Despite extensive investigations, an effective treatment for sepsis remains elusive and a better understanding of the inflammatory response to infection is required to identify potential new targets for therapy. In this study we have used RNAi technology to show, for the first time, that the inducible lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 2 (LPCAT2) plays a key role in macrophage inflammatory gene expression in response to stimulation with bacterial ligands. Using siRNA- or shRNA-mediated knockdown, we demonstrate that, in contrast to the constitutive LPCAT1, LPCAT2 is required for macrophage cytokine gene expression and release in response to TLR4 and TLR2 ligand stimulation but not for TLR-independent stimuli. In addition, cells transfected to overexpress LPCAT2 exhibited increased expression of inflammatory genes in response to LPS and other bacterial ligands. Furthermore, we have used immunoprecipitation and Western blotting to show that in response to LPS, LPCAT2, but not LPCAT1, rapidly associates with TLR4 and translocates to membrane lipid raft domains. Our data thus suggest a novel mechanism for the regulation of inflammatory gene expression in response to bacterial stimuli and highlight LPCAT2 as a potential therapeutic target for development of anti-inflammatory and anti-sepsis therapies.
Chlorine disinfection is a globally used method to ensure the safety of drinking water. However, it has not always been successful against viruses and, therefore, it is important to find new methods to disinfect water. Seventeen different coliphages were isolated from the treated municipal wastewater. These coliphages and MS2 were treated with different dosages of chlorine in drinking water, and a combined chlorine/ultraviolet irradiation treatment for the chlorine-resistant coliphages. Chlorine disinfection with 0.3–0.5 mg/L total chlorine (free Cl-dosage 0.12–0.21 mg/L) for 10 min achieved 2.5–5.7 Log10-reductions for 11 sensitive coliphages. The six most resistant coliphages showed no reduction with these chlorine concentra
... Show MoreObjective: The current investigation focused on Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumanni), due to its growing significance as a hospital infection-causing pathogen and its resistance to several medications.Material and Method: Sixty-five isolates of A. baumannii were isolated from wound samples of patients admitted to different hospitals in Baghdad between January and April of 2023. Two types of methods were used in the detection of biofilm formation: the first one was Congo red agar method and the second one was microtiter plate method. Genotypic detection of various virulence factors associated with A. baumannii was performed using monoplex, multiplex, and ERIC-PCR.Result and Discussion: To use the PCR method to examine
... Show MoreIn this paper, an experimental analysis of conventional air-cooled and microchannel condensers in automotive vapor compression refrigeration cycle concerning heat transfer coefficient and energy using R134a as a refrigerant was presented. The performance of two condensers and cycles tested regarding ambient temperature which it was varied from 40oC to 65oC, while the indoor temperature and load have been set to be 23oC and 2200 W respectively. Results showed that the microchannel condenser has 224 % and 77 % higher refrigerant side and air side heat transfer coefficient respectively than the coefficients of the conventional condenser. Thus, the COP, in case of using the microchannel
... Show MoreObjective: The study aimed to identify the adolescents' fast foods and snacks, and find out the relationship between fast
food, snacks and adolescents' demographic data (gender and Body Mass Index). Methodology: A descriptive study
was conducted on impact of fast foods and snacks upon adolescents' Body Mass Index in secondary schools at Baghdad
city, starting from 20
th of April 2013 to the end of October 2014. Non- probability (purposive) sample of 1254
adolescents were chosen from secondary schools of both sides of Al-Karkh and Al-Russafa sectors. Data was collected
through a specially constructed questionnaire format include (12) items multiple choice questions. The validity of the
questionnaire was determined thr
The advancements in horizontal drilling combined with hydraulic fracturing have been historically proven as the most viable technologies in the exploitation of unconventional resources (e.g., shale and tight gas reservoirs). However, the number of fractures, well timing, and arrangement pattern can have a significant impact on the project economy. Therefore, such design and operating parameters need to be efficiently optimized for obtaining the best production performance from unconventional gas reservoirs. In this study, the process of selecting the optimal number of fractures was conducted on a section of a tight gas reservoir model (based on data from the Whicher Range (WR) tight gas field in Western Australia). Then, the optimal number
... Show MoreThis research aims to build a model to analyze the role of digital transformation (DT) and HR Flexibility in the strategic human resource management outcomes (SHRM outcomes) in the Iraqi Banking Sector. To be more precise, it explores whether HR Flexibility is a mediating factor between digital transformation and bank performance, employee dedication, and talent preservation. The research adopted a quantitative cross-sectional study design. A structured questionnaire will be used to collect data from at least 420 respondents. The method of analysis will be through surveys collected from 420 employees in the private and government banks in Iraq. IBM SPSS will be used to conduct preliminary analysis, and IBM SPSS AMOS will be used for Confirm
... Show MoreThis research addresses the necessity due to the scarcity of historical studies in the field of sports, especially those indicating the activities and achievements of Arab countries in the Paralympic movement. This study aims to document the participation of Arab countries in the Paralympic Games, explore the prominent sports in which Arab athletes with disabilities participated, and analyze their achievements during the Paralympic Games from 2004 to 2012. The research methodology adopted an analytical, historical approach, collecting and analyzing data objectively through the official website of the International Paralympic Committee, in addition to scientific and historical sources from research papers, journals, and websites. The key fi
... Show MoreRigid polyurethane foams (RPUFs) are essential materials in structural applications due to their thermal insulation, lightweight properties, and mechanical strength. However, evaluating and comparing their compressive performance is complicated by differences in formulation parameters such as density, aging, and crosslink density. This study proposes a standardized normalization approach to evaluate compressive properties across diverse RPUF formulations by adjusting all data to a common reference density. Samples were subjected to controlled aging conditions and analyzed using dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) to investigate the relationship between crosslinking behavior and mechanical performance. The results demonstrate
... Show MoreThe issue of cadmium (Cd(II)) contamination of the water is a serious concern of the environmental and health problem, and this requires effective technology to remove the problem of toxic element. It is the purpose of this review paper to give an overview of several techniques of cadmium removal, such as polymer membranes and composites, adsorption using green materials, and electrochemical methods. The important conclusions are presented regarding the effectiveness of the polymer and composite membranes; e.g., the efficacy of the PES/HPEI-SH membrane that reached 99% removal of Cd(II) in 20 min with adsorption capacity of 135.59 mg/cm2, and the PVA/IC/PANI/GO nanofiber composite that indicates high adsorption of the 459 mg/g. The
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