Background/Aim: Intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) is a mediator in the recruitment of leukocytes in the glomerular cells. The role of ICAM-1 in diabetic complications is still a matter of debate. This study was performed to investigate the relation of plasma soluble ICAM-1 (sICAM-1) to nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: Ninety-three patients (24 males and 69 females) with type 2 diabetes mellitus were included into the study. Fifty patients had nephropathy, and 43 were free from nephropathy. Fifty healthy subjects (14 males and 36 females) served as the control group (group 1). Twenty-five of the diabetic patients had microalbuminuria (group 2), 25 had macroalbuminuria (group 3), and 43 had neither micro- nor macroalbuminuria (group 4). The plasma sICAM-1 levels were measured in blood samples drawn after fasting. Results: The mean plasma sICAM-1 levels were not different in the 93 diabetic patients as compared with the healthy controls (392.7 ± 119.5 vs. 350.1 ± 90.2 ng/ml, p > 0.05). The mean sICAM-1 level was significantly higher in the diabetic patients with nephropathy than in those without nephropathy (430.3 ± 78.2 vs. 368.2 ± 122.5 ng/ml, p = 0.03) and in the controls (430.3 ± 78.2 vs. 350.1 ± 90.2 ng/ml, p = 0.016). The difference in sICAM-1 levels between groups 2 and 3 was not significant (p > 0.05). The plasma sICAM-1 levels were significantly higher in both groups 2 and 3 than in both groups 1 and 4 (434.5 ± 129.2 vs. 427.2 ± 113.7 ng/ml and 368.2 ± 122.5 vs. 350.1 ± 90.2 ng/ml, respectively). Conclusions: The plasma sICAM-1 levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus are not significantly different from those in nondiabetic subjects. High levels of sICAM-1 suggest that sICAM-1 may play a role in the development of nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
In this study we investigated whether leptin and TNFα levels change with improvement in body weight with antituberculotic therapy in active tuberculosis patients. 30 patients (8 females and 22 males) with active pulmonary tuberculosis formed the patient group, and 25 sex- and age-matched healthy subjects (8 females and 17 males) served as the control group. Body weight, body mass index (BMI) and serum leptin and plasma TNFα levels are measured before and in the sixth month of therapy in all patients. Before the initiation of therapy, BMI of the patients was significantly lower than BMI of the controls (20.2 ± 1.6 vs. 25.2 ± 2.7 kg/m2, respectively; p < 0.05). After treatment, BMI of the patients increased significantly to 21.4 ± 1.9 kg/m2 (p < 0.05), but was still lower than that of the controls (p < 0.05). Pretreatment serum leptin (4.5 ± 0.9 vs. 2.1 ± 0.2 ng/ml, respectively; p < 0.05) and plasma TNFα (27.9 ± 3.4 vs. 23.9 ± 3.0 pg/ml, respectively; p < 0.05) levels of the patients were significantly higher than those of the controls. After treatment, serum leptin levels increased to 6.7 ± 2.2 ng/ml, but this rise was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Treatment did not result in any significant change in TNFα levels, either. Δ leptin was highly related to Δ BMI in patients with tuberculosis (r = 0.68, p = 0.02). In the pretreatment period, there was a significant correlation between leptin and TNFα levels in the whole patient group (r = 0.78, p < 0.001), and in female (r = 0.74, p < 0.001) and male patients separately (r = 0.74, p = 0.035). In conclusion, leptin and TNFα may be responsible for the weight loss in pulmonary tuberculosis patients, but their levels do not change with improvement in body weight with antituberculotic treatment.
Indoor air pollution in university research laboratories may be important to building occupants, especially for those who work in the laboratories. In this study, indoor air quality (IAQ) and indoor environmental comfort were investigated in research laboratories of two departments at a university. PM2.5, PM10, TVOC (total volatile organic compounds), and CO concentrations, and three comfort variables which are temperature, relative humidity, and CO2 were measured. PM2.5 concentration was determined gravimetrically by collecting particles on glass fiber filters, whereas the remaining pollutants and comfort variables were measured using a monitoring device. IAQ measurements showed that levels of all pollutants were under the limits in both of the departments except for TVOC in one laboratory which had a mean concentration of 182 ppb. The comfort variables were in the comfort ranges for laboratories in both of the departments except for temperature in one laboratory with a mean value of 30 °C. In conclusion, measures are needed for extensive uses of organic solvents because ventilation may not be sufficient to keep VOC concentrations within the limits, and to provide thermal comfort
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