Nanoparticles as potential clinical therapeutic agents in Alzheimer’s disease: focus on selenium nanoparticles

In etiology of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), involvement of amyloid β (Aβ) plaque accumulation and oxidative stress in the brain have important roles. Several nanoparticles such as titanium dioxide, silica dioxide, silver and zinc oxide have been experimentally using for treatment of neurological disease. In the last decade, there has been a great interest on combination of antioxidant bioactive compounds such as selenium (Se) and flavonoids with the oxidant nanoparticles in AD. We evaluated the most current data available on the physiological effects of oxidant and antioxidant nanoparticles.Areas covered: Oxidative nanoparticles decreased the activities of reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging enzymes such as glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase in the brain of rats and mice. However, Se-rich nanoparticles in small size (5–15 nm) depleted Aβ formation through decreasing ROS production. Reports on low levels of Se in blood and tissue samples and the low activities of GSH-Px, catalase and SOD enzymes in AD patients and animal models support the proposed crucial role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of AD.In conclusion, present literature suggests that Se-rich nanoparticles appeared to be a potential therapeutic compound for the treatment of AD

A critical analysis of religious education in Turkey in the context of banking concept of education

Bu makalede geleneksel ve modern eğitim anlayışlarına karşı kuramsal bir eleştiri olarak 20. yüzyılda ortaya çıkmış olan eleştirel pedagojinin anahtar kavramı olan “bankacı eğitim” kavramı din eğitimi açısından yorumlanmış, Türkiye’deki örgün din eğitimi uygulamaları bağlamında bu kavram açısından anlamlı sayılabilecek konular ve sorunlar üzerine bir değerlendirme yapılmıştır. Nitel araştırma mantığıyla hazırlanmış çalışma; başta Freire olmak üzere eleştirel pedagoji alanyazınının incelenmesi ve Türkiye’deki örgün din eğitiminin durumuna ilişkin metin, doküman ve raporların “bankacı eğitim” kavramı bağlamında eleştirel bir yaklaşımla yorumlanmasına dayalıdır. Çalışmada öncelikli olarak eleştirel pedagojinin teorik temeline değinilmiş ve bu yaklaşımın din eğitimi bağlamındaki olası uzanımları tartışılmıştır. Daha sonra “bankacı eğitim” kavramı perspektifinden örgün din eğitiminin bazı güncel sorunları teşhis edilmeye çalışılmıştır. Bu bağlamda din eğitiminde bankacı eğitim olarak nitelenebilecek sorunlar; “nesnel bilgi kaygısı”, “rekabet ve sıralamaya dayalı ölçme-değerlendirme anlayışı” ve “teknik-meslekî bakış açısı” olarak üç başlık altında ele alınmış, sonuç bölümünde bu sorunların giderilmesine yönelik olarak eleştirel pedagojinin bakış açısından hareketle öneriler sunulmuştur.In this paper, we propose the banking concept of education of critical pedagogy as a useful tool for addressing the some current issues in religious education in Turkey. As a key concept of critical pedagogy that emerged in the 20th century as a theoretical criticism towards the traditional and modern approaches of education, banking concept of education deserves to be interpreted in terms of religious education. In accordance with the purpose, the theoretical grounds of the critica pedagogy has been problematized and discussed the possible contributions of this approach for optimizing the efficiency and effectiveness of the religious education. The article has been conducted in the frame of qualitative research design in order to determine a starting point for a critical pedagogical paradigm in religious education. In order to estimate the value of critical pedagogy for religious education, we firstly reviewed the literature of critical pedagogy –predominantly Paulo Freire’s works-. Secondly, we interpreted several related texts, documents and reports that subject the current situation in religious education practices in Turkey in a critical manner. As a result, we consider the problems of current religious education practices that are able to be debated within the scope of banking concept; “overemphasizing the objective knowledge”, “competition and grading-orientedness in measurement and evaluation” and “technical-career focuseness”. In the conclusion, we discussed how the critical pedagogy can offers conceptional and theoretical contribution for overcoming these problems

Albumin evokes Ca 2+ -induced cell oxidative stress and apoptosis through TRPM2 channel in renal collecting duct cells reduced by curcumin

In proteinuric nephropathies of chronic kidney disease, the epithelial cells of the nephron including the collecting duct are exposed to high concentrations of luminal albumin. Albumin is taken up from collecting duct cells by endocytosis causing excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and a proinflammatory response. Curcumin used in the traditional medicine possesses anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. ROS and ADP-ribose (ADPR) activate the cation channel TRPM2. We hypothesize, that albumin-induced cell stress and proinflammatory response are mediated by Ca2+ and can be reduced by curcumin. The cortical collecting duct (CCD) cells mpkCCDc14 exhibit spontaneous and inducible Ca2+ oscillations, which can be blocked by pre-treatment with curcumin. Curcumin accumulates in plasma membrane and intracellular vesicles, where it interferes with TRPM2 and decreases the influx of Ca2+. Albumin reduces cell viability and increases apoptosis, NF-κB activation, and mitochondrial membrane depolarization via Ca2+-dependent signaling, which results in increased ROS production. Albumin-induced cell stress is diminished by the inhibition of TRPM2 after administration of curcumin and ADPR (PARP1) inhibitors. Curcumin did not reduce the Ca2+ elevation induced by thapsigargin in Ca2+-free medium, but it reduced the function of store-operated Ca2+ channels and ATP-evoked Ca2+ response. In conclusion, albumin-induced oxidative stress is mediated by Ca2+-dependent signaling via TRPM2 and leads to cell damage and a proinflammatory response, strengthening the role of CCD cells in the progression of chronic kidney disease

Menthol evokes Ca2+ signals and induces oxidative stress independently of the presence of TRPM8 (menthol) receptor in cancer cells

Menthol is a naturally occurring monoterpene alcohol possessing remarkable biological properties including antipruritic, analgesic, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and cooling effects. Here, we examined the menthol-evoked Ca2+ signals in breast and prostate cancer cell lines. The effect of menthol (50–500µM) was predicted to be mediated by the transient receptor potential ion channel melastatin subtype 8 (TRPM8). However, the intensity of menthol-evoked Ca2+ signals did not correlate with the expression levels of TRPM8 in breast and prostate cancer cells indicating a TRPM8-independent signaling pathway. Menthol-evoked Ca2+ signals were analyzed in detail in Du 145 prostate cancer cells, as well as in CRISPR/Cas9 TRPM8-knockout Du 145 cells. Menthol (500µM) induced Ca2+ oscillations in both cell lines, thus independent of TRPM8, which were however dependent on the production of inositol trisphosphate. Results based on pharmacological tools point to an involvement of the purinergic pathway in menthol-evoked Ca2+ responses. Finally, menthol (50–500µM) decreased cell viability and induced oxidative stress independently of the presence of TRPM8 channels, despite that temperature-evoked TRPM8-mediated inward currents were significantly decreased in TRPM8-knockout Du 145 cells compared to wild type Du 145 cells

Thermo-Sensitive TRP Channels: Novel Targets for Treating Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Pain

Abnormal Ca2+ channel physiology, expression levels, and hypersensitivity to heat have been implicated in several pain states following treatment with chemotherapeutic agents. As members of the Ca2+ permeable transient receptor potential (TRP), five of the channels (TRPV1-4 and TRPM2) are activated by different heat temperatures, and two of the channels (TRPA1 and TRPM8) are activated by cold temperature. Accumulating evidences indicates that antagonists of TRPA1 and TRPM8 may protect against cisplatin, oxaliplatin, and paclitaxel-induced mitochondrial oxidative stress, inflammation, cold allodynia, and hyperalgesia. TRPV1 was responsible from the cisplatin-induced heat hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia in the sensory neurons. TRPA1, TRPM8, and TRPV2 protein expression levels were mostly increased in the dorsal root (DRG) and trigeminal ganglia by these treatments. There is a debate on direct or oxaliplatin-induced oxidative cold stress dependent TRPA1 and TRPV4 activation in the DRG. Involvement of molecular pathways such as cysteine groups, glutathione metabolism, anandamide, cAMP, lipopolysaccharide, proteinase-activated receptor 2, and mitogen-activated protein kinase were also indicated in the oxaliplatin and paclitaxel-induced cold allodynia. In this review, we summarized results of five temperature-regulated TRP channels (TRPA1, TRPM8, TRPV1, TRPV2, and TRPV4) as novel targets for treating chemotherapy-induced peripheral pai

An Investigation of the democratic attitudes of students in higher religious education

Bu çalışmanın temel amacı Türkiye’de yüksek din eğitimi alan İlahiyat ve İlköğretim Din Kültürü ve Ahlak Bilgisi öğretmenliği bölümü öğrencilerinin demokratik tutum düzeylerini tespit etmek ve bunu çeşitli değişkenler açısından incelemektir. Tarama modelinde gerçekleştirilen betimleyici bir çalışma olan araştırmada veri toplamak amacıyla “Published for the Attitude Research Laboratory” tarafından geliştirilen ve Gözütok tarafından Türkçeye uyarlanan “Demokratik Tutum Ölçeği” Kullanılmıştır. Araştırmaya Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Üniversitesi İlahiyat ve Eğitim Fakültelerinden toplam 365 öğrenci katılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda öğrencilerin demokratik tutumları ile cinsiyetleri, öğrenim türleri, sınıfları, mezun oldukları lise, daha önce ağırlıklı olarak yaşadıkları yer, babalarının öğrenim durumu, anne babalarının mesleği, ailede karar alma şekli ve gelir kaynakları arasında anlamlı bir ilişki bulunmamıştır. Buna karşın, okudukları bölüm, annelerinin öğrenim durumu, ailelerinin tutumu, okurken kaldıkları yer ve medyada ilgili duydukları içeriğe göre öğrencilerin demokratik tutumlarının anlamlı derecede farklılaştığı tespit edilmiştir.: The main aim of this research is to determine the levels of democratic attitude of students of Division of Theology and Division of Primary Religious Culture and Moral Knowledge teaching in Turkey and to investigate these levels of attitudes in terms of various variables. The research is a definitive investigation in the survey model. In this research, it was used “Democratic Attitude Scale” which was developed by “Published for the Attitude Research Laboratory” and adapted to Turkish by Gözütok. The population of the study is totally 365 students at the Faculty of Theology and Faculty of Education at Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University. At the end of the study, it was found out that there was no significant difference between the students’ democratic attitudes and their genders, classes, graduated secondary school types, location where they live, education level of father, occupation of parent, decision maker in the family and source of income. On the contrary it was found out that there was significant difference between the students’ democratic attitudes and their departments, education level of mother, attitudes of family, the place of residence and media content which they interest

An Investigation of the democratic attitudes of students in higher religious education

Bu çalışmanın temel amacı Türkiye’de yüksek din eğitimi alan İlahiyat ve İlköğretim Din Kültürü ve Ahlak Bilgisi öğretmenliği bölümü öğrencilerinin demokratik tutum düzeylerini tespit etmek ve bunu çe-şitli değişkenler açısından incelemektir. Tarama modelinde gerçekleştirilen betimleyici bir çalışma olan araştırmada veri toplamak amacıyla “Published for the Attitude Research Laboratory” tarafından gelişti-rilen ve Gözütok tarafından Türkçeye uyarlanan “Demokratik Tutum Ölçeği” Kullanılmıştır. Araştırmaya Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Üniversitesi İlahiyat ve Eğitim Fakültelerinden toplam 365 öğrenci katılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda öğrencilerin demokratik tutumları ile cinsiyetleri, öğrenim türleri, sınıfları, mezun oldukları lise, daha önce ağırlıklı olarak yaşadıkları yer, babalarının öğrenim durumu, anne babalarının mesleği, ailede karar alma şekli ve gelir kaynakları arasında anlamlı bir ilişki bulunmamıştır. Buna kar-şın, okudukları bölüm, annelerinin öğrenim durumu, ailelerinin tutumu, okurken kaldıkları yer ve med-yada ilgili duydukları içeriğe göre öğrencilerin demokratik tutumlarının anlamlı derecede farklılaştığı tespit edilmiştir.The main aim of this research is to determine the levels of democratic attitude of students of Division of Theology and Division of Primary Religious Culture and Moral Knowledge teaching in Turkey and to investigate these levels of attitudes in terms of various variables. The research is a definitive investigation in the survey model. In this research, it was used “Democratic Attitude Scale” which was developed by “Published for the Attitude Research Laboratory” and adapted to Turkish by GÖzütok. The population of the study is totally 365 students at the Faculty of Theology and Faculty of Education at Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University. At the end of the study, it was found out that there was no significant difference between the students’ democratic attitudes and their genders, classes, graduated secondary school types, location where they live, education level of father, occupation of parent, decision maker in the family and source of income. On the contrary it was found out that there was significant difference between the students’ democratic attitudes and their departments, education level of mother, attitudes of family, the place of residence and media content which they interest

Modulation of oxidative stress and Ca2+ mobilization through TRPM2 channels in rat dorsal root ganglion neuron by Hypericum perforatum

WOS: 000332403400003PubMed ID: 24434769A main component of St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum, HP) is hyperforin which has antioxidant properties in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, due to its ability to modulate NADPH oxidase and protein kinase C. Recent reports indicate that oxidative stress through NADPH oxidase activates TRPM2 channels. HP may be a useful treatment for Ca2+ entry and oxidative stress through modulation of TRPM2 channels in the DRG. We aimed to investigate the protective role of HP on Ca2+ entry and oxidative stress through TRPM2 channels in DRG neurons of rats. The native rat DRG neurons were used in whole-cell patch-clamp, Fura-2 and antioxidant experiments. Appropriate, nontoxic concentrations and incubation times for HP were determined in the DRG neurons by assessing cell viability. The H2O2-induced TRPM2 currents were inhibited by 2-aminoethyl diphenylborinate (2-APB) and N-(p-amylcinnamoyl) anthranilic acid (ACA). TRPM2 current densities and cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration in the neurons were also reduced by HP (2 and 24 h). In Fura-2 experiments, cytosolic Ca2+ mobilization was reduced by voltage-gated calcium channel blockers (verapamil + diltiazem, V + D) and HP. Glutathione peroxidase activity and GSH values in the DRG were high in HP, 2-APB and V + D groups although lipid peroxidation level was low in the groups. In conclusion, we observed a protective role for HP on Ca2+ entry through a TRPM2 channel in the DRG neurons. Since over-production of oxidative stress and Ca2+ entry are implicated in the pathophysiology of neuropathic pain and neuronal inflammation, our findings may be relevant to the etiology and treatment of neuropathology in DRG neurons.The study was partially supported by Unit of Scientific Research Project, Suleyman Demirel University (No.: BAP: 2526-M-10). There is no financial disclosure for the current study