Targeting vascular leakage in lung inflammation

The 2009 outbreak of H1N1 caught many off guard-not least those responsible for tracking the emergence of new influenza strains and outbreaks [1]. Although the influenza A H1N1 pandemic in 2009 proved relatively mild, it still claimed over 14,000 lives across the globe. Given the relentless and rapid mutation of influenza viruses, predicting the onset of pandemics is virtually impossible. Moreover, the development of effective vaccines and antiviral agents against this renegade RNA virus also lags behind the emergence of new influenza strains. Hence, there is considerable interest in strategies that target host responses to combat influenza infection and pneumonia to counter the occurrence of antiviral-resistant strains.Published versio

Human genomic diversity, viral genomics and proteomics, as exemplified by human papillomaviruses and H5N1 influenza viruses

The diversity of hosts, pathogens and host-pathogen relationships reflects the influence of selective pressures that fuel diversity through ongoing interactions with other rapidly evolving molecules in the environment. This paper discusses specific examples illustrating the phenomenon of diversity of hosts and pathogens, with special reference to human papillomaviruses and H5NI influenza viruses. We also review the influence of diverse host-pathogen interactions that determine the pathophysiology of infections, and their responses to drugs or vaccines.Published versio

A combined computational-experimental analyses of selected metabolic enzymes in Pseudomonas species

<p>Comparative genomic analysis has revolutionized our ability to predict the metabolic subsystems that occur in newly sequenced genomes, and to explore the functional roles of the set of genes within each subsystem. These computational predictions can considerably reduce the volume of experimental studies required to assess basic metabolic properties of multiple bacterial species. However, experimental validations are still required to resolve the apparent inconsistencies in the predictions by multiple resources. Here, we present combined computational-experimental analyses on eight completely sequenced <i>Pseudomonas</i> species. Comparative pathway analyses reveal that several pathways within the <i>Pseudomonas</i> species show high plasticity and versatility. Potential bypasses in 11 metabolic pathways were identified. We further confirmed the presence of the enzyme O-acetyl homoserine (thiol) lyase (EC: 2.5.1.49) in <i>P. syringae pv. tomato</i> that revealed inconsistent annotations in KEGG and in the recently published SYSTOMONAS database. These analyses connect and integrate systematic data generation, computational data interpretation, and experimental validation and represent a synergistic and powerful means for conducting biological research.</p

Impedimetric microbial sensor for real-time monitoring of phage infection of Escherichia coli

We describe an impedimetric microbial sensor for real-time monitoring of the non-lytic M13 bacteriophage infection of Escherichia coli cells using a gold electrode covalently grafted with a monolayer of lipopolysaccharide specific antibody. After infection, damage to the lipopolysaccharide layer on the outer membrane of E. coli causes changes to its surface charge and morphology, resulting in the aggregation of redox probe, Fe(CN)63−/4− at the electrode surface and thereby increases its electron-transfer rate. This consequent decrease of electron-transfer resistance in the presence of bacteriophage can be easily monitored using Faradaic impedance spectroscopy. Non-lytic bacterium–phage interaction which is hardly observable using conventional microscopic methods is detected within 3 h using this impedimetric microbial sensor which demonstrates its excellent performance in terms of analysis time, ease and reduced reliance on labeling steps during in-situ monitoring of the phage infection process.ASTAR (Agency for Sci., Tech. and Research, S’pore

A Prospective Clinical Study on the Use of Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction for the Early Diagnosis of Dengue Fever

Laboratory testing for dengue virus is used to confirm the diagnosis of dengue virus infection and to differentiate dengue from other febrile tropical illnesses. There are few data on the clinical use of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for diagnosis of dengue virus infection. We prospectively evaluated 121 consecutive patients with possible dengue who had samples submitted for RT-PCR, IgM serology, and virus culture. Results were compared with the final discharge diagnosis. Semi-nested RT-PCR was performed using genus- and serotype-specific NS3 consensus primers. Results of 112 patients were available for the final analysis. The RT-PCR was positive in 40 of 62 patients with dengue. Patients who were RT-PCR-positive alone showed a mean of 4.4 days to RT-PCR positivity compared with 5.9 days in patients who were RT-PCR-negative and IgM serology-positive (P = 0.03, Mann-Whitney U-test). The sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value were 70, 100, 84, and 100%, respectively, for samples analyzed within 5 days of illness onset. The RT-PCR also provided epidemiological data regarding the prevailing dengue virus serotypes: 25 with Den-2, eight with Den-3, and seven with Den-1 infection. We propose an algorithm of dengue testing that uses RT-PCR within 5 days of illness onset, whereas IgM capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay is preferred for those presenting later

Differential display RT-PCR analysis of enterovirus-71-infected rhabdomyosarcoma cells reveals mRNA expression responses of multiple human genes with known and novel functions

10.1006/viro.2002.1353Virology2951147-159VIRL