Andy Ball writes:

Hi Vincent,

Many thanks to you and your colleagues on last week’s TWiV for your thoughtful and generous presentation of my 1976 PNAS paper on VSV transcription. My co-author, Carol Norris White, said “How cool is that?!”

Just for the record, the description of the paper’s background that I sent you was indeed a TWiV exclusive, ‘whipped off’ just for the occasion, nineteen references and all.

I would cherish a TWiV mug to remind me of my 15 minutes of fame, so – as requested – my address is below.

Thanks again,

Andy

 

Anthony writes:

You are 100% responsible for my joining ASM.  Indeed, I didn’t know that there was an ASM before having the great good fortune to learn of the Microbe.tv Podcasts.

Not that I’m anyone in particular.  I’m sure that I’m just one of many who’ve joined ASM because of your tireless efforts.

Thank you.

Anthony

Richard writes:

Just got my new T-Shirt. Thought TWIV Crew may be interested.

https://viralstyle.com/htsy/science-is-not-a-liberal-conspiracy?utm_sourcetrending#pid=1&cid=8549245&sid=front

Thanks for the great podcasts.

Rich

Richard P. Schoenbaum, D.D.S.

Alex writes:

Hello twivsters!

I was shocked to hear that the 17th email still hasn’t come in from TWiV 423, so I’m throwing my hat in the ring (fingers crossed).

Also, even if I get beat to #17 by another listener, I just wanted to say thank you for the podcasts! I’m a graduate student and now fairly-long-time listener to TWiV TWiP and TWiM, and have probably passed hundreds of hours of bench work with you folks in my ear. Thanks for all you do!

All the best,

Alex

Lauriel writes:

Hello TWiVers,

I just downloaded episode 425 and heard you hadn’t received enough emails yet for your Infections of Leisure book give away. I imagine I’m too late at this point, but figured it was worth a try anyway.

The weather in the Research Triangle has been decidedly spring like since the last bit of snow melted. It’s currently 56degF (13degC), clear skies, with a scurry of squirrels at the new bird feeder.

Looking forward to Vincent’s promised spring trip to our area soon. Wish I could make it to ASV this year, but keeping my hopes up for next year.

PS!

I should have listened to the whole podcast before sending an email.

The AAV capsid is composed of three structural proteins called VP1, VP2, and VP3 in approximately a 1:1:10 ratio. VP1 contains a PLA2 domain and this is characteristic of all parvoviruses. In the case of AAV, the infecting virion undergoes receptor-mediated endocytosis and the acidification of the endosome causes the internalized N-term of VP1, which contains the PLA2 domain, to be extruded through the 5-fold pore of the capsid. The PLA2 activity then releases the virus from the endosome, where it can finish trafficking to the nucleus.

You should do an AAV show soon!

Thank you for the great podcasts,

-Lauriel

Michael writes:

Dear TWIV Hosts:

First, I am enjoying both TWIV and TWIP. I am going through the archives of both shows, and wish I had you all as professors when I was a medical student, though I doubt any of you are old enough.

I saw a patient yesterday whose mother told me that, after having the Hand Foot and Mouth virus last summer, all his warts had fallen off. I was incredulous, but we had tried various measures for many months, and all it took was a good Coxsackie(?) infection to rid him of all his warts. I had never heard of this before in all my years of practice, seeing both conditions many times. Have any of you?

Thank you, and best regards,

Mike

Michael G. Martin, MD

Rochester, NY

Daniel Griffin writes:

It makes sense. Just getting the immune system to respond is often what is required to clear the virus causing the warts. I must admit that I have not seen it or read about it but I would believe it!

“On Warts” by Lewis Thomas

Anthony writes:

https://www.facebook.com/afrma/posts/1508431459186099

American Fancy Rat & Mouse Association (AFRMA)

4 hrs ·

Jan. 28, 2017, Show Canceled

In the light of the Hantavirus outbreak in the Midwest and with the CDC working their way west to find how far the infection has spread, we are canceling the Jan. show to keep everyone’s rats and their owners safe until we know the final results of their testing.

# # #

The post at Facebook contains Links to the CDC, Illinois Public Health and a news story Web Site.

BTW, if memory serves me correctly, in one of the chapters in Morse’s Emerging Viruses there was the speculation that a diverse range of ailments often found in impoverished US neighborhoods were due to some unknown Hantavirus.  I’ve been wondering if anyone went on to look for this.

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