Activation of Nod2 signaling upon norovirus infection enhances antiviral immunity and susceptibility to colitis.

Over 90% of epidemic non-bacterial gastroenteritis are caused by human noroviruses (NoVs), which persist in a substantial subset of people allowing their spread worldwide. This has led to a significant number of endemic cases and up to 70,000 children deaths in developing countries. NoVs are primarily transmitted through the fecal-oral route.

Aberrant anti-viral response of natural killer cells in severe asthma.

Rhinovirus infections are the main cause of asthma exacerbations. As natural killer (NK) cells are important actors of the antiviral innate response, we aimed at evaluating the functions of NK cells from severe asthma patients in response to rhinovirus-like molecules or rhinoviruses.Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with severe asthma and healthy donors were stimulated with pathogen-like molecules or with the rhinoviruses (RV)-A9 and RV-2.

Resistance of Enteric Viruses on Fomites.

Human enteric viruses are associated with several clinical features, especially gastroenteritis. Large amounts of these viruses can be released in the environment and spread to people. Enteric viruses are nonenveloped viruses and have displayed good survival in the environment.

Protective role of murine norovirus against Pseudomonas aeruginosa acute pneumonia.

The murine norovirus (MNV) is a recently discovered mouse pathogen, representing the most common contaminant in laboratory mouse colonies. Nevertheless, the effects of MNV infection on biomedical research are still unclear. We tested the hypothesis that MNV infection could alter immune response in mice with acute lung infection.

Survival of Enveloped and Non-Enveloped Viruses on Inanimate Surfaces.

In the present study, we evaluated the viability of non-enveloped viruses, minute virus of mice (MVM) and coxsackievirus B4 (CVB4), and enveloped-viruses, influenza A virus (H1N1) and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), on surfaces. We also investigated the impact of the initial concentration of proteins and sodium chloride on the persistence of infectious CVB4 on surfaces. Viral suspensions (>10(4.

Diagnosis of viral infections using myxovirus resistance protein A (MxA).

Background: Myxoma resistance protein 1 (MxA) is induced during viral infections. MxA testing could be helpful to differentiate between viral and bacterial infections.

Methods: A prospective multicenter cohort study was performed in pediatric emergency departments.

Viruses contained in droplets applied on warmed surface are rapidly inactivated.

Heat inactivation of viruses was reported, however, the thermal resistance of viruses in droplets has not been studied. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pattern of heat resistance of minute virus of mice (MVM), coxsackievirus B4 (CVB4), influenza A virus (H1N1), and herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV1) contained in droplets. Four μL droplets containing viruses (> 10(4.

Inactivation of coxsackievirus B4, feline calicivirus and herpes simplex virus type 1: unexpected virucidal effect of a disinfectant on a non-enveloped virus applied onto a surface.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of a disinfectant onto viruses in suspension on the one hand and applied onto a surface on the other.

Methods: A system combining flocked swabs to recover viruses dried onto stainless steel carriers and gel filtration to eliminate cytotoxic products has been developed to study the virucidal effect of a quaternary ammonium-based disinfectant towards herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), coxsackievirus B4 (CVB4) and feline calicivirus F9 (FCV). The recovery of FCV has been estimated by RT real-time PCR.

Inactivation of an enterovirus by airborne disinfectants.

Background: The activity of airborne disinfectants on bacteria, fungi and spores has been reported. However, the issue of the virucidal effect of disinfectants spread by fogging has not been studied thoroughly.

Methods: A procedure has been developed to determine the virucidal activity of peracetic acid-based airborne disinfectants on a resistant non-enveloped virus poliovirus type 1.

Spectrum of physiological and pathological cardiac and pericardial uptake of FDG in oncology PET-CT.

Cardiac uptake of 2-[(18)F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) is frequently observed on FDG positron-emission tomography combined with computed tomography (PET-CT) performed for diagnosis, staging, and assessment of therapeutic response of lymphoma and solid cancers, despite careful patient preparation to limit myocardial glucose substrate utilisation. We illustrate the varied physiological patterns of cardiac FDG uptake, and show a spectrum of pathological conditions causing FDG uptake within myocardial and pericardial structures, due to clinically important benign and malignant diseases. Recognition and awareness of these various causes of FDG uptake in the heart, along with the appropriate use of correlative contrast-enhanced CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) will facilitate correct interpretation.

Postoperative and postradiation changes on imaging.

The normal appearance of the posttherapy neck after common surgical procedures and chemoradiation therapy is presented, with specific details for each surgical procedure. Subsequently, the authors emphasize the recognition of complications and disease recurrence with illustrated examples.

Antibodies enhance the infection of phorbol-ester-differentiated human monocyte-like cells with coxsackievirus B4.

Coxsackievirus B4 (CV-B4), in presence of antibodies and through a specific viral receptor CAR and Fcγ receptors II and III, can infect monocytes which results in interferon-α synthesis. The antibody-dependent enhancement of CV-B4 infection in the human monocytic-like THP-1 cell line has been investigated. The preincubation of CV-B4 with human plasma or human polyvalent immunoglobulins enhanced the infection of phorbol-myristate-acetate (PMA)-activated THP-1 cell cultures.

Persistent infection of thymic epithelial cells with coxsackievirus B4 results in decreased expression of type 2 insulin-like growth factor.

It has been hypothesized that a disturbance of central self-tolerance to islet β cells may play a role in the enteroviral pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes. Whether enteroviruses can induce an impaired expression of β-cell self-antigens in thymic epithelial cells has been investigated in a murine thymic epithelial (MTE) cell line. This cell line was permissive to the diabetogenic group B4 coxsackievirus (CV-B4) strain CV-B4 E2 and spontaneously expressed type 2 insulin-like growth factor (Igf2), the dominant self-antigen of the insulin family.

A respiratory syncytial virus isolate enables the testing of virucidal products.

The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is known as a major cause of respiratory infections and nosocomial diseases. Testing this virus is rather difficult due to the problems encountered in producing it at a high titer without using any purification method. A RSV isolate which replicates to high level on a Hep-2 cell line with an infectious titer of at least 10(7)TCID(50)mL(-1) in culture supernatant fluids has been identified.

Unexpected MRI findings in clinically suspected Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease.

Background: In the setting of clinically suspected Legg-Calvé-Perthes (LCP) disease and negative/equivocal radiographs, contrast-enhanced MRI can be performed to confirm the diagnosis.

Objective: To determine the frequency of unexpected causes of hip pain as identified by MRI in children with clinically suspected LCP disease and negative/equivocal radiographs.

Materials And Methods: All pediatric contrast-enhanced MRI examinations of the pelvis and hips performed between January 2000 and February 2009 to evaluate for possible LCP disease in the setting of negative/equivocal radiographs were identified.

Wandering spleen causing gastric outlet obstruction and pancreatitis.

Excessive splenic mobility (i.e. wandering spleen) is a rare condition caused by laxity or deficiency of all the spleen's normal ligamentous attachments in the left hypochondrium.

A part of the VP4 capsid protein exhibited by coxsackievirus B4 E2 is the target of antibodies contained in plasma from patients with type 1 diabetes.

The capsid protein VP4 was identified previously as the target of antibodies contained in plasma enhancing the coxscakievirus B4 (CV-B4) E2-induced production of IFN-alpha by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The sequence of VP4 recognized by these antibodies was investigated. This sequence was identified as amino acids 11 to 30 by using synthetic overlapping peptides spanning VP4(CV-B4 E2) in competition experiments for antibodies enhancing the CV(B4 E2) induced production of IFN-alpha by PBMCs.

Infection of primary cultures of murine splenic and thymic cells with coxsackievirus B4.

Infection of primary cultures of total splenic and thymic cells from BALB/c and C3H/HeN mice with CVB4 E2 and JVB strains has been investigated. The presence of positive-strand viral RNA within cells was determined by semi-nested RT-PCR, and viral replication was attested by detection of intracellular negative-strand viral RNA and by release of infectious particles in culture supernatants. Viral replication occurred with both CVB4 strains to an extent dependent on the genetic background of the host.

Role of the capsid protein VP4 in the plasma-dependent enhancement of the Coxsackievirus B4E2-infection of human peripheral blood cells.

It has been previously shown that antibodies contained in human plasma directed towards the Coxsackievirus B4 (CVB4)E2 capsid protein VP4 can enhance the CVB4E2-induced production of IFN-alpha by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The aim of this study was to produce a VP4 fusion protein to investigate the role of the internal capsid protein VP4 and anti-VP4 antibodies in the plasma-dependent enhancement of CVB4E2 infection of PBMC. A fusion protein MBPVP4 containing the VP4 insert of CVB4E2 and a control fusion protein MBP-beta-gal-alpha, were produced in Escherichia coli K12 TB1.

Prolonged viral RNA detection in blood and lymphoid tissues from coxsackievirus B4 E2 orally-inoculated Swiss mice.

The spreading of viral RNA within Swiss Albino mice orally inoculated with coxsackievirus B4 E2 strain (CVB4 E2) was studied by using RT-PCR and semi-nested-RT-PCR methods. Viral RNA was detected in various organs: pancreas, heart, small intestine, spleen, thymus, and blood at various postinfectious (p.i.

[Emergent viruses: SARS-associate coronavirus and H5N1 influenza virus].

Two viral agents with RNA genome are responsible for emerging illnesses: influenza virus A/H5N1 and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome virus (SARS). For the diagnosis of SARS virus infection, an epidemiological investigation is necessary to know whether the patient has been exposed to a risk in a country where the SARS virus is circulating or whether the patient had worked in a laboratory handling SARS virus. The detection of SARS virus is possible in various clinical samples (including urine) by viral culture or RT-PCR.

Correlation between the anti-virus-induced cytopathic effect activity of interferon-alpha subtypes and induction of MxA protein in vitro.

There are several interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) subtypes. Mechanism of disparity in biological effects among members of IFN-alpha subtypes remains unexplained. Biological activity of IFN-alpha is mediated in part by induction of intracellular antiviral proteins.

[Various approaches of therapeutic vaccination for the treatment of HIV type 1 infection].

HIV-1 infection is a major pandemic situation. With the advent of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), morbidity and mortality associated with HIV-1 infection have been dramatically reduced. However, HAART does not enable eradication of the virus.

Viral protein VP4 is a target of human antibodies enhancing coxsackievirus B4- and B3-induced synthesis of alpha interferon.

Coxsackievirus B4 (CVB4)-induced production of alpha interferon (IFN-alpha) by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) is enhanced in vitro by nonneutralizing anti-CVB4 antibodies from healthy subjects and, to a higher extent, from patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. In this study, we focused on identification of the viral target of these antibodies in CVB systems. High levels of IFN-alpha were obtained in supernatants of PBMC incubated with CVB4E2 or CVB3 and plasma from healthy subjects and, to a higher extent, from patients.

DNA microarray to monitor the expression of MAGE-A genes.

Background: The MAGE-A genes encode antigens that are of particular interest for antitumor immunotherapy because they are strictly tumor specific and are shared by many tumors. We developed a rapid method to identify the MAGE-A genes expressed in tumors.

Methods: A low-density DNA microarray was designed to discriminate between the 12 MAGE-A cDNAs amplified by PCR with only one pair of consensus primers.