Elemental composition of vegetables cultivated over coal-mining waste

ABSTRACT We assessed elemental composition of the liver in mice subjected to one-time or chronic consumption of the juice of vegetables cultivated in a vegetable garden built over deposits of coal waste. Lactuca sativa L. (lettuce), Beta vulgaris L. (beet), Brassica oleracea L. var. italica (broccoli) and Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala (kale) were collected from the coal-mining area and from a certified organic farm (control). Elemental composition was analyzed by particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) method. Concentrations of Mg, S, and Ca of mice subjected to one-time consumption of broccoli and concentrations of these same elements plus Si of mice receiving kale were higher in the coal-mining area. Concentrations of P, K, and Cu were increase after chronic consumption of lettuce from the coal-mining area, whereas the levels of Si, P, K, Fe, and Zn were higher in the group consuming kale from the coal-mining area. Our data suggests that people consuming vegetables grown over coal wastes may ingest significant amounts of chemical elements that pose a risk to health, since these plants contain both essential and toxic metals in a wide range of concentrations, which can do more harm than good

A Novel splice-site mutation on the MLC1 gene leading to exon 9 skipping and megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy with subcortical cysts in a Turkish patient

Megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy (MLC) with subcortical cysts, also known as Van der Knaap disease (MIM #604004) is an autosomal recessive neurological disorder characterized by early onset macrocephaly, epilepsy, neurological deterioration with cerebellar ataxia and spasticity. An 8-month-old boy was admitted to our pediatric neurology clinic with macrocephaly. His brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed bilateral, diffuse, symmetric structural white matter abnormalities, relatively sparing the cerebellum and bilateral subcortical temporal cysts. The diagnosis of Van der Knaap disease was suspected based on the clinical features and imaging findings and the genetic analysis revealed a novel homozygous c.768+2T>C mutation of the MLC1 gene. For determination of the novel splice-site mutation’s effect, cDNA amplification was performed. cDNA analysis showed that the splice-site c.768+2T>C mutation gave rise to exon 9 skipping

Transient Splenial Lesion of the Corpus Callosum Related to Migraine with Aura in a Pediatric Patient

Background: Transient splenial lesions of the corpus callosum are rare radiological findings first described in association with epilepsy, antiepileptic drugs and viral encephalitis. However, subsequently more cases were described associated with diverse clinical conditions. Case report: We describe a 13-year-old girl suffering from migraine with aura presenting with headache, right-sided hemiparesis and encephalopathy. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed an ovoid lesion in the splenium of the corpus callosum. The patient’s neurological symptoms resolved within 3 days without therapy and the lesion disappeared in follow up magnetic resonance images obtained 3 weeks after the onset of the symptoms. Results: Migraine with aura was considered to be the cause of the lesion. To our knowledge the present case is the first report of a pediatric patient with a diagnosis of migraine with aura presenting with hemiparesis and encephalopathy. Conclusions: A diagnosis of transient lesion of the corpus callosum should be suspected in patients with migraine with aura presenting with hemiparesis and encephalopathy. A mild course and a good prognosis might be expected in the presence of a splenial lesion of the corpus callosum

Globalization in the context of multiculturalism and ethnicity in the Western Balkans and intercultural communication

The Balkans have historically been referred to by many as a transition region. There has always been a policy of dissolving (assimilating) one another between the peoples who settled/placed in the Balkan lands and the existing ones. For this reason, it is possible to express that an unstable structure prevails in the historical process. However, Balkan geography, despite its unstable structure, has managed to survive even in a multicultural structure until today. The Balkan lands are located in an attractive region where the Asian, European and African continents intersect with the Eastern Mediterranean. Therefore, the changes taking place on the Balkan geography can also affect the stability structures of the nearby geographies. In this context, the Balkans, which have an important geostrategic structure, are a region that has been a fighting area between many cultures throughout history. Instead of being referred to as a geographical domain name with its characteristics, the Balkans have taken its place in the history scene as a political issue. The Balkan Peninsula has a complex ethnic mosaic, including religion, language, culture and ethnic differences. It is a special geography that has witnessed identity formations where the worlds of individuals of different beliefs intersect and at the same time identity separations. The Balkan geography was an important place because it was the spark that ignited the fuse, which was the reason for the emergence of both World Wars. With this aspect, the Balkans, which are projected to host important developments in the future, are considered to be the cradle of innovations due to the effect of globalization phenomenon. This is why Turkey must take into account regional and global power actors while establishing foreign policy strategies for the Balkans. Throughout history, language, religion, culture, ethnic pluralism and multiculturalism such as conflict and instability in the Balkans due to differences together with the end of the Cold War, disputes carried over to generation for centuries, the religion brought by the difference in clashes, big country remained under the influence of many factors such as ideologies. Tito Yugoslavia was subjected to the exploitation of the global powers, which came into competition to become “world dominant” in the international environment through the influence of the world political cyclical restructuring, which is referred to as globalization. Related abuses and ideologies have also pushed Balkan peoples into conflicts and civil wars. The aim of this study is to examine Turkish and Balkan cultures and explain the concepts of ethnic, intercultural communication and multiculturalism in the context of globalization. The main claim of the study is that the idea of creating national identities is based on the fact that the nationalist movements that emerged after the French Revolution of 1,789 increased with each passing day, shaping political relations, nurturing political ideologies and their derivative developments led to ethnic conflicts. The argument that there may be a relationship between nationalism and ethnic conflicts is the main starting point of the study. The study aims to analyze the Western Balkans from the Ottoman Empire to the present day within the framework of the concepts and theories of ethnic identity, intercultural communication and multiculturalism. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Lt

Normal neonatal electroencephalography and maturation of electroencephalography during neonatal period

Despite evolving technologies, electroencephalography (EEG) remains a powerful tool for neurological diagnosis and prognosis in both preterm and term neonates. Neonatal EEG is different from children and adult's EEG technically and also because it changes week by week as a result of brain maturation and growth. An EEG finding normal in a developmental stage may be abnormal in a different developmental stage owing to these rapid changes of brain growth. So it is important to know normal patterns of neonatal EEG in different conceptional weeks and behavioral states (sleep, awakeness). In this section, technical and qualitative features of normal neonatal EEG will be mentioned, normal graphoelements and maturational changes on the EEG background of neonates going through preterm to term age will be described