Various viruses
Category archives for Various viruses
Margulis does it again
Posted by Tara C. Smith on April 11, 2011 We all know of once-respected scientists who ended up going off the deep end, adhering to an unproven idea despite massive evidence to the contrary. Linus Pauling and his advocacy of megadoses of Vitamin C, or Peter Duesberg’s descent into HIV denial. It’s all the more disappointing when the one taking a dive is a…
“Pox” by Michael Willrich
Posted by Tara C. Smith on April 4, 2011 Next to Ebola, my favorite virus would probably be smallpox (Variola virus). I mean, now that it’s eradicated in nature, what’s not to love about the mysteries it’s left us–where it came from, why it was so deadly (or, not so deadly, as in the emergence of the “mild” form, variola minor), and will a…
Twittering in the classroom
Posted by Tara C. Smith on August 24, 2010 Readers may be interested in participating in this, from Dave Wessner at Davidson College: Building on a project I piloted last fall, I will explore the potential role of Twitter more intentionally this fall in a course I teach on HIV/AIDS at Davidson College. I invite you to join me in this exploration. Here are…
Biblical flu paper going bye-bye
Posted by Tara C. Smith on August 11, 2010 Well, that was quick. Yesterday’s post highlighting a really terrible paper in BMC’s Virology Journal drew a lot of comments here and at Pharyngula, and attention at the journal (where it currently stands as the 5th most-accessed article in the last 30 days). The journal’s Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Robert F. Garry, this in the comments section…
Dengue in Florida
Posted by Tara C. Smith on July 28, 2010 At his new digs, PalMD discusses recent news revealing the presence of dengue virus in the Florida Keys–the first appearance in the state in almost 75 years. Dengue is a mosquito-borne virus that can cause serious disease, including a hemorrhagic manifestation, and the current outbreak is pitting public health professionals against the tourism industry in…
Is There a Viral Cause for Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension?
Posted by Tara C. Smith on April 29, 2010 Student guest post Dayna Groskreutz Pulmonary hypertension (PH) refers to a condition in which there is high blood pressure in the vessels carrying blood from the heart to the lungs. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a subset of PH referring specifically to an increase in the pressure within the pulmonary arteries (rather than the pulmonary…
Can your pet dog make you sick? Multiple Sclerosis and Canine Distemper Virus
Posted by Tara C. Smith on April 29, 2010 Student guest post by Raj Nair. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disease that affects the central nervous system (CNS) consisting of the brain and the spinal cord [1]. It is thought to be an autoimmune disease since individual’s immune system attacks their own healthy tissues [1]. However, studies to ascertain triggering factors…
Malignant Mesothelioma and Simian Virus 40 (SV40)
Posted by Tara C. Smith on April 26, 2010 Student guest post by Andrew Behan Malignant Mesothelioma (MM) is a rare type of cancer which manifests itself in the thin cells lining the human body’s internal organs. There are three types of MM; pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma, and pericardial mesothelioma, affecting the lining of the lungs, abdominal cavity, and lining of the heart, respectively…
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: a Legitimate Excuse for Missing Work
Posted by Tara C. Smith on April 26, 2010 Student guest post by Jay Watson Tired again? Perhaps it’s the crappy weather, because you’re sure that you’ve been getting enough sleep. After all, you can’t remember the last time you spent less than ten hours in bed per night. Hopefully it’s not mono; one of your friends had it a few months ago and…
Schizophrenia: is it preventable?
Posted by Tara C. Smith on April 23, 2010 Student guest post by Zainab Khan Schizophrenia has puzzled and often times scared not only the scientific community, but also the general public since its emergence. Cases of schizophrenia-like behavior have been well documented in history. As this disease has been studied, factors such as genetics, environment, and even personal habits have all been associated…