Weaning Swiss mice were percutaneously infected with 30 cercariae of Schistosoma mansoni and submitted to a shifting either from a deficient to a balanced diet or vice-versa, for 24 weeks. The nutritional status was weekly evaluated by measurements of growth curves and food intake. Hepatic fibrosis and periovular granulomas were studied by histological, morphometric and biochemical methods. All...

Experiments were conducted between 2003 and 2008 to examine how N additions influence soil organic C (SOC) and its fractions in forests at different succession stages in the subtropical China. The succession stages included pine forest, pine and broadleaf mixed forest, and oldgrowth monsoon evergreen broadleaf forest. Three levels of N (NH4NO3)-addition treatments comprising control, low-N (50 ...

Pathogenesis of schistosomal hepatic fibrosis ("pipestem" fibrosis of the liver) was investigated by means of the murine model. Although worm load appears as the main pathogenetic factor, alone it is not sufficient to produce that characteristic lesion. By comparing the findings in animals with heavy and prolonged Schistosoma mansoni infection, which developed or not "pipestem" fibrosis, it was...