METamphorae: from emotion to metaphor from sentiment to symbol

MetAmphorae chronicles the evolution of MetAmphorae, and Personae, the two installations inspired by the war on Gaza (2008-2009), which served as my thesis show(s), along with an earlier installation which was a precursor to both. I will present the research I conducted to arrive at the appropriate forms for these installations, and the history of my intuitions in conceiving and making them. Inspired by emotionally impacting political circumstances, the art projects discussed in this thesis investigate my attempt to harness emotion into metaphor, and to reshape personal sentiment into universal symbol.Master of Fine Arts (MFA)School of Art & DesginUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/93178/1/2010GibrielMFAThesis.pd

Comparative pathogenomics in the ascomycete plant pathogens Zymoseptoria tritici and Verticillium dahliae

During host colonization, plant pathogens secrete molecules that enable host colonization —so called— effectors. Over the last decade, considerable attention in research on plant-microbe interactions has focused on understanding how pathogens adapt their effector gene repertoires to their host plants. In this thesis, the adaptation of the fungal pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici that is specialized on wheat plants is described and compared to the fungal pathogen Verticillium dahliae that is able to colonize a broad range of host plants. For V. dahliae, the core and lineage-specific (LS) effector genes were determined showing that strains that are able to infect the same host plant harbour highly divergent LS effector repertoires. Of the identified LS effectors, the Sun1 effector gene was shown to contribute to V. dahliae 85S virulence on sunflower. For Z. tritici, genome-wide assessment of bread and durum wheat isolates has showed extensive genetic diversity amongst Z. tritici isolates and revealed four effector candidates in bread wheat isolates. Moreover, genome-wide assessment of virulent and avirulent Z. tritici isolates on the bread wheat cultivar Shafir has led to the identification of the avirulence effector gene AvrStb6. Thus, pathogens adapt their effector gene repertoires to their host plants, which can subsequently be utilized to establish durable and broad-spectrum resistance.</p

INTRODUCING NEW EMPLOYEE EMPOWERMENT APPROACH: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

Purpose of the study: The aim of the paper is to introduce newly developed constructs of employee empowerment as alternatives to the existing measures serving both the organization and employees. Centered on employees as the focus of the argument regarding how genuinely employee empowerment is realistically practiced in organizations today. Methodology: The study applied systematic literature review (SLR) or systematic research synthesis (SRS) as the method to gather, analyze and respond to the research query. The study method embraces the definition of SLR by Rousseau et al., (2008). The conditions for the literature search electronically were done through multiple journal sites. The gathered academic published materials were dated between 1954-2017. Main Findings: The findings revealed that there is a misconception surrounding the true picture of employee empowerment in organizations. Different organizations have different interpretations of employee empowerment as deem fitting to serve their needs. Most findings propagate employee empowerment on the conditions of internal factors of the organization. Applications of this study: This new approach to employee empowerment will give employees a new lease of life that extends beyond the immediate influence of the organization. It incorporates external factors as both define and shape the attitude and behaviors of employees. Both micro and macro factors relating to work roles and non-work roles of employees matter in empowerment. Novelty/Originality of this study: This study takes a holistic approach to employee empowerment by taking both inside-out and outside-in approach to factors that have strong influence on the attitude and behavior of employees thus relates to performance. It introduces new measures for employee empowerment

THE SEARCH FOR NEW MEASURES IN ORGANISATIONAL COMMUNICATION: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

Purpose of the study: Communication is a central pillar in organisation, yet little genuine communication takes place in the organisation. The purpose of the paper is to craft communication model that promotes routine information availability and accessibility by simplifying the approach to organisational communication through the leadership level, functional level and operational level. Methodology: The study applied systematic literature review (SLR) or systematic research synthesis (SRS) as the approach to gather data, analyse to address the research query. The study method embraces the definition of SLR by Rousseau et al. (2008). The conditions for literature search electronically was done through multiple journal sites. The gathered published material dated between 1961-2018. Main Findings: The paper put forward three propositions to establish the argument for organisational communication. The findings show that there is no definitive agreement what constitute organisational communication as it is given many names like internal communication, employee communication, corporate communication etc. There is total lack of structural approach to organisational communication. Applications of this study: The paper refocuses organisational communication towards a three-tier approach and challenges leadership to communicate in tandem with managerial roles as purported by Mintzberg in order to give prominence to organisational communication. Novelty/Originality of this study: The paper introduces three new dimensions as measures of organisational communication with a new perspective on leadership communication, where Mintzberg’s managerial roles were used as reference for leadership communication responsibility which is missing in today’s organisation. The new measures of organisational communication are leadership level, functional and operational level

OPTIMIZATION THE PARAMETER PROCESS OF SOLID-STATE FERMENTATION TO PRODUCE THE FUNGAL Α-AMYLASE ON AGRO-INDUSTRIAL BY-PRODUCTS

The present work is concerned with optimization the process parameter of the production of fungal α-amylase enzyme by Aspergillus niger ATCC 102 and Aspergillus oryzae NRRL 6270 using solid-state fermentation (SSF) process on two agro-industrial by-products. Different cultural parameter and conditions such as moisture content of prepared agro-industrial by-product (30 to 70%), fermentation period (12 to 120 h.) and incubation temperature (25-35°C) were optimized to obtain the maximum yield of α-amylase activity. The study is concerned to produce fungal αamylase on agro-industrial by-products such as inner layers of sugarcane bagasse (Saccharum officinarum) (SCB) and corn gluten meal (Zea mays) after addition of germ cake and corn steep liquor (CGM ) were used as solid substrates. The optimum conditions for SSF as follows temperature at 30°C and two moisture content level (60 - 30%) for SCB by Aspergillus niger and CGM after addition of germ cake and corn steep liquor by two fungal strains, respectively and incubation period of 72, 48, 24 hours for SCB by Aspergills niger, CGM by two fungal strains, respectively and SCB by Aspergillus oryzae, producing α-amylase activity 3.49U/g (solid substrate) with SCB by SSF after 24 hours by Aspergillus niger, whereas 3.78U/g (solid substrate) by Aspergillus oryzae after 48 hours. The highest record of amylase activity was obtained on SCB by SSF 3.49U/g (solid substrate) after 24 hours by Aspergillus niger, whereas 3.78U/g (solid substrate) by Aspergillus oryzae  after 48 hours. Optimum α-amylase enzyme activity was observed at 30°C. Utilization of agroindustrial by-product provides an alternative method and value-addition in cost effectiveness of bioprocess. The obtained results demonstrated that, the potential application of the used strategy for αamylase enzyme production from agro-industrial by-products

Antifungal efficacy of chitosan nanoparticles against phytopathogenic fungi and inhibition of zearalenone production by Fusarium graminearum

Chitosan (COS) is a natural safe biopolymer that received great attention in agriculture, food, biomedical, pharmaceutical and environmental industries because their biocompatible, biodegradable, non-toxic and non-allergenic natures. The aims of the current study were to synthesize and characterize chitosan nanoparticles (COS-NPs), to evaluate their antifungal activity against phytopathogenic fungi and inhibition of zearalenone (ZEN) production by Fusarium graminearum. The results revealed that the deacetylation degree of COS was 86.9 0.44 %, the average of molar mass was 171.41 ± 0.29 g/mol, molecular weight was 244 ± 7 kDa and the concentration of free amino groups was 0.05 ± 0.019 mol L-1. COS-NPs showed the nanorod form with rough nature and particle size was around 180 nm. COS-NPs showed an excellent antifungal activity against Alternaria tenuis, Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, Baeuvaria bassiana, Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium oxysporum, Penicillium sp. and Sclerotium rolfsii in dose dependent manner. At a concentration of 800 ppm, it inhibits ZEN production by Fusarium graminearum. It could be concluded that COS-NPs are promise candidate as safe antifungal capable for the prevention of ZEN production.Chitosan (COS) is a natural safe biopolymer that received great attention in agriculture, food, biomedical, pharmaceutical and environmental industries because their biocompatible, biodegradable, non-toxic and non-allergenic natures. The aims of the current study were to synthesize and characterize chitosan nanoparticles (COS-NPs), to evaluate their antifungal activity against phytopathogenic fungi and inhibition of zearalenone (ZEN) production by Fusarium graminearum. The results revealed that the deacetylation degree of COS was 86.9 0.44 %, the average of molar mass was 171.41 ± 0.29 g/mol, molecular weight was 244 ± 7 kDa and the concentration of free amino groups was 0.05 ± 0.019 mol L-1. COS-NPs showed the nanorod form with rough nature and particle size was around 180 nm. COS-NPs showed an excellent antifungal activity against Alternaria tenuis, Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, Baeuvaria bassiana, Fusarium graminearum, Fusarium oxysporum, Penicillium sp. and Sclerotium rolfsii in dose dependent manner. At a concentration of 800 ppm, it inhibits ZEN production by Fusarium graminearum. It could be concluded that COS-NPs are promise candidate as safe antifungal capable for the prevention of ZEN production

Unique reporter-based sensor platforms to monitor signalling in cells

Introduction: In recent years much progress has been made in the development of tools for systems biology to study the levels of mRNA and protein, and their interactions within cells. However, few multiplexed methodologies are available to study cell signalling directly at the transcription factor level. &lt;p/&gt;Methods: Here we describe a sensitive, plasmid-based RNA reporter methodology to study transcription factor activation in mammalian cells, and apply this technology to profiling 60 transcription factors in parallel. The methodology uses two robust and easily accessible detection platforms; quantitative real-time PCR for quantitative analysis and DNA microarrays for parallel, higher throughput analysis. &lt;p/&gt;Findings: We test the specificity of the detection platforms with ten inducers and independently validate the transcription factor activation. &lt;p/&gt;Conclusions: We report a methodology for the multiplexed study of transcription factor activation in mammalian cells that is direct and not theoretically limited by the number of available reporters

The Zymoseptoria tritici white collar-1 gene, ZtWco-1, is required for development and virulence on wheat

Publication history: Accepted - 9 June 2022: Published online - 14 June 2022The fungus Zymoseptoria tritici causes Septoria Tritici Blotch (STB), which is one of the most devastating diseases of wheat in Europe. There are currently no fully durable methods of control against Z. tritici, so novel strategies are urgently required. One of the ways in which fungi are able to respond to their surrounding environment is through the use of photoreceptor proteins which detect light signals. Although previous evidence suggests that Z. tritici can detect light, no photoreceptor genes have been characterised in this pathogen. This study characterises ZtWco-1, a predicted photoreceptor gene in Z. tritici. The ZtWco-1 gene is a putative homolog to the blue light photoreceptor from Neurospora crassa, wc-1. Z. tritici mutants with deletions in ZtWco-1 have defects in hyphal branching, melanisation and virulence on wheat. In addition, we identify the putative circadian clock gene ZtFrq in Z. tritici. This study provides evidence for the genetic regulation of light detection in Z. tritici and it open avenues for future research into whether this pathogen has a circadian clock.AMMT was supported by a Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme award (GOIPD/2018/461) and the BBSRC SWBio Doctoral Training Partnership. This work was performed under DEFRA licence number 51046-198767 and EPA GMO Register No. G0555-01 and G0647-01

First Report of Shot Hole Disease on Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) Caused by Micrococcus aloeverae in Ireland

peer-reviewedFirst Report of Shot Hole Disease on Cherry Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) Caused by Micrococcus aloeverae in IrelandDepartment of Agriculture, Food and the Marin