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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Bioaccumulation of heavy metals in the terrestrial invertebrates in Al-Jadriyia district Baghdad- Iraq were investigated. Forth terrestrial invertebrates snails, slug, isopods, and diplopods , were selected for this study. The results showed that all invertebrate groups have the ability in accumulate considerable amounts of heavy metals. Higher levels of zinc and copper were observed in the isopods specimens, it's about ( 60.50±0.58 ) and ( 96.00±0.58 ) ppm respectively , while higher levels of lead were observed in the diplopods specimens ,it's about ( 23.00±1.15 ) ppm ,but the higher levels of both iron and cadmium were observed in snail specimens , it's about ( 590.00±1.15 ) and ( 9.50±1.15 ) ppm respectively .but the
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N-Pyridin-2-ylmethyl-benzene-1,2-diamine (L) was prepared from the reaction of ortho amino phenyl thiol with 2 – amino methyl pyridine in mole ratio (1:1) . It was characterized by elemental analysis (C.H.N) , FT-IR , Uv – Vis , 1H , 13C-N.M.R . The complexes of the bivalent ions (Co , Ni , Cu ,Pd , Cd , Hg and Pb) and the trivalent (Cr) have been prepared and characterized too . The structural was established by elemental analysis (C.H.N) , FT-IR , Uv – Vis spectra , conductivity measurements , atomic absorption and magnetic susceptibility . The complexes showed characteristic behavior of octahedral geometry around the metal ions and the (N,N,N) ligand coordinated in tridentat mode except with Pd complexes sho
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This study aims to identify the degree to which the first cycle teachers use different feedback patterns in the E-learning system, to identify the differences in the degree of use according to specialization, teaching experience, and in-service training in the field of classroom assessment as well as the interaction between them. The study sample consisted of (350) female teachers of the first cycle in the governmental schools in Muscat Governorate for the academic year 2020/2021. The study used a questionnaire containing four different feedback patterns: reinforcement, informative, corrective, and interpretive feedback. The psychometric properties of the questionnaire were verified in terms of validity
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Since the railway transport sector is very important in many countries of the world, we have tried through this research to study the production function of this sector and to indicate the level of productivity under which it operates.
It was found through the estimation and analysis of the production function Kub - Duglas that the railway transport sector in Iraq suffers from a decline in the level of productivity, which was reflected in the deterioration of the level of services provided for the transport of passengers and goods. This led to the loss of the sector of importance in supporting the national economy and the reluctance of most passengers an
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KA Hadi, AH Asma’a, IJONS, 2018 - Cited by 1
Churning of employees from organizations is a serious problem. Turnover or churn of employees within an organization needs to be solved since it has negative impact on the organization. Manual detection of employee churn is quite difficult, so machine learning (ML) algorithms have been frequently used for employee churn detection as well as employee categorization according to turnover. Using Machine learning, only one study looks into the categorization of employees up to date. A novel multi-criterion decision-making approach (MCDM) coupled with DE-PARETO principle has been proposed to categorize employees. This is referred to as SNEC scheme. An AHP-TOPSIS DE-PARETO PRINCIPLE model (AHPTOPDE) has been designed that uses 2-stage MCDM s
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Aqueous extract of poppy plant) Papaver nudicaule) with five concentrations (50, 100, 150, 200 and 250) mg/l were used to anesthetize fingerlings of the common carp Cyprinus carpio (Mean total length 8.91 ± 0.31 cm and mean total weight 7.72 ± 1.19 gm) instead of the traditional use of MS-222. Results showed that extracted solution of poppy have partial and overall anesthesia effect on these fishes with inverse relationship between the concentrations used and the time needed to reach partial and overall anesthesia, and also direct relationship between concentrations used and time needed for fish recovery. Best results were obtained by using a concentration of 250 mg/l, where time for partial anesthesia was 8 ± 1.52 m
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Somerset Maugham is known mainly as a novelist . This paper presents Maugham the dramatist . Many critics have found him a promising dramatist . He has written 30 plays , then he turns his back upon the theater and writes his autobiographical and most successful novel Of Human Bondage ( 1915) .
Maugham's writing is clear , precise , and simple . He is described as a realist who is keenly aware of human nature , its concentration and frustration . His only tragedy A Man of Honour is a play in 4 acts . This paper concentrates mainly on this play to show Maugham as a dramatist and to show his concept of " honour " .
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