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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The tax is one of the elements of the general revenues of the state and contributes to covering its expenses. Taxes are imposed in most countries of the world. The tax proceeds depend on a set of factors that contribute either positively or negatively to the tax share by increasing or decreasing it. Therefore, the research aims to demonstrate the role of the tax examiner's procedures in achieving the validity of the taxable base and its reflection on the tax proceeds, as well as reviewing the tax examiner's procedures related to the tax return process. Examination and tax audit of the financial statements, as well as presenting the financial statements to an independent and i
... Show MoreThe method of analysis is one of the tools the coach to identify strengths andweaknesses of each player, and how to avoid mistakes that in the course ofperformance on the other hand, Voslob analysis is important for the player, as throughthe analysis will determine the capacity enjoyed by both the coach and player, as wellas being the possibility of progress in a scientific manner thoughtful, and also helps inthe evaluation of physical and skill level and tactical, psychological and trainingcapacity of the coach in order to avoid obstacles and make the coach is movingtowards the right track to improve the good level, and then an investigation tocomplete higher education.Hence the importance of research in the analysis of simple attack and n
... Show MoreThe present research aims to test the effect of cognitive complexity as an independent variable in organizational agility as a responsive variable among the leaders working at the headquarters of the Iraqi Petroleum Products Distribution Company.
To conclude a number of recommendations that contribute in the organizational agility in the company, and due to the importance of this research in public organizations and its notable role in community organizations. The research was carried out on a random sample of 101 individuals out of a total of 308, which represents the high leaders in the company (general managers, head of departments, and division officials). A questionnaire was used as information
... Show MoreThe research aims to identify ways of upgrading the quality level of university education at the Middle Technical University in light of its application for the National Ranking project for the quality of Iraqi universities in order to obtain advanced grades among the Iraqi universities , Which is qualified to enter the Ranking of universities worldwide, through displaying the mechanism of the Application of National Ranking project for the quality of Iraqi universities in the Middle Technical University and its formations consisting of (5) technical colleges and (11) technical institute.
The results of the application showed several observations: The most
... Show MoreThis search aim to measure Hardness for Epoxy resin and for unsaturated Polyester resin as base materials for composite Hybrid and the materials used is Hybrid fiber Carbon-Kevlar. The Hand Lay-up method was used to manufacture plates of Epoxy resin (EP) and unsaturated Polyester EP,UPE backed by Hybrid fiber (Carbon-Kevlar) and with small volume fraction 5,10 and 15 for every there are Layer of fibers (1,2 and 3). The hardness test was count for material EP, UPE resin and there composites and that we notice that the Hardness (HB) decreased with increase of temperatures.
The goal of this work is demonstrating, through the gradient observation of a of type linear ( -systems), the possibility for reducing the effect of any disturbances (pollution, radiation, infection, etc.) asymptotically, by a suitable choice of related actuators of these systems. Thus, a class of ( -system) was developed based on finite time ( -system). Furthermore, definitions and some properties of this concept -system and asymptotically gradient controllable system ( -controllable) were stated and studied. More precisely, asymptotically gradient efficient actuators ensuring the weak asymptotically gradient compensation system ( -system) of known or unknown disturbances are examined. Consequently, under convenient hypo
... Show MoreSimple, cheap, sensitive, and accurate kinetic- spectrophotometric method has been developed for the determination of naringenin in pure and supplements formulations. The method is based on the formation of Prussian blue. The product dye exhibits a maximum absorbance at 707 nm. The calibration graph of naringenin was linear over the range 0.3 to 10 µg ml-1 for the fixed time method (at 15 min) with a correlation coefficient (r) and percentage linearity (r2%) were of 0.9995 and 99.90 %, respectively, while the limit of detection LOD was 0.041 µg ml-1. The method was successfully applied for the determination of naringenin in supplements with satisfac
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In this research will be treated with a healthy phenomenon has a significant impact on different age groups in the community, but a phenomenon tonsillitis where they will be first Tawfiq model slope self moving averages seasonal ARMA Seasonal through systematic Xbox Cengnzla counter with rheumatoid tonsils in the city of Mosul, and for the period 2004-2009 with prediction of these numbers coming twelve months, has found that the specimen is the best representation of the data model is the phenomenon SARMA (1,1) * (2,1) 12 from the other side and explanatory variables using a maximum temperature and minimum temperature, sol