Abstract Candida albicans is a commensal fungal pathogen that grows in yeast and hyphal forms in the human gut. C. albicans causes mucosal and cutaneous diseases that can result in significant mortality following systematic infections and it also exhibits drug resistance. Zebrafish have been an excellent model to investigate C. albicans infections because of their transparency and the availability of many transgenic lines. However, there is a limitation in using zebrafish as a model because the fish embryos cannot survive at 37°C therefore it is not suitable for studying Candida infections at physiological relevant human body temperature. In this thesis, the normal embryonic development of Arabian killifish (A. dispar) is investigated, revealing that embryogenesis was divided into 32 stages based on diagnostic patterns of development. A. dispar can also found to tolerate a wide range of temperatures and salinities. This suggests that A. dispar could be developed as a novel model to investigate host-pathogen interactions. The tolerance of A. dispar to high temperatures may in part be attributable to brown pigment cells with a highly fluorescent character that may have developed to allow the fish to adapt to live within extreme environmental conditions with strong sunlight and a wide range of temperatures (Chapter 3). In terms of Candida infections, this study examined A. dispar as a model to test C. albicans pathogenicity. The survival of A. dispar embryos following Candida infection showed a dose dependent relationship. We also found that A. dispar can survive longer than zebrafish after infection. Furthermore, C. albicans cells were observed to undergo a transition from yeast to hyphae at 37°C. An investigation of the ability of mutant strains of C. albicans with defects in cell wall mannosylation revealed a significant impact on virulence, host mortality, and the fishes’ immune response. The present study found that although the deletion of O- and N-mannan from the cell wall of C. albicans, affected fungal burden (attenuation), and the survival of the infected embryos per se was significantly decreased in the infections of the mutant strains compared to the WT. This data confirms the importance of the mannosylation state of the cell wall in triggering an immune recognition event (Chapter 4). A. dispar is also shown to be suitable for studying the effectiveness of 3 | P a g e antifungals. Fluconazole treatment of infected embryos and eggs promoted greater rates of survival at high doses, alongside a significant reduction of C. albicans CFUs (Chapter 4). When looking at the Candida-host interaction, we directly observed phagocytosed yeast cells within macrophages. Various detection methods were used to follow macrophages and neutrophils including Western blotting, immunostaining and histological staining (Sudan black and FITC-tyramide) allowing the monitoring of the time course of the immune cells. A biphasic response of macrophages was detected by L-plastin Western blotting, suggesting activation of two different type of macrophage: activated macrophage (M1) and alternative macrophage (M2). We also assayed reactive oxygen species (ROS) within infected embryos using a fluorescent probe (H2DCFDA), revealing the accumulation of the fluorescent probe at the sites of infection. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of the oxidative and immune response using the H2DCFDA and qPCR were also accomplished within A. dispar embryos after infection with both the WT and mutant strains of Candida albicans (WT, pmr1∆, mnt1-mnt2∆, and och1∆). The results confirmed that the mutant strains did not activate a host oxidative stress response nor immune cell accumulation when compared to WT, suggesting that the immune response is less activated against these mutants. Finally, a new transgenic line of A. dispar fish was developed using Betaactin-DsR-LoxP-GFP. The new transgenic A. dispar is suggested to be an ideal model for real time observation of host-pathogen interactions and for investigation of molecular functions of the immune response. Overall these results improve our understanding of the use of a new transparent fish model to study fungal pathogenesis and demonstrates the potential advantages of using this species in future studies of bacterial, fungal and viral pathogens at a physiologically relevant temperature for human infection. Such a model could lead us to investigate in more depth the key interactions between pathogens and their host and permit the screening and development of new antifungal therapies (that might target the pathogens directly or target the host immune system). View full metadata
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KE Sharquie, RA Najim, RK Al-Hayani, AA Al-Nuaimy, DM Maroof, Saudi medical journal, 2008 - Cited by 74
The topic of the research on the Observatory of the Walls on Jurisprudential Matters in the Hanafi Fiqh, by Imam San’a Allah bin Ali bin Khalil Al-Ala’iyya Wai al-Naqshbandi, al-Rumi, who died in 1137 AH, which includes seven chapters, the first section of it concerning division and related matters, and the second section in the adaptation It is the apportionment of benefits in common objects, the third section, which pertains to lines, surfaces, and bodies, the fourth section, which concerns the inclined wall and certification, and the fifth section, which concerns the provisions of the walls and its claims, and the sixth section, which concerns the door of roads and doors, the opening of the skylight, the sails of the wing, the can
... Show MoreThe predatory bush crickets Saga ephippigera Fischer Von Waldheim, 1846 is the largest Iraqi orthopterans and one of the most active and successful predators in the Kurdistan region. The nymphs and adults prey on all the stages of various species of insects. Twelve adult specimens were collected from Erbil Province during May 2018 and June 2021. Morphological structures of the adult insects were described and illustrated in details; important taxonomic characteristics of body regions with their appendages were chosen; and the results indicated the importance of morphological characteristics which confirmed the identification of this species correctly.
The study aimed to reveal the obstacles of administrative creativity among the leaders of secondary schools (the curriculum system) in the northern border region, which relate to the obstacles (organizational, motivational, and psychological). In addition, to identify the most important statistical differences between the responses of the members of the study sample, which attribute to the variables (educational qualification, year’s Administrative expertise). To achieve the goal of the study, the researcher used the descriptive analytical approach, and to verify the validity of the tool, it has presented to several referees and faculty members in the educational field. The validity of the internal consistency was also calculated for t
... Show MoreIn this study, the radon gas concentration as well as the annual effective dose in leaves of the Malvasylvestris (Khabbaz) plant used in the traditional treatment and as food in Iraq, for this, it is necessary to evaluate the concentrations radon gas, which were measured using solid state nuclear track detectors (SSNTDs) CR-39 technique. The concentration and annual effective dose in samples were collected from Baghdad city ranged from minimum to maximum value 15.815 , 0.498 , 54.445 , 1.717 respectively, while the values of concentration and annual effective dose in a sample collected from Karbala are 15.297 ,0.482 . These values of concentration and annual effective dose less were compared with th
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The purpose of this work is to clarify the effect of the Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) on the properties of the galaxy. A photometric study of two galaxies by surface optical measurements techniques and by using'griz filters' was performed. The scientific material that used in this work was obtained from ''SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY'' (DR7), a fuzzy color, contour maps, photometric parameters, and color indices were studied by using surface photometric technique. The work was done by Ellipse task in IRAF (Image Reduction and Analysis Facility) software from the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO).
The research deals with solar energy as one of the sources of renewable energies available in Iraq, which can be utilized. The research aims to identify the design pillars of the use of solar energy in street furniture and its relationship to formal variables. The research limits included street furniture manufactured by JCDecaux in Boston during the period 2015-2016, and included the theoretical framework which consists of two sections: solar energy (its beginnings and uses), and solar energy and its uses in Street furniture design.
As far as the research procedures and methodology are concerned, it adopted the descriptive approach in describing and analyzing the sample models in addition to describing and analyzing the sample i
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The experiment for the growing season. 2015-2016 to study the effect of gibberellic acid at concentrations (0 and 50)mgL-1 and BL at five concentrations (0, 0.5 ,1 ,2 and 3)mg.L-1 and their interaction on some chemical characteristics for Dill plant . The experiment was designed according to Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replicates per treatment, using less significant difference at the level of probability (0.05) , the results showed the following:- 1- The effect of brassinolide with it,s concentrations led to obtain on a significant increase in all the studied characteristics, so the superiority of the concentration of 2 mg.L -1 of brassinolide in each of nitrogen, potassium and protein, And the superi
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This study is designed to detect the level of cytokine IFN-γ concentration, and some antioxidants, including super oxide dismutase (SOD) and Vitamin C, and to estimate the level of sex hormones (FSH and LH), and to determine auto-antibodies (antiphospholipid antibodies (APA) IgG\IgM, and anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA) IgG\IgM) and to estimate the blood parameters in 51 miscarriage women infected with T.gondii distributed depending on the type of antibodies. Additionally, 39 volunteers non-infected with T.gondii included (19 miscarriage women, 10 pregnant women and 10 non-pregnant women). ELISA and spectrophotometer method were used in this study. The results of IFN-γ showed a significant increase)p<0.05) in the l
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