 2 mm (fine texture), SSF = 3–5 mm (medium texture) and SSF = 6 mm (coarse texture). Quantification by statistical and histogram technique comprised mean intensity, standard-deviation, entropy, mean positive pixels, skewness and kurtosis. The ability of texture analysis to predict LFS or local control was determined using Kaplan–Meier analysis and multivariate cox model. Results: Median follow-up of patients was 24 months (95% CI:20–28). 39 (65%) patients were locally controlled at last follow-up. 10 (16%) had undergone salvage laryngectomy after CTRT. For both local control & LFS, threshold optimal cut-off values of texture features were analyzed. Medium filtered-texture feature that were associated with poorer laryngectomy free survival were entropy ≥4.54, (p = 0.006), kurtosis ≥4.18; p = 0.019, skewness ≤−0.59, p = 0.001, and standard deviation ≥43.18; p = 0.009). Inferior local control was associated with medium filtered features entropy ≥4.54; p 0.01 and skewness ≤ – 0.12; p = 0.02. Using fine filters, entropy ≥4.29 and kurtosis ≥−0.27 were also associated with inferior local control (p = 0.01 for both parameters). Multivariate analysis showed medium filter entropy as an independent predictor for LFS and local control (p < 0.001 & p = 0.001). Conclusion: Medium texture entropy is a predictor for inferior local control and laryngectomy free survival in locally advanced laryngo-pharyngeal cancer and this can complement clinico-radiological factors in predicting prognosticating these tumors. Advances in knowledge: Texture features play an important role as a surrogate imaging biomarker for predicting local control and laryngectomy free survival in locally advanced laryngo-pharyngeal tumors treated with definitive chemoradiation.

INCUBAÇÃO DO CALCÁRIO E AS CARACTERÍSTICAS QUÍMICAS DE SOLOS COM TEXTURAS DIFERENTES

A calagem interfere na disponibilidade de nutrientes, uma vez que recondiciona o solo. Essa mudança pode ser favorável ou não, dependendo da cultura a ser implantada e do solo a ser corrigido. Diante disso, realizou-se experimento com o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos do calcário, cuja quantidade foi calculada seguindo o método da incubação com CaCO3, nas características químicas de dois solos, um com textura arenosa e outro com textura argilosa. Primeiramente, foi efetuada a incubação do solo com o calcário, que foi mantido em sacolas plásticas por 40 dias, considerando os tipos de solos estudados. A quantidade de calcário dependeu das doses testadas, que foram distribuídas em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, constituindo 10 tratamentos (doses) e três repetições, sendo: 0,0; 0,5; 1,0; 2,5; 5,0; 7,5; 10,0; 12,5; 15,0 e 20,0 t ha-1. Após incubação, realizaram-se as análises químicas dos solos. A elevação das doses de calcário, aplicadas ao Latossolo Vermelho distrófico, proporcionou alterações nos teores de Ca, Mg, H, Al e Fe; que culminaram em alterações em características como pH, CTC, V% e m%, tanto quando a textura deste foi argilosa, quanto quando foi média.Palavras-chave: calagem; fração textural; CaCO3; correção do solo. METHOD OF INCUBATION WITH LIMESTONE IN THE CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SOILS WITH DIFFERENT TEXTURES ABSTRACT: Liming interferes on the availability of nutrients, because it reconditions the soil. This change may or may not be favorable, depending on the culture to be implanted and the soil to be corrected. For this, a experiment was realized with the objective of to evaluate the effects of limestone, that the quantity was calculated using the method of incubation with CaCO3, in the chemical characteristics of two soils, one with medium texture and the other with a clayey texture. First, the soil was incubated with the limestone and the material was kept in plastic bags for 40 days, considering the types of soils studied. The amount of limestone depended on the doses tested, which were distributed in a completely randomized design, constituting 10 treatments (doses) and three replications, that were: 0.0; 0.5; 1.0; 2.5; 5.0; 7.5; 10.0; 12.5; 15.0 and 20.0 t ha-1. After incubation, analyzes of the chemical characteristics of the soils, were carried out. The increase of limestone doses, applied to the dystrophic Red Latosol, caused alterations in Ca, Mg, H, Al and Fe contents; culminating in changes in characteristics as pH, CTC, V% and m%, when the texture was clayey and medium.Keywords: liming; fraction textural; CaCO3; soil correction.

Physical properties of Oxisol under conventional corn cultivation and no-till management systems

Searches for soil management systems that aim at maintaining soil quality are fundamental, along with sustainable agricultural and farming management. Thus, the aim of the present research was to assess soil parameters such as porous system, soil resistance to penetration, aggregate stability, relative soil density and the S index of an Oxisol under the conventional and no-till sowing management systems of corn production. They soils of the experimental areas were classified as a typical Oxisol with medium texture (LVd1) and typical Oxisol of clayey texture (LVd2). The experimental design was completely randomized split plot, with six replications. The plots (60 m2) consisted of six soil management systems (1 - SD1LVd1 = after one year no-till sowing; 2 - SD8LVd1 = after 8 years no-till sowing; 3 - SD10LVd1 = after 10 years no-till sowing; 4 - CCLVd1 = conventional sowing; 5 - SD12LVd2 = after 12 years no-till sowing; 6 - CCLVd2 = conventional sowing) and the subplots consisted of three soil layers (0-0.10, 0.10-0.20 and 0.20-0.30 m deep). The results showed that in three analyzed layers, the no-till sowing on medium texture Oxisol had higher densities. Treatments of medium texture Oxisol showed higher values of maximum soil density. This occurred because the clay content influenced a larger quantity of surface charges and specific surface area which decreased the susceptibility to soil compacting. The 12-year-old no-till sowing yielded the lowest corn productivity (5.9 Mg ha-1), probably due to the formation of compact layers, mainly near the soil surface.

Nutritional Behavior of Heliconia Grown Under Different Levels of Lime

Production and commercialization of tropical flowers and plants has grown in recent years, mainly due to the increasing value of these products in temperate climate countries, such as heliconia, one of the most cultivated tropical ornamental plants in Brazil. This study was developed to determine the effect of lime applications on the nutrients in heliconia plants (Heliconia psittacorum L. &times; Heliconia sparthocircinata Arist. [cv. Golden Torch]) cultivated in yellow latosol in a greenhouse. The macronutrient levels in the leaves, pseudostem and roots of the heliconia plants were determined after cultivating the plants in containers with a medium texture, yellow latosol, collected from the 0 to 20 cm layer and submitted to doses of 0, 0.9, 2.6, 4.2 and 5.9 t of lime ha-1. Nitrogen and phosphorous performed better in the absence of the correction and in the 0.9 t ha-1 dose for the vegetative parts of the heliconia plants. The application of dolomitic lime promoted greater absorption of potassium, calcium and magnesium, and sulfur performed better for the doses 2.6 and 5.9 t of lime ha-1, for the pseudostem and roots, respectively.

DOSE AND MODE OF APPLICATION OF THE WATER-ABSORBENT COPOLYMER ON GROWTH OF BERMUDAGRASS

DOSE AND MODE OF APPLICATION OF THE WATER-ABSORBENT COPOLYMER ON GROWTH OF BERMUDAGRASS LEANDRO JOSÉ GRAVA DE GODOY1; MARCOS RENATO VILLARON XAVIER E BARBOSA2; MARCELO VIEIRA FERRAZ1; LUIS AUGUSTO SAES2 E MARCOS VIEIRA FERRAZ3 1Professor Assistente Doutor do curso de Engenharia Agronômica, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Câmpus Experimental de Registro, Registro, SP, Brasil, [email protected]; [email protected] do curso de Engenharia Agronômica, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Câmpus Experimental de Registro, Registro, SP, Brasil, [email protected]; [email protected]ós-doutorando, Departamento de Horticultura, Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Câmpus de Botucatu, SP, Brasil, [email protected]. 1 ABSTRACT The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of water-absorbent copolymer in the growth of Bermudagrass, planted in a sandy substrate and soil medium texture. The treatments consisted of five doses of the copolymer (0, 25, 50, 75 or 100 g m-2), and two application modes (dry and hydrated) in a completely randomized design with five replications. During the experimental period turfs were subjected to a period of 10 days without watering. For the sandy substrate, when subjected to water stress, there was linear increase on dry mater production of clippings (growth) in function doses of water-absorbent copolymer. The major dry mater of roots was achieved by application of the copolymer at a dose of 56 g m-2 hydrated. For the soil medium textured copolymer hydrated in doses 50-54 g m-2 water-absorbent copolymer showed greater production of dry mater of clippings of Bermudagrass cv. Celebration applied in powder and hydrated forms respectively. For medium textured soil this water-absorbent copolymer did not influence the intensity of green color, not the green coverage rate of the turfgrass. The application of hydrated copolymer reduced the dry matter of roots in the soil of medium texture. Keywords: Hydrogel, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers, Maintenance, Turfgrass. GODOY, L. J. G.; XAVIER E BARBOS, M. R. V.; FERRAZ, M. V.; SAES, L. A.; FERRAZ, M. V.DOSES E MODOS DE APLICAÇÃO DE COPOLÍMERO HIDROABSORVENTE NO CRESCIMENTO DA GRAMA BERMUDA 2 RESUMO Com o presente estudo, objetivou-se avaliar os efeitos do copolímero hidroabsorvente no crescimento da grama bermuda, plantada em substrato de areia e solos de textura média. Os tratamentos consistiram da aplicação de cinco doses do copolímero (0; 25; 50; 75; 100 g m-2), e dois modos de aplicação (seco e hidratado), num delineamento inteiramente casualizado com cinco repetições. Durante o período experimental as gramas foram submetidas a um período sem irrigação de 10 dias. Para o substrato arenoso quando submetido a estresse hídrico houve efeito linear do copolímero sobre a produção de fitomassa seca de aparas (crescimento). A maior fitomassa de raízes foi alcançada com a aplicação do copolímero na dose de 56 g m-2 de forma hidratada. Já para o solo de textura média o copolímero na forma hidratada nas doses de 50 a 54 g m-2 do copolímero proporcionou maior produção de fitomassa seca de aparas da grama bermuda cv. Celebration aplicados em pó e de forma hidratada, respectivamente. Para o solo de textura média este copolímero não influenciou a intensidade de cor verde, nem a taxa de cobertura verde do gramado. A aplicação do copolímero hidratado reduziu a fitomassa seca das raízes, em solo de textura média. Palavras-Chave: Hidrogel, Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers, Manutenção, Gramado.