The activities of ISIS since 2014 have brought back to centre stage a series of very old and very troubling questions about the integrity and viability of the Iraqi state. However, most analysts have ...framed recent events in terms of their immediate past and without the contextual background to explain their evolution. State and Society in Iraq moves beyond a short-sighted analysis to place the complex and contested nature of Iraqi politics within a broader and deeper historical examination. In doing so, the chapters demonstrate that beyond the overwhelming emphasis on failed occupations, cruel tyrants, ethnic separatists and violent religious fanatics, is an Iraqi people who have routinely agitated against the state, advocated for legitimate and accountable government, and called for inter-communal harmony.When, the authors maintain, the Iraqi people are given agency in the complex process of consent, negotiation and resistance that underpin successful state-society relations, the nation can move beyond patterns of oppression and cruelty, of dangerous rhetoric and divisive politics, and towards a cohesive, peaceful and prosperous future - despite the many difficulties and the steep challenges that lie ahead.
Alcohol downregulates IRAK‐M, SHIP1, SOCS1, and IL‐10, inhibitors of TLR4 signaling, via NF‐κB‐induced miR‐155 and HDAC11 in Kupffer cells.
Inflammation promotes the progression of alcoholic liver ...disease. Alcohol sensitizes KCs to gut‐derived endotoxin (LPS); however, signaling pathways that perpetuate inflammation in alcoholic liver disease are only partially understood. We found that chronic alcohol feeding in mice induced miR‐155, an inflammatory miRNA in isolated KCs. We hypothesized that miR‐155 might increase the responsiveness of KCs to LPS via targeting the negative regulators of LPS signaling. Our results revealed that KCs that were isolated from alcohol‐fed mice showed a decrease in IRAK‐M, SHIP1, and PU.1, and an increase in TNF‐α levels. This was specific to KCs, as no significant differences were observed in these genes in hepatocytes. We found a causal effect of miR‐155 deficiency on LPS responsiveness, as KCs that were isolated from miR‐155 KO mice showed a greater induction of IRAK‐M, SHIP1, and suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 after LPS treatment. C/EBPβ, a validated miR‐155 target, stimulates IL‐10 transcription. We found a higher induction of C/EBPβ and IL‐10 in KCs that were isolated from miR‐155 KO mice after LPS treatment. Gain‐ and loss‐of‐function studies affirmed that alcohol‐induced miR‐155 directly regulates IRAK‐M, SHIP1, suppressor of cytokine signaling 1, and C/EBPβ, as miR‐155 inhibition increased and miR‐155 overexpression decreased these genes in LPS or alcohol‐pretreated wild‐type KCs. HDAC11, a regulator of IL‐10, was significantly increased and IL‐10 was decreased in KCs that were isolated from alcohol‐fed mice. Functionally, knockdown of HDAC11 with small interfering RNA resulted in an IL‐10 increase in LPS or alcohol‐pretreated Mϕ. We found that acetaldehyde and NF‐κB pathways regulate HDAC11 levels. Collectively, our results indicate that the alcohol‐induced responsiveness of KCs to LPS, in part, is governed by miR‐155 and HDAC11.
The major cause of death in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients is due to de-regulation of the innate immune system and development of cytokine storm. SARS-CoV-2 infects multiple cell types in the lung, ...including macrophages, by engagement of its spike (S) protein on angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. ACE2 receptor initiates signals in macrophages that modulate their activation, including production of cytokines and chemokines. IL-1R-associated kinase (IRAK)-M is a central regulator of inflammatory responses regulating the magnitude of TLR responsiveness. Aim of the work was to investigate whether SARS-CoV-2 S protein-initiated signals modulate pro-inflammatory cytokine production in macrophages. For this purpose, we treated PMA-differentiated THP-1 human macrophages with SARS-CoV-2 S protein and measured the induction of inflammatory mediators including IL6, TNFα, IL8, CXCL5, and MIP1a. The results showed that SARS-CoV-2 S protein induced IL6, MIP1a and TNFα mRNA expression, while it had no effect on IL8 and CXCL5 mRNA levels. We further examined whether SARS-CoV-2 S protein altered the responsiveness of macrophages to TLR signals. Treatment of LPS-activated macrophages with SARS-CoV-2 S protein augmented IL6 and MIP1a mRNA, an effect that was evident at the protein level only for IL6. Similarly, treatment of PAM3csk4 stimulated macrophages with SARS-CoV-2 S protein resulted in increased mRNA of IL6, while TNFα and MIP1a were unaffected. The results were confirmed in primary human peripheral monocytic cells (PBMCs) and isolated CD14+ monocytes. Macrophage responsiveness to TLR ligands is regulated by IRAK-M, an inactive IRAK kinase isoform. Indeed, we found that SARS-CoV-2 S protein suppressed IRAK-M mRNA and protein expression both in THP1 macrophages and primary human PBMCs and CD14+ monocytes. Engagement of SARS-CoV-2 S protein with ACE2 results in internalization of ACE2 and suppression of its activity. Activation of ACE2 has been previously shown to induce anti-inflammatory responses in macrophages. Treatment of macrophages with the ACE2 activator DIZE suppressed the pro-inflammatory action of SARS-CoV-2. Our results demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2/ACE2 interaction rendered macrophages hyper-responsive to TLR signals, suppressed IRAK-M and promoted pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. Thus, activation of ACE2 may be a potential anti-inflammatory therapeutic strategy to eliminate the development of cytokine storm observed in COVID-19 patients.
Nach Ende des Zweiten Golfkriegs beteiligte sich die Bundesrepublik Deutschland mit einzelnen Inspektoren sowie drei Hubschraubern und zwei Flugzeugen der Bundeswehr samt Personal an der ...Sonderkommission der Vereinten Nationen (UNSCOM) im Irak. Vor Ort sollten sie bei der international geforderten Zerstörung der irakischen Massenvernichtungswaffen unterstützen. Bei der Entsendung handelte es sich um die erste personelle Beteiligung der Bundeswehr an einer Maßnahme der Vereinten Nationen. Nach der personellen Nichtbeteiligung am Zweiten Golfkrieg erhofften sich das Auswärtige Amt und das Bundesministerium der Verteidigung hierdurch internationales Ansehen zu generieren, gegenüber den USA Handlungsbereitschaft bei der Beilegung internationaler Krisen zu demonstrieren und erste militärische Erfahrungen im Rahmen einer multinationalen Maßnahme außerhalb des NATO-Bündnisses zu sammeln. Politisch wurde die Beteiligung damit legitimiert, dass sie nicht als Einsatz der Bundeswehr im Sinne des Grundgesetzes galt, sondern als logistische Unterstützung einer vom Sicherheitsrat der Vereinten Nationen gebilligten Abrüstungsmaßnahme.
Many Westerners have offered interpretations of Iraq's nation-building progress in the wake of the 2003 war and the eventual withdrawal of American troops from the country, but little has been ...written by Iraqis themselves. This forthright book fills in the gap. Zaid Al-Ali, an Iraqi lawyer with direct ties to the people of his homeland, to government circles, and to the international community, provides a uniquely insightful and up-to-date view of Iraq's people, their government, and the extent of their nation's worsening problems.
The true picture is discouraging: murderous bombings, ever-increasing sectarianism, and pervasive government corruption have combined to prevent progress on such crucial issues as security, healthcare, and power availability. Al-Ali contends that the ill-planned U.S. intervention destroyed the Iraqi state, creating a black hole which corrupt and incompetent members of the elite have made their own. And yet, despite all efforts to divide them, Iraqis retain a strong sense of national identity, Al-Ali maintains. He reevaluates Iraq's relationship with itself, discusses the inspiration provided by the events of the Arab Spring, and redefines Iraq's most important struggle to regain its viability as a nation.
Off-grid hybrid energy systems (HESs) have become more cost-effective and reliable than single-source systems for the electrification of rural areas. This paper presents a techno-economic and ...environmental analysis of different hybrid systems to supply electricity to a typical Iraqi rural village. The HOMER software is utilized for the optimization of the systems using the multi-year module, which has been overlooked in the literature thus far. The analysis shows that the PV/hydro/diesel/battery HES is the most economical option with a net present cost (NPC) of $113201, in addition to having acceptable technical and environmental performance levels. Throughout the project’s 20 year lifetime, PV electricity production is reduced by 9.1% while diesel electricity production, CO2 emissions and served load are increased by 90.8%, 91.7% and 8.8%, respectively. The NPC for the multi-year module shows an increment of 22.5% in comparison with that of the single year module. Furthermore, the sensitivity analysis of some rarely reported parameters, such as water pipe losses, generator minimum load, battery roundtrip efficiency, battery setpoint state of charge, capacity shortage, PV capital cost multiplier and multi-year, demonstrated that variations in these parameters have significant effects on the system power flow and its economic analysis.
•PV/hydro/diesel/battery hybrid energy systems are analyzed for different scenarios.•HOMER software is employed for the analysis using multi-year module.•Techno-economic and environmental performance of different systems are discussed.•Sensitivity analysis considering variations in several parameters is conducted.
Anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) is an extremely aggressive tumor associated with poor prognosis due to a lack of efficient therapies. In Japan, lenvatinib is the only drug approved for patients with ...ATC; however, its efficacy is limited. Therefore, novel therapeutic strategies are urgently required for patients with ATC. The present study aimed to identify compounds that enhance the antiproliferative effects of lenvatinib in ATC cells using a compound library. IRAK1/4 Inhibitor I was identified as a candidate compound. Combined treatment with lenvatinib and IRAK1/4 Inhibitor I showed synergistic antiproliferative effects via the induction of cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase in the ATC cell lines 8305C, HTC/C3, ACT‐1, and 8505C. Furthermore, IRAK1/4 Inhibitor I enhanced the inhibition of ERK phosphorylation by lenvatinib in 8305C, HTC/C3, and 8505C cells. In an HTC/C3 xenograft mouse model, tumor volume was lower in the combined IRAK1/4 Inhibitor I and lenvatinib group compared with that in the vehicle control, IRAK1/4 Inhibitor I, and lenvatinib groups. IRAK1/4 Inhibitor I was identified as a promising compound that enhances the antiproliferative and antitumor effects of lenvatinib in ATC.
We screened for novel compounds that could enhance the antiproliferative effects of lenvatinib in anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC), which is an extremely aggressive tumor with poor prognosis. We identified IRAK1/4 Inhibitor I as a candidate compound and examined its combined use with lenvatinib. In our HTC/C3 xenograft mouse model, tumor volume was significantly lower in the combined IRAK1/4 Inhibitor I and lenvatinib group compared with that in the control, IRAK1/4 Inhibitor I alone, and lenvatinib alone groups.
A new account of modern Iraqi politics that overturns the conventional wisdom about its sectarian divisions
How did Iraq become one of the most repressive dictatorships of the late twentieth century? ...The conventional wisdom about Iraq's modern political history is that the country was doomed by its diverse social fabric. But inState of Repression, Lisa Blaydes challenges this belief by showing that the country's breakdown was far from inevitable. At the same time, she offers a new way of understanding the behavior of other authoritarian regimes and their populations.
Drawing on archival material captured from the headquarters of Saddam Hussein's ruling Ba'th Party in the wake of the 2003 US invasion, Blaydes illuminates the complexities of political life in Iraq, including why certain Iraqis chose to collaborate with the regime while others worked to undermine it. She demonstrates that, despite the Ba'thist regime's pretensions to political hegemony, its frequent reliance on collective punishment of various groups reinforced and cemented identity divisions. In addition, a series of costly external shocks to the economy--resulting from fluctuations in oil prices and Iraq's war with Iran-weakened the capacity of the regime to monitor, co-opt, coerce, and control factions of Iraqi society.
In addition to calling into question the common story of modern Iraqi politics,State of Repressionoffers a new explanation of why and how dictators repress their people in ways that can inadvertently strengthen regime opponents.
From desolation to reconstruction Lamani, Mokhtar; Momani, Bessma
From desolation to reconstruction,
c2010, 2010, 2010-05-20, 2010-10-26
eBook
Iraq's streets are unsafe, its people tormented, and its identity as a state challenged from within and without. For some, Iraq is synonymous with internal hatred, bloodshed, and sectarianism. The ...contributors to this book, however, know another Iraq: a country that was once full of hope and achievement and that boasted one of the most educated workforces in its region—a cosmopolitan secular society with a great tradition of artisans, poets, and intellectuals. The memory of that Iraq inspired the editors of this volume to explore Iraq's current struggle. The contributors delve into the issues and concerns of building a viable Iraqi state and recognize the challenges in bringing domestic reconciliation and normalcy to Iraqis. From Desolation to Reconstruction: Iraq's Troubled Journey examines Iraq's reality after the 2003 US-led invasion. It begins by relating Iraq's modern social and political history prior to the invasion and then outlines the significant challenges of democratization and the creation of an Iraqi constitution, which will be necessary for Iraq to become a strong and effective state. Co-published with the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI).
Despite dramatic improvements in the security environment in most parts of Iraq, still unresolved are many core political issues, foremost of which is the conflict over the city and region of Kirkuk. ...With immense oil reserves and a diverse population of Kurds, Arabs, and Turkmens, Kirkuk in recent history has been scarred by interethnic violence and state-sponsored ethnic cleansing. Throughout the twentieth century, successive Arab Iraqi governments engaged in a brutal campaign to increase Kirkuk's Arab population at the expense of Kurds and Turkmens. Following the invasion of Iraq in 2003, a newly empowered Kurdish leadership has sought to reverse the effects of the Arabization campaign and to hold a referendum on incorporating Kirkuk into the Kurdistan Region. The Kurds' efforts are, however, strongly opposed by Kirkuk's Turkmens, Arabs, and also most states in the region.
InCrisis in Kirkuk, Liam Anderson and Gareth Stansfield offer a dispassionate analysis of one of Iraq's most pressing and unresolved problems. Drawing on extensive research and fieldwork, the authors investigate the claims to ownership made by each of Kirkuk's competing communities. They consider the constitutional mechanisms put in place to address the issue and the problems that have plagued their implementation. The book concludes with an assessment of the measures needed to resolve the crisis in Kirkuk, stressing that finding a compromise acceptable to all sides is vital to the future stability of Iraq.
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