Periodontitis is one of the most prevalent bacterial diseases affecting man with up to 90% of the global population affected. Its severe form can lead to the tooth loss in 10-15% of the population worldwide. The disease is caused by a dysbiosis of the local microbiota and one organism that contributes to this alteration in the bacterial population is Prophyromonas gingivalis. This organism possesses a range of virulence factors that appear to contribute to its growth and survival at a periodontal site amongst which is its ability to invade oral epithelial cells. Such an invasion strategy provides a means of evasion of host defence mechanisms, persistence at a site and the opportunity for dissemination to other sites in the mouth. However, previous studies have demonstrated that invasion of the mammalian cells in a population by P. gingivalis is heterogenous, with some cells becoming heavily invaded while others harbour no or only a few bacteria. An understanding of this heterogeneity may throw light on the mechanisms involved and we hypothesised that the phase of the host cell cycle may explain this phenomenon. In an attempt to study the factors influencing P. gingivalis invasion and the cell response to that invasion, a standard antibiotic protection assay was employed and an oral keratinocyte cell line, H357. The results showed that P. gingivalis NCTC 11834 invasion was significantly increased with increasing time of exposure to the cells and the cell density. This may reflect an increased host cell surface area available for bacterial attachment. No effect on invasion of P. gingivalis invasion was observed by the bacterial growth phase, H357 cell passage number or whether cells were pre-incubated with P. gingivalis lipopolysaccharide. Epithelial cells did, however, respond to the presence of P. gingivalis in a number of ways. For example, the mRNA expression of endothelin-1 and urokinase receptor were upregulated with increasing P. gingivalis infection time, suggesting that these proteins could act as inflammatory mediators and possibly as useful markers of the severity of periodontal disease or in the diagnosis and treatment of periodontitis. iii Secondly, in an attempt to investigate the reason for the observed heterogeneous P. gingivalis invasion of H357 cell populations, the effect of cell cycle phase on P. gingivalis invasion was investigated. H357 cells were synchronized by serum starvation. On re-introduction of serum, characterisation of cell cycle phase distribution was performed by flow cytometry following staining with propidium idodide (PI) or by immunofluorescence using bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), which specifically identifies cells in S-phase. The effect of cell cycle phases on P. gingivalis invasion was measured using the antibiotic protection assay, immunofluorescence and flow cytometry and these were correlated with gene and surface expression of the urokinase receptor and the α5-integrin subunit, which is thought to mediate P. gingivalis invasion. Results showed that the percentage invasion was enhanced with increasing serum re-introduction time, and positively correlated with the number of cells in S-phase. In addition, flow cytometry data showed that the highest association of fluorescent P. gingivalis was with PI positive S-phase cells. Moreover, BrdU positive S-phase cells were 3 times more likely to be invaded and contained 10 times more P. gingivalis than cells in other phases. Also, α5-integrin was more highly expressed in cells in S-phase than other phases, which could explain the mechanism underlying this enhanced invasion. Data presented here have suggested that P. gingivalis targeting of cells in S- phase could, in vivo, allow preferential invasion of the junctional epithelial cells which turns over rapidly. The data presented in this thesis suggest that P. gingivalis invasion is greatly dependent on several factors attributed to the host, the bacteria itself, and to the environment which the bacteria reside in. The invasion occurs within a population of host cells in a heterogeneous fashion, and is dependent on the cell cycle phase, specifically S-phase. This novel finding, in addition to the previously reported mechanisms of P. gingivalis invasion, increases our understanding of this virulence trait and suggests that such a strategy is a highly organised process which the bacteria can follow to ensure its survival within the host. Furthermore, knowledge of these mechanisms could provide novel approaches to treatment of periodontal diseases.
Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were carried out in order to investigate the binding mode of axillaridine-A at the active site of human acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme. 2.0 nanosecond of MD simulations was made for the protein and the complex to dynamically explore the active site and the behavior of the ligand at the peripheral AChE binding site. These calculations for the enzyme alone showed that the active site of AChE is located at the bottom of a deep and narrow cavity whose surface is lined with rings of aromatic residues and Tyr72 is almost perpendicular to the Trp286 ring and forms a stable - interaction. The size of the active site of the complex decreases with time due to increase the interaction. Axillaridine-A forms
... Show More
There is a theoretical controversy in the books of Usul al-Fiqh, in the past and the present, about whether the ruling should be attached to its reason (al-Hikmah), or its apparent and stable cause (al-Illah). Looking at the practical cases of the jurists, we found them sometimes attaching rulings to its reason, and sometimes to its cause, so there is a need to know the factors that affect their choices. By extrapolation, the researcher reached at nine factors that affect referring the ruling to its cause or to its reason in jurisprudential cases.
The study seeks to examine the level of personal efficacy and its relation to mental alertness among university students. Besides, the statistically significant differences in regard of students' gender, and the correlation between male and female. To do this, the researcher adopted two scales: one to measure the personal efficacy which was made up by (abed al-jabaar, 2010) included (26) items, and the other to measure the mental alertness that designed by (abed Allah, 2012) included (36) items. A total of (120) student were selected randomly from three-different colleges at the Al-Mustansiriyah University for the academic year 2016-2017. The findings revealed there are no significant differences among students in regard of the personal
... Show MoreAltruism is one of good qualities of human being expressing his highness and triumph. Self control has A signifies in a lot of psychological, educational, Social, ethical and healing fields Where the higher self control relates with high degrees of carefulness accuracy, problem solving, choice. judgment and decision making. the present study aimos at measuring altruism among university students , self control among them , recognizing the statistically differences significance on self control among university students according to gender variable and recognizing the correlation between attruism and self control among university students . the sample consists of the basic application one (200) students (100) males and (100) males that had
... Show MoreThis study aimed to show the relationship between mental health and shyness for university students in Baghdad and Al – Mustansiria university which its subject was (200) students , ( 100) males and ( 100) females , Mental Health scale which is constructed by (Al – Janabi 1991) and developed by (Hassan 2006) was used for this aim ,The scale of shyness was built according to a questioner to the students and according to previous publications and studies .
Multiple regulation analysis step - wise was used for data analysis in order to identify the possibility to find single or couple indications for the independent variable (mental
... Show MoreThis study aims at finding out the sentimental smartness of the kindergarten children
and its relationship with some variables.
1- The level of the sentimental smartness of the kindergarten children.
2- Investigating the Zero hypothesis in that there are no significant statistical differences in
the sentimental smartness between the kindergarten children according to the sex variables
(males and females).
Some statistical tools have been used in order to arrive at the results that verify the
hypotheses of this study. The researcher uses (1) the distinctive power between two
distinctive groups; (2) the relationship between the item and the total degree (Pearson
correlation factor); and (3) Elfakronbach formula t
The study aims to identify the level of existential frustration and the level of recrimination among the students of universities, identify the statistical differences between the existential frustration and recrimination based on gender, and finally, identify the correlation between the existential frustration and recrimination. To do this, the researcher adopted the existential frustration scale of ( al-saaedi, 2009) that consisted of (43) item, he also adopted the recrimination scale of ( al-zugeibi,2008) which composed of (31) item. The total sample was (120) male and female student were chosen randomly from four colleges within the university of Baghdad for the academic year ( 2015-2016). The results revealed that the targeted sampl
... Show MoreThe purposes of study are to measure the perceived competence and the locus of control among sixth-grade students, to identify the statistical differences between the perceived competence and the locus of control among sixth-grade students regarding the variable of gender, achievement, and economical status, and lastly, explore the correlation relationship between perceived competence and locus of control among sixth-grade students, To do this, the researchers have constructed two scales: one to measure the perceived competence based on bandura's theory (social-cognitive theory) which consisted of (26) items and the other to measure the locus of control based on Rotter's theory (social-learning theory) which included (25) items. The samp
... Show MoreThe study attempts to measure the level of shyness; the level of psychological isolation; to identify the relationship between shyness and psychological isolation; and to identify the differences between shyness and psychological isolation among first-intermediate students. To this end, a random sample comprised (187) male and female students was chosen for the academic year (2016-2017) from Baghdad \ Al-Rasafa. To measure the shyness and psychological isolation, the researcher designed two scales: one to measure the shyness composed of (37) items divided into four domains; and the other to measure the psychological isolation made of (56) items divided into three domains. The study concluded that the sample has a medium level of shyness;
... Show MoreThis paper aimed to investigate the relationship between work stress and cognitive failures among administrators of university professors and included a sample by searching from (474) teachers’ administrators and those who obtaining master degree or doctorate. Work stress scale was used, which is prepared by Amina Boashiri supporting by that, a measure of cognitive failures has also been used which is prepared by Khamis Shaeal Al Badri. In order to obtain the results statistical methods were used including (one-sample t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient) results indicated a high level of stress Work stress and high level of cognitive failures among professors as administrators, and also there is a positive correlation, as well as stat
... Show More