Sleep and Epilepsy

It is well known that clinical and EEG manifestations of many epilepsy syndromes are related to sleep-and-waking cycles. Epilepsies are thought as disorders reflecting abnormalities in neuronal networks underlying sleep process. Patients with epilepsy, on the other hand, are generally reported to have poor sleep quality when compared with healthy controls. Furthermore, poor sleep quality or sleep-deprivation may worsen seizure control and set a vicious cycle. Anti-epileptic drugs may also affect sleep architecture. Here, we aim to review the complex relationship of sleep and epilepsy in the light of relevant literature

Circular RNAs and Its Biological Functions in Health and Disease

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) belong to the family of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA) that, unlike linear RNAs, are characterized by a covalently closed circular RNA structure lacking 5′ cap and 3′ poly-adenylated tails. circRNAs have a role in epigenetic regulation of downstream targets. circRNAs play a crucial role in regulating gene and protein expressions by acting as a microRNA (miRNA) sponge and RNA binding protein (RBP) sponge and interact with proteins to affect cell behavior. circRNA expression profiles differ between physiological and pathological states. Moreover, the expression patterns of circRNAs exhibit differences in a tissue-specific manner. Although investigations on circRNAs have been exploding nowadays, yet only a limited number of circRNAs are identified. Furthermore, further researches are needed to shed light on their functions and targets. Therefore, circRNAs are becoming vital as potential biomarkers that may be used for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. In this chapter, we review the current advancement of cirRNAs with regard to their biogenesis, biological functions, gene regulatory mechanisms, and implications in human diseases and summarize the recent studies on circRNAs as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers based on existing knowledge

Meydanların Görsel ve İşlevsel Yönden Kent Kimliğine Katkıları: Bakırköy Cumhuriyet Meydanı Ve Eminönü Meydanı Örnekleri

Bu çalışmada Bakırköy Cumhuriyet Meydanı ve Eminönü Meydanı’nın, peyzaj mimarlığı bakış açısıyla, bulunduğu kent kimliğine görsel ve işlevsel yönden etkisi irdelenerek potansiyelleri ile eksikliklerinin tespit edilmesi ve bulunduğu kent ile kent kimliğine katkı sağlamalarına yönelik öneriler geliştirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Bu amaçla, öncelikle kent, kent kimliği ve meydan kavramları ortaya konulmuş, kent kimliğini ve meydanı oluşturan unsurlar araştırılmıştır. Araştırma alanı olarak seçilen meydanlarda, meydanı oluşturan tüm unsurlar incelenerek analiz edilmiş, bu meydanların bulunduğu kente ve kent kimliğine etki eden tüm özellikleri belirlenmiştir. Sonuç olarak; meydanlarda belirlenen görsel ve işlevsel özellikler toplu olarak bir tabloya aktarılarak değerlendirilmiştir. Değerlendirme sonucunda her iki meydanın da bulunduğu kente ve kent kimliğine olumlu etkisi olduğu belirlenmiş ve bu meydanlardaki eksik ya da zayıf yönlerin giderilmesine yönelik öneriler geliştirilmiştir

Hemşirelik Öğrencilerinin Aile İçi Şiddete Maruz Kalma Durumları ve Şiddete Bakış Açıları

Aim The study was performed in order to evaluate the domestic violence that the nursing students exposed and their perspectives on violence. Materials and Methods The sample was consisted of 229 students who were selected by simple random sampling method. Percentage, Pearson's chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used in order to perform statistical analysis by the SPSS 17.0. Results 26.6% of students were exposed to domestic violence, 34.4% of these students were exposed to psychological violence, 26.2% of them were exposed to physical violence, 39.3% of them were exposed to both psychological and physical violence. Among the students who were exposed to domestic violence, the violence application rate was significantly high (p<0.01). Conclusion Our results has showed, predisposition to violent tendencies of the individuals who are personally exposed to domestic violence or any member of their family is exposed to domestic violence increase in a way that cannot be overlooked.Amaç Araştırma Sağlık Yüksekokulu öğrencilerinin aile içi şiddete maruz kalma durumları ve şiddete bakış açılarını değerlendirmek amacıyla gerçekleştirildi. Materyal ve Metod Örneklemi; Basit rastgele örnekleme yöntemiyle belirlenen 229 öğrenci oluşturdu. İstatistiksel analizler için SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) for Windows 17.0 programında yüzdelik, Pearson Ki-Kare testi ve Fisher exact test kullanıldı. Bulgular Araştırmaya katılan öğrencilerden 61 (% 26,6)’inin aile içi şiddete maruz kaldığı, aile içi şiddete maruz kalan öğrencilerden 21'inin (% 34,4) psikolojik, 16'sının (% 26,2) fiziksel, 24'ünün (% 39,3) hem psikolojik hem de fiziksel şiddete maruz kaldığı saptandı. Şiddete maruz kalan öğrencilerde şiddet uygulama oranı anlamlı olarak yüksek bulundu (p<0,01). Sonuç Bulgularımızda da görüldüğü gibi, kendisi ve ailesinden herhangi birinin şiddete maruz kalmasının, bireylerde şiddet eylemine yatkınlığı arttırdığı göz ardı edilemez bir gerçektir

Nursing Students Exposed to Domestic Violence and Their Perspectives on Violence

Aim:The study was performed in order to evaluate the domestic violence that the nursing students exposed and their perspectives on violence.Materials and Methods:The sample was consisted of 229 students who were selected by simple random sampling method. Percentage, Pearson's chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were used in order to perform statistical analysis by the SPSS 17.0.Results:26.6% of students were exposed to domestic violence, 34.4% of these students were exposed to psychological violence, 26.2% of them were exposed to physical violence, 39.3% of them were exposed to both psychological and physical violence. Among the students who were exposed to domestic violence, the violence application rate was significantly high (p<0.01).Conclusion:Our results has showed, predisposition to violent tendencies of the individuals who are personally exposed to domestic violence or any member of their family is exposed to domestic violence increase in a way that cannot be overlooked

[Investigation of anti-angiogenic and anti-apoptotic effects of Bevacizumab in breast cancer cell line

Tümör anjiyogenezi tümör hücreleri tarafından anjiyogenik faktörlerin salınımı, proteolitik enzimlerin aktivasyonu ve endotelyal hücrelerin proliferasyonu ve göçünü içeren çok aşamalı kompleks bir mekanizmadır. VEGF büyüme ve metastaz için kritik olan anjiyogenik bir fenotipe geçişte sınırlayıcı bir faktördür. Anjiyogenez hedefli son yaklaşımlar vasküler endotelyal hücreleri uyaran faktörlerin ve bunların reseptörlerinin baskılanmasına bağlıdır. VEGF bu alandaki araştırmalarda en önemli hedef moleküllerden biri haline gelmiştir. VEGF ye karşı geliştirilen ilaçlardan biri monoklonal bir antikor olan Bevacizumab dır (Avastin, Altuzan). Prostoglandinlerin COX-2 ile indüklenmiş artışı, anjiyogenez, kanser hücrelerinin çoğalması, apoptozun baskılanması ve metastatik potansiyelin artışını uyarmaktadır. Bu çalışma ile Bevacizumab ın meme kanseri hücre hattı olan MDA-MB-231 üzerindeki antianjiyogenik ve apoptotik etkisi ile VEGF-A, VEGF-C, VEGFR2 ve COX-2 mRNA ifadeleri üzerindeki etkilerinin araştırılması amaçlandı.Çalışmamızda, MDA-MB-231 hücrelerinde, çeşitli doz ve inkübasyon sürelerinde, Bevacizumab uygulanması sonrası, XTT yöntemi ve akridin oranj-etidyum bromür boyamasıyla hücre canlılığı belirlendi. Aynı sinyal iletim yolağında görev alan VEGF-A, VEGF-C, VEGFR2 ve bu yolak üzerine de etki eden COX-2 genlerinin mRNA ifade düzeylerinin belirlenmesi için kantitatif Real-Time PCR yöntemi kullanıldı. Çalışmamızda, Bevacizumab ın etkisiyle 24 ve 48. saatlerde COX-2 ifade düzeyinde artış gözlense de 72 ve 96. saatlerde bu COX-2 ifade oranı 50 &#956;g/ml den sonraki dozlarda düşük düzeylerde seyretmektedir. Anjiyogenezde önemli görevi olduğu bilinen VEGF-A, VEGF-C ve VEGFR2 mRNA ifade düzeylerinin ve invazyon yeteneklerinin 24, 48 ve 72. saattlerde doza bağımlı olarak amlamlı düzeyde arttığı belirlendi. 96. saatte ise VEGF-A, VEGF-C ve VEGFR2 mRNA ifade düzeylerinin ve hücrelerin invazyon yeteneklerinin anlamlı düzeyde azaldığı gözlendi. Elde ettiğimiz veriler, MDA-MB-231 hücrelerinin anjiyogenik özelliklerinin baskılanması için uzun süreli Bevacizumab uygulaması gerektiğini düşündürmektedir.Tumor angiogenesis is a complex mechanism consisting of multi-step events including secretion or activation of angiogenic factors by tumor cells, activation of proteolytic enzymes, proliferation and migration of endothelial cells. VEGF may be the rate limiting factor in the tumor-related switch to an angiogenic phenotype that is critical for growth and metastasis. Current approaches to target angiogenesis rely on inhibiting growth factors that stimulate vascular endothelial cells or blocking their receptors. VEGF has become a major target of investigation in this area. Bevacizumab is a monoclonal antibody developed against VEGF. Enhanced COX2-induced synthesis of prostaglandins stimulates cancer cell proliferation, promotes angiogenesis, inhibits apoptosis, and increases metastatic potential. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the antiangiogenic and apoptotic effect of Bevacizumab on MDA-MB-231 cell line and changes of VEGF-A, VEGF-C, VEGFR2 and COX-2 mRNA expressions. In our study, cell viability was detected in the MDA-MB-231 cells by XTT assay method and acridin-orange/ethidium bromide staining, for different dosages and incubation time, following Bevacizumab treatment. Quantitative Real-Time PCR method was used for analysis of mRNA expression levels of VEGF-A, VEGF-C, VEGFR2 genes which take part in same signal pathway and COX-2 acting on this pathway. In this study, although COX-2 mRNA expression was higher in breast cancer cells at 24 and 48h, its expression level was low in MDA-MB-231 at 72 and 96h after the 50 &#956;g/ml dose. VEGF-A, VEGF-C and VEGFR2 mRNA expression level and invasion ability of MDA-MB-231 cells significantly increased at 24, 48 and 72h in a dose dependent manner. VEGF-A, VEGF-C and VEGFR2 mRNA expression and invasion ability of MDA-MB-231 significantly decreased at 96h in a dose dependent manner. Our data suggest that the long-term application of bevacizumab is required for the suppression of angiogenic properties

Aspects of Fiscal Policy in Turkey

This report studies the aspects of fiscal policy in post -1980 Turkey. The 1990s had been a period of acute deterioration of the public sector balances with increased indebtedness and the rising interest burden. On the other hand, the post-2001 period witnessed a significant narrowing of the fiscal budget deficits. This is often hailed as a discriminatory success of the Turkish Republic, during when the European economies suffer from a public debt crisis. Currently Turkey stands as the largest candidate country which certainly comprises differences with the EU Member States and to other candidate countries. Yet, the Turkish experience in economic policy making in the neo-liberal era should provide repercussions for the European geography, especially in the aftermath of the global financial crisis of 2008-9

IMF Programmes Fiscal Policy and Growth Investigation of Macroeconomic Alternatives in an OLG Model of Growth for Turkey1

In this paper, we investigate the fiscal policy alternatives on domestic debt management and public expenditures on education, cohort welfare, and growth for the Turkish economy. We utilise a growth model in the overlapping generations (OLG) tradition with intertemporally optimising agents and open capital markets, calibrated to the Turkish economy in 1990s. We examine the macroeconomic effects of the current IMF-led austerity programme driven by the objective of attaining primary fiscal surpluses and illustrate the ruinous effects of constrained human capital investments due to insufficient funds to public education, and constrained real production activities due to the current mode of financing of domestic debt. We then examine various taxation alternatives to mitigate the reductions in the availability of public funds to reproducible factors of production. Our results suggest that the current fiscal programme based on the primary surplus objective suffers from serious trade-offs on growth and fiscal targets, and that an alternative public expenditures programme with the objective of reviving public funds for education and for social infrastructure is likely to produce superior economic performance