A sequence-independent PCR amplification method was used to identify viral nucleic acids in the plasma samples of 25 individuals presenting with symptoms of acute viral infection following high-risk behavior for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 transmission. GB virus C/hepatitis G virus was identified in three individuals and hepatitis B virus in one individual. Three previously undescribed ...

Phytoplankton is the basis for aquatic food webs and mirrors the water quality. Conventionally, phytoplankton analysis has been done using time consuming and partly subjective microscopic observations, but next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies provide promising potential for rapid automated examination of environmental samples. Because many phytoplankton species have tough cell walls, m...

Molecular beacons (MBs) of DNA and RNA have aroused increasing interest because they allow a continuous readout, excellent spatial and temporal resolution to observe in real time. This kind of dual-labeled oligonucleotide probes can differentiate between bound and unbound DNA/RNA in homogenous hybridization with a high signal-to-background ratio in living cells. This review briefly summarizes t...

Anew generation of technology promises a future of fast and cheap DNA and RNA sequencing by simultaneously analyzing millions of nucleic acid molecules. Graced with names such as “ultra highthroughput” or “next-generation” sequencing, this technological revolution actually consists of several competing technologies that allow large surveys of nucleic-acid samples — both genomic DNA and RNA tran...