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
Solid waste generation and composition in Baghdad is typically affected by population growth, urbanization, improved economic conditions, changes in lifestyles and social and cultural habits.
A burning chamber was installed to burn cellulosic waste only. It was found that combustion reduced the original volume and weight of cellulosic waste by 97.4% and 85% respectively.
A batch composting study was performed to evaluate the feasibility of co-composting organic food waste with the cellulosic bottom ash in three different weight ratios (w/w) [95/5, 75/25, 50/50].
The composters were kept in controlled aerobic conditions for 7 days. Temperature, moisture, and pH were measured hourly as process succe
... Show MoreIt sheds light on the cultural dimension in the decentralized administration experience in Iraq as evaluation tool by adding a new dimension in studying decentralization in addition to the administrative, political and legal dimensions .The proposal of study is that without the civil political culture ,the administrative decentralization in Iraq which remains weak and it may be imposed to a set of problems. - The study includes an introduction, conclusion and a set of political and cultural issues , its components and it may have the political analysis of this culture and its role in determining the movement of the administrative decentralized movement in Iraq post 2003.
Nanosponges (NS) of etodolac(ETO) was prepared using the emulsion solvent diffusion method ; the effects of drug: polymer ratio, the effect of level concentration of internal phase and stirring time and other variables that effect on the physical characteristics of NS were investigated and characterized, The selected formula was lyophilized then incorporated into hydrogel ; which also evaluated .The results show that the formulation that contain Drug: PVA:EC in ratio 1:3:2 is the best with smallest particle size 40.2±0.098 with polydispersibility0.005 and in vitro release 97.6±0.11%, , ETO NS Carbopol hydrogel produced a significant(p<0.05) improvement of the in vitro release than pure ETO hydrogel.
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Urban morphological approach (concepts and practices) plays a significant role in forming our cities not only in terms of theoretical perspective but also in how to practice and experience the urban form structures over time. Urban morphology has been focused on studying the processes of formation and transformation of urban form based on its historical development. The main purpose of this study is to explore and describe the existing literature of this approach and thus aiming to summarize the most important studies that put into understanding the city form. In this regard, there were three schools of urban morphological studies, namely: the British, the Italian, and the French School. A reflective comparison between t
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The current research aims to provide a conceptual and applied frame on the subject of multi- level analysis in the research of business administration. The research tries to address some of the problems that befall the preparation of research and studies at the Arab level and local level, where the unity of theory and measurement and analysis, as well as clarify the various types of conceptual constructs and give researchers the ability to distinguish different models related to the level of analysis. On the other hand, this research provides an example of
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There have been many writings and discussions that dealt with the details and interpretation of the research methods and the identification of the methods and methodological methods used by researchers and writers as they deal with research topics and problems in all fields of natural and human sciences. But we noticed that the movement of science and its knowledge and development requires the identification of suitable tools and methodological methods appropriate for each type of science. In other words, attempts should be established to build appropriate methodological tools for human and cognitive activity that can be referred to as a specific science that sets out certain paths of the human sciences which is certainly the ori
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Vacuum gas oil (611-833)K was distilled from Kirkuk crude oil, which was obtained by blending the following fraction,
light vacuum gas oil (611 - 650) K, medium vacuum gas oil (650-690)K, heavy vacuum gas oil (690-727)K and very
heavy vacuum gas oil (727-833)K.
The vacuum gas oil was hydrotreated on a commercial cobalt-molybdenum alumina catalyst presulfied at specified
condition in a laboratory trickle bed reactor. The reaction temperature varied from (583-643)K over liquid hourly space
velocity ranging between (1.5-3.75)h-1 , Hydrogen pressure was kept constant at 3.5 MPa with a hydrogen to oil ratio
of about 250 L/L
The conversion results for desulfurization appeared to obey the second order kinetics. According to
We have studied in this research litter (Taa) a morphological , sonic indicative and comparative study among four Semitic languages. They are Arabic , Hebrew, Syriac and Akkadian languages . We have divided the research into a number of pivots beginning with an entrance about the letter (Taa) in Semitic languages and the symbols which are used by these languages referring to . Then we have studied (Taa) from sonic side with letters phenomenon (b, g, k, p, t) the six in both Hebrew and Syriac languages . The letter (Taa) is formed one of them and the sonic change that is happening in articulation (Taa) according to sonic rules related to these letters in case of emphasis or in case of neglected (not emphasis). Then we have studied the pro
... Show Moreالغرض - تعتمد هذه الدراسة على المنهج الوصفي التحليلي من خلال جمع البيانات اللازمة وتحليلها، كون هذا المنهج يركز على استطلاع الآراء لعينة البحث وتوجهاتها ، وتهدف إلى تطوير نموذج يدرس العلاقة بين خلق المعرفة والبراعة التنظيمية في المصارف الخاصة العراقية والتحقق من صحته تجريبياً. التصميم / المنهجية / المدخل- تم إجراء مسح عبر استمارة استبيان لجمع البيانات من عينة من (113) مدير من مصارف تجارية خاصة بالإضافة إلى ذلك ا
... Show MoreThe importance of news broadcasts in society has increased after the domination of television over the mass media, especially after emerging the satellite channels, and spreading the satellite dishes among the public at large.
As well as the great role played by the modern technology in the transmission of news and events happening at once. Such role has contributed, significantly, in changing the concept and values of the news. The live broadcast of the events filmed is the news itself.
In the midst of the great transformations and circumstances that Iraq went through after 2003, which witnessed political and security instability, and the large increase in the number of media, especially satellite channels, in Iraq
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