Plasma adrenomedullin levels in patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus with and without complications

The present study was undertaken to determine plasma adrenomedullin [ADM] levels in patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus [NIDDM] to elucidate the potential involvement in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications. The patients were 31 males and 29 females with age ranging from 46-72 years [M +/- SD 57 +/- 12], the study were done at Al-Azhar University Hospitals and National Institute of Diabetes and Endocrinology between March 2000 and August 2000. Plasma ADM levels were 49.3 +/- 5.7 pg/ml in control subjects, 54.3 +/- 7.5 pg/ml in NIDDM patients without complications and 65.5 +/- 7.1 pg/ml in NIDDM with complications. Plasma ADM levels were significantly higher in NIDDM patients without complications than controls and in complicated vs non-complicated patients and their levels were not affected by plasma glucose concentrations. Plasma ADM levels increased dependently on the severity of diabetic complications and positively correlated with systolic blood pressure, serum creatinine, urinary excretion of albumin and fall in systolic blood pressure on standing up [sympathetic function]. In contrast, plasma ADM levels were reversely correlated with R-R interval on standing up 30:15 ratio [parasympathetic function] and conduction velocities of left ulnar nerves [peripheral neuropathy]. The results indicated that the increase in plasma ADM levels were closely related to diabetic complications, which may depend on the development of microangiopathy and play a certain role in protection against microvascular disturbance in diabetic patients

Plasma homocysteine and endothelin-I in patients with type-I [IDDM] diabetes

This study was performed on 40 type I diabetes [IDDM] patients with complications [nephropathy and retinopathy], 20 IDDM patients without complications and 20 age and sex matched healthy control subjects. IDDM patients with complications had significantly higher fasting total homocysteine [tHCY] and endothlin-1 [ET-1] plasma levels than the other two groups. In diabetic patients without complications, plasma tHCY had a slight increase than the control subjects, while plasma level of ET-1 was significantly higher than the control subjects. tHCY plasma level was correlated with albumin excretion rate [AER], serum creatinine and ET-1 glycated hemoglobin [HbA1c], but it was not correlated with the duration of diabetes mellitus, serum lipids and age of the patients

Detection of an early marker of atherosclerosis among non-insulin dependent-diabetic patients

An early marker of subclinical arteriosclerosis, the increased intimal-medial thickness [IMT] of the common carotid artery was measured by B-mode ultrasound in twenty non-diabetic and thirty non- insulin- dependent diabetic patients [ten newly diagnosed and twenty well established diabetics]. This marker was compared in non- diabetic and diabetic subjects to evaluate its correlation with some cardiovascular risk factors, and duration of diabetes. In addition, body mass index [BMI], waist to hip ratio [WHR], blood pressure, glycosylated hemoglobin [HbAic] and fasting concentrations of plasma glucose, serum lipids and serum insulin were measured in all subjects. In conclusion, diabetes is characterized by a greater thickness of the carotid artery, which lead to increased risk of arteriosclerosis. Also, central adiposity is considered as a predictor of IMT in non- diabetic individuals

Histogenesis of the skin of the one-humped camel [Camelus dromedarius]

The fetal epidermis appeared as a single layer of cells at 1.8 cm CVR length. Then increased in thickness by 39-43 cm CVR. The primordia of the stratum corneum was observed in fetuses with 87 cm. At CVR 95 cm the epidermis showed a general decrease in thickness. By 110-117 cm stage the epidermis could be differentiated into many strata. However, the stratum lucidum was not seen. There was a gradual increase in the thickness of dermis throughout the fetal life. At 34 The hair germ started to appear at 15 cm CVR and formed hair plug at 34 cm CVR. By 39-47 cm these hair plugs appeared as slanted column of cells and could be distinguished into primary and secondary with 59 cm length. At 87 cm the hair canal and the bulb were formed. Hair groups were recognized at 95 cm CVR and became clear in fetuses with 110-117 cm. At this stage, many of the hair had emerged from the skin surface. Sweat gland buds appeared as ental swelling on the primary hair plugs at 42 cm CVR fetal length and on the secondary hair plugs at 65 cm. These sweat gland primordia were canalized at 75 cm CVR. In fetuses with 87-110 cm length, the sweat glands appeared more developed. They were located more deeper in the fetal dermis at 117 cm. At 50 cm CVR the sebaceous gland rudiment was first recognized. By the stage of 59-75 cm they bulged into the adjacent dermis as a follicular cell budding and increased greatly in length and in size with the advance of age. At 95 cm, the secondary follicules showed small sebaceous buds. In fetuses with CVR 117 cm the sebaceous glands appeared more organized and became distinct in association with the primary hair. Those with the secondary follicles were short and small