Handan Gündüz

Serum sialic acid levels and selected mineral status in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether altered serum total sialic acid (TSA), lipid-associated sialic acid (LSA), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), iron (Fe), and magnesium (Mg) levels had an interactive connection with diabetes and also whether they were correlated with each other in diabetic patients. Two study groups (control and type 2 diabetic subjects) were included. Two hundred patients (108 female and 92 male), diagnosed and treated for type 2 diabetes in the Yuzuncu Yil University Hospital (Van, Turkey), were selected consecutively to represent type 2 diabetic patients. Fifty healthy individuals (29 female and 21 male) served as the control group matched for age, sex, body mass index, and smoking status were selected from hospital staff and other outpatient clinics. All participants had not taken vitamin or mineral supplements for at least 2 wk before sampling. Blood samples were drawn after an overnight fasting in both groups for the determination of serum glucose, TSA, LSA, Cu, Zn, Mn, Cr, Fe, and Mg. It was found that diabetics had higher TSA, LSA, Fe, Mn, Fe/Zn, and Cu/Zn levels, and lower Zn and Mg levels than those of controls. Although, Cu levels were higher, and Cr levels were lower in total and male diabetic patients, they were not different in female diabetic patients than in controls. The Cu/Fe ratio was lower in total and female diabetic patients, but not different in male diabetic patients than controls. The Zn/Cr ratio, on the other hand, was not different in diabetics than in controls. There was only a positive correlation between Fe-Mn levels in male diabetic patients. There was a negative correlation in LSA-Mn, Fe-Cu, Cu-Fe/Zn, and Mn-Cu/Zn levels in total diabetic patients. There was a positive correlation in TSA-Cr, TSA-Mg, LSA-Cu/Fe, LSA-Zn/Cr levels, and a negative correlation in TSA-Cu/Zn, LSA-Mn, Fe-Cu, Mn-Cu, Cu-Fe/Zn, Fe-cholesterol, and Cr-cholesterol in female diabetic patients. Our results showed that TSA, LSA, and selected minerals have interactive connections with diabetes mellitus (DM). There are also many sex-related positive or negative correlations between the altered parameters in diabetic patients. These parameters might be used as diagnostic index in patients with DM.

Levels of some trace elements and rheumatoid factor in sheep with brucellosis

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease that is encountered in sheep rather frequently. In this study, 100 sheep diagnosed with brucellosis that had aborts and 40 healthy sheep were used as materials. Analyses for Cu, Zn, Fe, Cr, Ca, Mg, and K were performed with the atomic absorption spectrophotometric method on blood collected from vena jugularis of all the sheep and rheumatoid factor levels were determined by the nephelometry method. Although it was found that Cu, Ca, and rheumatoid factor values in the sera of the sheep with brucellosis were high when compared to the control group (p<0.001, p<0.05, p<0.001, respectively), their serum Zn values were low (p<0.05). No significant changes in serum Cr, Fe, K, and Mg levels were found.

Selected trace elements and esterase activity of carbonic anhydrase levels in lambs with pneumonia

The levels of, zinc, copper, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Mg, K, Na, and Cl and the activity of carbonic anhydrase were determined in lambs with pneumonia. A significant decrease of p<0.01 level in Zn concentration, in Cu level (p<0.001) and significant increases in K and Na levels (p<0.05) and of the Cu/Zn ratio (p<0.001) were observed in the study group. The carbonic anhydrase activity was decreased in the study group, but the decrease was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Also, nonsignificant decreases of Fe, Mg, and Cl and increase of the Mn concentration were also observed in the lambs with pneumonia (p>0.05). Our results suggest that the significant element changes reported here and the Cu/Zn ratio, but not the activity of carbonic anhydrase, can be used as indicators of pneumococcal infection.