ANALYSIS OF SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATERS COURAGE LEVELS FROM DIFFERENT VARIABLES

The object of this work is to analyze the courage levels of short track speed skaters from different variables. The study has been carried out on a total of 20 individuals, including 6 women and 14 men, who performed as short track speed skaters in Erzurum province of Turkey in 2017. DBA courage scale developed by (Imamoğlu, 1998) has been applied to skaters in the study9. SPSS 21 package program has been used for the analysis of the data. In the analysis of the data, frequency distribution for the demographic characteristics, T test to examine the relationship between two independent variables and courage level and ANOVA Variance analysis tests have been used to examine the relationship between more than two variables and courage level. The difference between the variables has been interpreted based on p 0.05 relevance level. According to the findings, it is determined that there is a significant difference between the level of courage of the athletes and being a national athlete. It is also determined that there is no significant difference between gender, education level, age, type of school they attended, educational background of mother and father and mother and father’s occupations. It is observed that, courage levels of national athletes are higher than that of non-national athletes. It is proposed that, it is important to determine the variables that will positively influence the level of courage for the athletes to be successful in sports and daily life.  Article visualizations

Maternal and Neonatal Vitamin D Binding Protein Polymorphisms and 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Cutoffs as Determinants of Neonatal Birth Anthropometry

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D-binding protein (VDBP) is a vital regulator of optimal vitamin D homeostasis and bioavailability. Apart from its well-documented role as a key component in vitamin D dynamic transfer and circulation, it has a myriad of immunoregulatory functions related to innate immunity, which becomes particularly critical in states of increased immunological tolerance including pregnancy. In this regard, VDBP dyshomeostasis is considered to contribute to the development of several fetal, maternal, and neonatal adverse outcomes. However, precise physiological pathways, including the contribution of specific VDBP polymorphisms behind such phenomena, are yet to be fully deciphered. Our aim was to assess the combined effect of maternal and neonatal VDBP polymorphism heterogeneity in conjunction with different maternal and neonatal 25(OH)D cutoffs on the neonatal anthropometric profile at birth. METHODS: The study included data and samples from a cohort of 66 mother-child pairs at birth. The inclusion criterion was full-term pregnancy (gestational weeks 37-42). Neonatal and maternal 25(OH)D cutoffs were included according to vitamin D status at birth and delivery. Concentrations of 25(OH)D2 and 25(OH)D3 were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS: The upper arm length of neonates with 25(OH)D ≤ 25 nmol/L was higher in neonate CC carriers for rs2298850. The upper thigh neonatal circumference was also higher in the ones with either 25(OH)D ≤ 50 or ≤75 nmol/L in rs2298850 CG + GG or rs4588 GT + TT carriers. We did not observe any significant effect for maternal VDBP polymorphisms nor for birth maternal 25(OH)D concentrations, on birth neonatal anthropometry. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings emphasize a potential role for neonatal VDBP genotypes rs2298850 and rs4588, in conjunction with specific neonatal 25(OH)D cutoffs, in the range of sufficiency on neonatal growth and development

Investigating the role of functional polymorphism of maternal and neonatal vitamin D binding protein in the context of 25‐hydroxyvitamin D cutoffs as determinants of maternal‐neonatal vitamin D status profiles in a sunny mediterranean region

Recent results indicate that dysregulation of vitamin D‐binding protein (VDBP) could be involved in the development of hypovitaminosis D, and it comprises a risk factor for adverse fetal, maternal and neonatal outcomes. Until recently, there was a paucity of results regarding the effect of maternal and neonatal VDBP polymorphisms on vitamin D status during pregnancy in the Mediterranean region, with a high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D. We aimed to evaluate the combined effect of maternal and neonatal VDBP polymorphisms and different maternal and neonatal 25‐hy-droxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) cut‐offs on maternal and neonatal vitamin D profile. Blood samples were obtained from a cohort of 66 mother–child pairs at birth. Our results revealed that: (i) Maternal VDBP polymorphisms do not affect neonatal vitamin D status at birth, in any given internationally adopted maternal or neonatal cut‐off for 25(OH)D concentrations; (ii) neonatal VDBP polymor-phisms are not implicated in the regulation of neonatal vitamin D status at birth; (iii) comparing the distributions of maternal VDBP polymorphisms and maternal 25(OH)D concentrations, with cutoffs at birth, revealed that mothers with a CC genotype for rs2298850 and a CC genotype for rs4588 tended to demonstrate higher 25(OH)D (≥75 nmol/L) during delivery (p = 0.05 and p = 0.04, respec-tively), after adjustments for biofactors that affect vitamin D equilibrium, including UVB, BMI and weeks of gestation. In conclusion, this study from Southern Europe indicates that maternal and neonatal VDBP polymorphisms do not affect neonatal vitamin D status at birth, whereas mothers with CC genotype for rs2298850 and CC genotype for rs4588 demonstrate higher 25(OH)D concen-trations. Future larger studies are required to establish a causative effect of these specific polymor-phisms in the attainment of an adequate (≥75 nmol/L) maternal vitamin D status during pregnancy

Clinical Significance Of DNA Repair Genes Expressions In Neurofibromatosis Type 1 Cases

AMAÇ: Nörofibromatozis Tip 1 (NF1), çeşitli fenotiplere sahip, sık görülen otozomal dominant genetik bir hastalıktır. NF1 hastalarının klinik çeşitliliğinin genetik nedeni sorgulanmaktadır. DNA onarım genleri DNA' daki hataların onarımından sorumludur. Bu çalışmada DNA onarım genlerinin ekspresyonunu ve onların NF1 hastalarındaki klinik önemini nörofibrom, hamartomatöz lezyon, diğer tümörler ya da ailesel NF1 varlığı ile karşılaştırarak analiz etmek ve gen ekspresyonları ile klinik bulgular arasında ilişki olup olmadığını belirlemek amaçlandı. YÖNTEMLER: NF1' li hastalar ve NF1 ile birlikte malignitesi olan hastalar çalışmaya alındı. Kontrol grubu olarak da benzer yaş grubundaki her hangi bir hastalığı olmayan çocuklar ve NF1 ile ilgisi olmayan maligniteli olgular oluşturdu. Çalışma toplam 46 olgu içermekteydi: 36 NF1 hastası (30 çocuk; 6 ebeveyn), hiç bir hastalığı olmayan 8 kontrol olgusu, rabdomiyosarkomlu NF1 olmayan 2 kontrol olgusu çalışmaya alındı. Her bir hasta ve kontrol grubundan periferik kandan mononükleer hücre izolasyonu yapıldı. RNA izolasyonu ve cDNA dönüşümünden sonra, her bir olguda Real-Time PCR ile DNA onarımı ile ilişkili 84 genin ekspresyonu (standart array, SABiosciences) belirlendi. Ekspresyonların kontrol grubuna göre kat değişiklikleri ve T test ile p değeri karşılaştırmalı gruplarda değerlendirildi. BULGULAR: Araştırma grubunu 36 NF1 hastası, kontrol grubunu ise 8 sağlam çocuk ve 2 adet de NF1 ile ilişkisi olmayan maligniteli olgu (rabdomiyosarkom) oluşturmaktadır. 8 kontrol olgusunun yaş ortalaması 17±7,03 (10-30 yaş) (ortanca 13 yaş) idi. NF1 olgularının 17' si kadın 19' u erkekti. NF1' li olgularımız için tanı anındaki yaş ortalaması 10,08±8,86 (9 ay- 38 yaş) (ortanca 8 yaş) iken hastalarımızın çalışmaya alınan ebeveynlerinin yaş ortalaması 40,50±1,22 (39-42 yaş) (ortanca40 yaş) idi. 36 hastanın, 17' si nörofibromlu, 17' si hamartomatöz lezyonluydu. 1 hastada rabdomiyosarkom (RMS) gözlenmiş, 1 hasta meme kanseri ve 4 hasta da optik gliomluydu. NF1 olgularında, PNKP, RAD18, XAB2, XRCC3, XRCC4 ve XRCC5 genlerinin ekspresyonu kontrol grup ile karşılaştırıldığında azaldı (p<0.05, T test). Nörofibromlu NF 1 olgularında, nörofibromsuz NF 1 olgularıyla karşılaştırıldığında POLB ekspresyonu artarken; ERCC3,LIG1,MGMT, MRE11A, MPG, MSH6, PARP2, PRKDC, RAD51B, RAD52, RPA3, SMUG1, TREX1, UNG ekspresyonu azaldı. RAD18 ailesel NF 1 varlığında ekspresyonu azalmış ve istatistiksel olarak önemli olduğu saptandı. Malign tümör olgularında NF 1' li ya da NF 1' siz gruplar karşılaştırıldığında gen ekspresyonunda kat değişiklikleri vardı. Maligniteli olgularda DDB2, MGMT, MLH1, POLB UNG, XPA ekspresyonları arttı. NF 1'li RMS olgusu ile NF 1' siz RMS olguları karşılaştırıldığında DDB2, MGMT, MLH1, POLB, UNG, XPA olmak üzere 6 genin ekspresyonu 10 kattan fazla artmış saptandı. SONUÇ: Bulgularımız NF 1 olgularındaki klinik bulgulardan tümör gelişimini öngörmek için DNA onarım sistemi ilişkili gen ekspresyon değişikliklerinin rolü olabileceğini göstermiştir. POLB nörofibrom varlığı belirteci, DDB2, MGMT, MLH1, POLB UNG, XPA malign tümör gözlenme belirteci olmaya aday genler olarak saptandı. Bu genlerin ekspresyonlarının daha geniş seri NF1li ve maligniteli olgularda çalışılması uygundur. OBJECTIVE: Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1) is a a common autosomal dominant genetic disorder that has a variable phenotype. The genetical causes of clinical variability of NF1 patients is questioned. DNA repair genes are responsible for proofreading the missing in the DNA. We aimed to analyze expression of DNA repair genes and their clinical significance in NF1 patients; comparing exsistance of neurofibroma or hamartomatous lesions or other tumours or existance of NF1 in the family. The other aim of this study was to determine whether any relationship between gene expressions and clinical findings. METHODS: NF1 patients and malignancy with NF1 pateints were included and in this study. In the control gruop children that they are in the similar age group and they have no disease and no malignacy group were included. This study included total 46 cases. 36 NF1 patients (30 children; 6 parents), 8 control cases without any disease, two control cases with rhabdomyosarcoma without NF1 were included in this study. The mean age of control group was 17±7,03 (10-30 age) (median 13 age). In the NF1 pateints gruop 17 of them are female, and 19 are male. The mean age at diagnosis is 10,08±8,86 (9 months- 38 age)(median age 8) for children and 40,50±1,22 (39-42 age) (median age 40) for parents. Among 36 patients, 17 had neurofibromas, 17 had hamartomatous lesions. Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) was observed in one patient, breast cancer in one patient and four patients suffered optic glioma. Peripheral blood was obtained from each cases and mononuclear cells were separated. After RNA isolation and cDNA converting, expressions of 84 genes related with DNA Repair in standard array (SABiosciences) were determined by Real-Time PCR for each case. Fold changes and p values compared with control groups and fold changes evaluated with T test and p value in the comperative groups. RESULTS: 36 NF1 patients, 8 healthy children as a control and 2 cases no NF1 relationship with malignancy (rhabdomyosarcoma) were included in the study group. In NF1 cases PNKP, RAD18, XAB2, XRCC3, XRCC4 and XRCC5 genes were downregulated compared with control group. In NF1 cases having neurofibromas, POLB was over expressed; while ERCC3, LIG1, MGMT, MRE11A, MPG, MSH6, PARP2, PRKDC, RAD51B, RAD52, RPA3, SMUG1, TREX1, UNG were downregulated compared with the NF1 cases without neurofibromas (p<0.05, T test). RAD18 is the downregulated and statistical significant gene for existence of NF1 in the family. There are gene expression fold change differences determined when malign tumor cases with/without NF1 were compared. DDB2, MGMT, MLH1, POLB UNG, XPA are increased.   CONCLUSION: Our results may point toward a role of gene expression changes of DNA repair system to be predictive for clinical manifestations in NF1 cases

The roles of pre–P-wave versus peri–P-wave fractionated electrograms for atrial substrate beyond entrainment response

Atrial tachycardia (AT) with alternating cycle lengths is sparsely reported, and, hence, the ideal mapping strategy has not been firmly established. Beyond the entrainment during tachycardia, some fragmentation characteristics might also give important clues for its possible participation in the macro–re-entrant circuit. We discuss a patient with prior atrial septal defect surgical closures who presented with dual macro–re-entrant ATs related to a fragmented area on the right atrial free wall (240 ms) and the cavotricuspid isthmus (260 ms), respectively. After ablation of the fastest AT on the lateral right atrial free wall, the cycle of the first AT changed to the second AT that was interrupted on cavotricuspid isthmus, proving the dual tachycardia mechanism. This case report addresses the utilization of electroanatomic mapping information as well as fractionated electrogram timing with respect to the surface P-wave as guides for ablation location

Paradoxical para-hisian pacing response

Para-Hisian pacing (PHP) is among the most useful maneuvers in cardiac electrophysiology during sinus rhythm and identifies whether retrograde conduction is dependent on the atrioventricular (AV) node. In this maneuver, the retrograde activation time and pattern are compared during capture and loss of capture of the His bundle while pacing from a paraHisian position. A common misconception about PHP is that it is useful only for septal accessory pathways (APs). However, even with left or right lateral pathways, as long as pacing from the para-Hisian region conducts to the atrium with the activation sequence being analyzed, it can be used to determine whether that activation is AV node–dependent or AP-dependent

The initial part of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia as a clue for the sustainability of tachycardia and ablation success: A varying degree of purkinje–Myocardial complicity?

The cardiac Purkinje system is capable of very rapid burst activity suggestive of its potential role in being a driver of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) (PMVT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF). It plays a pivotal role, however, not only in the triggering of but also the perpetuation of ventricular arrhythmias. A varying degree of Purkinje–myocardial complicity has been blamed in determining not only the sustained or non-sustained nature of PMVT but also the pleomorphism of the non-sustained runs. The initial part of PMVT before cascading to the whole ventricle to establish disorganized VF can give important clues for ablation of PMVT and VF. We present a case of an electrical storm after acute myocardial infarction that was successfully ablated after identifying Purkinje potentials that triggered polymorphic, monomorphic, and pleiomorphic VTs and VF

Adiponectin and vitamin D-binding protein are independently associated at birth in both mothers and neonates

CONTEXT: Adult body fat is associated with birth anthropometry, suggesting a role for metabolic regulators including vitamin D and the adipokines-adiponectin and irisin-which have been reported to interact but, as yet, data remain controversial. OBJECTIVE: To study (i) the relationship between vitamin D, its binding protein (VDBP) and the adipokines, adiponectin, and irisin in mothers and neonates at birth and (ii) their effects on neonate anthropometric outcomes. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study for healthy mothers with full-term and uncomplicated births. SETTING: Primary care. SUBJECTS: Seventy pairs of newly delivered neonates and their mothers. MAIN OUTCOMES FEATURES: Biochemical markers from maternal and cord: VDBP, adiponectin, irisin, calcium, albumin, parathyroid hormone, 25OHD, 1,25(OH)D. Maternal demographic and social characteristics and neonate anthropometric parameters were recorded. RESULTS: Maternal VDBP levels (364.1 ± 11.9 μg/ml) demonstrated a strong positive correlation with maternal adiponectin (4.4 ± 0.4 μg/ml) and irisin (308.8 ± 50.8 ng/ml) concentrations, which remained significant (p < 0.001 and p < 0.041, respectively) after adjustment with multiple parameters, including weeks of gestation, maternal age, and BMI. The finding of a strong association of VDBP (355.3 ± 29.2 μg/ml) and adiponectin (11.9 ± 2.0 μg/ml) but not irisin (174.4 ± 26.0 ng/ml) was also evident in neonates (p = 0.03 and p = 0.94, respectively). No association was observed in both maternal and neonatal vitamin D, adiponectin, and irisin. CONCLUSIONS: The main findings of this study are (i) the perspective of a potential independent interaction of VDBP and adiponectin in both mothers and neonates and (ii) the lack of a causative model effect of both maternal/neonatal vitamin D status and adipokine profile on neonatal anthropometry at birth, as a surrogate marker of future metabolic health of the offspring

The Effects of Vitamin D Receptor Silencing on the Expression of LVSCC-A1C and LVSCC-A1D and the Release of NGF in Cortical Neurons

Recent studies have suggested that vitamin D can act on cells in the nervous system. Associations between polymorphisms in the vitamin D receptor (VDR), age-dependent cognitive decline, and insufficient serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D(3) levels in Alzheimer's patients and elderly people with cognitive decline have been reported. We have previously shown that amyloid β (Aβ) treatment eliminates VDR protein in cortical neurons. These results suggest a potential role for vitamin D and vitamin D-mediated mechanisms in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and neurodegeneration. Vitamin D has been shown to down-regulate the L-type voltage-sensitive calcium channels, LVSCC-A1C and LVSCC-A1D, and up-regulate nerve growth factor (NGF). However, expression of these proteins when VDR is repressed is unknown. The aim of this study is to investigate LVSCC-A1C, LVSCC-A1D expression levels and NGF release in VDR-silenced primary cortical neurons prepared from Sprague-Dawley rat embryos.qRT-PCR and western blots were performed to determine VDR, LVSCC-A1C and -A1D expression levels. NGF and cytotoxicity levels were determined by ELISA. Apoptosis was determined by TUNEL. Our findings illustrate that LVSCC-A1C mRNA and protein levels increased rapidly in cortical neurons when VDR is down-regulated, whereas, LVSCC-A1D mRNA and protein levels did not change and NGF release decreased in response to VDR down-regulation. Although vitamin D regulates LVSCC-A1C through VDR, it may not regulate LVSCC-A1D through VDR.Our results indicate that suppression of VDR disrupts LVSCC-A1C and NGF production. In addition, when VDR is suppressed, neurons could be vulnerable to aging and neurodegeneration, and when combined with Aβ toxicity, it is possible to explain some of the events that occur during neurodegeneration

Vitamin D Receptor Fokl polymorphism is a determinant of both maternal and neonatal Vitamin D concentrations at birth

© 2019 Elsevier Ltd Maternal vitamin D deficiency is considered to be the key determinant of the development of neonatal vitamin D deficiency at birth and during early infancy. Specific vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms have been associated with adverse pregnancy and offspring outcomes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of maternal and neonatal VDR polymorphisms (ApaI, TaqI, BsmI, FokI, Tru9I) on maternal and neonatal vitamin D status. VDR polymorphisms were genotyped in 70 mother-neonate pairs of Greek origin, and classified according to international thresholds for Vitamin D status. Mean neonatal and maternal 25-hydroxy-vitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations were 35 ± 20 and 47 ± 26 nmol/l, respectively. Neonatal VDR polymorphisms were not associated with neonatal 25(OH)D concentrations. In contrast, mothers with the Fokl FF polymorphism had a 70 % lower risk of vitamin D deficiency [25(OH)D \u3c30 nmol/l] compared with ff ones, after adjustment for several confounders. They were also in 73 % and 88 % lower risk of giving birth to vitamin D deficient [25(OH)D \u3c30 nmol/l] neonates compared with Ff and ff mothers, respectively. These results suggest a protective role of maternal Fokl FF genotype against both maternal and neonatal vitamin D deficiency. Further studies are needed to clarify the complex gene-gene and gene-environment interactions that determine vitamin D status at birth