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    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of, and finding treatments for, complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

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  1. R

    Phylogenetic analysis of MLV sequences from longitudinally sampled Chronic Fatigue Sy

    @ Eric. This is a fair point and I have to keep reminding myself that this isn't just an academic game (like the creation/evolution debate), it's about real people with a real debilitating disease. I didn't ever intend posting here but I was really saddened to see that people really believe...
  2. R

    Phylogenetic analysis of MLV sequences from longitudinally sampled Chronic Fatigue Sy

    They only tested for mitochondrial Mouse DNA and not the more sensitive IAP based PCR test. There's also the problem of contaminated cell lines. Why? Phylogenetics is an extremely complex field, are either of them experts in this field, like one of the authors of this paper? These authors...
  3. R

    Phylogenetic analysis of MLV sequences from longitudinally sampled Chronic Fatigue Sy

    This is a very good point which is why it's important that they have an expert on viral genomics as an author. http://www.sanger.ac.uk/research/faculty/pkellam/ and it's sure to have been peer reviewed by experts on phylogenetics. They also say
  4. R

    Susceptibility of (XMRV) to retroviral restriction factors

    @ Mark, I think you make some very valid points and I am aware of the pressure to have a 'practical application' (there's a buzz phrase that I can't quite remember) to your research but as I pointed out, scientists with permanent positions (ie all the academic staff at a University) can and do...
  5. R

    Phylogenetic analysis of MLV sequences from longitudinally sampled Chronic Fatigue Sy

    I don't know where you copied this from but whoever wrote it either hasn't read the paper or hasn't understood it. This isn't about the rate of evolution it's about working out the probabilities of Sequence A (taken at time point 1) being ancestral to sequence B (taken at time point 2, 15 years...
  6. R

    Could this be an early XMRV? The JHK virus

    It's my understanding that the env gene codes for glycoproteins that bind cell receptors (think HIV gp120 and gp41 that bind the T cells CD4 receptor) which are crucial for infection of that cell. The sequence of the env gene determines the viral tropism (which cells and which species the virus...
  7. R

    Could this be an early XMRV? The JHK virus

    Why? What it says to me is they've got sequences they haven't published. How do you reach that conclusion? It has 99% sequence homology to Mouse chromosomal elements. It's also only 750ish bp.
  8. R

    Phylogenetic analysis of MLV sequences from longitudinally sampled Chronic Fatigue Sy

    They're just reporting their data interpretation, given that they've got an expert in viral genomics as an author, their interpretation has validity.
  9. R

    Phylogenetic analysis of MLV sequences from longitudinally sampled Chronic Fatigue Sy

    As an old colleague of mine used to say, proof is for alcohol and maths, if you want proof you've come to the wrong department. Scientists don't say anything much stronger than 'the data suggests'. What's important is the analysis.
  10. R

    Could this be an early XMRV? The JHK virus

    A quick BLAST of the sequence pulls out Mouse Chromosomal hits and MLVs, it's a gag gene though so maybe not the best for sequence comparisons. However the bio on Porf. Grossberg says: cDNA libraries produced by reverse transcription of JHK viral RNA have been constructed and are being analyzed...
  11. R

    Could this be an early XMRV? The JHK virus

    What did you want to know about cell lines? BTW, the scientist who discovered JHK doesn't seem to think it's a variant of XMRV cDNA libraries produced by reverse transcription of JHK viral RNA have been constructed and are being analyzed; the sequences determined of the many clones produced have...
  12. R

    Could this be an early XMRV? The JHK virus

    Why does it look like an early form of XMRV?
  13. R

    Susceptibility of (XMRV) to retroviral restriction factors

    I just check the literature every now and then, I can't help it if it's all negative re a link between ME and XMRV. I don't really understand that comment? Who's going to hold the ME community responsible if the WPI findings are wrong? I would imagine most people will feel bad that you've...
  14. R

    Phylogenetic analysis of MLV sequences from longitudinally sampled Chronic Fatigue Sy

    I'm sure they'll see it I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't advised of it before publication.
  15. R

    Phylogenetic analysis of MLV sequences from longitudinally sampled Chronic Fatigue Sy

    The authors are from Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK MRC Centre for Medical Molecular Virology, Division of Infection and Immunity, University College London, 46 Cleveland St, London W1T 4JF, UK Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute...
  16. R

    Phylogenetic analysis of MLV sequences from longitudinally sampled Chronic Fatigue Sy

    Phylogenetic analysis of MLV sequences from longitudinally sampled Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients suggests PCR contamination rather than viral evolution. Abstract: This is an analysis of sequences from the Lo study. http://jvi.asm.org/cgi/content/abstract/JVI.00827-11v1
  17. R

    Susceptibility of (XMRV) to retroviral restriction factors

    I'm not funded by The Wellcome Trust or the MRC as it happens I'm funded by the BBSRC. Why?
  18. R

    Susceptibility of (XMRV) to retroviral restriction factors

    Really? Do you have any evidence for this? I work in the Medical School of a British University and our funding comes almost entirely from the government (direct and from the MRC, BBSRC) plus some from charities (Wellcome etc). All the academics I know who have permanent positions pursue...
  19. R

    Frequent detection of infectious XMLV in human cultures from mouse xenografts

    It could be both a cell line 'contaminant' and an infectious Human virus, it's certainly the first and the big question now is, is it the latter, I don't think anyone is arguing that XMRV isn't a real virus. The take home message if you like of this paper is how easy it is to infect cell lines...
  20. R

    Susceptibility of (XMRV) to retroviral restriction factors

    I'm sorry but vested interest works both ways and the WPI has as much of a vested interest as any other institution, why do you think this is an offensive statement, it's an obvious fact. It doesn't mean the WPI is dishones but I was responding to this...
  21. R

    Susceptibility of (XMRV) to retroviral restriction factors

    This makes no sense at all given that other (more) highly respected retrovirologists like Levy have tested the same cohort and found nothing, are you sure you're not basing your opinion of the trustworthiness of these scientists on what you think their results should be? This is the impression I...
  22. R

    Dr Singh Talks on her CFS XMRV study and the WPI's Response

    Actually I agree with you about more research and arrogant scientists. EDIT: Scientists are only Human and sometimes egos get in the way, Coffin and Muikovits are classic examples of feuding scientists. However, science is self correcting in the end and a consensus will emerge, it did with HIV...
  23. R

    Dr Singh Talks on her CFS XMRV study and the WPI's Response

    In other words your analogy was totally inaccurate, I was listing Dr. Singh's points and there was no handling vs inherent PCR vulnerability it was sample handling AND PCR methodology. In other words, wrong. I'm very careful not to say anything of the sort.
  24. R

    Frequent detection of infectious XMLV in human cultures from mouse xenografts

    The Singh study did, they say ........... with extensive help from Frank Ruscetti and they cultured for at least 6 weeks. I think XMRV is interesting and I think it's potentially a health risk which is why I think it's a good idea to screen blood and cell lines used for vaccines. I'd be...
  25. R

    Dr Singh Talks on her CFS XMRV study and the WPI's Response

    You seem to have forgotten to bold the part where I say this. Why is that? Also, my words that you've bolded DON'T refer to the passage you've bolded words in, I'm referring to her comments on the PCR NOT the handling of the samples. So your analogy fails all round.
  26. R

    Dr Singh Talks on her CFS XMRV study and the WPI's Response

    I think there are two contamination arguments 1. XMRV isn't an infectious Human virus, it's only present in cell lines. 2. XMRV may be present in prostate cancer tissue but the studies finding XMRV in the blood of ME sufferers are the result of contamination. I don't think anyone is arguing...
  27. R

    Frequent detection of infectious XMLV in human cultures from mouse xenografts

    The Singh study used the same method and the Levy study used a very similar culturing method. I don't see why, contamination with an infectious virus can account for all the WPI results. The fact that they use cells that have been found to be infected in other labs (LnCAP) and the VP62...
  28. R

    Susceptibility of (XMRV) to retroviral restriction factors

    that may be true of the medical establishment, I wouldn't know, but why is this true of retrovirologists?
  29. R

    Frequent detection of infectious XMLV in human cultures from mouse xenografts

    Of course I don't know, I'm just saying on the evidence, contamination is most probable at the moment. Isn't it true though that the WPI don't think PCR is the best way of detecting XMRV? BTW, your lab is only as good as your post docs/PhD students/research assistants, they're the ones that do...
  30. R

    Dr Singh Talks on her CFS XMRV study and the WPI's Response

    Dr. Singh did consult with them and used the same culturing protocol. When she says ..........and patient and control samples were often collected at different times, sometimes several years apart (11) she's referring to the Lo study that's why it's referenced. (12) is the Lomabardi study.