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
The Battle of Kadesh is replete with many military arrangements that reflect the tremendous development of war preparations in the thirteenth century BC; where the expressive pictures the Egyptians left on some of the walls of their temples show the tremendous ability to organize and divide the forces and the great development that affected the war machine. Furthermore, the text accompanied these pictures reveal some news about that battle, which is considered one of the most important wars in the ancient world. Thus, the importance of the study lies in the fact that it examines one of the most important battles of the ancient Near East, the results of which had great repercussions on the region. This is because it is the most abundant B
... Show More
The study included general survey of some districts of Iraq in order to determinate new distribution areas for 33 species of the genus salvia L. ,new collections obtained , new locations for many species recorded. Observed specimens in most Iraqi herbaria were studies and identified. ,the flowering period were also studied
(1)
The objective of the current research is to identify the degree of awareness of the teachers of Arabic language with the requirements of sustainable development. The research sample consisted of (100) male and female teachers of the Arabic language. A 3-likert scale of (71) items grouped into practical and cognitive aspects, five trends for each aspect was designed by the researcher to explore the required data. The results showed that the level of awareness of teachers of the Arabic language was moderate of both the cognitive and practical aspects of sustainable education with means (1.69) and (1.48) respectively. The researcher presented a set of recommendations and suggestions.
The aim of the current research to determine the extent of logical intelligence in the book of chemistry for the fifth grade of science and to achieve the goal the researcher has prepared a special criterion in the areas of logical intelligence main and sub-to be included in the book after reviewing the previous literature and studies in this regard may be the final form after presentation to experts and arbitrators in the field of Educational and psychological sciences, curricula and teaching methods from (3) main areas and (21) sub-fields, then the researcher analyzed the book Bibih and applied branches and adopted the idea of both explicit and implicit as a unit of registration and repet
... Show MoreAbstract
Magnetic abrasive finishing (MAF) is one of the advanced finishing processes, which produces a high level of surface quality and is primarily controlled by a magnetic field. This paper study the effect of the magnetic abrasive finishing system on the material removal rate (MRR) and surface roughness (Ra) in terms of magnetic abrasive finishing system for eight of input parameters, and three levels according to Taguchi array (L27) and using the regression model to analysis the output (results). These parameters are the (Poles geometry angle, Gap between the two magnetic poles, Grain size powder, Doze of the ferromagnetic abrasive powder, DC current, Workpiece velocity, Magnetic poles velocity, and Finishi
... Show MoreThe research dealt with the topic ' the aesthetics of design shape of interior spaces for the syndicate of physicians' as it reflects visions evolving to the level of tasting and positive interpretation for the space of work to be on a high design level.The research consisting of four chapters as follow; The first chapter examined the problem of the research contracted in the following question: Have the design shapes any role in achieving and showing the aesthetic side for the syndicate of physicians? so the goal of the research was showing the aesthetics of design shape of interior spaces for the syndicate of physicians, The chapter also included the objective spatial and temporal limits of research .Finally the terms were specified. T
... Show More
The kindergarten teacher play a role in fixing the children behavior so she must plant the value and the habits that make a positive behavior and accepted by the society so the teacher must know all the right educational psychological styles to fix the children behavior and make them accepted psychologically and socially so the problem of the research start from knowing the relation between the methods of dealing with the kindergarten’s teachers and the non right behavior appearance for the kindergarten children. The current research aims to measure the negative behavior appearance of the children of kindergarten and distinguish it according to (sex and levels) and to distinguish the most using styles by the teachers of kinderg
... Show MoreThe study included general survey of some districts of Iraq in order to determinate new distribution areas for 33 species of the genus salvia L. ,new collections obtained , new locations for many species recorded. Observed specimens in most Iraqi herbaria were studies and identified. ,the flowering period were also studied
(1)
This study aimed to analyze and measure the relationship between oil revenues and financial sustainability in Iraq, the study used the stylistic approach inductive and deductive approach. Accompanied by the use of quantitative and analytical style, which was based on two variables oil revenues and net general budget on annual data covered the period (1990-2013). Among the most important findings of the study contain the time-series variables study on the root of the unit and is not stable in the general level, and become stable after the use of mathematical processors to gain access to a stable by taking the first difference of natural Ogartm of the series. The way (Johnson) to a long-term relationship between oil revenues and ne
... Show More
The Iraqi economy has suffered for a long period of inflation because of the Iraq war and the resolutions and the sanctions that were imposed on Iraq, this phenomenon overshadowed at various aspects of the economy including the tax revenue that the State seeks to optimize the total income for the budget, the research covers the years 1990-2010, these years have been divided according to the country's economic variables.
The research adopted on econometrics analysis that is based on the information and data available on topics and has been using statistical methods to test functions are formulated.
Research concluded that rates of inflation and GDP impact is limited to direct taxation and indirect in current prices a
... Show More