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
Islamic banks are a financial institution that is interested in attracting financial savings from financial entities and directing them towards those with financial deficits, both for consumption purposes or for investment purposes. It provides banking services provided by commercial banks and other services But based on the principles and principles of Islamic law, and because of its recent emergence in Iraq, its ability to attract savings is not like non-Islamic commercial banks, which puts them in the option of using their capital to achieve its objective of banking. The research started from the premise that "Islamic banks in Iraq during the period (2008-2012) rely on their capital to perform their activities more than they rely on d
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This study deals with free convection heat transfer for the outer surface of two
cylinders of the shape of (Triangular & Rectangular fined cylinders with 8-fins),
putted into two different spaces; small one with dimension of (Length=1.2m,
height=1m, width=0.9m) and large one with dimension of (Length=3.6m, height =3m,
width=2.7m). The experimental work was conducted with air as a heat transport
medium. These cylinders were fixed at different slope angles (0o, 30o, 60o and 90o)
.The heat fluxes were (279, 1012, 1958, 3005, 4419) W/m2, where heat transferred by
convection and radiation. In large space, the results show that the heat transfer from
the triangular finned cylinder is maximum at a slope angle equals
The DC electrical conductivity properties of Ge60Se40-xTex alloy with x = 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20). The samples were formed in the form of discs with the thickness of 0.25–0.30 cm and the diameter of 1.5 cm. Samples were pressed under a pressure of 6 tons per cm2 , using a ton hydraulic press. They were prepared after being pressed using a ton hydraulic press using a hydraulic press. Melting point technology use to preper the samples. Continuous electrical conductivity properties were recorded from room temperature to 475 K. Experimental data indicates that glass containing 15% Te has the highest electrical conductivity allowing maximum current through the sample compared to Lu with other samples. Therefore, it is found that the DC co
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The study presents the modification of the Broyden-Flecher-Goldfarb-Shanno (BFGS) update (H-Version) based on the determinant property of inverse of Hessian matrix (second derivative of the objective function), via updating of the vector s ( the difference between the next solution and the current solution), such that the determinant of the next inverse of Hessian matrix is equal to the determinant of the current inverse of Hessian matrix at every iteration. Moreover, the sequence of inverse of Hessian matrix generated by the method would never approach a near-singular matrix, such that the program would never break before the minimum value of the objective function is obtained. Moreover, the new modification of BFGS update (H-vers
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The current research studies the digital techniques in order to identify the treatments with graphic techniques for the theatrical scene, which includes a number of programs and treatment tools with digital technique to identify the visual and aesthetic dimensions and outputs achieved in the design of the theatrical scene in addition to the options, that they provide in the design of a system of hypotheses for the theatrical world, In order to be an experimental mediator in achieving the creative hypothesis, which limited the research with a pivotal objective which is: identifying the digital techniques employed in the graphic digital design for the scene in the theatrical show. The research lies in its objective limits stated in the met
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The five-a- Side Soccer for people with a minor mental disability has become as important as many other sporting events. Therefore, the researcher considers that the basic skills tests are suited to the level of the tested individuals in terms of their age and mental ability. The technical aspects were adopted as a means of selecting from They are qualified to practice this game in the simplest form, so show the importance of the problem of research through the design and codification of two tests of handling skills belonging to this category and adopted by the training cadres during the selection process. The research community for people with minor mental disabilities determines the male category of the mental and social disability instit
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