Multi-matrices factorization with application to missing sensor data imputation.

We formulate a multi-matrices factorization model (MMF) for the missing sensor data estimation problem. The estimation problem is adequately transformed into a matrix completion one. With MMF, an n-by-t real matrix, R, is adopted to represent the data collected by mobile sensors from n areas at the time, T1, T2, ..., Tt, where the entry, Rij, is the aggregate value of the data collected in the ith area at Tj. We propose to approximate R by seeking a family of d-by-n probabilistic spatial feature matrices, U(1), U(2), ..., U(t), and a probabilistic temporal feature matrix, [formula in text]. We also present a solution algorithm to the proposed model. We evaluate MMF with synthetic data and a real-world sensor dataset extensively. Experimental results demonstrate that our approach outperforms the state-of-the-art comparison algorithms.

Outline of occupational chromium poisoning in China.

The present study analyzed the feature of occupational chromium poisoning in China since the 1980s. The collected data were acquired from 18 previous surveys of chromium poisoning in 14 cities of China. The method of risk assessment was applied to calculate the relative risk and 95% CI, p < 0.05 was considered as a significant risk. The results showed that nasal disease was the most common sign of occupational chromium poisoning, and the prevalence rate of nasal disease was 17.83% in total population of 6,998. Further, the risk analysis showed that occupational chromium poisoning led to an increased risk of lung or liver cancer in male workers due to the definite carcinogenicity of hexavalent chromium. Significantly, an increased risk of spontaneous or threatened abortion was also found in female workers. In conclusion, these studies suggest that early detection of impaired reproductive function or impaired lung or liver function in female or male workers is essential for controlling occupational chromium poisoning in China.

A prognostic score model for predicting the survival benefits of patients undergoing sorafenib plus transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein invasion.

PURPOSE: The survival benefits and which patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) would benefit from sorafenib plus transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) therapy remain controversial. We aimed to develop a prognostic score model for predicting different prognoses of patients with HCC and portal vein invasion who received sorafenib plus TACE. METHODS: This observational study included 167 patients with HCC and portal vein invasion undergoing sorafenib combined with TACE from January 2013 to June 2018 at two hospitals. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed using a training cohort (n = 83) to identify critical factors associated with survival. Then, a prognostic score model was established to classify different outcomes and confirmed using a validation cohort (n = 84). RESULTS: Three factors were determined to critically impact survival in the training cohort: portal vein invasion extent, sorafenib-related dermatologic response, and initial radiological response. Using the ß-coefficients of these factors, a prognostic score was calculated, and the survival time decreased as the score increased. Based on the prognostic score model, three different prognoses of patients with 0 points, 2-3 points, and > 3 points were stratified with a median survival of 38.0 months, 20.0 months, and 7.0 months, respectively (P < 0.001). Time to progression was also significantly different using the same prognostic index. The prognostic score model was confirmed by the validation cohort. CONCLUSION: Sorafenib plus TACE is a potential therapy for selected HCC patients with portal vein invasion. This prognostic score model can predict the survival benefits for these patients.

Prognostic value of splenic volume in hepatocellular carcinoma patients receiving transarterial chemoembolization.

BACKGROUND: Liver function is a key determinant for the survival of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients receiving transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). However, establishing robust prognostic indicators for liver insufficiencies and patient survival remains an unmet demand. This retrospective study evaluated the prognostic value of splenic volume (SV) in HCC patients undergoing TACE. METHODS: A total of 67 HCC patients who underwent at least two consecutive TACE procedures were retrospectively included in this study. Comprehensive clinical information and follow-up data were collected, and the SV was measured based on dynamic contrast enhanced images. Risk factors of SV enlargement were assessed. The prognostic value of SV on survival was analyzed and compared with Child-Pugh (CP) classification and albumin-bilirubin (ALBI) grade. RESULTS: The baseline SV was 299.74±143.63 cm3, and showed a moderate and statistically significant correlation with CP classification (R=0.31, P<0.05). The SV increased remarkably after the first and second TACE procedures (330.16±155.38 cm3, P<0.01, and 355.63±164.26 cm3, P<0.01, respectively). In survival analysis, the optimal cut-off value of SV was determined as 373 cm3 using X-tile software, and the patients were divided into the small SV group and the large SV groups accordingly. Based on the pre-TACE SV, the median overall survival (mOS) for patients in the small SV group and the large SV group was 458 days and 249 days, respectively (P<0.05). After the first and second TACE, the mOS in the small SV group and the large SV group were 454 vs. 266 days (P<0.05) and 526 vs. 266 days (P<0.05), respectively. No prognostic value of CP classification and ALBI grade was identified for these patients. Furthermore, there were no significant differences between the small and large SV groups in age, tumor stage, and ALBI grade, except for CP classification (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: SV was correlated with CP classification and was a robust predictor for HCC patients undergoing TACE treatment.

Naringin protects myocardial cells from doxorubicin­induced apoptosis partially by inhibiting the p38MAPK pathway.

Doxorubicin (DOX) has been widely used to treat cancers as a first­line antitumor drug. However, it causes severe, irreversible, dose­dependent cardiotoxicity. To evaluate the protective effects of naringin (NRG) on cardiotoxicity, the authors investigated the molecular mechanism of the p38MAPK signaling pathway. H9c2 cells were treated for 24 h by using 5 µmol/l DOX without or with being pretreated by 1 µM NRG for 150 min or by 3 µM SB203580 for 60 min. Cell viability was detected by cell counting kit­8 assay. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were detected based on the oxidative conversion of 2',7'­dichlorfluorescein­diacetate (cell­permeable) to dichlorofluorescein (fluorescent). The expression of p38MAPK was determined by western blotting. The expression level of p­p38MAPK in H9c2 cells, which was significantly increased by exposure to 5 µM DOX for 60 min (P<0.01), was significantly decreased by pretreatment with 1 µM NRG for 150 min beforehand (P<0.01). The viability of H9c2 cells pretreated for 150 min with 1 µM NRG was significantly enhanced compared with that using DOX directly (P<0.01). Intracellular ROS levels were significantly reduced by being pretreated with 1 µM NRG for 150 min or with 3 µM SB203580 for 60 min before the cells were exposed to 5 µM DOX. Collectively, NRG protected H9c2 cells against the cardiotoxicity induced by DOX through suppressing the expression and activity of the p38MAPK pathway. The findings provided valuable evidence for the possible use of NRG to relieve DOX­induced cardiotoxicity.

Pirfenidone inhibits proliferation, arrests the cell cycle, and downregulates heat shock protein-47 and collagen type I in rat hepatic stellate cells in vitro.

Pirfenidone (esbiret) is an established anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory drug used to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. In the present study, the dose-dependent effects of pirfenidone on the cell cycle, proliferation and expression of heat shock protein (HSP)-47 and collagen type I in a cultured rat hepatic stellate cell line (HSC-T6) were investigated. Following pirfenidone treatment, cell proliferation was determined using the cell counting kit-8 assay and the cell cycle was measured using flow cytometry. HSP-47 expression was estimated using western blot analysis and collagen type I mRNA was assessed using reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Pirfenidone induced significant dose-dependent inhibition of proliferation in HSC-T6 cells. Cell viability was unaffected by treatment with pirfenidone (0, 10 or 100 µM) for 24 and 72 h. However, after 24 h, HSC-T6 cells exhibited dose-dependent decreases in HSP-47 protein and collagen I mRNA levels. In conclusion, pirfenidone inhibited HSC-T6 cell proliferation, arrested the cell cycle and reduced the expression of HSP-47 and collagen type I, indicating that pirfenidone may be a promising drug in the treatment of liver fibrosis.

Specific lipase-responsive polymer-coated gadolinium nanoparticles for MR imaging of early acute pancreatitis.

Currently, available methods for diagnosis of acute pancreatitis (AP) are mainly dependent on serum enzyme analysis and imaging techniques that are too low in sensitivity and specificity to accurately and promptly diagnose AP. The lack of early diagnostic tools highlights the need to search for a highly effective and specific diagnostic method. In this study, we synthesized a conditionally activated, gadolinium-containing, nanoparticle-based MRI nanoprobe as a diagnostic tool for the early identification of AP. Gadolinium diethylenetriaminepentaacetic fatty acid (Gd-DTPA-FA) nanoparticles were synthesized by conjugation of DTPA-FA ligand and gadolinium acetate. Gd-DTPA-FA exhibited low cytotoxicity and excellent biocompatibility when characterized in vitro and in vivo studies. L-arginine induced a gradual increase in the intensity of the T1-weighted MRI signal from 1 h to 36 h in AP rat models. The increase in signal intensity was most significant at 1 h, 6 h and 12 h. These results suggest that the Gd-DTPA-FA as an MRI contrast agent is highly efficient and specific to detect early AP.

[Comparison of uterine artery chemoembolization and internal iliac arterial infusion chemotherapy for the combining treatment for women with locally advanced cervical cancer].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Uterine artery chemoembolization (UACE) and internal iliac arterial infusion chemotherapy (IAIC) are important methods to treat cervical cancer. However, whether the curative efficacy of the two methods has difference is not clear. This study was to evaluate the curative effects of UACE and IAIC on the combining treatment for women with locally advanced cervical cancer. METHODS: One hundred and seventy-five patients with locally advanced cervical cancer treated between April 1997 and November 2007 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups: the UACE group (n=92) and the IAIC group (n=83). The UACE group was treated by bilateral uterine artery chemoembolization. Sixty-five of them underwent radical hysterectomy two weeks after UACE, 37 of which received 192Ir high-dose-rate intracavitary radiotherapy 1-2 weeks before radical hysterectomy. The IAIC group was treated by bilateral internal iliac arterial infusion chemotherapy. Among them 70 patients underwent radical hysterectomy after IAIC, 34 of which received 192Ir high-dose-rate intracavitary radiotherapy 1-2 weeks before radical hysterectomy. All patients were treated by carboplatin-based combining chemotherapy. Radiotherapy was performed on 51 requisite patients with high risk of pathological conditions after radical surgery. RESULTS: The tumor regression rate of the UACE group was 64.1%, which was significantly higher than 47.0% in the IAIC group (P=0.023). The effective rate for clinical stage IB cervical cancer in the UACE group was 77.8%, which was significantly higher than 41.2% in the IAIC group (P=0.037). However, for clinical stage II,III cervical cancer, the effective rates between the two groups had no significant differences (P=0.137 and P=0.524). Postoperative pathologic examinations showed that the negative percentages of cancer cell residue and pelvic lymph node metastasis in the UACE group were slightly higher than those in the IAIC group (17.2% and 80.6% vs. 12.9% and 79.4%, P=0.504 and P=0.861). The recurrent rate in the UACE group was slightly lower than that in the IAIC group (25% vs. 26.5%, P=0.820). The negative percentage of tumor embolus within lymphovascular space was lower in the UACE group than in the IAIC group (87.3% vs. 97.1%, P=0.072). The 1,3,5-year overall survival rates in the UACE group and the IAIC group were 95%, 81%, 77% and 91%, 79%, 71%, respectively (P=0.665). CONCLUSIONS: UACE followed by preoperative radiotherapy can more effectively reduce the tumor volume of locally advanced cervical cancer compared with IAIC. But UACE does not increase the pathological complete response rate and not decrease the pelvic lymph node metastasis rate, the postoperative recurrence rate, and tumor embolus within lymphovascular space.The effect of UACE on the long-term survival of locally advanced cervical cancer needs to be further evaluated.