Retracted: Obestatin Plays Beneficial Role in Cardiomyocyte Injury Induced by Ischemia-Reperfusion In Vivo and In Vitro.

The Editors of Medical Science Monitor wish to inform you that the above manuscript has been retracted from publication due to concerns with the credibility and originality of the study, the manuscript content, and the Figure images. Reference: Qin Zhang, Xin-wei Dong, Jia-ying Xia, Ke-ying Xu, Zhe-rong Xu. Obestatin Plays Beneficial Role in Cardiomyocyte Injury Induced by Ischemia-Reperfusion In Vivo and In Vitro. Med Sci Monit, 2017; 23: 2127-2136. DOI: 10.12659/MSM.901361.

Obestatin Plays Beneficial Role in Cardiomyocyte Injury Induced by Ischemia-Reperfusion In Vivo and In Vitro.

BACKGROUND Obestatin, primarily recognized as a peptide within the gastrointestinal system, has been shown to benefit the cardiovascular system. We designed this experiment to study the protective role and underlying mechanism of obestatin against ischemia-reperfusion(I/R) injury in myocardial cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS In an In vivo experiment, LAD was ligated for 0.5 h and then opened for reperfusion with obestatin for 24 h. Then, the infarction area was shown with TTC staining, and inflammation factors in serum were analyzed by qRT-PCR. In primary cultured cardiomyocytes, we measured the level of LDH, MDA, GSH, and SOD. Finally, we assessed cells apoptosis using flow cytometry and detected the concentrations of caspase-3, Bax, and Bcl-2 using Western blot analysis. RESULTS TTC staining showed that in the 3 obestatin groups, the infarct area became smaller with the increase of obestatin concentration. Obestatin also inhibited LDH expression in rat serum and decreased mRNA levels of TNF-α, IL-6, ICAM-1, and iNOS in rat cardiomyocytes after reperfusion. In primary cultured cardiomyocytes, obestatin decreased LDH content and increased GSH level after I/R injury. Obestatin was also found to antagonize the apoptosis of cardiomyocytes in a dose-dependent manner. Western blot analysis showed that obestatin downregulated the expression of caspase-3 and Bax and upregulated the expression of Bcl-2. CONCLUSIONS Obestatin can protect cardiomyocyte from I/R-induced injury in vitro and in vivo. This beneficial effect is closely related with its properties of anti-inflammation, anti-cytotoxicity, and anti-apoptosis. The protective effect of obestatin might be associated with activation of Bcl-2 and inhibition of caspase-3 and Bax.

The effectiveness of leucine on muscle protein synthesis, lean body mass and leg lean mass accretion in older people: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

In the present study, we performed a meta-analysis to assess the ability of leucine supplementation to increase the muscle protein fraction synthetic rate and to augment lean body mass or leg lean mass in elderly patients. A literature search was conducted on Medline, Cochrane, EMBASE and Google Scholar databases up to 31 December 2013 for clinical trials that investigated the administration of leucine as a nutrient that affects muscle protein metabolism and muscle mass in elderly subjects. The included studies were randomised controlled trials. The primary outcome for the meta-analysis was the protein fractional synthetic rate. Secondary outcomes included lean body mass and leg lean mass. A total of nine studies were included in the meta-analysis. The results showed that the muscle protein fractional synthetic rate after intervention significantly increased in the leucine group compared with the control group (pooled standardised difference in mean changes 1·08, 95% CI 0·50, 1·67; P< 0·001). No difference was found between the groups in relation to lean body mass (pooled standardised difference in mean changes 0·18, 95% CI - 0·18, 0·54; P= 0·318) or leg lean mass (pooled standardised difference in mean changes 0·006, 95% CI - 0·32, 0·44; P= 0·756). These findings suggest that leucine supplementation is useful to address the age-related decline in muscle mass in elderly individuals, as it increases the muscle protein fractional synthetic rate.

[Atorvastatin inhibits the H2O2-induced apoptosis of human vascular endothelial cells through a down-regulation of cleaved caspase-9/caspase-3].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect and potential mechanism of atorvastatin against H2O2-induced apoptosis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (ECV-304). METHODS: ECV-304 cells were pretreated with different concentrations of atorvastatin (0.1, 1 and 10 µmol/L) for 2 h, followed by an exposure to 100 µmol/L H2O2 for 18 h. Cellular morphology was observed under fluorescence microscope. Cellular viability and apoptosis were evaluated by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) and flow cytometry. Finally the expressions of cleaved caspase-3 and caspase-9 were measured by Western blot. RESULTS: H2O2 treatment caused an obvious apoptosis of ECV-304 cells and significantly decreased the cellular viability as characterized by a high percentage (50.71%) of apoptotic cells. Atorvastatin pretreatment inhibit cellular apoptosis induced by H2O2 (39.45%, 20.53% and 7.83%). Western blot assay showed that H2O2 treatment caused a high expression of cleaved caspase-3 and caspase-9 while atorvastatin pretreatment obviously inhibited the expression in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS: Atorvastatin inhibits the H2O2-induced apoptosis of ECV-304 cells in a dose-dependent manner. This effect may be associated with the down-regulation of cleaved caspase-9/caspase-3.

[Plasma gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase level as a cardiovascular risk factor in elderly patients with hypertension or hypertension with diabetes mellitus].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate plasma gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GGT) level as a cardiovascular risk factor in elderly patients with hypertension or hypertension with diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Forty-nine elderly patients of hypertension and 42 elderly patients of hypertension with diabetes mellitus and 39 healthy elderly subjects were enrolled in the study. The height, weight and blood pressure of patients were measured, serum C reactive protein and other biochemical indicators were detected. The relation between plasma γ-GGT and cardiovascular risk factors in three groups were analyzed. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in plasma γ-GGT levels among three groups. There was a positive correlation of plasma γ-GGT levels with systolic pressure, pulse pressure, hemoglobin A1c and CRP in control group. While in hypertension with diabetes mellitus group, plasma γ-GGT levels were correlated with systolic pressure, mean arterial pressure, fasting blood sugar and cystatin. CONCLUSION: Plasma γ-GGT might be a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, and may be used as a predictive indicator for kidney injury in early patients with hypertension with diabetes mellitus.

Expression, purification, and characterization of recombinant lumbrokinase PI239 in Escherichia coli.

Lumbrokinase (LK) is an important fibrinolytic enzyme derived from earthworms. It has been found that LK is composed of a group of isoenzymes. To construct and express the mature peptide of LK PI239 in Escherichia coli, we amplified and optimized the gene of LK which was then cloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pET-22b(-). The recombinant LK (rLK) protein was expressed as inclusion bodies and we have developed a purification process of rLK from these inclusion bodies. A step-down urea concentration strategy was applied to the rLK renaturation process. The purified and renatured rLK apparently ameliorated the conditions of the model thrombosis rats used, and may be developed into a therapeutic agent for thrombotic-associated diseases.

Construction of a recombinant adenovirus vector expressing IL-18BP/IL-4 fusion gene and the anti-inflammatory effect induced by this gene on lipopolysaccharide-stimulated synovial fibroblasts.

OBJECTIVE: To construct a recombinant adenovirus vector for expressing the IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP)/IL-4 fusion gene and confirm the anti-inflammatory effect of this gene. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The recombinant virus expressing IL-18BP/IL-4 fusion protein (AD-IL-18BP/IL-4) was constructed. AD-IL-18BP/IL-4 was used to infect synovial fibroblasts (SF). ELISA and Western blot analysis were used to determine the expressions of the proteins IL-4 and IL-18BP. To investigate the protective effects of this vector on rheumatoid arthritis, SF were infected with AD-IL-18BP/IL-4 and stimulated by LPS (1 microg/ml) 4 h later. The expression levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-18 in the culture supernatant were detected by ELISA and production of PGE2 and NO was estimated. The protein expression of COX-2, iNOS, and NF-kappaB p50 in treated SF was analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS: AD-IL-18BP/IL-4 can effectively express the IL-18BP/IL-4 fusion protein. The expressions of TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-18 were significantly inhibited in LPS-stimulated SF after treatment with AD-IL-18BP/IL-4. The production of PGE2 and NO was significantly decreased. Moreover, NF-kappaB p50, COX-2, and iNOS levels in SF were markedly suppressed by AD-IL-18BP/IL-4. CONCLUSION: AD-IL-18BP/IL-4 can suppress the production and expression of inflammatory cytokines such as COX-2, iNOS, and NF-kappaB in LPS-stimulated SF.

[Changes of blood pressure, blood glucose and blood lipids levels after intensive treatment in incipient diabetes II patients].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of intensive treatment on the blood sugar, blood lipids and blood pressure levels in incipient diabetes II patients. METHODS: One hundred and sixty incipient diabetes patients were allocated into two groups according to chronological order: 80 cases received routine treatment and 80 cases received intensive treatment. Fasting blood-glucose (FBG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1C), blood pressure, blood cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), LDL cholesterol-C (LDL-C), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspertate aminotransferase (AST) were tested before treatment. For intensive treatment group blood pressure, blood sugar and blood lipids were regularly tested, and the therapeutic protocols were adjusted according to the test results until the therapeutic target reached. After six months, HbA1C, blood pressure, TC, LDL-C, ALT and AST were tested again and comparison was made between the two groups. RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in TC and LDL-C in the intensive treatment group compared with those in the routine treatment group (P <0.05). CONCLUSION: The intensive treatment on the incipient diabetes II patients facilitate the control of the blood lipids and blood sugar.

Resistin does not down-regulate the transcription of insulin receptor promoter.

OBJECTIVE: To detect the effect of resistin on the transcription of insulin receptor promoter. METHODS: Luciferase reporter gene was fused downstream of human insulin receptor promoter and the enzymatic activity of luciferase was determined in the presence or absence of resistin. The resistin expressed with plasmid was stained with antibody against Myc tag which was in frame fused with resistin coding sequence, and then imaged with confocal microscopy. RESULTS: The treatment of pIRP-LUC transfected cells with recombinant resistin did not result in significant difference in the enzymatic activity of luciferase compared to the untreated cells. Cell staining showed that green fluorescence could be observed in the cytoplasm, but not in the nucleus. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the endogenous resistin may functionally locate in the cytoplasm, but does not enter the nucleus and not down-regulate the transcription of insulin receptor promoter.

[Effect of testosterone on neointimal proliferation and blood lipids after balloon-induced aorta injury in rabbits].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of testosterone on neointimal proliferation and blood lipids after balloon-induced aorta injury in male rabbits. METHODS: Twenty-five male white rabbits were randomly divided into five groups with 5 in each. G1 underwent sham castration served as control group, rabbits in remaining 4 groups were castrated. One week after the castration, rabbits in G3, G4, G5 groups received 3 mg/kg, 6 mg/kg, 12 mg/kg testosterone undecanoate i.m, respectively, G2 was not received. Two weeks after the castration, deendothelializing balloon-induced injury in right iliac artery was performed in all animals. Two weeks after the injury, blood samples were drawn for measurement of plasma testosterone and lipids, and the right iliac arteries were excised for computer imagining analysis. RESULT: Compared with G1, plasma levels of total cholesterol(TC), triglycerides(TG), low density lipoprotein(LDL) in G3, G4 and G5, gradually decreased, plasma levels of high density lipoprotein(HDL)gradually increased. There were most significant differences of plasma TC, TG and LDL(P<0.05) between G2 and G1. There were not significant differences of plasma TC, TG, HDL and LDL among all groups before endothelial denudation and 2 weeks after endothelial denudation (P>0.05). In G3, G4 and G5 the intimal area and radio of intima/media gradually decreased, there were significant differences between G2, G3, G4 and G1(P<0.05), the differences between G1 and G2 were most significant, and those of G5 were close to G1. Endothelial cell repair was observed with electron microscope. Endothelial cells from G2 to G5 became smoother gradually, which in G5 were very close to G1. CONCLUSION: Testosterone inhibits the intima proliferation induced by balloon-induced injury and improves blood lipids levels. The effects are enhanced by the dose increasing.

Characteristics of hyperuricemia in older adults in China and possible associations with sarcopenia.

OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the characteristics and epidemiology of hyperuricemia in older adults in China and evaluate possible associations between hyperuricemia and sarcopenia. METHODS: Three hundred and eighty-eight study subjects (>60 years old) meeting the inclusion criteria received blood tests and standardized examinations for bone mineral density, muscle mass, muscle strength, and physical performance. Data including demographic and clinical characteristic and comorbidity were also collected. All data were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: In the study population, higher uric acid levels were significantly correlated with higher muscle mass, grip strength, and bone density, but were unrelated to physical performance. When uric acid levels were separated into quartiles and the population was divided by sex, the correlation of uric acid to muscle mass was retained in some quartiles for both men and women, and the correlation to handgrip was only retained for one quartile for men. The correlation to bone density was retained in women in all analyses. CONCLUSION: In the population as a whole, higher uric acid levels were significantly correlated with higher muscle mass, grip strength, and bone density, but had no relationship to physical performance. Differences between men and women in these relationships need to be studied further.

Study of Resistin gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cell and its gene polymorphism in a small range population.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the expression of Resistin mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and its gene polymorphism in coding region in a small range population in Zhejiang Province of China. METHODS: Eighty-three cases of type 2 diabetes mellitus and 53 healthy people were included. The expression of Resistin mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was detected by RT-PCR and semi-quantitative PCR assay. The sequencing work was done in Resistin cDNA and gene polymorphism was analyzed. RESULTS: At the same condition, in 83 diabetes patients, Resistin mRNA was detected in 23 cases (11 males and 12 females). There was no Resistin mRNA expression in 53 healthy people. The ratio of PCR products between Resistin and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) was from 0.564 to 1.238, averaging 0.804+/-0.436. The sequence of Resistin cDNA is almost identical with each other and with that in GenBank with no single nucleotide polymorphism being found. CONCLUSION: Resistin mRNA is expressed in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in some type 2 diabetes mellitus, but its expression is at a low level. Among the experiment population we did not find polymorphism phenomenon in Resistin coding region. The different individual's Resistin coding region is highly coincident.

Relationship between resistin level in serum and acute coronary syndrome or stable angina pectoris.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between serum resistin level and acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or stable angina pectoris (SAP). METHODS: Sixty-five patients, with coronary artery disease, were enrolled and divided into three subgroups: acute myocardial infarction (AMI), unstable angina pectoris (UAP) and SAP, and 26 healthy people were recruited as controls in the cross-sectional study. Serum resistin levels were determined by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), and WBC (white blood cell count), hsCRP (high sensitive C-reaction protein), CK(max) (maximum of creatinkinase), CK-MB(max) (maximum of isozyme of creatinkinase) and cTnI(max) (maximum of troponin) were measured by standard laboratory methods. RESULTS: The serum resistin levels were 4 folds higher in AMI patients, 2.43 folds in UAP patients and 1.12 folds in SAP patients than in the healthy controls (P<0.05). The resistin levels were also significantly different between AMI [(8.16+/-0.79) ng/ml], UAP [(5.59+/-0.75) ng/ml] and SAP [(3.45+/-0.56) ng/ml] groups (P<0.01); WBC, hsCRP, CK(max), CK-MB(max) and cTnI(max) were significantly increased in AMI patients over UAP and SAP patients. Spearman analysis showed that serum resistin levels were positively correlated with WBC (r=0.412, P=0.046), hsCRP (r=0.427, P=0.037), CK(max), CK-MB(max) and cTnI(max) (r=0.731, 0.678, 0.656; P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Serum resistin levels increased with inflammatory factors and myocardial impairment. The results suggest that human resistin might play an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and AMI as an inflammatory factor.

[Relationship between androgen levels and pathological changes of coronary atherosclerosis in elderly males].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between androgen levels and pathological changes of coronary artery in elderly males. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-eight in-patients who received coronary angiography were divided into four groups: single vessel lesion group (SV group), double vessel lesion group (DV group), three vessel lesion group (TV group) and control group. The levels of serum total testosterone (TT) and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) were assayed by ELISA, and free testosterone (FT) calculated with the Vermeulen formula. RESULTS: There was significant difference in FT levels among these four groups, while there was no statistical difference in TT levels. FT level in TV group was lower than that in DV group and SV group. CONCLUSION: Serum levels of free testosterone may be correlated with pathological degree of coronary artery.

Changes of dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl choline after mechanical ventilation in patients with acute cerebral injury.

OBJECTIVE: To detect the levels of dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl choline (DPPC) in the sputum of the patients with acute cerebral injury without primary pulmonary injury after mechanical ventilation treatment. METHODS: DPPC levels in sputum of 35 patients with acute cerebral injury but without pulmonary injury were detected with high performance liquid chromatography at the beginning of ventilation and 16-20 days, 21-40 days, and 41-60 days after ventilation, respectively. RESULTS: There was no significant difference of the DPPC levels between 16-20 days after ventilation (3.36+/-0.49) and at the beginning of ventilation (3.37+/-0.58) (P>0.05). The mean levels of DPPC decreased significantly at 21-40 days (2.87 mg/ml+/-0.26 mg/ml, P<0.05) and 41-60 days (1.93 mg/ml+/-0.21 mg/ml, P<0.01) after ventilation compared with that at the beginning of ventilation. At the same period, the peak inspiratory pressure and the mean pressure of airway increased significantly, whereas the static compliance and the partial pressure of oxygen in artery decreased significantly. Among the 25 patients who received ventilation for more than 20 days, 8 (32%) had slightly-decreased partial pressure of oxygen in artery compared with that at the beginning of ventilation. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanical ventilation can decrease the DPPC levels, decrease the lung compliance and increase the airway pressure, even impair the oxygenation function in patients with acute cerebral injury. Abnormal DPPC is one of the major causes of ventilator-associated lung injury.

The Efficacy of Ginseng-Related Therapies in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Few randomized clinical trials have evaluated the efficacy of ginseng in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The current meta-analysis evaluated the ginseng-induced improvement in glucose control and insulin sensitivity in patients with type-2 diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance.Randomized clinical trials comparing ginseng supplementation versus control, in patients with T2DM or impaired glucose tolerance, were hand-searched from Medline, Cochrane, and Google Scholar databases by 2 independent reviewers using the terms "type 2 diabetes/diabetes/diabetic, impaired glucose tolerance, and ginseng/ginsenoside(s)." The primary outcome analyzed was the change in HbA1c, whereas the secondary outcomes included fasting glucose, postprandial glucose, fasting insulin, postprandial insulin, insulin resistance Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), triglycerides, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL), and high density lipoprotein (HDL).Of the 141 studies identified, 8 studies were chosen for the current meta-analysis. The average number of patients, age, and sex distribution among the groups were comparable. Results reveal no significant difference in HbA1c levels between the ginseng supplementation and the control groups (pooled standardized difference in means = -0.148, 95% CI: -0.637 to 0.228, P = 0.355). Ginseng supplementation improved fasting glucose, postprandial insulin, and HOMA-IR levels, though no difference in postprandial glucose or fasting insulin was observed among the groups. Similarly, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL levels showed significant difference between the treatment groups, while no difference in HDL was seen. In addition, ginseng-related therapy was ineffective in decreasing the fasting glucose levels in patients treated with oral hypoglycemic agents or insulin.The present results establish the benefit of ginseng supplementation in improving glucose control and insulin sensitivity in patients with T2DM or impaired glucose intolerance.

Clinical Outcomes of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting vs Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Octogenarians With Coronary Artery Disease.

BACKGROUND: The number of elderly people receiving treatment for coronary artery disease (CAD) is increasing, and there are few studies that compared the outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the elderly. The objective of this study was to compare outcomes of CABG and PCI in octogenarians with CAD. METHODS: We conducted a search to identify articles that reported the results of 2-arm studies that compared CABG with PCI in octogenarians. The primary outcomes were short-term mortality and overall survival, and secondary outcomes included length of hospital stay and cerebrovascular accident (CVA) and myocardial infarction (MI) rates. RESULTS: Seven studies that enrolled 1879 patients who received CABG and 1432 treated with PCI were included. Short-term mortality was significantly less for patients in the PCI arms (odds ratio [OR], 1.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-2.06; P = 0.02), as was duration of hospital stay (difference in means, 6.07; 95% CI, 2.81-9.34; P < 0.001). Patients in the CABG arms had longer overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.73-0.89; P < 0.001). CVA and MI rates were similar (CVA: OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.57-1.95; P = 0.86; MI: OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.42-1.17; P = 0.17). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that physicians should consider not only the clinical features of CAD, but also the elderly patients future health outlook when choosing a revascularization procedure.

Effects of comprehensive intensive therapies on the change of intima-media thickness of carotid arteries in type 2 diabetic patients: A report of 4-year follow-up with a literature review.

BACKGROUND: The aim was to evaluate the effect of comprehensive intensive therapy on the carotid and femoral arteries of intima-media thickness in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus after 4-year follow-up. METHODS: In this prospective 4-year study, patients (N = 210) with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes received either comprehensive intensive therapy (n = 110) or conventional therapy (n = 100). Blood pressure, blood glucose and lipid levels were monitored every 3-6 months, and carotid and femoral arteries of intima-media thickness were monitored with ultrasonography. For the literature review, various databases were searched until 20 December 2014 for studies that evaluated effects of intensive multi-factorial therapies on comprehensive intensive therapy in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. RESULTS: The comprehensive intensive therapy group had a smaller rate of carotid intima-media thickness increase than the conventional therapy (control) group (p < 0.05). The carotid intima-media thickness in comprehensive intensive therapy group remained stable while the adjusted rate of carotid intima-media thickness increase was 12.55% in the control group. The femoral intima-media thickness change was also smaller in comprehensive intensive therapy group but the difference over time did not reach significance. CONCLUSION: The carotid intima-media thickness remained stable in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients who received comprehensive intensive therapy, suggesting that multi-factorial intensive therapies might have potential in reducing macro-vascular events in these patients.

Comparative study of pressure-control ventilation and volume-control ventilation in treating traumatic acute respiratory distress syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical therapeutic effect and side effect of pressure-control ventilation (PCV) on traumatic acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) compared with volume-control ventilation (VCV). METHODS: Forty patients with traumatic ARDS were hospitalized in our department from June 1996 to December 2002. Twenty were treated with PCV (PCV group) and 20 with VCV (VCV group). The changes of the peak inflating pressure and the mean pressure of the airway were observed at the very beginning of the mechanical ventilation and the following 12 and 24 hours, respectively. The transcutaneous saturation of oxygen pressure, the pressure of oxygen in artery, the mean blood pressure, the central venous pressure, the heart rate and the incidence of the pressure injury were also monitored before ventilation and 12 hours after ventilation. RESULTS: The pressure of oxygen in artery, the transcutaneous saturation of oxygen pressure, the heart rate and the respiratory rate in the PCV group were obviously improved after ventilation treatment. The peak inflating pressure, the mean pressure of the airway and the central venous pressure in the PCV group were lower than in the VCV group. The incidence of pressure injury was 0 in the PCV group while 10% in the VCV group. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical effect of PCV on traumatic ARDS is better and the incidence rate of pressure injury is lower than that of VCV. PCV has minimal effects on the hemodynamics.

Study of androgen and atherosclerosis in old-age male.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the difference of androgen and inflammatory cytokines level in atherosclerosis and analyse their relations. METHOD: Both carotid arteries and arteries of lower extremity were subjected to ultrasonic examination by Doppler's method. Those with much atheromatous plaque formation were ranged into case group, and those with normal result formed control group. Total, free testosterone and estradiol were assayed by radioimmunoassay. C reactive protein (CRP) was assayed by nepheloturbidity. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Interleukin-8 (IL-8), Interleukin-10 (IL-10), Interleukin-18 (IL-18), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (sVCAM-1) were assayed by ELISA. The mean difference between two groups and the correlation between free testosterone and cytokines were analysed. RESULTS: Free testosterone was (6.337+/-3.371) pg/L in case group and (11.375+/-4.733) pg/L in control group, P<0.01. No differences were found in total testosterone and estradiol. CRP was (27.294+/-10.238) mg/L in case group and (12.843+/-6.318) mg/L in control group, P<0.01. IL-6 was (41.700+/-31.385) pg/L in case group and (25.396+/-20.772) pg/L in control group, P<0.05. IL-8 was (89.249+/-58.357) pg/L in case group and (67.873+/-31.227) pg/L in control group, P<0.05. sICAM-1 was (470.491+/-134.078) pg/L in case group and (368.487+/-97.183) pg/L in control group, P<0.01. sVCAM-1 was (537.808+/-213.172) pg/L in case group and (457.275+/-157.273) pg/L in control group, P<0.05. There were no differences in TNF-alpha, IL-10 and IL-18. Correlation analysis showed that FT (free testosterone) had negative correlation with CRP, IL-6 and sICAM-1. Among them FT had well correlation with CRP, correlation index was -0.678. CONCLUSION: Free testosterone was in negative correlation with atherosclerosis in old-age male. Free testosterone may have the role of anti-atherosclerosis, and this effect was not achieved by its transformation to estradiol. Low free testosterone level was followed by increased level of inflammatory cytokines. Low free testosterones coexist with inflammation and they both affect the process of atherosclerosis in old-age male.