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
Abstract:
This study aims to identify the level of patients’ satisfaction among a sample of hospitalized patients in the targeted hospital (Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital, and Al-Yarmook Teaching Hospital). Moreover, this study highlights the reality of services for patients, especially in the targeted governmental teaching hospitals. The Patient Satisfaction with Nursing Care (PSNCS) has been measured in these hospitals through the revised scale by Tang et al, (2013).This scale includes four major domains; Health Information (5 items), Influencing Support (4 items), Decision Control (4 items), Specialized Technical Competence (7 items). The method of surveying patients’ opinions about the degree
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Understanding breaking news necessitates a special attention, since they are written with a special style. The study aims at identifying the difficulties faced by the Iraqi university EFL learners in comprehending English breaking news. The study included 10 fourth year students enrolled at the Department of English, College of Education for Humanities, University of Anbar. Thus, a questionnaire as a research instrument, was sent online to the students. The questionnaire points were related to the identification of difficulties faced by the learners in comprehending English breaking news. The data of the study were (10) headlines selected purposively from Euronews website. The data were qualitatively analyzed based on quantifying the qua
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BACKGROUND: Clavicle fractures are common injuries in young active individuals, the mid third of the clavicle is most commonly fractured part(80% of clavicle fracture) OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcomes of operative and non operative management of displaced and or comminuted closed fracture of the mid third of clavicle in young adults PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective observational study of 24 patients of fracture of the mid third of the clavicle was conducted in Alkindy teaching hospital from July 2015 to January 2017 and divided into two groups; one managed by operative treatment with plate and screws and the other by non operative sling immobilization after taking the consent and the patients were seen at 2, 4, 6 weeks,3, 6, and 9 m
... Show MoreBackground: Preoperative radiographical assessment of the maxillofacial lesions is of a great importance in guiding the surgeon during surgical procedure in reducing post-operative complications. This study highlighted the application of CBCT scan in the assessment of maxillofacial cystic and cystic like lesions as a part of advanced radiology Materials and methods: A total of 20 patients (15 males and 5 females) participated in this prospective study. CBCT scan (Kodak 9500 CBCT) with (DICOM) software utilized to perform scanning to all patients in order to assess lesion extension, morphological features and it’s relation to the adjacent vital structures. Results: In this study, the total cystic and cystic like lesions involving the
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Abstract
The resources-based introduction in the study of business organizations is increasingly dealing in the study of the human capacities and the best ways to develop them and changing the resources of the organization to be essential and competent to face the business challenges. Today’s organizations need crucial practices to face those challenges and the influences of those practices which take into consideration the importance of developing the entrepreneurship inside the organization. Those practices are called “High Performance Work Systems” which is denoted by “HPWS” and defined as the practices of human resources management which help in acquiring func
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Objectives: To evaluate the effect of non-pharmacological pain relief methods on duration of labor stage.
Methodology: A quasi-experimental study design was conducted during the period of (4th July 2018 through 24th October 2018) on non-probability of (60) women (30) of them were a control group and (30) were the study group whom admitted to Al-Elwyia Maternity Teaching Hospital suffering from labor pain. A questionnaire was used as a tool of data collection Descriptive& Inferential statistical analyses were used to analyze the data.
Result: The highest percentages of study and control groups were in age group (< 20) years old, primary schools graduates, housewife, from "urban area", within low category of socioeconomic scal
Chitinase-3-like 1 protein (YKL-40) is a glycoprotein primarily produced in the arthritic joint and plays a crucial role in inflammatory processes. The aim of the study is to establish the role of YKL-40 as a biomarker for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared to proinflammatory biomarkers and disease activity. The study included 58 patients and 18 control. Diseases activity score (DAS-28) and clinical disease activity index (CDAI) were measured. Serum level of YKL-40, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1B (IL-1β), erythrocyte sedimentation (ESR), rheumatoid factor (RF), C-reactive protein (CRP), and anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) were assessed. The results showed that the median serum YKL-40 level which was 5.42
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Mercury, arsenic, cadmium and lead, were measured in sediment samples of river and marine environmental of Basra governorate in southern of Iraq. Sixteen sites of sediment were selected and distributed along Shatt Al-Arab River and the Iraqi marine environment. The samples were distributed among one station on Euphrates River before its confluence with Tigris River and Shatt Al-Arab formation, seven stations along Shatt Al-Arab River and eight stations were selected from the Iraqi marine region. All samples were collected from surface sediment in low tide time. ICP technique was used for the determination of mercury and arsenic for all samples, while cadmium and lead were measured for the same samples by using Atomic Absorption Spectrosc
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Objective(s) : This study aimed at evaluating the seroprevalence of anti -HCV and studying the
correlation between hemophilia and risk factors for acquiring HCV such as age , marital status &
occupation among hemophilic patients .
Methodology : 210 hemophilic patients in children welfare teaching hospital/medical city/Baghdad–Iraq
(hemophilia center) were investigated using prepared questionnaire and tested for HCV infection, those
were measuring patient’s age, hemophilia types and severity, marital status, residency and history of
previous HCV infection .
Results : Most hemophilic patients were hemophilia A at severe , hemophilia was at age group 20 – 29
years , the majority of patients were unmarried a
The world faces, in the last years of the last century and the beginning
of the current century i.e. the 21st century, a great expansion and a large
openness on new worlds in studies differ in their development, detection of
thinking methods and practice of mental processes.
The recent studies have proved an increase in the scientific
achievement among students through the presence of new techniques one of
which is Landa Organizing and Exploring Model concerning Physiology that
deals with various body organs.
This research aims at identifying the effectiveness of Landa Model on
the achievement of the Technical Medicine Institute students in Physiology so
as to be sure of the following nil hypothesis: there i