Pennsylvania Sun
PennsylvaniaSun.com Thursday 29th July 2010 Volume 0210/8
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"Those who commit war crimes must face justice. We must not allow difference to be a license to kill, and vulnerability an excuse to dominate. "
George W Bush
The former president was speaking at the White House, August 3 2001.

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$£€ United States, Dollar Euro Canada, Dollar United Kingdom, Pound Japan, Yen
United States, Dollar - 0.764 1.036 0.641 86.63
Euro 1.308 - 1.356 0.838 113.3
Canada, Dollar 0.964 0.737 - 0.618 83.59
United Kingdom, Pound 1.559 1.192 1.616 - 135.1
Japan, Yen 0.011 0.008 0.011 0.007 -

bullet More Pennsylvania News corner
Steelers Sign Kevin Colbert to Contract Extension
Pa. Sen. Logan leaving for UPMC job
Art project posts residents' thoughts on Beechview

bullet National corner
Time not ripe for Sino-US military exchanges: Chinese experts
Uncle of Chelsea Clinton's fiance not invited to wedding due to feud
Paris denies being paid $1 mn to party with billionaire Jho Low
Old Spice model makes it to Hollywood after ad success
Afghan war logs reveal Taliban use of shoulder-launched 'manpads'

bullet Entertainment corner
Dannii Minogue recording new album with 'X Factor' contestant
Photog sues Will Smith, Jay-Z's Broadway musical FELA
MJ's seven other doctors won't face any charges
Aretha Franklin, Condoleezza Rice perform for charity concert

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Pittsburgh Diocese Sued Over Alleged Victim's Suicide
The estate of a man allegedly abused by a priest has announced a lawsuit against the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh, alleging the man committed suicide earlier this year after the diocese...

New Eat'n Park Opening At Waterworks Mall
Eat'n Park is opening a new restaurant at the Waterworks Mall, but there's more than the chain's famous Smiley cookies for fans to smile about.The company is opening its first "green" restaurant in a...
New Mosquito Reported In Allegheny County
For the first time ever, a new mosquito has been reported in Allegheny County.Health officials report the Asian Tiger mosquito, an aggressive, biting insect that is active in daylight hours, has been...
More breaking stories
Document leaking methods defended by Wikileaks ownerDocument leaking methods defended by Wikileaks owner
The Australian-born founder of WikiLeaks, Julian Assange, has defended the placement of tens of thousands of classified US military files on his...

First global warming islands will soon be goneFirst global warming islands will soon be gone
Residents of the Carteret Islands off Papua New Guinea have been pleading for help from the international community since their homes began sinking into the...
Moscow blanketed in smog as fire surrounds cityMoscow blanketed in smog as fire surrounds city
Heavy smog has been covering Russia's capital due to forest fires which have been raging for three...
More international stories
Some California state workers to take unpaid leaveSome California state workers to take unpaid leave
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California has given an executive order for some state workers to take three unpaid days off per month starting in...

Greek truck drivers get back to work order from governmentGreek truck drivers get back to work order from government
The Greek government, using a rare law, has ordered truck drivers back to...
Protesters gather at Fiat Mirafiori plantProtesters gather at Fiat Mirafiori plant
Fiat car workers in Italy have been running protests over the company’s future in its home...
More business stories

bullet Scientists unravel herpes virus protein structure corner

Researchers at Tufts University and the University of Pennsylvania have uncovered the unusual structure of a key member of the protein complex that allows a herpes virus to invade cells.

The new map details an essential piece of the herpes virus "cell-entry machinery," providing scientists with a new target for antiviral drugs.

The study appears online in the journal Nature Structural and Molecular Biology.

The scientists used X-ray crystallography along with cell microscopy techniques to study the structure and function of the cell-entry protein fusion events carried out by herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). The research has resulted in a map of an important protein complex required to trigger herpes virus infection, setting the stage for new therapeutics that may prevent the virus's access to cells.

Most viruses need cell-entry proteins called fusogens in order to invade cells. Scientists have known that the herpes virus fusogen does not act alone, requiring a complex of two other viral cell-entry proteins. In this study, researchers determined the structure of this key protein complex and realized it did not resemble the structure of other known fusogens.

"This unexpected result leads us to believe that this protein complex is not a fusogen itself but that it regulates the fusogen. We also found that certain antibodies interfere with the ability of this protein complex to bind to the fusogen, evidence that antiviral drugs that target this interaction could prevent viral infection," said senior author Ekaterina Heldwein, assistant professor of molecular and microbiology at Tufts University School of Medicine.

"We hope that determining the structure of this essential piece of the herpes virus cell-entry machinery will help us answer some of the many questions about how herpes virus initiates infection. Knowing the structures of cell-entry proteins will help us find the best strategy for interfering with this pervasive family of viruses," said first author Tirumala K. Chowdary, a postdoctoral associate at Tufts.

There is no cure for herpes viruses. Upon infection, the viruses remain in the body for life and can stay inactive for long periods of time. When active, however, different herpes viruses can cause cold sores, blindness, encephalitis or cancers. (ANI)


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    bullet Editorials corner
    Justifiable 'jailbreaks' on the Apple iPhone
    Cooling things down in Arizona
    Our Little Castro in Belarus
    Analysis: Colombia Dispute Helps Chavez Distract
    Handyman convicted in swindle of elderly woman

    bullet Pittsburgh corner
    Car Crashes Into Mt. Pleasant Home, Narrowly Misses Woman
    Vandals Slash Tires On Several Cars In McKees Rocks
    Steelers Partner with XFinity by Comcast During 2010 Training Camp
    Steelers Training Camp Trivia - Question 5

    bullet Have Your Say corner
    Do you think ageism is a problem in the modern world?


    bullet Hotel Review corner
    Crowne Plaza, Los Angeles International Airport
    Crowne Plaza, Los Angeles International Airport

    I needed a hotel overnight near LAX and decided on the Crowne Plaza, a 4 star recently-renovated business class hotel on West...


    bullet Philadelphia corner
    Lee hits a pair as Astros rip Cubs
    Gonzo: Dom & Bron & T.O., too
    Body found in Memphis said to be that of Lorenzen Wright
    Vietnamese parent sues district, saying she was attacked at S. Philadelphia High
    Phillies and Astros agree on trade, await Roy Oswalt's approval