Objective To assess the significance and the relationship of BODE index score and inflammation factors in stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).Methods Sixty COPD patients in their stable condition were evaluated for BODE index score and the level of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-8(IL-8) and C reactive protein (CRP) were determined.Results BODE index score in COPD patients was positively correlated with serum concentrations of TNF-α,IL-8 (r =0.455,P ＜ 0.01 ; r =0.303,P ＜0.05),but not with CRP (r =0.111,P =0.398).IL-8 and TNF-α were both significantly negatively correlated to body mass index(BMI),force exhale volume of the first second (FEV1) and 6 minute walking distance (6MWD) (r=-0.417,P ＜0.01;r=-0.538,P＜0.01;r =-0.419,P＜0.01 for IL-8;and r=-0.262,P＜0.05;r=-0.348,P＜0.01;r=-0.334,P＜0.01 for TNF-α).Conclusion The BODE index,as a simple multidimensional grading system for COPD,is closely related to system inflammation,which indicates that system inflammation may contribute to the systemic development of COPD.

Objective:To investigate the inhibitory effect of small interfering RNA-Yes-associated protein 1 (siRNA-YAP1) on epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in human lens epithelial cells (LECs) induced by transforming growth factor-β 2 (TGF-β 2). Methods:Human LECs line (HLEB-3) was cultured and divided into normal control group and TGF-β 2 induced group.The cells in the normal control group were treated with serum-free low-glucose medium for 24 hours, and the cells in the TGF-β 2 induced group were treated with additional 10 ng/ml TGF-β 2 for 24 hours.The cultured HLEB-3 cells were divided into siRNA empty vector group, siRNA-YAP1 transfection group, siRNA empty vector+ TGF-β 2 group and siRNA-YAP1+ TGF-β 2 group, and the cells were transfected with plasmid including siRNA empty vector or siRNA-YAP1 sequence according to grouping.The relative expression levels of YAP1 mRNA and protein in various groups were detected and compared by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunofluorescence and Western blot assay, respectively.The relative expression levels of EMT marker proteins (E-cadherin and Vimentin proteins) in various groups were detected by immunofluorescence and Western blot assay. Results:Compared with the normal control group, the expression level of E-cadherin protein was decreased (1.180±0.118 vs.0.830±0.104) and the Vimentin protein was increased (0.797±0.110 vs.1.240±0.110) in the TGF-β 2 induced group, with significant differences between the two groups ( t=3.857, P=0.018; t=-4.933, P=0.008).The relative expression levels of YAP1 mRNA and protein in the TGF-β 2 induced group were significantly increased in comparison with the normal control group (2.200±0.193 vs.1.136±0.123; 1.203±0.121 vs.0.967±0.025), with significant differences between the two groups ( t=-9.288, P<0.01; t=-3.329, P=0.029).Compared with the siRNA empty vector group, the expression levels of YAP1 mRNA and protein in the siRNA-YAP1 transfection group were significantly reduced (both at P<0.01).Compared with the siRNA empty vector+ TGF-β 2 group, the relative expression level of E-cadherin protein was significantly enhanced and the expression level of Vimentin protein was significantly reduced in the siRNA-YAP1+ TGF-β 2 group (both at P<0.01). Conclusions:YAP1 participates in the TGF-β 2 induced EMT in human LECs, and siRNA-YAP1 can suppress the EMT process.

Objective To evaluate and analyze the accuracies of 3 software solutions based on deep learning techniques in the automatic segmentation of head and neck organs at risk(OAR).Methods The automatic segmentation accuracies of 3 software(PV-iCurve,RT-Mind,and AccuContour)were evaluated with Dice similarity coefficient(DSC),Hausdorff distance(HD),center of mass deviation(COMD),false negative rate(FNR),false positive rate(FPR),Jaccard coefficient(JC),sensitivity index(SI),and inclusive index(II)using the manual contours of head and neck OAR as the gold standard.Results The FNR,JC,SI of brain,the FPR,II of brainstem,the FPR,FNR,JC,SI of eye_L,the FPR,FNR,SI,II of mandible,the FPR,FNR,SI,II of parotid_L,and the DSC,FPR,JC,II of spinal cord manifested significant differences among the 3 software(P<0.05);but the HD,FNR,SI of brainstem,and the HD of spinal cord revealed trivial differences among the 3 software(P>0.05).Conclusion Through the comparison of multiple parameters,it is found that the accuracies of 3 software are different in OAR segmentation,which makes it difficult to make overall horizontal comparisons.Therefore,these parameters are for reference only and cannot be used as criteria for evaluating the segmentation results in clinic.Although all 3 software achieve preferable segmentation outcomes,scrutiny and manual modifications before clinical practice are still necessary.