Role of JIP1-JNK Signaling in Beta-Cell Function and Autophagy

Proper functioning of endocrine cells is crucial for organismal homeostasis. The underlying mechanisms that fine-tune the amount, and the timing of hormone secretion are not clear. JIP1 / MAPK8IP1 (JNK interacting protein 1) is a scaffold protein that mediates cellular stress response, and is highly expressed in endocrine cells, including insulin secreting b-cells in pancreas islets. However, the role of JIP1 in b-cells is unclear. This study demonstrates that b-cell specific Jip1 ablation results in decreased glucose-induced insulin secretion, without a change in Insulin1 and Insulin2 gene expression. Inhibition of both JIP1-kinesin interaction, and JIP1-JNK interaction by genetic mutations also resulted in decreased insulin secretion, suggesting that JIP1 may mediate insulin vesicle trafficking through interacting with kinesin and JNK. Autophagy is a cellular recycling mechanism and implicated in the b-cell function. Both JIP1 and JNK are proposed to regulate autophagy pathway. However, it is unclear whether JNK plays a role in the promotion or suppression of autophagy. The findings of this study show that JNK is not essential for autophagy induction, but can regulate autophagy in a cell and context specific manner. The results in this thesis implies a mechanism that link cellular trafficking and stress signaling pathways in the regulated hormone secretion. In addition to the known role of JIP1 in metabolism and insulin resistance, this finding may also be relevant to endocrine pathologies

Characterization of Higher-order Chromatin Structure in Bone Differentiation and Breast Cancer: A Dissertation

Higher-order genome organization is important for the regulation of gene expression by bringing different cis-regulatory elements and promoters in proximity. The establishment and maintenance of long-range chromatin interactions occur in response to cellular and environmental cues with the binding of transcription factors and chromatin modifiers. Understanding the organization of the nucleus in differentiation and cancer has been a long standing challenge and is still not well-understood. In this thesis, I explore the dynamic changes in the higher-order chromatin structure in bone differentiation and breast cancer. First, we show dynamic chromatin contact between a distal regulatory element and the promoter of Runx2 gene, which encodes the Runtrelated transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) that is essential for bone development. Next, via using a genome-wide approach, we show that breast cancer cells have altered long-range chromatin contacts among small, gene-rich chromosomes and at telomeres when compared with mammary epithelial cells. Furthermore, we assess the changes in nuclear structure and gene expression of breast cancer cells following Runt-related transcription factor 1 (RUNX1) deficiency, an event frequently observed in breast cancer. Finally, I present the role of the central ATPase subunit of the SWI/SNF complex, SMARCA4 (BRG1), in mediating nuclear structure and gene expression. Taken together, the research presented in this thesis reveals novel insight and paradigm for the dynamic changes in disease and differentiation, as well as uncovers previously unidentified roles for two chromatin regulatory proteins, RUNX1 and SMARCA4

From Mass to Personalized Mobile Marketing Strategies: The New Dimensions Through Expert Systems

Today, mass mobile marketing and advertising are beginning to lose their positions and personalized (individualized) mobile marketing has started to dominate as a new way of marketing strategy, because expert systems, as a subsection of artificial intelligence, are able to help sending personalized messages to thousands of customers taking into their differences in a very short time. Expert systems provide marketers to serve customers efficiently and individually, and integrate customer characteristics, locations, data and rules to send personalized messages like a marketer. With expert system-based personalized mobile marketing, mobile phone users will receive personal and location specific mobile marketing messages with great benefits. Providing personalized information to marketers with expert systems will send more appropriate messages, create better customer satisfaction and increase mobile marketing efficiency by targeting the right consumers. Therefore, personalized mobile marketing has the potential of becoming a major mechanism in the future of mobile marketing. The objectives of this study are to draw marketers and entrepreneurs’ attention to expert system-based personalized mobile marketing and develop a draft expert system to send personalized mobile marketing messages to targeted customers. At the end of this study, some recommendations to expert system developers and a draft expert systembased personalized mobile marketing application are given

Bidirectional tachycardia in a patient with pulmonary embolism

We report a 55 year-old man with sudden cardiac arrest. Electrocardiography revealed runs of bidirectional ventricular tachycardia, and transthoracic echocardiography showed indirect findings of pulmonary embolism. (Cardiol J 2010; 17, 2: 194-195

Role of the MAPK/cJun NH2-Terminal Kinase signaling pathway in starvation-induced autophagy

Autophagy is required for cellular homeostasis and can determine cell viability in response to stress. It is established that MTOR is a master regulator of starvation-induced macroautophagy/autophagy, but recent studies have also implicated an essential role for the MAPK8/cJun NH2-terminal kinase 1 signal transduction pathway. We found that MAPK8/JNK1 and MAPK9/JNK2 were not required for autophagy caused by starvation or MTOR inhibition in murine fibroblasts and epithelial cells. These data demonstrate that MAPK8/9 has no required role in starvation-induced autophagy. We conclude that the role of MAPK8/9 in autophagy may be context-dependent and more complex than previously considered

Anticipation of aerobic exercise increases planned energy intake for a post-exercise meal

In many situations, meals are planned (i.e. what and how much) before they are eaten, but how exercise influences this planning is unknown. Therefore, this study investigated whether anticipation of an exercise session alters food intake planned for post-exercise. Forty (16 male) regular exercisers (mean ± SD; age 23.3 ± 5.6 y, BMI 22.7 ± 3.3 kg/m2, body fat 25.6 ± 7.6%) completed the study. Subjects arrived ≥3 h post-prandial and were given two hypothetical scenarios for the following day: 1) morning rest (REST), or 2) morning rest with the addition of 1 h of hard aerobic exercise at 10:00–11:00 (EXERCISE). For each scenario subjects had to plan their lunch, to consume at 12:00, by serving themselves cheesy tomato pasta and chocolate buttons. Scenarios were randomised and separated by 5 min and foods were not consumed. EXERCISE increased total energy served by 24% (EXERCISE 3308 ± 1217 kJ; REST 2663 ± 924 kJ; P < 0.001), with increases in energy served from both pasta (+25%; P < 0.001) and chocolate buttons (+20%; P = 0.024). These results suggest aerobic exercise increases planned post-exercise energy intake, if a meal is planned in advance of exercise. Future research should examine the impact of exercise on meal planning at other meals, as well as how this behaviour impacts weight loss with exercise training

The level of satisfaction of primary health services evaluation about Syrian women refugees who took refuge in the town Bucak

This study, women who took refuge in the Syrian town of Bucak in order to investigate satisfaction to basic health services by women and 43 is performed. The participants ' socioeconomic status, number of children and birth hospital were assessed with the questionnaire created by the researchers to assess the service questions. The number of data in statistical analysis percentage and Chi square test was used. The average age of women who participated in the research 43 30.19 ± 3.12 were found. 34 women (74.4 %) hospital conditions described as good. 22 women in terms of the provision of health services (52.2 %) stated he didn't see a difference between Syria and Turkey. The supply of the drug in 30 women (69.8 %) expressed in the form of comfortable, I can assure you. The average number of children was 2.7 (max:7) as were found. In our country the number of the mother who gave birth 38 (88.4 %). Women 26 (60.4 %) are not using any family planning method. Their children have not been immunised mother, who had number 5 (11.6 %). Women 97% of the country has stated that he wants to return to. The study found that refugees are lacking in receiving basic health services. Refugees' family planning, vaccination implementation deficiencies need to be addressed. It is thought that the attitudes of mothers who have not vaccinated in order to prevent infectious diseases should be changed

The Relationship Between Problem Solving and Creative Thinking Skills among Nursing Students

The aim of this study is to determine the relationship between problem solving and creative thinking skills among nursing students. This is a cross-sectional and correlational study. The sample was composed of 266 nursing students who were assessed on the creative thinking scale and problem solving inventory. The problem solving capability of students increase statistically significant levels as the grades of the students increase. The average score students get from creative thinking scale, did not show any difference due to the level of grade and all students obtained scores to be defined as “over the average creativity”. There was a moderately significant negative correlation between the scores of the two scales employed by the study. Especially higher scores on problem solving for the senior nursing students in comparison with others, is an important result proving nursing education has a positive effect on problem solving

Effect of breakfast omission on energy intake and evening exercise performance

Introduction: Breakfast omission may reduce daily energy intake. Exercising fasted impairs performance compared with exercising after breakfast, but the effect breakfast omission has on evening exercise performance is unknown. This study assessed the effect of omitting breakfast on evening exercise performance and within-day energy intake. Methods: Ten male, habitual breakfast eaters completed two trials in a randomized, counterbalanced order. Subjects arrived at the laboratory in an overnight-fasted state and either consumed or omitted a 733 ± 46 kcal (3095 ± 195 kJ) breakfast. Ad libitum energy intake was assessed at 4.5 h (lunch) and 11 h (dinner). At 9 h, subjects completed a 30-min cycling exercise at approximately 60% V˙O2peak, followed by a 30-min maximal cycling performance test. Food was not permitted for subjects once they left the laboratory after dinner until 0800 h the following morning. Acylated ghrelin, GLP-1(7–36), glucose, and insulin were assessed at 0, 4.5, and 9 h. Subjective appetite sensations were recorded throughout. Results: Energy intake was 199 ± 151 kcal greater at lunch (P < 0.01) after breakfast omission compared with that after breakfast consumption and tended to be greater at dinner after consuming breakfast (P = 0.052). Consequently, total ad libitum energy intake was similar between trials (P = 0.196), with 24-h energy intake 19% ± 5% greater after consuming breakfast (P < 0.001). Total work completed during the exercise performance test was 4.5% greater after breakfast (314 ± 53 vs 300 ± 56 kJ; P < 0.05). Insulin was greater during breakfast consumption at 4.5 h (P < 0.05), with no other interaction effect for hormone concentrations. Conclusions: Breakfast omission might be an effective means of reducing daily energy intake but may impair performance later that day, even after consuming lunch

Musical identity and musical evolution of Turkish Music women vocal performers in the gramophone record tradition

Taş plakların Osmanlı döneminde XIX. yüzyılın sonlarında ortaya çıkması ve yaygınlaşmasıyla birlikte, Türk müziği alanında ön plana çıkmış kadın ses sanatçılarının kendilerine özgü müzikal kimlik oluşturduğu, o dönemin sanat camiası içerisinde önemli bir rol üstlendiği ve müzikal anlamda aşamalar kaydederek geliştikleri görülmektedir. Cumhuriyet'in ilan edilmesiyle Ulu Önder Atatürk tarafından gerçekleştirilen inkılap hareketleri, Türk kadınına sosyal, kültürel, siyasal ve ekonomik anlamda birçok imkân sağlamıştır. Bu devrimlerin birçok alan gibi sanat ve müzik alanına da etki etmesi sonucu, Türk müziğine gönül vermiş yetenekli kadın ses sanatçılarının kendilerini ifade edebilecekleri bir mesleki konuma ve olanağa sahip oldukları söylenebilir. Böylelikle toplumda ve sanat alanında saygın bir statü kazanan kadınlar, kendilerini müzikal anlamda geliştirme ve gerçekleştirme imkânı bulmuşlardır. Müzik endüstrisi tarafından keşfedilen kadın sanatçılar, seslerini taş plaklar vasıtasıyla topluma duyurmayı başarmışlar ve ulusal bir ün kazanmışlardır. Bu araştırmada, Türk müziği kadın ses sanatçılarının müzikal kimlik ve müzikal gelişimleri literatür taraması yapılarak çeşitli yönlerden ele alınmıştır. Kadınların müzikal kimlik oluşturma süreçlerinin nasıl gerçekleştiği, bu süreçte ne gibi öğelerin etkili olduğu ve toplum içerisinde kadın ses sanatçıları olarak nasıl bir müzikal gelişim gösterdikleri irdelenmiştir. Bu araştırmada nitel araştırma yöntemini esas alan betimsel bir model kullanılmıştır. Çeşitli kriterlere dayalı olarak elde edilen veriler değerlendirilmiş, ortaya çıkan bulgular yorumlanmıştır. Araştırmanın bu alanda kendilerini geliştirmek isteyen geleceğin sanatçılarının mesleki yaşamlarına yol göstereceği düşünülmektedir.With the emergence and dissemination of gramophone records at the end of the century XIX in Ottoman period, it is seen that woman vocal performers who came to the foreground in the field of Turkish music formed their own musical identity, played an important role in the art community and are developed by making progress in musical sense. With the proclamation of the republic, revolution movements carried out by Great Leader Atatürk, provided a social, cultural, political and economic possibility to Turkish women. As a result of these revolutions, on art and music like on many fields, talented women, had a professional position and opportunity to express themselves. Thus, women who gained a respectable status in society and in the arts had the opportunity to develop and realize themselves in the musical sense. The women who were discovered by the music industry succeeded to make their voices heard to society by gramophone records and gained a national reputation. In this research, the musical identities and musical evolution of Turkish music vocal performers have been discussed in various aspects by the literature search. It has been examined how the musical identity formation process of women, what elements are effective in this process and how musical development they showed as women vocal performers in society. In this research, a descriptive model based on the qualitative research method was used. The data obtained based on various criteria were evaluated and the findings were interpreted. It is thought that the research will guide the professional lives of future artists who want to develop themselves in this field