RNA synthesis by the genotype 1b hepatitis C virus (HCV) polymerase (NS5B) transiently expressed in Human embryonic kidney 293T cells or liver hepatocytes was found to robustly stimulate RIG-I-dependent luciferase production from the interferon β promoter in the absence of exogenously provided ligand. This cell-based assay, henceforth named the 5BR assay, could be used to examine HCV polymerase...

BACKGROUND RIG-I is a pivotal receptor that detects numerous RNA and DNA viruses. Thus, its defectiveness may strongly impair the host antiviral immunity. Remarkably, very little information is available on RIG-I single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) presenting a functional impact on the host response. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Here, we studied all non-synonymous SNPs of RIG-I using bio...

Prameha (Diabetes) which has been a global problem is well described in the ancient Indian classics life the Vedas and the Ayurvedic works which ensued the Vedic period. In the present work, the authors have tried to focus the narrations on pramehas in Vedic literature with special reference to the "Kauchika Soothra" of Atharva Veda. A new hypothesis comparing the actions of pittatejas which is...

Dynamic atomic force microscopy (dAFM) continues to grow in popularity among scientists in many different fields, and research on new methods and operating modes continues to expand the resolution, capabilities, and types of samples that can be studied. But many promising increases in capability are accompanied by increases in complexity. Indeed, interpreting modern dAFM data can be challenging...

This thesis details the design and construction of a rig for studying surface condensation and a rig for creating anodized metal oxides (AMOs). The condensation rig characterizes condensation for different surfaces; this is done with the use of known heat transfer principles to calculate characteristic heat fluxes and heat transfer coefficient values. Preliminary results have been shown to foll...

Infection of human dendritic cells (DCs) by negative-strand RNA viruses, such as Newcastle disease virus, leads to the induction of the IFNbeta gene, IFNB1, through the activation of the RNA helicase RIG-I, which is encoded by DDX58. Expression levels of IFNB1 and DDX58 in infected DCs showed positive correlations at the population and the single-cell levels. DDX58 has a common and potentially ...

The innate immune response is a host defense mechanism against infection by viruses and bacteria. Type I interferons (IFNα/β) play a crucial role in innate immunity. If not tightly regulated under normal conditions and during immune responses, IFN production can become aberrant, leading to inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. In this study, we identified TRIM11 (tripartite motif containing 11)...