Figure 4. The Z-score plot of the top 30 differentially expressed metabolites based on the RFs analyses in HBV, LC and HCC, relative to their corresponding control groups in the training samples.

The values were standardized by the mean values and the standard deviations (SDs) of the corresponding controls in each group. Each vertical line represents one metabolite in one sample. (a), Z-score plot for HBV () vs. NC (); (b), Z-score plot for LC () vs. HBV (); (c), Z-score plot for HCC () vs. LC (). Asterisks indicate the statistical significance between HBV, LC and HCC and their corresponding control groups (green, downregulated; red, upregulated). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01 and ***p < 0.001. (d–f), Heat map of the top 30 differential metabolites in (d) HBV vs. NC, (e) LC vs. HBV and (f), LC vs. HCC.