Genetic factors determining the pathogenesis and course of ocular toxoplasmosis are poorly understood. In this study, we explored the development of experimental ocular pathogenesis in genetically dissimilar mice infected with either the RH strain, the PLK strain, or the immunodominant surface antigen 1 (SAG1 [P30])-deficient mutant of the RH strain of Toxoplasma gondii. At 11 days postinfectio...

Please cite this article in press as: Lahlali, R., et a Morocco under the influence of temperature an The interactions of Penicillium italicum, which causes blue mould, and antagonistic yeast Pichia guilliermondii strain Z1 were examined in controlled environments, to determine the influence of relative humidity (RH) (45%, 75%, 85%, 98%, and 100%) and temperature (T) (5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 C). ...

Glycosylphosphatidylinositols (GPIs) from several protozoan parasites are thought to elicit a detrimental stimulation of the host innate immune system aside their main function to anchor surface proteins. Here we analyzed the GPI biosynthesis of an avirulent Toxoplasma gondii type 2 strain (PTG) by metabolic radioactive labeling. We determined the biological function of individual GPI species i...

The virulent RH strain of Toxoplasma gondii is acutely lethal in mice and fails to establish chronic infection. Vaccination of BALB/c mice with a soluble tachyzoite antigen preparation, STAg, in combination with the immunostimulatory cytokine interleukin-12 results in partial protection against RH lethal challenge. Nevertheless, brain tissue obtained from surviving, vaccinated mice as late as 1...

To provide comprehensive data on creep behaviors at relative humidity (RH) isohume conditions and find the basic characteristics of mechano-sorptive (MS) creep (MSC), the tensile creep behaviors, "viscoelastic creep (VEC)" at equilibrium moisture content and MSC during adsorption process, were performed on Chinese fir in the longitudinal direction under 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% RH (25 °C) and at 1...

Infection of mouse macrophages with Toxoplasma gondii elicits MAPK activation and IL-12 production, but host cell signaling pathways have not been clearly delineated. Here, we compared macrophage signaling in response to high virulence type I (RH) vs low virulence type II (ME49) strain infection. Tachyzoites of both strains induced p38 MAPK-dependent macrophage IL-12 release, although ME49 elic...

Almost 90% of the Trinidad strain of Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) virus survived for 1 hr after aerosolization into a dark environment at 30% relative humidity (RH), and 78% survived for 1 hr at 60% RH. After exposure to simulated solar radiation (584 mcal per cm(2) per min) 0.02% of the aerosolized virus survived for 1 hr at 30% RH and 0.006% survived for 1 hr at 60% RH. When 1.0 ...

The gene of GRA6 of Toxoplasma gondii pig strain was cloned; and the value of recombinant GRA6 as a diagnostic antigen of toxoplasmosis in China was investigated. A pair of primers was synthesized according to the DNA sequence of GRA6 of T. gondii RH strain, and the DNA of pig strain tachyzoites was prepared. A single, specific DNA fragment was successfully amplified from the genomic DNA of tac...

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are evolutionarily highly conserved polypeptides that appear to be produced by many cells to preserve cellular functions under a variety of conditions of stress, including infections. We report that a 65-kDa HSP is present in mouse peritoneal cells that have been infected with a low-virulence (Beverley) strain of Toxoplasma gondii, as determined by electroblot assay u...

Isomers of Ir(2)(dimen)(4)(2+) (dimen = 1,8-diisocyanomenthane) exhibit different Ir-Ir bond distances in a 2:1 MTHF/EtCN solution (MTHF = 2-methyltetrahydrofuran). Variable-temperature absorption data suggest that the isomer with the shorter Ir-Ir distance is favored at room temperature [K = ∼8; ΔH° = -0.8 kcal/mol; ΔS° = 1.44 cal mol(-1) K(-1)]. We report calculations that shed light on M(2)(...