226 research outputs found
The Syntax of Sentential Negation in Algerian BBA Dialect
No full textLately, many researchers have become interested in the syntactic representation of negation in Standard Arabic as well as in its many regional dialects. While significant attention has been directed toward Palestinian, Jordanian, Kuwaiti, and Syrian Arabic, Algerian Arabic—especially the variety spoken in Bordj Bou-Arreridj (BBA)—has received considerably less attention within this theoretical framework. This study aims to fill this gap by studying the structural properties of sentential negation in the BBA dialect, thereby contributing to broader cross-dialectal and typological discussions on negation. Grounded in the principles of the Minimalist Program, the research critically evaluates three major theoretical accounts of negation: the Specifier Negation Analysis, the Discontinuous Negation Analysis, and Soltan’s (2011) updated proposal for Arabic negation. A descriptive-analytical methodology is adopted, supported by recent developments in syntactic theory, particularly those outlined in the Cambridge Syntax Guides. The data set consists of naturally occurring negated constructions, elicited and analyzed by the author, a native speaker of BBA dialect. The findings demonstrate that Soltan’s analysis most accurately captures the syntactic behavior of negation in this variety. In particular, it shows that negation is located in a position higher than Tense, with the two negation markers—maa and š—occupying distinct syntactic projections, namely the Polarity Phrase and the Negation Phrase, respectively. By contrast, the other two analyses fail to adequately explain negation in nominal clauses and contexts involving Negative Polarity Items (NPIs). This study thus enriches the underrepresented literature on Algerian Arabic and offers theoretical implications for negation in Arabic dialects more broadly
Molecular interactions between Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae and host cells
No full textUniversity of Technology Sydney. Faculty of Science.The Mycoplasmas are a group of wall-less bacteria belonging to the Mollicutes that are believed to have diverged from the Gram-positive Firmicutes. Mollicutes have undergone reductive evolution, losing genes for the biosynthesis of essential biomolecules, subsequently having to form parasite relationships with their hosts in order to acquire these nutrients. They form these relationships as both commensals and pathogens, and a number of Mycoplasma species cause significant clinical and agricultural diseases. Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is the causative agent of porcine enzootic pneumonia, a chronic respiratory disease that affects swine populations worldwide. M. hyopneumoniae colonises the upper respiratory tract by adhering to the rapidly beating cilia where it causes ciliostasis and eventual cilial death [1]. M. hyopneumoniae possesses a family of surface adhesins referred to as the P97 and P102 paralog family that it utilises to adhere to the cilia [2-10]. A hallmark of M. hyopneumoniae infection is a potent inflammatory response which is believed to be one of the contributing factors to the gross lung lesions observed in infected swine [11-13].
M. hyopneumoniae is described as a strict extracellular pathogen that only adheres to cilia and knowledge is lacking on additional receptors that M. hyopneumoniae binds to. Recent studies have however, shown that viable M. hyopneumoniae cells can be cultured from the liver, spleen, kidneys and lymph nodes of infected swine [14-16]. These observations suggest that M. hyopneumoniae has the capability to invade through the epithelial barrier and disseminate to distal tissue sites. In addition to this, large microcolonies have been observed in the respiratory tract of swine infected with M. hyopneumoniae [17]. These microcolonies are reminiscent of biofilms, and although biofilm formation has never been investigated in M. hyopneumoniae it is likely that they play a role in the chronicity of disease. Notably, even when lung lesions in M. hyopneumoniae-infected swine are cleared, bronchial swabs can still test positive for M. hyopneumoniae up to 185 days post-infection (P.I.) [18] and pigs can act as convalescent carriers for up to 200 days P.I. [19]. This suggests that M. hyopneumoniae possesses mechanisms in which it can remain dormant within its host whilst remaining infectious. Vaccines against M. hyopneumoniae can successfully reduce lung lesions but they are unable to prevent transmission in swine herds [20]. In order to create vaccines that inhibit the transmission of M. hyopneumoniae, a better understanding of the disease process is required.
This PhD project has thus been devised in order to address the problems outlined above. This work has investigated the ability of adhesins to undergo extensive endoproteolytic processing; demonstrating that proteolytic processing in the P97 and P102 adhesins occurs much more extensively than what has previously been shown. I also show that these adhesins can bind to a myriad of host components such as heparin, fibronectin (Fn) and plasminogen (Plg) and investigate the domains responsible. Additionally, this work presents a number of novel receptors that M. hyopneumoniae targets within its host as well as a comprehensive list of putative adhesins that it utilises to do so.
This work has also investigated the ability of M. hyopneumoniae to form biofilms on abiotic surfaces, host cells and within the swine respiratory tract and further demonstrate that surface adhesins play a role in biofilm formation. A number of putative biofilm-associated genes have been identified by screening a transposon mutant library, these genes being potential vaccine candidates. Finally, this work has investigated the ability of M. hyopneumoniae to become internalised by host cells and reside within the cytoplasm. M. hyopneumoniae becomes internalised by vacuole-like structures, and that internalised cells appear to escape from lysosomes to reside free within the cytoplasm.
Overall, this PhD project has contributed significantly to understanding how M. hyopneumoniae causes disease. Future work on the novel mechanisms described in this thesis will aid in future vaccine development programs and potentially aid in the control of this important veterinary disease
Analysis Four Factors of Customer Interest Towards Bai' Bitsaman Ajil (BBA) Financing at KJKS BMT Agam Madani Nagari Pakan Sinayan Banuhampu District
No full textIn economic activities, the main challenge faced is the problem of business capital. This is often the main reason why someone's business does not experience development or progress. Providing business capital in the form of Bai Bitsaman Ajil (BBA) financing is an effort to support the community in improving their business and welfare. As a result of the research conducted by the author, it can be concluded that the Bai Bitsaman Ajil (BBA) financing procedure that meets the implementation of KJKS BMT Agam Madani Nagari Pakan Sinayan is submitting an application for funding to KJKS BMT Agam Madani Nagari Pakan Sinayan, customer financing application form, completeness of fee administration, after that, KJKS BMT Agam Madani conducted a survey of business premises and residences. After carrying out supervision, a financing board meeting is held, the client will decide whether to obtain financing or not, realize the financing request and finally disburse the financing funds. The factors that influence customer interest in Bai' Bitsaman Ajil (BBA) financing are product factors, service factors, promotional factors and location factors. Of these four factors, it can be seen that many customers are willing to finance Bai Bitsaman Ajil (BBA), which is more dominant due to product factors, because the procedures for financing Bai Bitsaman Ajil (BBA) are easier and faster, do not make things difficult for the community, the requirements are not complicated, financing Bai Bitsaman Ajil (BBA) can be paid in installments and is not too burdensome for customers to pay installments. Bai Bitsaman Ajil (BBA) financing is carried out to avoid usury and the margins are small, there is no guarantee of usage
Bi-functional particles for real-time phagosome acidification and proteolysis multiplex assay in macrophages
No full textCopyright \ua9 2023 M\ue9ndez-Alejandre, Raymond, Trost and Mar\uedn-Rubio. Phagosome acidification and proteolysis are essential processes in the immune response to contain and eliminate pathogens. In recent years, there has been an increased desire for a rapid and accurate method of assessing these processes in real-time. Here, we outline the development of a multiplexed assay that allows simultaneous monitoring of phagosome acidification and proteolysis in the same sample using silica beads conjugated to pHrodo and DQ BSA. We describe in detail how to prepare the bi-functional particles and show proof of concept using differentially activated macrophages. This multiplexed spectrophotometric assay allows rapid and accurate assessment of phagosome acidification and proteolysis in real-time and could provide valuable information for understanding the immune response to pathogen invasion
Exploitation of plasmin(ogen) by bacterial pathogens of veterinary significance
No full text© 2015 Elsevier B.V. The plasminogen (Plg) system plays an important homeostatic role in the degradation of fibrin clots, extracellular matrices and tissue barriers important for cellular migration, as well as the promotion of neurotransmitter release. Plg circulates in plasma at physiologically high concentrations (150-200μgml-1) as an inactive proenzyme. Proteins enriched in lysine and other positively charged residues (histidine and arginine) as well as glycosaminoglycans and gangliosides bind Plg. The binding interaction initiates a structural adjustment to the bound Plg that facilitates cleavage by proteases (plasminogen activators tPA and uPA) that activate Plg to the active serine protease plasmin. Both pathogenic and commensal bacteria capture Plg onto their cell surface and promote its conversion to plasmin. Many microbial Plg-binding proteins have been described underpinning the importance this process plays in how bacteria interact with their hosts. Bacteria exploit the proteolytic capabilities of plasmin by (i) targeting the mammalian fibrinolytic system and degrading fibrin clots, (ii) remodeling the extracellular matrix and generating bioactive cleavage fragments of the ECM that influence signaling pathways, (iii) activating matrix metalloproteinases that assist in the destruction of tissue barriers and promote microbial metastasis and (iv) destroying immune effector molecules. There has been little focus on the exploitation of the fibrinolytic system by veterinary pathogens. Here we describe several pathogens of veterinary significance that possess adhesins that bind plasmin(ogen) onto their cell surface and promote its activation to plasmin. Cumulative data suggests that these attributes provide pathogenic and commensal bacteria with a means to colonize and persist within the host environment
Mitochondrial transition ROS spike (mTRS) results from coordinated activities of complex I and nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase
No full textCredit derivatives: an overview
No full textArising from financial institutions' need to hedge and diversify credit risk, credit derivatives have now become a major investment tool. Almost all credit derivatives take the form of the credit default swap, which transfers default risk from one party to another. Most credit default swaps were once written on single names, but since 2004 the major impetus to growth and market liquidity has been credit default swaps on indexes. ; This paper examines the mechanics, risks, and market for credit default swaps, provides an overview of pricing and dealers' risk-management role, discusses the costs and benefits of credit derivatives, and outlines some recent policy issues. ; The author notes that, in the early years of credit derivatives, the major challenges facing these instruments involved resolving ambiguities in reference entities and defining credit events. Since the introduction of index trading and the widespread entry of hedge funds, however, the challenges have been settlement after credit events and addressing operational backlogs stemming from an increase in novations. Now that hedge funds are an established part of the market, the next important issue is likely to be whether credit derivatives activity will move to exchanges.Credit derivatives
Scholarship of Teaching and Learning : minding the gap
No full textPresentation to Mount Royal's BBA Summit (attended by Medicine Hat College and Red Deer College colleagues) addressing what is Scholarship of Teaching and Learning and how to get started
Extracellular DNA release from the genome-reduced pathogen Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is essential for biofilm formation on abiotic surfaces
No full text© 2018 The Author(s). Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is an economically devastating, globally disseminated pathogen that can maintain a chronic infectious state within its host, swine. Here, we depict the events underpinning M. hyopneumoniae biofilm formation on an abiotic surface and demonstrate for the first time, biofilms forming on porcine epithelial cell monolayers and in the lungs of pigs, experimentally infected with M. hyopneumoniae. Nuclease treatment prevents biofilms forming on glass but not on porcine epithelial cells indicating that extracellular DNA (eDNA), which localises at the base of biofilms, is critical in the formation of these structures on abiotic surfaces. Subpopulations of M. hyopneumoniae cells, denoted by their ability to take up the dye TOTO-1 and release eDNA, were identified. A visually distinct sub-population of pleomorphic cells, that we refer to here as large cell variants (LCVs), rapidly transition from phase dark to translucent "ghost" cells. The translucent cells accumulate the membrane-impermeable dye TOTO-1, forming readily discernible membrane breaches immediately prior to lysis and the possible release of eDNA and other intracellular content (public goods) into the extracellular environment. Our novel observations expand knowledge of the lifestyles adopted by this wall-less, genome-reduced pathogen and provide further insights to its survival within farm environments and swine
Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae surface-associated proteases cleave bradykinin, substance P, neurokinin A and neuropeptide Y
No full text© 2019, The Author(s). Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae is an economically-devastating and geographically-widespread pathogen that colonises ciliated epithelium, and destroys mucociliary function. M. hyopneumoniae devotes ~5% of its reduced genome to encode members of the P97 and P102 adhesin families that are critical for colonising epithelial cilia, but mechanisms to impair mucociliary clearance and manipulate host immune response to induce a chronic infectious state have remained elusive. Here we identified two surface exposed M. hyopneumoniae proteases, a putative Xaa-Pro aminopeptidase (MHJ_0659; PepP) and a putative oligoendopeptidase F (MHJ_0522; PepF), using immunofluorescence microscopy and two orthogonal proteomic methodologies. MHJ_0659 and MHJ_0522 were purified as polyhistidine fusion proteins and shown, using a novel MALDI-TOF MS assay, to degrade four pro-inflammatory peptides that regulate lung homeostasis; bradykinin (BK), substance P (SP), neurokinin A (NKA) and neuropeptide Y (NPY). These findings provide insight into the mechanisms used by M. hyopneumoniae to influence ciliary beat frequency, impair mucociliary clearance, and initiate a chronic infectious disease state in swine, features that are a hallmark of disease caused by this pathogen
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