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Jamie Henzy, a postdoctoral researcher at Boston College, has authored a post on Small Things Considered that explores the shady world of the deltaretrovirus genus.
"Among retroviruses, the deltaretrovirus genus is something of a shady bunch, its members lurking in the shadows, causing troubl... Read More
One hundred million years ago the earth’s climate was much warmer than today and vast inland seas stretched across entire continents. The land was dominated by charismatic megafauna that would one day serve as inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s novel The Lost World. This period is commonly...
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Cara writes: Hello Vincent and Team TWIV, I love Virology, and it is with much chagrin that I admit I have only recently started listening to TWIV. However I have tried to mend the error of my ways by: 1) proselytizing the benefits (keeping up-to-date with and... Read More
Todd writes:
Just a quick note to say how much I enjoy TWiM, and in particular, how much I enjoyed episode 32 featuring Rosie Redfield. I don't know how you find time to do this, but I'm gl... Read More Judi writes: To our TWIV leaders! If you have a mac with Apps, please go to the app store and download cell images.... I think you'll have a great time going through them. One other thing - I listened to your show on science reform with interest but I ... Read More
The second of two papers on avian influenza H5N1 virus that caused such a furor in the past year was published today in the journal Science. I have carefully read the paper by Fouchier and colleagues, and I assure you that it does not enable the production of a deadly biological weapon. The resu...
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Life in a high-pressured environment with practically nothing to eat might be ok for high-fashion models, but it’s an unlikely lifestyle choice for a single cell whose usual overriding goal is to become two cells. Yet the largest living ecosystem on Earth—the deep biosphere—is comprised of micro...
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A collection of links to blogs and podcasts that either focus entirely on microbes or partially on microbes. Other suggestions wanted.
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Kurt writes: Dear Vincent, Sorry I missed your visit to NU- my teaching duties in Evanston prevented it! Several of my students attended both and had good reports all around. Your work on ISGs sounds like it is coming along well. I just today l... Read More
If you know anything about snakes you might be familiar with snake inclusion body disease, or IBD. This transmissible and fatal disease affects snakes of a variety of species but has been best studied in boas. The name comes from the presence of large masses (inclusions) in the cytoplasm of cell...
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India has been free of polio for over one year. This is a remarkable accomplishment, considering that just 30 years ago the country recorded 200,000 cases of the disease annually, or one every three minutes. With polio endemic in two neighboring countries, Pakistan and Afghanistan, and in the mo...
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Small Things ConsideredThe purpose of Small Things Considered is to share appreciation for the width and depth of the microbial activities on this pla... Read More Did you know that your body is home to 10 times more microbes than human cells? Learn about the human microbiome and its fascinating practical applications. Speakers include Dr. Lita Proctor, Human Microbiome Project at NIH, Dr. Liliana Losada, J Craig Venter Institute, Rockville, MD, Dr. Jac... Read More
I still wonder why the influenza virus H5N1 ferret transmission studies generated such fear and misunderstanding among the public, the press, and even some scientists. I still cannot fully explain what transpired, but now that the papers have been published some new clues have emerged.
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Did you know that your body is home to 10 times more microbes than human cells? Join us at ASM Headquarters on Thursday, July 19, 2012, from 6-8 PM to learn about the human microbiome and its fascinating practical applications. Come mingle with like-minded enthusiasts and curious citizens ove... Read More |













