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 research aimed at measuring the compatibility of Big date with the organizational Ambidexterity dimensions of the Asia cell Mobile telecommunications company in Iraq in order to determine the possibility of adoption of Big data Triple as a approach to achieve organizational Ambidexterity.
The study adopted the descriptive analytical approach to collect and analyze the data collected by the questionnaire tool developed on the Likert scale After a comprehensive review of the literature related to the two basic study dimensions, the data has been subjected to many statistical treatments in accordance with res
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The research aims to recognize the impact of the training program based on integrating future thinking skills and classroom interaction patterns for mathematics teachers and providing their students with creative solution skills. To achieve the goal of the research, the following hypothesis was formulated: There is no statistically significant difference at the level (0.05) between the mean scores of students of mathematics teachers whose teachers trained according to the proposed training program (the experimental group) and whose teachers were not trained according to the proposed training program (the control group) in Pre-post creative solution skills test. Research sample is consisted of (31) teachers and schools were distribut
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The cost-effective carbon cross-linked Y zeolite nanocrystals composite (NYC) was prepared using an eco-friendly substrate prepared from bio-waste and organic adhesive at intermediate conditions. The green synthesis method dependent in this study assures using chemically harmless compounds to ensure homogeneous distribution of zeolite over porous carbon. The greenly prepared cross-linked composite was extensively characterized using Fourier transform infrared, nitrogen adsorption/desorption, Field emission scanning electron microscope, Dispersive analysis by X-ray, Thermogravimetric analysis, and X-ray diffraction. NYC had a surface area of 176.44 m2/g, and a pore volume of 0.0573 cm3/g. NYC had a multi-function nature, sustained at a long-
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The concept of TQM is based on one of the concepts that combine administrative and innovative methods. The aim of the research is to demonstrate the dimensions of TQM in enhancing the satisfaction of the taxpayers through a survey of a sample of officials in the General Authority for Taxation and 50 officials. In the collection of data and information, and the results were analyzed using the SPSS program to find the most important compounds and factors in he method of analysis.
The research problem was represented by the non-application of the General Authority for Taxation to the entrances and modern practices in the administrative work. The results of some of the complications that accompany the tax accounting process, which af
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The object of this research is to determine the effect in the differences of the correlation pattern of the micro blogging on the educational attainment of computer science curriculum for 12th grade students. I will try to test the best suited correlation and I might use the demo curriculum as well to achieve its objectives , The research method that will be used in this research is the quantitative method where we will use a sample of 60 students divided into two groups ( correlate the micro blogging - adopted the sequence pattern of relating the micro blogging) As a result, we found out that there are quantitative differences among the two groups' median , The differences goes back to the main effect of the correlation pattern of the m
... Show MoreThe subject of the evolution of fire insurance of the hottest topics accidents, because it falls within the commercial insurance, as its importance is reflected for being a security source and contentment of the insured person and so it is worth pointing out the importance of fire insurance in enterprises and organizations of all kinds, because of the guarantee of its assets from meridian as well as protection from the effects of the fire therefore ensure continuity in the performance of their activities
Abstract: The aim of the research identify the effect of using the five-finger strategy in learning a movement chain on the balance beam apparatus for students in the third stage in the College of Physical Education and Sports Science, as well as to identify which groups (experimental and controlling) are better in learning the kinematic chain on the balance beam device, has been used The experimental approach is to design the experimental and control groups with pre-and post-test. The research sample was represented by third-graders, as the third division (j) was chosen by lot to represent the experimental group, and a division Third (i) to represent the control group, after which (10) students from each division were tested by lot to repr
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