International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism
Volume:10 Issue: 3, Jun 2012

This Study was performed to determine appropriate cut off point in 24 hours urine total protein to diagnose micro- and macroalbuminuria in patients with diabetes mellitus.Patients and In this study, 204 patients with diabetes mellitus type I and II were selected. In collected 24 hours urine from patients, protein and albumin were measured by using Pyrogallol and Immunoturbidimetry methods, respectively. Normoalbuminuri (albumin < 30 mg/24hrs urine), microalbuminuri (albumin = 30-300 mg/24hrs urine), and macroalbuminuri (, albumin > 300 mg/24hrs urine) were detected in 130, 51, and 23 patients, respectively. In 24hrs urine collections, amounts of protein and albumin were compared to calculate cut off point of exerted protein for nephropathy diagnosis. cut off point of 73mg/day for urinary total protein had appropriate sensitivity (94.5 %, CI = 91.4 % -97.6 %) and specificity (77.9 %, CI = 72.8 % -82.9 %) for microalbuminuria, while cut off point of 514 mg/day (sensitivity 95.7 %; specificity 98.9 %) was detected for diagnosis macroalbuminuria. Urine protein exertion of 150 mg/day that is currently considered as a normal value in most laboratory kits had a sensitivity of 73.1 % by which 30 % of microalbuminuric cases remained undiagnosed. Urinary total protein cut-off points of 73mg/day and 514 mg/day were diagnostic for micro- and macroalbuminuria, respectively.

Childhood and adolescence are critical periods for the skeleton. Mechanical load has then been shown to be one of the best stimuli to enhance not only bone mass, but also structural skeletal adaptations, as both contributing to bone strength. Exercise prescription also includes a window of opportunity to improve bone strength in the late pre- and early peri-pubertal period. There is some evidence supporting the notion that skeletal gains obtained by mechanical load during growth are maintained at advanced age despite a reduction of physical activity in adulthood. The fact that former male athletes have a lower fracture risk than expected in their later years does not oppose the view that physical activity during growth and adolescence is important and it should be supported as one feasible strategy to reduce the future incidence of fragility fractures.

Adaptation to a chronic somatic disease depends on a variety of factors, including belief in health locus of control. Correlation between health locus of control and illness acceptance in patients with Graves-Basedow and Hashimoto diseases as well as correlation between health locus of control, illness acceptance, sex, and age.Patients and Three methods were applied: Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale by K.A. Wallston, B.S. Wallston and R. DeVellis; the Acceptance of Illness Scale by B.J. Felton, T.A. Revenson, and G.A. Hinrichsena; and a personal questionnaire. Two groups were subject to the research: 68 patients with Graves-Basedow disease and 54 patients with Hashimoto disease. Patients with Graves-Basedow disease, women above all, have their health locus of control in other persons (P = 0,001) and are less inclined to accept their illness (P = 0,005) when compared to patients with Hashimoto disease. A statistically significant correlation occurred between the age of patients and external (i.e., in other persons) health locus of control. Beliefs in health locus of control and type of illness in female patient group are predictors of illness acceptance (P = 0,0009).

Type 1 diabetes mellitus is one of the metabolic diseases that cause insulin-producing pancreatic β cells be destroyed by immune system self-reactive T cells. Recently, new treatment methods have been developed including use of the stem cells, β islet cells transplantation and gene therapy by viral and non-viral gene constructs. The aim of this project was preparing the non-viral vector containing the glucose inducible insulin gene and using it in the NIH3T3 cell line. Cloning was carried out by standard methods. Total RNA was extracted from pancreatic tissue, RNA was converted to cDNA using RT-PCR reaction and preproinsulin gene was amplified using specific primers. PNMTCH plasmid was extracted and digested by NotI, HindIII, and MTIIA and ChoRE genes were purified and cloned into pcDNA3.1 (-) plasmid and named pcDNAMTCh. Finally, the preproinsulin genes were cloned into pcDNA3.1 (-) plasmid and pcDNAMTChIns was built. The cloned gene constructs were evaluated by restriction enzyme digestion and RT-PCR. The NIH3T3 cells were transfected by plasmid naked DNA containing preproinsulin gene and expression was confirmed by Reverse Transcriptase PCR and Western Blotting Techniques. Gel electrophoresis of PCR products confirmed that cloning was performed correctly. The expression of preproinsulin gene in recombinant plasmid in NIH3T3 cell line was observed for the first time. The findings in this study can be the basis of further research on diabetes mellitus type 1 gene therapy on animals.

Celiac disease (CD) is a disorder associated with body reaction to gluten. After the gluten intake, an immune reaction against the protein occurs and damages villi of small intestine in celiac patients gradually. The OSC, a filtering method for minimization of inter- and intra-spectrometer variations that influence on data acquisition, was applied to biofluid NMR data of CD patients.Patients and In this study, metabolites of total 56 serum samples from 12 CD patients, 15 CD patients taking gluten-free diet (GFD), and 29 healthy cases were analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and associated theoretical analysis. Employing ProMetab (version ProMetab_v3_3) software, data obtained from NMR spectra were reduced and orthogonal signal correction (OSC) effect on celiac disease metabonomics before and after the separation by principle component analysis (PCA) was investigated. The three groups were separated by OSC and findings were analyzed by partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) method. Root mean square error of calibration (RMSEc) and correlation coefficient of calibration (Rc) for PLS-DA referred to an efficient group separation filtered by OSC. The applied leave-one-out cross-validation to PLS-DA method performed along with OSC confirmed validation of data analysis. Finally four metabolites are introduced as CD biomarkers.

Chronic hypoxia causes apoptosis of cardiac myocytes, however, energy production by anaerobic glycolysis protects myocardium against hypoxia injuries. Aldolase A is a well-characterised key enzyme of the glycolysis pathway. Ghrelin, a 28-amino-acid peptide, synthesizes in the stomach and has protective roles in cardiovascular systems and also affects metabolic pathways. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of ghrelin on aldolase A gene expression after chronic hypoxia in the rat hearts. Twenty four adult male wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups. Hypoxic rats with saline or ghrelin treatment were placed in a normobaric hypoxic chamber (O2 11 %), for two weeks. Controls remained in room air. Aldolase A gene expression was measured by Real-Time RT-PCR. the transcriptiom rate of Aldolase A in hypoxic animals did not change significantly compared to negative control ones. During chronic hypoxia, ghrelin treatment increased the amount of heart Aldolase A gene expression compared to negative controls (P = 0.029). Hypoxic animals that were treated with ghrelin were significantly more polycythemic than the controls and even hypoxic with saline treated rats (P < 0.001). It seems that ghrelin interferes in the cardiac metabolism through upregulation of glycolytic enzymes. In other words, it may protect heart from possible hypoxia induced damages.

Ghrelin plays an important role in the regulation of food intake and body weight. It also decreases testosterone and opioid secretion. The goal of the present study was to investigate the effect of testosterone, morphine or simultaneous injection of testosterone and morphine on mean serum ghrelin concentration in sheep. Ten sheep were divided into two groups (n = 5 in each group), they were fed with either 50 % or 100 % of their dietary energy needs for 10 days. Body weight was measured on the 1st and 10th day of the experiment. Animals in both groups received testosterone (60µg/kg), morphine (0.15mg/kg), or a simultaneous infusion of testosterone (60µg/kg) and morphine (0.15mg/kg), on the 8th, 9th, or 10th day of the experiment respectively. Blood samples were collected before and 2 hours after the infusions. Ghrelin concentration was determined by RIA(radio immunoassay). In the 50 % group, ghrelin concentrations increased significantly on the 8th day of the experiment, compared to the 1st day (P < 0.05). While in the 100 % group, no significant change was observed. In both groups the animals’ body weight did not increase significantly on the 10th day compared to the 1st day. Testosterone significantly increased ghrelin levels after injection compared to before infusion, in both groups (P < 0.05). Morphine increased ghrelin concentration in both groups, but this increase was not statistically significant. Simultaneous injection of testosterone and morphine together, significantly increased ghrelin concentration following injection compared to before infusion, in both groups (P < 0.05). There is a direct correlation between food restriction, testosterone and ghrelin concentration in ruminants. However, a simultaneous injection of testosterone and morphine did not exert an additive effect on ghrelin secretion.

Atavistic residues of aggressive behavior prevailing in animal life, determined by testosterone, remain attenuated in man and suppressed through familial and social inhibitions. However, it still manifests itself in various intensities and forms from; thoughts, anger, verbal aggressiveness, competition, dominance behavior, to physical violence. Testosterone plays a significant role in the arousal of these behavioral manifestations in the brain centers involved in aggression and on the development of the muscular system that enables their realization. There is evidence that testosterone levels are higher in individuals with aggressive behavior, such as prisoners who have committed violent crimes. Several field studies have also shown that testosterone levels increase during the aggressive phases of sports games. In more sensitive laboratory paradigms, it has been observed that participant’s testosterone rises in the winners of; competitions, dominance trials or in confrontations with factitious opponents. Aggressive behavior arises in the brain through interplay between subcortical structures in the amygdala and the hypothalamus in which emotions are born and the prefrontal cognitive centers where emotions are perceived and controlled. The action of testosterone on the brain begins in the embryonic stage. Earlier in development at the DNA level, the number of CAG repeats in the androgen receptor gene seems to play a role in the expression of aggressive behavior. Neuroimaging techniques in adult males have shown that testosterone activates the amygdala enhancing its emotional activity and its resistance to prefrontal restraining control. This effect is opposed by the action of cortisol which facilitates prefrontal area cognitive control on impulsive tendencies aroused in the subcortical structures. The degree of impulsivity is regulated by serotonin inhibiting receptors, and with the intervention of this neurotransmitter the major agents of the neuroendocrine influence on the brain process of aggression forms a triad. Testosterone activates the subcortical areas of the brain to produce aggression, while cortisol and serotonin act antagonistically with testosterone to reduce its effects.

Clinically apparent cervical lymphadenopathy has been found at the initial presentation in 23 to 56 % of cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma. Here we report tuberculous lymphadenitis mimicking metastatic lymph nodes from papillary thyroid carcinoma and suggest that tuberculosis apart from metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma should also be considered in the etiology of enlarged lymph nodes in such patients, especially in those with risk factors for tuberculosis. Therefore, the importance of careful pre-operative evaluation of cervical lymph node metastasis cannot be overestimated, so that patients do not undergo unnecessary neck dissection for other benign conditions.