The Birkhoff polytope Bn is the convex hull of all n× n permutation matrices in Rn×n. We compute the combinatorial symmetry group of the Birkhoff polytope. A representation polytope is the convex hull of some finite matrix group G 6 GL(d,R). We show that the group of permutation matrices is essentially the only finite matrix group which yields a representation polytope with the face lattice of ...

  Ten field isolates of Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) from different geographical areas of Iran were analyzed by random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD). RAPD analysis produced reproducible banding patterns on the basis of which various distinct amplification patterns could be detected. MG isolates compared with reference strains (S6 and Mg SS) and vaccine strain (ts-11) and demonstrated...

BACKGROUND Hypervariability of HCV proteins is an important obstacle to design an efficient vaccine for HCV infection. Multi-epitope vaccines containing conserved epitopes of the virus could be a promising approach for protection against HCV. OBJECTIVES Cellular and humoral immune responses against multi-epitope DNA and peptide vaccines were evaluated in BALB/c mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS I...

We tested the concept of combining DNA with protein to improve anti-HIV Env systemic and mucosal humoral immune responses. Rhesus macaques were vaccinated with DNA, DNA&protein co-immunization or DNA prime followed by protein boost, and the magnitude and mucosal dissemination of the antibody responses were monitored in both plasma and mucosal secretions. We achieved induction of robust humoral ...

  Background & Objectives: Antisense peptide nucleic acids (PNA) that target growth essential genes show potent bactericidal properties without cell lysis. We considered the possibility that whether PNA treatment influence the bacteria total nucleic acids content and apply approach to develop a new delivery system to Dendritic cells (DCs). DCs are the most potent antigen presenting cells in th...

We here study the adjuvant properties of immunostimulatory DNA sequences (ISS) and coinjected cytokine-coding cDNA in suppressive vaccination with DNA encoding an autoantigenic peptide, myelin basic protein peptide 68-85, against Lewis rat experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). EAE is an autoaggressive, T1-mediated disease of the CNS. ISS are unmethylated CpG motifs found in bacterial...

A human papillomavirus type 16 E7 DNA vaccine with the open reading frame encoding mutations in two zinc-binding motifs expressed a rapidly degraded E7 protein. This vaccine induced a significantly stronger E7-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response and better tumor protection in mice than did a wild-type E7 DNA vaccine expressing a stable E7 protein.

The outer membrane protein F gene (oprF) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa was recently shown by us to protect mice from P. aeruginosa chronic pulmonary infection when used as a DNA vaccine administered by three biolistic (gene gun) intradermal inoculations given at 2-week intervals. In the present study, we used two different strategies to improve the protective efficacy of the DNA vaccine. In the fir...

A combination of different types of vaccines usually induces enhanced immune responses in comparison to immunization with single vaccines. The highest efficacy of a heterologous prime-boost strategy is mostly achieved after priming with a DNA vaccine and boosting with a recombinant virus or a protein vaccine. The aim of this study was to determine whether the combination of a DNA and cellular v...