Development of optimal location and design capacity of wastewater treatment plants for urban areas: a case study in Samawah city

Water, and related wastewater structures, are critical factors in the existence and the improvement of civilizations. Wastewater gathering and management has a considerable effect on the climate and economy at both regional and global level, and, accordingly, it is appropriate to advance actions that guarantee effective management for wastewater, particularly in urban areas. This research thus examined the environmental and economic aspects of proposed locations for wastewater treatment plants. Samawah city, located in the southern part of Iraq, was selected as a case study for the research methodology, and for research purposes, the studied city was divided into three main zones (1, 2, and 3) of sixteen areas. The Google Earth tool was used to calculate the lowest elevations in the studied zones in order to assess the suggested positions of treatment plants. Additionally, the WinQSB program was utilised to select the most appropriate positions for treatment plants based on data obtained from local government departments. These data include population, water consumption, and required lengths and subsequent cost of pipes. This research thus developed a new strategy for assigning the locations of wastewater treatment plants

Blood Pressure and Age Are the Main Determinants of Aortic Stiffness

WOS: 000418303200017PubMed ID: 28982100

Top five unanswered questions in fungal cell surface research

This is the final version. Available on open access from Elsevier via the DOI in this record. We sent requests to authors of manuscripts published in The Cell Surface and community researchers working on fungal cell walls to send notes about what they considered were the top five unanswered questions in the field of fungal cell wall and cell surface biology. This article summarizes the feedback that was received by them as well as the views of the authors. In this issue you can find equivalent syntheses for researchers working on bacterial, unicellular parasite and plant systems.Wellcome TrustMedical Research Council (MRC)National Institutes of Healt

Dependence on Dectin-1 Varies With Multiple Candida Species

This is the final version. Available from Frontiers Media via the DOI in this recordFour Candida spp. (albicans, glabrata, tropicalis, parapsilosis) cause >95% of invasive Candida infections. C. albicans elicits immune responses via pathogen recognition receptors including C-type lectin-like receptors (CLRs). The CLR, Dectin-1 is important for host immunity to C. albicans and C. glabrata, however, whether Dectin-1 is important for host defense against C. tropicalis or C. parapsilosis is unknown. Therefore, we compared the involvement of Dectin-1 in response to these four diverse Candida spp. We found that Dectin-1 mediates innate cytokine responses to these Candida spp. in a species- and cell-dependent manner. Dectin-1 KO mice succumbed to infection with highly virulent C. albicans while they mostly survived infection with less virulent Candida spp. However, Dectin-1 KO mice displayed increased fungal burden following infection with each Candida spp. Additionally, T cells from Dectin-1 KO mice displayed enhanced effector functions likely due to the inability of Dectin-1 KO mice to clear the infections. Together, these data indicate that Dectin-1 is important for host defense to multiple Candida spp., although the specific roles for Dectin-1 varies with different Candida spp.Wellcome TrustRoyal SocietyUK Dementia Research InstituteMRC Centre for Medical Mycolog

Collective autobiographical reflexivity on active and compassionate citizenship in the COVID-19 crisis

Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, socio-economic inequalities have become exacerbated and COVID-19 related hate crimes have increased. This paper explores how citizenship education might be reimagined in response to this context, with the vision of rebuilding a more equitable and compassionate society. By using a collective autobiographical writing approach, this study documented six different autobiographical reflexivities of citizenship education scholars who were from different parts of the world: China, South Korea, the Philippines, the United States, Nepal and the United Kingdom. It also observed the way the pandemic played out in the location where they were situated during the research as well as how it played out in their countries of origin, and further, how it affected the civic development in each context. The scholars\u27 range of autobiographical expressions resulted in insights for developing a type of citizenship education, namely, education for active and compassionate citizenship

The role of lymphoid tissue SPARC in the pathogenesis and response to treatment of multiple myeloma.

BACKGROUND: Despite the significant progress in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), the disease remains untreatable and its cure is still an unmet clinical need. Neoplastic transformation in MM is initiated in the germinal centers (GCs) of secondary lymphoid tissue (SLT) where B cells experience extensive somatic hypermutation induced by follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) and T-cell signals. OBJECTIVE: We reason that secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC), a common stromal motif expressed by FDCs at the origin (SLTs) and the destination (BM) of MM, plays a role in the pathogenesis of MM, and, here, we sought to investigate this role. METHODS: There were 107 BM biopsies from 57 MM patients (taken at different time points) together with 13 control specimens assessed for SPARC gene and protein expression and compared with tonsillar tissues. In addition, regulation of myeloma-promoting genes by SPARC-secreting FDCs was assessed in in vitro GC reactions (GCRs). RESULTS: SPARC gene expression was confirmed in both human primary (BM) and secondary (tonsils) lymphoid tissues, and the expression was significantly higher in the BM. Sparc was detectable in the BM and tonsillar lysates, co-localized with the FDC markers in both tissues, and stimulation of FDCs in vitro induced significantly higher levels of SPARC expression than unstimulated controls. In addition, SPARC inversely correlated with BM PC infiltration, ISS staging, and ECOG performance of the MM patients, and in vitro addition of FDCs to lymphocytes inhibited the expression of several oncogenes associated with malignant transformation of PCs. CONCLUSION: FDC-SPARC inhibits several myelomagenic gene expression and inversely correlates with PC infiltration and MM progression. Therapeutic induction of SPARC expression through combinations of the current MM drugs, repositioning of non-MM drugs, or novel drug discovery could pave the way to better control MM in clinically severe and drug-resistant patients

PENDIDIKAN KESEHATAN IBU DAN ANAK BALITA DALAM MEWUJUDKAN KELUARGA SEHAT, BERSIH DAN BERBUDAYA DI WILAYAH KERJA PUSKESMAS ATAMBUA SELATAN

Latar Belakang: Pendidikan kesehatan merupakan bagian dari promosi kesehatan yang mempunyai bentuk intervensi berupa komunikasi, konsultasi, training, umpan balik dan interaksi sehingga dihasilkan motivasi, kemampuan dan penghargaan untuk menghasilkan perilaku yang kondusif terhadap kesehatan. Pendidikan kesehatan yang efektif dapat menggeser norma-norma atau sikap, dan  mempengaruhi nilai-nilai serta dapat pula memberikan keterampilan yang dapat  merubah perilaku atau gaya hidup tertentu supaya mareka dapat memecahkan masalah-masalah kesehatan yang dihadapinya. Pada gilirannya akan meningkatkan kesadaran, kemampuan dan kemauan hidup sehat bagi setiap penduduk agar dapat terwujud derajat kesehatan yang setinggi-tingginya. Tujuan: Terciptanya pola pikir dan kemampuan masyarakat dalam upaya peningkatan dan pencegahan penyakit, agar terwujudnya  derajat keluarga ibu dan anak balita serta masyarakat  luas yang optimal. Metode: pola pikir dan kemampuan masyarakat dalam upaya peningkatan dan pencegahan penyakit, agar terwujudnya  derajat keluarga ibu dan anak balita serta masyarakat  luas yang optimal. Pelaksanaan selama 30 hari (1 Maret s.d 1 April 2021) Hasil: Berdasarkan hasil penimbangan berat badan yang dilakukan pada 42 orang balita didapatkan gizi baik sebanyak 12 orang, gizi sedang 25 orang dan gizi buruk sebanyak 5 orang. Dari keseluruhan Balita yang hadir di ketiga RT masih terdapat 8 orang Balita yang tidak hadir di Posyandu saat kegiatan penimbangan berlangsung. Pelaksanaan kegiatan penimbnagan dilakukan oleh kader posyandu sebanyak 12 orang kader bersama dengan mahasiswa. Kegiatan pendidikan kesehatan diikuti oleh 42 orang ibu dengan anak balita secara tertib dan antusias serta penuh perhatian, ada yang mengajukan pertanyaaan pada saat pemateri menyajikan materi penyuluhan. Dari materi yang disajikan peserta cukup memahami penjelasan tentang penting pemantauan pertumbuhan dan perkembangan anak balita yang telah dilakukan oleh ibu-ibu di posyandu melalui kegiatan penimbangan. Kesimpulan: Dengan metode pendidikan kesehatan, masyarakat dapat meningkatkan pengetahuan pentingnya tentang perilaku hidup bersih dan sehat dalam tatanan kehidupan keluarga berdasarkan 10 indikator PHBS

Non-canonical signalling mediates changes in fungal cell wall PAMPs that drive immune evasion

This is the final version. Available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.To colonise their host, pathogens must counter local environmental and immunological challenges. Here, we reveal that the fungal pathogen Candida albicans exploits diverse host-associated signals to promote immune evasion by masking of a major pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP), β-glucan. Certain nutrients, stresses and antifungal drugs trigger β-glucan masking, whereas other inputs, such as nitrogen sources and quorum sensing molecules, exert limited effects on this PAMP. In particular, iron limitation triggers substantial changes in the cell wall that reduce β-glucan exposure. This correlates with reduced phagocytosis by macrophages and attenuated cytokine responses by peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Iron limitation-induced β-glucan masking depends on parallel signalling via the iron transceptor Ftr1 and the iron-responsive transcription factor Sef1, and the protein kinase A pathway. Our data reveal that C. albicans exploits a diverse range of specific host signals to trigger protective anticipatory responses against impending phagocytic attack and promote host colonisation.Medical Research Council (MRC)European CommissionWellcome Trus

Mechanisms underlying the exquisite sensitivity of Candida albicans to combinatorial cationic and oxidative stress that enhances the potent fungicidal activity of phagocytes

This is the final version. Available on open access from the American Society for Microbiology via the DOI in this recordImmune cells exploit reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cationic fluxes to kill microbial pathogens, such as the fungus Candida albicans. Yet, C. albicans is resistant to these stresses in vitro. Therefore, what accounts for the potent antifungal activity of neutrophils? We show that simultaneous exposure to oxidative and cationic stresses is much more potent than the individual stresses themselves and that this combinatorial stress kills C. albicans synergistically in vitro. We also show that the high fungicidal activity of human neutrophils is dependent on the combinatorial effects of the oxidative burst and cationic fluxes, as their pharmacological attenuation with apocynin or glibenclamide reduced phagocytic potency to a similar extent. The mechanistic basis for the extreme potency of combinatorial cationic plus oxidative stress—a phenomenon we term stress pathway interference— lies with the inhibition of hydrogen peroxide detoxification by the cations. In C. albicans this causes the intracellular accumulation of ROS, the inhibition of Cap1 (a transcriptional activator that normally drives the transcriptional response to oxidative stress), and altered readouts of the stress-activated protein kinase Hog1. This leads to a loss of oxidative and cationic stress transcriptional outputs, a precipitous collapse in stress adaptation, and cell death. This stress pathway interference can be suppressed by ectopic catalase (Cat1) expression, which inhibits the intracellular accumulation of ROS and the synergistic killing of C. albicans cells by combinatorial cationic plus oxidative stress. Stress pathway interference represents a powerful fungicidal mechanism employed by the host that suggests novel approaches to potentiate antifungal therapy.IMPORTANCE The immune system combats infection via phagocytic cells that recognize and kill pathogenic microbes. Human neutrophils combat Candida infections by killing this fungus with a potent mix of chemicals that includes reactive oxygen species (ROS) and cations. Yet, Candida albicans is relatively resistant to these stresses in vitro. We show that it is the combination of oxidative plus cationic stresses that kills yeasts so effectively, and we define the molecular mechanisms that underlie this potency. Cations inhibit catalase. This leads to the accumulation of intracellular ROS and inhibits the transcription factor Cap1, which is critical for the oxidative stress response in C. albicans. This triggers a dramatic collapse in fungal stress adaptation and cell death. Blocking either the oxidative burst or cationic fluxes in human neutrophils significantly reduces their ability to kill this fungal pathogen, indicating that combinatorial stress is pivotal to immune surveillance.Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)Wellcome TrustEuropean CommissionNIAI