Atypical presentation of West Nile virus in a newly diagnosed human immunodeficiency virus patient in New York City.

Central nervous system manifestations of West Nile virus (WNV) infection include meningitis, encephalitis, and poliomyelitis-like syndrome. We describe a 44-year-old man with no past medical history who presented with a meningoencephalitic syndrome and spastic paralysis bilaterally in the upper and lower extremities, hyperreflexia, and myoclonus and was ultimately diagnosed as being infected with HIV and WNV.

Modulation of ERK and JNK activity by transient forebrain ischemia in rats.

The mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase families of ERK and JNK participate in numerous intracellular signaling pathways and are abundantly expressed in the CNS. Activation of ERK and JNK during reperfusion of ischemic tissue is implicated in promoting cell death, insofar as inhibition of either pathway reduces neuronal cell death. However, ERK or JNK activation provides protection in other neuronal injury models.

Improving slide-based assays by stirring: application of liquid-on-liquid mixing to immunofluorescence staining of polytene chromosomes.

A new method for stirring thin liquid films has been developed and demonstrated to increase the sensitivity of immunofluorescence staining of polytene chromosomes. This liquid-on-liquid mixing (LOLM) technique uses a stirrer fluid, immiscible with the thin film, to transmit shear at the liquid-liquid interface. Here, we stir mineral oil layered over an aqueous thin film of antibody solution, which stains transcription apparatuses on chromosomes previously fixed to a glass slide.

Activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) during reperfusion of ischemic spinal cord.

The extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) participate in numerous signaling pathways and are abundantly expressed in the CNS. It has been proposed that ERK activation promotes survival in models of neuronal injury. Inhibition of MEK, the upstream kinase that activates ERK, however, leads to neuroprotection in models of cerebral ischemia and trauma, suggesting that in this context ERK activation contributes to cellular damage.

Transgenic overexpression of human IL-17E results in eosinophilia, B-lymphocyte hyperplasia, and altered antibody production.

We have identified and cloned a novel human cytokine with homology to cytokines of the interleukin-17 (IL-17) family, which we have termed human IL-17E (hIL-17E). With the identification of several IL-17 family members, it is critical to understand the in vivo function of these molecules. We have generated transgenic mice overexpressing hIL-17E using an apolipoprotein E (ApoE) hepatic promoter.

Mechanical disruption of individual nucleosomes reveals a reversible multistage release of DNA.

The dynamic structure of individual nucleosomes was examined by stretching nucleosomal arrays with a feedback-enhanced optical trap. Forced disassembly of each nucleosome occurred in three stages. Analysis of the data using a simple worm-like chain model yields 76 bp of DNA released from the histone core at low stretching force.