Virology
TWiP 19: Enterobius vermicularis, the pinworm
By Vincent Racaniello | | This Week in Parasitism
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello and Dickson Despommier On episode 19 of the podcast This Week in Parasitism, Vincent and Dickson move on to nematodes with a discussion of the pinworm. [powerpress url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/twip/TWiP019.mp3″] Click the arrow above to play, or right-click to download TWiP is brought to you by the American Society for Microbiology at Microbeworld.org. Links …
The Vertical Farm
By Vincent Racaniello | | Events, Information
I’ve been hearing about the vertical farm concept from Dickson Despommier for years – as a faculty colleague of his here at Columbia University Medical Center, and more recently as co-host of TWiV and TWiP. I could not help but be enthusiastic as the idea grew from a seed, to seeing Dickson jetting around the …
Prokaryotes considered
By Vincent Racaniello | | Uncategorized
As a college biology major during the 1970s I was taught that cells in which the genetic material is separated from the cytoplasm by a nuclear membrane – such as those of animals, fungi, plants, and protists – are called eukaryotes. In contrast, the DNA of bacteria is not bounded by such a structure, and …
TWiV 107: Warning – this virus contains email
By Vincent Racaniello | | This Week in Virology
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, Alan Dove, and Rich Condit On episode #107 of the podcast This Week in Virology, Vincent, Dickson, Alan, and Rich answer listener questions about poliovirus, social media, dengue, influenza, evolution, gel filtration, and much more. [powerpress url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/twiv/TWiV107.mp3″] Click the arrow above to play, or right-click to download TWiV #107 (68 MB …
Antibodies neutralize viral infectivity inside cells
By Vincent Racaniello | | Basic virology, Information
Antibodies are an important component of the host defense against viral infection. These molecules, produced 7-14 days after infection, neutralize viral infectivity, thereby limiting the spread of infection. Antibodies are thought to neutralize viral infectivity in several ways: by forming noninfectious aggregates that cannot enter cells, or by blocking virion attachment to cells or uncoating …
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TWiV 106: Making viral DNA II
By Vincent Racaniello | | This Week in Virology
Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Dickson Despommier, and Rich Condit On episode #106 of the podcast This Week in Virology, Vincent, Dickson, and Rich continue Virology 101 with a second installment of their discussion of how viruses with DNA genomes replicate their genetic information. [powerpress url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/twiv/TWiV106.mp3″] Click the arrow above to play, or right-click to download TWiV #106 (69 …
David Tuller
Trial By Error: More on the Canadian Long COVID Trial with Plans to Lie to Participants Receiving an Exercise Intervention
By David Tuller, DrPH I recently posted a blog about the protocol for a Canadian Long COVID exercise trial in which the investigators proposed lying to the participants about the nature of both the study and the intervention being assessed. While acknowledging that a significant number of people with Long COVID report experiencing post-exertional malaise …
Trial By Error: In Protocol for Long COVID Exercise Trial, Investigators Advocate Lying to Participants
By David Tuller, DrPH Researchers are planning yet another trial of a rehabilitative exercise program for Long COVID—but, in this one, they propose to lie to all the participants about the nature of the study and the intervention being investigated. BMJ Open has recently published a paper called “Pursuing Reduction in Fatigue After COVID-19 via …
Trial By Error: Some Things I’ve Read Recently: Anil van der Zee on Sex, “Mold Warrior” Johnson, and a Rant Against the Word “Journey”
By David Tuller, DrPH Anil van der Zee says “Fuck M.E.” One aspect of ME and ME/CFS that receives perhaps too little attention is the impact on someone’s sex life. Engaging in sexual activity takes a significant amount of energy—and is therefore likely to trigger post-exertional malaise for many with this illness. Especially for those …
Trial By Error: Some Things I’ve Read Recently–Aboriginals and Long COVID, Tips for Disability Claims, Profile of Ron Davis
By David Tuller, DrPH Failure to address Long COVID in Australian Aboriginal communities Croakey Health Media is a small but feisty Australian news outlet that covers social and structural inequities in healthcare. Croakey recently published “a call for action to address Long COVID in Aboriginal communities,” which focused in particular on the situation in the …
Trial By Error: Journalist Simon Spichak on Lack of Focus on Post-Exertional Malaise in Long COVID Exercise Trials
By David Tuller, DrPH According to the headline of a recent article in The Sick Times, “less than 20% of Long COVID trials involving exercise even mention post-exertional malaise.” The news organization analyzed the registration records for Long COVID clinical trials and found that only a small minority assess or take into account post-exertional malaise (PEM), …
Trial By Error: JAMA Touts Long COVID Exercise Trial with Clinically Insignificant Results; Most LC Exercise Trials Ignore PEM, Per Sick Times
By David Tuller, DrPH In its current “Medical News in Brief” section, JAMA is touting and amplifying the questionable claims of a flawed trial to treat or prevent Long COVID published by one of the journals under its umbrella—JAMANetworkOpen. The JAMA headline: “Resistance Training Improves Long COVID Outcomes.” Technically, the headline is true. In the …