When Scientists Disagree

Contrasting results from different groups often result from different experimental approaches to the same problem. In the case of XMRV (Xenotrophic Murine Leukemia -related Virus) and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome this issue is a matter of how different groups are choosing patients and how they are measuring virus.
Links for this podcast
Science paper showing detection of viral nucleic acid in blood cells of CFS patients
New York Times article summarizing recent events

Cyclodextrins, Cholesterol and HIV

A candy necklace and cytodextrin are both rings of sugars. One may prevent transmission of HIV, the other just makes you sticky. Notice the hydrophilic oxygens are outside and the hydrophobic carbons are on the inside, the better to grab nonpolar molecules like cholesterol.

 Screen capture from Harvard University animation"The Inner Life of the Cell" showing a cross section of a membrane with a lipid raft.








Links for this post
The 2008 paper showing cyclodextrin has some efficacy in preventing HIV transmission in macaques.
1995 paper in the Journal of Biological Chemistry showing cyclodextrins can grab cholesterol from cell membranes