The ERASMUS Teaching Staff Mobility: The Perspectives and Experiences of Turkish ELT Academics

The purpose of this study is to investigate the perspectives and experiences of the Turkish ELT academics about joining ERASMUS Teaching Staff Mobility Program. Under the light of former studies and literature, this study attempts to investigate the preferences of the ELT academics for participating in the ERASMUS Teaching Staff Mobility, to examine the contribution of the enrollment in this program to their professional development and home institution, and finally, to learn about the problems they faced during the mobility period(s). Purposive sample method was used to select seventeen Turkish ELT academics to participate in this study. The data were obtained through a triangulated approach, in which questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and reflective essays were administered to the participants. The findings revealed that apart from some problems experienced before and during the program, the Turkish ELT academics preferred to participate in the ERASMUS Teaching Staff Mobility due to its positive impact on their professional development and their home institution

Immunization with Recombinantly Expressed LRP4 Induces Experimental Autoimmune Myasthenia Gravis in C57BL/6 Mice

Background: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), characterized with muscle weakness. While MG develops due to acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies in most patients, antibodies to muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase (MuSK) or low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 4 (LRP4) may also be identified. Experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG) has been previously induced by both LRP4 immunization and passive transfer of LRP4 antibodies.Objective: Our aim was to confirm previous results and to test the pathogenic effects of LRP4 immunization in a commonly used mouse strain C57BL/6 (B6) using a recombinantly expressed human LRP4 protein.Methods: B6 mice were immunized with human LRP4 in CFA, Torpedo Californica AChR in CFA or only CFA. Clinical and pathogenic aspects of EAMG were compared among groups.Results: LRP4- and AChR-immunized mice showed comparable EAMG clinical severity. LRP4-immunized mice displayed serum antibodies to LRP4 and NMJ IgG and complement factor C3 deposits. IgG2 was the dominant anti-LRP4 isotype. Cultured lymph node cells of LRP4- and AChR-immunized mice gave identical pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-6, IFN- and IL-17) responses to LRP4 and AChR stimulation, respectively.Conclusion: Our results confirm the EAMG-inducing action of LRP4 immunization and identify B6 as a LRP4-EAMG-susceptible mouse strain. Demonstration of complement fixing anti-LRP4 antibodies in sera and complement/IgG deposits at the NMJ of LRP4-immunized mice indicates complement activation as a putative pathogenic mechanism. We have thus developed a practical LRP4-induced EAMG model using a non-conformational protein and a widely available mouse strain for future investigation of LRP4-related MG

Serum Copper and Ceruloplasmin Levels in Children and Adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Objective: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most common neuropsychiatric disorder seen in childhood. It is characterized by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that is inappropriate for the age and developmental level of the child. Although the number of studies investigating the neurobiological basis of ADHD is increasing, there is still no clear understanding of the mechanisms of the disorder. Serum copper and ceruloplasmin levels may play a role in the neurobiology of ADHD due to their effects on oxidative mechanisms and the dopaminergic-catecholaminergic system. However, the results of studies investigating the serum levels of copper in patients with ADHD are contradictory. Moreover, serum ceruloplasmin levels have not yet been studied. The aim of the current study was to compare the serum copper and ceruloplasmin levels in children and adolescents with ADHD to the levels found in healthy controls. Method: This study included 43 children and adolescents (32 males, 11 females) with ADHD, who did not have any neurological, systemic, or comorbid psychiatric disorders, except for oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), and 32 gender and age-matched healthy controls (23 males, 9 females). Levels of serum copper and ceruloplasmin were compared between the two groups. Approximately 47% of the children with ADHD had comorbid ODD. The level of serum copper was measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and serum ceruloplasmin was measured using nephelometry. Results:The mean level of serum copper was 17.3 +/- 3.2 mu g/dL in the ADHD group, and 16.9 +/- 2.6 in the control group. This difference was not significant (p=0.538). The mean serum ceruloplasmin level was 37.6 +/- 6.9 mu g/dL in the group with ADHD, and 36.9 +/- 6.4 mu g/dL in the control group; this difference between groups was not significant (p=0.685). Moreover, no significant difference was observed between the groups with ADHD with or without ODD comorbidities and the control group for either levels of serum copper (p=0.845), or ceruloplasmin (p=0.878). Conclusion: This study showed that serum copper and ceruloplasmin levels do not differ between children and adolescents with ADHD compared with controls. Although our results suggest that serum ceruloplasmin and copper do not have a direct role in the neurobiology of ADHD, there is a need for future studies with larger patient groups

Novel Anti-Neuronal Antibodies in Neuromyelitis Optica Patients with or without Aquaporin-4 Antibodies

65th Annual Meeting of the American-Academy-of-Neurology (AAN) -- MAR 16-23, 2013 -- San Diego, CAWOS: 000332068601199…Amer Acad Neuro

Mitochondrial carrier homolog 1 (Mtch1) antibodies in neuro-Behcet's disease

WOS: 000326258200019PubMed ID: 24035008Efforts for the identification of diagnostic autoantibodies for neuro-Behcet's disease (NBD) have failed. Screening of NBD patients' sera with protein macroarray identified mitochondrial carrier homolog 1 (Mtch1), an apoptosis-related protein, as a potential autoantigen. ELISA studies showed serum Mtch1 antibodies in 68 of 144 BD patients with or without neurological involvement and in 4 of 168 controls corresponding to a sensitivity of 47.2% and specificity of 97.6%. Mtch1 antibody positive NBD patients had more attacks, increased disability and lower serum nucleosome levels. Mtch1 antibody might be involved in pathogenic mechanisms of NBD rather than being a coincidental byproduct of autoinflammation. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Elevated Switch-Associated Protein 70 (SWAP70) Antibody Levels during Attacks in Multiple Sclerosis Patients

64th Annual Meeting of the American-Academy-of-Neurology (AAN) -- APR 21-28, 2012 -- New Orleans, LAWOS: 000303204801195…Amer Acad Neurol (AAN

Diseño de un sistema para la adquisición, generación y monitoreo de señales eléctricas del equipo CDTCS-5000 por medio de una interfaz humano máquina

Tesis (Ingeniero en Control y Automatización ), IPN, ESIME, Zacatenco, 2016, 1 archivo PDF, (159 páginas). tesis.ipn.m

Switch-associated protein 70 (SWAP 70) antibody levels are associated with clinical relapse in multiple sclerosis

11th International Congress of Neuroimmunology (ISNI) -- NOV 04-08, 2012 -- Boston, MAWOS: 000312764800046…European Sch Neuroimmunol, Int Soc Neuroimmunol (ISNI