Deep sequencing for the detection of virus-like sequences in the brains of patients with multiple sclerosis: detection of GBV-C in human brain.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a demyelinating disease of unknown origin that affects the central nervous system of an estimated 400,000 Americans. GBV-C or hepatitis G is a flavivirus that is found in the serum of 1-2% of blood donors. It was originally associated with hepatitis, but is now believed to be a relatively non-pathogenic lymphotropic virus.

Different mechanisms preserve translation of programmed cell death 8 and JunB in virus-infected endothelial cells.

Objective: Translation initiation of eukaryotic mRNAs typically occurs by cap-dependent ribosome scanning mechanism. However, certain mRNAs are translated by ribosome assembly at internal ribosome entry sites (IRESs). Whether IRES-mediated translation occurs in stressed primary human endothelial cells (ECs) is unknown.

C21orf91 genotypes correlate with herpes simplex labialis (cold sore) frequency: description of a cold sore susceptibility gene.

Background: Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infects >70% of the United States population. We identified a 3-megabase region on human chromosome 21 containing 6 candidate genes associated with herpes simplex labialis (HSL, "cold sores").

Methods: We conducted single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) scans of the chromosome 21 region to define which of 6 possible candidate genes were associated with cold sore frequency.

Scanning electron microscopy visualization of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus after contact with gatifloxacin with and without preservative.

Purpose: To test a visual model by looking at the differences in effect of Zymar((R)) (gatifloxacin plus benzalkonium chloride [BAK]) when compared to gatifloxacin and a normal saline (NS) control upon a methicillin and gatifloxacin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) species.

Methods: An ocular isolate of gatifloxacin-resistant (minimal inhibitory concentration >2 to 4 microg/mL) MRSA was grown to confluency. Chambered slides were prepared with bacterial culture smears, and then incubated with either gatifloxacin at the concentrations of 1 and 10 microg/mL, Zymar containing equivalent concentrations of gatifloxacin, or NS.

Identification of a herpes simplex labialis susceptibility region on human chromosome 21.

Background: Most of the United States population is infected with either herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), herpes simplex virus type 2, or both. Reactivations of HSV-1 infection cause herpes simplex labialis (HSL; cold sores or fever blisters), which is the most common recurring viral infection in humans.

Methods: To investigate the possibility of a human genetic component conferring resistance or susceptibility to cold sores (i.

STAT1 binds to the herpes simplex virus type 1 latency-associated transcript promoter.

The authors hypothesized that environmental stimuli induce cytokines that act through an intracellular cascade, which includes signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs), to change herpes simplex virus (HSV) gene expression, thereby inducing viral reactivation. The HSV type 1 (HSV-1) latency-associated transcript (LAT) gene regulates viral reactivation within neurons via an unknown mechanism. HSV-1 deletion mutants that are missing key portions of the LAT gene, particularly the 3' region of the LAT promoter, do not reactivate normally in vivo.