Does apolipoprotein E determine outcome of infection by varicella zoster virus and by Epstein Barr virus?

Over 90% of the population are infected with varicella zoster virus (VZV) but only some develop shingles - caused when the virus reactivates from latency, and only some shingles patients develop post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), defined as pain continuing for more than about 4 months. Epstein Barr virus (EBV) similarly infects over 90% of the population; some of those infected during teenage or young adult years develop infectious mononucleosis (IM). The reason for these disparities between numbers infected and numbers affected by illness is unknown, but presumably reflects host factor(s).

Learning and retention of associations between auditory icons and denotative referents: implications for the design of auditory warnings.

Objective: This study examined the way in which the type and preexisting strength of association between an auditory icon and a warning event affects the ease with which the icon/event pairing can be learned and retained.

Background: To be effective, an auditory warning must be audible, identifiable, interpretable, and heeded. Warnings consisting of familiar environmental sounds, or auditory icons, have potential to facilitate identification and interpretation.