Review of the effects of anesthetic agents used as premedication for patients undergoing electroconvulsive therapy with diagnoses of bipolar disorder or major depression on convulsion, recovery period, and hemodynamic parameters

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of anesthetic agents used as premedication in patients undergoing electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for diagnoses of bipolar disorder or major depression in terms of convulsion, recovery period, and hemodynamic parameters. Materials and Method: This retrospective study was carried out by screening the anesthesia forms of patients in a psychiatry clinic in Turkey. Results: Researchers reviewed 104 patient files, of which 39 fit the inclusion criteria. 26 patients were given premedication; 13 patients were not given premedication. The study found a significant difference between the group to which dexmedetomidine was given and the non-premedication group in terms of mean arterial blood pressure and heart rate. A significant difference was also found between the group to which midazolam was given and the non-premedication group in terms of peripheral oxygen saturation. Conclusion: Premedication before ECT may be used to reduce the side effects after ECT without affecting convulsions and the recovery period

Expanding the clinical and immunological phenotypes of PAX1-deficient SCID and CID patients

Paired box 1 (PAX1) deficiency has been reported in a small number of patients diagnosed with otofaciocervical syndrome type 2 (OFCS2). We described six new patients who demonstrated variable clinical penetrance. Reduced transcriptional activity of pathogenic variants confirmed partial or complete PAX1 deficiency. Thymic aplasia and hypoplasia were associated with impaired T cell immunity. Corrective treatment was required in 4/6 patients. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation resulted in poor immune reconstitution with absent naïve T cells, contrasting with the superior recovery of T cell immunity after thymus transplantation. Normal ex vivo differentiation of PAX1-deficient CD34+ cells into mature T cells demonstrated the absence of a hematopoietic cell-intrinsic defect. New overlapping features with DiGeorge syndrome included primary hypoparathyroidism (n = 5) and congenital heart defects (n = 2), in line with PAX1 expression during early embryogenesis. Our results highlight new features of PAX1 deficiency, which are relevant to improving early diagnosis and identifying patients requiring corrective treatment

A Learning Environment for English Vocabulary Using Quick Response Codes

WOS: 000354604700018This study focuses on the process of developing a learning environment that uses tablets and Quick Response (QR) codes to enhance participants' English language vocabulary knowledge. The author employed the concurrent triangulation strategy, a mixed research design. The study was conducted at a private school in Izmir, Turkey during the 2012-2013 academic year. The study sample was determined using the criterion sampling method. The criterion for selection was participants' possession of a mobile device. There were a total of 22 participants including one English teacher in the study, of which 12 were female and 10 male. The students' knowledge of English vocabulary was pretested using the Vocabulary Check List (VCL). During eight classes, participants completed English vocabulary activities using QR codes and tablet PCs. This learning environment integrated digital learning materials and real learning objects using QR codes. After the activities, students' knowledge of English vocabulary was again tested using the VCL, and the participants' opinions about the learning environment were solicited using semi-structured interviews. The research's qualitative data were analyzed using a descriptive analysis. The quantitative data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and web analysis programs. The study found that the participants' overall rate of completing learning activities was low. The results of the VCL post-test indicated that participants' English language vocabulary knowledge had increases significantly. Participants' opinions regarding the learning environment were analyzed, and it was determined that although they had faced a few problems with the equipment, they experienced a general feeling of curiosity and excitement while using the environment. They found the environment entertaining and reinforcing, stating that learning environments of this kind should be used in other courses, too. The participant teacher stated that although the environment was effective there were a number of time management issues and caused difficulties in classroom management

Comparison of the diagnostic efficacy of the two rapid bedside immunoassays and combined clinical conventional diagnosis in prelabour rupture of membranes

Objective: Diagnosis of prelabour rupture of membranes (PROM) may be challenging. Conventional diagnostic methods such as speculum examination, ferning pattern, and pH detection are not satisfactorily accurate. Two relatively new, commercially available rapid bedside immunoassay strip tests, for placental alpha microglobulin-1 (PAMG-1) and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (ILGFBP-1), are alleged to be more accurate. We compared the diagnostic efficacy of PAMG-1 and ILGFBP-1 immunoassay tests and combined conventional clinical diagnostic methods in PROM

Colloque international IUAES 2014, 15-18 mai 2014, Tokyo

L'équipe de FoodHerit était présente au colloque IUAES 2014 qui s'est déroulé du 15 au 18 mai 2014, à Tokyo (Japon) International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences Suremain (de), Ch.-É. & Katz, E. 17 mai 2014 : « Food Heritagization in Latin America », communication donnée au Colloque international « The Future With/Of Anthropology », Panel 074 « Anthropology and intangible cultural heritage: new possibilities for traditional topics? » (coordinateur K. Fushiki), IUAES/JASCA,..

The effect of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphism on the depression and anxiety levels

WOS: 000270343400004Objective: We aimed to investigate the relationship between the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion (I) and deletion (D) polymorphism and the levels of anxiety and depression. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, which included the cases who admitted a university hospital cardiology department with the complaint of chest pain without cardiac etiology. It is well known that there is a strong connection between the ACE and hypertension (HT) and coronary arterial diseases (CAH) among peripheral mechanisms. Hence, the subjects included the study were preferred that have no cardiovascular diseases at that time. In this way, it was aimed to conclude that ACE might have an effect on the levels of the anxiety and depression via possible central mechanisms. The study group, which was total 39 patients, was constituted that 26 female with the mean age 51.92 +/- 9.78 and 13 male with the mean age 49.77 +/- 10.01. Their first examination was carried out in cardiology department and performed the necessary techniques. Then the subjects were given the Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory in psychiatry department. Serum samples of the group were transferred to genetic laboratory. The statistical analyses were performed by SPSS 15.0 for Windows. MANOVA, Post Hoc Bonferroni Test, Kruskal Wallis Test and Fischer's Exact Test were used with a related manner. Results: It was found that DID polymorphism that is related with the high ACE activity has a significant association between I/I polymorphism that is related with the low ACE activity and D/I polymorphism that is related with the moderate ACE activity in terms of BDI scores (p=0.010 and p=0.030, respectively). On the other hand, in the BAI scores, DID polymorphism was seen to be a significant association only with I/I polymorphism (p=0.002). Conclusion: It is well established that the ACE gene D polymorphism could be associated with the essential hypertension in the human. In our study, significant relation with the D genotyping and the levels of depression and anxiety were observed in a group, which have no cardiovascular problem detected. It could be suggested that the effect of the ACE system on the arterial pressure may have a role in a different manner from the central mechanisms which may be related the anxiety and depression etiology. (Anatolian Journal of Psychiatry 2009; 10:181-186