Exploring the receptor origin of vibration-induced reflexes

STUDY DESIGN: An experimental design. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the latencies of vibration-induced reflexes in individuals with and without spinal cord injury (SCI), and to compare these latencies to identify differences in reflex circuitries. SETTING: A tertiary rehabilitation center in Istanbul. METHODS: Seventeen individuals with chronic SCI (SCI group) and 23 participants without SCI (Control group) were included in this study. Latency of tonic vibration reflex (TVR) and whole-body vibration-induced muscular reflex (WBV-IMR) of the left soleus muscle was tested for estimating the reflex origins. The local tendon vibration was applied at six different vibration frequencies (50, 85, 140, 185, 235, and 265 Hz), each lasting for 15 s with 3-s rest intervals. The WBV was applied at six different vibration frequencies (35, 37, 39, 41, 43, and 45 Hz), each lasting for 15 s with 3-s rest intervals. RESULTS: Mean (SD) TVR latency was 39.7 (5.3) ms in the SCI group and 35.9 (2.7) ms in the Control group with a mean (95% CI) difference of -3.8 (-6.7 to -0.9) ms. Mean (SD) WBV-IMR latency was 45.8 (7.4) ms in the SCI group and 43.3 (3.0) ms in the Control group with a mean (95% CI) difference of -2.5 (-6.5 to 1.4) ms. There were significant differences between TVR latency and WBV-IMR latency in both the groups (mean (95% CI) difference; -6.2 (-9.3 to -3.0) ms, p = 0.0001 for the SCI group and -7.4 (-9.3 to -5.6) ms, p = 0.011 for Control group). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the receptor of origin of TVR and WBV-IMR may be different

Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Gene Therapy for Cerebral Adrenoleukodystrophy.

BACKGROUND: In X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy, mutations in ABCD1 lead to loss of function of the ALD protein. Cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy is characterized by demyelination and neurodegeneration. Disease progression, which leads to loss of neurologic function and death, can be halted only with allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation. METHODS: We enrolled boys with cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy in a single-group, open-label, phase 2-3 safety and efficacy study. Patients were required to have early-stage disease and gadolinium enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at screening. The investigational therapy involved infusion of autologous CD34+ cells transduced with the elivaldogene tavalentivec (Lenti-D) lentiviral vector. In this interim analysis, patients were assessed for the occurrence of graft-versus-host disease, death, and major functional disabilities, as well as changes in neurologic function and in the extent of lesions on MRI. The primary end point was being alive and having no major functional disability at 24 months after infusion. RESULTS: A total of 17 boys received Lenti-D gene therapy. At the time of the interim analysis, the median follow-up was 29.4 months (range, 21.6 to 42.0). All the patients had gene-marked cells after engraftment, with no evidence of preferential integration near known oncogenes or clonal outgrowth. Measurable ALD protein was observed in all the patients. No treatment-related death or graft-versus-host disease had been reported; 15 of the 17 patients (88%) were alive and free of major functional disability, with minimal clinical symptoms. One patient, who had had rapid neurologic deterioration, had died from disease progression. Another patient, who had had evidence of disease progression on MRI, had withdrawn from the study to undergo allogeneic stem-cell transplantation and later died from transplantation-related complications. CONCLUSIONS: Early results of this study suggest that Lenti-D gene therapy may be a safe and effective alternative to allogeneic stem-cell transplantation in boys with early-stage cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy. Additional follow-up is needed to fully assess the duration of response and long-term safety

Student Teacher Anxiety Related to the Teaching Practicum

Problem Statement: The teaching practicum is an indispensable component of initial-teacher education programs. However, students who go through the teaching practicum have some concerns related to their experience. They have a number of worries and anxieties, resulting in high levels of stress. Various factors may lead students to be anxious about the teaching practicum such as methods used in their teaching, classroom management and materials, or inconsistencies in the way students are evaluated by mentors or supervisors.Purpose of Study: This study aims to find out student teachers' anxiety regarding the teaching practicum, what the possible sources of anxiety for student teachers are, and how different genders are affected.Method: For this purpose, a student teacher anxiety scale has been used for data collection as well as student teachers' interviews. Participants are 101 student teachers in an English Language Teaching department of a Faculty of Education.Findings and Results: The findings reveal that student teachers are anxious about factors such as evaluation, classroom management, pedagogy and staff relations. Next, they are more anxious about evaluation and classroom management than pedagogy and staff relations, and female student teachers are more anxious compared to their male counterparts in the teaching practicum. Our findings also reveal that student teachers' anxiety before and while undergoing their teaching practicum may be caused by some inconsistencies: the way student teachers are assessed and evaluated, varying expectations of mentors and supervisors related to their performance in class, lack of conformity among mentors regarding their approach to teaching practice, and finally, the poor quality of feedback given to student teachers by their mentors and supervisors.Recommendation: Findings point to the need for mentors and supervisors to become fully aware of the anxieties held by student teachers. They should review their role in preventing unnecessary problems occurring in the process of the teaching practicum and help student teachers go through the process smoothly by providing necessary feedback

Student Teacher Anxiety Related to the Teaching Practicum

Problem Statement: The teaching practicum is an indispensable component of initial-teacher education programs. However, students who go through the teaching practicum have some concerns related to their experience. They have a number of worries and anxieties, resulting in high levels of stress. Various factors may lead students to be anxious about the teaching practicum such as methods used in their teaching, classroom management and materials, or inconsistencies in the way students are evaluated by mentors or supervisors.Purpose of Study: This study aims to find out student teachers' anxiety regarding the teaching practicum, what the possible sources of anxiety for student teachers are, and how different genders are affected.Method: For this purpose, a student teacher anxiety scale has been used for data collection as well as student teachers' interviews. Participants are 101 student teachers in an English Language Teaching department of a Faculty of Education.Findings and Results: The findings reveal that student teachers are anxious about factors such as evaluation, classroom management, pedagogy and staff relations. Next, they are more anxious about evaluation and classroom management than pedagogy and staff relations, and female student teachers are more anxious compared to their male counterparts in the teaching practicum. Our findings also reveal that student teachers' anxiety before and while undergoing their teaching practicum may be caused by some inconsistencies: the way student teachers are assessed and evaluated, varying expectations of mentors and supervisors related to their performance in class, lack of conformity among mentors regarding their approach to teaching practice, and finally, the poor quality of feedback given to student teachers by their mentors and supervisors.Recommendation: Findings point to the need for mentors and supervisors to become fully aware of the anxieties held by student teachers. They should review their role in preventing unnecessary problems occurring in the process of the teaching practicum and help student teachers go through the process smoothly by providing necessary feedback

Student Teacher Anxiety Related to the Teaching Practicum

Problem Statement: The teaching practicum is an indispensable component of initial-teacher education programs. However, students who go through the teaching practicum have some concerns related to their experience. They have a number of worries and anxieties, resulting in high levels of stress. Various factors may lead students to be anxious about the teaching practicum such as methods used in their teaching, classroom management and materials, or inconsistencies in the way students are evaluated by mentors or supervisors. Purpose of Study: This study aims to find out student teachers' anxiety regarding the teaching practicum, what the possible sources of anxiety for student teachers are, and how different genders are affected. Method: For this purpose, a student teacher anxiety scale has been used for data collection as well as student teachers' interviews. Participants are 101 student teachers in an English Language Teaching department of a Faculty of Education. Findings and Results: The findings reveal that student teachers are anxious about factors such as evaluation, classroom management, pedagogy and staff relations. Next, they are more anxious about evaluation and classroom management than pedagogy and staff relations, and female student teachers are more anxious compared to their male counterparts in the teaching practicum. Our findings also reveal that student teachers' anxiety before and while undergoing their teaching practicum may be caused by some inconsistencies: the way student teachers are assessed and evaluated, varying expectations of mentors and supervisors related to their performance in class, lack of conformity among mentors regarding their approach to teaching practice, and finally, the poor quality of feedback given to student teachers by their mentors and supervisors. Recommendation: Findings point to the need for mentors and supervisors to become fully aware of the anxieties held by student teachers. They should review their role in preventing unnecessary problems occurring in the process of the teaching practicum and help student teachers go through the process smoothly by providing necessary feedback

The use and functions of mother tongue in EFL classes

The use of mother tongue (L1) in foreign language classrooms is inevitable. In this paper, the use and functions of it in various classes have been analyzed and discussed. The purpose of the present study was to find out to what extent the instructors in the School of Foreign Languages at Pamukkale University use mother tongue in their classes. We attempted to find out whether their mother tongue use changes according to different variables, for which functions they use it, whether they are aware of the amount and the functions, whether the instructors are satisfied with the amount of L1 they use, and whether their students are satisfied with it, and whether this satisfaction differs according to the amount used by their instructors. The study was conducted in the School of Foreign Languages at Pamukkale University, and it was based on both qualitative and quantitative research designs. The participants were 20 English instructors working in the School of Foreign Languages and their 286 students. The data were collected through classroom recordings, questionnaires that were administered both to the instructors and the students, and interviews were conducted with all of the instructors and randomly chosen 39 students. Our data have revealed that mother tongue is an inseparable part of language teaching, and it actually has different functions like "rapport building purposes", "making the topic/meaning clear (by giving examples, explaining, making extra explanations, etc.)", "explaining difficult concepts or ideas", etc. It was also found out that both the instructors and the students were aware of the importance of using the target language as much as possible in the classes, however, they could not deny the need of mother tongue from time to time. (C) 2015 Published by Elsevier Ltd