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Category: Completed Research
Forum: FightAIDS@Home
Thread: Interesting news articles about AIDS |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
AFRICA: Could HIV be a matter of biology?
Africa’s HIV epidemic may not be driven by behaviour alone according to a new study suggesting that Kenyan women are more biologically susceptible to the virus. The study compared CD4 cells [white blood cells that lead the immune system’s response to infections] from cervical cell samples of young women from Kisumu, Kenya with those of young women from San Francisco, California. Researchers found that the samples from the Kenyan women had a much higher number of “activated” CD4 cells - normally dormant CD4 cells that have reacted to an infection in the body....... |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
Traditional risk factors main cause of thickening of carotid artery in patients with HIV
----------------------------------------US researchers have found that thickening of the carotid artery in patients with HIV appears to be associated with traditional risk factors, rather than those connected with either the severity of HIV disease or the use of antiretroviral therapy. However, in a study published in the online edition of AIDS, the investigators report that treatment with tenofovir had a protective effect against thickening of this artery. “Traditional risk factors are more important in predicting levels of cIMT [carotid-intima media thickness] in HIV infection,” comment the investigators. The life expectancy of patients with HIV has improved dramatically since the introduction of effective antiretroviral therapy and is now considered likely to be of near-normal duration. However, increased rates of cardiovascular disease have been observed in patients with HIV. The exact reasons for this are unclear, but possible reasons include a high prevalence of traditional risk factors, the inflammatory effect of HIV disease, and the side-effects of anti-HIV drugs. An important early warning sign of increased risk of cardiovascular risk is increased thickness of the carotid artery...... [Edit 1 times, last edit by Former Member at Aug 18, 2010 4:00:14 PM] |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
Uniform, national measures should define HIV/AIDS care
OAKLAND, Calif. (August 18, 2010) – To improve the quality of HIV care and treatment nationwide, 17 measures such as screening and prevention for infections and monitoring of antiretroviral therapy should be adopted uniformly, according a work group led by a Kaiser Permanente researcher. The work group's study results appear in the current issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases. The study shows how national HIV quality performance measures were developed, approved by national bodies, and are being implemented, said Michael Horberg, MD, MAS, FACP, director of HIV/AIDS for Kaiser Permanente, a research scientist at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research, and the lead author of the study. Horberg was one of two co-chairs who led the effort and determined the measures to be included and their specifications. Kaiser Permanente is the largest private provider of HIV care in the United States. The measures assess a wide range of care, including patient retention, screening and prevention for infections, immunization, and initiation and monitoring of antiretroviral therapy. The measures are being pilot tested and have been endorsed by the National Quality Forum, National Committee For Quality Assurance, American Medical Association, the HIV Medical Association, Infectious Disease Society of America, and Health Resources and Service Administration (Health & Human Services). "Taken together, these measures represent the most important aspects of HIV care that impact the greatest number of HIV-infected individuals in the Unites States today," Horberg said. "HIV disease has become a complex, chronic condition. Measurement of quality of care is an essential component of successful therapy," Horberg added. "And once those measurements are made, it's important that they be used to create quality improvement programs that set and create expectations for a certain level of quality care." Many of the measures outlined by the work group already are in place at Kaiser Permanente, which is the largest private provider of HIV care in the United States and has a large HIV registry of 17,000+ patients that's enabled Kaiser Permanente to improve its HIV management so that the mortality rate for Kaiser Permanente HIV patients is half the national average. As noted in the study, the measures do not reflect all aspects of HIV care. Most measures related to pregnancy processes and outcomes are not included. Pediatric measures are similarly not present, although the HRSA's HIV-AIDS Bureau is developing a set of those measures.... |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
HIV/AIDS: The Best of Times and the Worst of Times by David Mixner
Over the past three decades, HIV/AIDS has had a way of taunting us with progress and then reminding us of its immense devastation. Even in the early years, we had a parade of promising therapies that gave us hope, only to find out they did not contain the answer. Not until the advent of AZT, although far from perfect, were we allowed real hope for the future. Unfortunately until the development of antiretrovirals, those small steps forward were too late for so many of our brothers and sisters. In the last few months, the media has been filled with encouraging, and even exciting, news about the progress in treating this horrendous epidemic. At the very same time, we have been dealt some real setbacks in the care and treatment of people with HIV/AIDS. The lesson is the same as it always has been to the HIV/AIDS community: embrace and celebrate the progress while not letting up the pressure until there is a cure. The good news is indeed reason to celebrate. Real progress is being made in fighting this disease. From the International AIDS Conference in Vienna comes word that promising new gels have been developed that could dramatically lower the infection rate among at risk women. The progress toward ending mother to child transmission has been just short of a miracle. In addition, the Wall Street Journal published a story indicating that scientists have discovered three powerful antibodies which can neutralize 91% of HIV strains. The bad news is that the economic situation is wrecking havoc with HIV/AIDS budgets, international funds to fight HIV, research and treatment and care. Many states are freezing the ability of people with HIV/AIDS to receive antiretrovirals and treatment. AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) funds have either been cut way back or frozen making it impossible for new clients to have access to them. Unless this situation is totally corrected, it could mean a death sentence for some people with HIV/AIDS......... |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
A cure for HIV could be all in the 'mix'
Current HIV treatments do not eradicate HIV from host cells but rather inhibit virus replication and delay the onset of AIDS. However, a new research published in BioMed Central's open access journal, AIDS Research & Therapy describes an innovative approach to eliminate HIV in host by targeted killing of only HIV infected cells. This approach if successful could lead into an anti-HIV therapy that will eradicate the virus..... |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
Potential HIV drug keeps virus out of cells
University of Utah biochemist hopes to begin human clinical trials in two to three years SALT LAKE CITY—Following up a pioneering 2007 proof-of-concept study, a University of Utah biochemist and colleagues have developed a promising new anti-HIV drug candidate, PIE12-trimer, that prevents HIV from attacking human cells. Michael S. Kay, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of biochemistry in the University of Utah School of Medicine and senior author of the study published Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2010, online by the Journal of Virology, is raising funds to begin animal safety studies, followed by human clinical trials in two to three years. Kay believes PIE12-trimer is ideally suited for use as a vaginal microbicide (topically applied drug) to prevent HIV infection. His research group is particularly focused on preventing the spread of HIV in Africa, which has an estimated two-thirds of the world's 33 million HIV patients according to the World Health Organization......... |
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Michael2901
Veteran Cruncher Joined: Feb 6, 2009 Post Count: 586 Status: Offline Project Badges: 
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Interesting news about 2 existing anti-cancer drugs that together may force the HIV virus to mutate itself to destruction. Also interesting is that, so far, they seem to have few side effects as they seem able to work at quite low doses http://www.scientificcomputing.com/news-u-of-...roved-drugs-t-082010.aspx
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
LOYOLA RESEARCHERS ZERO IN ON PROTEIN THAT DESTROYS HIV
Using a $225,000 microscope, researchers have identified the key components of a protein called TRIM5a that destroys HIV in rhesus monkeys. The finding could lead to new TRIM5a-based treatments that would knock out HIV in humans, said senior researcher Edward M. Campbell, PhD, of Loyola University Health System. Campbell and colleagues report their findings in an article featured on the cover of the Sept. 15, 2010 issue of the journal Virology, now available online. In 2004, other researchers reported that TRIM5a protects rhesus monkeys from HIV. The TRIM5a protein first latches on to a HIV virus, then other TRIM5a proteins gang up and destroy the virus. Humans also have TRIM5a, but while the human version of TRIM5a protects against some viruses, it does not protect against HIV. Researchers hope to turn TRIM5a into an effective therapeutic agent. But first they need to identify the components in TRIM5a that enable the protein to destroy viruses. “Scientists have been trying to develop antiviral therapies for only about 75 years," Campbell said. "Evolution has been playing this game for millions of years, and it has identified a point of intervention that we still know very little about.".................. |
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Former Member
Cruncher Joined: May 22, 2018 Post Count: 0 Status: Offline |
AIDS virus changes in semen make it different than what it is in blood
The HIV-1 virus that causes AIDS may undergo changes in the genital tract that make it different in semen than what it is in the blood, revealed a study led by researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Much of the transmission of HIV-1 worldwide is through sexual contact, men being the transmitting partner in a majority of cases..... |
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Dan60
Senior Cruncher Brazil Joined: Mar 29, 2006 Post Count: 185 Status: Offline Project Badges: 
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LOYOLA RESEARCHERS ZERO IN ON PROTEIN THAT DESTROYS HIV Researchers hope to turn TRIM5a into an effective therapeutic agent. But first they need to identify the components in TRIM5a that enable the protein to destroy viruses. I wonder whether such work would be possible here  |
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