“The Lolelaplap (Marshall Islands) in Us: Sailing West to East (Ralik→Ratak) to These Our Atolls (Aelon Kein Ad) Ad Jolet Jen Anij (Our Blessed Inheritance from God)”

This paper discusses the expansion of Oceania through a Marshallese indigenous lens as a focal point. It explains that decolonizing methodologies allows reclaiming of space for mental liberation and reassurement of constitutional rights. It highlights similar occurrences of decolonization practices meeting resistance in the 21st century all while strengthening the human right argument that no human deserves any less than their fellow human brothers and sisters. It argues that an indigenous imagery can only be viewed through an indigenous lens where the researches’ level of purity is retained and unfiltered. It nevertheless argues that Marshallese ethnolinguistics reveal the same cultural practices in America, Judeo-Christianity, and Oceania thus dictating the reality that “we are the same not withstanding one stays here and one there (Bedbedjin Bedbedjen, Bedbedjinma wot Kwe)”. It further explains the importance in these similarities and how Marshallese spirituality predates introduced American Judeo-Christianity despite the latter attempting to marginalize the former. It concludes by stating that Marshallese contributions on the global stage are rooted in that culture of love (IaKwe) which is echoed by the custom(s) revealing the significance of Marshallese validation academically, spiritually, economically, & socially to prevent institutionalized discrimination. This paper ends stating that the agency to know one’s self and how one should fit in the world, is a human right in itself and Marshallese are entitled to this sense of self worth through knowing thy self by thy self where real thinking takes place in one’s own mind as we all live our own lives

Vestibular evoked myogenic and auditory brainstem evoked potentials in a female migraine population

Background and purpose – The purpose of the present study was to evaluate ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP), cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP), and brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP) response charac teristics and to understand the pathophy siology of vestibular dysfunction in female migraineurs with vertigo symptoms. We also aimed to assess the electrophysiological diagnostic significance of the VEMP respon ses in vestibular migraine (VM). Methods – 23 patients with migraine with out aura (MoA), 23 patients with VM, and 20 sex and age matched healthy controls, a total of 66 female participants were enrolled in this study. The outcome parameters were asymmetry ratios (ARs), amplitudes of oVEMP, cVEMP, N1P1, P13N23, and the respective latencies (mean ± SD). From the BAEP graphs, absolute and interpeak interval latencies of waves were analyzed. Results – 30.4% of the MoA group and 21.7% of the VM group had uni or bilater ally absent cVEMP responses which were statistically significant only in the MoA group (p=0.035) in comparison to control group. Both groups displayed statistically insignifi cant absent or asymmetrical responses for oVEMP (13.1%). Cervical VEMP P13 and N23 latency, peak to peak amplitude, interaural latencies, and amplitude ARs did not show any significant difference between MoA and VM patients and healthy controls. No significant difference was detected among the three groups in the oVEMP and BAEP parameters. Conclusion – Although absent cVEMP responses were more common in MoA and VM patients than in healthy individuals, the VEMP and BAEP test results should not be used in the differential diagnosis of VM and MoA

Acute Motor Axonal Neuropathy (Aman) With Motor Conduction Blocks In Childhood; Case Report

How to Cite This Article: Yıldırım S. Inan AR, Gül LH, Türk Börü Ü. An Acute Motor Axonal Neuropathy (AMAN) Case With Motor Conductıon Blocks In Childhood. Iran J Child Neurol. Winter 2016; 10(1):65-69.AbstractObjectivecharacterized with decreased compound muscle action potentials (CMAP) and absence of demyelinating findings in electrophysiological studies, is a subtype of Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS). A 4 yr-old male patient presented with ascending weakness, dysarthria and dysphagia to İstanbul Dr. Lütfi Kırdar Kartal Training and Research Hospital Neurology outpatient for three days to in 2012. Dysphonia, restricted eye movements, flaccid tetraplegia and areflexia were found in neurological examination. There were motor conduction blocks in all peripheral nerves in electrophysiological studies.According to these findings the patient was diagnosed as Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy (AIDP). Reduction of CMAP amplitudes in posterior tibial nerve, absence of CMAPs in median, ulnar and peroneal nerves and loss of motor conduction blocks were found in following electrophysiological studies. According to these findings, patient was diagnosed as AMAN. Motor conduction blocks may appear in early stage of AMAN and they disappear in later examinations.That’s why electrophysiological studies must be repeated in patients with GBS

Effects of Imatinib, Nilotinib, Dasatinib on VEGF and VEGFR-1 Levels in Patients with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia

Objective: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a protein that binding to VEGF receptors 1 (VEGFR-1) and accelerates angiogenesis. The relationship between angiogenesis and progression of tumors were observed in both solid and hematologic cancers. Monoclonal antibodies capable of inhibiting angiogenesis, tyrosine kinase inhibitors use for haematological cancer treatment. In this study; we investigated the effects of Imatinib mesylate (STI-571; Gleevec), Nilotinib (AMN107; Tasigna) and Dasatinib (BMS-354825; Sprycell) on serum levels of VEGF and VEGFR-1, in patients with chronic phase of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Method: Serum levels of VEGF and VEGFR-1 were measured in 65 patients with chronic phase of CML. Serum VEGF and VEGFR-1 levels were determined using quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay technique according to the manufacturers' instructions. Results: There were 33 (51%) male and 32 (49%) female patients in this study. 38 of 65 patients were using Imatinib, 15 Nilotinib, 12 Dasatinib. Mean serum VEGF and VEGFR-1 levels for the 65 patients with CML were 172.21+/-127.46 pg/mL and 199.62+/-122.22 pg/mL, respectively. In Dasatinib and Imatinib group, serum VEGF and VEGFR-1 levels were significantly higher than in control group (p= 0.008, p< 0.0001, and p< 0.0001, p< 0.0001). In Nilotinib group, serum VEGF levels were higher than control group, but; it was not statistically significant (p= 0.06) while. VEGFR-1 levels were significantly higher than those of controls (p< 0.0001). Conclusion: Imatinib, Nilotinib and Dasatinib were not superior to each other regarding to serum VEGF and VEGFR-1, but it may be said that Nilotinib may has slightly more effect on inhibition of anjiogenesis

Retrospective analysis of children with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-related disorders

Background: Knowledge has been expanding on myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG) antibody-associated central nervous system disorders. We delineate the clinical and paraclinical findings and outcome of our pediatric patients with MOG antibody seropositive disease

Nivolumab for relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma: Real-life experience

Background: Reed-Sternberg cells of classical Hodgkin's lymphoma (cHL) are characterized by genetic alterations at the 9p24.1 locus, leading to over-expression of programmed death-ligand 1 and 2. In a phase 1b study, nivolumab, a PD-1-blocking antibody, produced a high response in patients with relapsed or refractory cHL, with an acceptable safety profile. Patients and methods: We present a retrospective analysis of 82 patients (median age: 30 years; range: 18-75) with relapsed/refractory HL treated with nivolumab in a named patient program from 24 centers throughout Turkey. The median follow-up was 7 months, and the patients had a median of 5 (2-11) previous lines of therapy. Fifty-seven (70%) and 63 (77%) had been treated by stem-cell transplantation and brentuximab vedotin, respectively. Results: Among 75 patients evaluated after 12 weeks of nivolumab treatment, the objective response rate was 64%, with 16 complete responses (CR; 22%); after 16 weeks, it was 60%, with 16 (26%) patients achieving CR. Twenty patients underwent subsequent transplantation. Among 11 patients receiving allogeneic stem-cell transplantation, 5 had CR at the time of transplantation and are currently alive with ongoing response. At the time of analysis, 41 patients remained on nivolumab treatment. Among the patients who discontinued nivolumab, the main reason was disease progression (n = 19). The safety profile was acceptable, with only four patients requiring cessation of nivolumab due to serious adverse events (autoimmune encephalitis, pulmonary adverse event, and two cases of graft-versus-host disease aggravation). The 6-month overall and progression-free survival rates were 91.2% (95% confidence interval: 0.83-0.96) and 77.3% (0.66-0.85), respectively. Ten patients died during the follow-up; one of these was judged to be treatment-related. Conclusions: Nivolumab represents a novel option for patients with cHL refractory to brentuximab vedotin, and may serve as a bridge to transplantation; however, it may be associated with increased toxicity