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The accurate representation of objects holds pivotal significance in the realm of panoptic segmentation. Presently, prevalent object representation methodologies, including box-based, keypoint-based and query-based techniques, encounter a challenge known as the 'representation confusion' issue in specific scenarios, often resulting in the mislabeling of instances. In response, this paper introduces Convex Object Representation (COR), a straightforward yet highly effective approach to address this problem. COR leverages a CNN-based Euclidean Distance Transform to convert the target instance into a convex heatmap. Simultaneously, it offers a parallel embedding method for encoding the object. Subsequently, COR characterizes objects based on the distinctive embedding vectors of their convex vertices. This paper seamlessly integrates COR into a state-of-the-art query-based panoptic segmentation framework. Experimental findings validate that COR successfully mitigates the representation confusion predicament, enhancing segmentation accuracy. The COR-augmented methods exhibit notable improvements of +1.3 and +0.7 points in PQ on the Cityscapes validation and MS COCO panoptic 2017 validation datasets, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (uHCC) continues to pose effective treatment options. The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of combining low-dose cyclophosphamide with lenvatinib, pembrolizumab and transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for the treatment of uHCC., Methods: From February 2022 to November 2023, a total of 40 patients diagnosed with uHCC were enrolled in this small-dose, single-center, single-arm, prospective study. They received a combined treatment of low-dose cyclophosphamide with lenvatinib, pembrolizumab, and TACE. Study endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and safety assessment. Tumor response was assessed using the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (mRECIST), while survival analysis was conducted through Kaplan-Meier curve analysis for overall survival (OS) and PFS. Adverse events (AEs) were evaluated according to the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (version 5.0)., Results: A total of 34 patients were included in the study. The median follow-up duration was 11.2 [95% confidence interval (95% CI), 5.3-14.6] months, and the median PFS (mPFS) was 15.5 (95% CI, 5.4-NA) months. Median OS (mOS) was not attained during the study period. The ORR was 55.9%, and the disease control rate (DCR) was 70.6%. AEs were reported in 27 (79.4%) patients. The most frequently reported AEs (with an incidence rate >10%) included abnormal liver function (52.9%), abdominal pain (44.1%), abdominal distension and constipation (29.4%), hypertension (20.6%), leukopenia (17.6%), constipation (17.6%), ascites (14.7%), and insomnia (14.7%). Abnormal liver function (14.7%) had the most common grade 3 or higher AEs., Conclusions: A combination of low-dose cyclophosphamide with lenvatinib, pembrolizumab, and TACE is safe and effective for uHCC, showcasing a promising therapeutic strategy for managing uHCC., (Copyright ©2024 Chinese Journal of Cancer Research. All rights reserved.)

Background: Sanguinarine (SAN) has been reported to have antioxidant, antiinflammatory, and antimicrobial activities with potential for the treatment of osteoporosis (OP)., Objective: This work purposed to unravel the molecular mechanisms of SAN in the treatment of OP., Methods: OP-related genes and SAN-related targets were predicted from public databases. Differential expression analysis and VennDiagram were adopted to detect SAN-related targets against OP. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was served for core target identification. Molecular docking and DeepPurpose algorithm were further adopted to investigate the binding ability between core targets and SAN. Gene pathway scoring of these targets was calculated utilizing gene set variation analysis (GSVA). Finally, we explored the effect of SAN on the expressions of core targets in preosteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells., Results: A total of 21 candidate targets of SAN against OP were acquired. Furthermore, six core targets were identified, among which CASP3, CTNNB1, and ERBB2 were remarkably differentially expressed in OP and healthy individuals. The binding energies of SAN with CASP3, CTNNB1, and ERBB2 were -6, -6.731, and -7.162 kcal/mol, respectively. Moreover, the GSVA scores of the Wnt/calcium signaling pathway were significantly lower in OP cases than in healthy individuals. In addition, the expression of CASP3 was positively associated with Wnt/calcium signaling pathway. CASP3 and ERBB2 were significantly lower expressed in SAN group than in DMSO group, whereas the expression of CTNNB1 was in contrast., Conclusion: CASP3, CTNNB1, and ERBB2 emerge as potential targets of SAN in OP prevention and treatment., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)