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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A design for a photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) assembly with a water-cooled heat sink was planned, constructed, and experimentally evaluated in the climatic conditions of the southern region of Iraq during the summertime. The water-cooled heat sink was applied to thermally manage the PV cells, in order to boost the electrical output of the PVT system. A set of temperature sensors was installed to monitor the water intake, exit, and cell temperatures. The climatic parameters including the wind velocity, atmospheric pressure, and solar irradiation were also monitored on a daily basis. The effects of solar irradiation on the average PV temperature, electrical power, and overall electrical-thermal efficiency were investigated. The findings i
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This study examined the problematic of the ambiguous relationship between the media and terrorism and the problems that result from press coverage of terroristic incidents. The paper sought to show the classification and confrontation of such incidents had been established from the point of view of a sample of media professionals, researchers and writers who are frequenters of Al-Mutanabi Street in Baghdad. The media outlets that carry this coverage would not give up their media mission as well as the terrorists would not be given an opportunity to take advantage of this coverage in achieving their goals and objectives. Furthermore, the terrorist organizations would have no chance to exploit these means to deliver their terroristic messa
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As the banking sector is a strong influence on the country's economic growth,The solid financial well-being of anybank does not mean only a guarantee for its investors, It is also important for both owners and workers and for theeconomy in all its joints.The elements of capital adequacy and quality of assets are important to the functioning of thebanking business.In this study, the research sample included four private banks. Quarterly data were used for the period(2011 - 2018).Moreover, data is also collected from articles, papers, the World Wide Web (the Internet) and specializedinternational journals.In this research, an effort was made to try to find out the effect of (the ratio of the capital owned todeposits on the value of the bank),
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The current research aims to find out the role of transformational leadership in decision-making wise, to cope with the decline in some of the banking performance indicators as a result of the absence of the modern concept of the leadership of those so-called B (Transformational Leadership) and preventing benefit from the advantages in the banks, and I test the research on a sample of the Iraqi private banks through applied to a sample (77) Mdermvud and Associate Director and Advisor to the Chairman of the Department, the distributors (7) banks, and used the head of the questionnaire as a tool to collect data and information. For the purpose of access to the results, the research sought to test two hypotheses two main hypotheses sub pop
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The research aims to examine the evaluation of educational quality management and the ways to improve it in the College of Education for Women at the University of Baghdad from the point of view of the academic staff. The research community consisted of (288) participants comprising all members of the academic staff in the College of Education for Women at the University of Baghdad for the academic year (2019-2020). As for the questionnaire, it was distributed to the academic staff of the scientific departments according to their affiliation for the purpose of identifying the availability of the requirements of the quality of the teaching service provided to them by the educational institution. The researcher adopted a questionnaire deve
... Show MoreBackground: World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nation International Children Fund (UNICEF) developed a strategy known as Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI); which aims to reduce less than five years children morbidity and mortality in developing countries.
Objective: To assess the completion of the IMCI format status in primary health care centers, Baghdad.
Methods: A cross sectional study with analytic element was conducted during the period from 15th of January till 15th May 2016 in selected Primary health centers in Baghdad, Iraq. The sample consists of form of child files less than 2 months and form from 2
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l development in addition to environmental reform, which is not possible at its best, and from this the faculties of physical education and sports science realize the scale of the problem and its importance in the development of society that this all puts on the faculties of education Physical and sports sciences are a very difficult task and an end in holiness, for it is the responsibility of the human development service and its leadership, because the community leaders and its elites are those who value their direction and future more than others. The importance of this study comes from the goal of sustainable development to maximizing pain. The net gain from higher education while ensuring the preservation of the quality of reso
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The present study designed to determine the ethanolic extract of Cyperus rotundus on Liver in Albino Male Mice . In the present study 18 Male mice were used they divided into six groups ( 1st group consedered control group , 2nd group injected by 250 mg/ml from extract , 3th group injected by 300 mg/ml from extract , 4th group injected by 350 mg/ml from extract , 5th group injected by 400 mg/ml from extract and the 6th group injected by 450 mg/ml from extract ) . the expermint lasted for two days and the doses gived by intraperitonial injection . showed from the study results that ethanolic extract for Cyperus rotundus have negative effect on Liver tissue in 250 , 300 , 350 mg/ml concentrations when comparsion with control group . the re
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The role of teacher of kindergarten plays an important role in the educational institution for kindergarten role in the educational institution for kindergarten and the failure of its role in the development of the mental processes of children kindergarten means failing in this institution .and hence the importance and effectiveness of the role of the student applied section kindergarten application period it is there fore necessary to be aware of the importance of learning. in preschool and good professional setting and enjoy a significant level of psychological and social systems and mental qualities and study is the urgent need to find generations hare systematic thinker's mind so stay away from memorization and trad
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