Blocking Immune Inhibitor Improves Response To HIV-like Virus, Prolongs Survival In Monkeys Dec 12, 2008
11, 2008) By blocking PD-1 (programmed death-1), an immune receptor molecule known to inhibit the immune response to chronic viral infections, scientists have safely and significantly reduced the plasma viral load and also prolonged survival of rhesus macaque monkeys severely infected with simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), the nonhuman primate version of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) ... "It also is important to note that this therapy was effective without anti-retroviral drugs and in... (Science Daily)
Type 1 Diabetes And Celiac Disease Linked Dec 12, 2008
The research suggests that type 1 diabetes and celiac disease may be caused by common underlying mechanisms such as autoimmunity-related tissue damage and intolerance to dietary antigens (foreign substances which prompt an immune response). Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder which causes the body to attack the beta cells of the pancreas, limiting its ability to produce the insulin necessary to regulate blood sugar levels. (Science Daily)
Vaccine And Drug Research Aimed At Ticks And Mosquitoes To Prevent Disease Transmission Dec 12, 2008
Researchers have found a way to generate immune response levels. (Jan. (Science Daily)
Hopes raised on HIV immune boost Dec 11, 2008
The journal Nature reports infected animals survived almost twice as long after a single treatment to raise immune response to the virus ... In particular, it manages to activate a signalling system in the body's immune cells - which then actually holds back the body's immune response ... Dr Rama Amara, who led the research, said: "It is important to note that this therapy was effective without antiretroviral drugs and in monkeys with severe AIDS. "It is critical to induce protective immune... (BBC News -- Health)
Generex Biotechnology Update On Novel Immunotherapeutic Vaccine to be Presented At San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium Dec 11, 2008
In particular, increased specific immune responses persisted in patients for up to a year after the immunizations. Further, a specific cell type known to dampen the immune response (T regulatory cells) was shown to be reduced in nine of nine patients examined. (Primezone Releases)
Baby protein 'could help bowels' Dec 10, 2008
Dr Charlie Lees from the university's Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, who led the study, said: "Everybody has billions of bacteria in the gut, the vast majority of which do us no harm. "Our body's natural immune responses identify and eliminate harmful bacteria, whilst living in harmony with the healthy bacteria. "But in people with inflammatory bowel disease, that response goes wrong and an over-active immune response against these healthy bacteria leads to chronic inflammation in... (BBC News -- Health)
Half-Dose Flu Shot Works Well in Young Adults Dec 10, 2008
MONDAY, Dec. 8 (HealthDay News) -- A half-dose flu shot is sufficient to trigger an immune response in healthy adults younger than age 50 who've had prior flu vaccinations, U.S. researchers report ... Engler and colleagues also found that women of all ages had a greater immune response to both doses of the flu vaccine than men. (MEDLINEplus)
Cell Receptor Identified As Target For Anti-inflammatory Immune Response Dec 10, 2008
Like with any close-quarter combat, however, an aggressive immune response runs the risk of friendly fire accidents. For the last decade, immunologists have intensively studied mechanisms evolved by the immune system to avoid these accidents by shutting off the immune response once the invaders have been eliminated ... Researchers at The Rockefeller University found that a receptor known to shield HIV and Hepatitis C from an effective immune response is also essential to the therapeutic effects... (Science Daily)
Blame Your Genes: Some People Eight Times More Likely To Suffer From Prolonged Illness With Infection Dec 10, 2008
This group of people is significantly more likely to have an intense illness during the acute stage of an infection when fever, aches and pain strike to signal the start of the body s immune response. See also. (Science Daily)
Malaria vaccine shows promise in Africa tests Dec 10, 2008
The study was the first test of a version of the vaccine that used a new additive to boost the immune response. The older version was 35 percent effective in earlier tests. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
County takes flu battle to schools Dec 10, 2008
Former Resident wrote on Dec 9, 2008 6:06 PM:" 2cents; clearly you have made up your mind and aren't going to listen to reason, but for anyone who's on the fence, I'll explain. Some people get sick while others don't because of their immune systems. Some have more severe immune responses to foreign invaders than others; some have already been exposed to a particular germ so their immune response is faster; and some people have stronger immune systems in general because they are in good health... (Longview Daily News, WA)
Large-scale Gene Silencing Mystery Solved Dec 9, 2008
9, 2004) Researchers at the University of California, Riverside, with colleagues at the University of Florida and at UC Davis, have uncovered how viruses circumvent the immune response of. (June 1, 1999) Crops with increased resistance to drought and disease, soybeans with more protein and vegetables with more vitamins are some of the potential benefits that may result from a new gene silencing. (Science Daily)
Blow Up Diet Myths Dec 9, 2008
"Nuts contain the essential fatty acids, linoleic and linolenic acids, which are vital for growth, healthy skin and hair, blood pressure control, immune response and blood clotting," according to. So enjoy them in moderation -- portions are key to all weight loss, dietitians said. (KIRO TV, WA)
Malaria 'early warning' test hope Dec 8, 2008
This appears to contribute to an excessive immune response, causing inflammation in the placenta and getting in the way of normal blood vessel growth. This might well stop the baby getting enough nutrients during pregnancy. (BBC News -- Health)
Fractional Dose Of Scarce Meningitis Vaccine May Be Effective In Outbreak Control Dec 7, 2008
In the study, immune responses in patients receiving smaller doses of a meningitis vaccine were comparable to a full dose ... In a 2004 randomized clinical trial of 750 healthy volunteers (2-19 years old) in Uganda, immune response, assessed by serum bactericidal activity (SBA), was measured for 1/5 and 1/10 doses against a full dose ... Although another measure of immune response, IgG level, was lower for fractional doses, the aim of mass vaccination during epidemics is short-term protection,... (Science Daily)
How Mosquitoes Avoid Succumbing To Viruses They Transmit Dec 4, 2008
The mediators that balance the interactions between mosquito and virus are virus-derived short-interfering RNAs (viRNAs), which are generated by the mosquito's immune response to infection ... " said Myles. The researchers used the arthropod-borne virus Sindbis -- a model virus for a wide variety of mosquito-transmitted viruses, such as chikungunya and eastern equine encephalitis, both of which cause serious diseases in humans. They infected a mosquito called Aedes aegypti, an important vector... (Science Daily)
Researchers identify cell group key to Lyme disease arthritis Dec 4, 2008
In an earlier study published in Nature Immunology, Kronenberg, Sellati and co-workers had shown that a glycolipid, a type of fat, found in the membrane of Borrelia burgdorferi triggered an immune response from the NK T cells ... Prized for initiating a fast and vigorous immune response, NK T cells are emerging as a subject of significant scientific interest because of their potential for fighting bacterial infections and cancer ... Kronenberg's laboratory was among the first to identify... (EurekAlert!)
Insights Into Adaptive Ability Of Cells May Help Explain How Cancer Eludes Body's Natural Defense Dec 2, 2008
1, 2002) Researchers have discovered that a molecule best known for its anti-microbial properties also has the ability to activate key cells in the immune response. This newly discovered function, reported in. (Science Daily)
Bill Gates' millions to battle TB Dec 2, 2008
----------------- ----------------- RELATED BBC SITES. Last Updated: Thursday, 12 February, 2004, 22:34 GMT. (Yahoo News -- Tuberculosis)
Nabi Biopharmaceuticals Significantly Enhances Gram-Positive Patent Portfolio Dec 2, 2008
And, our Phase 1 trial to evaluate the safety and immune response of the Type 336 antigen demonstrated that the vaccine was immunogenic and well-tolerated. These three antigens are an integral part of our next-generation vaccine PentaStaph(tm), a five-component vaccine that we believe will provide comprehensive protection against the most clinically significant S. aureus infections known today. (Primezone Releases)
Sex Life Of Killer Fungus Finally Revealed Dec 1, 2008
These spores are normally eliminated by the innate immune response. However, this fungus has become the most prevalent airborne fungal pathogen due to its ability to cause infections in hosts with a weakened immune system, with at least a 50 per cent mortality rate in humans. (Science Daily)
Blame your genes for lengthy illness Dec 1, 2008
It analysed differences in immune response among 300 people diagnosed with acute glandular fever, Ross River virus or Q fever infections in the central western NSW town of Dubbo ... She said those with the vulnerability have a overblown immune response. (The Age)
Helping The Embryo Implant: A New Role For One Type Of Immune Cell Nov 29, 2008
However, Steffen Jung and colleagues, at The Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel, have now discovered that mouse uterine DCs are crucial for implantation and that they function to ensure that new blood vessels form in the wall of the uterus; they do not function by dampening immune responses to the embryo, as had been anticipated ... Depletion of DCs in both normal mice and mice lacking the ability to mount an immune response resulted in a severe defect in implantation, indicating that uterine... (Science Daily)
New Leprosy Bacterium: Scientists Use Genetic Fingerprint To Nail 'Killing Organism' Nov 29, 2008
(May 27, 2005) With the unusual opportunity that human leprosy infections provide for study of human immune responses, scientists have discovered how the body's early warning system prompts a rapid immune response. (Feb. (Science Daily)
New Type Of Vaccines Deliver Stronger And Faster Immune Response Nov 28, 2008
This genetic cocktail is then inserted into an incapacitated flu-like virus such as the adenovirus and injected into the body, where it triggers a broader and more aggressive immune response, enabling the immune system to quickly seek out and destroy the disease when it invades ... Because these pathogenic proteins (antigens) are recognised as foreign, they are placed on the surface of the cell to alert the immune system and trigger an appropriate immune response. (Science Daily)
Strategy For Predicting Immunity Of Vaccines Developed Nov 25, 2008
Analysis of gene expression patterns in white blood cells revealed in the majority of the individuals the vaccine induced a network of genes involved in the early innate immune response against viruses ... "To determine whether these gene signatures could predict immune response, we vaccinated a second group of individuals and were able to predict with up to 90 percent accuracy which of the vaccinated individuals would develop a strong T or B cell immunity to yellow fever," continues Pulendran... (Science Daily)
Hope for Tasmanian devils, a decimated species Nov 24, 2008
Cedric mounted an immune response and lived. Clinky did not develop an immune response, and he succumbed to the cancer ... Woods has since found a second devil that was able to mount an immune response. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Science)
Blood Component That Turns Anthrax Bacteria Virulent Identified Nov 23, 2008
7, 2004) Biologists at the University of California, San Diego have determined how toxin produced by anthrax bacteria blocks a person's normal immune response, a discovery that could lead to new. (Apr. (Science Daily)
New Cause Of Fatal Brain Injury From Acute Viral Meningitis Nov 22, 2008
Instead, the virus pushes an immune response that, in itself, is damaging because it results in "leaky" blood vessels in the meninges at the blood-brain border ... "While other viruses are more pathologic, they all produce an immune response." ... (June 18, 2007) Researchers report that the molecule known as TRAIL can limit excessive immune responses in bacterial meningitis, and as such may be of use to control inflammation of the spinal cord and brain, which. (Science Daily)
Should doctors pray with their patients? Despite skeptics, medical schools addressing spirituality Nov 22, 2008
A study published in 2003 found workers who attended a meditation training session had a more powerful immune response to the influenza vaccine than those who did not meditate. Spiritual practices. (Racine Journal Times, WI)
The Globavore's Dilemma Nov 21, 2008
Breathing in the brain tissue triggers an immune response that leads to the sort of symptoms experienced by the factory workers. Like all meat, pork brains can be contaminated in various ways, but there's no evidence that the substance itself is bad for humans. (Slate)
Cellular Safety Shelters Allow TB Agent To Survive In Infected Individuals Nov 20, 2008
According to the research group led by Frederic Altare, the tubercle bacillus circumvents the host immune response by inducing the transformation of aggressive immune cells into a non-aggressive refuge where it is able to survive and have access to large sources of nutrients ... Using a recently developed in vitro assay mimicking the human host immune response, the researchers observed that Mtb uses some of its cell surface constituents to induce the transformation of macrophages (which are... (Science Daily)
Codon Switching to Attenuate Viral Replication Nov 20, 2008
First, the creation of a strain of virus that can be grown readily and replicates well enough in vivo to stimulate a protective immune response and yet does not cause disease is more art and guesswork than science. Indeed, vaccines. (New England Journal of Medicine)
First transplant patient to receive organ -- grown to order... Nov 19, 2008
"Two further patients, from Germany and the United States, are in hospital in Barcelona, awaiting transplants of their windpipes, which had been damaged by cancer, he said. It would take two to three months to grow the replacement organs and "put them in good shape" before operating, he added. The surgery could be suitable for up to 3,000 patients similarly affected by damaged trachea and bronchus (the lower part of the windpipe) in Europe, and tens of thousands if it were extended to include... (The Drudge Report)
Gene Chips Accurately Detect Pneumonia In ICU Patients On Ventilators Nov 19, 2008
"If we could determine which patients are destined to develop pneumonia based on early changes in the activity of genes that regulate immune response, we could give them antibiotics sooner, with the hope that we could prevent or curtail the infection.". Cobb and his team first analyzed patterns of expression in more than 8,000 genes in a small patient cohort at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, where Cobb specializes in the care of critical illness and injury. (Science Daily)
For Tasmanian devils, hope against a deadly disease Nov 19, 2008
Cedric mounted an immune response and lived. Clinky did not develop an immune response and died. (International Herald Tribune)
Boy Becomes 1 of Only 3 in World to Survive Rabies Nov 18, 2008
The 15-year-old boy had been vaccinated, but the rabies had progressed while his body was developing his immune response, Willoughby said. Previously, five people in the world were known to have survived fully developed rabies who had been vaccinated. (Fox News)
Letters for Tuesday, November 18, 2008 Nov 18, 2008
Apparently, the shot works by triggering the body s immune response to make antibodies against the particular virus. But what happens if the person s immune system is already weak, like in the elderly or the very young. (Lihue Garden Island, HA)
Blood test could help track cancer Nov 17, 2008
Inside, they found fragments of ribonucleic acid, or RNA, including messengers related to cell growth and immune response. When they exposed these exosomes to normal cells in the lab, the tumor RNA delivered its genetic message into the cells. (Boston Globe)
No Clear Answer On Why HIV Vaccine Candidates Did Not Lower Risk Of Acquiring HIV Nov 17, 2008
The two analyses, one of the clinical results of the study and the other of study participants' immune responses to the vaccine, did not produce a clear answer to the question of why this particular vaccine candidate did not lower the risk of acquiring HIV or reduce the severity of HIV infection ... Immune Response to Vaccine Did Not Result in Protection from Infection or Lowering of Viral Load among Those Who Became Infected ... In the comprehensive analyses of immune responses to the vaccine,... (Science Daily)
Study explains why eating red meat raises cancer risk Nov 17, 2008
When it gets into human tissues, the body develops anti-Neu5Gc antibodies, an immune response that could lead to chronic inflammation and boost cancer growth ... "Taken together, our data indicate that chronic inflammation results from interaction of Neu5Gc accumulated in our bodies from eating red meat with the antibodies that circulate as an immune response to this non-human molecule and this may contribute to cancer risk," said Varki. (Food Consumer)
Tiny sacs released by brain tumor cells carry information that may guide treatment Nov 17, 2008
Some messenger RNAs related to activities such as cell proliferation and migration, angiogenesis, and immune response were highly abundant in the exosomes. When glioblastoma exosomes were cultured with normal cells, tumor RNA was delivered into the normal cells and generated its encoded protein, supporting the role of exosome-delivered RNA in manipulating the cellular environment. (EurekAlert!)
Predictive Tests And Early Treatment Delay Progression Of Blood Cell Cancer, Researchers Find Nov 16, 2008
The two targeted therapies studied, alemtuzumab and rituximab, are widely used in advanced-stage CLL. Both are monoclonal antibodies that produce an immune response against the cancer cells. "This is the first publication of a study on CLL in which patients were selected for early treatment of their disease based on molecular prognostic markers, and it is also the first one to test a combination of targeted therapies in a group of patients who would not ordinarily be treated yet," says the... (Science Daily)
HIV News: Vaccine, Bone Marrow Transplant, Vitamin C Nov 16, 2008
Dr. White said vaccines prior to V520 were intended to evoke strong anti-body-mediated immune response to prevent HIV virus from entering host cells. V520 however was meant to evoke a cell-mediated immune response to HIV, allowing HIV entering cells and then trying to conquer it in the infected cells ... According to Dr. White, these two types immune response, antibody-mediated for extracellular infections and cell-mediated primarily for intracellular infections work in a teeter-totter manner. (Food Consumer)
Cyanotech turns profit for third consecutive quarter Nov 15, 2008
The company says spirulina can be used as a food ingredient and augments energy and immune response, and that BioAstin has antioxidant benefits. The company said quarterly revenue jumped 26 percent to $3. (Honolulu Advertiser)
Deadly Wait for Nonwhite Kids Who Need Hearts Nov 15, 2008
High levels of antibodies in her blood meant that her body would probably launch a strong immune response to foreign organs,they said. In addition, toward the end of Maiya's life, her kidneys and liver had deteriorated to the point where she would have needed a triple-organ transplant, something that Cunningham said is not done. (ABC News)
Those Were The Days: Counteracting Loneliness With Nostalgia Nov 14, 2008
(May 2, 2005) A new study at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh confirms how college challenges both mind and body, by demonstrating that lonely first-year students mounted a weaker immune response to the. . (Science Daily)
Future Promise For Breast Cancer Cure? Nov 14, 2008
"This vaccine stimulates the type of immune response that creates inflammation, or a danger signal, at the site of the tumor and allows the tumor to appear more foreign to the immune system and create a vigorous immune response" Disis told ABC News. 1. (ABC News)
Plastic surgeons warn of malnutrition in body contouring patients Nov 13, 2008
The study also noted the role of each nutrient in wound healing and immune response ... The study also noted the role various nutrients play in wound healing: Protein, vitamins A, B complex, C, arginine, glutamine, iron, zinc and selenium promote wound healing, collagen production and immune response; Vitamin B complex has also been associated with reducing the risk of deep vein thrombosis. (EurekAlert!)
Flu shot protects you and others in your family Nov 12, 2008
But the older you get, the less effective your immune response is. So any given immunization now doesn't respond as strong as when you were a child. (Kalamazoo Gazette, MI)
Generation of potent neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies against cytomegalovirus infection from immune B cells. Nov 12, 2008
Human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) generated as a result of the immune response are likely to be the most effective therapeutic antibodies, particularly in the case of infectious diseases against which the immune response is protective. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is an ubiquitous opportunistic virus that is the most serious pathogenic agent in transplant patients. (BioMed Central)
Important Steps Towards Development Of Human Vaccine Against Malaria Nov 11, 2008
It is, however, required that these attenuated parasites are still able to stimulate a good immune response in the liver ... (May 16, 2007) A new study suggests that bites from mosquitoes not infected with malaria may trigger an immune response limiting parasite development following bites from infected. (Science Daily)
Forgotten, But Not Gone: Leprosy Still Present In The US Nov 10, 2008
9, 2008) Long believed to be a disease of biblical times, leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, continues to be seen in the United States. "Approximately 150 cases are diagnosed each year with 3,000 people in the U.S. currently being treated for leprosy, says James Krahenbuhl, Ph.D., director of the Health Resources Service Administration's National Hansen's Disease Program (NHDP) in Baton Rouge, LA. See also: "We believe there are more cases of leprosy not identified due to the lack of... (Science Daily)
Smaller Mosquitoes Are More Likely To Be Infected With Viruses Causing Human Diseases Nov 10, 2008
(May 16, 2007) A new study suggests that bites from mosquitoes not infected with malaria may trigger an immune response limiting parasite development following bites from infected. (Nov. (Science Daily)
Generex Biotechnology Corporation's Antigen Express Subsidiary Featured in Technology Update and Value Focus Review Issued by Scimitar Equity, LLC Nov 10, 2008
The focus is on stimulating critical members of the immune response, known as T helper cells ... Antigen Express therapies are based on highly selective modulation of the immune response, in contrast to most current immunomodulation strategies that are in general non-specific ... The therapies developed at Antigen Express intervene at the critical stage of antigen presentation to modulate the immune response. (Primezone Releases)
Study Will Help Reveal Genetic Differences Between Chimps, Humans Nov 9, 2008
In what is seen as the basis which will help in further research, scientists have found areas linked to cell differentiation and immune response. Study co-author, Richard Redon, a geneticist at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute said, "By looking at all the variations, we will get a catalogue, and when we find a variation in a person with a disease, it will help us understand the function of that variation.........It will help us understand better how our species emerged.". (TopNews)
How Body Determines Optimal Amount Of Germ-fighting B Cells Nov 9, 2008
We found that molecular crosstalk between two receptors on the surface of B cells balances the need to have enough B cells to make good immune responses, while at the same time guarding against autoimmunity ... Molecular crosstalk between two B-cell surface receptors (green, Y-shaped B-cell receptor and orange cylinder-shaped BLyS receptor) balances the need to have enough B cells to drive a healthy immune response while at the same time guarding against autoimmunity. (Science Daily)
Vaccines: Separating fact from fiction Nov 8, 2008
Each single bacterium has 2,000 to 3,000 components that stimulate an immune response from the body. As those bacteria multiply, the challenge to the immune system increases exponentially. (CNN -- Health)
Could vitamin D save us from radiation? Nov 8, 2008
Calcitriol is the form of vitamin D that activates the body's Vitamin D Receptor (VDR), which allows gene transcription to take place and the activation of the innate immune response. It is possible that several of the transcribed by the VDR will help transcribe proteins that protect the body against radiation. (EurekAlert!)
Vitamin D protects low-level radiation Nov 8, 2008
Calcitriol is the form of vitamin D that activates the body's Vitamin D Receptor (VDR), which allows gene transcription to take place and the activation of the innate immune response. Scientists have long been looking for an effective agent that could be given by mouth and would protect us against a suspected or impending nuclear event, whether an accident, terrorist attack, or other incident. (India Times, India)
Key Gene May Be Crucial To Production Of Thymus And Disease-fighting T-cells Nov 7, 2008
Such things as infectious diseases, inflammation and heart problems are all related to immune response, said Nancy Manley, an associate professor of genetics and chair of UGA s Interdepartmental Developmental Biology Group. You don t have to think far to see how understanding the effect of this gene could affect the quality of life for older people and others as well. (Science Daily)
Searching for a deer killer Nov 6, 2008
The animal's body has no immune response because the prion is not identified as an infecting agent. Prions remain in the environment for long periods and can be destroyed quickly only by high heat or chemicals. (News & Observer -- Sports)
Protein 'tubules' free avian flu virus from immune recognition Nov 6, 2008
A protein found in the virulent avian influenza virus strain called H5N1 forms tiny tubules in which it "hides" the pieces of double-stranded RNA formed during viral infection, which otherwise would prompt an antiviral immune response from infected cells, said Baylor College of Medicine researchers in an online report in the journal Nature. Two domains or portions of the protein NS1 combine to form tiny tubules where double-stranded RNA is hidden from the immune system, said Dr. B. V. Venkataram... (EurekAlert!)
Obesity increases risk of arthritis, study suggests Nov 6, 2008
"Although the exact mechanisms are not fully understood, the emotions engendered by stress can alter the immune response and influence the onset and progression of physical illness. Another possibility is that stress may prompt negative changes in health behaviours as individuals attempt to cope," Statscan's Margot Shields said. But she added that the issue is a complex one and "stress does not always lead to illness.". (Yahoo News -- Arthritis)
Snakebites: At Least 421,000 Venom Bites And 20,000 Deaths Occur Each Year, Study Finds Nov 5, 2008
(May 16, 2007) A new study suggests that bites from mosquitoes not infected with malaria may trigger an immune response limiting parasite development following bites from infected. (June 27, 2007) The death rate from traffic injuries is higher in Africa than in any other region of the world, and yet research into improving road safety in Africa is scarce, argues Emmanuel Lagarde (French. (Science Daily)
