Satisfaction and attitude of bipolar patients regarding electroconvulsive therapy: Modified or unmodified

Objective: Ministry of Health of Turkey issued a legislation to use only modified electroconvulsivetherapy (ECT) in 2005, and this study aimed to assess satisfaction and attitude of bipolar patientsregarding modified and unmodified electroconvulsive therapy.Methods: A total of 100 patients (50 treated with modified electroconvulsive therapy (M-ECT) and 50treated with unmodified ECT (UM-ECT) with a diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder (depressive or manic episode)were invited to participate in this study. Patients with euthymic mood were included.Satisfaction and attitude towards ECT were evaluated with a structured attitude questionnaire, and MECTand UM-ECT patients, and their subgroups (depressive vs. manic) were compared.Results: No significant differences were found between M-ECT and UM-ECT groups regarding age, sex,marital status and occupation. The majority of all patients (78%) were satisfied from treatment withECT and with the outcome (88%), without significant differences between modified and unmodifiedgroups. Forgetfulness (70%) and headaches (57%) occurred in all groups, with the only significant differencein forgetfulness being reported by more manic patients treated with UM-ECT. Depressive andmanic patients treated with UM-ECT reported concerns of brain damage and physical harm significantlymore frequently. While 86% of patients treated with M-ECT consented to a future treatment,this was significantly less in patients treated with UM-ECT (50%).Conclusions: Bipolar patients report a high degree of satisfaction treated either with modified orunmodified ECT but there was a significant difference in perception of adverse effects and willingnessfor receiving ECT in future

Antioxidant role of melatonin against nicotine’s teratogenic effects on embryonic bone development

Objective(s): This study investigated the possible effects of low (3 mg/kg) and high (6 mg/kg) doses of nicotine on the skeletal development of rat fetuses by the double staining method and the protective role of melatonin (10 mg/kg) against these effects.Materials and Methods: Eighteen adult female Wistar-Albino rats were divided into six groups (n=3, each) as control, low-dose nicotine, high-dose nicotine, low-dose nicotine+melatonin, high-dose nicotine + melatonin and melatonin. While nicotine was given to the experimental groups on gestation days 1–20, nicotine and melatonin were administered together to the treatment groups. The fetuses were delivered by cesarean section on the 20th day of pregnancy. The skeletal systems of the fetuses were stained using the double staining method. The forelimbs and hindlimbs of the fetuses were firstly investigated under a stereomicroscope, and then their photos were taken. The total bone length, the length of the ossified part and the ossification rate were calculated using the ImageJ program.Results: The degree of ossification in the bones of the feet and the hands was determined. When the total bone length and the length of the ossified part were evaluated, they were significantly decreased in the nicotine groups (

Antinuclear antibody testing in a Turkish pediatrics clinic: is it always necessary?

Introduction: the term anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) is used to define a large group of autoantibodies which specifically bind to nuclear elements. Although healthy individuals may also have ANA positivity, the measurement of ANA is generally used in the diagnosis of autoimmune disorders. However, various studies have shown that ANA testing may be overused, especially in pediatrics clinics. Our aim was to investigate the reasons for antinuclear antibody (ANA) testing in the general pediatrics and pediatric rheumatology clinics of our hospital and to determine whether ANA testing was ordered appropriately by evaluating chief complaints and the ultimate diagnoses of these cases. Methods: the medical records of pediatric patients in whom ANA testing was performed between January 2014 and June 2016 were retrospectively evaluated. Subjects were grouped according to the indication for ANA testing and ANA titers. Results: ANA tests were ordered in a total of 409 patients during the study period, with 113 positive ANA results. The ANA test was ordered mostly due to joint pain (50% of the study population). There was an increased likelihood of autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs) with higher ANA titer. The positive predictive value of an ANA test was 16% for any connective tissue disease and 13% for lupus in the pediatric setting. Conclusion: in the current study, more than one-fourth of the subjects were found to have ANA positivity, while only 15% were ultimately diagnosed with ARDs. Our findings underline the importance of an increased awareness of correct indications for ANA testing

Gai1 protein homodimerizasyonun canlı hücrelerde förster rezonans enerji transferi (FRET) ve bimoleküler floresan tamamlama (BiFC) metotları kullanılarak incelenmesi.

The classical GPCR signaling pathway, where a heterotrimeric G protein-GPCR interaction is sufficient to transmit the signal to effector proteins has been replaced by a heteromeric G protein-GPCR homo- or hetero-dimer interaction model over the past two decades. These studies demonstrate that GPCRs that interact with each other couple with a heteromeric G protein. In recent years, evidence suggests that dimer of GPCR dimers is required for some complex signal transductions. In these studies, it was proposed that this heteromeric tetramer formed by the dimerization of the dimers brought two G proteins close enough to each other for protein-protein interaction. It is not clear if GPCR tetramerization is required for G-protein dimerization or dimerization can occur independent of the GPCRs. On the other hand, studies on small G-proteins (Ras family), which are structural homologs of G alpha subunits of heteromeric G-proteins, shows that dimerization can be independent of the receptors and necessary for various signaling pathways.Within the scope of this study, G alpha protein homodimerizations were qualitatively and quantitatively investigated in live cells using Bimolecular Fluorescent Complementation Assay (BiFC) and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) method.To achieve this, Galphai1 protein was labeled from various positions, including (G60-Y61, L91-K92 and A121-E122), with Enhance Green Fluorescent Protein (EGFP) which was derived from Aequorea victoria and mCherry fluorescent protein which is a monomeric derivative of DsRed.In addition Gaphai1 gene was labeled with split EGFP parts which are N-terminus EGFP and C-terminus EGFP for the Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation Assay. All labeled proteins were cotransfected into Mus musculus Neuroblastoma-2a (N2a) cells and interactions were imaged using spinning disc confocal microscope and analyzed.The findings of this study could help us understand the molecular mechanisms required for Galpha dimerization and the dynamics of these proteins.Also,GPCR interactions with various effectors during complex signal transductions and the requirement of these receptors during Galpha dimerizations can be studied with the techniques optimized in this study.Thesis (M.S.) -- Graduate School of Natural and Applied Sciences. Biochemistry

The effect of uridine and acaricide treatments against damage of tomato russet mite

Domates (Solanum lycopersicum L.) bitkisi anavatanı Güney Amerika’nın batı kıyıları olan Solanaceae familyası türlerinden biridir. Sebze üretimi ve tüketimi içerisinde hem ülkemizde hem de dünya genelinde en çok üretilen ve tüketilen bitkiler arasında yer almaktadır. Domatesin pas akarına karşı toleransını arttıracak (zararın azalması ve hızlıca iyileşmesi ile bitki gelişimini teşvik etme gibi) alternatif çözümlere ihtiyaç duyulmaktadır. Bu çalışmayla birlikte, kontrollü koşullarda domates pas akarı bulaştırılan domates fidelerinde sadece üridin veya sadece akarisitlerin (abamectin, acequinocyl, pyridaben, spiromesifen) yarı dozlarının uygulaması ila bunların kombinasyonlarının akar zararına olan etkilerinin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Literatür taraması yapıldığında bu konuyla ilgili herhangi bir araştırmanın mevcut olmadığı gözlemlenmiştir. Denemede akarisit uygulanan kombinasyonlarda abamectin 0,25 mg/L, acequinocyl 62,5 mg/L, pyridaben 15 mg/L ve spiromesifen 25 mg/L konsantrasyonları kullanılmıştır. Bitkilerde büyüme oranı, klorofil miktarı, yaprak oransal su kapsamı ve turgor kaybı gibi fizyolojik parametreler ölçülmüştür. Bununla birlikte MDA, glutatyon ve askorbik asit miktarı ile antioksidatif savunma sistemine ait bazı enzimlerin CAT, APOX ve SOD aktivitesindeki değişimler de incelenmiştir. Çalışmada yapılan analizler sonucunda genel olarak tüm parametreler p<0,05 düzeyinde önemli bulunmuştur. Kontrol bitkilerine göre sadece üridin kullanılan bitkilerde tüm parametrelerde önemli düzeyde iyileşmeler tespit edilmiştir. Ayrıca, sadece akarisit kullanılan bitkilere kıyasla üridin kullanılan bitkilerin fizyolojik ve biyokimysal parametrelerinde önemli düzeyde iyileşmeler belirlenmiştir. Hem akarisit dozunun azaltılmasında hem de zararın düşürülmesinde üridinin etkisi olduğu tespit edilmiştir.Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the species of the Solanaceae family, which is native to the west coast of South America. It is among the most produced and consumed plants both in our country and in the world in terms of vegetable production and consumption. Alternative solutions are needed that will increase the tolerance of the tomato against the rust mite (such as promoting plant growth by reducing the damage and healing quickly). In this study, it was aimed to determine the effects of uridine alone or only half doses of acaricides (abamectin, acequinocyl, pyridaben, spiromesifen) and their combinations with uridine on mite damage in tomato seedlings infected with tomato rust mite under controlled conditions. Uridine is investigated for the first time in the literature in this regard. In the trial, abamectin 0.25 mg/L, acequinocyl 62.5 mg/L, pyridaben 15 mg/L and spiromesifen 25 mg/L concentrations were used in combinations where acaricide was applied. Physiological parameters such as plant growth rate, chlorophyll amount, leaf proportional water content and turgor loss were measured. In addition, the amount of MDA, glutathione and ascorbic acid and the changes in the CAT, APOX and SOD activities of some enzymes belonging to the antioxidant defense system were also examined. As a result of the analyzes made in the study, all parameters were found to be significant at the p<0.05 level in general. Compared to the control plants, significant improvements were detected in all parameters in plants using only uridine. Also, significant improvements were determined in the physiological and biochemical parameters of the plants using uridine compared to plants using only acaricide. It has been determined that uridine has an effect on both reducing the acaricide dose and alleviating the consequences of mite infestation

Sincan sorununun çin dış politikasına etkisi: 1990-2010

This thesis analyses tha impact of the Xinjiang Problem on the foreign policy of China. Because of its strategic location and natural resources, Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region has great importance for China. this thesis argues that Chinese foreign policy towards Central Asian region has been shaped by security considerations of China related to the Xinjiang Problem. the Xinjiang Problem shapes China's foreign relaitons wşth Central Asian States, Russia, the U.S. and Turkey becouse this problem has became important element of China's territorial integrity as well ass its strategy of stabilizing Central Asian region.M.S. - Master of Scienc